A realistic portrayal of the Sicilian fishing community in San Diego in the 1950s, Confetti for Gino captures the mood and atmosphere of a time that now seems antiquated and hard to believe. The novel centers around the DeMarino family, in particular fishing boat captain Gino DeMarino's stubborn attempts to break away from tradition by vowing to marry a woman from outside the Italian community, and his mother's (Mamma DeMarino's) just as stubborn fight to ensure he marries someone within the community.