Nominated for the WCoNA Book of the Year award, From Ashes to Song is a powerful and unforgettable tribute to the resilience and courage of immigrants who confront tragedy in unfamiliar lands, finding hope in the timeless power of love and the transcendent magic of music. It’s 1911 in Piedmont, Italy . Pietro has at last captured the melody of the harvest on his clarinet, but before he can share his music, a deadly disease sweeps through the countryside, forcing his family to burn their vineyard to stop its spread. The loss is too much for Pietro’s grandfather, and by morning, Pietro has lost two of the most precious things in life—his grandfather and the vineyard. Adrift with grief, Pietro travels to America and takes a job in a Pennsylvania coal mine where his musician’s hands blister and his days are spent in silence until one day, the beautiful voice and gentle heart of his friend’s wife stirs a new song within him. As Pietro draws inspiration from Assunta, his gift for music returns. But when tragedy strikes and Pietro is to blame, he is forced to confront the consequences of his admiration for another man’s wife, all while fighting for the love he never thought he’d find. Inspired by true events, From Ashes to Song is a story of unconventional love, hope, and the extraordinary gifts brought to America by ordinary people in the great wave of immigration . The souls of two main characters, their sufferings and yearnings, their reaching out and pulling away, and music's ability to motivate, to heal are in full view. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an unconventional heart-tugging romance. - Historical Novel Society Inspired by true events, "From Ashes to Song" by author and storyteller Hilary Hauck is an extraordinary novel of unconventional love, hope, and the gifts brought to America by ordinary people in the great wave of immigration. Inherently entertaining and, against the current backdrop of controversies with respect to immigration quite timely. - Midwest Book Review Hauck's exquisite prose calls on the beauty of music to illuminate the harsh, dark world of coal mines and company towns. The immigrant population fuels an industry but as individuals they wield little power over their daily obligations. Luckily, they carry with them dreams for better lives, affection for family, the seeds of good wine, and the strains of enchanting music—an invitation to share in the magic of love in all its forms. - Kathleen Shoop, award-winning, bestselling author of historical fiction, women's fiction, and romance From the vineyards of Piedmont to the coal mines of southwestern Pennsylvania, From Ashes to Song poignantly captures the challenges and triumphs of the Italian immigrant experience at the turn of the century. Their story of resourcefulness, resilience and the power of music to inspire and to heal is one to savor. Like the long finish of a fine wine, From Ashes to Song will linger in the mind long after the last page has been turned. - Meredith Mileti, author of Aftertaste, A Novel in Five Courses From Ashes to Song enticed me with its pleasurably beautiful prose. The love story of talented Pietro and honey voiced Assunta, inspired by true events, is a quintessential immigrant story. At the end the musical threads coalesced into one poignant and powerful scene like the crescendo of an unforgettable symphony. - Madhu Bazaz Wangu, author of The Immigrant Wife and The Last Suttee ​ An Italian speaking Brit living in the US, Hilary Hauck is the author of the award-nominated, critically acclaimed 'From Ashes to Song', and a middle grade Christmas story, 'The Wrong Kind of Magic', described as "the magic of Christmas in a book". Her stories are also available in the Mindful Writers Retreat Series anthologies.   Hilary moved to Italy from her native UK as a young adult, where she mastered the language, learned how to cook food she can no longer eat, and won a national karate championship. After meeting her husband, Hilary came to the US and drew inspiration from Pennsylvania coal history, which soon became the setting for her debut novel. She lives on a small patch of woods with her husband and a cat with a passion for laundry.