Historical

The Italian Ballerina

The Italian Ballerina

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  • Create Date：2022-07-05 11:21:35
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Kristy Cambron
  • ISBN：1713676400
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Summary

At the height of the Nazi occupation of Rome， an unlikely band of heroes comes together to save innocent lives in this breathtaking World War II novel based on real historical events。


Rome， 1943 。 With the fall of Italy's Fascist government and the Nazi regime occupying the streets of Rome， British ballerina Julia Bradbury is stranded and forced to take refuge at a hospital on Tiber Island。 But when she learns of a deadly sickness that is sweeping through the quarantine wards—a fake disease known only as Syndrome K—she is drawn into one of the greatest cons in history。 Alongside hospital staff， friars of the adjoining church， and two Allied medics， Julia risks everything to rescue Italian Jews from the deadly clutches of the Holocaust。 But when one little girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina arrives at their door， Julia and the others are determined to reunite the young dancer with her family—if only she would reveal one crucial secret: her name。


Present Day 。 With the recent loss of her grandfather—a beloved small-town doctor and WWII veteran—Delaney Coleman returns home to help her aging parents， even as she struggles to pick up the pieces of her own life。 When a mysterious Italian woman claims she owns one of the family's precious heirlooms， Delaney is compelled to uncover what's true of her grandfather's hidden past。 Together with the woman's skeptical but charming grandson， Delaney learns of a Roman hospital that saved hundreds of Jewish people during the war。 Soon， everything Delaney thought she knew about her grandfather comes into question as she wrestles with the possibility that the man she'd revered all her life had unknown ties to Rome and may have taken noble secrets to his grave。


Based on true accounts of the invented Syndrome K sickness， The Italian Ballerina journeys from the Allied storming of the beaches at Salerno to the London ballet stage and the war-torn streets of WWII Rome， exploring the sometimes heart-wrenching choices we must make to find faith and forgiveness， and how saving just one life can impact countless others。


Split timeline: WWII and present day
Stand-alone novel
Book length: approximately 107，000 words

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Reviews

Synne ，

3，25⭐️

sathvika ，

I haven't cried to a book like this one is a long time。 The dual POVs really got to me man。 Tears are still streaming down my face as I write this。 The way that all the characters are presented so authentically is what got to me the most。 Like， they are brave sure， but they're also jaded and dreary。 They too want the war to be over， however still fight for the love of people and country。 I'm still way to shaken up to write a proper review。 Thank you for the advanced copy！ I haven't cried to a book like this one is a long time。 The dual POVs really got to me man。 Tears are still streaming down my face as I write this。 The way that all the characters are presented so authentically is what got to me the most。 Like， they are brave sure， but they're also jaded and dreary。 They too want the war to be over， however still fight for the love of people and country。 I'm still way to shaken up to write a proper review。 Thank you for the advanced copy！ 。。。more

Lisa G。 Hudson ，

BREATHTAKING STORY OF TRUST， SACRIFICE， LOYALTY， AND LOVE！Award-winning author Kristy Cambron has written what I consider to be my No。 1 Book of 2022。 It is a breathtaking story of trust， sacrifice， loyalty， honor， and love。 This is a time-slip novel with action taking place over five years during WWII and in the present。 Cambron has based her evocative writing on true accounts of the Invented Syndrome K sickness and how it impacted the lives of Jewish people trying to escape the horrors of the BREATHTAKING STORY OF TRUST， SACRIFICE， LOYALTY， AND LOVE！Award-winning author Kristy Cambron has written what I consider to be my No。 1 Book of 2022。 It is a breathtaking story of trust， sacrifice， loyalty， honor， and love。 This is a time-slip novel with action taking place over five years during WWII and in the present。 Cambron has based her evocative writing on true accounts of the Invented Syndrome K sickness and how it impacted the lives of Jewish people trying to escape the horrors of the Gestapo during WWII。 She centers her story around a British Ballerina， two American medics， and one small Jewish girl whose lives are thrown together amid a German siege。 The three adults form an unlikely “band of angels” and decide that， no matter what they have to sacrifice， they will return the young Jewish girl to her family。 She writes of how the three learn the true meaning and depth of trust， sacrifice， loyalty， honor， and love。 It is a moving story that will keep you reading late into the night and pull on your heartstrings。 It is also a story of a beautiful romance that grows despite all odds。 The present-day story is breathtaking on its own and the conclusion is one that will stay with you long after you read the last word。 I highly recommend this book！I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Thomas Nelson and NetGalley。 The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence。 。。。more

