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scoutmomskf's review
4.0
A sweet story of love and family. Gia is reeling from two blows. First is the loss of her beloved parents in an accident. Second is the revelation that she does not share the same father as her two siblings. Suddenly she doesn't know who she is. An entry in her mother's journal sends Gia off to the island of Lapri in search of her biological father. While investigating an abandoned mansion, Gia found a trapped puppy and the property's owner, Ric.
Ric is a CEO and software genius. He keeps to himself as much as possible and avoids relationships altogether. When he gets a call about a strange woman poking about the property, he expects to find a thief or someone out for what they can get. Instead, he encounters an attractive young woman and an injured puppy.
I loved the first meeting between Gia and Ric. He arrives, ready to toss her off the property, only to find himself falling under her spell. It never crossed Gia's mind that Ric wouldn't help; she simply included him in her efforts, and he followed along. He thought of all the things he should say to get rid of her, but what came out of his mouth were offers to help.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Gia and Ric. They began as cautious acquaintances, bonding over the care of the puppy, which quickly grew into friendship. Ric offered to help Gia with her search, as he is empathetic to her cause. Not one to take without giving something in return, Gia puts her talents to use helping Ric with the renovation of his uncle's house. The more time they spend together, the more their feelings for each other change. There are some sweet scenes of them together. Gia's thoughts frequently wander to what a future with Ric would be like. Ric's do likewise, but those thoughts scare him, thanks to the issues from his past. I ached for Gina when those fears made him push her away. I thought he deserved every bit of the misery he felt after she left until he realized that he didn't like the look of his future without her. I thoroughly enjoyed how he had to get past Gia's protective siblings before he made his peace with her. His reunion with her was sweet and romantic.
Family was a big part of this book. It wasn't just Gia's search for her father, but also Ric's feelings about his family. His mother was a piece of work and never missed a chance to make the young boy feel like he was a mistake. She finally dumped him on his uncle. Ric's life was more stable, but he never thought that he was truly wanted. I liked how Gia opened his eyes when helping him go through his uncle's papers.
Meanwhile, Gia was desperate to find her father and hoped that would restore her sense of family. I loved that Ric worked so hard to help and support her along the way. While her search didn't turn out the way she hoped, on her return home, she realized that blood doesn't always mean family. Family is what you make of it.
Ric is a CEO and software genius. He keeps to himself as much as possible and avoids relationships altogether. When he gets a call about a strange woman poking about the property, he expects to find a thief or someone out for what they can get. Instead, he encounters an attractive young woman and an injured puppy.
I loved the first meeting between Gia and Ric. He arrives, ready to toss her off the property, only to find himself falling under her spell. It never crossed Gia's mind that Ric wouldn't help; she simply included him in her efforts, and he followed along. He thought of all the things he should say to get rid of her, but what came out of his mouth were offers to help.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Gia and Ric. They began as cautious acquaintances, bonding over the care of the puppy, which quickly grew into friendship. Ric offered to help Gia with her search, as he is empathetic to her cause. Not one to take without giving something in return, Gia puts her talents to use helping Ric with the renovation of his uncle's house. The more time they spend together, the more their feelings for each other change. There are some sweet scenes of them together. Gia's thoughts frequently wander to what a future with Ric would be like. Ric's do likewise, but those thoughts scare him, thanks to the issues from his past. I ached for Gina when those fears made him push her away. I thought he deserved every bit of the misery he felt after she left until he realized that he didn't like the look of his future without her. I thoroughly enjoyed how he had to get past Gia's protective siblings before he made his peace with her. His reunion with her was sweet and romantic.
Family was a big part of this book. It wasn't just Gia's search for her father, but also Ric's feelings about his family. His mother was a piece of work and never missed a chance to make the young boy feel like he was a mistake. She finally dumped him on his uncle. Ric's life was more stable, but he never thought that he was truly wanted. I liked how Gia opened his eyes when helping him go through his uncle's papers.
Meanwhile, Gia was desperate to find her father and hoped that would restore her sense of family. I loved that Ric worked so hard to help and support her along the way. While her search didn't turn out the way she hoped, on her return home, she realized that blood doesn't always mean family. Family is what you make of it.
jen_baroness_mom's review against another edition
5.0
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Prism Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The CEO, the Puppy and Me by Jennifer Faye, is a sweet romance with lots of self-growth for the characters. I was so swept up into the characters' lives that I found myself crying for them.
Gia is one of our main characters, and she is grieving for the parents that she lost and the fact that she is not a Bartolini by blood. She sets out to find her biological father to discover who she really is.
Gia is a strong woman; she just needs to finish grieving. I like that Gia can delegate the running of her hotel to the managers that she hired and trust them. Gia is brilliant and uses the abilities that she is good at to make things work. I love how compassionate she is. She puts the life of animals and others before herself. I felt like I connected her on a personal level.
