Fans of sweeping historical fiction will be completely mesmerized by Siobhan Daiko’s latest novel, Daughters of Tuscany.

The arrival of British prisoners of war to the farmhouse estate of the Marchese Ginori draws different reactions from daughter of the house Emma and employee Rosa. After the death of her husband at the hands of the Allies, Rosa is naturally wary and distrustful of the new arrivals – especially as she has a daughter to protect and care for. Meanwhile, Emma is relieved that she’s going to have some much-needed help around the estate – and the opportunity to protect her childhood friend Marco, an Italian soldier hiding from the Nazis.

With danger creeping ever closer to them, Emma and Rosa know that they must tread carefully and not trust anyone because if their actions end up raising even the slightest of suspicion, then their lives will simply not be worth living. As unlikely alliances are formed and secrets spilled, nobody is more surprised than Rosa when she finds herself drawn to one of the POWs, a Scotsman called Tom. Dare Rosa hope for a future with a man she has grown to care for? Or is she foolish for even daring to dream?

As the stakes get higher and higher, will Rosa and Emma stay strong in the face of all the adversity and obstacles standing in their way? Or will the enemy rip through their defenses and destroy everything they hold dear?

Siobhan Daiko’s Daughters of Tuscany is an atmospheric and evocative historical novel that brings to life the dangers and risks faced by strong women during this dangerous time in history and the bravery, courage and resilience they needed to live on to fight another day. Written straight from the heart, Daughters of Tuscany is a poignant, enthralling and unforgettable historical tale from Siobhan Daiko perfect for fans of Heather Morris and Kristin Hannah.

Gorgeous. I do enjoy diving into Siobhan Daiko's books and this was no exception. I was hooked in really early into the story. 5 stars looking forward to the next one.

This is the latest compelling novel from historical fiction author Siobhan Daiko. The captivating story explores themes of love, loss, community, and hope, all set against the war-torn yet still beautiful valleys of Tuscany. It’s a must-read for fans of historical fiction. While I am new to the author I am not to this genre and enjoy it from time to time.

Siobhan Daiko’s passion for Italy and its wartime stories shines in this book, making her one of my new favorite authors in this genre. while this particular genre can sometimes be rather hard-hitting and serious (death and doom) I did like that this one offered a bit of a lighter side.

We get to see how life goes on for those who are living and working in some of the remote parts of Italy even though there is a war going on. As an American, I haven’t nor do I know anyone who really experienced this on a daily basis. Other than stories from soldiers we don’t have the experience of this. We can only get it through books. These people are responsible for farming the land and producing food for their communities despite the German occupation, bombardments, and the risks faced by their loved one fighting. It was portrayed very well in this book.

Emma and Rosa are young women from different backgrounds that highlighted how the war affected various groups in Italy. Both women’s journeys to find unexpected love were beautifully written. I will say I enjoyed this so much.

I don't know much about Italy, never having been there, and beyond Ancient Rome not especially being interested in its history, so I was rather looking forward to this read, set during WWII, as I hoped the story would bring something new to enjoy. I soon discovered that I was not going to be disappointed.

The story itself was engrossing as well as entertaining, with strong, believable characters especially the two main protagonists. We walk with Emma and Rosa as they meet love, tragedy and hope for a better future, whilst enduring the horror of their country being torn apart by the treachery of war.

Was there perhaps a little too much detail? Maybe. I'm not sure that I needed all the information about harvesting olives for instance, and some readers may not like the sexual content or the explicitness of the language in places - although this is an adult book written by an adult, for adults to read about adult relationships, so personally I'm not sure why 'trigger warnings' etc are required when explicitness is included. Good writing, a good story and good characters are what counts for a good read. So for lovers of Italy, and readers who enjoy immersing themselves in the stoic dignity of brave heroines, this is an ideal adult novel.

4 stars * * * *

In her latest World War II historical fiction novel set in Italy, Siobhan Daiko brings a Tuscan estate to life in this fascinating novel. Following Rosa, the daughter of a farmer, and Emma, the landowner’s daughter, as the Nazi and Italian grip on Tuscany weakens, readers will explore life in fascist Italy and the presence of POW camps and resistance cells in northern Italy. When Emma discovers that her childhood friend Marco has joined the partisans and Rosa becomes friends with Scottish POW Tom, both women must make dangerous choices to protect their community and those they love from fascism’s grip on central Europe by freeing their village in a daring and valiant effort. As always, Daiko’s novel is incredibly researched with fascinating characters, complex historical settings, and a wealth of research into the period. With its focus on Italian POW camps and local partisan groups, she brings Italian resistance and its ties to the home front to life through Emma, Rosa, Marco, and Tom’s work and relationships with each other. She does not shy away from the darker sides of the war and protection against the local fascists (trigger warnings for sexual harassment) but handles it appropriately and sensitively in a way that is relevant yet not gratuitous or descriptive.

