Carmela disappeared from her Italian hometown long ago and is mentioned only in fragments and whispers. Mina has resisted prying, respectful of her familyâs Sardinian reserve. But now, with her mother battling cancer, itâs time to learn the truth.
In 1952, Simius is a busy Sardinian town surrounded by fertile farms and orchards. Carmela Chirigoni, a farmerâs daughter and talented seamstress, is engaged to Franco, son of the areaâs wealthiest family. Everyone agrees itâs a good match. But Carmelaâs growing doubts about Francoâs possessiveness are magnified when she meets Captain Joe Kavanagh.
Joe, an American officer stationed at a local army base, is charismatic, intelligent, and married. Hired as his interpreter, Carmela resolves to ignore her feelings, knowing that any future together must bring upheaval and heartache to both families.
As Mina follows the threads of Carmelaâs life to uncover her fate, she will discover a past still deeply alive in the present, revealing a story of hope, sacrifice, and extraordinary love.
Sometimes a familyâs deepest silences hide the most important secrets.