The Tuscan Child | 
pickAfter reading The Venice Sketchbook, I wanted to read more by this author. The Tuscan Child is similar as it‘s written in a dual timeline, this time Hugo & Sofia in 1944 and Joanna in 1973. After her father dies, Joanna discovers a letter he wrote to a Sofia in a tiny village in Tuscany and goes to find out why. It‘s not as good as VS, but still entertaining & makes you wish you were in the Tuscan countryside with that good food.
so-soIt started out good, gradually got better until it petered out into...just okay. The premise was exciting despite the build-up being slow, but it didn't maintain an exciting edge all throughout. The last few chapters of the book felt underwhelming and borderline cheesy. It's a light and easy read despite its themes, but it's really not mysterious enough, not deep enough, nor captivating enough to warrant a higher rating.
#TheTuscanChild
Better late than never! Thanks for the tag @Kaddele !
1. I‘m getting better at it! I used to be just awful, not even picking up a book if I didn‘t like the cover. (Sorry Beauty Queens!)
2. Next book club pick! (bonus figuring out: convince ten 60-94 year old ladies to meet remotely, or just put the club on hold 😂)
3. AP News, BBC
4. No alarm. I like to live dangerously!
5. If you haven‘t done this one, tag!
@4thhouseontheleft @howjessreads
pickI‘ve seen a lot of Rhys Bowen books over the years but this is her first full-length book I‘ve read. I enjoyed the story and the historical detail but I didn‘t feel like her work was especially well-written or special. These are the kinds of books I enjoy picking up for a light historical diversion, but not for an unforgettable experience. Glad to have read, though!
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
“When I am cooking I think of nothing else. It is as if all the troubles in the world are shut out and it is just me and the food.”
so-soI loved the historical premise woven in with a more modern-day quest: grown daughter searches for clues of her father‘s past during WWII. The first part had me glued. Unfortunately, once she travels to Italy the story gets bogged down. So much space dedicated to details of the food they prepared, the ingredients, the tastes, mundane conversation… I had to start skimming just to get through it. Ending was predictable.
pickNice and easy read. One thing I don‘t like is a very predictable story and for the most part this book delivered.
Really enjoying this WW2 era mystery. I seem to be drawn to books set in Europe in this era but I think I‘m going to take a break after this one. Not sure what to read next!
so-soMeh. This started out with promise, then by the midpoint it became pretty predictable. The last few chapters were reaching to create a conclusion that in my opinion was trite and reaching. Simplistic writing made it a quick read but parts were ludicrous. About two-thirds of the way through I was ready for it to end. I did not hate this book but parts of it were just too much of a reach. Also, I believe the word “fitted” was misused several times.
so-soThis is a beautifully, well written story about an American pilot whose plane crashes in the hills near Tuscany, Italy, during WWII. However, I am pretty burned out on books that revolve around World War II. That‘s certainly not the authors fault but it is why my enjoyment level was only at 3-stars.
This is on sale at Audible. It has excellent Litsy reviews, but I‘m not sure. Have any of you read it?
Reading outside in July. It's been in the 90's for a month & today is a cool 76. Won this book from goodreads. Good story & beautiful cover.
“When the world has gone mad, we must help each other when we can...”
pickLoved this book.
About half way through. So far a very good book. Let's see how it ends!
Not sure if any of you saw this but some great deals on amazon today 🤓
Just finished reading The Tuscan Child. Part historical fiction, part mystery, fully entertaining. I have “In Farleigh Field” in my TBR pile, so I think it‘ll be a Rhys Bowen kind of evening. Happy Sunday #Littens!
I wanted to spend this time reading my book, but they‘re too entertaining. #BuellerThePug #DixieTheDude
pickI loved the intertwined stories of a young woman who hides a wounded WWII soldier in Italy and the grown daughter of the soldier who tries to uncover the mystery of her father's life. I definitely had trouble getting into this at first (the author's British tone lacks feeling sometimes), but overall, I was intrigued with the suspense of the story and was completely satisfied with the ending. #arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickWell-plotted and thoroughly entertaining. Characters that are well developed, you can imagine really meeting them. The readers are drawn into the era and feel the sacrifices and the hardship the people had to deal with. This novel keeps you deeply involved till the very end.
Nothing has held my attention over the last couple weeks. Let's see how this goes!
panOh I was so disappointed by this! I love Rhys Bowen‘s books, but this one was just too slow and serious for me. I kept waiting for the lightness and fun of her previous books to come through, and it never did. I voluntarily reviewed an eARC copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
