Early One Morning

More about the book

In 1943 Rome, two young women, strangers to each other, share a fleeting moment that alters their lives forever. Chiara Ravello, poised to escape the occupied city for her grandparents' home, sees another woman being loaded onto a truck with her husband and children. In a split-second decision, Chiara claims the woman's son as her own nephew, demanding his return just as the trucks leave. Now, at twenty-seven, she faces a perilous journey with a child in her care—one with no papers who refuses to speak and seems ready to flee. Fast forward three decades, Chiara lives alone in Rome, appearing content as a translator with a life filled with work, friends, music, and theatre. Yet, the shadow of Daniele, the boy she rescued, looms over her, haunting her every moment. As the story unfolds, we see the impact of Daniele's presence on Chiara, her family, and friends, revealing the emotional turmoil he caused and how he ultimately broke her heart. When a teenage girl named Maria calls, claiming to be Daniele's daughter, Chiara realizes it’s time to confront her past and the choices that have shaped her life.