Olive Branches Don't Grow on Trees

by Grace Mattioli

FBT review:

Discover your next indie gem with *Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees* by Grace Mattioli—Book One in The Greco Family Trilogy. This award‑winning literary fiction novel follows Silvia Greco, a spirited twenty‑something determined to reunite her fractured Italian‑American family for her brother’s graduation.

Perfect for readers who browse bestseller lists and book blogs for rich, character‑driven stories, this heartfelt family drama blends humor, emotional depth, and hopeful reconciliation. If you enjoy the layered family dynamics of Anne Tyler or Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, you’ll be captivated by the lovable, flawed Grecos and Silvia’s journey as an unlikely peacemaker.

An engaging indie eBook choice for fans of contemporary, relationship‑focused fiction.

Publisher Description:

In the first novel of The Greco Family Trilogy, Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees is a heartfelt, humorous work of literary fiction about family, forgiveness, and the hard work of peacemaking.

Middle child Silvia Greco is a feisty, determined young artist who dreams of healing her deeply divided Italian-American family. When she convinces the warring factions of the Greco clan to reunite for her younger brother’s high school graduation, Silvia quickly learns that love alone isn’t always enough. Peace, she discovers, doesn’t simply exist—it must be cultivated with patience, courage, and compassion.

Lovable yet stubborn, the Grecos are a vividly drawn Italian-American family whose conflicts are as enduring as their bonds. As old wounds resurface and long-buried resentments emerge, Silvia is forced to confront the limits of her role as peacemaker—and the personal cost of trying to hold everyone together.

Named to a Best of List by Suspense Magazine and awarded a 5-Star IndieReader Review, Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees is an engaging, emotionally rich family drama filled with wit, warmth, and insight. Readers who enjoy character-driven novels about complex families, personal growth, and reconciliation will be thoroughly charmed.

If you loved the humor and emotional depth of Anne Tyler’s French Braid or the family dynamics of Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s The Nest, you’ll fall in love with Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees.