Books

Want to be the first to know everything and receive freebies and more? Join my newsletter! I’m giving you the first two chapters of my award-winning novel, The Visitor. See the newsletter page for more info.

Novels

The Difference

Next Generation Indie Book Awards Chick Lit Finalist 2022
International Book Awards Women’s Fiction Finalist 2002
Best Book Awards Women’s Fiction Finalist 2022
New York City Big Book Award Contemporary Novel Distinguished Favorite 2022
Indies Today Semi-Finalist 2021

When anxiety-prone Rachel Granza learns that her growing sense of emptiness is affecting her relationship with her almost perfect boyfriend and that she’s jeopardizing any possibility of a marriage proposal, she knows she must pull herself out of her funk. But how? A dream apartment in New York City, a thriving psychotherapy practice, and her unique obsessions with topics like the Titanic don’t even make her feel grounded anymore. Red alert!

Trying to find happiness and meaning again—in more than her beloved Italian food—she stumbles into a genealogy mission to discover childhood information about her idol, aka her grandpa, who died years ago. He never spoke about his Italian immigrant past and now she’s determined to find out the reason for his unusual secretiveness.

Rachel’s ancestral roller coaster has roadblocks galore, but she needs the answers to her family’s hidden history. They’re her only hope to know more about her hero, salvage her relationship, and most importantly to save herself. 

Praise for The Difference

C. D’Angelo masterfully adds a dash of mystery to the story, building the momentum in soundly measured doses. For a fiction novel that reads like an earnest memoir, The Difference is an engaging and entertaining story with a supremely satisfying twist.
– Jennifer Jackson, Indies Today

In The Difference, D’Angelo addresses a very human need to know where we came from and why we do what we do with honesty and empathy. Her writing style immediately pulls you into the story, providing just the right amount of detail to hold your interest until the very last page.
– Barbara Conrey, USA Today Bestselling author of Nowhere Near Goodbye

…C. D’Angelo’s The Difference brings together an endearing fictional story… D’Angelo’s prose is seamless with the perfect combination of characters, dialogue, and a “Didn’t see that one coming” revelation about the Granza’s family tree. The Difference makes for an enjoyable and heartening read and just might inspire you to search your lineage…
– Robert Fanelli Bartus Jr., National Italian American Foundation

The Difference is…about finding your future by investigating your past… I enjoyed C. D’Angelo’s vivid imagery, as Rachel’s childhood memories with her grandfather were described in a way that evoked the five senses.
– Courtnee Turner Hoyle, Readers’ Favorite reviewer

Add The Difference to your “Want to Read” Goodreads shelf and your “Wishlist” on BookBub now!

***

The Visitor

Next Generation Indie Book Awards Chick Lit Finalist 2023
National Indie Excellence Awards Chick Lit Finalist 2023
Independent Author Network Book of the Year Women’s Fiction Finalist 2023
American Writing Awards Women’s Fiction Finalist 2023
NYC Big Book Award Chick Lit Distinguished Favorite 2023
Indies Today Semi-Finalist 2022

Fiercely independent Mary Pontrelli is blindsided when the New Orleans building housing her New Age store and upstairs apartment is listed for sale. Worse yet, a developer wants to destroy it and her high school ex-boyfriend—ahem, nemesis—is leading their charge. But this budding sweet spot for that weasel from the past can’t happen since traitors never change.

The best chance Mary has to save her cherished French Quarter building is to join forces with the other business owners whose livelihoods are also at risk. Too bad she avoids teamwork at all costs. Thankfully, a mystical new customer who shares Mary’s lost Italian heritage may be able to help alter her stubborn patterns. And, learning about the city’s history and her own Sicilian roots from the shopper may prove beyond merely engaging.

Even so, acquiring trust in strangers and accepting assistance requires more bravery than any societal expectation she’s challenged in her life. But if she doesn’t depend on her community and learn forgiveness, she may lose her career, home, and deeper relationships. No eccentric spirituality or heritage lessons can fix this…right?

