My 5-Star review posted at Amazon for ‘Bridge of Sighs and Dreams’ by Pamela Allegretto:

A Book Bridging the Disparities of War

This heart wrenching story unfolds in Nazi-occupied Rome during World War II, a backdrop for traitors and spies from many sides: Fascists, Communists, the Resistance, Jews, Nazis, and the Vatican. These disparities hone a fast-paced, engaging story with unforeseen plot twists and turns, fully-fleshed characters, witty dialogue, and artistic snapshots of war—“It appeared to her as though a giant hand picked up the entire town and ground it up in its fist.”

The author deftly paints a vivid and realistic picture of war-torn Italy through the bold brushstrokes of her characters—notably, protagonist Angelina Rosini, a talented portrait painter. In fact, life imitates art when one of the characters comments in reference to a cloak and dagger scenario, “…a painting comes to life after you add the shadows. The placement of shadows is critical…you must find your shadows and put them in their proper place.”

Accuracy is reflected in this historical fiction through the book’s title which delineates the bridge between hope and despair elicited from the ravages of war. The characters themselves represent the disparities of human nature exploited by war for survival: good and evil; loyalty and betrayal; greed and self-sacrifice; honesty and deceit; love and hatred…

I highly recommend this well-written page turner and nail biter that doesn’t mince words or spare the truth by selling the reader short with saccharine sentimentality.