Whenever I embark on a new historical novel, I begin with two specific tasks. First, I create a private Pinterest board with images of locations, fashions, and so on; and second, I create a playlist. The Pinterest board helps me zero in on the physical aspects of the book’s setting; and the playlist helps me find the emotional truths of the story.
I had so much fun creating a playlist for my new release, THE FORGOTTEN ITALIAN RESTAURANT, a sweeping, multi-generational story of an Italian village destroyed by the Nazis during World War 2, and the heroic actions of a young girl who decides, despite her terror, to believe in the future. Below are a few of the songs that inspired me as I wrote.
- Can’t Behave by Courtney Jaye. This upbeat song, which figures prominently in the movie Aquamarine, tells the story of a girl who knows her boyfriend is cheating on her and yet holds out hope that he will change. She says that she will leave him— “one day.” I feel so drawn to this poor girl, who knows she should walk away but just can’t. This also describes the present-day protagonist in The Forgotten Italian Restaurant. Callie is a thirty-two year old single woman whose unusual childhood and troubled relationship with her sister has left her confused and scattered. I root so much for the girl in the song to do what needs to be done, just as I hope readers will root for Callie to finally find her way!
- Come Away with Me by Norah Jones. Oh, this seductive, hypnotic song, this invitation by Norah Jones—with her gorgeous, blues-y voice—to her lover to leave the flawed world behind and be together, alone and in love. There’s a scene in The Forgotten Italian Restaurant between Callie and a young, handsome shopkeeper with dreams of opening a restaurant. The two of them, both hurt and confused, connect over a glass of wine and some delectable Italian delicacies, as they take in the gorgeous restaurant courtyard overlooking the vast sea below. With Come Away with Me playing in the background, this scene felt effortless to write!
- I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song by Jim Croce. An amazingly talented vocalist and musician whose music is a blend of folk and rock, Jim Croce tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 30. Who knows what beautiful music he never got to write and we never got to hear? This song is about a guy who can’t get the words “I love you” out. The lyrics and the melody are simple, and yet the message is so profound and relevant to many of the characters in my book (and to people everywhere, I think). Sometimes “I love you” is the hardest thing to say—and the thing that most needs to be said.
- A Million Dreams from the movie The Greatest Showman. Oh boy, this song makes me cry every time I hear it. It’s about envisioning a better world, a world that we have the power to build and design. Yes, the singer admits—it may sound crazy; and yet the dream to envision and create the kind of world we want to live is stronger than any cynic’s words. In The Forgotten Italian Restaurant, 15-year-old Emilia, anticipating the Nazis imminent arrival to her beloved village, makes a choice that reflects her belief in a better future to come. But will she ever know whether that choice produced the outcome she envisioned? (By the way, if you can, try to catch Pink singing this song with her daughter. It’s easy to find online—and it’s magical!)
- All I Ask of You from the Phantom of the Opera. Another show tune, and a beautiful song about the rewards of love. The melody is repeated with different lyrics—and my favorite lyrics come toward the end of the play, when the phantom, who is in love with our heroine, Christine, threatens the life of her lover. Others are determined to kill the phantom—but Christine knows threats of violence are not the way to unlock the phantom’s heart. Instead, she sings to him, telling him that although he has lived a life of darkness and isolation, he is not alone. And to prove it, she kisses him—which convinces him to release her lover. I adore this moment in the play—because what better message is there for someone who is lost than to know they are not alone? It’s this very idea that becomes the overriding theme of my book—and I think it’s a message we all deserve to hear.
A breathtaking and absolutely gripping World War Two historical romance
Italy, 1943. The girl rushes down the winding streets, tucking the handwritten menu into the wicker basket and thinking only of the code hidden on the delicate paper. Will anyone forgive her for what she's about to do to save the man she loves?
Present day. Arriving in sun-drenched Caccipulia, Callie grips the faded restaurant menu in trembling hands. Found hidden in her family home, she is certain it will lead her to the truth about her grandmother's life in Italy during World War Two. Why did her Nonna run away from this beautiful small town, never to return? Lost and alone in the world, could it help Callie understand who she is?
Local café owner Oliver's dark brown eyes light up when he sees the menu. During the war, one brave family secretly fed desperate Jewish families hidden in safe houses through the village. Callie's heart soars at the thought that her own dear grandmother was involved.
Diving into the town's history during long walks down cobbled streets, Callie begins to feel at home under Oliver's soft gaze. She wonders if she could build a life here with him. Until they push aside magenta flowers on a monument at the heart of the village, and uncover a secret that changes everything...
A grave mistake was made one dark night as the Nazis stalked the village, putting the whole town in terrible danger. When Callie finds out what her grandmother did, will it change the way Oliver feels about her? Will she stay and right the wrongs of the past, or be forced to leave Italy too, just like her Nonna?
A heartbreaking love story that will sweep you away to sun-drenched Italian vineyards to watch hope and bravery prevail in the darkest days of war. For fans of Kristin Hannah, Victoria Hislop and Fiona Valpy.
Women's Fiction Historical [Bookouture, On Sale: August 21, 2024, e-Book, ISBN: 9781835257678 / ]
Barbara Josselsohn is a best-selling novelist and journalist who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. The Forgotten Italian Restaurant is the third and concluding novel in her Sisters of War series, about three sisters separated during the darkest days of World War 2. Earlier books in the series include Secrets of the Italian Island and The Lost Gift to the Italian Island. Her previous books are The Lilac House, The Bluebell Girls, The Lily Garden, The Cranberry Inn, and The Last Dreamer. Barbara has also written hundreds of articles and essays in major and regional publications about family, home and relationships. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: her husband, her three kids, and her rescue pup, a mini-schnauzer named Albie. She is currently at work on her eighth novel, due out in 2025.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2025 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy