Book Four in the Romano Family series
My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
Can the magic of the season keep them together beyond Christmas?
When Luciana Romano arrives in Hudson Springs, New York, her plan is to complete her restoration job at the museum so she can return home to her family right after Christmas. But a blizzard grounds all flights, and she finds herself stranded. The DiLorenzo family offers her a place to stay, and she accepts their hospitality. But the unexpected attraction between her and the quiet, good-looking son makes it hard to want to leave.
Jack DiLorenzo is stuck. Managing the family’s Italian café is not what he’d planned to do with his life, but his sense of duty won’t let him quit. When his grandmother invites a Portuguese woman to stay with them, Jack feels something he hasn’t felt for a long time: hope. He knows he shouldn’t get close to Luciana since she’s leaving as soon as the airport opens, but he can’t help himself.
Yet as the magic of the season begins to work on them, he wonders how he can let go of the woman who’s awakened his heart.
My Review
So many of the details I loved in this book! I always enjoy the foreign perspective from Portugal that this author provides in at least one of her main characters. As an art major I appreciated Luciana's love for textiles and learning about the restoration process for some pieces for the exhibition she was in charge of. The food was an important element in the book and really brought the setting to life. Even though Luciana is struggling a bit and wants a brief escape from her family, she has a naturally optimistic personality which I loved. She brings light into Jack's mundane life and her presence helps him realize what it is that he's missing in his life. I enjoyed watching these two lovely people grow closer together and work out their plans for the future in the midst of the Christmas season. There is a strong sense of family loyalty and it made the book a cozy read.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
Don't miss the previous books in the Romano Family series . . .
The Romano Family series follows the stories of the Romano cousins of northern Portugal as they find love and their Happily-Ever-Afters.
Book One
Don't miss the previous books in the Romano Family series . . .
The Romano Family series follows the stories of the Romano cousins of northern Portugal as they find love and their Happily-Ever-Afters.
Book One
Synopsis
Love might have a chance… if her family stays out of it.
When Knox Campbell goes to Portugal for a short business trip, he never planned on losing his documents. Now he’s stranded in Porto, his passport lost, and his credit cards canceled. Knox turns to the travel agent who suggested the local day attractions for assistance.
Jacinta Romano loves helping her clients set up their dream trips, although she doesn’t usually meet the ones visiting from abroad. But all that changes when a client shows up at the agency while her meddling family are still there. They latch on to him immediately, insisting Jacinta bring him home while he’s stranded. Thankfully, he’s only staying until his new passport arrives and after two weeks of playing hostess, she’ll be glad to send him on his way.
Or will she?
When Knox Campbell goes to Portugal for a short business trip, he never planned on losing his documents. Now he’s stranded in Porto, his passport lost, and his credit cards canceled. Knox turns to the travel agent who suggested the local day attractions for assistance.
Jacinta Romano loves helping her clients set up their dream trips, although she doesn’t usually meet the ones visiting from abroad. But all that changes when a client shows up at the agency while her meddling family are still there. They latch on to him immediately, insisting Jacinta bring him home while he’s stranded. Thankfully, he’s only staying until his new passport arrives and after two weeks of playing hostess, she’ll be glad to send him on his way.
Or will she?
Book Two
Synopsis
Between a bad breakup
and a rocky relationship with her overbearing father,
twenty-three-year-old Vanessa Clark has a history of being disappointed
by the men in her life. So when her long-lost grandfather reenters the
scene and persuades her to tour northern Portugal on one of his river
cruise ships, Vanessa boards the vessel looking for answers about her
estranged family, not looking for love.
Captain Matias Romano has enough to worry about without having to babysit his boss’s spoiled American granddaughter, no matter how good-looking and wealthy she is. First the issue with the refrigerators, and now the ship's computers are malfunctioning—he’ll be relieved when this trip is over and he can get back to business as usual.
But as Matias plays tour guide on Vanessa’s excursions and they work together to investigate a series of suspicious accidents aboard, they both realize there’s more to the other than first impressions.
