Tuesday Intro/Teaser: Once a Ferrara Wife by Sarah Morgan

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.

"Oh, just look at that. Three cars with blacked out windows have just pulled up. And those men look like bodyguards. and ---oh, my you have to look, dear, it's like something out of a movie. I swear they have guns. And the most gorgeous man you've ever seen has just stepped onto the tarmac. He's got to be at least six foot three and spectacular to look at! And what sort of man needs all that security? I wonder who he's meeting?

"Me." Laurel rose to her feet with all the enthusiasm of a condemned man preparing to walk to the gallows. "His name is Cristiano Domencio Ferrara and he's my husband."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once a Ferrara Wife by Sarah Morgan

Laurel comes back to Sicily to attend her best friend's wedding. Her best friend is her estranged husband's sister. Laurel and Cristiano are in the midst of a divorce. Laurel has trust issues and there is a huge misunderstanding between them. 

Right from the beginning there is angst, tension, anger and contempt. Intense, so intense that, with so much emotions and feelings. Cristiano does not understand why Laurel walked out on him. And Laurel is not willing to say much.

As soon, Cristiano finds out, we see him making amends. He is not averse to expressing his emotions. Laurel is the one who has problems doing that. 

The dialogues are very good. And it is a great emotional journey throughout the novel. The way Cristiano gifts Laurel one of her fairy tales dreams is very endearing. He is a hero worth loving and so macho that he is not at all afraid to show his feelings for Laurel to everyone. 

I have read a lot of Sarah Morgan novels after this. An romance author worth reading. Go for her novels.

That’s what HE said Thursday: The Wedding by Lorhainne Eckhart

That’s what HE said Thursday is a weekly meme hosted at Chapter Break, where you post a favorite line from your book boyfriend to his heroine….

“Candy, I want a wedding with you, a big wedding. Francesco is nice, but we’re not getting married by a shaman. I want a real wedding,” Neil said, realizing as soon as the words were out of his mouth that she was about to shut down and go to that place where her temper flared and her sound reasoning fled.

The Wedding by Lorhainne Eckhart 

Candy and Neil have everything going for them. They plan to get married. Neil wants a huge wedding but Candy wants a simple one. She feels Neil is too controlling. He is typical alpha male like his brothers. Candy has misgivings. The wives of the brothers are strong characters. They tell Candy how to deal with Neil. And then tragedy strikes just before their wedding. Now Neil is unsure about marrying Candy. Neil's family support Candy but she wants Neil to be there with her and he is not there. When Candy disappears, Neil comes to his senses.... 

I liked Neil's brothers and their wives. Neil has issues but he resolves those.

She Belongs To Me by Carmen DeSousa

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.

A loud crack startled Jordan from his sleep. His hand flew to his pounding head as he looked around the room for the source of the noise.

It sounded like a gunshot, or perhaps he was just having another nightmare. Sometimes he couldn’t tell the difference.

Years in the military and working as a cop had unquestionably done a number on his psyche, so he always investigated. Often it was the dog chasing a squirrel in his sleep or the cat moving through the wood shutters as she stalked a lizard from behind her prison of glass and brick. These sounds he knew. A gunshot, though also familiar, didn’t encroach on his daily routine anymore. Nowadays, most of his police work comprised of slaving behind a desk.

The room was pitch-black, and his alarm had not gone off, so it was still early. He patted his wife’s side of the bed. Empty. 

Title: She Belongs to Me
Author: Carmen DeSousa
ISBN: 9780984852963
Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing/2011
Pages: 387

Jordan finds his wife with a gunshot wound. Everyone thinks she tried to commit suicide. They have been married for 5 years, despite the usual differences between married couples, they have been happy with each other.

In the hospital, Jordan sees a man loitering near Emily's room. He confronts that person and finds Emily has a past. Jordan's best friend too is in love with Emily. Then there is his sister's best friend who wants Jordan. 

Now the plot thickens. Who is responsible for shooting Emily? Truth can only be known, when Emily comes out of her coma...

I found the novel quite engrossing. For a free download, it is worth reading! For its romance and suspense both.....

Mangled Hearts by Felicia Tatum

“Francesca…there was an accident. You need to get dressed.”
“Who, Daph?”
“Your mom and dad need to tell you,” she said, her eyes welling in tears.
“Daphne,” I demanded, my eyes pleading with hers.
Her face scrunched as the tears fell freely. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. Something happened to my sister. I hugged the pillow tighter. “Is Josie going to be ok?”
She looked at me pitifully, and I knew in my heart that my sister was gone. I had to hear it, though. I stared at her, my heart thumping against my chest.
“I don’t think so,” she barely choked out.

Mangled Hearts by Felicia Tatum

Posted for The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice. 

Francesca Taymon is young, successful lawyer with a broken past. She is assigned a case. That turns out to be Cade Kelling, who has wasted his life since he was 10. He has drinking problem and has always been bailed out by his parents. He knows he cannot have a future with her unless he reveals what really happened 5 years ago. But is she going to believe him?

This is a contemporary romance. The flawed characters make this very real. Told in alternate voices of Francesca and Cade, it moves back and forth from past to present. Cade knows only Francesca is capable to make him a better person. And he is prepared to go to any length to achieve that. 

The secondary characters are endearing too. Daphne, Zander and Reid make the story very interesting. For those who like a good romance, I would say, go for it. It is available free!!

Baby, It's Cold Outside by Genevieve Jourdin

“Carter, you’re freaking me out. Don’t tell me you love me. That’s just weird. Why were you at my house last night?” Something was very wrong here. She was looking at me like I was the one acting crazy.

“Justine, what are you talking about? Of course I know you, of course I love you. We live together.” I picked up her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze but before I could she jerked it away.

~~Page 12, Baby, It's Cold Outside by Genevieve Jourdin

Justine has an accident and she forgets two previous years of her life. Carter is frantic as she does not remember living with him. She knows him though. His sister is her best friend. At that time she did not even like him. She is older to him and that seems to bother her.

Carter does not know what to do. They were going to be engaged and she does not remember a thing! Slowly with his patience and love, she start remembering the past. It is narrative from the male point of view. Some might find the couple cute but it did nothing for me. And I found it quite mundane too, at some places. It is one time read and one can safely forget it after reading. I downloaded it for free. I am not going to buy anything by this author.

The Doctor's Secret Bride by Anna E. Ross

She placed a finger in the space between her nostrils and pulled her nose upward. When she saw the slight hint of a smile flash across Precious’ face, she knew it was over. She rolled her eyes back into their sockets until only the whites were visible, pursed her lips, and began making slurping noises like a pig at the trough.

“Hee, hee, hee, hee.... You’re silly.”

“And you’re precious. C’mere.”

~~~The Doctor's Secret Bride by Anna E. Ross

Dr. Erik LaCrosse needs a nanny for his daughter, Precious. When Michelle Carter arrives at his doorstep for the job, he has misgivings about her. She is too young and beautiful to be a nanny. But Michelle Carter has other ideas. She wins over his daughter in no time.

Erik is attracted towards Michelle and soon they marry each other secretly. Erik's first wife had died in an accident and Michelle seems to hold a key to that. When Erik learns of her secret, he cannot bear to be with her. Michelle leaves him easily enough as no one is aware of their secret wedding. 

Michelle might be homeless and penniless but she devotes all her free time to be with underprivileged children. She and her brother turned out good despite having an abusive father. She lost her job and he stole all her money too. Her father is the cause of all her troubles.

I found Erik arrogant and self-centred. I finished the novel because of Michelle. She is strong, good and knows how to help others. I think she ought to have made Erik grovel at her feet. She gave in too easily!!