Every Time We Say Goodbye

“A heartbreaking, engrossing, and thoroughly dazzling work of art.”—Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair

One of Bookbub’s Best Historical Fiction Books for Spring

One of the CBC’s Most Anticipated Canadian Novels this Spring

“Incredibly moving.”—Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice

“Spectacular…has all the juicy elements readers will devour.”—Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire

In 1950s Rome, a group of

American and British expatriates (including Vivien Lowry from Bloomsbury Girls) become

embroiled in controversy while

making a movie about a female

Italian resistance fighter during the occupation called La Scolaretta:

the Schoolgirl assassin…



Scroll down to read early reviews & an excerpt from my upcoming 2024 release!

“Jenner provides an insightful view into Italy’s postwar reckoning, and she imbues the novel’s many celebrity cameos—including actresses Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida—with authentic flair. Jenner’s fans will love this.” —Publishers Weekly

“I’m in awe of Natalie Jenner’s new novel, which surprised me at every turn. At times it reads like the juiciest historical tell-all, boasting cameos by enduring household names like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida, and featuring a party where Ava Gardner dances on the table. But most importantly [this] beautiful book balances and explores the most heroic aspects of humanity, and by extension the most evil. Every Time We Say Good Bye is a heartbreaking, engrossing, and thoroughly dazzling work of art that would make the filmmakers at the center of its story proud.” —Nina de Gramont, New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair

“Jenner plunges readers into a glittering world of cinema, censorship, and complex relationships in postwar Italy in her third novel, Every Time We Say Goodbye. With warmth and compassion…lush descriptions, vivid period detail, and fascinating personalities, Jenner's cinematic narrative is shot through with both pain and hope.”—Shelf Awareness

“The past echoes forward from a female assassin in WWII to the Italian cinema of the 1950s in this stunning novel about the impossible choices we make. Wise and wonderful, this is Jenner’s best!” —Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris

“A captivating historical read.”—Bookbub

“Incredibly moving. Its insights into the way history can both empower and hold us back are thoughtful, and beautifully woven into a compelling narrative.”—Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice

“Natalie Jenner is at her historical fiction best with Every Time We Say Goodbye. This propulsive page-turner….has all the juicy elements readers will devour: art, passion, love, loss, history, and sacrifice. Jenner leaves no stone unturned in this well-researched and richly textured novel filled with iconic cameosHello, Sofia Loren, Peggy Guggenheim, and Gina Lollobrigidato name-drop a few. This spectacular tale will not only transport you to another time and place, but also make you sad to say your own goodbyes when it’s over. Brava!” —Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire

“Fresh and intriguing….Fans of Kristin Harmel, Michaela Carter, and Louis de Bernieres should dive right in.”—Booklist

 "I was completely transported to Italy of the 1940s and 50s in Every Time We Say Goodbye. Natalie Jenner has written a wonderful novel full of charm, wit, and style, that also manages to plunge us into the torments and triumphs of love, war, and moviemaking." Dominic Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Return to Valetto and The Last Painting of Sara de Vos

“A breathtaking novel that unites the past and future.”—Westport Magazine

“Vivien gets an encore in this star-studded romp in Rome that is at once a love story and a reflection on war. Every Time We Say Goodbye shows how we seek to make connections, no matter the cost, and how writers continue to create in the face of censorship. Quite simply Jenner's best.”—Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Library Card and The Paris Library

Every Time We Say Goodbye welcomes back beloved characters from Jenner’s previous novels along with a new fascinating cast in Italy for the production of post-war films. Well-researched and written in a perfect blend of harrowing and heartwarming, this is another fabulous Natalie Jenner novel that historical fiction fans will adore!”—Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London and The Librarian Spy

Every Time We Say Goodbye is a stunning meditation….Only a writer with Jenner’s talent could weave religion, art, loss, and romance with such empathy and skill. How I loved losing myself in this intricate, vibrant, technicolor world!”—Lynda Cohen Loigman, bestselling author of The Matchmaker’s Gift and The Wartime Sisters

“Every once in a while, a story comes along that really grips you and inspires you to contemplate the choices we’re all given, and Jenner has done that here. An absolute page-turner, I couldn’t put this captivating book down.” —Eliza Knight, bestselling author of Starring Adele Astaire and The Mayfair Bookshop

“With passion and prowess, Natalie Jenner captures la dolce vita of mid-century Rome in this stylish novel of romance, conspiracy, and movie-making. This intricately textured novel showcases Jenner’s exceptional talent [and is] the kind of historical fiction that transports readers into the past while being remarkably relevant to the world we live in today.”—Kim Fay, bestselling author of Love & Saffron and The Map of Lost Memories  

Every Time We Say Goodbye is a marvel, a tale rooted in history yet filled with the twists and turns of a thriller. Jenner has a gift for transporting the reader—not only to Italy but to the shaky, horrific, and, ultimately, hopeful ground of the 1950s. Destined to join the canon of evocative WWII fiction, this novel is not to be missed.”—Stephanie Wrobel, internationally bestselling author of This Might Hurt and Darling Rose Gold  

"Compelling and fascinating! Every Time We Say Goodbye has the magic of a time traveler that enables the reader to live the very rich and complex lives of its characters….Natalie Jenner has dedicated her life to employing the power of literature to make this world a better place. I can’t wait for the day when this book is published!"—Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, internationally bestselling author of Dust Child and The Mountains Sing

"Brave and searing, with characters that stay with you long after the final page, Every Time We Say Goodbye is Natalie Jenner at her brilliant best. A beautiful, transporting novel about buried truths, creative resistance, and hope's persistence in the wake of war and heartbreak—this is one not to be missed."—Jennifer Rosner, award-winning author of Once We Were Home and The Yellow Bird Sings

“They say movies are magic, but what Natalie Jenner does—giving us the movie-making business in Rome in the 1950s—is truly divine. Her research on post-World War II Italy is meticulous, her story is layered, and you’ll be rooting for her characters long after you’ve turned the last page.”—Rachel Beanland, author of The House is on Fire and Florence Adler Swims Forever

“Vivien was my favourite character in Bloomsbury Girls, and I was excited to continue following this ambitious, intriguing woman's story in another historic and immersive setting. In Every Time We Say Goodbye, Jenner captures the dazzling geography, ambiance and complex post-war culture of 1950s Italy so thoroughly, you'll be packing your bags for Rome before the end of the third chapter. A delight!”—Heather Marshall, #1 bestselling author of Looking for Jane 

“Natalie Jenner’s latest novel cements her status as a master storyteller, her complex characters and meticulous research bringing to life a story of redemption, love, and living up to the choices we make.”—Bryn Turnbull, internationally bestselling author of The Last Grand Duchess and The Woman Before Wallis


"What a glorious, sweeping novel—an amazing accomplishment. Cinematic in scope, Every Time We Say Goodbye….embraces individuals’ ability to thrive after tragedy, and urges us always to strive for la dolce vita. Brava!"—Julie Gerstenblatt, author of Daughters of Nantucket

“An ambitious and thoroughly entertaining novel about love and resilience in post-war Italy.  First-rate storytelling, coupled with beautifully rendered characters, including irresistible cameos by Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, and Ava Gardner. It’s a knockout!”—Bill Gaythwaite, author of Underburn