Can Vanessa work through her complicated past to make room for Matias in her future, or will they pass like ships in the night?
Captain Matias Romano has enough to worry about without having to babysit his boss’s spoiled American granddaughter, no matter how good-looking and wealthy she is. First the issue with the refrigerators, and now the ship's computers are malfunctioning—he’ll be relieved when this trip is over and he can get back to business as usual.
But as Matias plays tour guide on Vanessa’s excursions and they work together to investigate a series of suspicious accidents aboard, they both realize there’s more to the other than first impressions.
Can Vanessa work through her complicated past to make room for Matias in her future, or will they pass like ships in the night?
Book Three
Synopsis
An ex-con reforming his life. A pregnant widow hiding her past. Will the price of her secrets cost her his love?
Catarina Romano has lost everything: her husband, her house, her lifestyle. She flees to her cousin’s empty manor in the heart of Portugal, trying to find peace and to hide from the scandal spun by the media, only to discover she is pregnant.
Afonso Cortez is done with all the lies. Fresh out of prison for trusting the wrong person, he’s ready to leave the past behind and look ahead to new opportunities. The remote Sunset Manor, in need of a groundskeeper, is the perfect solution, promising to provide Afonso with the solitude he craves while he restores the grounds to their former glory.
Catarina avoids Afonso at first, not wanting to further complicate her life. But Afonso is intriguing, and she feels drawn to him. If only she didn’t feel guilty for all the secrets she’s keeping from him.
When suspicious accidents start occurring at the property, Afonso believes his past is catching up with him. Will he be able to protect Catarina or will he lose the woman who might restore his belief in love?
Catarina Romano has lost everything: her husband, her house, her lifestyle. She flees to her cousin’s empty manor in the heart of Portugal, trying to find peace and to hide from the scandal spun by the media, only to discover she is pregnant.
Afonso Cortez is done with all the lies. Fresh out of prison for trusting the wrong person, he’s ready to leave the past behind and look ahead to new opportunities. The remote Sunset Manor, in need of a groundskeeper, is the perfect solution, promising to provide Afonso with the solitude he craves while he restores the grounds to their former glory.
Catarina avoids Afonso at first, not wanting to further complicate her life. But Afonso is intriguing, and she feels drawn to him. If only she didn’t feel guilty for all the secrets she’s keeping from him.
When suspicious accidents start occurring at the property, Afonso believes his past is catching up with him. Will he be able to protect Catarina or will he lose the woman who might restore his belief in love?
Book Five
(coming August 2018)
Synopsis
When Filipe Romano
arrives at the SoliMar beach resort, his newest acquisition, he plans to
complete renovations quickly before moving on to his next property. But
a stumbling block arises when he discovers Celeste, the sister of his
deceased best friend, is an employee at the resort’s aquarium, which he
intends to sell. To complicate matters more, he has unresolved feelings
for Celeste and blames himself for the accident that killed her brother.
Celeste Ferreira, a stressed single mom, needs a miracle. Without any prospects or means to start over, she clings to the job she loves as aquarist at the SoliMar Aquarium. After she discovers the new owner is Filipe, an old family friend, their history makes it hard for Celeste to trust him, especially with her position in peril.
Though closing down the aquarium makes good financial sense, Filipe finds himself reluctant to disappoint Celeste and decides to help her with the repairs for the upcoming inspection. But is working side by side enough to forget the past and build a new future, or is the pain between them too deep to move on?
Celeste Ferreira, a stressed single mom, needs a miracle. Without any prospects or means to start over, she clings to the job she loves as aquarist at the SoliMar Aquarium. After she discovers the new owner is Filipe, an old family friend, their history makes it hard for Celeste to trust him, especially with her position in peril.
Though closing down the aquarium makes good financial sense, Filipe finds himself reluctant to disappoint Celeste and decides to help her with the repairs for the upcoming inspection. But is working side by side enough to forget the past and build a new future, or is the pain between them too deep to move on?
