Our Darkest Night

A Novel of Italy and the Second World War

By: Jennifer Robson

Narrated by: Marisa Calin

Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

To survive the Holocaust, a young Jewish woman must pose as a Christian farmer’s wife in this unforgettable novel from USA Today best-selling author Jennifer Robson - a story of terror, hope, love, and sacrifice, inspired by true events, that vividly evokes the most perilous days of World War II.

It is the autumn of 1943, and life is becoming increasingly perilous for Italian Jews like the Mazin family. With Nazi Germany now occupying most of her beloved homeland, and the threat of imprisonment and deportation growing ever more certain, Antonina Mazin has but one hope to survive - to leave Venice and her beloved parents and hide in the countryside with a man she has only just met.

Nico Gerardi was studying for the priesthood until circumstances forced him to leave the seminary to run his family’s farm. A moral and just man, he could not stand by when the fascists and Nazis began taking innocent lives. Rather than risk a perilous escape across the mountains, Nina will pose as his new bride. And to keep her safe and protect secrets of his own, Nico and Nina must convince prying eyes they are happily married and in love.

But farm life is not easy for a cultured city girl who dreams of becoming a doctor like her father, and Nico’s provincial neighbors are wary of this soft and educated woman they do not know. Even worse, their distrust is shared by a local Nazi official with a vendetta against Nico. The more he learns of Nina, the more his suspicions grow - and with them his determination to exact revenge.

As Nina and Nico come to know each other, their feelings deepen, transforming their relationship into much more than a charade. Yet both fear that every passing day brings them closer to being torn apart....

©2021 Jennifer Robson (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Nina and nikola

Started out slow, but soon my interest level was up. I enjoyed the family acceptance, love for each other. Amazing book

Narration difficult

I loved the story line and the characters. However, the narrator was distracting to me, especially with certain characters.

Story

disliked the readers style, turned it off the first time I tried to listen. good story the voice made it hard to finish.

Sweet story with great characters

I enjoyed the book and became invested in the characters. It was a sweet story but not a page turner. Definitely worth a read but don’t expect to be on the edge of our chair as the plot unfolds.

great read

beautiful love story even with all the trials and tribulations love wins out! truly a good read.

Exceptional

Great story. Great presentations. Never dull. Warm wonderful love story and presentation of suffering in war

Our Darkest Night is a must listen

A wonderfully written, yet excruciatingly painful story capturing the German occupation of Northern Italy and the devastating treatment and internment of the Italian Jewish community. Our Darkest Night is a must listen.

Great story.

I loved the story a lot. My issue is with the reader. Her voice was very effected and her Italian sounds like Dracula, “ I’m going to suck your blood.” It is so distracting that I’m finding it hard to get thru the book.

Incredible!

Words simply aren't enough to tell you how good this story is. You must read it for yourself. I hung on every word while sharing emotions right along with the characters.

Second impression is better

Initially didnt appreciate the nattaration but her voice brings the characters to life wonderfully.