The Italian Girls

By: Debbie Rix

Narrated by: Katie Villa

The sun hung low in the sky, casting pink light all over the city. A faint breeze blew over the rooftops, as flocks of starlings swirled above her, swooping and diving in unison. It seemed unimaginable that, even now, German soldiers were marching along the streets below. It was time, she decided, for direct action. It was time to fight back.

Each morning Livia Moretti makes her way from an apartment overlooking Florence’s famous Duomo to a nearby café, where she drinks espresso and reads the newspaper. To the crowds of tourists who pass by, snapping selfies, nothing about Livia will be memorable. She is simply an old lady. They walk on without knowing the part she played in ensuring the future of this beautiful city. And to Livia now, those dark days feel very far away too.

But today, when she opens the paper, she sees a name she has not heard for a long time. A name that will bring memories flooding back of Nazi troops marching through the city and the dangers she faced as a young woman, carrying out secret missions for the resistance.

Isabella Bellucci.

A siren of the silver screen, Isabella cultivated all the right connections to ensure her rise to stardom. But when Rome falls to the Nazis, Isabella is suddenly faced with the choice between protecting herself and all she has worked for or sacrificing everything to save the man she loves.

As the war rages across Europe, a terrible misunderstanding causes the fates of Isabella and Livia to become forever intertwined. And each woman must decide what she's willing to risk, to protect the ones she holds dear from a brutal enemy.

Inspired by the incredible true stories of two women in wartime Italy, this is a heart-wrenching and unforgettable tale of love, resistance, betrayal and hope. Fans of Kate Furnivall, Fiona Valpy and My Name Is Eva will be absolutely gripped.

©2020 Debbie Rix (P)2020 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

Absorbing. Katie Villa as narrator was superb.

I took a chance on this book and was very pleased. I have to point out that the narrator, Katie Villa, made this audio book compelling. Choosing her to chronicle this well-executed story was brilliant. She made each character discernible by voice alone and I particularly noticed she did not make the male voices sound silly or out of place. I was impressed. One cares about all the characters; liking or disliking them, but not feeling neutral. There are two protagonists in this book and I felt I got to know them. Well done Debbie Rix and Katie Villa. I'll be listening to this audio book again.

Now, confession - I worried that I had just bought, I'll just say it for brevity, a chic lit book (don't like the term, but you get my meaning I hope...). Not so. In fact, this book made me realize how, in general, the women who contributed so much to the Allied victory in WWII have often been overlooked. The two main characters in this book are based on real women. Now, I'm seeking out books, fiction and non fiction, about these women. To be clear - this book is for everyone.

In summary: The Italian Girls did what good books should do - reveal new landscapes to the reader through an absorbing story. One more time...well done Debbie Rix and Katie Villa. Please team up again.

Totally awesome

May we never forget the bravery and sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation.
This is a wonderful story. Don’t miss it.

great history

I love to hear about the courage and resilience of the people in the midst of the war - putting their lives on the line each day, yet still finding love and other good things in their lives.
Interesting and inspiring !

Grabs you from the start! Fabulous performance!

Wonderful story of love, bravery and sacrifice across multiple families and Italian cities. The narrator could not have been better! Highly, highly recommend.

Why an English narrator?

It would have been so much realistic if the book
Hag been narrated by an Italian. It was very distracting

Well done!

I have not read many things about the Italian resistance. This was well done, and I liked that. The characters were not perfect because that’s not real life. People aren’t perfect and people are scared, and people react about love, badly sometimes and the author let the people be human.

Renee Cloney

I enjoyed this book so much. It was wonderfully written, I could not stop listening! I love books based on true facts and stories. I Highly recommend this book!

History brought to life

As someone who spends part of every year in Florence, I really appreciate this story of courage and betrayal during WWII. The partigiani saved that beautiful country by resisting fascism and helping the Allies eventually liberate it from German rule.

The book is based on true people and events, yet in novel form, and draws the reader into the hearts and minds and unbelievable courage of the protagonists.

If I have any complaint it is not unique to this book, and that is the narrator’s pronunciation of Italian leaves something to be desired, yet is something that would bother only a person conversant in the language. Otherwise it is beautifully told.

nb: At times it is uncomfortable going due to the horrors of torture and inhuman cruelty of the gestapo, even though the descriptions thereof are treated relatively lightly.

Good Story

Interesting story about Italy during WW II, something you don't hear as much about. I also enjoyed the author's notes at the end. I only have one beef: If I heard correctly, the actress receives a letter from a friend about someone being sent to "Auschwitz in Germany." Auschwitz was in Poland, not Germany.

Great read

I really enjoyed this book. Both the story and narration em were excellent. I have mad other books by this author! So much talent!!!