This riveting, page-turning series deals with the deepest issues of the human heart. Packed with intense emotion, it is inspiring readers throughout the world with its powerful message that forgiveness can free even the most wounded among us. Book 1: THE MADONNA OF PISANOA young woman, a priest, and a secret that keeps them bitterly bound to each other….A young, 19th-century Sicilian woman, Maria … other….
A young, 19th-century Sicilian woman, Maria Landro, has a bright future ahead of her. Engaged to be married to her childhood sweetheart, Carlo Mancini, Maria is suddenly blindsided by her pastor and former teacher, Don Franco Malbone, a ruthless cleric bent on fulfilling his own selfish ambitions. When he brutally turns her world upside down by raping her, resulting in the conception and birth of their illegitimate son Nico, Maria faces the cruel double standard of a village whose code of honor reviles her and her innocent child and forces them into seclusion while allowing Don Franco to continue in his hypocrisy.
In the depths of her profound suffering, Maria comes face to face with demons she never knew existed within her, demons she does not know how to handle. When, however, she meets Luca Tonetta, she discovers the courage to face her demons by embracing the truth that demons must bow to the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, Don Franco secretly wrestles with demons of his own. An only son forced into the priesthood by a demanding father, Don Franco sees the priesthood as nothing more than a means to be the somebody he’s always wanted to be. When his sin nature emerges in full force, revealing his utter depravity and sending him reeling toward destruction, he must make the choice every human being must make: Will he choose his own way or God’s way?
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Dr. MaryAnn Diorio’s book is called “a new twist on the Scarlet Letter.” But what is the inspiration for her book, was found in the intriguing dedication, “To the loving memory of my paternal Italian great-great-grandmother . . . I wrote this story to exonerate your good name.”
The Madonna of Pisano begins quickly with the rape of Maria Landro by the young priest Don Franco Malbone. The heartbreaking account of this despicable deed is handled realistically, but compassionately and without unnecessary details.
The rest of the story is a fascinating and realistic journey of a girl who goes from timid and broken, to a woman of strength and honor.
A worthy read for its intrinsic messages of healing and growth through love and forgiveness.
Despite Diorio’s sensitivity to this difficult topic of a rape by a priest, I would not recommend this book to even the precocious younger reader (13 and under). Otherwise, I highly recommend it for the valuable lessons beautifully woven throughout the story.
“Unforgiveness enslaves; forgiveness sets free.” This story is a wonderful tale of forgiveness. Forgiveness between people, forgiveness from God, and forgiveness for oneself all play a role in this tale.
Maria Landro is a young Sicilian woman getting ready to marry the love of her life when the unthinkable happens. Someone who is a respected, trusted member of the community rapes her and her life is changed forever. Her fiance turns against her and soon the whole town refuses to associate with her or her family.
Fast forward 7 years and Maria and her family are fighting to save their home, Bella Terra. Since Maria is unmarried and has a son, her family’s business has been ruined because of her reputation as a loose woman. Maria is desperate to save her home and finds a job working as a seamstress for the local tailor, Luca Tonetta. Both Maria and Luca begin to have feelings for each other, but Maria’s tarnished reputation threatens her happiness once again.
Luca is a God fearing man and finds himself trying to figure out who to believe about Maria. Is she truly the wonderful woman who dearly loves her son? Or is she the harlot that his friends warn him about? Luca has to turn to God for the answers as things become more complicated.
At first, the “villain” of the story is a horrible, hateful person, but as the book progresses, I began to feel sympathetic towards him. His own battle with his past indiscretion and reluctance to admit his part in Maria’s troubles were heart-wrenching. It takes a special author to turn a villain into a sympathetic character!
MaryAnn Diorio has written an inspiring story based on her own family history. Anyone who has ever suffered wrongdoing against themselves by others can learn something from Maria’s story. God will always forgive us, but sometimes it is hard for humans to forgive others or themselves. The book has a HEA ending and leaves the potential for further books, but is a standalone.
If you are looking for an inspirational, well-written story with wonderful characters along with a little romance and some tension, this book is well worth your time.
Pisano is a small village in Sicily, Italy.
The Landro family, parents and 3 daughters (Maria, Cristina, Luciana) lives in Bella Terra farm.
A bad event occured to Maria, and the people of the village blame her.
Gossips, lies grow, the business suffers, and the family soon will lose the farm.
The picture of Sicily small village is realistic and accurate: beautiful landscape, strong women,
important value of the family, people gossips, the main square is the life of the village.
I’m barely put down the book, eager to read and know all about Pisano and its people.
sure I’ll miss the characters! but this book is the first of the serie, so.. happy!