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Destinies of the Orphaned Hearts
Sophia Caiazzo is in a frenzied state! Her parents have arranged for her to marry Signore Acerbi – one of the wealthiest men in Naples. A man Sophia has absolutely no affection for – and who is nearly three times her age! Despite her fervent pleas to her father, Sophia is destined to be married to the old banker. Her wedding day fast approaching, Sophia resorts to praying and fasting for divine intervention to be spared this unhappy fate. A chance meeting with the mysterious Padre Pastore in the Piazza San Domenico, provides some glimmer of hope. The Padre’s own personal tale and his encouragement to not lose faith lifts Sophia’s spirit of despair…
So begins Destinies of the Orphaned Hearts, and spurs the chain of events that will lead to Sophia’s godson, Fulvio Parisi, and his courtship of the stunning Viviana Puentes Guadarrama. However, misfortune arrives at their doorstep – as well as the vindictive Serafina Cesarino – who never forgave Sophia or Viviana for her humiliation when Fulvio married Viviana instead of her. At the center of it all is Fulvio and Viviana’s youngest child, Iolanda. In a cruel twist of fate, Iolanda finds herself abandoned in an orphanage, where she lives until she meets the brooding, manly and proud Salvatore Manterra….
Timothy Patrick Toomey, a meek and shy lad, is transported from New York to Dublin, brought there by his Aunt Claire, after the untimely death of his parents. Young Timothy finds himself an orphan in a seemingly heartless world where he strives to fit in and find his place. Despite his hurting heart, Timothy possesses a deep faith and a resilient spirit. He catches the attention of Brother Terence, a teacher at his school, who, with the assistance of Sister Marie, the music teacher, befriends and mentors Timothy on life, love and the power of faith. The two teachers instill a quiet strength, steadfast confidence and noble character in the youth. These attributes prove invaluable to Timothy in contending with and finally winning over the love of his life, the headstrong, quick-witted and beautiful Kathleen Maeve Healy…
Destines of the Orphaned Hearts is a classic tale of the hopeless discovering hope, the lost being found, and the abandoned finding a place to call home…where love is the safest haven for every haunted heart…
Coming Fall 2022!
The Taming of the Rose
In the small town of Rosedale, life was simple and the various neighborhoods filled with post-WWII families building a life for their children while sharing a deep sense of community. For many of the families residing in Rosedale, life revolved around St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and grammar school. Multiple waves of boys and girls and their younger brothers and sisters would march through eight years of nuns before splitting off into the St. Mary’s Academy High School for Girls and the Apostles of St. Mary High School for Boys. The Taming of the Rose tells the story of one of Rosedale’s sons, the somewhat shy and studious Dominic Manterra. For Dominic – student, altar boy, scout, athlete, and thespian – life growing up in Rosedale centered on activities related to family, friends, church and school. The days were full of adventure, discovery, dreaming, laughter, learning as well as disappointment and loneliness. The Taming of the Rose tells the story of part of Dominic’s grammar and high school years and his spiritual journey of transformation. That journey leads to the climatic struggle between Father Bumbry, the conflicted parish priest; Brother Corwin, the manipulative brother of the Apostles of St. Mary; and the love of Dominic’s life, the fiercely passionate and wise Moira Toomey - for the heart and soul of Dominic Manterra. The Taming of the Rose is the classic battle between good and evil, light and darkness, truth and fallacy, and the ultimate sacrifice that true love commands.
Reflections from the Beach
Reflections from the Beach is a collection of the writer’s poetry written over the course of his life. The poet specifically chose these thirty-seven poems from his poetry writings to work on and refine while living at his home near the beach. These poems represent a life-time of personal experiences and observations, ranging from romantic light-hearted verse to profound and raw emotional expression connected to various people, places, and events. Each poem reflects the diverse feelings and ruminations that can consume the heart, mind, soul and spirit of an individual engaged in the art of living and thinking: whether this engagement is with others or just oneself as a human being. It is his belief and feeling as a poet that the soul of these poems is life; their heart is love; their sacrifice is loss; and their enduring spirit is redemption. It is RJ Civile’s hope that the reader finds beauty, connection, humor, insight, inspiration, peace, and truth in perhaps identifying with the words and reflections that he has chosen to share.