What do you think?
Rate this book
Sicily's Corretti Dynasty #1
A Legacy of Secrets
Business & Pleasure: What the Corretti playboy wants...
Personal assistant Ella is never without her "Santo Bag"-not the latest designer "must have," but emergency supplies to handle whatever the devilish Santo Corretti throws at her. But no pair of sunglasses will cover the darkness in her boss's eyes this morning.
Scandal is circling. Santo's family is in tatters. His brother is languishing in a jail cell and his latest film's on the rocks. All Santo wants is a little TLC. Except, Ella's heart is not part of the playboy fix-it kit.
But what Santo Corretti wants he gets!
Personal assistant Ella is never without her "Santo Bag"-not the latest designer "must have," but emergency supplies to handle whatever the devilish Santo Corretti throws at her. But no pair of sunglasses will cover the darkness in her boss's eyes this morning.
Scandal is circling. Santo's family is in tatters. His brother is languishing in a jail cell and his latest film's on the rocks. All Santo wants is a little TLC. Except, Ella's heart is not part of the playboy fix-it kit.
But what Santo Corretti wants he gets!
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
82 people are currently reading
483 people want to read
About the author
Carol Marinelli
1,343 books449 followersCarol Marinelli was born in England to Scottish parents, then emigrated to Australia, where there are loads of Scottish and English people who did exactly the same, so she’s very at home there.
She lives in the outer suburbs of Melbourne—pretty much in her car, driving her three children to their various commitments.
Carol writes for the Harlequin Presents and Medical lines and she also writes contemporary women's fiction (with a dark twist).
When she's not writing she's reading, when she's not reading she's writing.
She lives in the outer suburbs of Melbourne—pretty much in her car, driving her three children to their various commitments.
Carol writes for the Harlequin Presents and Medical lines and she also writes contemporary women's fiction (with a dark twist).
When she's not writing she's reading, when she's not reading she's writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 16, 2019
Hero is an unrepentant playboy film producer. Heroine is his PA for four months. She is jealous of watching his many conquests, tired of being at his beck and call, and angry he won’t consider her as director for his next movie.
H/h finally go to bed after she tenders her resignation and he breaks down after his brother is jilted at the altar.
The heroine’s secrets (her father is an abusive alcoholic) and the hero’s family secrets become entwined when the hero pushed for a relationship and the heroine choses to focus on the film she is now directing. (After two directors, hero gives heroine a shot at it.)
Hero is hurt heroine doesn’t trust him, but honors her wishes to stay away while she is directing. Heroine thinks he’s moving on with his new PA, but he is really arranging their wedding.
Hero is a stinker at the beginning, but really redeems himself. I liked that he rescued the heroine’s mother and the way he did it – getting his grandmother to help.
H/h finally go to bed after she tenders her resignation and he breaks down after his brother is jilted at the altar.
The heroine’s secrets (her father is an abusive alcoholic) and the hero’s family secrets become entwined when the hero pushed for a relationship and the heroine choses to focus on the film she is now directing. (After two directors, hero gives heroine a shot at it.)
Hero is hurt heroine doesn’t trust him, but honors her wishes to stay away while she is directing. Heroine thinks he’s moving on with his new PA, but he is really arranging their wedding.
Hero is a stinker at the beginning, but really redeems himself. I liked that he rescued the heroine’s mother and the way he did it – getting his grandmother to help.
July 7, 2013
This is the 1st book (of 8 in the Sicily’s Corretti Dynasty Series) by Carol Marinelli and tells the story of Santo Corretti, playboy, filmmaker, womanizer and also best man for his brother Alessandro’s wedding…which of course so did not go so well!!!!
Ella, Santo's SUPER EFFICIENT PA
left Australia after a very traumatic event in her life and decided to visit the country where her mother was born. Having to find work, she was hired as Santo’s PA, which she saw as a stepping stone to doing what she has always dreamed of….a movie director.
Santo
is arrogant, focused, knows what he wants….building a Corretti movie empire…who he wants…no more than one night with a woman…..loves his family…well some of them…in fact just a few…there’s a lot of family feuds in this Corretti Family!!!
Dealing with Santo is proving more and more difficult to Ella. He needs constant attention and even gets her to deal with getting rid of the women he no longer wants…like even writing their goodbye notes!!!
And she sees nothing that tells her that he will ever let her work as an assistant director in his films. So decides to leave him and work for someone else who believes in her talent.
She also decides that wants to act on her feelings for Santo….so she seduces him and they agree on a temporary relationship until she leaves her position as his PA.
But hey, things never work out as one plans!!!! Both have secrets from each other…neither one trusting each other enough to open up and face their demons together.
I wanted to smack Santo’s chauvinistic head a few times…..could he not see what a gem Ella was? How long would it take for him to realize how empty his life really was and that he could have something special with her? Wow....I did find their love scenes rather hot and sexy!!!
Well developed characters and we are introduced to some new family members …Some secrets revealed…but not all of them!!!!.
This story has some emotional and traumatic moments but also some funny ones too.
I love the way the plot is progressing and I am getting so totally into these Correttis!!!
Can’t wait for the next book to find out more about Alessandro...the poor guy!!!!
Ella, Santo's SUPER EFFICIENT PA
left Australia after a very traumatic event in her life and decided to visit the country where her mother was born. Having to find work, she was hired as Santo’s PA, which she saw as a stepping stone to doing what she has always dreamed of….a movie director.
Santo
is arrogant, focused, knows what he wants….building a Corretti movie empire…who he wants…no more than one night with a woman…..loves his family…well some of them…in fact just a few…there’s a lot of family feuds in this Corretti Family!!! Dealing with Santo is proving more and more difficult to Ella. He needs constant attention and even gets her to deal with getting rid of the women he no longer wants…like even writing their goodbye notes!!!
And she sees nothing that tells her that he will ever let her work as an assistant director in his films. So decides to leave him and work for someone else who believes in her talent.
She also decides that wants to act on her feelings for Santo….so she seduces him and they agree on a temporary relationship until she leaves her position as his PA.
But hey, things never work out as one plans!!!! Both have secrets from each other…neither one trusting each other enough to open up and face their demons together.
I wanted to smack Santo’s chauvinistic head a few times…..could he not see what a gem Ella was? How long would it take for him to realize how empty his life really was and that he could have something special with her? Wow....I did find their love scenes rather hot and sexy!!!
Well developed characters and we are introduced to some new family members …Some secrets revealed…but not all of them!!!!.
This story has some emotional and traumatic moments but also some funny ones too.
I love the way the plot is progressing and I am getting so totally into these Correttis!!!
Can’t wait for the next book to find out more about Alessandro...the poor guy!!!!
September 12, 2020
In recent years, HP plots where a couple negotiates the parameters of both a romantic relationship and mutually meaningful careers; where there are no improbable virgins, birth control mishaps, forced marriages, or pregnancies have been thin on the ground. I really miss them and I find it hard to believe I'm the only one.
Anyways...Santo and Ella are one of my favorite HP couples ever, great individually as well as together. Santo may have lots of casual sex but in this case it seems just that, casual, which in my view isn't a synonym for disrespectful, and I never get the gross sense of an unacknowledged strain of misogyny in his behavior which is common in many HP heros. In fact he hears and honors Ella's clear no sex with the boss boundary without harassing attempts to undermine her. And in any case there is a pretty amazing scene early on that casts him in a different light altogether.
Interestingly, Santo eventually establishes boundaries too, between their working and personal relationship, and what's more they're reasonable and non-reactionary and I felt kind of faint at this point cause this isn't as melodramatic as it could be and for that reason alone it was wonderful.
There is a distinctive mood of sorrow and anxiety underlying much of this book coming from both characters in response to individual familial stress, including occurrences of domestic abuse, which sounds awful but adds emotional resonance to what otherwise might have been just another story about a charmingly callow playboy getting his comeuppance.
Anyways...Santo and Ella are one of my favorite HP couples ever, great individually as well as together. Santo may have lots of casual sex but in this case it seems just that, casual, which in my view isn't a synonym for disrespectful, and I never get the gross sense of an unacknowledged strain of misogyny in his behavior which is common in many HP heros. In fact he hears and honors Ella's clear no sex with the boss boundary without harassing attempts to undermine her. And in any case there is a pretty amazing scene early on that casts him in a different light altogether.
Interestingly, Santo eventually establishes boundaries too, between their working and personal relationship, and what's more they're reasonable and non-reactionary and I felt kind of faint at this point cause this isn't as melodramatic as it could be and for that reason alone it was wonderful.
There is a distinctive mood of sorrow and anxiety underlying much of this book coming from both characters in response to individual familial stress, including occurrences of domestic abuse, which sounds awful but adds emotional resonance to what otherwise might have been just another story about a charmingly callow playboy getting his comeuppance.
April 17, 2015
Initial thoughts:
What I liked: Everything. More accurately I absolutely loved this book and completely fell in love with it. It was so amazing. The story between sexy Santo and fiercely independent yet vulnerable Ella with deep pains in her past especially after a traumatic event that recently happened in her life.
What I didn't like: Not a thing. Absolutely nothing was wrong with this book, story, or characters. This story was complex and fit so completely together to make this compelling love story that one couldn't help but root for.
Spoilers ahead: beware
So behind in reviews currently, I'm attempting to get through them one by one. See how far I get. Hopefully will be able to review book two in this series right after this one this evening. We will see.
A little background on this before I begin the review. I originally read the second book in the Sicliy's Corretti Dynasty, An Invitation to Sin by Sarah Morgan because I wanted to read a Sarah Morgan book and was kind of intrigued by the synopsis with the heroine a bad girl, movie star that was staging her comeback in the movie that Santo, the hero, from this movie was producing. And since I had read that book before I read this one I didn't know the whole story with Santo. And to be honest from what was presented in book number two, I thought he was a class one jerk and I couldn't see myself liking him at all or rooting for him as the hero in this story. But boy was I proven wrong, and I am totally loving Santo now after reading this book, and he was really the perfect hero for the story. But being that I read this series a little bit out of order my perception for him was very different compared to where he was the star. In book two, I understood why he wanted this movie to work and why it was important to him to bring it life and why he didn't want any scandal surrounding the movie, which was why he was trying to keep control of Taylor, heroine from book two, from going off the rails, but I couldn't understand why he was just an unfeeling jerk about it and basically scalded Taylor for her scandalous behavior, which wasn't even her fault and was due to unluckily circumstances more than anything else, but I digress.
My point being that I wasn't a big fan of Santo, but at the same time I was intrigued about him as well as Ella, who made an appearance in book two as well as the new director taking over the film that Taylor was staring in, and it happens that book one and two overlap in timelines so I kind of knew some things that were going to happen in book one before it actually happened, though not the full circumstances behind it all. Anyway with Ella making an appearance in book two, it made me more and more intrigued by the love story between Ella and Santo, who didn't even seem to have a romantic, intimate relationship, there seemed to be some distance between two that didn't scream warm and fuzzies, which made me question why that was. Were they not in a relationship yet? Were they building towards that as she came onto the flick? What was there relationship like before she became the director. I knew that Santo was her boss and Ella was his trusty PA, who seemed like an odd choice of replacement director. Then questions arose from that as well. They just seem far from a couple than I have ever seen in a book where there was a continuity present. Usually there is some kind of hint or suggestion that they would eventually be together, but there was no evidence in book two, which was kind of strange since Ella and Santo's story was book one, but I understood once I saw that the timelines were very similar and the events happened simultaneously.
