Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Vinny by MaryAnn Dorio

 

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!

I really enjoy Christian Romantic Suspense books. Vinny by MaryAnn Dorio is book #1 in the South of Philly Italians Romantic suspense series and the most recent book that I have read. 

WOW, this storyline starts out strong and kept me intrigued throughout the book. Vinny has just graduated from Art School and he is hopeful that his future will include a career in the Arts. He is currently working at the Family Deli and trying to help his brother Louie change his ways. Louie is killed and Vinny and his entire family are grief stricken and it really changes things for Vinny. Rosalie works at an Art Gallery and meets Vinny there and they are immediately interested in one another. Rosalie is a strong Christian and is concerned about proceeding in a relationship with Vinny unless he is a Christian. I really love that the author focuses on Vinny's growth throughout the family tragedy and how Rosalie plays a significant role in his growth. The twists and turns, the mystery involving threats on Rosalie and Vinny kept me reading and I finished the book within 4 hours. The book is one of Tragedy, Grief, Romance, Faith and Growth. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Romance with Suspense. GREAT BOOK!

 

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.

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)

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

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Vinny by MaryAnn Dorio

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JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Loving Sarah 
Author: Jo Huddleston 
Publisher:Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications 
Release Date: May 12, 2026 
Genre: 1950s sweet small-town romance  

Sarah wears William’s engagement ring. Then, Robert arrives in town. 

In this love-triangle story, Sarah cheerfully manages the candy shop she inherited from her mama. Being engaged to be married to Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s most eligible bachelor, makes her life pretty much perfect. But then she meets Robert and has an unexplainable sense they’ve met before. 

Robert travels from Michigan to operate Gatlinburg’s main-street SkyLift attraction while his dad recovers from a fall. He’s miserable being relocated to this Tennessee mountains hick town. That is, until he meets Sarah and feels an instant attraction to her. He’s unaware that the town’s biggest secret involves him. 

Although she’s engaged to another, Sarah and Robert are mysteriously drawn to each other. This woman and her beloved mountains curb his desire to return to Michigan. Will Sarah give in to her feelings for Robert or be true to the man she’s promised to marry? 

Loving Sarah is steeped in the easygoing culture and traditions of the Smoky Mountains in the 1950s. The story is a sweet, small-town romance with a heart-wrenching battle to make the right choice. This book will keep you turning pages with its mix of loyalty, betrayal, uncertainty, and emotional stakes.  

Small Town Romance books are a great genre. Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston is the most recent book that I have read. Jo Huddleston is a new to me author and I was excited to read this book. 

Wow, the storyline was very interesting from the very beginning. The setting is 1950's in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The main characters are Sarah and Robert. Sarah loves manages the Candy Store that was started by her mama. She is looking forward to her upcoming wedding to William. Robert reluctantly comes to Gatlinburg to help run a business while his father is taking easy after an injury from a fall. The instant attraction between Sarah and Robert brings chills to Sarah. Sarah is feeling like she has known Robert for a long time and begins to gain more and more interest in Robert. Robert is having thoughts that he might just have reason to stay in Tennessee rather then his original plans of going home to Michigan. The story has a lot of twists that kept me very interested in reading until I finished 3 hours later. I really enjoyed Sarah and Robert's love triangle storyline. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Small Town Romance. GREAT BOOK!  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Jo Huddleston writes sweet Southern romances set in the 1950s, where you can escape into wholesome, faith-based love stories of deep commitment, hope, and happily-ever-after endings. Readers describe Jo as a wonderful storyteller whose books are sure to inspire and entertain you. Reviewers say her books should be Hallmark movies.

She likes to laugh with people, but not at people. The beach is her favorite vacation spot. She’s a spectator fan of several sports, with tennis being her favorite. She doesn’t enjoy being in the dark and is fearful of snakes! 

Jo holds a BA degree with honors from Lincoln Memorial University (TN), where she is a member of their Literary Hall of Fame. She earned the MEd degree from Mississippi State University. 

Please visit Jo's website and get a free book when you sign up for her newsletter.

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(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card + eBook of Loving Sarah!

