An epic dual timeline story exploring generations of an Italian family and the impact of WWII.

Domenica is a strong woman growing up in a strict Roman Catholic community. When her common sense attitude clashes with the town leaders, she leaves the small town to continue her nursing training in Britain. Whilst there she falls in love, only for war to break out soon after.

Matelda is coming to the end of her life, and with her granddaughter engaged to be married, she is keen to ensure the family history lives on and the stories behind the family's precious stones are not forgotten.

The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani is a mesmerizing story of love and loyalty, set in the picturesque Italian countryside and along the French coastline. Domenica Cabrelli’s story of her two great loves unfolds as she reflects on her life, decades later. It’s a journey of self-discovery and learning how to trust love. Matelda, her daughter, comes to terms with the legacy of their family and realizes the strength of the connection between them. Trigiani skillfully transports readers to mid-century Italy, immersing us in a beautifully told tale of one family’s trials and tribulations, of secret truths and hidden stories. A stunning, heartbreakingly romantic story, The Good Left Undone is an essential read for lovers of romantic fiction.

The Good Left Undone is a duel time novel set in the present day and during WW2. As a young woman, Domenica leaves Italy eventually working as a nurse in Scotland during the war. In the present day Matelda shares her mother Domenica’s story with her granddaughter along with other major historical events of the past.
I am a big fan of Adriana Trigiani, but didn’t find this novel as gripping as her others. There is a large cast of characters and not all storylines are as interesting as some.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A story of love, family and secrets that spans a number of timelines and locations, this was a good read. Well written and with interesting characters it held my attention to the end!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
The information provided explains that this book is about Domenica and her life as discussed between her descendants so it travels along a dual timeline.
I found Domenica's story very interesting, from her start in Italy as a child through her moves to France and Scotland before returning home. I didn't enjoy the modern-day story of her daughter sharing her history with her granddaughter as much, Matelda didn't seem a nice person for much of the time, especially in her relationship with her own daughter. There were some typos in the copy I received such as 'Monica Monica' instead of 'Monica Maroni', and some odd word choices which may have been a mistake such as 'mythical' instead of 'legendary'. There were quite a lot of minor characters which made it difficult to follow the story at times, especially as the author kept changing the way she referred to people, sometimes by their forename and sometimes by their surname. I liked the descriptions of places and the comical touches the author used e.g 'he looked like a lit match'. I didn't like the inclusion of the story about the elephant and rubies, it did not seem to link with the main stories for me.
The most irritating issue was the use of American words, spellings and incorrect information, especially when I was reading the Scottish part of the story. Whiskey was written repeatedly: this is the American and Irish spelling, Scotch or whisky is produced in Scotland; Americans eat cookies while Europeans and British people make and eat biscuits; there seemed a lack of awareness of the Scottish weather: it's unlikely to be warm enough to wear a summer dress in spring or to grow outdoor cucumbers in autumn in the area of Glasgow; a mantle is a cloak, in Britain a mantle is over a fireplace; and in Britain Catholics do not take wine at Communion Mass, only the host. This is the reason for only giving 2 stars instead of 3 for an average historical saga.

How gorgeous is that front cover? It really is perfect for this beautifully written, hugely atmospheric new novel from Adriana Trigiani.

I loved this multi-generational book and all the characters who it focussed on. Matelda is an elderly Italian grandmother who wants to pass on what she knows about her family’s past before she forgets. Adriana writes beautifully about the tender love between Matelda and her husband Olimpio. Matelda’s mother was Domenica who was a clever, spirited woman who nursed during the Second World War. She has two wonderful relationships at different times in the book and there is strong focus on her husband who was a Scottish captain. This marriage sees her move to Dumbarton and become part of the Italian ex-pat community there. Adjusting to life far from home is not made easier by her horrible mother in law! The final link in this generational story is Matelda’s granddaughter Anina who is very much inspired by the strength of her female relations past and present.

The story is set in Italy, Marseille and Scotland with the Second World War having a profound impact on the narrative. The author really shows the effects of the war on the Italian community both at home in Italy and in the UK. I knew that a lot of Italians had settled in Scotland around this time but didn’t really know much about the community and it was really interesting, though often sad, to read about how this immigrant community were treated during the war years and after. I hadn’t heard of the Arandora Star tragedy which features in the book and came across this interesting article where the author explains how she learned about it and why she felt she had to incorporate it into her story. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-61234271

There are many secrets hidden in the past and as a reader we’re privy to some information before the characters are. However, even we don’t know the whole story and that’s what makes this such a compelling read. I loved the way the story meandered from one character to another and from past to present with a little bit more being revealed through each character’s experiences.