The story of Rosa and Emma building an alliance and fighting for the men they love in war torn Tuscany. A compelling story with great characters and acts of bravery with then joining the Resistance and fighting for what is right. If you love the war time stories I would definitely recommend this book set in the beautiful Tuscany where there was so much hardship and bravery

Another wonderful historical fiction book by Siobhan Daiko. I have read her previous work and have always enjoyed them. This new title is set
in Italy and tells the story of two women from different backgrounds - their bravery, sacrifice and strength in times of the hardships in war torn Italy .
Rosa, the daughter of a farmer and Emma, the daughter of the marchese, the wealthy landowner live different lives but both struggle with their responsibilities and their love for men fighting with the resistance movement in the war.
Both women strive for a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
A story of love, loss and the sacrifices made during the war - a truly captivating read.

Daughters of Tuscany is the page-turning WWII story of two women from different backgrounds and their sacrifice, endurance, and bravery.

Life at Marchese Ginori’s farmhouse estate is complicated as the workers and the family hide some escaped (allied) POWs. Rosa’s husband has been killed in the fighting and she is attracted to one of the escapees. Emma, daughter of the marchese is concerned about her childhood friend/love interest who works for the Resistance. In addition, Emma feels responsible to protect their community at any cost. Both Rosa and Emma dare to hope for an end to war and a brighter, happier future with the men they love.

A story of love, loss, and hope…

Despite war, Italy is a lovely setting! I appreciate vivid descriptions of farming, food prep, and routines of daily life while enduring the hardships of war. I was fully immersed into the time and place.

In Daughters of Tuscany, we are treated to two romance storylines. Both are slow-burn and moderately open door. Rosa is attracted to a Scottish allied POW despite her feeling that he’s the enemy (her husband was killed in a fight with the allied forces). Rosa has a young daughter and the Scottish POW wins both of their hearts. Feisty Emma becomes involved with the resistance movement in her concern for her childhood friend/romantic interest. The circumstances of war require both women to risk their lives and make sacrifices for the people they love.

I enjoyed Daughters of Tuscany from Emma’s and Rosa’s alternating and varied perspectives. They are strong and brave, and the story is compelling and page-turning’ Each love story involves risk and sacrifice.

I have read only one other story by the author which was closed door romance, so I was a bit surprised by this more open door romance and more profanity. It was an enjoyable read for many reasons, but this aspect of it was unexpected.

Content Consideration: Moderate Open Door Romance, Profanity, conditions of war

Daughters of Tuscany is well-written and well-researched. Readers who are comfortable with some open door romance and don’t mind profanity will find a lot to love in this riveting story.

Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks @RaRaResources @TheBoldBookClub for a complimentary e ARC of #DaughtersOfTuscany upon my request. All opinions are my own.

This descriptive historical novel, set during the latter years of WW2, takes us deep into the heart of Italy during the German occupation. We meet two young women, from different backgrounds, who, together with their families, try to keep hope alive. However, protecting their families from German hostility is really challenging but is their strength of spirit which sees them cope during the worst of times. Well researched, the story recounts this dark period in history especially in the descriptions of the harsh treatment given out to the fugitives and prisoners of war whilst at the same time championing the bravery of those who fought against oppression.

The author writes well, bringing both the beauty of place and the strength of the people alive in a very realistic way so that I soon became immersed in Tuscan life, watching as the olive harvest is brought in, the fields are tended and also enjoying the detailed descriptions of food, even though mostly peasant food it is described in a delicious way. The history feels authentic, the struggles of the people and the danger placed upon those who were part of the resistance is done well and with danger never far away there is always the anticipation of what will happen those characters who have such an emotional appeal. There are some nice romantic interludes which gives the story a lighter edge and I enjoyed seeing how these special relationships would play out especially when everything looked so hopeless.

The author has a great way of bringing history alive and whilst I have to admit that I didn’t know very much about the WW2 German occupation of Italy, it has been fascinating to learn a little more in Daughters of Tuscany which shows the strength and resilience of those who were fighting for freedom during a very harsh time in our history.

This review is being posted as part of the Daughters of Tuscany blog tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources.

