Bøker av Angela Petch

Italy, 1940. The girl sobs and rages as her father tells her the terrible news. "Italy is entering the war alongside Germany. Jews are to be arrested and sent to camps. We have to be ready." As fascists march across the cobbled piazzas and past the towered buildings of her beloved home city, twenty-year-old Devora's worst fears come true. Along with her Jewish parents and twin little brothers they are torn away from everything they love and sent to an internment camp huddled in the mountains. Her father promises this war will not last long... When they are offered a miraculous chance of escape by her childhood friend Luigi, who risks everything to smuggle vital information into the camp, the family clambers under barbed wire and races for the border. But Devora is forced to make a devastating choice between saving a stranger's life and joining her parents. As shots fire in the moonless night, the family is separated. Haunted by the question of whether they are dead or alive, all Devora can do for their future is throw herself into helping Luigi in the Italian resistenza in the fight for liberty. But posing as a maid for a German commander to gather secret intelligence, Devora is sure she sees her friend one night, in a Nazi uniform... Is Devora in more danger than ever? And will her family ever be reunited - or will the war tear them apart? An absolutely devastating but ultimately uplifting historical novel about how love and hope can get us through the darkest times. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Rhys Bowen and Soraya M. Lane. Read what everyone's saying about Angela Petch: 'Wow! Just Wow!... phenomenal... A novel I will never forget... Brilliant... 5 glorious stars for whisking me away to Italy... beautiful... I LOVED this novel!' Cindy L Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Magical... unforgettable... I was swept away... had me crying happy tears, I was hooked.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Italy, 1945. 'Where am I?' The young man wakes, bewildered. He sees olive trees against a bright blue sky. A soft voice soothes him. 'We saw you fall from your plane. The parachute saved you.' He remembers nothing of his life, or the war that has torn the world apart... but where does he belong? England, present day. Antiques-shop owner Susannah feels adrift. Her beloved father has died, and her grandmother Elsie's memories are disappearing. But everything changes when she stumbles across a yellowed postcard bearing a picture of a beautiful Italian stone farmhouse, tucked away in Elsie's dressing table. A message dated from the Second World War speaks of a secret love. Could her grandmother, who never talked about the past, have fallen for someone in Italy all those years ago? With Elsie confused and distressed by her questions, heartbroken Susannah tracks down the house on the postcard. Arriving at what is now a crumbling hotel by the sparkling Italian sea, she feels strangely at home. And after an unexpected encounter with handsome wine waiter Giacomo, she can't tell if it's his dark eyes or his offer to help solve her mystery that makes her heart race. Together they find a dusty chest tucked in a forgotten corner of the building. The white silk of a World War II parachute spills out. And the Royal Air Force identity tag nestled in the folds bears a familiar name... As a story of lost memories, terrible betrayal and impossible choices unfolds, Susannah comes closer to a devastating wartime secret at the heart of her own family. Did she ever really know her grandmother? And when she finally learns the truth, will it help heal her pain - or tear her apart for good? An absolutely stunning page-turner that will sweep you away to the olive groves and majestic views of the Italian coast. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes, Fiona Valpy and Victoria Hislop. Read what everyone's saying about Angela Petch: 'A devastating, beautiful, heartbreaking, compelling and riveting page-turner... I was absolutely shocked by the two big reveals... I did not see them coming!!!... Absolutely fantastic... Will leave you thinking about the story for a long time... I LOVED it' Bookworm86, ¿¿¿¿¿ 'Heart-breaking and compelling... A beautiful story, told with such emotion and feeling that it makes you forget where you are and what you are doing!' Stardust Book Reviews, ¿¿¿¿¿ 'I don't even know where to begin... beautiful... I absolutely adored this book... The picture that the author paints is both beautiful and devastating... the descriptions are so detailed, I could actually picture it in my mind.' Goodreads reviewer, ¿¿¿¿¿ 'Fantastic read... I loved this book... will grab you and hold onto you long after you put it down... an amazing story.' Goodreads reviewer, ¿¿¿¿¿

Corbello, Italy, 1947. A woman and a little boy stagger into the ruins of an old house deep in the forest, wild roses overwhelming the crumbling terracotta walls. Since the war, nowhere has been safe. But they both freeze in shock when a voice calls out from the shadows...For young mother Fosca Sentino, accepting refuge from ex-British soldier Richard - in Tuscany to escape his tragic past - is the only way to keep her little family safe. She once risked everything to spy on Nazi commanders and pass secret information to the resistenza. But after a heartbreaking betrayal, Fosca's best friend Simonetta disappeared without trace. The whole community was torn apart, and now Fosca and her son are outcasts.Wary of this handsome stranger at first, Fosca slowly starts to feel safe as she watches him play with her son in the overgrown orchard. But her fragile peace is shattered the moment a silver brooch is found in the garden, and she recognises it as Simonetta's...Fosca has always suspected that another member of the resistenza betrayed her. With Richard by her side, she must find out if Simonetta is still alive, and clear her own name. But how did the brooch end up at the house? And with a traitor hiding in the village, willing to do anything to keep this secret buried, has Fosca put herself and her young son in terrible danger?An absolutely gripping and heartbreaking page-turner that explores the incredible courage of ordinary people in extraordinary times. Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen, The Nightingale, and anyone longing to lose themselves in the mountain landscapes and olive groves of rural Tuscany.Read what everyone's saying about Angela Petch: 'Fantastic read... I loved this book... will grab you and hold onto you long after you put it down... an amazing story.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Loved it!!!... Beautiful... heartbreaking... The ending of the book was perfect... Definitely recommend... Loved everything about it.' Goodreads reviewer