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A New Life: An Australian Historical Fiction Novella (The Italian Family Series - Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Lucy Appadoo (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 84 ratings
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Valeria Allegro was hoping to embark on a life of freedom when she left Italy to travel to Australia for an arranged marriage with Roberto Morandi. The last thing she expected to encounter was harassment by Roberto's friend and neighbour, Luca Abandonato. Valeria begins to wonder if marrying a virtual stranger at eighteen was a wise decision, especially when her new husband and his family demonstrate greater loyalty to Luca. Alone in a foreign country and struggling to feel settled and secure, it appears that Valeria must face a dangerous enemy alone unless love can be her salvation.
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  1. Part of series
    The Italian Family Series
  2. Print length
    129 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    October 16, 2015
  6. File size
    2670 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lucy is a Registered Counsellor with a part-time private practice. She also works as a Rehabilitation Consultant for the Australian Government and writes part-time. She previously worked as a Rehabilitation Consultant, Case Worker, English as a Second Language Teacher, and Proofreader. Lucy has Postgraduate Diplomas in Psychology, Education, and English as a Second Language, as well as qualifications in Grief Counselling, Hypnosis, and Professional Writing and Editing. Lucy enjoys reading romantic suspense, romance, thrillers, crime, historical drama, and sagas. She writes in the genres of romantic suspense, historical romance/drama and contemporary romance. She has also started work on a non-fiction text. Lucy has enjoyed travelling to exotic places such as Madrid (part of the setting of Crystal Light), Mauritius, and Italy. Her interests include meditation, playing tennis, journal writing, reading fiction and non-fiction texts about writing and counselling, ongoing learning, spending time with her husband and two daughters, and socialising with friends and family.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B016ROAHFK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lucy Appadoo; 2nd edition (October 16, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 16, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2670 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 129 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1523673435
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 84 ratings

About the author

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Lucy Appadoo

Lucy Appadoo

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Lucy Appadoo is a prolific reader and author of the Friends In Crisis Series. After a childhood spent reading and imagining escapist worlds, Lucy has put her imagination into stories. Her work as a rehabilitation counsellor, and former work as a counsellor in private practice, have led to an interest in writing inspirational stories about authentic, driven women who manage adversity with strength and heart. She writes in the genres of romantic suspense/thrillers with significant life themes and contemporary romance.

Lucy’s interests include researching crime stories and news to inspire her work, watching crime thrillers and suspenseful movies, travel, exercising, reading for entertainment or knowledge, meditation, and spending time with friends and family. She also appreciates her Italian background and culture, which has inspired her to write imaginative stories about her parents’ childhoods, leading to The Italian Family Series novels.

Check out Lucy’s website and sign up for a FREE suspenseful novella here: www.lucyappadooauthor.com.au

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
84 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read!
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Valeria was leaving Italy and heading to Australia to meet her future husband. She was going to a new country with no job and no friends but was hoping for new opportunities for freedom and independence. It was decided that hers would be a marriage of convenience. I admired her strength, bravery, and faith.

While adjusting to her new husband and his family, she meets Luca, a crazed friend of the family that turns her world upside down. Nobody believes that Luca attacked her. Even though she was married to Roberto, Luca would not stop leering at Valeria. Did she leave an abusive household to be thrown into another?

Valeria was a young woman adjusting to her new life, new home, and new husband. Meanwhile, she made every effort to stay away from Luca’s violent and inappropriate behavior. Would she ever get her freedom? Would Roberto believe her—and protect her?

Story was well-written and easy to get into. An enjoyable read.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Happy or miserable
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2020
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The characters have suffered cruelty but want to hope that there are people who have love and compassion for them.
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Charles Isaacs
3.0 out of 5 stars Question Marks
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2023
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This novella is set in 1965. The dating has nothing to do with the story. So why?

Valeria moves from Italy to Australia to marry a man she's never met or even spoken to. It's an arranged marriage. She's hoping for greater opportunity there than her rural village can offer. Okay. But Roberto is a hunk with a bright future. Why is he marrying a girl he's never met (and who doesn't want sex)? We never find out.

The villain is Luca, an old friend of Roberto, who suddenly turns into a violent misogynistic monster when Valeria comes to town. There was never a clue pointing to this side of his personality? Really?

Despite these flaws, we keep turning the pages, rooting for Valeria and hoping for a HEA. That's good enough for three stars.
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JJ Rossanno
4.0 out of 5 stars A story about difficult new beginnings
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2020
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I enjoyed this first book in a series about uprooted Italians. Valeria’s story made me think about the classic sweet-sour movie “A girl in Australia”, the real title being “Bello onesto emigrato Australia sposerebbe compaesana illibata” (1971) with Alberto Sordi and Claudia Cardinale. Here the story was simpler but also depicted pretty realistic. A young girl flees the poverty on a farm in Italy in the 60s to marry a man known only from pictures. All seems nice but the process of this young couple being accustomed to each other is disturbed by a rotten guy named Luca. I didn’t know from the book that his full name is Luca Abandonato. I saw it in the book’s description. Did I miss it? Anyway, a fitting name for him… a guy who abandoned any common sense and respect for women.
The major plot point here was: will Roberto, Valeria’s new (and a total stranger to her actually) husband manage to protect her from Luca’s hands?
It was a short read and if time permits, I will check on other books from this series.
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Reader
2.0 out of 5 stars Juvenile
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
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Felt like I was reading a teenager's diary. Toward the end the writer switched and added a cuss word and some sexual detail which seemed an attempt at an R-rating (not my style but seemed a little juvenile). Also, in the midst of being raped who would notice the detail of an old style armoire? Still this writing is better than I could author. Keep practicing.
One person found this helpful
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Viola Howard
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2020
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Tale of life in a new country and the struggles of the unknown. Wonderful rising above the trouble and walking into a different atmosphere.
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Nancy P.
1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of time
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2021
Verified Purchase
The h Valeria was sent to Australia for an arranged marriage. Once there she met a family friend of her husbands and he started to threaten and attacked her. H didn’t believe h at first, then did come around to see she was truthful. As things happened the story became more and more unbelievable. DNF. Will not read any more books by this author. Thank heavens this was free!
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ReadingfortheLoveofBooks
4.0 out of 5 stars I love finding great new Australian authors to read.
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020
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A nice short novella about new beginnings and hope for a better life. I was drawn to the book cover some time ago and was very happy to find the story within just as appealing. This is my first read by Lucy Appadoo and I look forward to reading more very soon.

Set in Australia in 1965 when Valeria Allegro was shipped off to a new country by her parents to marry a man she had never meet. Roberto Morandi lived in Melbourne with his sister and her husband to which he would live with his new wife.

Valeria had thought she had escaped the meanness of her father in Italy but her new life was becoming more dangerous than the past. The neighbour and friend to Roberto was no what he seemed to all.

How can she face her life as a wife in a new country with a man she does not know and one that does not trust her? Maybe life on the farm at home was the better choice if only she was given one to start with.

I nice read with enough drama to keep you reading one and also to connect with Lucy.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

jane goodall123
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
I wanted this book to go on for more it finished to early.
It was interesting read I loved the story.
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