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

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!

 My Review:

I picked this book because of the cover and the simple name. It pulled me in. What I found surprised me. Vinny is an artist with formal training in collage in 2025. He's working in the family deli while dreaming of being discovered so he can have the career he's dreamed of since age five. The story is in Philadelphia's Little Italy, and I loved this setting. From there, we dive deep into Vinny's world, art exhibits, the woman he loves, everyday life issues, and then there is the homicide. This book is very rich and deep. The author gave us an entire look and feel of Italy in a place that's not a continent away. She gave us characters that are rich, deep, growing, easy to connect to, and leave you longing for more. This author also worked faith into this story in a gentle, easy way that fit perfectly. I am greatly looking forward to the rest of this series, and meanwhile, I'm quite attached to this story. 

5 Big Bold Stars 

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.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 9

Simple Harvest Reads, May 10 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 11

Artistic Nobody, May 12 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 13

Guild Master, May 14 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, May 15

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, May 16 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 16 

Pause for Tales, May 17

Fiction Book Lover, May 18 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, May 19

Books, Books, & More Books, May 20 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 21 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 21

Books Less Travelled, May 22 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour MaryAnn is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/loxwx/vinny-celebration-tour-giveaway

Lady Wynwood's Spies, Volumes 1-3 Box Set by Camille Elliot

About the Book

Book: Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volumes 1-3 Box Set

Author: Camille Elliot

Genre: Christian Regency Romantic Suspense

Release Date: April 23, 2024

Pride and Prejudice meets Mission: Impossible in this Christian Regency Suspense with slow-burn romance and a touch of the supernatural.

Recovered from her harrowing marriage, Lady Wynwood’s peace shatters as a nefarious secret society linked to her past emerges. She seeks the aid of Mr. Sol Drydale, an old friend with ties to a shadowy arm of the government.

They gather a circle of trusted individuals with unique skills:

• A botanist with deadly aim with a bow and arrows
• An unconventionally trained female medic and chemist in a field dominated by men
• A cat burglar who also happens to be a viscount’s son
• A spy searching for answers to the mysterious death of his brother
• An ex-soldier haunted by regret and self-loathing
• A human lie detector desperately protecting lies of her own
• The most covert phantom agent working for the Crown
• All led by a nobleman keeping dangerous secrets (who feels like he’s wrangling cats)

To protect their loved ones, they must race to stop a treasonous brotherhood, whose dark secrets could enable Napoleon to win the war.

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer

An ex-spy and a spinster botanist must find a murderer—with ties to both their families—whose uncanny alchemy could turn the tides against the war with Napoleon.

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 2: Berserker

The team searches for their missing comrade before a crazed murderer finds him first.

Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 3: Aggressor

When French spies land on British soil to steal the ingredient for a powerful alchemical potion, Lady Wynwood’s team falls under attack from the toxins they unleash.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

This is a three-book set, and I'm very glad that it is. I was so happy to keep reading more of this series, back to back in one volume. I'd read Archer before this set, and wanted more. Bezeker picked up where Archer left off; it's not a standalone, and another reason it's perfect in this boxed set. Bezerker gives us a slow-burning romance, action, and more of these characters I'm falling for. The differences between light and dark, villain and hero are well defined in this story. Aggressor picks up without missing a beat, completely connected to the entire story. Spies, villains, action, and more slow romance, this final book has everything I've come to admire about this series. Regency mixed with superheroes is an amazing blend in this series! 

5 Cloaked and Daggered Stars

About the Author

Camy writes Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camy Tang and Christian Regency Romantic Suspense as USA Today bestselling author Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii but now lives in California, where she knits antique knitting patterns and is learning Japanese.

 

 More from Camille

What inspired me to write the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series:

While I love Regency Romances and Jane Austen’s books, I also really love action movies. When plotting the rest of the series, especially in light of Sol’s clandestine job for the Crown, I realized that I really wanted to do a mash-up of Mission: Impossible in the Regency era.

So I created Sol’s team of agents, some who used to work for the Foreign Office as spies and some who are civilians with unusual skill sets. And, of course, there will be lots of romance for each of the team members, as well as lots of action and suspense.

What exactly is an epic-length serial novel?

Originally I had written The Spinster’s Christmas, a Christian Regency Romantic Suspense, as a stand-alone novel, and I had planned more stand-alone novels with Lady Wynwood and Sol as minor characters in each of them. However, as I began planning the series past that first Christmas book, I realized the storyline was becoming longer and more complex.

I fought it for a while because it would have been a really long series—I even tried writing the next book as a stand-alone novel, but I wrote almost 90,000 words and I hadn’t even gotten to the 25% mark in the book!

So I decided to structure the series like a Japanese light novel series, in which each book has a complete story arc, but there is an underlying story arc that runs through each of the volumes and isn’t resolved until the end.

This is similar to the serial novels being published in the U.S., but those tend to be smaller installments of around 20,000 words, while each of the volumes in my series is around 100,000 words.

I have already plotted the entire series and it will be 12 volumes, plus 3 prequel novels (The Spinster’s Christmas, The Gentleman Thief, and Lissa and the Spy). At the moment, I’m writing volume 10.

