Letters of Redemption

2026 CANREADS Spotlight Award!Set during World War II in Italy and North Africa, LETTERS OF REDEMPTION is a story of love, guilt, and the search for redemption when letters written on behalf of a comrade evolve into a heartfelt expression of love, leading to a web of dishonesty and a profound yearning for forgiveness.Antonio is determined to secure an abandoned lot next to the family farm, convincing a friend who works in the municipal office to forge land registry documents. But when Italy enters World War II, Antonio is conscripted, leaving his plans - and conscience - in limbo.On the North African front, he befriends Roberto, a Sicilian who does not know how to write. Roberto asks Antonio to write letters to his new acquaintance, Maria, on his behalf. Roberto never told Maria that he didn't know how to write. The secret is well hidden, and even after Roberto's tragic death in battle, as the war rages on, so do the letters.For Maria, who has moved to Rome and works for the politically entangled Ciano family, amid war and political intrigue, the letters offer hope and solace. Antonio falls in love with Maria, and she has grown fond of the man behind the letters.Wounded and sent to Rome to recover, Antonio confronts his guilt and the secrets about the letters. Amid the chaos of Nazi-occupied Rome, Antonio and Maria meet. Their story unfolds as they navigate deception, survival, and redemption. As the truth is uncovered, they face the choices that will shape their lives.