(2) winners will each receive the eBook of Loving Sarah!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 12, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 19, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No delivery restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Loving Sarah by Jo Huddleston

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JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Miss Beth Bettencourt 
Author: Eva Marie Everson 
Publisher: Kregel 
Release Date: May 12, 2026 
Genre: Southern Fiction/Christian Fiction

Will an unlikely romance tear down Beth’s walls of indifference? 

It's 1962 in Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt's world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom. 

She's home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister's unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart. 

A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth's beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother's ring, which had been promised to Beth. 

But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth's past, her present, and more importantly, her future?

Christian Historical Fiction is a favorite Genre of mine! Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson is the most recent book that I have read. 

I was immediately captivated by this Storyline. The setting is 1962 in Bynum, Georgia. The main characters are Beth Bettencourt and  David Patrick Martin. Beth is a School Teacher who choose to remain single after her twin sister "stole" her boyfriend. Beth's twin sister, Elise recently passed away and Beth's parents are grieving by spending time traveling. Beth has an encounter in her own home when David Patrick Martin enters her home and is found asleep in the guest room. She is scared, yet she is inquisitive of who this gentleman got into her home. I LOVE that she helps the man once she learns of his story. Beth knows she has built "walls" to protect herself from the disappointment of falling in love, she also wonders if there could be someone who could break down the walls. David also know as "Marty" begins to get to know Beth and she slowly begins to open up about her past. I also LOVE that Beth especially begins to let God guide her and that Marty is also a believer. David and Beth's story is one of Trust, Faith and Forgiveness. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction. GREAT BOOK!

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Kregel Publications | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

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Eva Marie Everson is a bestselling, multi-award-winning author of nearly 50 works of fiction and nonfiction. Collectively, her novels have sold over 300,000 copies. She is the CEO of Word Weavers International, the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference, and a popular speaker at writers conferences across the nation. Eva Marie is a double magna cum laude graduate of Andersonville Theological Seminary (Associate of Biblical Studies and Bachelor of Biblical Exposition) and of Tzemach Institute (a two-year program in Biblical Studies). In 2022, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award and presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida where they enjoy their children and grandchildren. They are owned by a Norwegian Forest cat named Vanessa.

Connect with Eva Marie by visiting evamarieeversonauthor.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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(5) winners will each receive a copy of Miss Beth Bettencourt (winner's choice between ebook or print), Southern recipes, a Miss Beth Bettencourt bookmark, and a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 11, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 18, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: Miss Beth Bettencourt by Eva Marie Everson

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JustRead Tours Blog Tour: A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: A Brewed Awakening 

Author: Pepper Basham 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Release Date: May 5, 2026 

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance 

Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival? 

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door. 

After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again. 

But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat. 

When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry. 

Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever? 

Christian RomCom books have become a genre that I really enjoy. . A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham is the latest Rom-com book that I have read. 

WOW, the storyline captured my attention immediately and I could not stop reading . The setting is small town of Wisteria, North Carolina. The 2 main characters in this story are Daphne Austen and Finn Dashwood. Daphne has always enjoyed "all things English" and was excited to run he late Grandmother's TeaRoom in her small town. Finn is a newcomer to Wisteria, moving to the small town with his6 year old daughter from England  He decides to open an English Pub right next door to Daphne's TeaRoom. One would think the 2 Businesses would compliment one another, yet the pair is in a battle to be the Business to cater an extravagant wedding.  The fun really begins when they are both selected to cater the BIG event. Daphne and Finn continue the competition against one another, yet they are also seeing they are truly "opposites attract." The bickering back and forth, the trying to "one up" each other while working on this event, really makes the storyline amazing. I really LOVE that they admit they have somethings to work through individually, yet they know they are beginning to enjoy each other. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian RomCom books!  GREAT BOOK!

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | BookBub | Bookshop

Also Available:

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Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of southwestern VA, where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting pepperdbasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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(2) winners will receive a signed copy of A Brewed Awakening, and winners choice of a Literary Beverage Mug or a Storming Castles mug!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 13, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Tours Blog Tour: A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

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