Ric is our other main character. He has been hurt by those closest to him, and even though he is wealthy and successful, Ric keeps himself isolated and hides his true self. You can tell that he is attracted to Gia from the beginning. He doesn't believe that his uncle could be Gia's father and sets out to help her find the truth. Some of that could also be from the puppy kisses. As the puppy Gin, has them both wrapped around his paw.
I like that Ric steps up to take care of the puppy and help Gia. He grows throughout the story. It's amazing what a little love and respect can do for someone's attitude.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, and the setting. The Bartolini family is just incredible. It's full of strong-minded individuals who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Gia and Ric are so cute together. I love happy endings. Therefore, I am giving The CEO, the Puppy and Me by Jennifer Faye five stars and yes, I do recommend this book to all you romance readers out there.
Author: Jennifer Faye
Series: The Bartolini Legacy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 1, 2020
When different worlds collide…
…sparks fly!
With her family name on the line, wedding planner Bianca Bartolini needs this royal wedding to go perfectly—she can't afford distractions. Too bad, the bride's dashing brother has other plans! Duty-bound Crown Prince Leo has mere weeks to announce his own engagement, but none of the candidates measure up to Bianca. They're the most unlikely match, but might that just make them perfect for one another?
Author: Jennifer Faye
Series: The Bartolini Legacy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Her baby surprise proves…
…that one night will never be enough!
Reeling from the secrets that have torn his heritage apart, Enzo Bartolini is set on selling his family's Tuscan vineyard and trying to forget the impulsive, dazzling night he and best friend Sylvie shared in Paris. While the sale moves forward, the thrilling awareness between him and Sylvie is harder to move past…especially when she upends Enzo's world by revealing she's carrying his baby!
Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of THE PRINCE AND THE WEDDING PLANNER, winner's choice of print (the US only) or ebook
Open internationally
Ends June 17, 2020
Will Gia and Ric figure out the true meaning of family?
Gia
Gia is one of our main characters, and she is grieving for the parents that she lost and the fact that she is not a Bartolini by blood. She sets out to find her biological father to discover who she really is.
Gia is a strong woman; she just needs to finish grieving. I like that Gia can delegate the running of her hotel to the managers that she hired and trust them. Gia is brilliant and uses the abilities that she is good at to make things work. I love how compassionate she is. She puts the life of animals and others before herself. I felt like I connected her on a personal level.
Ric
Ric is our other main character. He has been hurt by those closest to him, and even though he is wealthy and successful, Ric keeps himself isolated and hides his true self. You can tell that he is attracted to Gia from the beginning. He doesn't believe that his uncle could be Gia's father and sets out to help her find the truth. Some of that could also be from the puppy kisses. As the puppy Gin, has them both wrapped around his paw. I like that Ric steps up to take care of the puppy and help Gia. He grows throughout the story. It's amazing what a little love and respect can do for someone's attitude.
Five Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, and the setting. The Bartolini family is just incredible. It's full of strong-minded individuals who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Gia and Ric are so cute together. I love happy endings. Therefore, I am giving The CEO, the Puppy and Me by Jennifer Faye five stars and yes, I do recommend this book to all you romance readers out there.
Go to Jennifer's Contact Page HERE and order your bookmark(s)!
Other Books in the Series
The Prince and the Wedding Planner
Author: Jennifer Faye
Series: The Bartolini Legacy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 1, 2020
Summary:
When different worlds collide…
…sparks fly!
With her family name on the line, wedding planner Bianca Bartolini needs this royal wedding to go perfectly—she can't afford distractions. Too bad, the bride's dashing brother has other plans! Duty-bound Crown Prince Leo has mere weeks to announce his own engagement, but none of the candidates measure up to Bianca. They're the most unlikely match, but might that just make them perfect for one another?
The Italian's Unexpected Heir
Author: Jennifer Faye
Series: The Bartolini Legacy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Summary:
Her baby surprise proves…
…that one night will never be enough!
Reeling from the secrets that have torn his heritage apart, Enzo Bartolini is set on selling his family's Tuscan vineyard and trying to forget the impulsive, dazzling night he and best friend Sylvie shared in Paris. While the sale moves forward, the thrilling awareness between him and Sylvie is harder to move past…especially when she upends Enzo's world by revealing she's carrying his baby!
Giveaway
Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of THE PRINCE AND THE WEDDING PLANNER, winner's choice of print (the US only) or ebook
Open internationally
Ends June 17, 2020
Tour Organized by:
To find the tour schedule, each stop with exclusive content, and all the tour information, click the banner at the top of the page.
Thank you for dropping by to check out The CEO, the Puppy and Me by Jennifer Faye! Remember to get your bookmarks and enter the giveaway. Oh, and check out the other stops for excerpts and such. 
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
choirlady76's review
5.0
Dynamite High 5 Stars! I was so sucked into this tale that I literally did not sleep the whole night, I really enjoyed Gia and Ricardo and who couldn't love the most adorable puppy! I also loved the setting, this was so well-written that you just feel as if you are right there in Italy! This is truly one of the sweetest romances of the year!
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