I hope you enjoy my latest Regency series!

Blog Stops

All-of-a-kind Mom, April 22

Inspired by Fiction, April 23

Books You Can Feel Good About, April 23

Melissa’s Bookshelf, April 24

Lily’s Corner, April 25

Life on Chickadee Lane, April 26

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 28

Texas Book-aholic, April 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 30

Sydney Schmied Books, April 30

For Him and My Family, May 1

Blogging With Carol, May 2

Blossoms and Blessings, May 2

Book looks by Lisa, May 3

Devoted To Hope, May 4

Holly’s Book Corner, May 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Camille is giving away the grand prize of a Special Edition Paperback of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, Volume 1: Archer and a Regency-style ribbon bookmark!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/oUeZj/lady-wynwoods-spies-volumes-1-3-box-set-celebration-tour-giveaway

Perplexity by Chawna Schroeder (The Sceptre & the Stylus Book Two)

About the Book

Book: Perplexity (The Sceptre & the Stylus Book Two)

Author: Chawna Schroeder

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: April 7, 2026

Assemble the clues, dismantle the danger.

Yosarai Patican never wanted to finish her schooling in the Indeli capital, but after several months, she is finally finding her footing . . . until her world is shattered by the unthinkable. Facing loss after loss, she struggles to adjust to a new position and new responsibilities, including the repayment of a massive debt. A debt more easily managed if she can qualify for the elite politico sphere on the upcoming placement exam. Some, however, would do anything to prevent Yosarai from earning one of the coveted positions.

Meanwhile, in the northern realm of Egdon, Crown Prince Xander faces an increasingly hostile Parliament. Not only are they questioning the necessity of the monarchy, but they are also demanding an accounting of some mysterious expenditures by the former king. Unless Xander can unearth a reasonable explanation, his coronation may be more than postponed. It may be cancelled―permanently.

As old rivalries escalate and hidden threats emerge, both Xander and Yosi must choose their paths wisely, before evil eliminates everyone in its way.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Book One review here. 

My Review:

Book two of this series has all the feels, but I would recommend reading book one first. There's so much happening to these characters and their growth! I loved the mystery and suspense aspects of this story. Laughing, crying, this book put me through so much, and I didn't want it to end. Faith is worked in naturally, and the world-building is excellent. It's hard not to over-enthusiastically shout that you need to read this series.  I can't wait for book three! 

5 MASSIVE Stars

About the Author

Chawna Schroeder loves exploring the wonder of God through the intersection of imagination and faith. When she isn’t reading or writing, she may be found practicing piano, reading biblical Greek or Hebrew, preparing for the Bible study she teaches, or working on one of her handwork projects while enjoying a movie.

More from Chawna

Cracking the Cover Code

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We’ve all heard it. We’ve all said it.

We’ve all done it.

We try not to, but the reality is that a book’s cover does influence us. Things pleasing to the eye attract us. Our interest is piqued by the mysterious. Color palettes and designs offer clues about the type of story within. Whether we’re buying online, browsing a bookstore, or selecting our next read from our shelves, the cover often sways our decision.

Thus, covers are designed to draw the interest of those who would most enjoy the story, and Perplexity is no different. So, is this novel for you? Perhaps taking a closer look at cover’s design will answer the question.

The first thing you might notice about Perplexity’s cover is it colors, especially if you’re familiar with Illuminary, which is book one in this series. Whereas Illuminary was bold and vibrant to reflect its India-inspired culture, Perplexityobviously has a much cooler and muted color palette. This reflects the wintry season of this story, both physically and emotionally. The snowflake motif emphasizes this.

This should tell you immediately that if you’re wishing for an upbeat comedy, this isn’t it. You probably need to find a much different cover (and book) than this one. But if you’re looking for a thoughtful read, dealing with slightly heavier topics, Perplexity might be worth a second look.

Now alongside the snowflakes, you might notice a bunch of gears. Those reveal inventions and technology are important to the setting of Perplexity. Gears are also a popular cover motif for books in the steampunk genre. Their subtle use in the design therefore implies a light steampunk element—a world with a Victorian vibe and steam-powered technology.

So are you not a fan of the Victorian era? Do you prefer to read about the real, contemporary world? Perplexity probably shouldn’t be your next read. But if you’re a fan of Jules Verne or fiction that mixes the fantastical with the historical, Perplexity might be your cup of tea.

The third major element of the cover are the odd objects tucked throughout the art work, like a hidden-object picture: An automobile, a pocket watch, a beaded bracelet, an envelope, a carousel horse, a crow, a key. Seven items, which seem completely random and unrelated. Yet they were carefully selected for the cover from a myriad of objects. What does it all mean? Ah, that is the hint of the puzzles the characters must unravel and the mysteries they must solve.

Not a puzzle fan? Hate trying to solve riddles? Then it’s time for you to search elsewhere for a book. But if you love escape rooms, National Treasure, and Amazing Race, your brain might just love unlocking all Perplexity has to offer.