Daughters of Tuscany is the latest compelling novel from historical fiction author Siobhan Daiko. Exploring themes of love, loss, community and hope, this captivating story is set against the backdrop of the war-torn yet still beautiful valleys of Tuscany and is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.

Siobhan Daiko is undoubtedly one of the standout authors of World War Two fiction whose passion for Italy and telling Italian wartime stories is evident in all of her books. She is one of my must-read historical fiction authors.

The tone of the book did feel generally less hard-hitting than other novels we’ve seen from Siobhan Daiko but this actually worked really well. It was brilliant to be able to enjoy her compelling writing in a book which was an overall easier and more light-hearted read, perfect for any time you would like a refreshing break from reading harder-hitting novels, whilst still being able to have the historical theme you’re seeking from this genre.

On a similar note, something I really liked about for Daughters of Tuscany was its focus on how life just had to carry on for those living and working in these remote parts of Italy, despite the war. Their responsibility to farm the land and produce food for their wider communities continued despite the German occupation, their land facing bombardments and seeing their sons, husbands and brothers risking their lives to fight as part of partisan brigades, and this was really well-portrayed.

Siobhan Daiko’s captivating storytelling made the Tuscan valley setting truly come alive on the page. I was fascinated reading about how they farmed the land and created the produce Italy is known for. As we’ve come to expect from Siobhan Daiko, her incredible historical subject knowledge is evident throughout the story which has clearly been meticulously researched as history just seeped through the pages.

Something Siobhan Daiko writes exceptionally well is strong female characters, and Emma and Rosa in Daughters of Tuscany are certainly no exception. I liked the choice to write the protagonists as two young women from different backgrounds as it showed how the war affected different groups of people in Italy. Emma was particularly courageous throughout the novel, doing anything to protect her community. Both women are able to find unexpected love and these stories were beautifully written. I particularly loved Rosa and Tom’s story, as the portrayal of Rosa gradually opening herself up to love again after the recent death of her husband was particularly powerful and it was beautiful to see Tom gradually became a father figure for Rosa’s daughter.

I potentially would have liked to have seen rough dates included at the beginning of chapters to help us as readers to be able to track the narrative against the timeline of the war, but that’s a minor detail to satisfy my inner history geek.

Overall, Daughters of Tuscany is a captivating and easy read for fans of World War Two historical fiction. It has further cemented Siobhan Daiko’s place as a real must-read author for me within the genre.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

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

*Thank you to Siobhan Daiko, Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley.

Daughters of Tuscany is a novel about two women – one, Emma, is the daughter of a marquese; the other, Rosa, the daughter of one of their tenant farmers – who are thrown into the turmoil that gripped Italy during World War II.

Whilst Emma is grateful for the help of British POWs, Rosa is not so certain about welcoming them, having lost her husband to the Allies on campaign in Africa. But the men's help is desperately needed for harvesting.

Meanwhile, Italy is divided. With Mussolini's arrest, the pressure is on for the Allies to arrive as soon as possible. But as they are delayed in southern Italy, the Germans arrive in force from the north, taking strategic cities, and managing to free Mussolini.

The balance seems to tilt towards the right, as the population is caught between the two sides, divided into fascists and resistance.

Emma is worried about her childhood friend, Marco, who is in the Italian army. Rose, meanwhile, feels drawn to Tom, a Scots Guard soldier helping with the harvest. She is torn between her loyalty to her late husband, and her budding attraction to the Scot.

When Marco appears, Emma's relief is short-lived as he immediately joins in the local resistance, clandestinely fighting the growing number of Nazis arriving in the area. When the POWs become at risk from being captured by the Germans, Tom and the other men flee, but he returns as the route to the Allies is blocked.

As Marco and Emma grow closer, her fear for him grows. Acting as go-between for the resistance, Emma knows she takes risks, but those she takes willingly.

With German Captain Hofmann breathing down their necks, Emma, her father, and the other partisans have to tread carefully. When he shows an interest in her, she reluctantly meets with him, whilst trying to find out their plans. But she puts herself in grave danger when trying to convince the cold officer of a ruse...

In the meantime, Rose and Tom grow closer, and even Rose's daughter becomes attached to him. But with their lives in danger, will there be a future for them both?

And will Emma, her father, and Marco succeed to keep their secret? Read the book to find out!

~~

Daughters of Tuscany is a gripping account about the bravery of ordinary Italians who risk everything in face of the war machine of the Fascists. It shows the dilemma the country faced as its people were divided between those who supported Mussolini's hard line, and those who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Allies.