But still when I found out that they would be the starring couple in this book, which again intrigued me and wanted me to pick this book up and start reading and see how their love story played out. I was kind of dying to see what happened and I was anxiously awaiting until I could sit down and read this book in one sitting, and let me tell you I wasn't disappointed in the least bit. In fact I was surprised how much I loved it and enjoyed it as much as I did. It was totally worth the way. I was engrossed. Enamored. And just plain marinating in the story as I sucked up each word in the book and became just utterly consumed with it, and thoroughly loving it from page one to the epilogue. There's just not enough good things that I could say about it.
It really had the winning formula to the story that I enjoy from reading romance novels. It was intense. Passionate. Full of emotional issues that tugged on the heart strings. Both wounded hero and heroine alike with the heroine having both physical and emotional scars from the traumatic event that changed her view of the world and her ability to trust others and vow to keep to herself so that she was "safe" from being hurt again. There was angst, though maybe a little on the thin side, but that was okay because in this instance it worked because of the deep emotional issues that were going on as well as the trust issues that made up for that adding to the drama as well as causing the hero and heroine to clash and kept them apart for a lot of book. So that I didn't have an issue with when usually I would. But I was just so into the emotional journey of it all and so engrossed in it that I felt every wound and emotional torment that was going on for both Santo and Ella alike. That just added to the intensity of it all. Plus thrown in a "rival" for the heart of Santo, which created distrust and doubt in Ella, making her question whether she could trust him and whether or not she was enough for him or was it really all just about the physical for him and just the pain she went through from her own doubts. And that lead to misunderstandings along the way and pulled them further apart. I love misunderstandings they just up the tension on so many levels that it was great to watch and see it all play out. Also the fact that they had a preexisting relationship where Ella could see Santo and his wild ways, and vowing never to be his good time girl because she seen it so much before in the past and how he left broken hearts in his wake, and she didn't want to be one of them despite the fact she had feelings for him, but she didn't want to be hurt by him so she stayed away and kept a distance from him even though she was yearning for him for so long. Plus he wasn't exactly indifferent to her either and definitely had some unrequited feelings and want coming her way, which again adds to the lovely tension, which I loved seeing. So there was that back and forth there while denying each other that they truly wanted each other but neither of them knowing nor how serious it was for the other. So that was great to see that play out as well with those underlying emotions going on. And finally the winning formula that works for me every time is a likable/rootable hero and heroine, and this story definitely had that with Santo and Ella.
The characters, as they should be, were the heart of this love story and were the reason that I found it so enjoyable. I loved both Santo and Ella, and all their issues they had to work through before they got their happily ever after. I liked how they were stronger together than they were apart, and were there for each other during their lowest moments and cared that they were at their lowest moments and wanting to heal that and just make it better because it hurt so much to see the other in pain. And they could only do that with one another, and I enjoyed seeing that side of their relationship play out. It showed me that their relationship was more than just having a good old time in bed. It was something more even from the very beginning. There was caring involved even though neither wanted to admit and just focus on the their blazing hot sexual chemistry and compatibility.
Ella was great. She was a strong and independent woman, who wanted a career where she could make it on her own without her depending on a man like her mother was dependent on her father for almost thirty years, which was not a good situation being he was and alcoholic and abusive towards her mother, which shaped Ella's views on love and romance. She didn't want to be dependent on a man or give into love where she saw as a weakness and a man having power over her after having witness this in her parent's marriage time and time again. And she hated the abusive relationship that her mother was in and tried several times to get her mother to live with her and away from her father even going so far as making a plan by taking jobs that she didn't enjoy or have passion for but made the most money that she was able to in order to have a nice nest egg so her mother could break away from her father and have the monetary support to allow that. She made that sacrifice for her mother, and showed truly how much she loved her and wanted her out of that situation. She would beg her mother, but no matter what she did her mother wouldn't allow it, but she kept on trying except when it became too much and she knew she had to get away for own sanity and couldn't keep waiting for mother to leave because it might never happened. Ella needed to live her own life, which what brought her into Santo's life ironically when she decided to move from her home country of Australia to Sicily, and that was where story began with Ella interviewing to be Santo's PA.
But I really felt for Ella and enjoyed her as a character. She just had been through so much and never really took the time to heal properly after her traumatic incident and just went straight to work for Santo so she didn't have to deal with her issues. She was hurting, and kept this wall up around herself where she let no one in because she didn't want to get hurt again. I totally get that and I understand it, but it wasn't a healthy way to live or grow as she went on in her day to day life. She needed someone and needed someone to be with her and be there for her and have her recognized that was a weakness, but a strength for her so she wouldn't have a mental breakdown because she had no one to turn to. And luckily Santo was there for her and she was eventually able to open herself up to him and show him the "real" her and be stripped raw with all her vulnerabilities and issues.
Now with Santo, with what he did for Ella, Ella did right back for him. She was there for him during a dark time and he felt he could show her his true self as well. He could be raw and exposed and practically bare for her to see his raw wounds. And he wouldn't have done that for anyone else but her. He knew that he could trust her and knew she was really the only person he could be that way with because he felt that connection to her. He wanted her from the moment they met and gave her the job because of it, but later on he began to develop feelings towards her and wanted her more than anything but knew because she placed a rule on their relationship he couldn't have her so he went out with other women to try and fill the emptiness within him. Only it didn't work and he still pined for Ella, and it killed him that he couldn't have her. Yes, it was more physical than anything but underneath the surface he had feelings for her the whole time and wanted to be close to her and wanted to see the "real" her and just get know her more and more because he craved it. And I loved seeing that, and just how truly smitten he was pretty much from the beginning. Also I could feel his deep want of her, which just oozed off the pages and just had the book sizzling and crackling.
Santo. Santo. OMG. Can I tell you how delicious he was, and on every possible level? He was just a complete alpha male that was hot and sexy and something that had me swooning with his charm and charisma. Just everything about him screamed sex god. Yeah, he was definitely a playboy and knew his way woman, for sure, and he was ashamed by the fact that he was a playboy. He did what he wanted and with who he wanted. He was a very sexual guy. And his sense of humor, good lord, he had that down to a science which just added to his charm. Some of the things he said to Ella was truly outrageous yet he could totally pull off because of his charm and the sexiness he exuded. If he was anyone else, I'm sure he would have been slapped by Ella quite a few times for what was saying with all those sexual innuendos that were trying to lead her to his bed. At first she thought he was playing with her and that was just his persona, and in a way it was, but he totally meant them especially when directed at her. He wanted her in his bed so badly I could practically taste. I couldn't see how Ella didn't see it. It was completely obvious, but I guess she saw that surface of his persona being a playboy and took that to heart. But despite all those salacious things he said to her, it charmed her at the same time and even made her smile because he was teasing her and used his humor to lighten the mood and downplay their attraction, though in my view it only enhanced, but still he used his humor to put her at ease, and it did yet it made her also more aware of him as well as her want for him. It was really entertaining and fun to watch the whole back forth thing as well as how the humor played a role in their relationship and how it became apart of it that worked for them and was uniquely their own. I loved that. It was fun to watch. And it was fun to see what Santo would do next and how he attempted to win her over and finally get her in his arms like he been dying to do for months. It was very funny.
But even though Santos, as well as them as a couple, had many light hearted moments, there were also deep and serious ones as well. He had pain in his life especially with his chaotic family having raised him especially a father who refused to praise him ever. So he used his playboy image as well as humor to hide the hurt and pain that he felt underneath and presented this carefree persona to the world when really he was a mess underneath. It became more apparent and able to be seen when his brother, who he was extremely close with and has a book somewhere in this series, was left at the altar by his bride to be and ran off with their cousin and just how pain that brought Alessandro that he just wanted to go off and be alone. Santo was deeply worried for his brother as well as hurt for him because he really was bonded with him and didn't want to see him in unnecessary pain. Santo felt very deeply and that was very present in the novel not only concerning his brother but Ella as well. He hated that she closed herself off to him, but tried to give her the space that she needed while knowing he needed more and wanted more. He just wanted to be with her and everything that entailed that came with her: the good, the bad and the ugly. He wanted to help her and heal her. More than anything he wanted her trust, and he tried to do everything to make that happened and it hurt whenever she denied him that. So he was very emotionally deep and wanted a deep connection to her that was based on something more than the superficially. He cared and loved with all of his heart.
And I loved seeing that balance with Santo and all the facets of his personality both the light and the dark. It just made him so appealing as a character and made him more real in my eyes as well as helped the fact for me to feel for him and root for him and his happily ever after. I could feel his frustration sometimes with Ella, but he didn't want to not have her in his life yet at the same time he knew that he needed her trust and openness with him so they could make it as a couple otherwise their relationship would have been purely superficial and not deep and meaningful like he wanted and yearned for with her. He was very emotional aware more than many alphas that I have read in the past, which was refreshing, and also that fact he really didn't hide that he was smitten despite the fact Ella couldn't see it, but I could so it, and I loved seeing it. I liked how he opened up with her in order to try to get her to open up. He was just really mature and loving towards her the entire time. Again very refreshing and very nice watch. He was just such a great hero, and I loved him.
Another thing this story had going for it was the love scenes. Had to talk about them, right? They were beyond steamy. Oh my goodness. There was definitely that built up from their first meeting all the way to when they finally gave into their attraction, which was early on in the book, which I wasn't expecting and usually can't when love scenes happened too early in the book, but it worked here. And I was kind of glad they did happen early on. I think the fact that they weren't strangers and had a preexisting relationship where all this tension was going on between them helped as well because I could feel it as well as the emotions coming off of them whenever they were together. The love scenes were just bone melting. And what they did with ice cubes. Whoa. Wasn't expecting that, but enjoyed reading about them. They just had mad chemistry going on and just lit pages on fire. They were very descriptive and made the pulse race that was for sure. But despite the physical there was definitely more behind than that, as I mentioned above, because they did care and want each other on a deeper level and knew that would be brought to the surface once they gave into their attraction, which was partly why she didn't want to give into it. So it wasn't just a bunch of bodies moving against each other. It was about their connection both mind, body, and soul. And I love that in love scenes especially when I can feel that emotional connection and I felt that between Ella and Santo.
I haven't read too many Carol Marinelli books, but if her writing style is anything like this book then sign me up because I am ready to devour more. The way she weaved the love story aspect as well the emotional obstacles along the way before Ella and Santo could get their happily ever after was great. Marinelli knew how to create that emotional tension that I look for while I am reading a book as well as built in the powerful intense emotions that were going in the story. Plus some steamy love scenes, and I am sold. It was just perfect how she weaved everything together to create this wonderful, passionate, and lovely story that any Harlequin Presents reader would enjoy. I don't if all her books are like this and they may not be because this is a continuity and basically writers of those continuity have been given everything like the characters/istics, the settings, the circumstances behind their story, family history, etc. to make it go with the continuity so it makes sense so that could be a reason that I liked this story so much, but I hope not and hope that this story she wrote is just as compelling as her other books. Look forward to finding out.
Also can't wait to read the other books in this continuity especially the one about Alessandro now and see if he gets his happily ever after. I am sure he will. I have read two book as I said, but funnily even though I read this book second and it was book number one, I found I had to write this review first before I attempted to do book two even though I read that one first. Strange I know, but I just had so much to say on this book and just wanted to pour my love into this review much like I loved this book. There was not a single thing wrong with it, and I can't wait to read it again. Because I will. I'll revisit Ella and Santo again and some of their sexy times. They are worth revisiting especially the man himself.
Highly recommend this book for romance readers as well as Harlequin Presents lovers.
What I liked: Everything. More accurately I absolutely loved this book and completely fell in love with it. It was so amazing. The story between sexy Santo and fiercely independent yet vulnerable Ella with deep pains in her past especially after a traumatic event that recently happened in her life.
What I didn't like: Not a thing. Absolutely nothing was wrong with this book, story, or characters. This story was complex and fit so completely together to make this compelling love story that one couldn't help but root for.
Spoilers ahead: beware
So behind in reviews currently, I'm attempting to get through them one by one. See how far I get. Hopefully will be able to review book two in this series right after this one this evening. We will see.
A little background on this before I begin the review. I originally read the second book in the Sicliy's Corretti Dynasty, An Invitation to Sin by Sarah Morgan because I wanted to read a Sarah Morgan book and was kind of intrigued by the synopsis with the heroine a bad girl, movie star that was staging her comeback in the movie that Santo, the hero, from this movie was producing. And since I had read that book before I read this one I didn't know the whole story with Santo. And to be honest from what was presented in book number two, I thought he was a class one jerk and I couldn't see myself liking him at all or rooting for him as the hero in this story. But boy was I proven wrong, and I am totally loving Santo now after reading this book, and he was really the perfect hero for the story. But being that I read this series a little bit out of order my perception for him was very different compared to where he was the star. In book two, I understood why he wanted this movie to work and why it was important to him to bring it life and why he didn't want any scandal surrounding the movie, which was why he was trying to keep control of Taylor, heroine from book two, from going off the rails, but I couldn't understand why he was just an unfeeling jerk about it and basically scalded Taylor for her scandalous behavior, which wasn't even her fault and was due to unluckily circumstances more than anything else, but I digress.
My point being that I wasn't a big fan of Santo, but at the same time I was intrigued about him as well as Ella, who made an appearance in book two as well as the new director taking over the film that Taylor was staring in, and it happens that book one and two overlap in timelines so I kind of knew some things that were going to happen in book one before it actually happened, though not the full circumstances behind it all. Anyway with Ella making an appearance in book two, it made me more and more intrigued by the love story between Ella and Santo, who didn't even seem to have a romantic, intimate relationship, there seemed to be some distance between two that didn't scream warm and fuzzies, which made me question why that was. Were they not in a relationship yet? Were they building towards that as she came onto the flick? What was there relationship like before she became the director. I knew that Santo was her boss and Ella was his trusty PA, who seemed like an odd choice of replacement director. Then questions arose from that as well. They just seem far from a couple than I have ever seen in a book where there was a continuity present. Usually there is some kind of hint or suggestion that they would eventually be together, but there was no evidence in book two, which was kind of strange since Ella and Santo's story was book one, but I understood once I saw that the timelines were very similar and the events happened simultaneously.
But still when I found out that they would be the starring couple in this book, which again intrigued me and wanted me to pick this book up and start reading and see how their love story played out. I was kind of dying to see what happened and I was anxiously awaiting until I could sit down and read this book in one sitting, and let me tell you I wasn't disappointed in the least bit. In fact I was surprised how much I loved it and enjoyed it as much as I did. It was totally worth the way. I was engrossed. Enamored. And just plain marinating in the story as I sucked up each word in the book and became just utterly consumed with it, and thoroughly loving it from page one to the epilogue. There's just not enough good things that I could say about it.
It really had the winning formula to the story that I enjoy from reading romance novels. It was intense. Passionate. Full of emotional issues that tugged on the heart strings. Both wounded hero and heroine alike with the heroine having both physical and emotional scars from the traumatic event that changed her view of the world and her ability to trust others and vow to keep to herself so that she was "safe" from being hurt again. There was angst, though maybe a little on the thin side, but that was okay because in this instance it worked because of the deep emotional issues that were going on as well as the trust issues that made up for that adding to the drama as well as causing the hero and heroine to clash and kept them apart for a lot of book. So that I didn't have an issue with when usually I would. But I was just so into the emotional journey of it all and so engrossed in it that I felt every wound and emotional torment that was going on for both Santo and Ella alike. That just added to the intensity of it all. Plus thrown in a "rival" for the heart of Santo, which created distrust and doubt in Ella, making her question whether she could trust him and whether or not she was enough for him or was it really all just about the physical for him and just the pain she went through from her own doubts. And that lead to misunderstandings along the way and pulled them further apart. I love misunderstandings they just up the tension on so many levels that it was great to watch and see it all play out. Also the fact that they had a preexisting relationship where Ella could see Santo and his wild ways, and vowing never to be his good time girl because she seen it so much before in the past and how he left broken hearts in his wake, and she didn't want to be one of them despite the fact she had feelings for him, but she didn't want to be hurt by him so she stayed away and kept a distance from him even though she was yearning for him for so long. Plus he wasn't exactly indifferent to her either and definitely had some unrequited feelings and want coming her way, which again adds to the lovely tension, which I loved seeing. So there was that back and forth there while denying each other that they truly wanted each other but neither of them knowing nor how serious it was for the other. So that was great to see that play out as well with those underlying emotions going on. And finally the winning formula that works for me every time is a likable/rootable hero and heroine, and this story definitely had that with Santo and Ella.
The characters, as they should be, were the heart of this love story and were the reason that I found it so enjoyable. I loved both Santo and Ella, and all their issues they had to work through before they got their happily ever after. I liked how they were stronger together than they were apart, and were there for each other during their lowest moments and cared that they were at their lowest moments and wanting to heal that and just make it better because it hurt so much to see the other in pain. And they could only do that with one another, and I enjoyed seeing that side of their relationship play out. It showed me that their relationship was more than just having a good old time in bed. It was something more even from the very beginning. There was caring involved even though neither wanted to admit and just focus on the their blazing hot sexual chemistry and compatibility.
