Our Darkest Night audiobook

Nina is posing as Nico’s wife to hopefully escape the dangers that came with being a Jew in Europe during WW2. There was this constant feeling of anxiousness since Nina could have been caught at any time which would mean a lot of danger for her and the people close to her. Her life changes drastically as she has to learn to be a “wife” and even pose as a Christian. There were certain parts that made me angry…like it was supposed to. There were certain people in the book who were determined to bring Nico and Nina down, and Robson does a great job of using this to keep my attentionThe theme of family was heavy on this one. During hard times like these, people make a lot of enemies and friends. This book illustrated this as Nina came to love a lot of people throughout the book. I wasn’t really engrossed in her and Nico’s relationship, but it definitely added an element to the story. There wasn’t that tension we usually get when people marry for other reasons other than love, but then I hit myself on the head because that is super insensitive for a WW2 book. There are many WW2 and holocaust books out there and I didn’t feel like this necessarily stood out, but it was still a great book!!

It is no secret Our Darkest Night is a book I’ve been excited to read since I read the very first teaser. Jennifer Robson’s, The Gown, was one of my favorite books of 2018, and I’m a big fan.Set in Italy, Our Darkest Night is the story of Antonia (Nina) Mazin, an Italian Jew who must post as a Christian farmer’s wife by marrying Nico Gerardi, who has been studying to be a priest before his circumstances change. Nina’s only hope of survival is for everyone to be convinced she is who she says she is and happily married.Eventually their feelings for each other begin to grow, just as the terror becomes even closer to their life together.Oh my gosh, I love Nico, and I love Nina, and I love this story. These are such warmhearted, loving characters. What would you do had you been in Nico’s shoes? Would you risk your own life to save another? This story captures this heartbreaking and dark time in history with authentic-feeling characters and an inspiring story. The author’s note is not to be missed because the story is inspired by her own family. Highly recommended for hist fic fans, especially of this time period.I received a gifted copy. Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

Epic! A young Jewish Italian woman has a hero -- her father. When the Nazi threat forces her to hide in the country, she meets the new hero of her story. Nina and Nico's story is heartbreaking and hopeful. The two of them are borne up by their faith in their God and in each other. There were many times when this book drove me to tears for the plight of people like them. For the suffering and humiliation that was heaped upon them. Despite the inhumane treatment all around, Nico and men like him honored their fellow human beings while at the same time recognizing the evil that had to be eradicated. This story is personal to Jennifer Robson and you can see her high regard for her characters. Beautifully done and highly recommended. Reposting after recently finishing another books set in WW II Italy: The Italian Ballerina: A World War II Novel

Venice 1943, Dr Gabriele Mazin is extremely concerned for his daughters Antonina’s safety and he makes plans for her to leave Venice. He’s friends with father Bernardi a priest and he knows a young man living in his remote parish in Mezzo Ciels who will help Nina and he trusts him. Nico Gerardi had been studying to be a priest and he left the seminary to help on his family’s busy farm. He’s a very honest and caring man who’s willing to pretend he’s married to Antonina to keep her safe, she leaves Venice behind and moves to the country with her new husband. When Nina leaves her father and mother behind in Venice it's one of the hardest things she has ever had to do. The newlyweds arrive at the farm, Nico’s twin sister Rosa isn’t happy that he’s left seminary, his wife hasn’t got a clue about helping on the farm and housework. Nina is miserable, she misses her parents, her sister in-law thinks she’s useless and she has to pretend to be Catholic and attend church. Things are worse when Karl Zwerger arrives he’s a nasty Nazi official he doesn’t like Nico and he’s determined to make his life as miserable as possible. When he finds out about his new bride, he questions Nina about her past, the couples courtship and of course how she met her husband? Nina and Nico get to know each other; they develop feelings for each other and Nina becomes close to the whole Gerardi family. Nina’s very concerned about the possibility of Italian Jews being sent to camps, when this begins and Nina is really worried about her parents.Our Darkest Night is a story about life in Italy during WW II, how hard it was for Jewish people and they were treated terribly by the Nazi’s. Thousands died from being persecuted during the Holocaust and also from disease, starvation and being sent to work in Germany. Inspired by true events it’s a story about sacrifice, family, loss, despair, friendship, love, hope and Jennifer Robson’s books never disappoint. I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review; I highly recommend reading Our Darkest Night and five stars from me.https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/

This remarkable book, out for just over a week now, tells of Nico and Nina, who must pose as a married couple in World War II Italy in order for her to hide from the Nazis and soon that their feelings are not a charade. Do not miss it!