Praise for The Visitor

C. D’Angelo creates strong, quirky characters who know what they want and aren’t afraid to grab their brass ring. The Visitor is rich in Italian history, and with a small yet enchanting bit of the mystical, she will keep her readers begging for more.
– Barbara Conrey, USA Today bestselling author of Nowhere Near Goodbye

The Visitor will stir readers’ attention with the vivid New Orleans setting accompanied by detailed French and Italian history of the city. D’Angelo includes charming details that may appear minor on the surface but add depth and ambience to the story. 
– The BookLife Prize

Get ready to take a lively trip to the Big Easy… in a book overflowing with heart… Mystic accouterments…tint everything with a magical glow, keeping the tone bright, light, and positive. Really, the entire mood of this book is sunny and uplifting, a story about genuine friendship, cultural and family heritage, and the unanticipated value of teamwork.
– Jennifer Jackson, Indies Today

The story of a woman who finds inspiration—and love—in the most unexpected places, The Visitor is a novel for anyone who’s longed to understand their history yet carve a different path for their future. C. D’Angelo is a fresh new voice in fiction.
– Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Everything Must Go 
 
C. D’Angelo knocks it out of the park with The Visitor. It’s a marvelous, upbeat tale that’s as rich as gumbo, filled with lovable, eccentric characters, weaved with history, culture, and romance, leaving you salivating for seconds!
– Rob Samborn, author of The Prisoner of Paradise

D’Angelo describes everyday things and emotions beautifully and vividly with well-chosen words and creative sentences. 
– Karin Steyn, Readers’ Favorite reviewer

Add The Visitor to your “Want to Read” Goodreads shelf and your “Wishlist” on BookBub now!

***

***

Works in Progress– The Gift and PS All The Difference

My first series!

Toni Agosti is having a midlife crisis at age thirty-five. Unsurprising, since she hasn’t achieved her dream job of becoming a cellist in the Los Angeles Philharmonic and, instead, is trapped teaching music all day. She’s also barely surviving in her shaky marriage to former soulmate and new Mr. Condescending, uh…Christian.

When she learns about her ancestor leaving Italy to reestablish his winery in early 1900s LA, she longs to awaken the freedom-filled family legacy and escape her rut. There’s just the tiny problem of no experience, no startup money, and convincing Christian there’s more to life than one rigid plan.

With an already divided heart, an LA Phil audition surfaces at the worst time. Toni is lost and tired of restriction, including hiding time spent with her closest friend, David. Christian must be wrong about David wanting more than friendship…right?

If Toni revives vineyard history instead of continuing as a cellist, she risks losing her marriage and all she’s ever known. She must not only choose between careers but discover herself—including true passion and love—if she wants to survive.

______________

Make sure to read The Difference to enjoy P.S. All the Difference to the fullest.

Coming 2024.

***

Anthology

My short story, Rome, was chosen as part of this anthology by Red Penguin Books! They have a series of city anthology books called Waddle The World (can it be any cuter?). My story is about my and my husband’s first trip to Rome. Find it at your favorite online book retailer, but here’s two quick links: Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

***

Help for writers:

“Writing can sometimes feel like a lonely art, but with a group of successful friends advising and cheering you on, focusing on your craft has never been easier – or more fun! ‘Sharp Tips for Exceptional Writing’ gathers 15 successful authors [from the Author Talk Network]…as they address some of your most pressing concerns, including:

• How to stay focused when the whole world is trying to distract you
• What writing apps actually save time and effort, and which may cause more headaches

Plus so much more. It’s like pulling up a cup of coffee with a friend … a successful, encouraging, and insightful author friend who has your back. Dive in and kickstart YOUR writing with this free copy of ‘Sharp Tips for Exceptional Writing’ today.”

Copyright © 2024 C. D’Angelo, Author. All rights reserved.