Before The Tuscan House, I had not read much about WWII in Italy outside of my world history classes. Angela Petch brings the Italian city of Corbello to life, both during the war and after as it is rebuilding. The people of Corbello showed an intense friendship and loyalty to Richard, welcoming him back as if he had always belonged.

Fosca was an interesting character. I'm still not quite sure what to think of her. She was brave, but selfishly so at times. I guess that makes her more human. Richard was the same. I think that is what really stands out for the characters in Corbello - they are human. They try to do the right thing, but feeling, life, and circumstances sometimes get in the way - and a few are just downright awful people. It's a very realistic mix.

The town was busy rebuilding, and Richard was trying to rebuild his life. It was a fitting place for his story. When he finds the body of a woman in the garden behind his new fixer-upper, the story takes quite a turn. There's a case of mistaken identity, some blackmail, stolen gold, and even an ex-girlfriend thrown in.

But I feel the heart of the story was further in the past - during the war - when the resistance was doing everything they could to harm the Nazis and Fascists. The daring and bravery of these folks were riveting, and their adventures and sabotage may have really helped the war effort. The Tuscan House has made me add some more books about how Italy managed during the war to my non-fiction list.

I was fully on board, 100%, 5-stars all the way until the very very end. It felt a little contrived, and almost like the author had to wrap up a loose end and didn't know how else to manage it.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**