She looked at the telegram in horror, the words blurring in front of her eyes. She dropped to her knees, feeling that her entire world was ending. The paper slipped from her hands as she put her head in hands, sobs wracking her chest…
1942, New York. As war rages in Europe, Lily Rose is grateful for her perfect life: the love of her wealthy uptown parents in their beautiful brownstone overlooking the park and her dream job as a chef at one of New York’s finest restaurants, the art deco dream that is Valentino’s. But in her heart, Lily is drawn towards the bohemian Sicilian community in Greenwich Village, where gorgeous fresh fruit spills onto the pavement and the smell of freshly baked cannoli tempt her inside every Italian deli.
Part of the attraction is Tom Morelli, talented chef and handsome grandson of Sicilian immigrants, whose deep brown eyes call to her and set her heart on fire. As wartime rationing bites in the city, Lily and Tom stay up late, dreaming up delicious meals that will see Valentino’s through the war and distract New Yorkers from the threat of sons and sweethearts being called up. Lily knows he has found the key to her heart.
Then Tom receives a devastating summons that changes everything: he is drafted to Italy. He must return to his beautiful homeland to fight a desperate war.
Suddenly alone, with only the memory of Tom’s last kiss, Lily turns to her parents for support. But when her mother finds out about her relationship, she is furious. When the war ends, Lily’s duty is to marry the man picked for her, raise children and never work again. They give her a heartbreaking ultimatum: end her relationship with Tom and give up her job or lose her family and inheritance forever.
Lily knows she must follow her heart to Valentino’s and to Tom. But when Tom is declared missing in action, Lily is totally heartbroken. If she pursues her dreams, will there be anything left for her when the war is over?
From top-ten bestseller Ella Carey comes an utterly heartbreaking historical novel, inspired by true events, about the courage, love and friendships that sustain us in the darkest of days. Fans of Fiona Davis, Rhys Bowen and The Nightingale will be captivated.
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As a long standing fan of Ella Careys, I was of course extremely excited for this latest book of hers, and I can whole heartedly say it did not disappoint.
A New York Secret is the first book in the Daughter’s of New York series, and what a star it is. Set in 1942 in NYC as WW2 is really beginning to take a hold on the country, we first meet Lily. She is still living at home with her parents, along with her perfect job as Chef in the beautiful restaurant Valentino’s, her life seems pretty perfect. However, Lily has always had quite an interest in Italian cuisine, and is fascinated by the community too, and of course there is Tom Morelli, a fellow chef who has also captured her interest too.
When Tom is called up to fight, Lily feels as though her world is crashing down around her. Her parents have never really approved of her relationship with Tom, and would much prefer her to marry someone of their choosing, something in which Lily pushes back against. When Tom is declared missing in action, Lily is left with the heart breaking decision – will her job alone be enough to get her by?.
This was a captivating, emotional read that really took you on a journey. The book is so wonderfully written, with each of the characters having their own unique qualities and traits to add to the depth of this fascinating tale. The storyline was marvellous and had so much context and drive, it was impossible to not find yourself invested in the characters and their lives as the story begins to unfold.
I loved this story and truly can’t wait for future books within this series!.
You can purchase a copy of this book by following this link: Amazon: https://bit.ly/3e4TKVv
About the Author
Author Bio:
Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.
Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.
Victoria Wilks 