INTERESTING PREMISE AND STORY BUT IT DIDN'T SWEEP ME AWAY

There were several things that I liked when reading this story and overall it was a good read that kept my attention. But the things is... I didn't love it. There was just a disconnect for me. But I do believe that others might enjoy it more than I did.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Different experiences: The two main characters, Isabella and Livia, come from very different backgrounds and live very different lives. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of their lives, how different their experiences were. Isabella is an actress who moves in very important (fascist and nazi) society. Livia is a college student who joins the rebellion to work against the fascists. Learning of their lives side by side, and even seeing how they also became entwined for a while, was interesting.

Livia: There is no doubt in my mind that Livia was by far my favourite character. I loved how she acted on her own, how in control she was of her life and her destiny but I especially liked how she always tried to help and care for others. She was truly a strong, capable girl!

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Pace: The pace of this book was all off for me. Especially the beginning was really slow and it took awhile for the story to really get going. In my opinion, the 'fault' lay in the dual storylines. Rix took too long building the universe and the backgrounds of these two women before she finally got to the actual story. It hurt the overall story in my opinion.

Isabella: While I loved Livia, Isabella was her exact opposite and it made me dislike her more and more as the story went on. Where Livia was independent, Isabella was incredibly dependent. She has an almost childlike dependency as well as a singleminded focus all throughout the book. She pretty much became a walking, talking repetition of herself. I don't believe she ever really made a single decision for herself. Of course I understand that this served to further the gap between Livia and Isabella, but I just didn't like her at all...

Ending: While the beginning was too slow and took too long to get going, the ending was annoyingly rushed and anti-climactic.

This review is for a 33 percent read book.  I did not finish.  This is the story of Livia and Isabella , two women from two different paths that are joined together because of war.  Isabella is a movie star and Livia a commoner.  This was a heavy book for me that seemed to drag .  I was not pulled in to keep reading.  Thank you for the advanced copy

Before I even opened this book, I was intrigued. A historical fiction novel set during WWII in my favorite country of Italy-what more could you want in a book? I was immediately drawn in to the cast of characters. 

The story centers around two women. Livia is a university student in Florence. Her want to join the resistance was brave and courageous. Growing up in an Italian American home, I couldn't help but feel a connection to Livia and her family. Isabella, a famous actress, finds herself in a dangerous world and is forced to face some difficult choices. Although the women never meet, they share a connection.

I did find the flow of the writing to be a little difficult to follow. It was a tad choppy for my taste. But all in all, it was an entertaining read.  

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book for an honest review.

I love this author and everything she writes. And this book- wow! 
This is everything I look for in historical fiction - well researched, stunningly written and beautifully realised. I was transported. I lived and breathed this book - I could think of nothing else. This author has the ability to make the reader empathise with the characters, forget their surroundings and immerse them in her story to the exclusion of everything else. Very few authors can do that but this author does it effortlessly and with panache. An outstanding masterpiece of a book. Please read it.

I love historical fiction and I'm italian, so I was excited to check out The Italian Girls by Debbie Rix.
The story follows Livia, an university student who becomes involved in the Resistance, and Isabella, a famous actress with an unrequited love for a film director.
The book was overall an enjoyable read, even if nothing special. I enjoyed both storylines, and the events were interesting, especially in the second half of the book. The characters didn't convince me much. Livia was likeable, while Isabella annoyed me a little for her naivety and disinterest in the political events, although it was believable considering her sheltered life. However, neither of them stood out to me. They were quite forgettable.
Still, I would recommend the book if you are interested in the setting.

Set in Italy during WWII. 1941: Lavia Moretti is a college student who becomes involved with the Resistance. Isabella Belluci is a beautiful and famous film star. The two women never met but they share a connection through Vicenzo and they're both in constant danger from the Germans. The German army has settled in Florence and threatens the lives of the people living there. 

Olivia is a  rave character who endures torture hoping Italy will one day be free. Isabella rubs along with the Nazi elite to try and save Vicenzo's life. A story of sacrifice and bravery. The era has been well researched. The characters are believable and well rounded.  I felt sorry for Isabella who was niece and easily influenced.  The story  is quite a slow burner but its definitely worth sticking with. 

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #DebbieRix for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Debbie Rix and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I adored this well-written book from start to finish, it's a page-turner, no doubt. I finished it in two days. 
The novel is set on Italy during WWII and the writing style is really evocative, I felt like I was watching a movie. 
 I am amazed by the storytelling. The author makes you care about each and every one of the characters, keep in mind the author has based the book loosely on two real-life heroes of the Resistance. 
There's history, there's war, there's romance, bravery, sacrifice, there's everything you would want in a book like that. 
I appreciated the insight at the end of the book. Definitely recommend!

I was swept away by this beautifully written, richly evocative story that traces the journey of two young Italian women where a despicable betrayal is inspired by jealously and love. 

The location is Italy 1941 during World World II where both young women find themselves doing their part to stand up against fascist domination with their bravery and selflessness.

Livia and Isabella are from such different backgrounds and how their paths connect through a mutual friend is the central theme to this tale.

Livia is a young university student, the daughter of a lawyer who was fiercely anti-Fascist. Livia is eager to join the resistance.

Isabella Bellucci is a famous film star known as Italy’s little sweetheart, she finds herself dangerously caught between the Fascist authorities which ran the film industry in Rome and her devotion to film director Vicenzo Lucchese.

The Italian Girls by Debbie Rix is an exceptional read for lovers of historical fiction, you won’t be disappointed. The story was inspired by true events and the lives of real women.

I wish to thank NetGalley & Bookouture for providing an advanced copy to read in return for an honest review.

