Camille Di Maio

All Too Real. Di Maio has made a name for herself taking various historical events and wrapping a fictional story around them that stays true to the real world yet tells her own story - and this book is exactly that. Here, she tackles life in New York and specifically around the Brooklyn Navy Yard as it builds the last of the great battleships - the Missouri - and the newest generation of naval ships - the aircraft carrier. At the same time and across the Atlantic, she also tackles life as a show more new kind of infantry soldier - the Airborne - as they train in England after the US enters the war, attack Normandy on D-Day, survive Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge and finally the end of the war. In both places, Di Maio does a stunning job of being true and accurate (mostly) to the era, and it is very easy for many Americans to see their own parents / grandparents / (and now great grandparents) largely living exactly these types of situations. Di Maio doesn't hold back from the various tragedies of the era, but she also doesn't hold back in showing people who were even then "outside the norm" though revealing exactly which norms of the era were broken would delve into spoiler territory - read the book for yourself to see them. :) And yet, through all of this, this is still ultimately a women's fiction tale that could alternatively be classified (technically) as a historical romance, and indeed it really works in either genre. Very much recommended. show less

Set at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. A ghost. A star-struck young girl working in the kitchen of the Hotel Del. Is it a coincidence that she has the same name as the ghost?

The book opens in 1892 with a young woman fleeing her abusive husband. However he finds her, murders her, and leaves the scene. Authorities rule her death a suicide.

Fast forward to 1958 where, day after day, Kate Morgan works in her family’s fish restaurant in San Francisco while dreaming of a life in the movie show more industry. One day her grandfather, suffering from dementia, insists that Kate take her grandmother’s wedding ring and sell it so Kate can go to San Diego to find “the beautiful stranger”. Unable to deny him anything, she secretly pawns the ring and takes off to San Diego.

Now the mystery begins. Who is the beautiful stranger Kate must find? And why does she share the same name with a ghost that is believed to reside at the Hotel Del? But along with mystery comes romance. Her first day on the island Kate meets Sean O’Donnell who gets her a job in the kitchen at the Hotel Del Coronado where they just happen to be filming the movie SOME LIKE IT HOT.

I was hooked as soon as I read that the two protagonists shared the same name. I knew there had to be a connection, but what was it? It was a delightful journey finding the answer. Through Di Maio’s lush descriptions, I could spell the ocean waves, feel the sand under my feet and the cool breeze, and hear the sea gulls overhead. The emotional depth of her writing presents a beautiful story of love and family.

Camille Di Maio once again gives her readers a stunning story they won’t soon forget. She masterfully weaves the dual storyline of 1892 Kate and 1958 Kate bringing it to a climatic and satisfying conclusion. A truly heartwarming story.

This book was given to me by the author and NetGalley. All opinions are my own. show less

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)

Beverly and Judy couldn’t have more different circumstances for wanting a coveted position as a PanAm Stewardess, but the reasons are the same…escape! It’s 1962 and PanAm flies to international locations. The book follows these two young women as they become friends from their initiation thru adventures, love and danger.

I’ve read many books by Camille Di Maio, but I think this is my favorite. I’ve really been enjoying more ‘recent’ show more historical fiction and this fit the bill perfectly. This book showed what it was like being a female in the early 60s, the limited choices they had. I loved the developing friendship between Beverly and Judy that ended up spanning a lifetime. The training these stewardesses went thru was mind boggling. From place settings to cooking, customer service and the amount of knowledge they had to pass before getting their wings. Story is told from both Beverly and Judy’s point of view. Present day is told thru memories and sets up a mystery that is slowly revealed. The title of the book and the correlation with Frank Sinatra’s famous song was followed throughout book. So many emotions from anger, laughter, friendship, first love and loss were felt while reading. I love that Ms. Di Maio’s books alway find a little known fact in history and brings it to the forefront. As with her other books, this is well researched. If you don’t usually read Author’s Notes, I suggest you do on this one. show less

Before the Rain Falls by Camille di Maio is a poignant, tragic story of family, love, loss, and redemption, with a mystery at the heart of it. It is beautifully written, with a full, well-developed cast strong in character and faith, willing to make incredibly hard choices to protect those they love.

When the story begins Della Lee has just returned home to the Texas town of Puerto Pesar after seventy years in prison for the murder of her sister, Eula. Seventy years. Unbelievable. Longer than show more most of us who will read this have been alive. She’s lost so much in addition to her freedom. Her youth. Not just her youth, but her middle age and her old age as well. Her husband of four hours, her sister, her daughter, born in prison and then taken from her. She just wants to live out the rest of her life in peace and is finally ready to tell her side of the events that landed her in prison those many years ago.

Dr. Paloma Vega is back in her hometown of Puerto Pesar to take care of her sick grandmother and see if she can set her rebellious younger sister on the right track in the few weeks she plans to be in town. She doesn’t plan to stay. Mick Anders is in Puerto Pesar to investigate a mysterious portrait and redeem himself as a reporter after some very poor choices. He doesn’t plan to stay either. They are unexpectedly thrown together with Della Lee. She tells them, “Things aren’t always as they seem. Don’t assume you know everything you might have read about me is the truth. Only I know the truth. And the only other two who did have long since died.” And she is right. Discoveries are made that will change many lives.

Before the Rain Falls (Puerto Pesar hasn’t had rain in one hundred and eighty-two days) is an engrossing story of family, faith and choices that have far-reaching consequences. The story alternates between the 1940s with Della Lee’s time in prison and present day Puerto Pesar. Author di Maio does an amazing job of weaving threads back and forth in both times and through all the characters’ lives. There is hardship, sacrifice, tragedy – and many twists and turns and surprises.

I have an audiobook of Before the Rain Falls and was consumed with both the past and present and couldn’t stop listening. Narrator Dara Rosenberg is wonderful and makes the story even more heartbreaking if possible. It’s the kind of story that leaves you emotionally exhausted but completely fulfilled. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it without hesitation. show less