“She and Nico had danced under such a sky. They’d sung of love and stardust and the promise of brightening dreams, and she’d been so stupidly certain their happiness would endure. Yet how could goodness endure, let alone flower, in a world that emboldened and embraced men such as Karl Zwerger? And how was she meant to survive when her Nico was no longer a part of it” (269)?

The heart of Our Darkest Night seeks to answer this hard question: How can goodness thrive in a dark and broken world, a world that at times embraces and empowers hate and evil, like the rancorous power of Nazi ideology? The answer comes in the voices of Nico and Nina and Father Bernardi and so many other characters in this Italian-set WWII historical fiction story. The answer comes through their voices and their stories that carry—sometimes the smallest—seeds of hope. In small mercies that make big impacts, like the bright stars that pierce the deep midnight-darkness, each of these characters shows how goodness thrives. They put one foot in front of the other, they hold a stranger’s hand to offer comfort, they cling to memories of better yesterdays, they boldly believe in promises and miracles and hope—even in the face of despair.

I desperately wanted this book to move the way that it did, but I’ve read too many hopeless historical fiction novels. I was afraid to hope. But I’m so glad it circled around in the end with Nico and Nina sojourning side by side back to their beloved Italian farm just as they did in the beginning when they were merely strangers. He became the hero of her story, and their journey was such a satisfying circle—a true hero’s journey with both Nico and Nina returning with their reward—home and family and the promise of joy.

“‘The soul unto its star returns’” (267). ( )

This book was everything! Enlightening, full of history, suspense, love, loss, courage, hope, faith, etc...The dedication and strength that each character had shown through in every situation. A true historical page-turner that left me breathless. ( )

“Our Darkest Night” is another impactful WWll novel. It enlightens readers to the Jewish ghetto in Venice through Antonina and her physician father. Antonina escapes with the help of a friend of her father’s , a young man Nico who takes her to live with his family in the countryside where they secretly pose as husband and wife only to really fall in love. As far as the story line goes in this novel it’s quite predictable and simple but you me it’s really the background of a story about the treatment of Jews in this region of Italy. Antonina , now Nina, winds up deported to concentration camps and work camps and her husband terrorized as well. The hardship and brutalities the family endures during occupation are vivid and based on research. That’s the thing about this novel and others like it, they may be fiction but they are based on real events that happened to real people. ( )

This was a much anticipated book of mine for 2021 and I’m so happy to say that it didn’t disappoint! Antonina is a Jew living in Venice during WWII. Her only hope of surviving is leaving Venice to go stay with the Gerardi family in the Italian countryside. She has to pretend that her and Nico, a man she’s just met, are married. The story then twists and turns itself into a wonderful work that keeps you on your toes and your heart in your throat. Highly recommend as it looks at a different aspect of WWII Historical Fiction as it takes place in Italy. Also Jennifer Robson is a masterful storyteller that makes you feel like you’re in the story watching it unfold first hand. ( )

This was such a gorgeous historical romance! Set during WW2 in Italy, Antonia and her father are in Venice. They are Jewish and have had their rights and property seized by Nazi laws. Antonia’s father is a doctor who is forbidden to practice, and Antonia has been training with him in secret. They are unable to flee to safety because Antonia’s mother is ill and unable to travel. When Nazi forces close in, her father sends her away with Nico, a young man in the seminary in training to be a priest who offers to hide her on his family farm. I loved how this love story slowly blossomed in the simple story of survival on the farm, of the dark, harrowing days of WW2, and of getting to know Nico’s family. This was a lovely, sweet romance and I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
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