Book Review: Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 336 pages

Published: May 14, 2024

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction

Synopsis:

In 1955, Vivien Lowry is facing the greatest challenge of her life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Lowry’s last chance for a dramatic career. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job in as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. There she finds a vibrant movie making scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its past and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeates the very soul of Italy.

As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also must face the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the mystery of what really happened to her deceased fiancé. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a brilliant exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.

Natalie Jenner has returned with another heart-wrenching but hopeful and inspirational book that beautifully explores grief, trauma and the belief in a new hope for tomorrow. Every Time We Say Goodbye follows Vivien Leigh, one of the characters from Jenner’s last novel, Bloomsbury Girls, as she moves temporarily to Italy for a fresh start and to learn more about what happened to her deceased fiancée. And just like Jenner’s previous novels, this latest is another character-driven storytelling. It gives readers a glorious journey through post-World War II Italy filled with Hollywood glamour, Italian cinema and a city steeped with history and memories. Readers are taken on a journey that leads them with fascination and fulfilment. Vivian is such a vibrant and interesting character, and I am glad Jenner chose her as the star of this new adventure. Vivien embodies the characteristics of the modern woman, and readers will connect with her bold personality. But through her boldness, you can also feel her pain and struggle to discover a way to move forward from her past. That is what Jenner does so beautifully: create well-drawn-out characters from the past but make them feel so real in the present.

Jenner also did a beautiful job of captivating the ambience and world of post-WWII Italy. The Italian film industry, the control of the Vatican, and the fear of communism are all threads woven together to create a historical backdrop filled with realism and beauty. I learned so much from reading about these events; if you are like me, you will not have difficulty connecting it with the present. Jenner mentioned that this was her love letter to Italy and with the depth and attention to detail, you can see why. Another highlight of this book is the audiobook narration. If you are a fan of audiobooks, then you will want to listen to this pleasant narration. The narrator, Juliet Aubrey, does a wonderful job narrating this story and truly bringing it to life.

Jenner has written another heartbreaking but beautiful novel that will leave readers with warmth and insight that will stay with readers up to the very last page. Jenner brings a new voice to the historical genre, and it is a voice that readers of the historical genre need to be on the lookout for.