Book Review of Marcello’s Promise by Jane Coletti Perry

Marcello Corsi left his young wife and son behind while he journeyed to America to find a better life. He vowed to send for his young family as soon as possible. Of course, things did not go as planned, even though Marcello’s older brothers were already established in Wyoming and helped Marcello find work in the coal mines. It was three years before Marcello managed to send for his family. They endured blizzards, mine disasters, union pressures, discrimination and the normal issues of family life. Marcello started bootlegging in an effort to provide for the family. Brushes with the law threaten their American dream. I was unfamiliar with coal mining in Wyoming and found the historic research most interesting. The author combines family stories with the vivid history of the early 20th Century to create a family saga that will keep you reading to the very end. Every character is written with great care and affection. Keep your tissues handy! Perry’s meticulous research and beautiful writing have created a lovely book. I’d recommend it to anyone with an interest in historical fiction, Italian immigration, Wyoming or good stories. This debut novel is worth reading.

Jane Coletti Perry grew up in a small Midwestern college town. With a degree in English and a love of history, she has written a memoir, “Finding Sarah Jane,” published in Patchwork Path: Treasure Box, and her articles have been appeared in The Best Times, a suburban Kansas City periodical. She has a passion for preserving family history, learning how the past has shaped who we are, and searching our collective history for stories of the heart and sharing them in fiction. Jane and her husband have two children and five grandchildren. They have lived throughout the United States and England, where she has sung in church choirs, symphony choruses, and women’s ensembles. She loves celebrating anything with the family and kayaking at their summer lake house. Her fantasy is to be on Dancing with the Stars for Grandmas. Marcello’s Promise is her first novel. Jane is a member of Women Writing the West. Visit Jane Coletti Perry