Abstract:
Freedom of Heart chronicles the real life experiences of a young girl and her family in war-torn Italy in the 1940s. The story is set in the town of Fornelli--a tiny hilltop community in Italy’s mountainous heart.

For Lucia and her family, life in Fornelli before the war is anything but boring. There are fields to work, animals to care for, and people and places to visit. Life is difficult, yet tranquil. But soon the war comes, and life in Fornelli is tranquil no more.

Freedom of Heart is a true accounting from the eyes of Lucia about faith, hope and courage in the midst of war and its aftermath. It shows us how even in desperate times people can open their hearts and rise above adversity.