The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen

In 1973, when Joanna learns that her father, Hugo, has passed away, she returns to Langley Hall, the estate that had been in her family for many generations until her father had to sell it after World War II. Even after that,  Joanna grew up in the gatekeeper's lodge on the property. While going through Hugo's belongings, Joanna finds a letter her father wrote in 1945 to a woman named Sofia Bartoli in San Salvatore, Italy, which was returned to sender. Intrigued, Joanna decides to travel to Tuscany to see if Sofia is still alive and to learn about her connection to Joanna's father. Once there, Joanna is taken under the wing of a widow named Paola, who begins to teach her about all the wonderful food of the region. However, a cloud hangs over Joanna's visit,  because it seems that someone would like to keeps the secrets of the past buried. An alternating storyline in the novel tells the story of Hugo's and Sofia's relationship during the war when he crash landed in San Salvatore and Sofia nursed him back to health. Another enjoyable historical novel from author Bowen.