Fuggitivi (New Americans)
Fuggitivi (Book 1 of The New Americans) opens in Sicily in the early 20th century, where the Donatello family lives under the shadow of poverty, tradition, and forces far more dangerous than either. When young Petru Donatello is threatened by the local Mafia, his mother recognizes the danger immediately. She has already lost one husband to that world, and she refuses to lose her son the same way. Her solution is simple but heartbreaking: Petru must flee to America.
Tony and Ty Drago build this opening installment around family loyalty and the difficult choices survival often demands. Petru is thoughtful and steady beyond his years, while his brothers—reckless Juvanni and gentle Angelu—bring both tension and warmth to the household. At the center stands their mother, Carmela, whose fierce determination to protect her son drives the story forward.
The atmosphere of rural Sicily is vivid: olive orchards, narrow village streets, and the quiet understanding that certain men hold power most families dare not challenge. The Dragos capture how families like the Donatellos must live carefully within that reality where every decision carries consequences.
Because this is the opening of a much larger saga, the story reads as the first movement of a broader journey rather than a fully contained arc. Still, the moment Petru leaves home—knowing everything familiar is behind him—creates a powerful emotional hook.
Readers who enjoy immigrant stories, family sagas, and early twentieth-century historical fiction will find Fuggitivi a compelling start to the Donatello family’s story and a natural lead-in to the challenges awaiting them in Strangers in Paradiso.