Ella was great. She was a strong and independent woman, who wanted a career where she could make it on her own without her depending on a man like her mother was dependent on her father for almost thirty years, which was not a good situation being he was and alcoholic and abusive towards her mother, which shaped Ella's views on love and romance. She didn't want to be dependent on a man or give into love where she saw as a weakness and a man having power over her after having witness this in her parent's marriage time and time again. And she hated the abusive relationship that her mother was in and tried several times to get her mother to live with her and away from her father even going so far as making a plan by taking jobs that she didn't enjoy or have passion for but made the most money that she was able to in order to have a nice nest egg so her mother could break away from her father and have the monetary support to allow that. She made that sacrifice for her mother, and showed truly how much she loved her and wanted her out of that situation. She would beg her mother, but no matter what she did her mother wouldn't allow it, but she kept on trying except when it became too much and she knew she had to get away for own sanity and couldn't keep waiting for mother to leave because it might never happened. Ella needed to live her own life, which what brought her into Santo's life ironically when she decided to move from her home country of Australia to Sicily, and that was where story began with Ella interviewing to be Santo's PA.
But I really felt for Ella and enjoyed her as a character. She just had been through so much and never really took the time to heal properly after her traumatic incident and just went straight to work for Santo so she didn't have to deal with her issues. She was hurting, and kept this wall up around herself where she let no one in because she didn't want to get hurt again. I totally get that and I understand it, but it wasn't a healthy way to live or grow as she went on in her day to day life. She needed someone and needed someone to be with her and be there for her and have her recognized that was a weakness, but a strength for her so she wouldn't have a mental breakdown because she had no one to turn to. And luckily Santo was there for her and she was eventually able to open herself up to him and show him the "real" her and be stripped raw with all her vulnerabilities and issues.
Now with Santo, with what he did for Ella, Ella did right back for him. She was there for him during a dark time and he felt he could show her his true self as well. He could be raw and exposed and practically bare for her to see his raw wounds. And he wouldn't have done that for anyone else but her. He knew that he could trust her and knew she was really the only person he could be that way with because he felt that connection to her. He wanted her from the moment they met and gave her the job because of it, but later on he began to develop feelings towards her and wanted her more than anything but knew because she placed a rule on their relationship he couldn't have her so he went out with other women to try and fill the emptiness within him. Only it didn't work and he still pined for Ella, and it killed him that he couldn't have her. Yes, it was more physical than anything but underneath the surface he had feelings for her the whole time and wanted to be close to her and wanted to see the "real" her and just get know her more and more because he craved it. And I loved seeing that, and just how truly smitten he was pretty much from the beginning. Also I could feel his deep want of her, which just oozed off the pages and just had the book sizzling and crackling.
Santo. Santo. OMG. Can I tell you how delicious he was, and on every possible level? He was just a complete alpha male that was hot and sexy and something that had me swooning with his charm and charisma. Just everything about him screamed sex god. Yeah, he was definitely a playboy and knew his way woman, for sure, and he was ashamed by the fact that he was a playboy. He did what he wanted and with who he wanted. He was a very sexual guy. And his sense of humor, good lord, he had that down to a science which just added to his charm. Some of the things he said to Ella was truly outrageous yet he could totally pull off because of his charm and the sexiness he exuded. If he was anyone else, I'm sure he would have been slapped by Ella quite a few times for what was saying with all those sexual innuendos that were trying to lead her to his bed. At first she thought he was playing with her and that was just his persona, and in a way it was, but he totally meant them especially when directed at her. He wanted her in his bed so badly I could practically taste. I couldn't see how Ella didn't see it. It was completely obvious, but I guess she saw that surface of his persona being a playboy and took that to heart. But despite all those salacious things he said to her, it charmed her at the same time and even made her smile because he was teasing her and used his humor to lighten the mood and downplay their attraction, though in my view it only enhanced, but still he used his humor to put her at ease, and it did yet it made her also more aware of him as well as her want for him. It was really entertaining and fun to watch the whole back forth thing as well as how the humor played a role in their relationship and how it became apart of it that worked for them and was uniquely their own. I loved that. It was fun to watch. And it was fun to see what Santo would do next and how he attempted to win her over and finally get her in his arms like he been dying to do for months. It was very funny.
But even though Santos, as well as them as a couple, had many light hearted moments, there were also deep and serious ones as well. He had pain in his life especially with his chaotic family having raised him especially a father who refused to praise him ever. So he used his playboy image as well as humor to hide the hurt and pain that he felt underneath and presented this carefree persona to the world when really he was a mess underneath. It became more apparent and able to be seen when his brother, who he was extremely close with and has a book somewhere in this series, was left at the altar by his bride to be and ran off with their cousin and just how pain that brought Alessandro that he just wanted to go off and be alone. Santo was deeply worried for his brother as well as hurt for him because he really was bonded with him and didn't want to see him in unnecessary pain. Santo felt very deeply and that was very present in the novel not only concerning his brother but Ella as well. He hated that she closed herself off to him, but tried to give her the space that she needed while knowing he needed more and wanted more. He just wanted to be with her and everything that entailed that came with her: the good, the bad and the ugly. He wanted to help her and heal her. More than anything he wanted her trust, and he tried to do everything to make that happened and it hurt whenever she denied him that. So he was very emotionally deep and wanted a deep connection to her that was based on something more than the superficially. He cared and loved with all of his heart.
