Lynne Connolly’s review of Dante’s Blackmailed Bride by Day Leclaire
Category Romance released by Silhouette Desire 12 Feb 08

The Dante family own a jewelry business getting back on its feet after a disastrous period. Four brothers are involved and they get one book each. They are all cursed, or blessed with something called Dante’s Inferno (I know, I winced, but it really works – trust me) when a man sees the woman and there’s an instant connection. To ignore it means disaster, as the Dante brothers’ father discovered.

Dante’s Blackmailed Bride is Severo’s story. He’s the oldest brother, he’s made the hardest decisions. Dante’s jewelry company is gearing itself up to take over Timeless Heirlooms, a company they used to own and now want back. They attend a reception where a new line of jewelry is launched. One designer attracts their attention.

Francesca Sommers is that designer. She’s a child who never knew her father, and spent her young life shuttling between various foster parents. But she’s come out a strong woman and a talented designer. She discovered that she was the result of an illicit affair between the owner of Timeless Heirlooms but since that happened in the owner’s marriage, which is still existing, she doesn’t tell either of them. Neither does she feel martyred. She just wants to get to know her father.

When Sev and Francesca meet, sparks fly and the Inferno affects them both. They spend their first night together without realising who the other is and the story goes from there. Sev and Francesca were wonderful. Sev’s an alpha, who juggles the needs of the company and his own needs. He never does the stupid things that makes me want to strangle him, and the only big misunderstanding comes at the beginning. To my relief, it was resolved in the morning and they were both appalled by the implications. No storming off in a childish huff.

Sev tries really hard to understand and protect Francesca from the decisions he is forced to make, and he tries to keep her in the loop. He also suffers, and he isn’t the strong, invulnerable type, he suffers too.

Francesca wasn’t a martyr and she wasn’t a wimp. Neither was she the kind of “feisty” female who flounces off at the first sign of trouble. When the misunderstanding is resolved, the day after their heated night together, she doesn’t blame Sev, and accepts they both made the decision. It’s as much her fault as it is his. She’s not unbelievably beautiful, although she’s attractive (Sev thinks she’s beautiful, but then he would), and she is a talented designer and earns her place on her own merits. Neither, at the end of the story, does she give it all up for cozy domesticity.

The jewelry background was well researched and I found it a really good backdrop to the story, but it doesn’t overwhelm it. The story is set mainly in San Francisco, a place I’ve always wanted to visit (when I wrote a book based there, I got it read by several residents, but I want to go and see for myself!)

I just loved this story, and I’d recommend it as an involving romance with a nice touch of heat.

Grade A-

Jump into the fire
Severo Dante and his brothers had always dismissed rumors of the Inferno–an explosive desire that overtakes Dante men when they first see their soul mates. Then Severo met jewelry designer Francesca Sommers and was astonished by their raw, urgent, mutual attraction. A rising star at a rival company, Francesca has crafted a dazzling new collection that could ruin Severo’s plans to rebuild the Dante empire. His solution: blackmail her into becoming his employee–and his fiancee–until their smoldering affair runs its course. But some fires, once lit, can never be extinguished….