I'm definitely a Historical Fiction fan, and while this one isn't a romance, there are romantic elements anyway... after all, what's life without a little love, even in the midst of war? This story definitely has its darker aspects, mostly contained within the past as Charlotte uncovers her grandmother’s past, and just why she's always been so reluctant to talk about it. As she digs deeper, secrets are revealed, long held, but not forgotten, that eventually lead to revelations that are more immediate to her own person, and the one she is becoming because you can't be touched by moments like these without being affected.

The same can be said for readers of the story shared. You can't walk away from a story like this without taking some of it with you. Whether you connect on a personal level, or just as deeply as a reader, the emotional aspects of the story were written to draw you in and never let go. The hard times and good, sadness and happiness, moments of love and those of intense brokenness, you're invited in to feel through it all, and come out the other side a better person for having taken the journey.

A great pick for Historical Fiction fans that aren't afraid to embrace a story with both heart and mind.

A haunting, beautifully written story and thoroughly researched. An incredible sense of place as with all Siobhan's books.

I love historical fiction books set during WWII. This was a little different focus in that it dealt with the German invasion of Italy. Based on actual events that occurred during that time, it is heartbreaking but yet displays the courage, strength, and relationships that were prevalent during the war. I loved seeing Lidia’s granddaughter, Charlotte, discover clues that led her to the search for the past her grandmother would never discuss. I love reading stories about the women who demonstrated such strength and bravery during WWII. This is one you will want to put on your to-be-read list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Loved this WW2 story. Very well written and researched. A dual time-line and a beautiful book. Very emotional reading this one. It will stay with me for a very long time. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

What an amazing story. Written really well. I didn't want to put it down! Great for all fans of WWII fiction.

Anyone who is a regular reader of this blog will know I can’t resist anything to do with Venice so I was drawn to this one immediately.

Told in a dual timeline, this is a beautifully written historical novel. The descriptions of Venice are portrayed so vividly, the reader can almost picture themselves there. Having visited there many times, it was wonderful to return there through the pages of the book.

Highly recommended!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

The Girl from Venice was many things, including bravery, heart wrenching, beautifully written, and very touching. It is set in dual time periods and tells the tale of Lidia in 1943 and Charlotte in 2010. Lidia is living in occupied Italy under both the Nazi’s and the fascism government. Part of the book tells the tale of Lidia losing her family, her home and her identity as she goes through hell and back to survive, to include: joining the partisans, resistance and doing everything in her power to fight for a free Italy.

Charlotte is the granddaughter of Lidia, and as we meet her, she’s going through her own trials in life as she suffers the loss of the now elderly Lidia, and is grieving the loss of her marriage to an ugly affair. When Charlotte decides to travel to Italy to try and understand her roots, Charlotte gets more than she asked for when she sees why Lidia never shared her time in Italy with her. In the midst of her emotions, she meets Alex, who gives a beacon of hope in a dark time.

What I loved most about the book was although both characters stories were over seven decades apart, their stories resembled one another and Lidia’s strength from 1943 shone through to help Charlotte in 2010. It was a beautiful story, although sometimes incredibly sad.

I read The Girl from Venice a few days before traveling to Venice. The rich writing really set the scene and allowed me to visualize exactly where I was going. The story was a twist on the usual story of World War 2. It was engaging, the characters were relatable, and it was a quick read. If you are a reader of historical fiction, this one should be on your list.

Leonessa

A heartbreaking story set in the turbulence of WWII Italy. When Lidia's father was arrested by the Gestapo she goes to live with a family in the country disguised as their cousin. When the Gestapo man attacks her she goes up in the mountains to join with the resistance.

years later Charlotte is searching through her grandmother's items when she comes across a Hebrew prayer book. When she asks her grandmother about the prayer book and a photo her grandmother refuses to talk about her time during WWII.Charlotte travels to Italy to find out her Grandmother's story and the story is told.

This is an inspiring duo time period story. Those brave resistance workers mentioned were courageous and patriotic heroes. Young people putting their lives on the line for their country. Most of them lost family and friends to the evil of the Nazi's.

Charlotte learns her history and helps her grandmother come to terms with her past. It is a wonderful story of two lives that come together to unite the past and the present.

Thanks to Siobhan Daiko for writing an inspiring story , to Boldwood Books for publishing it , and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I got lost in this book from the very first page! Written during the war with beautiful characters and settings you can almost imagine yourself there.

My, what an emotional rollercoaster!

The Girl from Venice is a dual-timeline story set during the Second World War in north-eastern Italy, and in 2010.

The contemporary part of the story begins in London, where Charlotte – a history teacher – discovers a faded photograph and unopened letters in Italian in her grandmother's house after her beloved grandmother's death. Fresh after a separation from her boyfriend for cheating, Charlotte decides to take time out to do some research. Her grandmother had never mentioned Italy, so why the secrecy?

