FORTY YEARS IN A DAY begins in 1900 and follows the incredible journey of a mother and her four small children as they escape from Italy into the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, New York. It unfolds with unexpected twists of fate laden with love, tragedy, perseverance, and forgiveness, commingling the history of the first forty years of the 20th century.
Confession is good for the soul even after the soul has been claimed...
The story begins in Italy, 1900. After years of torment and neglect, Victoria and her four small children immigrate to Hell's Kitchen, New York, to escape her alcoholic, abusive husband. On the day they leave, he tragically dies, but she does not learn of his death for several years—a secret that puts many lives on hold.
Quickly, they realize America's streets are not paved with gold, and the limits of human faith and stamina are tested time and time again. Poverty, illness, death, kidnapping, and the reign of organized crime are just some of the crosses they bear.
Victoria's eldest son, Vincenzo, is the sole surviving member of the family and shares a gut-wrenching account of their lives with his daughter during a visit to Ellis Island on his ninetieth birthday. He explains how the lives of he and his siblings have been secretly intertwined with an infamous Irish mob boss and ends his unsettling disclosure with a monumental request that leaves Clare speechless.
Forty Years in a Day is layered with the struggles and successes of each family member and defines the character of an era. Follow the Montanaro family through several decades, and stand in the shoes of a past generation.
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Caivano, Italy, 1906
Dusk refused to abate the heat of the day filtering in with Alfredo as he lumbered through the door. The usual carafe of wine on the table would allay his aches for the night, but as Angelina added ingredients to the simmering pot, she wished there was one that could numb the wound she was about to inflict.
She waited for her husband to drain his glass and pour himself another. He smiled weakly at her from his chair at the table. Tonight he seemed especially tired. By now he was usually sharing the events of his day.
Removing his spectacles, he sluggishly rubbed his eyes with the tips of his fingers. “Dinner smells good,” he said.
Angelina turned her head to look at him and forced a smile. “It’ll be a few more minutes,” she said, wondering whether she should tell him now or wait until after they ate. Pulling the handkerchief from the sleeve of her blouse, she blotted the beads of sweat from her forehead. Her nerves were getting the best of her, and she felt the spoon in her hand shaking. It had to be done now, she decided. “How was your day?” she asked. At least it was a start.
He frowned. “One of our mares fell ill, and I had to put her down. She was one of our best, too,” he said, scratching the bald spot on the top of his head.
Angelina instantly regretted she had asked, knowing she was about to make his bad day worse. Hopefully, the wine had soothed him somewhat. Walking over to the table, she wiped her palms on her apron. “Alfredo, I have something very difficult to tell you. I want you to know that I thought long and hard about this, and I believe it was the right thing to do.”
“Then why do you sound so unconvinced?” He lifted his eyebrows and raised his hand along with the question.
She held on to the back of a chair for support and looked down at the table to avert his gaze. Her heart was pounding hard inside her chest, and she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. “There’s no easy way to tell you this,” she finally said.
“What is it, Angelina?” he said, heaving a sigh of slight impatience.
“I gave Victoria our savings so she could go to America and be with Dominick. She’ll be safe with her brother. He’ll take care of them.” As she spoke she saw her husband’s face twist into a knot of disbelief and rage, and panic descended upon her like darkness on a moonless night. “She was miserable. She was so unhappy…and the children. Believe me, Alfredo, it’s the only way they could get away from him.”
Slamming his hand to his chest, he demanded, “Where are they?”
“They left before dawn.”
“Tell me this isn’t true!” His voice grew louder, and his skin flushed crimson. “What were you thinking? You should’ve come to me!” His bulging eyes bore into her. “Damn it, Angelina! Didn’t you think how this would affect all of us?”
Overwhelmed by her own guilt and loss, Angelina had no reply and looked away.
Jumping to his feet, Alfredo bounded over to the mattress and threw up its corner, exposing the empty spot where their coins had been hidden. Spinning around, he shoved her with both hands, and she caught the bottom of her skirt with the heel of her boot as she stumbled backward. Regaining her footing, she stood rigid and took a slow, ragged breath. She realized her betrayal had warranted his harsh reaction, but the words that followed struck her harder.
“How could you have disrespected me this way? What's wrong with you? I’ve lost my family! I’ve lost everything!” Glaring down at the floor, he brusquely paced back and forth. “My God, there’s nothing left,” he added with an abandon Angelina had never heard before.
“Please, don’t say that,” she pleaded, her body quivering along with her voice. “Someday they’ll come back, or maybe we’ll go there.”
“What are the chances of that? Don’t you understand, woman, we’ll never see them again! How can I ever forgive you for this?”
Angelina clasped her hands over her ears, attempting to shut out his irrefutable words, his consummate anger.
Alfredo collapsed onto the edge of their bed. He sat hunched over and covered his face with his hands, catching the tears that poured from his heart, and his agony mercilessly pierced Angelina to the core.
Professional Reviews
Impressions in Ink Reviews
"The narrative, setting of the scenes, the tone, characters, dialogue, were all wonderful. All of these drew me into the story from the first page to the last. I was a part of the story!"
The True Book Addict Reviews
"With a surprise twist added to the mix, Forty Years in a Day is an unforgettable book and a testimony to the perseverance of the human spirit."
Flashlight Commentary Reviews
"A moving family saga with an incredible and entirely unexpected twist, Forty Years in a Day is a pleasantly emotional story. [The] plot is one of those most creative I’ve ever encountered, debut or otherwise."
Encountering danger, romance, heartache and tragedy, Catherine Merit strives to fit into a world filled with prejudice, hatred and violence where she is forced to kill a man in order to save herself. Third book of the Indignities Series.
First Place Winner in historical fiction in the Purple Dragonfly Awards for excellence in children's literature, and named a U.P. Notable Classic.
Feel like you are in the moment nearly 100 years ago with a young girl, daughter of Finnish immigr
