This was a story of friendship, hardship, family, and love. I was surprised by the deep emotions this book drew out of me! It was a lovely journey.

We follow Will and his neighbor, Sophie, as they travel to Italy. Their friendship seems impossible, but grows into a bond that is absolutely lovely. I love what an absolute grump Will is. His attitude creates the best payoff for the reader as Sophie works to thaw him and their friendship forms.

I really enjoyed the descriptions that created a world I could vividly picture. The terrain that the characters are covering throughout the story are described in such detail that you feel like you are right there. It was excellently done!

Overall, this was a really great story. I enjoyed the way the story flowed and the surprising emotions that it brought out in me. I listened to the audio version of this book, and I would highly recommend it! The narrator did an excellent job and was easy to listen to!

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend It Happened in Tuscany for readers that enjoy a story that creates a journey for the characters and takes you along with it!

Where to Find This Book:

It Happened in Tuscany by Gail Mencini is available at these sites:

Amazon ~ Kindle ~ Audible ~ B&N ~ IndieBound ~ Apple ~ Goodreads

From the multiple-award-winning author of To Tuscany with Love comes a captivating story of the epic tug of war between honor and duty, the irrepressible power of love, and the concept of family.

In 1945, Will Mills and his fellow soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division scaled Italy’s treacherous Riva Ridge in the frigid night to break through the nearly impenetrable German line of defense. Severely wounded, Will was rescued by Italian partisans and one, a beautiful girl, tended his injuries until he had the strength to rejoin the U.S. troops.

Tormented and haunted by his decisions and actions during wartime, Will knows he has unfinished missions in Italy to complete. The passage of time and years of carrying this unfulfilled need have molded Will into a bitter, angry man.
Seventy-five years later, Will’s spunky thirty-two-year-old neighbor, Sophie Sparke, faces disaster in her life. Everything is going wrong—her job, her love life, even her dog. Part of the problem is that confident and fiercely independent Sophie lets her quick mouth get her into trouble.

Grouchy, mean-spirited Will finagles Sophie into traveling with him to Tuscany to find the partisan who saved his life. Will also secretly hopes to confront the demons his wartime actions created. Sophie and Will comb enchanting Tuscan hill towns on an improbable and unfolding mission with few clues to aid them. Will’s passionate tenacity drives their quest and in the process exposes their darkest secrets. The journey alters the course of their lives, and Will and Sophie find more than they had imagined in the hills of Tuscany.

Just the Facts:

It Happened in Tuscany by Gail Mencini
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 408 pages
Publisher: Capriole Group
Pub Date: February 18, 2020

Gail Mencini is the acclaimed author of It Happened in Tuscany and To Tuscany with Love, both of which are Denver Post #1 bestsellers and award winners. Gail grew up in DeWitt, Nebraska, graduated from Wartburg College with a BA in Accounting and Economics, and earned a master of taxation degree from the University of Denver. A frequent visitor to Tuscany and a homegrown gourmet cook, Gail has toured Italy by car, train, bus, Vespa, and foot. She lives in Colorado with her husband.

Author Links:
Website  ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ Goodreads

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I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

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