I’ve read most of Adriana Trigiani’s books and I have to say that I think this is up there with her best. The Good Left Undone is a satisfying family saga, an epic love story and such wonderfully evocative historical fiction.

I really enjoy a generational family saga, and The Good Left Undone is a fine example as the reader joins the Cabrelli family. With its multiple narrators, the past through to the present is explored and Adriana Trigiani’s characters are expertly formulated. From the 1920s to the present day, this is a novel about a family’s bond and its traumas. It is also a love story with its setting moving between Scotland, Tuscany, and Marseilles. The stories of Matelda and her mother, Domenica were especially well told with richness in the details of their lives as it explores their love, grief, and hope. Very highly recommended and a pearl of a novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Penguin Michael Joseph UK via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Good Left Undone is a historical novel set predominantly during the Second World War, but which spans from the 1920s to the present day. A dual timeline means we get the stories of both Matelda, a feisty woman in her eighties, as well as her Mother, Domenica, whose story drives the plot.

I did like The Good Left Undone, it's a beautiful tale of romance and family. But I felt the story of Matelda was a weaker plot, which meant I was always waiting for the story to flip back to her Mother's. Perhaps that's just because I prefer historical fiction.

There were also too many characters in the book for me. I lost track of who I was following towards the end of the story. Especially as a number of Britalians are introduced past the half way point purely to make a more emotional and dramatic scene later on.

Overall, it's a nice book. I'm sure fans of Adriana Trigiani will enjoy it, as it has all the romance and family saga which would be expected. However, I don't feel it's her best.. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK, for the eARC.

I did not enjoy this book by Adriana Trigiani as much as I thought I would. It is well written and tells the story of an Italian family covering several generations. I felt that the author had found out lots of facts about Italians living in the UK during the war and how they were treated and contrived a story around them. It all felt a bit disjointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for the advance copy of this book.

I am a great fan of Adriana Trigiani , especially her multi generational novels which give depth to her characters and bring the settings to life. This book is no exception; her characters jump from the pages and remain in the readers thoughts.
Spanning over a century, the loves, lives and secrets of this family are perfectly depicted.
Sit back and prepare to be enthralled.

A contender for my novel of the year. A beautifully enchanting then and now read as Matelda reflects back on her life and that of her mother Dominica, who came of age in a deliciously described Tuscan coastal town before war in the 1940s. Fans of Trigiani’s previous works won’t be disappointed by the wonderful characters, the plot which takes us from Italy to France and on to Scotland before returning to Italy. Just a beautiful heartwarming read, something this author excels at.

The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani

Adriana Trigiani is one of the authors I gravitate towards when I want comfort and pure enjoyment in a read. Her books are full of interesting women, generational issues, Italian history and culture, and the food always makes my mouth water. Her latest is a stand alone novel about the Cabrelli family, who live in a little village called Viareggio on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Cabrellis are jewellers and the author shows us
Matelda opening up her jewellery box to let her granddaughter Anina pick something for her wedding. Out of all the pieces in the box, Anina is drawn to a fob watch that to her great-grandmother Dominica. The watch is unusual, made of stone and set with a different gem on each quarter hour. It hangs upside down and was made to be worn on a nurse’s uniform. It’s unique and part of that is wrapped up in who it was for and where it was from.

This opens up the story of the Scottish link in the family’s past, a story that takes us from the deeply religious Viarregio to Glasgow and through the war years, telling the story of Domenica, and the fate of all “Britalians” during the war. Anina needs to hear and understand her family history so she can make some big life decisions. Matelda needs to tell it because she’s worried time is running out and every woman needs to know where she’s come from, to know where she’s going to and because the women in the family are guardians of their history. We are given a great idea of Domenica’s character in a childhood story where she and her best friend Silvio Bertolini take a map from the library in order to find hidden treasure. They are accosted on the beach by a gang of boys, followed by the librarian, who throw a stone that hits Silvio and splits the skin above his eye. Her mother is worried the stone is meant for Dominica, a child and perhaps even a woman who will always make waves. However, it is Silvio who takes the brunt of the village gossip, because no matter what he will always be known as ‘Il Bastardo’ the boy whose father was already married. His mother knows that she and Silvio will always be seen as tainted in this community so decides to pack up and leave for somewhere their story isn’t known. She sends Dominica a religious medal to wear, knowing that this brave, headstrong girl is her boy’s best friend and first love. Fiercely loyal, she wears it always.