Lori Sinsel Harris ，

This is a dual timeline story of two American soldiers （medics actually）， and a little Jewish girl they save when the Nazis liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Rome。 While Court and Calla's stories are heart wrenching and heartwarming， the best part of this book for me was learning yet another little known facet of WWII。 This is the first I have ever heard of the Fatebenefratelli Hospital and the friars from the adjoining church， San Giovanni Calibita and of the plan devised by hospital administrator This is a dual timeline story of two American soldiers （medics actually）， and a little Jewish girl they save when the Nazis liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Rome。 While Court and Calla's stories are heart wrenching and heartwarming， the best part of this book for me was learning yet another little known facet of WWII。 This is the first I have ever heard of the Fatebenefratelli Hospital and the friars from the adjoining church， San Giovanni Calibita and of the plan devised by hospital administrators and doctors to hep hide the Jewish refugees seeking sanctuary there。 Reading that doctors such as Dr。 Giovanni Borromeo along with several others really did devise and implemented they Syndrome K plan and learning it worked and they saved hundreds of refugees this way without ever being discovered by the Nazis。 Now that is a story。 This is why I love historical fiction so much， learning this wonderful story， reading about the heroic men and women who put their lives on the line to help complete strangers， these are the stories that restore faith in human nature， the tories that complement the good inside of people。 This is a beautifully written story about friendship，， family， love， hope and discovering who you really are and becoming all you were meant to be。 I give 5 stars and highly recommend this one to all， not only historical fiction fans， I believe everyone can benefit from this beautiful story。 Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to Net Galely for the free ARc， I am leaving my honest review in return。 。。。more

Tanya ，

3。5 stars rounded up。I wanted to read The Italian Ballerina because::
1 I love historical fiction2 I love ballet3 I love ItalyThere are so many stories to tell about WW2。 I sometimes think they are overdone - perhaps they are - but then I pick up a book like this and learn something completely new that I want to research。 What I learned here was about Syndrome K， a disease that doctors at a hospital in Rome made up to save Jews after an attack by the Gestapo on a Jewish neighborhood。 They put th 3。5 stars rounded up。I wanted to read The Italian Ballerina because::
1 I love historical fiction2 I love ballet3 I love ItalyThere are so many stories to tell about WW2。 I sometimes think they are overdone - perhaps they are - but then I pick up a book like this and learn something completely new that I want to research。 What I learned here was about Syndrome K， a disease that doctors at a hospital in Rome made up to save Jews after an attack by the Gestapo on a Jewish neighborhood。 They put the Jewish “patients” in “quarantine” so that when the Gestapo came to the hospital they would not want to get close to them。 How brilliant！At the heart of the story are Calla， who was a little girl when the attack happened， and Court， an American military medic who saved her and helped reunite her with her family。 Their grandchildren are brought together in Rome to piece together their story。 Told in several timelines， it got confusing and felt disjointed at times， and as usual I was drawn to some characters more than others。 It’s a touching story that overall I really enjoyed。 Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 This book is available on July 12。 。。。more

christina ，

"So if God is behind something as small as an old suitcase coming to light， I could believe He’s looking for ways to heal us in our brokenness。 And certainly to be there with us in our grief” （The Italian Ballerina， Kindle location 2583）。 Brokenness and beauty。 Grace and grit。 Grief and growth。 Prodigal sons and an orphaned child。 Love willing to lay down its life for a stranger or a friend。 These are some of the central themes of the new World War II novel， The Italian Ballerina， by Kristy Ca "So if God is behind something as small as an old suitcase coming to light， I could believe He’s looking for ways to heal us in our brokenness。 And certainly to be there with us in our grief” （The Italian Ballerina， Kindle location 2583）。 Brokenness and beauty。 Grace and grit。 Grief and growth。 Prodigal sons and an orphaned child。 Love willing to lay down its life for a stranger or a friend。 These are some of the central themes of the new World War II novel， The Italian Ballerina， by Kristy Cambron。 This is a dual-timeline story， with the Italian ballerina of the title supplying the hinge connecting the two eras。 This is a fun， sweet romance by a Christian author， but it is not preachy at all and should appeal to a general audience as well as the Christian book market。 A literary vacation lies within its pages。 In the modern timeline， journalist “between pens” Delaney Coleman travels to Tivoli， near Rome， to deliver a child’s suitcase， mysteriously found among her recently deceased grandfather’s belongings， to an elderly ballerina who claims to be its rightful owner。 The story of both the combat-medic grandfather and the ballerina unfolds in the World War II timeline。 Love blooms in both。 The unanswered questions and mysteries keep the pages turning; Cambron times the big reveals well to keep the reader guessing but not frustrated。 At the same time， the novel draws attention to a real historical rescue operation in which three hospital doctors and a priest in Rome invented a highly contagious terminal disease， Syndrome K， in order to rescue as many Jews as possible from the Holocaust。 The city and hospital were occupied by Nazi troops， yet these brave men hid the rescued ones right under the soldiers’ noses。 （Some of the discussions of masking and how contagious the disease struck me as ironic given the book’s pandemic publication。） For me， the ballet parts of the tale were especially nostalgic。 So many life lessons are learned through the arts， so many heartaches soothed。 My dearest interests in childhood were books， ballet， and piano。 If I wasn’t practicing ballet in the front hallway to my album of piano music for ballet practice， there was a good chance I was reading books about ballet and the history of ballet。 In third grade I did a book report on a biography of English prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn and a yearlong project on Fonteyn and Native American prima ballerina Maria Tallchief。 Consequently， the mentions of Sadler’s Wells， the Old Vic， and Covent Garden， and even the dropping of Dame Margot’s name， were lovely connections to my childhood。 My mind’s eye can see how British ballerina Julia Bradbury and Calla Santini move because I lived in that world for a decade。 For my reading habits， this is not likely a book I will return to again and again， but it is a delightful （and clean） escape for readers who enjoy stories set in World War II， tales of courage real and fictional， the ballet， Christian romance， and classic films （especially Roman Holiday）。 （It also has the makings of a beautiful movie。） Books with a similar sensibility include The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society， Before We Were Yours， and Eternal。 There is some wartime violence described when necessary to the plot。 If you， like me， can’t take a summer vacation （again）， this novel might just be the cold glass of lemonade needed to cheer your soul。 Full disclosure: I received a complimentary NetGalley copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review。 This book releases July 12， 2022。 。。。more