I read this novel in one sitting. The two plots surrounding the women kept me enthralled as I turned the virtual pages. Both Emma and Rose come across as realistic women of their era, who were pushed to their boundaries by external events and the daily threat to their lives.

Ms Daiko provides great detail about the situation in Italy, which I found fascinating to read about, and weaves it perfectly into the fictional plot. The occasional use of Italian expressions, cleverly 'translated' in context, makes for immersive reading.

The description of the Germans includes some stereotypes (not many Germans were blond and blue-eyed), but the overall brutality of the regime and its henchmen were shown in a realistic and rather sinister manner, which added to the immersive reading experience.

The situation of the Allies' slow advance, including their targets hitting innocent Italians and their cities, was very well shown, and the author doesn't try to make excuses for them. This, again, adds a strong sense of realism, as ordinary people wondered if they'd ever be safe from either side.

Daughters of Tuscany is a gripping tale, one that draws you into its plot, and doesn't let you go until you've finished reading the last page. Well-researched, and with an authentic setting and characterisation, it's a novel you shouldn't miss.

Highly recommended.

Set in the Tuscan countryside, this compelling new book from Siobhan Daiko takes us into the lives of two very different women as they deal with the consequences of life in occupied Italy. Emma, the daughter of the wealthy landowner, has a promising future ahead of her, while hard-working Rosa is already widowed by the war.

Siobhan has a talent for evocative details and developing convincingly complex relationships. Both of these women face impossible choices and must risk everything to save the people they love.

The idyllic start soon builds as the region becomes a dangerous battlefield, and they are drawn into supporting the resistance. Impeccably researched, Daughters of Tuscany offers an insight into rarely explored events of the second world war, a story of courage and resilience which deserves to be told.

Italy, 1943. The war in North Africa has been won by the Allies, and German-occupied Italy is bracing itself for the invasion to come. At Marchese Ginori, a farm estate in Tuscany, a group of British POWs arrive to help work the land while the village's young men are away at war.

Rosa, one of the estate workers is wary of the British men, especially after her soldier husband was killed by the Allies, leaving her and her small daughter with little option but to return to her family. Meanwhile, Emma, daughter of the estate's owner, knows she must remain strong for her father, even though she is weighed down with worry about the fate of her childhood friend Marco, whose life lies in the balance as a serving soldier in the Italian army.

As the Nazi's react to the threat of the Allied invasion to come, the POWs, Emma and Rosa form an unexpected bond, and the British men find themselves accepted as part of the community. Romance blossoms between Rosa, and a Scotsman called Tom, and Emma realises her childhood affection for Marco might become something more. But danger lies ahead, and there are always sacrifices to made in wartime.

Siobhan Daiko's sweeping novel, Daughters of Tuscany, is set at a crucial tipping point in World War II, just as the Allies are about to invade Italy. I do not think I have actually read a book set in Italy at this time in the war, and Daiko does an excellent job of delving into the historical events that followed, enriched by the complicated feelings of ordinary Italian people with divided loyalties.

Against this backdrop, Daiko introduces two young women with no real reason to welcome the invading army, or the POWs foisted upon them - Rosa, whose husband has become a casualty of war, and Emma who fears for the safety of her childhood friend Marco. Although their backgrounds are very different, many of their hopes, dreams and concerns about friends and family are shared, and as the story plays out from their points of view it is the human side of the impact of war on ordinary people that comes across - particularly when it comes to love and loss.

You can really feel the danger the village faces, caught between the invading Allies and the increasingly desperate actions of the occupying Nazi force. In a short space of time, attitudes change towards the POWs, who end up joining the deserting Italian soldiers who have returned to protect the community. There are lovely scenes of stolen moments between Rosa and Tom, and Emma and Marco, that heighten the suspenseful drama and the emotional impact of the fascinating partisan elements based on real events - which paint the Nazi occupiers are a very nasty bunch for our brave men and women to fight against from the shadows. There are some spicy scenes as passion boils over too.

What shines through this story is the bravery of Emma and Rosa, and the sacrifices they are forced to make. My heart was in my mouth for the entire second half of the book, and Daiko keeps the pace going beautifully all the way to the final moments when you learn the fate of all the characters you have come to care about.

This is my first Siobhan Daiko, but it will not be my last. Her writing is engaging, and I really enjoyed the way she blends fact and fiction in a way that gives you an intriguing glimpse of history through the eyes of compelling characters. A cracking read for lovers of wartime romance that packs a punch.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This powerful historical novel takes place in Tuscany during WWII.

