The Cypress Maze (by Fiona Valpy)

I absolutely love historical fiction set during WWII. And when it includes a dual timeline, then I am definitely going to dive into the book. I fell in love with the characters in The Cypress Maze. From Francesca and her husband to Beatrice to Alfredo to Tess … they each added a depth to the story and touched my heart. Francesca and her husband, Edoardo, were amazing individuals. Their willingness to open up their home and their lives to help many individuals survive the atrocities of Hitler’s reign of terror was admirable. The story of Beatrice as told through both timelines was touching. I loved watching her grow, mature, fall in love, realize she was a worthwhile individual during the earlier time period to seeing her as an older adult who have experienced and survived so much over her years. During the present time period, it was interesting to experience Tess’s background story and see how she began to heal from her broken heart.

The scenery was beautiful and I could envision living at the Villa delle Colombe. The sense of family that develops among the characters … even crotchety Silvana … was inspirational.

I enjoyed learning some new aspects of WWII for which I was not familiar. And the author does an amazing job of bringing you into the story and keeping you invested. Your heart will ache many times throughout the pages, but there are also moments when your spirit lifts and you find yourself smiling. What a great book that can bring all of the emotions together in a satisfactory fashion. A story of bravery, dedication, love, loss, revealing of hidden secrets, a second chance at finding love, and sharing in the pains and joys of life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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