Jessica ，

This was a surprisingly great book。 She is a master story teller。 This is the second book by this author I have read and I will be reading others。

Amy ，

Memories of the past locked away in a weathered black suitcase is gripped tightly by a little girl fighting for her life。 Two soldiers realize her plight and risk their lives to save her。 A ballerina about to have her dreams realized， life pirouettes in a different direction。 Flash forward to present day when the past and present collide due after reading a letter that will bring Delaney to Italy。 A soldier's kindness and a key worn around Nona's neck unlock secrets that opens doors for their ge Memories of the past locked away in a weathered black suitcase is gripped tightly by a little girl fighting for her life。 Two soldiers realize her plight and risk their lives to save her。 A ballerina about to have her dreams realized， life pirouettes in a different direction。 Flash forward to present day when the past and present collide due after reading a letter that will bring Delaney to Italy。 A soldier's kindness and a key worn around Nona's neck unlock secrets that opens doors for their generations' futures。 Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheItalianBallerina in exchange for an honest review。 Kristy Cambron brilliantly weaves together the three storylines in her latest novel。 Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres as it brings the past to life。 Through characters' eyes， I'm swept back in time and fighting along with the protagonists。 World War II stories are difficult to read but the bravery displayed creates a deeper connection to the characters and their plight。 。。。more

Kathleen Gray ，

A lovely emotional story of faith， hope， and resilience against the horrors of WWII。 Moving between the present， when Delaney brings a suitcase owned by her grandfather back to Italy at the request of an elderly woman named Calla and WWII when Julia， a British ballerina finds herself on Timber Island where the doctors are hiding Jewish people。 Things change for Julia when Court and AJ， American medics， arrive with young mute Calla in tow。 As is sometimes the case with dual time line novels， the A lovely emotional story of faith， hope， and resilience against the horrors of WWII。 Moving between the present， when Delaney brings a suitcase owned by her grandfather back to Italy at the request of an elderly woman named Calla and WWII when Julia， a British ballerina finds herself on Timber Island where the doctors are hiding Jewish people。 Things change for Julia when Court and AJ， American medics， arrive with young mute Calla in tow。 As is sometimes the case with dual time line novels， the older time line is more compelling than the present one。 Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC。 It's a good read。 。。。more

Tama Fortner ，

A beautiful and heart-stirring reminder of the impact one life can have upon so many。Trapped in Nazi-held Italy， British ballerina Julia Bradbury finds herself drawn into a mysterious scheme to thwart the enemy and smuggle Italian Jews to safety。 Decades later， Delaney Coleman journeys to Rome to uncover the secrets of her grandfather’s past—and to solve the mystery of a little girl’s suitcase that links them all。 Told in split-time and filled with fascinating historical details， Cambron’s writi A beautiful and heart-stirring reminder of the impact one life can have upon so many。Trapped in Nazi-held Italy， British ballerina Julia Bradbury finds herself drawn into a mysterious scheme to thwart the enemy and smuggle Italian Jews to safety。 Decades later， Delaney Coleman journeys to Rome to uncover the secrets of her grandfather’s past—and to solve the mystery of a little girl’s suitcase that links them all。 Told in split-time and filled with fascinating historical details， Cambron’s writing reveals a depth of time， place， and character too rarely seen。 Her novels never fail to be a fresh adventure in learning， in love， in the lessons of life。The Italian Ballerina is a story that captures the best of us and the worst of us。 It is a story of courage and grace。 It is a story that needed to be told。*I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more