Meanwhile, the story returns in time to 1943. We are in Venice, where Lidia lives with her father, a Jewish doctor. Their gentle relationship is a caring, close one, and you get a sense of their love for each other early on. Lidia is also studying medicine – until, one day, Jews are no longer allowed to attend university courses. The little hope she has is dashed further when Renzo, the young man she considered like a fiancé, leaves for Switzerland with his parents. Yet her father remains optimistic, considering Venetians safe from the horrors of the war. Horrors that unfold at a pace none of them expected.

When the SS arrives and begins to send Jews to concentration camps, Lidia must flee her beloved city. She does need some convincing by her best friend to do so, but soon finds her in the Veneto hills with a local family who introduce her as a distant cousin. Then she uncovers the secret ways of the resistance, and she doesn't need much prompting to join them.

But to do so puts her life in danger once more...

The Girl from Venice is an absolutely immersive novel. You're right there, with Lidia, at a time when one wrong word could get you arrested, and when one mistake could cost a life, or several.

Ms Daiko has excelled herself in the research she's undertaken for the historical part of the novel. Her knowledge of the movement of the partisans, their struggles at being taken seriously by the Allies, who often let them down, and the harrowing details of Lidia's experiences at the hands of not only the Germans, but also the Italians who happily supported the killing machine – it all makes this an utterly compelling (and at times truly shocking) read. But the violence is never gratuitous; it remains realistic of what we've come to learn about World War II and its horrors.

Lidia's father is a wonderful character, kind and always the optimist. To think what would become of him, and so many others like him, was extremely sad.

I absolutely loved Lidia's story, with the realistic setting, flawed and brave characters, political posturing, and a gripping fight for survival.

In the modern part, we have Charlotte travel to the Veneto where she quickly (somewhat too quickly) makes friends with the owners of the hotel where she's staying. Both Alessandro and Francesca, brother and sister, are happy to help her with her research. Soon, she falls for Alessandro's charm, who in turn has fallen in love with her. That part of the novel went way too fast for me, and I didn't find their help too realistic. They have a business to run, so running off to help translate for Charlotte seemed a bit far-fetched; too easy.

But it's still an intriguing mystery that Charlotte slowly uncovers, with a wonderful twist at the end that sees her question her path in life.

The Girl from Venice is a harrowing read at times, but the realism of the setting, and the emotions and bravery shown by Lidia in particular make for an unforgettable read. I can highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in World War II fiction, Italy's role in it, and the workings of the resistance.

The Girl from Venice is a detailed medium paced story that gives Lidia's viewpoint 1938 and 1943-1945 as well as Charlotte's viewpoint between 2010-2011.

Daiko has researched society, customs, traditions and lifestyles of the citizens of Venice in the 30s and during WWII, when Italy joins forces with Germany. Those with Jewish heritage are treated like outcasts and second-class citizens. Daiko goes on to mention fascism, anti-war demonstrations, labour camps and the resistance movement, as well as briefly approaching the sensitive topic of cancer in an understanding and caring way. The writing style is easy to follow as there are titled chapters for navigation. There is a mixture of description and dialogue. I did find it a little repetitive with Charlotte and her relationship with her ex-boyfriend...

The character development of The Girl from Venice gives the reader background and flashbacks to help them find a connection with the characters...the characters are interesting and realistic with their own personalities.

When Lidia's sweetheart, Renzo and his family decide to leave after racial laws are put in place against Jews in Italy, they eventually become distant...When the Italian forces change their allegiance the fear of invasion leaves Lidia trying to persuade her optimistic father to leave...she finally manages to persuade him and have new identities made in order to escape...

Charlotte has a strong relationship with grandmother...she visits her at the hospice every afternoon as she is dying from cancer at the age of 91. After the funeral Charlotte is left to go through her grandmother's belongings and finds letters between her grandparents from Italy. Charlotte decides to explore her heritage and travels to Italy to discover more...

Overall I feel that The Girl from Venice is. I was saddened by Charlotte's mother's attitude and mannerisms towards life as well as the death of her mother. Grief is different for everyone but it was a very cold and unfeeling approach...I found Lidia's viewpoint to be more interesting than Charlotte's.

I would suggest reading The Girl from Venice to people who enjoy reading historical fiction based around WW2, as it is an emotional character driven story about grief, friendship and connection as the reader follows both storylines to see if there is an HEA...

