Monday, May 11, 2026

VINNY Tour & Giveaway

About the Book

Book: VINNY

Author: MaryAnn Diorio

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Release Date: April 15, 2026

VINNY by MaryAnn Diorio
Book 1 in The South Philly Italians Romantic Suspense Series

Vinny Morello is on track for a promising career in the fine arts. But when tragedy suddenly hurls him headlong into a life-altering crisis, he faces a frightening fork in the road. Which one will he take? The road that leads to life or the road that leads to death?

VINNY is an edge-of-your-seat, romantic suspense story where tragedy and triumph merge into transformation. Don’t miss it!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

MaryAnn Diorio writes award-winning fiction from a quaint small town in New Jersey where neighbors still chat while walking their dogs, families and friends gather on wide, wrap-around porches, and the charming downtown finds kids licking lollipops and old married folks holding hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn is a huge fan of Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore.

More from MaryAnn

All Things Italian

by MaryAnn Dorio

I grew up in a home where Italian was my mother tongue. My late mother, one of the first war brides of World War II, was an immigrant from the romantic city of Naples, Italy. When I was born, she knew no English. So, we communicated in Italian. Although my mother eventually learned English, she and I always spoke in Italian until she passed away.

When I went off to college, I majored in French and minored in Italian. After I graduated, I spent a year of study at the University of Florence in Italy, earning my Master’s degree in Italian Language and Literature. Afterward, I taught Italian at the university level here in the States.

From my earliest days, Italy was a big part of my culture and of my heart. And it still is. It is no wonder then that I gravitate to writing fiction with an Italian flair. This is the milieu I know and understand best. It is the milieu I love. And I want to share it with you through my stories.

But, my fiction is far more than Italian. It is universal. In other words, it deals with issues that pertain to all of us humans. Issues of pride, rebellion, lust, and greed. Issues of deception, betrayal, hatred, and fear. Issues that result from our failure to love.

When you read my stories, you will travel to the deepest places of the human heart. Places you might not want to go to because they are places of pain, of confrontation, of facing our past and our sin. But they are also places of truth where you will find the freedom from the past and from sin that only truth brings. For my stories not only explore the deepest issues of the human heart; they show you how to overcome them through Jesus Christ.

Won’t you join me on this entertaining journey of exploration and transformation? If you do, I have a feeling that at the end of my stories, you will discover that you have become a far better person than you were at the beginning.

MY REVIEW

Sometimes stories are hard to read because of the sensitive topics. In this book there are triggers that readers need to be aware of. The author illustrates how making poor choices can cause us to steer away from God. I appreciate how we are introduced to an Italian family who are very devoted to each other. They work together, share meals and are involved in the community.

As we get to know Vinny more we see that his brother is more unsure of himself each passing day. Louie has always been one to be impulsive and carries this burden of not being able to see himself successful at things. That to me was a huge red flag. These doubts Louie carries is picked up by Vinny. They are very close yet Louie is always looking for a way to make extra money. Can Vinny help his brother before it is too late?

The tragedy that occurs rocks the entire community. I can’t imagine getting a knock on your door and seeing police officers standing there. This one decision made by Louie will change many lives. The community surrounds the family during their darkest moment.

Vinny has always been expected to run the family deli but he has a dream of becoming an artist. The family is not happy but try to support him in his choice of careers. Will everything change now that his brother is gone? I enjoyed seeing how this family lifts each other up during a difficult time. Now Vinny must decide what his future should be when the family’s future is forever changed.

Rosalie is a sweet young woman who meets Vinny at the art gallery she works at. She is a hard worker and is excited to help Vinny show his art at an upcoming show at the gallery. Their friendship blossoms but Rosalie isn’t sure where Vinny stands when it comes to God. Does he have a personal relationship with Him? The author does a good job of illustrating what God means about being unequally yoked.

There is a bit of danger in the story that gives readers a look at how greed can cause people to make bad choices. The enemy loves to try to take us off our path that God has directed us to. For me the best part of the entire story is watching God work in Vinny. He struggles with believing He exists and knows that he needs to make changes in his life. There are moments where Vinny wrestles with giving himself to God. These are pivotal God moments that we can sometimes miss. A beautiful story of redemption, forgives and finding God.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.