Grace Mattioli is the author of three literary fiction novels that make up The Greco Family Trilogy: Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees, Discovery of an Eagle, and The Bird That Sang in Color.
Like Grace, the Grecos are an Italian American family from New Jersey — but they defy the tired stereotypes usually attached to that subculture. They are neither morons nor mobsters, but a bunch of quirky, intelligent, and thoroughly unique people trying to figure out how to live.
While the novels are grounded in family relationships and dynamics, the themes they explore are universal — peace, carpe diem, and living authentically. Each book offers its own take on what it means to build a rich and meaningful life. The books stand on their own, but reading them together, as a trilogy, makes for an even richer experience.
Reviewers have described Grace’s work as thought-provoking, healing, enlightening, inspiring, and funny. Humor is important to her, especially when she’s writing about heavy subjects like grief, trauma, addiction, and abuse — it gives readers a place to breathe between the hard parts.
Beyond the trilogy, Grace has written several short stories and is currently at work on a memoir, What I Found When I Stopped Searching.
Grace has worked as a librarian for nearly twenty-five years. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and her cats.
Guest Blog Posts
CPTSD Foundation Website, 2026
After Talk, A Site for Grief Sufferers. 2026
Previous Interviews
The Reading and Writing Podcast, 2021
Nessie’s Place Book Reviews, 2021
Author Expert Wire Podcast, 2020
Read, Write, Repeat Podcast, 2019
Fiction Books Biz Book Reviews, 2014
Jersey Girl Book Reviews, 2012
Be sure to check out Grace’s Amazon page and her Goodreads page, where you’ll find hundreds of reviews on her family trilogy books. On Grace’s blog , there are three series related to the trilogy books. In one, Grace shares delicious Italian food recipes from her debut, Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees. There is a series on the many places visited in her road trip novel, Discovery of an Eagle. Her latest blog series features the art work that inspired her novel, The Bird that Sang in Color.