The Rebel Girls of Rome

Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, The Rebel Girls of Rome brings the stories of two young women to brilliant life: Lilah, a college student looking to reconnect with her grandfather over his mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II.

From Jordyn Taylor, the author of The Paper Girl of Paris, this dual-contemporary and historical tale-where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined-will be perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.

Now:

Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with her ever-distant grandfather, who refuses to talk about his past. Then a long-lost family heirloom resurfaces, and Lilah finds herself travelling to Rome with her grandfather in the hopes of unlocking his history as a survivor of the Holocaust once and for all.

But as they get closer to the truth-and the possibility of healing-she begins to realize that some secrets may be too painful to unbury. . . .

Then:

It's 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome's Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. Until the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna is irrevocably separated her from the rest of her family.

Overcome with guilt at escaping her family's fate in the camps, Bruna joins the partisan efforts against the Nazis and Italian Fascists. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, she must decide what it really means to live and love-if fully embracing herself might be her greatest act of resistance and give her the fortitude to survive the unspeakable tragedies surrounding her.