Pauline ，

The beautiful book cover opened to a painful but beautiful story told in a split time format。 Prior to reading The Italian Ballerina， I had not heard of Syndrome K nor had much information about the Nazis in Rome。 Through her characters， Kristy Cambron taught me， moved me， and drew me in to a time period when so many served in so many ways even when they did not have to。 It wisely has a modern day storyline which adds to the mystery and depth of the novel。 You see will be glad to see what the pr The beautiful book cover opened to a painful but beautiful story told in a split time format。 Prior to reading The Italian Ballerina， I had not heard of Syndrome K nor had much information about the Nazis in Rome。 Through her characters， Kristy Cambron taught me， moved me， and drew me in to a time period when so many served in so many ways even when they did not have to。 It wisely has a modern day storyline which adds to the mystery and depth of the novel。 You see will be glad to see what the present generation learned and by the end， you will feel you know Court， AJ， Julia and Calla。 And， if you are like me， you will read far to late into the night to uncover Delaney’s and Matteo’s family connections。 I’ve read all of Kristy Cambron’s books and think this is one of my favorites。 Note: I don’t believe the slogan “Keep Calm and Carry On” was actually used in WWII on buses or anywhere else as mentioned in the story。 That was historical inaccuracy I spotted。 。。。more

Carolyn ，

I started this book at 9 pm and I kept reading until way too late so I could finish it。 But I was invested in Calla's story。 This is a part of WWII that I haven't read as much about， and it was fascinating。 It was also fun to read a book by a local author that showcased the area where we live in Indiana。 Honestly， my only criticism is I felt like the Delaney/Matteo story was forced and then rushed。 I have two other books by Kristy Cambron on my shelf and I am excited to read them as well in the I started this book at 9 pm and I kept reading until way too late so I could finish it。 But I was invested in Calla's story。 This is a part of WWII that I haven't read as much about， and it was fascinating。 It was also fun to read a book by a local author that showcased the area where we live in Indiana。 Honestly， my only criticism is I felt like the Delaney/Matteo story was forced and then rushed。 I have two other books by Kristy Cambron on my shelf and I am excited to read them as well in the （hopefully） near future。 Be on the lookout for The Italian Ballerina， available on July 12。 Thank you @NetGalley and @ThomasNelson for this gifted digital copy。 。。。more

Meagan ，

Someone tell me why I ever paused reading Kristy Cambron's books--because after finishing _The Italian Ballerina_， I honestly have no idea， haha！ （I'm sure it has nothing whatsoever with being distracted by other new and shiny things， or an already extensive TBR pile。 :D）This book is stunning。 Soooooo good。 It sheds light on yet another aspect of WWII I didn't know about （a fact that always continues to amaze me， given the number of incredible books out there）。 It makes me want to go to Rome and Someone tell me why I ever paused reading Kristy Cambron's books--because after finishing _The Italian Ballerina_， I honestly have no idea， haha！ （I'm sure it has nothing whatsoever with being distracted by other new and shiny things， or an already extensive TBR pile。 :D）This book is stunning。 Soooooo good。 It sheds light on yet another aspect of WWII I didn't know about （a fact that always continues to amaze me， given the number of incredible books out there）。 It makes me want to go to Rome and the Spanish Steps。 It makes me want to feel all the things and go all the places and eat all the food。 And ultimately， bask in God's provision and the courage of some incredible people。Cambron does an astounding job at weaving together multiple storylines （which at first threw me off， until I got sufficiently far enough into the book）， as well as weaving in historical facts and persons。 （The author's note and further-reading list are particularly informative and helpful。） Every time a storyline switched， I was a bit sad to make the shift， and by the time the book ended， I was _really_ sad to say goodbye， heh。A stunner of a read， and one I highly recommend adding to your shelf。 5/5 stars。I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more

Annette ，

This book was told with dual timelines。 It moves back and forth giving us a glimpse of a young girl， the soldiers who try to find her family and the present day family who’s trying to understand it all。 This author is one of my favorites and a must read。 I enjoyed the book and think all historical fiction fans will too。Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