So there. We’ve cracked the code of Perplexity’s cover, a code that tells us of a thoughtful story with a light Victorian/steampunk vibe and puzzles galore. Now it’s time for you decide: Does that sound like a story worth cracking into?

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 21

For the Love of Literature, April 22 (Spotlight)

Book Looks by Lisa, April 22

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 23 (Spotlight)

Simple Harvest Reads, April 24 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 25 (Spotlight)

Artistic Nobody, April 26 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, April 27 (Spotlight)

Guild Master, April 28 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, April 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 30

Fiction Book Lover, May 1 (Author Interview)

Wishful Endings, May 1

Stories By Gina, May 2 (Spotlight)

Vicky Sluiter, May 3 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chawna is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/zK7oW/perplexity-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Star-Blessed by Angie Dickinson

About the Book

Book: The Star-Blessed

Author: Angie Dickinson

Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling

Release Date: March 10, 2026

Three legendary origins of power. Two royal bloodlines. One deadly curse.

The kingdom of Stelauris is slowly dying. A season of poison infects the air, earth, and water with increasing deadliness each year, and a deep love of gold and power infects the failing mind of the king. His only daughter and first in line to the throne, Princess Seren, lives in tightly controlled isolation. When she is suddenly thrust into royal society, she struggles to hide the strain of untamed magic awakening in her blood.

Seren’s newly appointed personal guard, Sir Corin, resents the exile of his people. As heir to a long-banished line of succession and the last of the land’s legendary protectors, he holds no loyalty for the current royal family and their history of unhinged cruelty.

As death steals over the kingdom and the schemes at court grow deadlier, the princess and the guard are forced to face their fears, their troubled pasts, and the cost of personal freedom.

The Star-Blessed is a reimagining and reinventing of two fairy tales: “Rumpelstiltskin” and “Cat-Skin” by the Brothers Grimm.

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Review:

I do enjoy fairy tales, and this retelling blends more than one into a fantastic story.  Princess Seren is an amazing character; she was easy to root for. Moonlight, starlight, gold, good vs evil, love gone wrong, even some demon-like things and magic are all worked into this story. The magic and witches aren't the focus, but just like they are in today's world, they are in this story. The king is unhinged, and he's also her father. That's a predicament all of its own. Light and truth, love, friendship, family, and self-worth can be seen in this tale. Sir Coren is simply magnificent in his character and role in Seren's life. The darker side of this story only makes the light shine brighter. I found it to be a beautiful story that I can highly recommend for fairytale and fantasy readers. 

5 shining stars 

About the Author

Angie Dickinson is a lifelong lover of magical stories that point to truth, hope, and redemption. She is the author of Truth Cursed, a YA fantasy with Enclave Publishing. Angie especially loves to read and write historically inspired fantasy, mystery, and fairy tales. She enjoys Earl Grey tea, reading too late at night, and spending time with her husband and children at their home in the woods of Michigan.

 

More from Angie

If you’re like me, I suspect you can still remember the soft sounds and smells of the local or school library that you visited in childhood. You can probably remember the thrill of finding a book that you longed to spend time paging through in peace. For me, the greatest thrills came whenever I found a beautifully illustrated fairy tale. Fairy tale collections were always my favorite, and finding illustrated versions by talented artists made my heart sing.

Reading and re-reading fairy tales as a child eventually led to writing my own retelling as an adult. I began with an unusual tale that was very familiar to me via its illustrated retelling: “Cat-Skin” by the Brothers Grimm has been gorgeously retold (and mercifully sanitized) by Charlotte Huck, and illustrated by Anita Lobel. This picture book for children is titled Princess Furball, and is one of my old favorites that never left me. I chose this story and its original source for my retelling, lightening the darker original elements in my own way, but including the story beats, themes, and motifs that were so dear to me. I put my own twist on the tale, which surprisingly (even to me) included a subplot that was a retelling of its own: “Rumpelstiltskin.” I have loved many versions of this familiar story over the years, but my favorite is an illustrated retelling by Paul O. Zelinsky. I have read this one to my children countless times, and it has always set my mind whirring with the different ways that it could be told again.

For my retelling, I lovingly mined these two stories, “Cat-Skin” and “Rumpelstiltskin,” and worked them together into a foundation for a new fairy tale. The frame holds pieces of the old tales, but it’s wrapped up in something brand new. This is a story of a young woman and a young man whose paths cross and wend down a road marked by destiny, shadowed by grief, and lit by courage. Their story is a new fairy tale, reflected in gold and fortified by the faithful gleam of the stars.

 

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, March 31

Devoted Steps, April 1

The Lofty Pages, April 1

Inspired by Fiction, April 2

Because Fiction, April 3 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Corner, April 4

Blogging With Carol, April 5

Artistic Nobody, April 6 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, April 7

Guild Master, April 8 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 9

Simple Harvest Reads, April 10 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Fiction Book Lover, April 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 12 (Spotlight)

To Everything There Is A Season, April 12

Vicky Sluiter, April 13 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Angie is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/0iDN2/the-star-blessed-celebration-tour-giveaway