Paradiso by Francesca Scanacapra

Italy, 1937. In a tiny village in rural Lombardy, Graziella Ponti is born into a loving family. Though they are not rich and life is full of challenges, Graziella and her family are content and safe, surrounded by the tightly-knit community of Pieve Santa Clara. But when the shadow of World War Two falls across the village with the arrival of Nazi soldiers, nothing in young Graziella’s life will ever be the same again... Paradiso is Graziella’s story. It charts her loves, losses and triumphs as she grows up in post-war Italy, a country in transformation, freed from the shackles of dictatorship yet still gripped by the restraints of the Catholic church. Paradiso is inspired by true stories told to Francesca Scanacapra by her Italian family and set in locations where she spent much of her childhood. It is a deeply affecting novel which sheds light on the complexity and trauma of Italy’s past and weaves it into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live in extraordinary times. An absolutely gripping and heartbreaking historical read in a series that explores the incredible courage of ordinary people in extraordinary times. Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen, Dinah Jeffries, Angela Petch, The Nightingale, and anyone longing to lose themselves in the spectacular surrounds of rural Italy. Read what everyone’s saying about Paradiso: ‘Paradiso is a highly accomplished novel, poignant, moving and heart-warming. This is historical fiction at its best’ Chez Maximka ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A beautifully written piece of historical fiction that draws you into the lives of the characters from the first page. A truly delightful read!’ Pickled Thoughts and Pinot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Such a lovely story and I recommend to any historical fiction fan’ Mrs Book Burney ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A powerfully emotional story that grips the reader from the start’ Quirky Book Reads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The whole story gripped my attention’ Tizi’s Book Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Such a charming, lovely read’ Mum and Me Reads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One of those books which was very very hard to put down!’ Mama Books ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ◆◆◆◆◆ Francesca Scanacapra was born in Italy to an English mother and Italian father, and her childhood was spent living between England and Italy. Her adult life has been somewhat nomadic and she has pursued an eclectic mixture of career paths, including working as a technical translator between Italian, English, Spanish and French, a gym owner in Spain, an estate agent in France, a property developer in France and Senegal, and a teacher. Francesca lives in Dorset and currently works as a builder with her husband. She has two children. Paradiso is her first novel. The second in the series, Return to Paradiso, is available now.