The Exceptions

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From David Cristofano, the Edgar® Award-nominated author of The Girl She Used to Be, comes a poignant, darkly witty story about the ties that bind us together . . . and the choices that rip us apart.THE EXCEPTIONSNo loose ends. It's the Bovaro family motto. As part of the Bovaro clan, one of the most powerful and respected families in organized crime, Jonathan knows what he must do: take out Melody Grace McCartney, the woman whose testimony can lock up his father and disgrace his entire family. The only problem: he can't bring himself to do it.Had Jonathan kept his silence, Melody and her parents would never have been identified and lured into the Witness Protection Program, able to run but never to hide. So he keeps her safe the only way he knows how-by vowing to clean up his own mess while acting as her shield.But as he watches her take on another new identity in yet another new town, becoming a beautiful but broken woman, Jonathan can't get her out of his mind . . . or his heart. From the streets of Little Italy to a refuge that promises a fresh start, Jonathan will be forced to choose between the life he's always known, the destiny his family has carved out for him, and a future unlike anything he's ever imagined.ReviewRAVE REVIEWS FOR DAVID CRISTOFANO AND THE EXCEPTIONS:"Dazzlingly moving, and written in knife-sharp prose, THE EXCEPTIONS shows us how faith can be a weapon against fate, identity can be fluid, and love can be a choice that might save us. THE EXCEPTIONS isn't just exceptional; it's a knockout."--Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You"Starts with a bang...a nice twist on the standard Mob thriller." (Booklist )"Unique premise, empathetic characters, believable villains, all beautifully played out as a tale of the limits of love and loyalty." (Kirkus Reviews )*THE GIRL SHE USED TO BE:*"What a riveting and remarkable first novel! The story grabbed me on page one. As the events spin forward, with crackling dialogue and earned surprises, you can't help but root for this most unusual, and lovable narrator--whatever her secret name or home may be at the moment. I didn't want the book to end; I didn't want to leave the wild, wooly wonderfully frightening world that David Cristofano has created. With a poignant and literary flair, this novel fixed my jones for "The Sopranos.""--Lolly Winston, New York Times bestselling author of Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately"...something special..."--New York Times Book Review"Intense...the emotions of a woman caught in Melody's unlikely scenario ring deliciously, scarily true."--People "Intense, romantic debut...Cristofano's mad love scenario sizzles like garlic in hot olive oil."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)"This is a compulsively readable, skillfully constructed first novel with well-drawn characters and a plot that twists and turns to what seems the best possible conclusion, marking Cristofano as a writer to watch!"--BooklistAbout the AuthorDavid Cristofano has worked for different branches of the Federal Government for over fifteen years, serving such agencies as the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense. His debut novel, The Girl She Used To Be, was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author. He currently works in the Washington DC area where he lives with his wife, son, and daughter.THE EXCEPTIONS is his second novel.