cover image Under a Sardinian Sky

Under a Sardinian Sky

Sara Alexander. Kensington, $15 trade paper (416p) ISBN 978-1-4967-0636-2

Alexander tells the story of a young writer who seeks to uncover the secrets behind her aunt’s disappearance years before. After the death of her Zia Piera in 2007, London-based writer Mina comes to terms with the mortality of her relatives: her aunt died from pancreatic cancer, and her mother has battled breast cancer. Mina searches to find out what happened to her other aunt, Carmela, a woman only whispered about by her relatives. In the early 1950s, Carmela lived on a farm near Simius, Italy, and worked at a nearby dress shop. Though she was engaged to Franco, a young man from a wealthy family, Carmela felt something missing in her life. When she meets American lieutenant Joe Kavanagh, who asks her to be a translator for him, she falls in love despite the fact that Joe is married—and that’s only one obstacle to their romance. Readers will become immersed in Mina’s journey into the past as she explores the nature and prejudices of her aunt’s time, the complexities of familial relationships, and the allure of love. Alexander’s novel will leave readers riveted until the explosive conclusion. (May)