Everleigh’s arrival in a small Italian town unearths a web of secrets, shame, and unexpected honor in this gripping blend of mystery and psychological drama. Everleigh’s dreams are crushed when her fiancé disappears weeks before the wedding she was counting on to color her otherwise dull existence in 1964 London. Driven by a need for closure and armed with letters from Gualtiero’s family as clues, Everleigh travels to Italy, convinced that he has returned to his roots. But when the man everyone claims is Gualtiero walks in the room, she finds herself staring into the face of a stranger. Everleigh’s quest is no longer to find out where her fiancé is, but who he is. Her search takes an enthralling twist as she forges alliances with two unlikely companions. Together, they peel back the layers of hidden truths to unearth shocking revelations that set them on a collision course and shatter the foundation of everything they believed about family… and even their own identities. Winner of the Historical Fiction Company's “Highly Recommended” Award of Excellence, The Things We’ll Never Have is a gripping tale of kinship, broken trust, and self-discovery painted against the vibrant backdrop of 1960s Italy. "... a moving novel that's one part mystery and one part gripping psychological drama, and Hauck's writing style has a straightforward simplicity that makes the story's revelations feel all the more powerful. With remarkable subtlety and suspense, the author chronicles Everleigh's attempt to figure out not only where Gualtiero is, but who he is..." Kirkus Reviews "For those who love historical literary, deep with meaning for the characters and giving the readers a moment of pause to reflect on their own lives, then this is a great book to read. Very well done. "The Things We'll Never Have" by Hilary Hauck receives five stars and the "Highly Recommended" award of excellence by the Historical Fiction Company Historical Fiction Company "From its low-key beginning... to its gut-wrenching ending, this novel is a literary masterpiece. Hauck's prose is both lyrical and masterful, and deep meaning underscores every carefully crafted aspect of the tale. As a story with roots in World War II, The Things We'll Never Have is a love song to Italy, and a testament to the Italian spirit. A rewarding read to be savored in depth." Eileen Enwright Hodgetts, author of The Girl on the Carpathia "Scattered throughout the book are white-knuckle scenes that the reader begins with eagerness and tension. Chapter by chapter, the heart palpitating suspense continues. The Things We'll Never Have is replete with nerve-racking situations that are written in crisp and clear prose with literary sensitivity. The reader is richly rewarded with scenarios and sensibilities that are strewn like pink lotus on a blue pond. The Things We'll Never Have is a real page turner and pleasurable must read!" Madhu Bazaz Wangu, author of The Last Suttee "Hilary Hauck's new novel mixes poignance and humor, love story and mystery. It's the swinging 60's London. Everleigh, an aspiring fashion designer, is engaged to be married, but her fiancé disappears. She travels to his home village in Italy, right to his family's door, and finds confusion and rejection rather than the man she expected. Readers will fall in love with the brisk, persistent Everleigh as the determined textile artist unspools, unravels, and re-weaves her story." Ellen Prentiss Campbell, author of Frieda's Song