Becoming Mariella

2026 International Impact Book Awards Winner in Women’s Fiction “Readers will easily relate to this enjoyable and honest depiction of the conflicting desires and expectations faced by many people in their 20s.” —Kirkus Reviews“… Constantino’s prose effectively carries the story …” —BookLife Prize“Janet Constantino creates a host of unforgettable—and delightfully unpredictable—characters in this wise and lively novel full of romance, passion, true friendship, and deliciously detailed descriptions of authentic Italian cooking.” —Mary Helen Stefaniak, author of The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia“Janet Constantino has created a character of wonderful complexity.” —David Chandler, stage, screen, and voice actor “Becoming Mariella speaks to any woman or man who has ever wanted more of a future than what was already laid out for them.” —Morgan Ray, author of Sticks and Stones and Unsolicited Greetings“You’ll end up considering them your friends and want to invite most of them over for dinner.” —Susan Salenger, author of Sidelined

Janet Constantino is a former competitive Latin Ballroom dancer and journalist, and has been a licensed psychotherapist since 1983. In 2015, she earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific University, and in 2021, she won second place in the MFK Fisher Last House writing contest. A practicing Buddhist, Janet has a grown son and twin granddaughters. She and her husband of twenty-five years live in the beautiful city of Sonoma, California, with their beloved Labradoodle and tuxedo cat.

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