TRIGGER WARNING: war crimes including rape
1940s: Lidia is a non practising Jew in Venice but she is forced to flee for her life when her father is rounded up and deported. Her only hope is to fight the Nazis and Fascists. 2010, Charlotte's grandmother dies, leaving behind possessions that suggest a secret past...
The Girl From Venice is a dual timeline historical novel set in the 1940s and 2010.
Lidia's father cannot believe in the approaching danger as the Italians switch sides during WW" and battle each other as well as the Nazis. He and Lidia stay in their home until it is too late to escape and he is deported. Yet Lidia still clings to the hope that he is being well treated in a camp. Decades later, Charlotte embarks on a mission to find out the truth about her grandmother's past but also needs to heal her own heart that is dealing with a feckless ex and the grief at her grandmother's death.
The book doesn't shy away from the horrors of war. We witness the brutality that was experienced on all sides, including Lidia's emotional reaction to kiling for the first time. In light of the emotional depth in the 1940s timeline, I personally found the sex scenes in the present day a little unnecessary. I expect that they were to contrast against the brutal rape scenes but I thought they detracted from the plot.
The book is written from the first person viewpoints of both Lidia and Charlotte. I was more emotionally affected by Lidia's timeline but Charlotte's provided a balance to the strong emotion as she gradually discovers the truth. I enjoyed the unfolding mystery as we charted the life of Lidia and tried to confirm the links with what Charlotte is told. The scenery and character descriptions were vivid and brought the plot to life. I felt like I was immersed in the Italian setting alongside the narrators.
The Girl From Venice is a vividly imagined historical novel.

Based on actual events that occurred during WWII this is a heartbreaking story of love, survival, loyalty and family secrets.
Lidia lives in Venice with her father who is a Dr and Lidia is studying to follow in her fathers footsteps. After Lidia’s father is removed from his house and sent to a camp Lidia is forced to flee her home and city as her family is Jewish.
Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains where she meets David an English officer who is helping the partisans. She and David become very close but will their love outlive the horrors of war.
Fast forward to 2010 and Charlotte is clearing out her grandmothers house and finds an old Jewish prayer book, a pile of unopened letters and a photo taken of a group of young people in Venice.
Charlotte’s grandmother never talked of her past and the unlikely treasure trove that Charlotte uncovers sets her on a path to finding out the truth of her grandmothers past.
This is such an emotional read and it doesn’t hold back on the horrors that were encountered during the war and the scars it leaves on those who lived through it.
A real page turner of a book. A wonderful historical fiction read and I look forward to he next book in the series.

My Review: I absolutely lost myself in this beautiful and sensitively written story of love, determination and strength. We follow Lidia during the second world war and Lottie in 2010.

We find ourselves in an incredible story from the then to the now. The horrors of war are wrapped up delicately. A woman's sacrifice for the freedom of her future self and that of a family she doesn't know yet, and that family later uncovering things they never imagined. I enjoyed the Italian phrases and I once went to school with an Alessandro, we called him Sandro, in the book the name is shortened to Alex. A book filled with friendships, discovery, strength and new beginnings.

This was a dual-time story so well told, the wartime thread superbly researched and delivered, the present day story woven in quite perfectly – I was gripped from the opening pages and, once more, very much enjoyed the author’s writing.

In 1943 Venice, Lidia – a young Jewish woman – is no longer able to continue her medical studies as the Nazi threat intensifies. Her doctor father was convinced they would be safe, but finds himself arrested – and Lidia flees the city to a place of safety, later choosing to join the partisans in the mountains of the Grappa, supporting their resistance effort. It’s a story of hardship, danger and immense bravery – and becomes a compelling love story too, when she meets David, a British soldier who arrives to help their mission.

In 2010, Charlotte is mourning the loss of her beloved grandmother – she was always aware she had Italian roots, but it was a time she always refused to talk about. Going through her belongings, she finds a photograph, some unopened letters in Italian, and a Jewish prayer book – and decides to travel to Venice, and later into the mountains, in an attempt to discover more about her grandmother’s secret past.

The story-telling is quite excellent, the whole narrative perfectly paced as it moves between the past – vividly drawn, and an entirely gripping story with such well-drawn characters – and Charlotte’s discoveries in the present day. The balance is perfect too – while Lidia’s story understandably predominates at times, Charlotte’s journey to understanding (with a touch of her own romance along the way) is so well handled and the shifts between past and present are comfortable and seamless. And it’s an immensely emotionally engaging story, with a few real surprises along the way – one of those wonderful books that swept me away into the world the author created, the pages effortlessly turning ever faster.

It’s quite difficult for a book to stand out when wartime stories proliferate, but this is one that most certainly does – while being caught up in the experiences of the individuals at the story’s core and the harsh realities of life for the partisans, I learned a great deal about the whole Italian wartime experience. Highly recommended – and I’ll look forward to reading more from this talented author.

When Charlotte's beloved grandmother dies, she takes on the duty of clearing out her home where she finds several unopened letters from an address in Venice. Charlotte's mother is distant but she was very close to her grandmother, and she wants to find out where her grandmother came from. She is aware that her grandmother was Italian, but that is all she knows. Her grandmother refused to talk about anything in her previous life. Charlotte therefore decides to follow the clues and heads to Venice.

