Testimonial Category: Eternal

“In this immensely readable, big-hearted novel, Lisa Scottoline paints a vivid picture of life in WWII-era Rome before, during, and after the Fascist occupation. With characters who change and grow and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, Eternal is a blockbuster with cinematic intensity. I flew through the pages!”

“I devoured Eternal in much the same way and for many of the same reasons that I savored The English Patient, Atonement, or Corelli’s Mandolin. Lisa Scottoline has written a beautiful, heartbreaking, wrenching love story set in the Second World War. It’s alive with characters I cared about deeply — including the remarkable city of Rome, itself — and their courage in the face of Fascism.”

“Scottoline’s Eternal is a gripping story of suffering and survival.  It unspools at a heart-stopping pace,  yet each page resonates with emotions: fear, hope, sorrow, yearning, love, empathy, sympathy, and, ultimately, joy.  The book lives up to its title.  It will echo in the minds of readers for a long time.”

“Lisa Scottoline is a magnificent storyteller. Eternal is a triangular story of first love, told against the backdrop of WWII in Rome, that is both terrifying and magical; three young people at one of the worst times in history are filled with love, hate, fear, rage, and at the end, survival and hope. Eternal is brilliantly written. Scottoline hits new heights in this spellbinding tale of decades-old family secrets and rips apart the fragility of first loves. I was pulled in from the first page by the lives of Scottoline’s characters as they tried to make their way through events beyond their control in this richly detailed story that makes you feel like you’re right alongside them.”

“At its heart, Eternal is a beautiful, heartbreaking, yet ultimately uplifting love story. Meticulously researched, this riveting World War II-era novel explores what happens when beautiful Elisabetta must choose between lifelong best friends Sandro and Marco. As they get caught up in the madness that overtakes Italy when it becomes a satellite of Hitler and the Third Reich, each must make a gut-wrenching choice that determines the course of the rest of their lives. Action-packed and haunting, Eternal will stay with you for a long time after you finish reading it. I loved this book!”

“What Elena Ferrante did with her Neapolitan Quartet, Scottoline does for war-time Rome: brings it to life as the city is ripped apart by men in power and barely held together by the courage and decency of those who stand against them. Eternal is a must read.”

“Eternal brings to vivid life the drama and tragedy of a dark chapter in history that is still not widely known, though it took place in the heart of Rome, one of the most popular cities in the world. The novel’s protagonists—Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro—are unforgettable, and through their story, we can better understand the moral and ethical dilemmas inherent in the complex, yet eternal, struggle against fascism and barbarism, and for justice and love.”

“In Eternal, Lisa Scottoline expands her formidable talents to World War II Italy and the heartwarming tale of three families whose intersecting worlds are torn apart. Scottoline captures the tragic beauty of wartime Rome through the eyes of unforgettable characters with whom readers will hope and mourn and cheer. A passionate story of friendship, loyalty, and unbridled heroism.”

“The master storyteller Lisa Scottoline is at the height of her powers with Eternal. This magnificent epic is the story of  three childhood friends who come of age during World War II Italy. You are with them in the worst of times as they navigate their lost dreams. You will root for their survival as they find redemption in a post-war world they must build with hope. Love. Faith. Friendship. Courage. It’s all here and it is essential reading.”

“Eternal is remarkable historical fiction that brings to life Rome in the years leading up to and during WWII on the shoulders of unforgettable characters caught up on all sides of terrible events spinning beyond their control. Scottoline’s research is impeccable, her storytelling is propulsive, and the emotional times she describes are deep, moving, and yes, eternal.”