Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson

While life surely isn't luxurious for Antonina Mazin as a Jew in Venice during 1943, she still has her parents and her dreams of going back to school when the war is over.  So she is shocked when seemingly overnight, her father sends her away from Venice masquerading as the wife of Nico Gerardi, a man she just met and who she literally must now trust with her secret and her life.  As she leaves Venice and everything she knows behind to head toward an uncertain future, Nico suggests that she also change her name to Nina and she learns she will be living on his family's farm in the countryside.  Nina's arrival isn't welcome by all of Nico's family or the village residents and it isn't long until her appearance draws unwelcome attention from a German officer with a particular vendetta against Nico.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read, but I do sometimes feel that many of those novels have a World War II setting, which can lead to some reader burnout on my end.  I can say Our Darkest Night was a bright light.  While at first glance, it might have some similarities to other novels in that genre, Our Darkest Night brought a whole new perspective.  The characters leapt from the page and I could sense the danger and peril they faced.  I was drawn back to this book time after time and was so invested in the future of both Nina and Nico.  For me, a story of resilience and courage through adversity was exactly what I needed right now.  

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.