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by Lelita Baldock (Author)
She lifts the book from the suitcase, gently unwraps it and breathes a heavy sigh of relief. She has made it. The book is safely hidden. But at what cost?
Bari, Italy. 1943. Twenty-year-old Siena knocks on a stranger's door with trembling hands. Her journey from Rome has left her exhausted and afraid, but after her friends were taken away, she had no choice but to flee. Hidden within her suitcase lies the reason for her desperate flight - a tattered leather-bound ledger, its pages filled with secrets Siena will risk her life to protect.
When Alessia opens the door, Siena sees a woman bearing the weight of caring for her family while her father fights at the front. Siena hands over a scrap of paper - a watercolour sketch of Bari harbour - and watches recognition flicker across Alessia's face. Despite rations being low, she knows Alessia cannot refuse her.
As bombs devastate the cobbled streets of Bari, the two women slowly learn to trust each other. But Siena isn't the only one keeping secrets, and her connection with Alessia runs deeper than either realises. Long ago, in a different world, impossible choices were made. As the war rages, the truth will be uncovered, like a hidden masterpiece finally brought into the light...
A profoundly moving and evocative tale of love, sacrifice, and the power of art in the darkest of times. Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Fiona Valpy and Fiona Davis.
