Mark Sullivan was in search of a great story and man, did he find it. But he then took that great story and gave it life through his incredible story telling ability.

An incredible true story both gripping & highly moving as it unfolds, and VERY hard to turn off as you always want to know what happens next...in fact you couldn't ask for a more powerful insight into what life was like in Italy & Europe in the war years. Will be listening to it again definitely...highly recommended for history buffs

I kept returning to this book for both the history and the suspense. This book is a great biographical novel.

Fantastic, kept my attention throughout and I learned a great deal about the war as it related to the other countries that were involved. I can’t wait until this book is made into a movie!!!

The amount this young man knew, loved, learned and grew in just a few short years in a time of uttermost chaos is astounding to me. The young adults of 2020's would never be able to do half of that Pino Lella did. His strength gave me hope throughout this whole book.

The story was good and seems to be somewhat legit but there are many parts that seem just a bit too fictional and Pino, who is this very smart/daring kid, makes supremely idiotic decisions that nobody else would. The action and adventure parts were cool while the love and family parts were just a bit too silly for me. A well off Italian boy who does countless deeds to save many people-crossing mountains and being a spy and meeting/knowing so many high profile people and falling in love and getting away with so much by simply showing official papers and surviving many crazy/dangerous moments and …. I think this book is meant for younger people or even teenagers.

Wonderful glimpse into such a critical time in history. I could see the story in my mind. It was clear, painful, and joyous.

Brilliant

I enjoyed this book immensely. The author certainly had a knack of painting a very vivid image of the war My 15 year daughter also got caught up and didn’t want me to listen without her. A book for all ages

Even though some will argue the facts of this story, it is still absolutely INCREDIBLE in so many ways! Simply written with the perfect amount of harshness countered by softness. It’s not only a great book, but it’d make a beautiful movie!

This was recommended to me two years ago. Really enjoyed this true story and the narrator did a great job. Always appreciate when the author brings the reader the conclusion of the main charters lives and what happened to them post story.

Book was superb. Someone should take them time to edit disc changes out.

Excellent listen...

Excellent read!

An incredibly moving story, told perfectly.

I really enjoyed this book. Easy listen. Highly recommend.

One of the most compelling books I’ve listed to so far. I highly recommend it.

Love the story and the history! Excellent!

A fascinating story full of WW2 history. We listened to it as we drove the area of northern Italy and Milan

My first experience with audiobooks and it was excellent ! The story was riveting and delivered beautifully. Thank you

Intriguing. Hard to put down and the narrator is a mesmerizing reader.

One of the first WWII books I’ve read and it really set a high bar. I’m so grateful Mark Sullivan was able to write this book and capture the heroic efforts of Pino and his friends and family. Highly recommend.

One of my all time favorite books! It has everything...adventure, suspense, true events, twists, and a love story.

An in depth look at the tragedy of war and the depravity of those behind the facades of honor and patriotism. Though most feel the desire to do good and serve they are often pawns in a game that has nothing to do with noble cause.

Loved the narrator’s voice. An intriguing and heartbreaking story of a hero in Italy during WWII but what I found more intriguing was what happened after the war.

This book had me at the beginning. The twists and turns of the war and the way the boys handled things were amazing. I can’t say enough, I learned truth, wept with them and just want to say fantastic book.

Phenomenal book!

It was an interesting and overlooked story about WWII in Italy. However, the author spent way too much time on the protagonists romantic desires. It could have been about half the length!

Outstanding listen! An amazing true story of courage, triumph and tragedy during WWII in Italy. I was riveted and deeply moved by the events and people in the book. Highly recommend!

Beautiful story compelling listening

Once you get past the preface, it's a great book with an interesting story. I enjoyed this story of past. Definitely recommend.

Great story. Could have been a bit shorter but enjoyable.

Great read have recommended to my friends

Verry good entertaining -not overly wordy.

I absolutely loved this story and the telling of it. To know that Pino Lella is still alive when the book was published, made it even more special. Thank you Mark Sullivan for a beautifully told story and to Will Damron for incredible narration.

What an awesome read. I hope to visit Italy again one day and will be looking at various places with a different set of eyes.

Wonderful inspirational story.

Compelling read.

One of the best audiobooks! Great narration, wonderful story! The narrtor is superb!

Amazing & beautiful story of innocence, love & survival during the most horrific time in history. Beautifully written and wonderfully narrated. I highly recommend.

Pino is an endearing main character you love getting to know throughout the book. Some of the adventures are Forest Gump like.

Great book grabs your and keeps it I recommend it

such an excellent story in such an awful time in history. i could not stop listening!!!! Mark Sullivan is a fantastic fact finder, story weaver, bringing to life the sorrows of that era. May we never repeat them ..... Matthew 6:9&20 Let thy kingdom come . The narrator was superb. To make a story great the narrator has to bring it to life. Will Damron did so in an excellent manor . thank you

This was a wonderfully gripping read, very moving and very inspiring.

This is a fantastic book! It starts a little slow, but then quickly picks up the pace with unimaginable twists and turns throughout. Hard to imagine so many experiences in one young life. The narrator is also excellent!

Absolutely beautiful. Highly recommend it.

Brilliant story. Narration excellent, with all the accents. Highly recommended.

Such an incredible book, I was absolutely addicted to listening every night before bed. Many late nights with this one as once I started it was hard to stop. Just heartbreaking at times, but such a powerful story.

This insightful, moving book had me captivated from beginning to end. I was amazed by the historical accuracy and moved by the emotion. I can’t stop thinking about it.

The book was OK. Difficilt to believe in parts and overly dramatized or sensationalized in others. The reader was not good. Very sing song voice and terrible pronunciation on Italian words.

I really enjoyed this story and the narrator was perfect for this book!

Can’t get this book out of my head...I’ll listen to it again!!

This is the first novel I have read about the Second World War in Italy, but it compares well with the many to novels written about the war in western Europe. This was truly a "forgotten" war, and this novel plugs the gap by recounting a personal, heroic life in a dramatic setting, filling in the missing history with astonishing detail. I loved it.

This book started out great, but after awhile the skills attributed to the main character, the overabundance of convenient coincidences, and the unlikely timing of events became so common that the story line turned into a strange combination of predictable and unbelievable.

One of the Better WW2 stories with excellent narration. Highly recommended

Great story. Didn't really like the narration though.

This was a fundamental read! I loved the story, narration and overall feeling behind this masterful work! You want a great read, listen to this book and let yourself drift away to a time which was a long time ago but extremely relevant! A must read!!

I LOVED this story! The only slight annoyance was the narrator's inpressions of the women's characters voices. It was a good effort though!

One of the best books I've ever read. Amazing war story. Well written and read.

Loved this book. Great story and felt it was different to learn about Italy during WWII. Narrator did an excellent job switching characters.

I love books like this. True stories of hardships. It helps me realize in times of personal difficulties . . . my are so small compared to what others have experienced. It helps me to continue to endure.

Remarkable story and well read. Read it for book club and all the ladies said they would recommend the book to others.

Great story. The mushy lovey dovey parts got a little wordy. But otherwise a fun read.

A compelling yet very sad story. Hard to relieve so much could happen to one person.

Loved it! Great story, great narrator!! Can't believe this is a true story.