Years later, as the community nurse working with the doctor, she again shows she will not be cowed by public opinion or even the Catholic Church. A young mother of three has been told to stop having children, because she has weak blood and another pregnancy would kill her. Dominica goes against practice policy and the church when she gives the woman a leaflet on how to prevent pregnancy. She knows this is the right thing to do, but when the parish priest and the woman’s husband find out, she finds out where the boundaries still are for women in 1930’s Italy. She is banished overseas to a convent in Scotland where she will work as nurse to children in the attached school. Will she ever return to her beloved Viareggio? There’s a storm brewing across Europe, and everyone is powerless as to which side their country chooses to stand on. What will this mean for the Britalians of Glasgow who Dominica has come to know? What will it mean for Dominica herself?

I love reading Adriana Trigiani’s books, because I know the richness and depth of detail I’m going to get in the fashion, the food and specifically in this case, the jewellery made by the Cabrellis in Viareggio and the Mattuorriez in Glasgow. This richness gives us an incredible sense of place, whether that’s the sea and tall townhouses of Viareggio, or the West End of Glasgow filled with food shops and Italian cafés. The food makes your mouth water, but also serves a purpose in terms of culture and tradition. It tells us how important food is to this family and the celebrations it holds. It’s the passing on of a tradition as Matelda tries to replicate her mother’s recipes and promises them to granddaughter Anina. I love the little quirks and nuances of flavour that make a dish, turning it from a lasagne to Dominica Cabrelli’s lasagne. There’s a similar reverence for the art of jewellery making and the author does this with whatever her character’s occupation is, she makes it detailed and special, with an extra hint of genius that lets you know that the Cabrellis made
that pendant or that ring. Their talent follows the family line, usually starting with the men, but as the times change perhaps a daughter or granddaughter is given the chance to try her hand at the family business. In this case it’s Anina who feels fulfilled by the chance to learn her grandfather’s trade in the same way she learns her grandmother’s cooking.

Of course Domenica is the central character as we keep going back and finding out a little more about her story. There is a natural balance to the tale as we learn about her youth and the love she discovers in a handsome Scottish captain of the Merchant Navy. Of course it’s not an easy love story, with anti-Italian feeling growing in the run up to WW2 John McVicars has opposition to his choice. His mother is positively hate filled and a bitter woman, who would rather keep her son to herself anyway, but is certainly not going to lose him to a ‘dirty Italian.’ She is just one of this love stories obstacles and waiting for the couple to find each other and reunite keeps those pages turning. Scotland really does hold its own against Italy in the picturesque stakes with ample descriptions of the mountains, the mists and the colour. In the past as we see Dominica’s love for John and Scotland thrive, her daughter Matelda is growing older and knows that what she’s doing is taking stock. She’s reminiscing and finding her history, putting it in order and making sense of it. What brought Domenica and her daughter Matelda, back to Viareggio and how does this reunion suit them? This was a beautiful read and I enjoyed learning about this line of incredible Cabrelli women ranging right across the Twentieth Century and into the present. Every family has stories buried within it and by excavating and making sense of them we can make our heritage come alive.

I really enjoyed the back drops of this book, the descriptiveness of the book is really well written. The characters are really well rounded and drawn to life and the story line is really good also. Also can we take a moment just to appreciate the gorgeous front cover.

An emotional and beautiful tale of family, love, and love… This book is brilliant, really well written, good story which kept me interested from the beginning. Great characters which are also believable.

I’ve been waiting for a new Adriana Trigiani book for ages. This one, in my opinion, is one of her best. I hope it’s not too long before we get another of this calibre.

I have read a number of books by this author and find them enjoyable, light reading. This was no different but I found it a bit tedious by the end.

The story of one family through three generations and multiple timelines.
I enjoyed parts of the book but I found the change of timelines and characters challenging and I’m sorry that this affected my enjoyment of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful cover this is a book full of drama amazing characters twists along the way this lady certainly never disappoints, quite a mesmerising tale weaves it's way through generations be prepared.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I really love this author and this doesn't disappoint