GiGi Carothers ，

The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron is a story that occurs during WWII。 A gifted London ballerina wants to help serve her country during the war。 She decides to join the women's service to help with translation services but instead finds herself being sent to R0me to perform。 She is determined to help and finds herself being a nurse at a special German hospital。 She also befriends her stepbrother and take him with her。 Read this novel to see how secretly some of the nurses save the Jews with The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron is a story that occurs during WWII。 A gifted London ballerina wants to help serve her country during the war。 She decides to join the women's service to help with translation services but instead finds herself being sent to R0me to perform。 She is determined to help and finds herself being a nurse at a special German hospital。 She also befriends her stepbrother and take him with her。 Read this novel to see how secretly some of the nurses save the Jews without the Nazis knowledge。 Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book before its publishing date。 。。。more

Jenni Ogden ，

Enjoyable dual timeline WWII story set in Italy during the occupation of Rome。 A complex plot， requiring keeping note of the dates and characters at different ages， an American medic， a British ballerina， and a modern-day American woman looking for her family from the past。 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance digital galley。

Joyce ，

Incredibly poignant telling of Italy during WWII。 Another Cambron masterpiece！ This is the kind of story that stays in your soul to materialize when you least expect it。 I won’t soon forget this one。 I won this from a contest and couldn’t wait to read it。

Anne Wolters ，

Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction， this is the book for you！ This captivating， heartfelt， amazing story got my attention right from the start。 Part of it takes place during the Nazi occupation in Rome during the early 1940s。 A five-year old Jewish girl， who speaks only Italian was found by two American Allied medics， standing in a pool of blood， likely the blood of her dead parents， holding a suitcase that she will not part with。 She doesn’t tell them her name， so they call her Calla。 Wi Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction， this is the book for you！ This captivating， heartfelt， amazing story got my attention right from the start。 Part of it takes place during the Nazi occupation in Rome during the early 1940s。 A five-year old Jewish girl， who speaks only Italian was found by two American Allied medics， standing in a pool of blood， likely the blood of her dead parents， holding a suitcase that she will not part with。 She doesn’t tell them her name， so they call her Calla。 With the Nazis occupying the streets of Rome， Julie Bradbury， a British ballerina， who speaks Italian， takes refuge at a hospital where the two American medics， Court and AJ are now posing as doctors。 Julie teams up with them， taking on the role of a nurse who also gives ballet lessons to Calla， who dreams of becoming a ballerina。 An imaginary， deadly disease ， known as Syndrome K， has necessitated the creation of a quarantined unit to place all those infected。 It is actually a secure place to hide the Jews until they can be transported to a safe location。 That is where the two American medics， the pretend nurse and Calla stay。 While they are rescuing Jews， the Nazis stay clear of them fearful of getting the disease。Going forward to the present day， Delaney （Del） Coleman is mourning the loss of her beloved grandfather， Dr。 Courtney Coleman， when a letter arrives from an attorney in Italy representing the Santini family claiming Dr。 Coleman has property that belongs to them。 Del logs into a pre-planned video call with Matteo Santini and learns they are interested in obtaining their “family heirloom。” the old suitcase the child Calla would not part with。 Matteo offers Del a paid flight to Italy to bring them the suitcase， which has never been opened because it has been locked for the past 80 years。 Calla， the child who had been rescued by Del’s grandfather is Matteo Santini’s grandmother。 Del， along with the old suitcase is on the way to Italy， hoping to uncover secrets of her grandfather’s past and also learn what is inside the locked suitcase。The extensive research that obviously went into this absolutely fascinating story is impressive。 I loved that is this beautiful， sometimes heart-wrenching story encompassed the value of faith as well as forgiveness。I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley。 All comments and opinions are my own。 。。。more

theliterateleprechaun ，

This one sat on my NetGalley shelf for ages because I was patiently waiting for the luxury of a whole day off to enjoy it。 You can imagine my disappointment when I began reading and discovered that despite loving Kristy Cambron’s books and appreciating her gift， this one was not for me。 Why？1） I struggled to connect with the characters。2） The story was too busy with subplots and a multitude of characters3） The dual timelines didn’t mesh well and jumped around too much。Roughly 75% of the novels I This one sat on my NetGalley shelf for ages because I was patiently waiting for the luxury of a whole day off to enjoy it。 You can imagine my disappointment when I began reading and discovered that despite loving Kristy Cambron’s books and appreciating her gift， this one was not for me。 Why？1） I struggled to connect with the characters。2） The story was too busy with subplots and a multitude of characters3） The dual timelines didn’t mesh well and jumped around too much。Roughly 75% of the novels I read are historical fiction。 I love dual timelines and I’m eager to learn from an author’s meticulous research。 I also appreciate a unique story。 I had a day off， a bottle of wine with my name on it， amazing chocolate set aside to nibble on as I read， and a fully charged KIndle。 Knowing all this， I should have loved this story。 It had all the right ingredients。 I was gifted this advance copy by Kristy Cambron， Thomas Nelson， and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review。 。。。more

