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katmorrisey's review against another edition
3.0
I have been hooked on Harlequins lately. I think part of it is that they are sweet, sexy, low on angst (there is some, but it's not OTT) and the writing is usually pretty solid. And this is defintiely the case with the author of this book. I knew that going in, since I just finished [b:Once a Ferrara Wife...|12769561|Once a Ferrara Wife...|Sarah Morgan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347355034s/12769561.jpg|18094780] days before. And I was looking forward to reading Santo's story.
I knew going in I would have a bit of an issue with this book. Secret pregnancy tropes make me uncomfortable-I think it's all my years working in Family Court with kids who are from broken homes. But I have to say, Ms. Morgan did an excellent job dealing with this type of plot and I was happy to see that the heroine did feel bad about her choices and it didn't take her long to realize the error she'd made in hiding Luca's existence from Santo.
Santo was a pushy jerk at times, but he was also determined to make things right. He insisted on marriage and Fia eventually agrees. It was from that point on that we see the angst begin. Theirs is a marriage of convenience, right? Or is it? Both hero and heroine had issues talking with each other. And this failure to communicate meaningfully with each other was nearly the downfall of his marriage.
What he did at the end for Fia, well that was adorable. And I loved how he and the others folded her, her son and her grandfather into the Ferrara family. Tonight, I'll be reading another one of these, [b:A Night of No Return|15800786|A Night of No Return|Sarah Morgan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344663929s/15800786.jpg|21524044]. Hopefully it's just as good! :)
I knew going in I would have a bit of an issue with this book. Secret pregnancy tropes make me uncomfortable-I think it's all my years working in Family Court with kids who are from broken homes. But I have to say, Ms. Morgan did an excellent job dealing with this type of plot and I was happy to see that the heroine did feel bad about her choices and it didn't take her long to realize the error she'd made in hiding Luca's existence from Santo.
Santo was a pushy jerk at times, but he was also determined to make things right. He insisted on marriage and Fia eventually agrees. It was from that point on that we see the angst begin. Theirs is a marriage of convenience, right? Or is it? Both hero and heroine had issues talking with each other. And this failure to communicate meaningfully with each other was nearly the downfall of his marriage.
What he did at the end for Fia, well that was adorable. And I loved how he and the others folded her, her son and her grandfather into the Ferrara family. Tonight, I'll be reading another one of these, [b:A Night of No Return|15800786|A Night of No Return|Sarah Morgan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344663929s/15800786.jpg|21524044]. Hopefully it's just as good! :)
theeditorreads's review against another edition
3.0
This one starts with a meeting where we have Cristiano from Book 1, big brother Chairman, and the hero, the younger Ferrara, Santo. They are discussing with other Board members present about adapting their hotel business to appeal to the younger generation for which they have to get extra land. And that is where our heroine comes in, not her, but her family, the Baracchis. There is some family feud between the Ferraras and the Baracchis. Moreover, Fiammetta Baracchi (Fia) and Santiago Ferrara (Santo) had had a hot one-night-stand three years ago, which nobody knows nothing about.
She's scared of her own feelings as far as Santo is concerned, because:
"Never love a Sicilian man had been the last words her mother had flung at her eight-year-old daughter before she’d walked out of the door for ever."
She hasn't told him that their one night together resulted in their two-year-old son, Luca. And then they come face-to-face, identical father and son.
What is it about the Baracchis that Santo says:
"Not once had he considered that he would have to fight for the right to be a father to his own child. Nor had he dreamt of his child being raised in a family like the Baracchis. He wouldn’t have wished it on anyone. It was a nightmare almost too painful to contemplate."
"The first time they’d met properly she’d been eight years old and hiding on the far side of the beach. His side, where no Baracchi was supposed to tread. She’d taken refuge in the disused boathouse, amongst jagged planks of wood and the acrid smell of oil. He’d been fourteen years old and totally at a loss to know what to do with his wild-haired intruder. Was he supposed to hold her captive? Ask for a ransom? In the end he’d done neither. Nor had he blown her cover."
Santo is going mad about the safety of his son, coz he had seen everything, seen the marks of abuse on young Fia's body, marks put there by her own father. Coming from a loving and protective family, he just couldn't help but feel overprotective of his own son. He is even nasty with her about her painful childhood. Her justification was that Luca would have been exposed to the hatred between their families.
I loved the Ferrara brothers' stories. Sarah Morgan is an all-time favourite. Both the brothers had strong familial ties, were born into and grew up in loving families. While the heroines were broken and had lots of baggage. I loved that Sarah Morgan reversed the situation in this duet, where in most of the M&Bs the heroes are the angtsy ones.
I loved how the first book's name was used in between:
"I’m very traditional. I believe that marriage is for ever. Once a Ferrara wife, always a Ferrara wife. We will not be getting a divorce.’" There's a reference to Cristiano and Laurel as well.
Santo, in spite of being so overtly emotional (both the Ferrara brothers are), was not giving the feeling of emotional warmth to Fia. No wonder she couldn't trust him, not with her feelings. But, Luca is a darling, especially the way he copies all the important words spoken by his father. Their misunderstandings grow by the dozen due to her closed up nature, and thinking she needs time to adjust, Santo doesn't say anything to her.
Hmm...the title of the book doesn't make sense. Santo was never forbidden. Well, he was banned from entering Baracchi territory, so maybe that's that. Also, the Baracchi-Ferrara animosity confused me. Was it after the mentioned event, or was it there from before. An epilogue would have been nice. It seemed a hurried ending.
P.S. The blurb on Goodreads mentioned Santino, but it's Santiago Ferrara in the first book. Not once his full name is mentioned in this book.
She's scared of her own feelings as far as Santo is concerned, because:
"Never love a Sicilian man had been the last words her mother had flung at her eight-year-old daughter before she’d walked out of the door for ever."
She hasn't told him that their one night together resulted in their two-year-old son, Luca. And then they come face-to-face, identical father and son.
What is it about the Baracchis that Santo says:
"Not once had he considered that he would have to fight for the right to be a father to his own child. Nor had he dreamt of his child being raised in a family like the Baracchis. He wouldn’t have wished it on anyone. It was a nightmare almost too painful to contemplate."
"The first time they’d met properly she’d been eight years old and hiding on the far side of the beach. His side, where no Baracchi was supposed to tread. She’d taken refuge in the disused boathouse, amongst jagged planks of wood and the acrid smell of oil. He’d been fourteen years old and totally at a loss to know what to do with his wild-haired intruder. Was he supposed to hold her captive? Ask for a ransom? In the end he’d done neither. Nor had he blown her cover."
Santo is going mad about the safety of his son, coz he had seen everything, seen the marks of abuse on young Fia's body, marks put there by her own father. Coming from a loving and protective family, he just couldn't help but feel overprotective of his own son. He is even nasty with her about her painful childhood. Her justification was that Luca would have been exposed to the hatred between their families.
I loved the Ferrara brothers' stories. Sarah Morgan is an all-time favourite. Both the brothers had strong familial ties, were born into and grew up in loving families. While the heroines were broken and had lots of baggage. I loved that Sarah Morgan reversed the situation in this duet, where in most of the M&Bs the heroes are the angtsy ones.
I loved how the first book's name was used in between:
"I’m very traditional. I believe that marriage is for ever. Once a Ferrara wife, always a Ferrara wife. We will not be getting a divorce.’" There's a reference to Cristiano and Laurel as well.
Santo, in spite of being so overtly emotional (both the Ferrara brothers are), was not giving the feeling of emotional warmth to Fia. No wonder she couldn't trust him, not with her feelings. But, Luca is a darling, especially the way he copies all the important words spoken by his father. Their misunderstandings grow by the dozen due to her closed up nature, and thinking she needs time to adjust, Santo doesn't say anything to her.
Hmm...the title of the book doesn't make sense. Santo was never forbidden. Well, he was banned from entering Baracchi territory, so maybe that's that. Also, the Baracchi-Ferrara animosity confused me. Was it after the mentioned event, or was it there from before. An epilogue would have been nice. It seemed a hurried ending.
P.S. The blurb on Goodreads mentioned Santino, but it's Santiago Ferrara in the first book. Not once his full name is mentioned in this book.
destinugrainy's review against another edition
2.0
Keluarga Ferrara dan Baracchi tidak pernah akur. Apalagi ketika salah satu anggota Baracchi tewas karena kendaraan milik keluarga Ferrara.
Santo Ferrara ingin memperluas hotelnya, dan itu berarti dia harus membeli tanah keluarga Baracchi. Dia pun menemui Fia Baracchi, sekaligus menghadapi masa lalunya. Ternyata Fia menyembunyikan rahasia darinya selama bertahun-tahun, dia punya anak dr hasil hubungan semalam bersama Fia.
Alur ceritanya mudah ditebak. Sekarang Santo berusaha mendapatkan anaknya. Tapi dia menempuh cara tradisional, menikahi Fia. Fia awalnya menolak, tapi kemudian menyerah dan menikah dengan.Santo demi anaknya.
Yang agak membosankan itu adalah keras kepalanya Fia. Semua yang dilakukan Santo dianggap negatif sama Fia. Padahal dlm hati kecilnya sih dia suka juga.
Santo Ferrara ingin memperluas hotelnya, dan itu berarti dia harus membeli tanah keluarga Baracchi. Dia pun menemui Fia Baracchi, sekaligus menghadapi masa lalunya. Ternyata Fia menyembunyikan rahasia darinya selama bertahun-tahun, dia punya anak dr hasil hubungan semalam bersama Fia.
Alur ceritanya mudah ditebak. Sekarang Santo berusaha mendapatkan anaknya. Tapi dia menempuh cara tradisional, menikahi Fia. Fia awalnya menolak, tapi kemudian menyerah dan menikah dengan.Santo demi anaknya.
Yang agak membosankan itu adalah keras kepalanya Fia. Semua yang dilakukan Santo dianggap negatif sama Fia. Padahal dlm hati kecilnya sih dia suka juga.
gamz's review against another edition
4.0
A delicious old school HP romance with a family feud, a stolen night and a secret child. It’s all extremely romantic and angsty.
The H is a serious alpha hero with a gooey center. The h is still that lost little girl who wants the gooey center that the H tries so hard to hide.
I absolutely enjoyed this one.
The H is a serious alpha hero with a gooey center. The h is still that lost little girl who wants the gooey center that the H tries so hard to hide.
I absolutely enjoyed this one.
fabooklover's review against another edition
3.0
2.5. Bueno, igual no estuvo tan mal. Pero no soy nada fan del tipo que no entiende el consentimiento. O sea, literal te dijo suéltame, dude. Así que la sueltas y te apartas, no continúas a lo tuyo porque ah, su cuerpo te dice algo muy diferente a lo que sus palabras dicen. Otra lectura rápida, afortunadamente la protagonista no es tan manipulable y a decir verdad, agradezco que al menos el tipo no fuese violento. Además, este no se jactaba todo el tiempo de todas las mujeres que andaban tras de él, ni tenía amantes. No voy a decir que me agrada, porque el tipo no entiende el "no" y eso ya lo hace detestable para mí, pero bueno, al menos la lectura no fue insufrible en general.
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