The story is loosely based on real lives. In the story two very different women find their lives intertwined even thought they are not aware of each other. Set in Florence and Rome in WWII Livia, is a student and resistance fighter who takes risks every day while Actress, Isabella Bellucci has little to worry about apart from her unrequited love for the man of her dreams. The story traces their everyday lives in Nazi occupied Italy and is richly drawn.

We also meet Livia many years later living a quiet life alone in Florence. Something in the newspaper catches her eye and takes her and us back.... An un-put-downable read which I devoured in a couple of days. Would recommend.

The novel is set on Italy during WWII.
Two young wen from different backgrounds are living their realities with fascism as the background. Isabella, a glamorous actress from humble origins at times consumed by jealousy, whose innocence and naivety sometimes lead her to be an accomplice of those who committed the worst atrocities .
Livia, a young student committed to the resistance who exhausts all her means and resources in her attempt to save lives. 
One in Rome, one in Florence and the noise of the bombers and human despair as the background of this gripping historical novel that is based on the real stories of two brave women: the famous "white telephone" actress, Maria Denis, who worked for Cinecittà, and the Resistance staffetta named Gilda, who helped to run Radio Cora, the 
clandestine radio used to keep contacts between the Allied forces and the Italian Resistance.
Beautifully written and historicaly accurate.

I loved this book. And i inhaled it. This book is about wartorn italy. It is about peoples strength to fight for what they believe in. It always amazes me how strong people can be under hard circumstances. And how they carry after been brutally hurt or toetured. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest review

This book was phenomenal! I am blown away by the story telling. The author did such an amazing job to make you care about each character! And of course this story is heartbreakingly tragic, but it is done so wonderfully that you can't help but appreciate being taken on this sad journey. This is story is for fans of historical fiction especially with anything to do with World War II !!! 

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful book!!!!

Isabella & Livia are two very different young women , but yet their lives will become so interlaced without ever meeting face to face. Wartime has a funny way of bringing people together in a myriad of ways without them ever seeing or touching one another. However, to find out in what way these young ladies have their lives intersect one has to read the book because I do not want to reveal any type of a spoiler! 

Just know that this was during the war in Italy when Germany was muscling their way in trying to take over and the Allies were also trying to help the Italian Resistance rise up against Mussolini! 

The author has based the book loosely on two real life heroes of the Resistance and has used key players within the War as well. She has done a wonderful job a the Historical documentation! 

I loved the characters and flow of the book and read it all in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down! 
I plan to buy my own copy! So, yes I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to the authors and publishers who work diligently for us the readers.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

This is a great novel about wartime Italy, although the two main female characters are based on real people.  It's interesting in that Livia is a politically savvy student whilst Isabella is a rather naive actress.  Both of them eventually realise that Mussolini was really bad news for Italy, especially when the country decided to swap sides and ended up sliding in to civil war.  An interesting and engrossing read.

Set in Italy during the time of World War II, this is the immersive story of a college student who becomes involved with the resistance and the beguiling italian actress Isabelle Belluci

It brings life during the war and resistance to life in heartbreaking detail. The unrest, the fear, the horror, the terror and the trials of daily life. It's a wonderful evocative read and you can tell the author has done a great deal of research and taken care to get things really spot on.

Debbie really does write some fine novels and this is one of them.

Fantastic read, very interesting. I haven’t been able to read many books from the Italian side of things so this was refreshing.    It’s your heart clench in some parts, I would love it if this could be adapted into a series. It would be fantastic to see in live action.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and while most books that I have read centered around WW2 have been based in the UK, this is the first one set in Italy, we have two main characters Livia and Isabella who never meet but are connected through Vicenzo and find their lives in constant danger from the Germans. I felt sorry for Isabella who at the start was naive and easily influenced, she put her self in great danger to protect Vicenzo and was on trial as a collaborator, something that she had to live with her entire life. It was my first time reading anything by Debbie Rix and I would definitely read her other books. I got this as an arc to review and would like to thank the publishers and netgalley for letting me have the book to review and the opinions expressed are entirely my own views and are completely unbiased

The Italian Girls by Debbie Rix is riveting and who wouldn't love a story based in Italy! This beautiful story of bravery, sacrifice and love weaves the lives of a young University student, Livia and her fellow university student friends that become involved with the Resistance to warn the allies of the Fascist police and the German soldiers plans. The German army has settled right in Florence and threatens the lives of their people. In Rome, the beautiful actress Isabella Belluci knows ways to infiltrate the Germans and she too will weave her way into helping the Resistance in any way she can but needs the Fascist government so she can help the Resistance. But this could cost her her career. Their stories intertwine which make the story so captivating, I couldn't stop reading until I knew what happened next! Thank you to Net Galley for an Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is going to be added to my Book Club future reads.

Set in Italy during the time of World War II, we follow the lives of two very different women.
Livia Moretti, a college student who bravely becomes involved with the resistance and the beautiful and beguiling Isabella Belluci, a famous film star.

The Italian Girls is an epic tale of bravery, sacrifice and heroism during a time of great unrest and unimaginable horror and also a tale of friendship, family, trust in those close to you and of a time when love and romance could also flourish.

Clearly a huge amount of research was done by author Debbie Rix as she effortlessly combines historical fact with fiction as we are taken back in time to war torn Italy.

As always,  beautifully written and with a myriad of fascinating characters I loved it and would certainly recommend to all lovers of historical fiction.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC for my honest review.

Enjoyable historical fiction based in Italy during WWII.  It brings the city and its problems right into your living room and makes you see the hardships that you never read about.  Some of the story seemed a little implausible, but  it was still entertaining.