Mary Ann L., Ph.d. Diorio

From the Bible, it is clear that God does not see a person’s skin color but their heart instead. Unfortunately, we are not blessed as humans to always be that free. This book does an excellent job of examining the difficulties that arise when a Caucasian woman and an African male meet and eventually fall in love.

The message of the book is a powerful one that society sometimes puts unreasonable demands on individuals of different religious or ethnic backgrounds. But when someone has faith in God and feels called to love someone, faith can ensure they can overcome obstacles.

So if you want to read a book about finding true love in the midst of racial tensions and more, check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.… (lisätietoja)

What I think you should know:
In Black and White is a historical fiction novel by MaryAnn Diorio. It is set in 1959 when societal norms in both America and Ghana forbid inter racial relationship. Tori is a white American Woman and Jebuni is a black Ghanaian man, they meet at an American university and quickly fall in love. Can their relationship withstand the prejudice from both cultures?

What you might need to know:
Tori and Jeb both suffer violence due to their relationship.

What I think about this book:
Although it is a hard book to read at time due to the prejudice that both Tori and Jeb endure it is a beautiful story of how God loves each of us and no matter our race we need to love each other. I was fascinated to see that many in Ghana were as opposed to their relationship like many in the United States. The story was a beautiful story of forgiveness of both others and yourself. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more of Diorio’s work.

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.… (lisätietoja)

In Black and White, by MaryAnn Diorio, is a heartrending love story--a multicultural love story about forbidden love. Racism in the mid 20th century was strong, and in all honesty, it remains a force in our culture. The love between a white woman and a black man brought about many struggles. The author portrays those struggles vividly and realistically. The reader easily relates to the situations in which the characters find themselves entangled. The characters are vibrant and yet depicted with their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Tori and Jeb's romance is gentle and sweet but fraught with difficulties and opposition from family, friends, and strangers. This is an emotional story, to be sure. It is a story of strength, forgiveness, and love, one which readers who love stories of overcoming and romance will not want to miss.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required, and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.… (lisätietoja)

Author MaryAnn Diorio has written a powerful story that shows all of the racial bigotry that was rampant in 1959. Tori has experienced rejection from her father for many years and this escalates when she shows interest in an exchange student from Ghana. As their friendship deepens into something more, both Tori and Jeb suffer insults, threats of violence, and the possibility of being cut off from both of their families. Jeb even faces being stripped of the honor of being named chief of his father's tribe back in Ghana. Is it possible for a white woman to find happiness with a person who is both black and from another country? Can Jeb convince his fellow tribe members that a white woman is suitable to become his wife? Both Tori and Jeb are believers but is this truly a part of God's Plan?

I was drawn into this story and I tried to imagine how I would have felt if I had faced this situation. It is a reminder that skin color has nothing to do with a person's character and we can't always choose who we love. Jeb's gentle nature is so appealing to Tori because of the hurt and rejection that she has always felt and she sees much more than the darkness of his skin.

Sadly, this story that is set in Philadelphia in 1959 is still very relevant in 2020. Differences in race and religion often cause hurts or injuries and we need to be reminded that equality, love, and forgiveness are very much needed. I recommend In Black and White to all who enjoy Christian fiction and I applaud Diorio for her attempt to educate as she also entertains.

I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required and these are my own thoughts.… (lisätietoja)