In Our Darkest Night, Jennifer Robson paints a vivid picture of the Italian countryside, and has written a unique portrayal of one large Italian farm family living and surviving during the time of Hitlers regime. It’s fantastic.The racial laws of 1938 expelled Antonina (Nina) Mazin and every other Jewish student in Italy from school. She continues studying her Papa’s medical textbooks at home, and makes patient rounds alongside him hoping to someday become a doctor.In 1943 with the imposing threat of the deportation and imprisonment of Jews in Venice, her Papa and Father Bernardi arrange for Nina to leave the city with Niccolo Gerardi. Nico is a close friend of Father Bernardi, a stranger to Nina. Nina will be in hiding, posing as a catholic, married to a farmer and prior priest, Nico. They will be living at Nico’s family farm on the outskirts of Mezo Ciel, Father Gerardi’s hometown.Nina had never met a man as kind and decent as her father, but she sees that in Nico. Their feelings deepen and they are soon expecting a child.In 1944 the German’s seize Mezo Ciel.A bully from Nico’s past at the seminary, Karl Zwerger now a Nazi officer, appears in the piazzo of Mezo Ciel to arrest Nico for being a partisan. Shouting out into the crowd, Zwerger threatens Nico’s entire family if he doesn’t turn himself in. He does, and is taken away. Nina too is arrested soon after giving birth to their daughter. I was immediately drawn into this heart wrenching and emotional story, fearing for their safety and holding on to the hope of Nina reconnecting with her daughter. Jennifer Robson has this special way of immersing readers into her storyline and its setting, for that’s why I’ve loved all her books. Our Darkest Night centers around romance, family, faith, and survival, and it ends in a spectacular way that made me enjoy it even more. Rating all the stars.

Antonina's father had been planning how to protect her for a while since the Germans had invaded Italy and were starting to take Jewish people to camps.His plan was to have Antonina pretend she was married to Nico.Antonina didn't like the idea of leaving with a stranger and leaving her father and mother, but Nico was very nice and had a wonderful family who welcomed her as his wife. Well everyone but his sister, Rosa, but Rosa came to love Nina. Rosa was angry because Nico was to be a priest and this girl took him from the priesthood. They wished they could tell everyone they really weren't married, but it was too risky. Someone may tell on them.I became immersed in the family’s hardworking life and the wonder and joy of the simple life they led and their care for each other.Of course they had to be concerned about the Nazi officers who stopped by and to worry that someone would find out Nina actually was Jewish.You will fall in love with Nina and Nico and feel Nina's pain as she tries to fit in and learn how to be a Catholic. You will actually become fond of each family member, feel their pain as well as their happiness, and want to be part of their loving family.As in all WWII books along with the beauty and the strength of the people, there is death and cruelty.The beauty of family and caring citizens will pull you into this marvelously written, well-researched book and help ease the horror of what was going on.Do not miss this book. 5/5This book was given to me by the publisher via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 STARS - I have been a fan of Canadian author Jennifer Robson since I read and adored her book The Gown two years ago. When I heard she had a new book coming out set in Italy during WWII, preordering this book was a no brainer for me. I simply had to have it in my greedy little Bookworm hands.Inspired by true events, Our Darkest Night is a Historical Fiction story centred around a young Jewish woman and the lengths she, her loved ones and even perfect strangers went to in order to keep her safe from the Nazi regime. The first half of the book is slower paced as we get to know Nina, Nico and his family and witness what life was like for Italians living in more provincial settings during the war. The second half begins with a gut-wrenching scene that quite literally took my breath away. This scene pivots the book into a darker perspective of the war and Robson doesn't shy away from detailing the atrocities inflicted against Jews and those who attempted to aid them. Our Darkest Night is a good blend of history, family, and romance. I appreciate how Robson gives her readers a different perspective of the war, setting her story in a rural part of Italy during the occupation to show what life was like for small communities who may not have been on the war front, but who were not exempt from Nazi influence and abuse. I strongly suggest readers read the author's notes at the end of the book where she talks about her inspiration and her detailed research for this novel and how, by using her husband's Italian roots, she was able to give an authenticity to her rural Italian setting. There is a sweet romance within these pages, but the relationships that stood out the most for me were the close bonds of Nico's family. I sympathized with Nina and Nico and their unique situation, but I wouldn't call this a character-driven read. I would have loved to get inside their relationship and each of their heads a bit more - particularly Nico's feelings, details about his covert work as well as the POVs of a few of Nico's family members.This is a well-researched and moving story. Feelings of hopelessness, fear, perseverance, and love are conveyed well to the reader and are balanced with historical detail. I read this book in one day and I went through the emotional gamut. Parts of this book made me sad, parts made me smile and parts made me so unbelievably angry. In the end, this is a story about family, sacrifice, endurance, and hope. In a time when evil, fear and desperation were rampant, Robson shows how the generosity and small kindnesses of strangers can be found in even the darkest of times.