Melissa Hayford ，

A beautiful and heartbreaking story。 This book has dual timelines， the present and moments during WWII。 I struggled sometimes keeping the timeline straight during the WWII era as it went back and forth， but after a little while I could usually sort it out。 It's always amazing to me to read about sacrifices made during wartime and the things good people did to keep going and helping others。 This story is poignant， heartbreaking， but also heartwarming。 Court， AJ， Julia and Calla's story of sacrifi A beautiful and heartbreaking story。 This book has dual timelines， the present and moments during WWII。 I struggled sometimes keeping the timeline straight during the WWII era as it went back and forth， but after a little while I could usually sort it out。 It's always amazing to me to read about sacrifices made during wartime and the things good people did to keep going and helping others。 This story is poignant， heartbreaking， but also heartwarming。 Court， AJ， Julia and Calla's story of sacrifice and love was beautiful。 I really enjoyed this book。I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review。 。。。more

Rachael ，

Sometimes book descriptions don't paint an accurate description of the story。 This one isn't wrong per se， but I feel like the description neglected the main character: Court Coleman， Delaney's grandfather。 Both Julia and Delaney feel like secondary characters next to Court--I'd say about half the novel is from his viewpoint， and only a quarter each for Julia and Delaney。 And I'm not positive the title refers to Julia--I'm more inclined to think it's about Calla， the little girl Court rescues， a Sometimes book descriptions don't paint an accurate description of the story。 This one isn't wrong per se， but I feel like the description neglected the main character: Court Coleman， Delaney's grandfather。 Both Julia and Delaney feel like secondary characters next to Court--I'd say about half the novel is from his viewpoint， and only a quarter each for Julia and Delaney。 And I'm not positive the title refers to Julia--I'm more inclined to think it's about Calla， the little girl Court rescues， and who has a role in the present-day story。I did really enjoy the novel。 Kristy Cambron knows how to write a captivating story， and she incorporated a piece of history that offered a fresh perspective on WWII。 But that said， I think the story would have been stronger if it had only followed Court。 The contemporary timeline was fine， but it didn't add much， and I really wanted to delve more into the fascinating history of the Italian hospital and their Syndrome K。 I had never heard about it before， and I'd have loved a deeper focus on it， especially through Court's eyes。 The timelines jump around a bit （Court's present， Court's past， Julia's timeline， and Delaney in the modern day）。 I didn't find it too difficult to follow， once I caught onto the rhythm， but it's a bit different from the norm。 There was a significant plot twist I didn't see coming。Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book。 I was not required to write a positive review， and all opinions are my own。 。。。more

Kim ，

This is a beautifully written novel。 There are multiple storylines to follow and it is not told in a linear format so it’s important to notice the dates at the beginning of the chapters。 It’s set before WWII， during WWII and present day， in multiple countries including America， England， and Italy。 Court and AJ， two American Army medics go from the battlefield to a hospital where they work with famed ballerina Julia to save the life of a little girl and countless other Roman Jews fleeing Nazi sol This is a beautifully written novel。 There are multiple storylines to follow and it is not told in a linear format so it’s important to notice the dates at the beginning of the chapters。 It’s set before WWII， during WWII and present day， in multiple countries including America， England， and Italy。 Court and AJ， two American Army medics go from the battlefield to a hospital where they work with famed ballerina Julia to save the life of a little girl and countless other Roman Jews fleeing Nazi soldiers。 The invented “Syndrome K” keeps the soldiers out of the hospital’s quarantine ward where doctors help Jewish refugees escape to safety。 In present day America， Delaney takes a trip to Rome to help solve the mystery of a child’s suitcase found among her grandfather’s things and linked to Matteo’s grandmother Calla。 Del and Matt piece together the story through old letters， photos， research， and Calla’s memories as she struggles with dementia。 It’s a story of love， family and sacrifice， and I already want to reread it。 I received a complimentary ebook from the publishers via NetGalley。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more

Lauren ，

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley。

Pam ，

A stunning novel telling the story of Calla， a little Jewish girl rescued from the Jewish Ghetto in Rome。 The people who impact her life—Court， AJ， and Julia—sacrifice for her。 In the present day Court’s granddaughter Delaney and Calla’s grandson Matteo meet in Italy and uncover the story of an ivory & cherry suitcase。 Calla’s story intertwines with theirs as they struggle with broken dreams and past mistakes。 Incredible story—highly recommend！ I received a complimentary copy of this book from T A stunning novel telling the story of Calla， a little Jewish girl rescued from the Jewish Ghetto in Rome。 The people who impact her life—Court， AJ， and Julia—sacrifice for her。 In the present day Court’s granddaughter Delaney and Calla’s grandson Matteo meet in Italy and uncover the story of an ivory & cherry suitcase。 Calla’s story intertwines with theirs as they struggle with broken dreams and past mistakes。 Incredible story—highly recommend！ I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing through NetGalley。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 。。。more

