I liked that Zara, a hospice nurse even though she an her and her grandmother did not get along, she agreed to care for her when her older sister had asked for help. I imagine seeing so much death that Zara would be used to people dying, but she is a gem and I hope when it my time to go that I get a nurse like her. When her grandmother asked her to find items left in the attic she finds answers to questions that she never expected. I tried to finish this book, but I could not get over the little girl who died as the bombs fell from a war in 1943, and I cried. ( )

The Words We Whisper by Mary Ellen Taylor is a 2021 Montlake publication.

Zara Mitchell, a hospice nurse, is called home to help care for her grandmother, Nonna. Upon arrival, Nonna gives Zara a mission to accomplish before she passes away. She must clean out the attic, and Nonna will give approval- or not- to save or throw away the contents. Obviously, Nonna wants Zara to find something for her, but what?

Meanwhile, Zara reconnects with a form client’s husband, and is given more bad news, as Nonna slowly reveals the secrets of her past.

This story uses a familiar dual-time life format- taking the reader back in time to Rome, Italy in the early 1940s, as we witness the bravery of a young woman named Isabelle, who helps the Jewish community, after suffering through a tragic personal loss.

The two timelines eventually converge in a most surprising way. Zara’s quest changes over the course of the novel. Though she as suffered much, her mission is a noble one, and is anyone deserved a happily ever after- it was Zara.

I did like this book. There was so much depth to the historical aspects, and it was very absorbing, tense and edgy back in 1943! Thank goodness for such courageous people who took such risks with their very lives to save those in peril!!

That said, the contemporary elements contained an overwhelming amount of sickness and death, which was understandable on the historical side the story, but was excessive in the present-day thread. It was just too much, and it had an effect on my mood, leaving me feeling depressed even though the ending was very touching.

Because the romantic elements were rushed through, I remained unconvinced of the sincerity or readiness of Zara’s love interest, but Zara at least was finally able and willing to reach for happiness- and there is the promise of better days ahead.

Overall, this is a good story, though a little too heavy at times. I liked the characters and the surprise turn of events Nonna’s revelations exposed. Fans of historical fiction, especially set during the second world war will want to read this one.

3.5 stars ( )

Good book covering death and dying. These books that do WWII with current circumstances are probably not going to be possible in a few years. Some nice surprises but some obvious situations ( )

A good story combining family saga and historical fiction. Zara is a hospice nurse who works all over the country. She is summoned home by her older sister Gina because their Nonna, in her nineties, is close to dying. Nonna asks Zara to clear out the attic where family secrets have long been hidden. The novel shifts between the present day and WW2 Italy when Nonna worked as a seamstress and struggled to survive in Nazi-occupied Rome. The characters were well-developed and both story lines kept me interested. ( )

The Words We Whisper by Mary Ellen Taylor is a dual timeline novel that takes us between the 1940s in Rome and the present day in Richmond, Virginia. The story is told from multiple points-of-view which includes Zara Mitchell, Gina Mitchell, Nicolas Bernard, and Isabella Mancuso. The main narrators are Zara, a traveling hospice nurse, and Isabella Mancuso, a dressmaker at a high-end shop in Rome in the 1940s. I thought The Words We Whisper contained good writing, but it is a slow starter. I had a hard time getting into the book. I thought the beginning was a bit of a put off and it is depressing. I wish the story had begun differently (in a way that would have hooked me). The Words We Whisper is an interesting story with things I liked and some things I found less appealing. I enjoyed the historical sections more than the present day. Isabella lives in Rome and wants to help her country against the invading Germans. I can tell the author did her research. With regard to the modern section, I could have done without the romance. I would have preferred to see more growth from Zara. To have her coming into her own instead of falling in love. I like how the author tied the past and present together. Nonna’s secrets are slowly revealed with the big unveiling at the end. While The Words We Whisper is a good story, I felt something was missing. The Words We Whisper is a story about war, loss, love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and new beginnings. The Words We Whisper is a good book to read while relaxing on a lounger by the pool. ( )