When Dan Romanello retired from a decades-long career as a trial lawyer, few would have guessed his next chapter would be as a bestselling novelist. But for Romanello, storytelling has always been a constant thread, whether persuading juries in court, guiding young athletes as a college coach, or now thrilling readers with page-turning fiction. Today, Romanello is the Amazon #1 bestselling author of the Dylan Tomassi series, a collection of contemporary thrillers that blend action, heart, and thought-provoking insights into modern institutions. His latest novel, Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right, releases September 29, 2025, and promises another gripping ride for fans who have followed his work since his debut.
Romanello’s professional life began in journalism, working at a major Florida newspaper before attending law school at the University of Florida. From there, he served as an assistant state attorney, eventually becoming a shareholder at a boutique firm where he led the trial practice group for over 20 years. “The courtroom teaches you to tell a story that connects with people,” he says. “The facts matter, but how you bring them to life is what makes the difference.” When he retired from practicing law in 2017, he turned his attention to coaching college athletics, a pursuit he enjoyed until the pandemic brought sports to a halt. With newfound time, he decided to finally write the book he had been considering for years, resulting in the release of Paperboy in 2022 and the start of his career as a novelist.
The Dylan Tomassi series follows its charismatic namesake, a self-made success with a strong moral compass, who often finds himself caught in dangerous, high-stakes conflicts. Romanello is quick to point out that Tomassi is not based on himself, though readers frequently ask. “He’s tall, handsome, and impossibly grounded,” Romanello laughs. “I’m none of those things. He’s the kind of character who always does the right thing, even when it’s hard. Maybe especially when it’s hard.” Each book in the series takes on a different theme while weaving in contemporary issues and pulling back the curtain on various industries.
Paperboy is a coming-of-age thriller introducing Tomassi as a boy whose life changes forever after meeting a mysterious widow on his paper route. Blindsided Justice plunges readers into a criminal action thriller in which a newly elected district attorney threatens the foundations of justice. Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right ventures into action-adventure territory, pitting a powerful teachers’ union leader and a corrupt environmental activist against forces that will collide in a shocking conclusion. While the plots are fictional, Romanello prides himself on factual accuracy when portraying the mechanics of institutions like the newspaper industry, criminal justice system, college athletics, and more.
Although his books are designed to entertain, Romanello’s work resonates because of the authentic details and insider perspectives woven into the action. “I’ve lived and worked in a lot of different worlds—law, journalism, athletics—and I draw from those experiences,” he says. “Readers often tell me they enjoy learning something new about how things work, even as the plot keeps them guessing.” Importantly, he avoids hard-line political preaching, instead grounding his narratives in what he calls “common sense and reasonableness,” a balanced approach that has helped him connect with a wide audience of adult fiction readers who enjoy character-driven thrillers with substance.
Romanello’s debut, Paperboy, reached Amazon’s #1 bestseller status, setting the tone for a successful writing career. With Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right set to launch this September through iRead Book Tours, anticipation is building among his readers. The novel promises to deliver the same blend of suspense, rich characterization, and institutional intrigue that fans have come to expect. The fourth installment, Med Mal U, is already in the works and expected next year. In the meantime, Romanello continues to engage with readers both online and in person. His website, authordanromanello.com, offers updates, appearances, and links to purchase his books, and he also connects through Facebook and X.
For Romanello, writing is both a second career and a way to keep exploring the human condition through fiction. “If someone tells me they laughed, cried, and couldn’t put the book down, that’s the highest compliment,” he says. “If they also say they learned something along the way, that’s even better.” His goal is simple yet ambitious: to keep readers entertained, to transport them away from the noise of everyday life, and to create characters they’ll remember long after the final page. With a growing list of titles, a loyal fanbase, and fresh stories on the horizon, Dan Romanello is proving that a life rich in experiences can fuel a whole new kind of success. Whether in a courtroom, on a sports field, or now at his writing desk, one thing has remained constant: Romanello knows how to tell a story that connects.