BAM the enigma ，

7/12/22

Michelle Castaneda ，

The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cameron is a remarkable story told about multiple generations。 World War II ties together the present day characters in ways they could never imagine。 Filled with tragedy due to Nazi occupation and brutality and heroism of those who stepped up to help， this multiple timeline story ties all together beautifully in the end。 This is a brilliant novel by a consistently superb author。 What a great read。 I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cameron is a remarkable story told about multiple generations。 World War II ties together the present day characters in ways they could never imagine。 Filled with tragedy due to Nazi occupation and brutality and heroism of those who stepped up to help， this multiple timeline story ties all together beautifully in the end。 This is a brilliant novel by a consistently superb author。 What a great read。 I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations。 These opinions are entirely my own。 。。。more

Anne ，

Thanks to Thomas Nelson--FICTION， I was provided an ARC of The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 *****Publishing July 12， 2022*****A duel time period book that will transport you to Rome， London， and Starlight， Indiana during WWll and Starlight， Indiana and Rome present day。 Both time lines include Delaney’s grandfather， Court Coleman， who was a medic in Rome during WWII。 After Court dies， Delaney learns about his life during WWII。 He was a WWII Thanks to Thomas Nelson--FICTION， I was provided an ARC of The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 *****Publishing July 12， 2022*****A duel time period book that will transport you to Rome， London， and Starlight， Indiana during WWll and Starlight， Indiana and Rome present day。 Both time lines include Delaney’s grandfather， Court Coleman， who was a medic in Rome during WWII。 After Court dies， Delaney learns about his life during WWII。 He was a WWII veteran that would not talk about his experience。 Delaney and her parents find out through his will， a family in Rome was demanding some of his heirlooms。 This was a shock to Delaney and her parents。 Delaney speaks to the Italians on a call and is invited to Rome to further discuss who will get the heirlooms。 Will they be able to hold onto these heirlooms or will they be forced to hand them over？ Julia is a Ballerina living in London。 When the war begins， many of the ballet companies were shut down， but she is given the opportunity to be a part of a traveling company。 What will she encounter during this time of war？ Who will she help？This heartfelt book will have you turning the pages to find out their fates and how Court and Julia are connected。 Such a wonderful story that is full of the unexpected。 A well researched book perfect for those who like to read Historical Fiction。 Be sure to add this to your TBR list。 A great book club pick as well！ 。。。more

Karren Sandercock ，

The Italian Ballerina is a dual timeline historical fiction story set in England， Rome and America。 Rome 1943。 Julia Bradbury is a famous British ballerina， when Mussolini loses power she and fellow dancer Anton Vasile are stranded in Italy。 They take refuge in the Fatebenefratelli Hospital on Timber Island， Julia volunteers to work here and Anton's not happy about it。 They have a contagious disease that’s spreading through the wards， it’s actually a fake disease called Syndrome K invented to ke The Italian Ballerina is a dual timeline historical fiction story set in England， Rome and America。 Rome 1943。 Julia Bradbury is a famous British ballerina， when Mussolini loses power she and fellow dancer Anton Vasile are stranded in Italy。 They take refuge in the Fatebenefratelli Hospital on Timber Island， Julia volunteers to work here and Anton's not happy about it。 They have a contagious disease that’s spreading through the wards， it’s actually a fake disease called Syndrome K invented to keep the Germans out of the quarantine wards where Dr。 Emroy and Father Bialek are hiding Jewish people。Two allied medics， Sergeant Andrew Nelson and Private Courtney Coleman survive the landing at Salerno， later they find themselves separated from their unit in Rome and responsible for an orphaned Jewish girl。 They do everything they can to keep little Calla safe， hoping to find someone from her family and unfortunately they don’t know her real identity？ Present time。 Delaney Coleman leaves her job in Seattle and returns home to the family’s farm in Indiana。 Her Grandfather has passed away and her aging parents need her help。 Del receives an unexpected call from a man called Matteo Santini， he explains her grandfather has a suitcase that belongs to his grandmother， she want's it back and the Santini's have something her grandfather cherished。 Del’s grandfather was the local doctor， he did serve in WW II and he never spoke about his wartime experiences。Del travels to Rome， to meet with Matteo and his grandmother Calla， and she takes the worn children’s suitcase with her。 Del and Matteo solve the mystery of how Andrew， Court， Julia and Calla all knew each other and they uncover that Calla was one of thousands of Jewish people who were saved from the Germans by hiding in the wards of The Fatebenefratelli Hospital and the nearby church， what happened to her parents， and the secret contents of the case。 I received a copy of The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron from HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review。 It’s a story about an English ballerina with a kind heart， deciding to help an mute Jewish girl learn to dance， to take her mind off the terrible war and by meeting them both， she changes the lives of the two battle weary allied medics。 An inspirational historical saga about hope， faith， reaching your potential and making changes， suffering， forgiveness and honoring the past。 Using real facts， the narrative does get off to a rather slow start and Ms。 Cambron picks up the pace， and it all comes together and four and a half stars from me。 I highly recommend both The Italian Ballerina and The Paris Dressmaker。 https://karrenreadsbooks。blogspot。com/https://www。facebook。com/KarrenReadsH。。。 。。。more

