Greetings from Asbury Park (Jack & Mariella Book 1) by Luigina Vecchione – Review by Jennifer Gordon

Greetings from Asbury Park: A World War Two love story by Luigina Vecchione
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an epic historical romance which held me captivated throughout. The wonderfully detailed descriptive narrative along with the added historical details made me feel both immersed in the story and transported back in time to WW2. Main characters Mariella and Jack are so likeable and relatable that I felt invested in their journey. Mariella is living in Rome and has had to grow up quickly due to the war, having been denied an education she has had to care for her siblings. Mariella is also haunted by a horrific childhood trauma, and then the Germans occupy Rome. Along with the other Italians she then lives in daily fear whilst starvation and brutality have become normal. Mariella is dreaming of a new life when she meets an American GI Jack and despite the language barrier they have an instant connection, but they only have one day together before he ships off to Japan. Although they promise to keep in touch they are both aware that anything can happen during a war, but they will both try and get back together once the war ends, if they both survive. This really is as the blurb says, “a gripping, romantic, and emotional novel” and the mix of the storyline, the characters and the historical elements all had me gripped from page one. Life for the Italians in Nazi occupied Rome and the horrors they suffered really came across in the narrative. However, despite it being a difficult read, emotionally, at times the overall feeling of hope and the pursuit of true love makes this a heartwarming and inspirational read.

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