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theeditorreads's review against another edition
4.0
What drew my attention to this one was the blurb which seemed uncannily similar to [b:The Italian's Pregnant Virgin|32790425|The Italian's Pregnant Virgin (Heirs Before Vows #3)|Maisey Yates|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484052575l/32790425._SY75_.jpg|50491116] by Maisey Yates. But the premise is of course very, very different. The reason the respective heroines had for agreeing to surrogacy is different, even though both the respective heroes are Italians residing in their native country where surrogacy is not allowed while the heroines are American. Also, the heroes had separate issues.
The story opens on seven months pregnant Rosalie Brown, a surrogate mother who's regretting her decision, made during a difficult period in her life. She realises she won't be able to give up her baby. A deal struck with an Italian woman, Chiara Falconeri and her husband Alex. And that is what makes her go to Venice, to do exactly what even she doesn't know. She never met Alex and saw Chiara only once.
Alexander Falconeri is the Conte di Rialto, who is surprised to see a very pregnant woman on his doorstep and astonished and angry when she claims that the baby is his when he knows it can never be. He doesn't believe this woman who travelled from San Francisco to Venice just to lie to him.
I loved Chiara's French great aunt Odette Lancel, who runs a world-famous omelette restaurant on Mont-Saint-Michel.
She makes an appearance only twice, and both of them are impactful. But I felt that she should have been there at the end as well. Together with an epilogue, which I'd have loved.
Rosalie is a Christie fan, you guys. And there is some related Christie activity as well. But beyond that, there is so much tragedy in both their pasts. While Rosalie has hearts in her eyes, Alex is disillusioned by love. There was this certain sensuous quality to the prose which made this a read that I breezed through. Even with their heavy pasts, and the heartbreaks, this was a light read. It had a dreamy quality to it.
Alex is the second cousin of Cesare Falconeri from The Consequences of That Night, and the events of this book happen three-four years after that one. Cesare and Emma and their brood make an appearance in this book and I liked them more here than in their own story.
Chased by paparazzi, however frustrating it is, the creative getaways employed by Rosalie and Alex were fun! But Alex made it very tough to love or for someone to love him since his fear of losing everyone kept getting in the way. I loved the author here for showing this man in such a vulnerable state where he overcomes his fear in the end. But I really missed having an epilogue.
P.S. This is my twelfth read by [a:Jennie Lucas|771847|Jennie Lucas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1269297790p2/771847.jpg] and my favourite reads by her are:
Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child
Carrying the Spaniard's Child
Uncovering Her Nine Month Secret
The story opens on seven months pregnant Rosalie Brown, a surrogate mother who's regretting her decision, made during a difficult period in her life. She realises she won't be able to give up her baby. A deal struck with an Italian woman, Chiara Falconeri and her husband Alex. And that is what makes her go to Venice, to do exactly what even she doesn't know. She never met Alex and saw Chiara only once.
Alexander Falconeri is the Conte di Rialto, who is surprised to see a very pregnant woman on his doorstep and astonished and angry when she claims that the baby is his when he knows it can never be. He doesn't believe this woman who travelled from San Francisco to Venice just to lie to him.
I loved Chiara's French great aunt Odette Lancel, who runs a world-famous omelette restaurant on Mont-Saint-Michel.
That is why young people need the older ones. To tell you about life.
She makes an appearance only twice, and both of them are impactful. But I felt that she should have been there at the end as well. Together with an epilogue, which I'd have loved.
Rosalie is a Christie fan, you guys. And there is some related Christie activity as well. But beyond that, there is so much tragedy in both their pasts. While Rosalie has hearts in her eyes, Alex is disillusioned by love. There was this certain sensuous quality to the prose which made this a read that I breezed through. Even with their heavy pasts, and the heartbreaks, this was a light read. It had a dreamy quality to it.
Alex is the second cousin of Cesare Falconeri from The Consequences of That Night, and the events of this book happen three-four years after that one. Cesare and Emma and their brood make an appearance in this book and I liked them more here than in their own story.
Chased by paparazzi, however frustrating it is, the creative getaways employed by Rosalie and Alex were fun! But Alex made it very tough to love or for someone to love him since his fear of losing everyone kept getting in the way. I loved the author here for showing this man in such a vulnerable state where he overcomes his fear in the end. But I really missed having an epilogue.
P.S. This is my twelfth read by [a:Jennie Lucas|771847|Jennie Lucas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1269297790p2/771847.jpg] and my favourite reads by her are:
Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child
Carrying the Spaniard's Child
Uncovering Her Nine Month Secret
rere_residentnerd's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
gamz's review against another edition
3.0
The H was a coward. The h, a doormat.
They both had massive guilt over the deaths of family members.
She’s the surrogate who no longer wants to give the baby up. So she travels from Cali to Venice to tell the couple this. Then learns the wife who contracted the surrogacy was dead and lied about the entire situation.
The H needed an heir so he decides he wants his baby and his baby mama too. She wants love, the romantic sappy love, and he can’t love. At all. Cold, frozen heart.
It all went well until the baby was born and his feelings shocked the hell out of him. So he became scared and acted like a douche. She was willing to have him walk all over her just to keep things the way they were.
I disliked both main characters. I felt no sympathy for either. I luuurved the great aunt. She told it like it was and had me craving an omelette.
I gave 3 generous stars cause there was some okayness to the story. But for the most part, the main characters just annoyed me.
They both had massive guilt over the deaths of family members.
She’s the surrogate who no longer wants to give the baby up. So she travels from Cali to Venice to tell the couple this. Then learns the wife who contracted the surrogacy was dead and lied about the entire situation.
The H needed an heir so he decides he wants his baby and his baby mama too. She wants love, the romantic sappy love, and he can’t love. At all. Cold, frozen heart.
It all went well until the baby was born and his feelings shocked the hell out of him. So he became scared and acted like a douche. She was willing to have him walk all over her just to keep things the way they were.
I disliked both main characters. I felt no sympathy for either. I luuurved the great aunt. She told it like it was and had me craving an omelette.
I gave 3 generous stars cause there was some okayness to the story. But for the most part, the main characters just annoyed me.
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