Tamara ，

Rome， Italy， 1943The Italian Ballerina is a dual-time story set during WWII， and it starts out by introducing Private Courtney Coleman and Calla Santini on Tiber Island。 Courtney Coleman is a medic during the war， and he meets Calla when he and a fellow medic， AJ Nelson are separated from their troop。 He watches as Calla is separated from her parents（and murdered） and he is determined to keep her safe。How do you keep Italian Jews safe during WWII when right under their noses are the Nazis？ Just Rome， Italy， 1943The Italian Ballerina is a dual-time story set during WWII， and it starts out by introducing Private Courtney Coleman and Calla Santini on Tiber Island。 Courtney Coleman is a medic during the war， and he meets Calla when he and a fellow medic， AJ Nelson are separated from their troop。 He watches as Calla is separated from her parents（and murdered） and he is determined to keep her safe。How do you keep Italian Jews safe during WWII when right under their noses are the Nazis？ Just make up a contagious disease called Syndrome K。Julia Bradford is a ballerina who wants to do her part but after a bomb explosion， she ends up at a hospital because she can speak Italian， and she becomes a ‘nurse’ working with the patients in the Syndrome K ward。 In the present time， Delaney Coleman is trying to figure out what her next step is career-wise， dealing with her aging parents， and processing the grief of her grandfather’s recent passing。 Matteo Santini contacts Delaney regarding a suitcase。 Del has no idea what he is talking about， and why would she want to give it to him and his grandmother？ She has never even heard her grandfather speak about being in the hospital， or Matteo’s grandmother， Calla Santini。To be honest， for most of this novel， I wasn’t really sure about the storylines， did I even like this story？ I was kind of confused as to where it was headed。 But I kept trodding along because this is Kristy Cambron， and I haven’t ever really been led astray by her writing in the past。 Once I passed page 300， things started to fall into place， and all the pieces that had been put into place started to make a lot more sense to me。 I started to feel bad for doubting where Ms。 Cambron was leading this reader。I read historical fiction because it takes you places you’ll probably never visit or hear of unless you read， and The Italian Ballerina reminded me of all this but also there are so many stories that go untold that remind us that even though there is suffering， pain， and injustices happening all the time all around us， somehow and somewhere He will redeem them all。 It’s not for us to understand at this time。My gratitude to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley。 "I received a complimentary copy of this book。 Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。" 。。。more

Courtney Ballinger ，

4。5 STARSKristy Cambron writes some of my favorite WWII stories， and this one didn't disappoint。 I didn't know much about WWII Italy before reading this book， and I so enjoyed experiencing that through the story。 This novel is a split-time with three POVs and three varying time-frames。 Some of my favorite scenes were between Penn and Court in Indiana。In the beginning， I got a little confused for some reason （could've just been me） with the differing time-periods， but once I got my footing， I lov 4。5 STARSKristy Cambron writes some of my favorite WWII stories， and this one didn't disappoint。 I didn't know much about WWII Italy before reading this book， and I so enjoyed experiencing that through the story。 This novel is a split-time with three POVs and three varying time-frames。 Some of my favorite scenes were between Penn and Court in Indiana。In the beginning， I got a little confused for some reason （could've just been me） with the differing time-periods， but once I got my footing， I loved the historical bits， especially as I became more familiar with the characters。 The story weaved together at the end in a way that made me teary-eyed， and reading the author's note at the end made everything more poignant。 I'd highly recommend this one to fans of WWII fiction。 Kristy Cambron does this genre so well！*I received a complimentary copy of the novel from NetGalley and the publisher。 All opinions are my own。* 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Italian Ballerina

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Italian Ballerina&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Italian Ballerina&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0