And I loved seeing that balance with Santo and all the facets of his personality both the light and the dark. It just made him so appealing as a character and made him more real in my eyes as well as helped the fact for me to feel for him and root for him and his happily ever after. I could feel his frustration sometimes with Ella, but he didn't want to not have her in his life yet at the same time he knew that he needed her trust and openness with him so they could make it as a couple otherwise their relationship would have been purely superficial and not deep and meaningful like he wanted and yearned for with her. He was very emotional aware more than many alphas that I have read in the past, which was refreshing, and also that fact he really didn't hide that he was smitten despite the fact Ella couldn't see it, but I could so it, and I loved seeing it. I liked how he opened up with her in order to try to get her to open up. He was just really mature and loving towards her the entire time. Again very refreshing and very nice watch. He was just such a great hero, and I loved him.
Another thing this story had going for it was the love scenes. Had to talk about them, right? They were beyond steamy. Oh my goodness. There was definitely that built up from their first meeting all the way to when they finally gave into their attraction, which was early on in the book, which I wasn't expecting and usually can't when love scenes happened too early in the book, but it worked here. And I was kind of glad they did happen early on. I think the fact that they weren't strangers and had a preexisting relationship where all this tension was going on between them helped as well because I could feel it as well as the emotions coming off of them whenever they were together. The love scenes were just bone melting. And what they did with ice cubes. Whoa. Wasn't expecting that, but enjoyed reading about them. They just had mad chemistry going on and just lit pages on fire. They were very descriptive and made the pulse race that was for sure. But despite the physical there was definitely more behind than that, as I mentioned above, because they did care and want each other on a deeper level and knew that would be brought to the surface once they gave into their attraction, which was partly why she didn't want to give into it. So it wasn't just a bunch of bodies moving against each other. It was about their connection both mind, body, and soul. And I love that in love scenes especially when I can feel that emotional connection and I felt that between Ella and Santo.
I haven't read too many Carol Marinelli books, but if her writing style is anything like this book then sign me up because I am ready to devour more. The way she weaved the love story aspect as well the emotional obstacles along the way before Ella and Santo could get their happily ever after was great. Marinelli knew how to create that emotional tension that I look for while I am reading a book as well as built in the powerful intense emotions that were going in the story. Plus some steamy love scenes, and I am sold. It was just perfect how she weaved everything together to create this wonderful, passionate, and lovely story that any Harlequin Presents reader would enjoy. I don't if all her books are like this and they may not be because this is a continuity and basically writers of those continuity have been given everything like the characters/istics, the settings, the circumstances behind their story, family history, etc. to make it go with the continuity so it makes sense so that could be a reason that I liked this story so much, but I hope not and hope that this story she wrote is just as compelling as her other books. Look forward to finding out.
Also can't wait to read the other books in this continuity especially the one about Alessandro now and see if he gets his happily ever after. I am sure he will. I have read two book as I said, but funnily even though I read this book second and it was book number one, I found I had to write this review first before I attempted to do book two even though I read that one first. Strange I know, but I just had so much to say on this book and just wanted to pour my love into this review much like I loved this book. There was not a single thing wrong with it, and I can't wait to read it again. Because I will. I'll revisit Ella and Santo again and some of their sexy times. They are worth revisiting especially the man himself.
Highly recommend this book for romance readers as well as Harlequin Presents lovers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2013
Clearly, I am a biased reader since I'm also a Presents author and I've written the seventh story in this series. But I really enjoyed this book! Carol Marinelli writes with passion and intensity and I loved it! I know what all the stories are about because I worked with the other authors -- and yet hearing what it is and seeing it done are two different things. I love the playboy trope, and I thought Santo was awesome. I wanted Ella to be a little more forthcoming with him, but she did it in her own time and it was great.
March 18, 2013
Families no matter how rich or how poor all have secrets. Some secrets can tear the family apart and it can take years to repair the damage, other secrets can destroy lives to the point of no return and never to be undone.
But such secrets all have the same effect, they emotionally and physically destroy the person from the inside,and can make them cold-hearted and unfeeling.
In this read I was shown by the author that secrets are sometimes a good thing, but also when the right person comes along they will show you that it is time for those some secrets to be revealed in order to start a healing process.
The characters of Ella and Santo were both well written and easy to connect to. I liked that Ella is so efficient in using her "Santo bag" to solve the problems of the very sexy wrap-your-ankles-around-me-and-I'll -show-you-heaven-Santo, but also that the author brings her to a point where no amount of tricks from the bag can safe her from what lies ahead.
I really liked that the author took Santo and peeled back his secret layers, thus showing the bad-boy reforming to a man of true worth.
The backdrop setting was truly magical and very calming at times, but also bordered on the disturbing level but in a good way as this showed that the author projected her characters emotions of confusion through the chaos that is shown in the background.
The dialogue was very emotional in the sense that there was almost no time for fun or play for these characters, just one emotional crisis after the other.This however did not take away any of the book's sexiness, romance or passion as the author used it to her advantage, and brought me to tears so bad had anyone been watching me they would have thought someone in the book had just died. Yes I cried that bad!
This sensual level of this read was amazing as the author really revved up the heat between Santo and Ella. Being a continuing series the author perfectly captured the ending by leaving room for these characters to return at a later stage in a upcoming book.
I recommend this read for all Carol Marinelli fans that knows this author always delivers and ensures that her endings are heartfelt and magical.
5/5 star review
" Secrets are meant to be revealed in order for love to be found"
January 23, 2024
I loved this one, Carol has created a great couple in Santo and Elle. I loved them both and was totally engaged in their story. Carol creates believable and interesting characters and develops their stories is a sympathetic and realistic way. The sex scenes are always beautifully written. The dialogue is witty and intelligent. I cheered at the end of this one. The Corretti stories are all excellent but I think this one is my favourite!
February 21, 2017
Ella is hired by Italian Santo Corretti to be his personal assistant. She becomes so much more.
The only good thing about this book involved ice cubes.
====================================
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would!