A WWII book set in Italy that will steal your heart and break it while leaving you filled with hope as you turn the last page. ⁣⁣Our Darkest Night was this month’s #candidbabesbookclub read. I don’t read too much historical fiction but this book completely captured me. I do tend to enjoy WWII fiction and having this book set in Italy was wonderful bc it offered a different perspective from the many books set in Germany. ⁣⁣Nico and Nina’s story was gripping. They had such strength individually and together their bond was simply beautiful. Inspired by true events from the author’s husband’s family the story is seeped in emotions like sacrifice & loss, family, friendship, love and ultimately hope. I dare you to read this book and not lose your heart to it. It was impossible to remain unaffected by the bravery of the characters, especially knowing that people put their lives and families on the line to save Jews during this horrific and heartbreaking time in history. ⁣⁣Needless to say, I was wholly invested in these characters and this story. The book is beautifully written and I couldn’t put it down. A huge thank you to William Morrow and Book Club Girl for providing the book.

1943 / WWII / Italy.This is Nico and Nina’s love story set during a time of terror and turmoil in the world.Nina is Jewish, her mother is in a hospice. Her father is a doctor who has been forbidden to work by the Nazis. His best friend is a Catholic priest, Father Bernardi (based on real life Father Oddo Stocco).As it becomes more dangerous for Jews in Venice Nina’s father and Father Bernardi devise a plan to get Nina to safety. Well known to Father Bernardi Nico was studying to be a priest but has left the seminary in order to help his family on their farm. Father Bernardi, Nico and Nina’s father have arranged for Nina and Nico to pretend to be married so he can take her to his family farm far away from the city.While Nina is not happy with this absurd plan, not wanting to leave her parents, she goes along finding herself in a tiny farming village far from city life, the only life she has ever known.She has to adapt, she has to learn the ways of the farm and get used to Nico’s large family all while keeping the secret that she is Jewish and they really are not married.In the close confines of family life on the farm and Nina and Nico pretending to be wed, sharing a room and a bed, it is not a stretch that love will find a way. And it does.At one point Nina discovers that Nico and his family are engaged in helping Jews trying to flee across the border with the help of Father Bernardi. And eventually the Nazis will find their way to this remote village. What then?This is a love story about sacrifice, struggle and survival during WWII.

A gripping tale of devastation, love, and hope set during the darkest days of the Second World War, "Our Darkest Night" takes readers on a shocking journey through war torn Italy all the way to the chilling brutalities happening in Poland. The story is based on the lives of Ms Robson's husband's ancestors, and the author's passion for the story and love of the people come alive in her beautifully crafted characters, all of whom must become so much stronger than they ever believed they could be. Jennifer Robson's books are always a delight, giving readers so much in both story and history.

While I felt that it had a bit of a slow start, halfway through I couldn't put it down. I have rarely read about Italy's Jews, and found the homecoming story a bit different from others I've read . Jennifer Robson does such a good job of including things that make the reader feel as though they are there in the moment

When my OC Books and Brunch book club won a year of book club books from William Morrow and Book Club Girl, I could not contain my excitement. One of my goals this year is to read genres I don’t usually read, and book club is the perfect way to do it. Our January choice was Our Darkest Night (my first historical fiction, gasp!). I usually don’t read romance, and NEVER read historical fiction, so this was a first for me.Our Darkest Night is about Nina, a Jewish woman who tries to escape the Nazis by pretending to be married to Nico, a Christian farmer. Her father arranges for her to escape the city, so she shows up with him to his farm one day, telling his family they got married. Farm life is hard for Nina, and it is harder still to lie to Nico’s family, who she is growing to care for. When they catch the eye of a suspicious Nazi officer, Nina and Nico try to figure out what to do to protect their family and each other.Thoughts: I found the writing in this book to be beautiful and I could imagine myself in 1943 Italy. The story is interesting and heartbreaking, especially because, though fiction, it mirrors many stories that survivors of the Holocaust faced. Unfortunately, the book was slow, and instead of having you feel or grow with the characters, the book basically laid out what was going on. I loved learning about Nico’s family, but my favorite character was Stella. The parts of the story that included her and Nina were some of my favorites, while simultaneously being the most heartbreaking.The book took an ordinary, hard-working family’s story and showed the pain and love and suffering they went through. The story captured everyday life, and compared the mundane tasks of a farm with the electrifying fear of running for your life. This story showed the power of hope and family, but I do wish there was more character development in the story. It seemed that everyone stayed the same, and I would have liked to hear more about the supporting characters in this story. Nevertheless, this was a powerful topic and I enjoyed the read. 3.5 stars!