The Postcard from Italy

Book excerpt: Italy, 1945. ‘Where am I?’ The young man wakes, bewildered. He sees olive trees against a bright blue sky. A soft voice soothes him. ‘We saw you fall from your plane. The parachute saved you.’ He remembers nothing of his life, or the war that has torn the world apart… but where does he belong? England, present day. Antique-shop-owner Susannah wipes away a tear as she tidies her grandmother’s belongings. Elsie’s memories are fading, and every day Susannah feels further away from her only remaining family. But everything changes when she stumbles across a yellowed postcard of a beautiful Italian stone farmhouse, tucked away in Elsie’s dressing table. A message dated from World War 2 speaks of a secret love. Could her grandmother, who never talked about the past, have fallen for someone in Italy all those years ago? With Elsie unable to answer her questions, Susannah becomes determined to track down the house and find a distraction from her grief. Arriving at what is now a crumbling hotel by the sparkling Italian sea, she feels strangely at home. And after an unexpected encounter with handsome wine waiter Giacomo, she can’t tell if it’s his dark eyes or his offer to help solve her mystery that makes her heart race. Together they find a dusty chest tucked in a forgotten corner of the building. The white silk of a World War 2 parachute spills out. And the Royal Air Force identity tag nestled in the folds bears a familiar name… With Giacomo by her side, and before it’s too late for her grandmother, can Susannah discover the truth behind a shocking wartime secret at the heart of her family? Or will it tear her apart? An absolutely stunning page-turner that will sweep you away to the olive groves and majestic views of the Italian coast. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes, Fiona Valpy and Victoria Hislop. Readers love The Postcard from Italy: ‘Wow! Just Wow!… phenomenal… A novel I will never forget… Brilliant… 5 glorious stars for whisking me away to Italy… beautiful… I LOVED this novel!’ Cindy L Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Magical… unforgettable… I was swept away… had me crying happy tears, I was hooked.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Phenomenal… I forgot about my own life.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Have the tissues ready!... will stay with you long after you finish it! Highly recommend!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It sucked me in from the very first page!... I just couldn’t stop’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Absolutely stunning… I was swept away to Italy… gorgeous… captivating and heart-warming but also devastatingly heart breaking… I was absolutely hooked from page one until 2.30am in the morning… YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read what everyone’s saying about Angela Petch: ‘A devastating, beautiful, heartbreaking, compelling and riveting page-turner… I was absolutely shocked by the two big reveals… I did not see them coming!!!… Absolutely fantastic… Will leave you thinking about the story for a long time… I LOVED it’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Heart-breaking and compelling… A beautiful story, told with such emotion and feeling that it makes you forget where you are and what you are doing!’ Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow this was a brilliant book which was incredibly powerful and heartbreaking… Beautiful to read… A fast-paced story which I flew through… very poignant and humbling.’ Over the Rainbow Book Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