Lidia de Angelis and her father live in Venice. He is a doctor and Lidia is studying to follow in his footsteps. When Lidia is excluded from university because she is Jewish, and her closest friends decide to leave, her father still doesn't believe that they are in any danger. When he is arrested Lidia goes into hiding, staying with a farming family and assuming a new identity.

Now known as Elena, she lives and works with the family, until she catches the eye of a blackshirt. Determined to protect her Elena is moved into the partisan encampment on the local mountain. With her medical skills and her excellent English she quickly becomes an integral part of the partisan organisation.

The author takes very familiar dual timeline story elements - a family member finding old letters/photos/etc and then tracks them back to their secret life. What elevates this particular take is the setting which is in Venice and the nearby region of Veneto. The tragic events that are portrayed in the book are based on true events and the author doesn't hold back. There is no whitewashing of the events, particularly the events later in the book which are so vividly and graphically portrayed.

Generally one aspect of a dual timeline is stronger than the other. For me, that is usually the historical aspect, and that was true of this book. I liked Charlotte's story, enjoyed her connecting with some of the people who knew her grandmother and helped her unravel the hidden story. I also didn't mind the relationships that developed over the course of the book, although there was a bit of insta-love and good fortune.

Despite the tragic events portrayed, this was still a very quick read. I was able to finish it in a couple of hours while I was on a train trip to the country.

Venice is calling me at the moment. Over the last weekend I have watched three shows all about spending time in Venice and then I read this book. I have warned my husband already that we might want to start thinking about a trip to Venice next time we go to Europe, whenever that might happen. I would be keen to find some of the memorials that are mentioned, particularly the memorial to the Shoah in the Venetian Ghetto


This isn't my first book by this author. However, the previous book was set in Hong Kong, so it is interesting to see the author moving between these two settings. Her next book is once again set in Italy, this time in Portofino. I definitely plan to read her next books, regardless of whether they are set in European or Asian WWII theatres of war.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I had never read a book about the Italian part of WW2 but I found it very interesting. The situation there was just as sad as it was in other countries. It was fascinating to jump between present day and the 1940s. I was eagerly anticipating when the two parts would connect. It did bother me there were some errors in the book like, I had a sleepless night followed by when I woke up. Perhaps some would disagree with that. Lydie and Lottie mostly developed characters and I found myself rooting for both of them.

The Girl From Venice is the latest captivating work from historical fiction author Siobhan Daiko and the first in her ‘Girls from the Italian Resistance’ series. From the second I read the synopsis I was hooked and the story itself only exceeded my expectations. Siobhan Daiko’s knowledge of the subject matter is evidently incredible and the story is clearly meticulously researched as history just seeped through the pages. This has created an emotive and utterly gripping story of the Italian partisans operating around Venice and I devoured the book in a single sitting.
The story is told through a split narrative, flitting between Lidia’s story during the war and her granddaughter Charlotte’s story in 2010, and the two narratives work beautifully together in progressing the story. Both Lidia and Charlotte are wonderful protagonists with such depth to their characters and I was in absolute awe of the strength and courage Lidia demonstrated throughout the story.
I also really enjoyed the romances we see blossoming in both time periods and Siobhan Daiko absolutely nailed the way she sprinkled sensual and sexy moments amongst the emotional and at times hard-hitting scenes in the rest of the book. It would have been easy for the more sensual scenes to be used as merely light-relief from the darker aspects of the plot but Siobhan Daiko made them so much more than that and they were so important in the character development we saw in both Lidia and Charlotte.
The Girl From Venice does have a significant content warning for rape (including gang rape), sexual assault and miscarriage and you can read this warning in more depth in my full review at www.yourschloe.co.uk
My only criticism is that I would have liked to have seen Lidia’s chapters marked with the date and month they were taking place in alongside the year to allow the reader to follow the progression of the war but that is a minor detail.
Overall, The Girl From Venice is a really powerful piece of historical fiction and has been one of my standout historical fiction books of 2023 so far. It is a truly enchanting story which is going to really stay with me and has encouraged me to read further about Italian experiences of the war, particularly around the work of the partisans.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk and the post is linked.

I read this book some time ago and it was as good the second time as it was the first.

The story of Lidia in the time of war, the hardships, loves lost and lives lived. But many years later the story unfolds as Charlotte (the granddaughter) finds her grandmothers Jewish prayer book, unopened letters and a photograph. The search for Charlottes roots is on and the story will reveal itself.

This story s emotional, heart-breaking and historical. It is beautifully written, the characters are relatable and is worth reading. I highly recommend it and will be reading it again.


Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.