Contemporary Romance published by Montake 21 Jun 22
I’ve wanted to read Catherine Bybee for quite a while now. So when I discovered this is the first book in a new series, I figured now is the time to finally jump in. I’m very glad I did. Aside from the main romance in this story, it’s family that is front and center, especially when the family experience is so very different for the hero and heroine.
Brooke’s relationship with her father has always been difficult, made even more so by the fact she lives across the country from him. When he ends up in the hospital and needs her help on a daily basis, she packs herself up and heads to California – without her long-time boyfriend, who can’t seem to be bothered with family, especially Brooke’s. We learn that guy has always been a jackass, so it’s time Brooke finally reads the writing on the wall.
Luca is part of a boisterous Italian family, who owns a restaurant in San Diego’s Little Italy. When he discovers his mother has rented the upstairs apartment to Brooke, he’s not happy at all. He has a daughter to look out for, as well as the rest of his family. But when he meets Brooke – formally at last – there’s definitely something about her that calls to him. Which will make the reader very glad, especially when it comes to Luca’s former wife – a jackass of the female persuasion.
Their family dynamics couldn’t be more different. Brooke’s father is losing his independence little by little and he lets everyone he comes into contact with know it. He is a difficult character, but Brooke does put her foot down when necessary. Luca’s family circles the wagons to keep their small unit safe, all the while living their lives their own way. His mother is another force to be reckoned with, but you love her to death just as her family does.
I enjoyed every aspect of this story – well, except for the jackasses, and one in particular. While I admire Brooke and her tenaciousness when it comes to her dad, it’s Luca who makes the whole thing work for me. Of course, it’s the fact he was raised with love and family that gives him what he needs to be a terrific father and a man who knows how to go after what he wants. Both of these damaged hearts come out healed just where they need to be to live that happily ever after.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Brooke Turner has always had a complicated relationship with her father. But when his health takes a turn for the worse, she drops everything to care for him. He’s her dad, after all, and he needs her. What Brooke doesn’t anticipate is the unraveling of her long-term relationship and a cross-country move to San Diego’s Little Italy.
Luca D’Angelo is the oldest of three children and a single father to a young daughter. When his mother rents the top floor of their house to Brooke, he’s angry. Who is this beautiful stranger with no ties to the neighborhood? Can she be trusted in such close proximity to his family?
As Luca learns of Brooke’s difficult journey with her ailing father, his heart softens. And Brooke, who witnesses Luca’s struggle as a single parent, develops feelings for him, too. But when it all falls apart, will love heal their wounded hearts?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