On first impressions, I felt this was beautifully written, and that impression remained throughout. As I was reading, I pictured the Tuscan scenery, and I admired how the author brought both the characters and story to life within the setting. I found that my attention was drawn to colours, sounds and scents, and I loved the general atmosphere, and the feeling of escape that it provided.

I found that I became invested in the lives of the characters and their personal affairs, empathising in some ways with both Emma and Rosa, and there were some moments in the story that made me slightly tearful.

This was a riveting romantic read, and a story of hope and courage too. If you like wartime novels and are looking for something that will tug at your heartstrings, this may appeal to you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Set in Tuscany during ww2, Daughters of Tuscany follows the lives of Emma ( daughter of the estate owner) and Rosa ( daughter of a tenant farmer) and the love, hardship and constant fear they experience throughout the war.
I found it interesting to learn about the British POW that were working on Italian farms, this is something I didn’t know much about.
Although I enjoyed this book, I thought it focused too much on romance and not enough was said about the resistance activity. What was mentioned about the resistance activity didn’t go into much detail or show much emotion, there was more telling than describing what happened.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read a copy of this book.

es, it is Paris in July time, but I am taking a quick detour to Italy for this post. Never fear, I will be back in France again tomorrow.

I have read a number of Siobhan Daiko's books, and so when I saw that there was an upcoming blog tour, of course I am going to volunteer. My first book by this author was set in the Pacific theatre of WWII, but the rest have been set in Italy, which is where she lives, although she is British originally.

What I like about her books is that she takes lesser known stories from WWII and fictionalises them to share with her readers. With a title like Daughters of Tuscany, it will be no surprise that this story is set in Tuscany, but it is in a small valley called. Initially, the war is not that near to Emma and Rosa, our two main characters. The main impact is in the loss of the men who help run the estate owned by Emma's father, Marchese Ginori. Rosa's family are tenants of the Marchese.

The Marchese is able to get some POWs to help with the farm, which brings Rosa into contact with a Scottish soldier named Tom. Rosa is determined that she is going to stay away from Tom. She has already suffered great loss thanks to the war, which has left her to raise her daughter alone, and she is determined not to risk heartbreak again.

Meanwhile, Emma and her father walk a fine line in trying to navigate dealing with the German's, helping their people to survive, and helping the resistance fighters who hide in the nearby forests and mountains.

However, with the Allies advancing from the south of Italy and the Germans moving northwards, the fighting gets closer and closer, bring different types of danger for each of them with it.

Recently, I was at an author event where a publisher speaking about the fact that we seem to be moving away from WWII fiction. I still love WWII fiction, but it has to be something different, something exceptional. I liked this book, although I do feel like the premise is kind of safe, by which I mean it isn't anything I haven't really read before. I do also feel like there were times when I could see the editor, particularly in the early parts of the book. That aside, the story was engaging, there were strong female characters, and it does tell an interesting story.

This was a beautifully-written historical novel inspired by Iris Origo’s famous book about war in Tuscany, which I have also read. The story concerns Emma, the daughter of the marchese, and Rose, a worker on the estate, as they fall in love, cope with grief and prepare for the battle between the Allies and the Germans coming ever closer to Tuscany. Emma realises that she loves her childhood friend Marco but she is forced to make a terrible decision to save lives. Rosa is attracted to Tom, a Scottish POW, but she doesn’t want to give in to her heart…

I will give Siobhan Daiko’s other books a try after reading this one, and I recommend it if you like historical novels set in the war.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A typical worldwar historical book, but written with flalr and beautiful descriptions. The story follows Emma and Rosa and how each of them cope with the impact of war: loss, grief, resilience and bravery. Siobhans descriptive writing is transportaive and has you rooting for a community that comes together.

A solid 3.5 🌟

Daughters of Tuscany has climbed up the ladder to my favourite historical fiction book! The author has written evocative descriptions of the times, food, war and harvesting so much so that I felt like I was right there in the middle. The plot is loosely based upon true stories which I always find fascinating as it is so hard to imagine. The planes and the bombs being dropped were terrifying and being discriminated against just because of your culture is atrocious. I easily empathized with the characters especially Emma and Rosa as I prayed for a good outcome for both of them. Once I started reading this I was well and truly gripped and I did not want it to end. I'm glad I had cleared my schedule to read this absorbing novel!

The story takes place in Italy during WW2. It revolves around Emma and Rosa. They both find romance during troubled times. It was pretty much like any other historical fiction book I’ve read set during this time.