Would I read this author again? Yes, I would!
The only good thing about this book involved ice cubes.
====================================
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would!
Would I read this author again? Yes, I would!
August 3, 2022
Me ha gustado la historia como lo que es, una historia sin pretensiones, pero bonita con sentimientos. Lo único que me ha faltado es un poco más de realismo, porque hay partes bastante imposibles.
Elia es una mujer marcada por un pasado doloroso y le cuesta mucho confiar.
Santo guarda muchos secretos y no los acaba revelando todos.
Los dos se enfrentan a cambios en sus vidas al conocerse, pero hay una parte que para mi gusto falta, un poco más de explicación de cómo son sus primeros meses. Pero el final es precioso.
Elia es una mujer marcada por un pasado doloroso y le cuesta mucho confiar.
Santo guarda muchos secretos y no los acaba revelando todos.
Los dos se enfrentan a cambios en sus vidas al conocerse, pero hay una parte que para mi gusto falta, un poco más de explicación de cómo son sus primeros meses. Pero el final es precioso.
March 18, 2017
At the top of her game, Carol Marinelli delivers: emotional depth, her unique take on emotional conflict, passionate love scenes and flawed characters with depth and originality.
That said I’m not a fan of the Boss / PA trope and the playboy isn’t a favourite hero of mine—although in the right hands he can win me over….
The opening didn’t immediately grab me either. If not for the emotional depth it would have been nothing out of the ordinary. But without it, Ella could have come across as heartless or unheroinelike. Instead she appears strong and her emotional past makes me understand her and root for her even when she’s occasionally being annoying! It also gives the beginning some dark toned realism to counterpoint the glamour-to-come. So the ordinariness does work here. I’m disorientated slightly when the story jumps to 4 months later with Ella working for Santo, denying me their first reactions to each other in real time—which is one of my favourite bits in a romance.
If I didn’t immediately connect with Ella—although importantly I understood her—I reserved judgement on Santo as well. He obviously has family issues. And how! Wanting to find out what those issues are and anticipating his reaction to Ella’s dark secret keeps you reading.
I think I fell hard for Santo during their discussion over the film script and during their lovemaking. I love that he’s a film producer and Ella’s dream job is to direct, and that they are able to discuss scripts. And I love that the leading lady in Santo’s movie is the heroine of Sarah Morgan's Invitation to Sin.
As mentioned before, passionate love scenes are a strength of Carol’s writing. They also totally fit the characters which makes them original. And I love how the lovemaking and the emotion-driven dialogue are entwined and Ella and Santo’s deepening connection is shown through their passion and their dialogue.
I love that Santo wears his mistakes for the world to see. Whereas Ella wears make up to hide her emotional bruises.
I love that Santo makes Ella realise that moving away from your problems doesn’t mean you leave them behind.
The author’s unique way with emotional conflict means the ending feels very real and that realness makes you believe in Ella and Santo’s Happy Ever After. Even though Santo is still keeping a lot of Corretti family secrets that can’t be revealed in the first book of the mini series. So I didn’t get the feeling that all his issues were resolved, more that he was in a better place to deal with them. I love that the reformed Santo doesn’t come wrapped in a bow, but although he freely admits to keeping family secrets under wraps, he also never lies.
A Legacy of Secrets marries gritty realism with Sicilian glamour. And if this Corretti headliner sets the tone for the rest, then we’re promised more dark, tortured and scandalous.
http://suechild.co.uk/post/5195131654...
That said I’m not a fan of the Boss / PA trope and the playboy isn’t a favourite hero of mine—although in the right hands he can win me over….
The opening didn’t immediately grab me either. If not for the emotional depth it would have been nothing out of the ordinary. But without it, Ella could have come across as heartless or unheroinelike. Instead she appears strong and her emotional past makes me understand her and root for her even when she’s occasionally being annoying! It also gives the beginning some dark toned realism to counterpoint the glamour-to-come. So the ordinariness does work here. I’m disorientated slightly when the story jumps to 4 months later with Ella working for Santo, denying me their first reactions to each other in real time—which is one of my favourite bits in a romance.
If I didn’t immediately connect with Ella—although importantly I understood her—I reserved judgement on Santo as well. He obviously has family issues. And how! Wanting to find out what those issues are and anticipating his reaction to Ella’s dark secret keeps you reading.
I think I fell hard for Santo during their discussion over the film script and during their lovemaking. I love that he’s a film producer and Ella’s dream job is to direct, and that they are able to discuss scripts. And I love that the leading lady in Santo’s movie is the heroine of Sarah Morgan's Invitation to Sin.
As mentioned before, passionate love scenes are a strength of Carol’s writing. They also totally fit the characters which makes them original. And I love how the lovemaking and the emotion-driven dialogue are entwined and Ella and Santo’s deepening connection is shown through their passion and their dialogue.
I love that Santo wears his mistakes for the world to see. Whereas Ella wears make up to hide her emotional bruises.
I love that Santo makes Ella realise that moving away from your problems doesn’t mean you leave them behind.
The author’s unique way with emotional conflict means the ending feels very real and that realness makes you believe in Ella and Santo’s Happy Ever After. Even though Santo is still keeping a lot of Corretti family secrets that can’t be revealed in the first book of the mini series. So I didn’t get the feeling that all his issues were resolved, more that he was in a better place to deal with them. I love that the reformed Santo doesn’t come wrapped in a bow, but although he freely admits to keeping family secrets under wraps, he also never lies.
A Legacy of Secrets marries gritty realism with Sicilian glamour. And if this Corretti headliner sets the tone for the rest, then we’re promised more dark, tortured and scandalous.
http://suechild.co.uk/post/5195131654...
May 13, 2013
A Legacy Of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
This is the first book in Sicily's Corretti Dynasty Series. There is a prequel available for free by Carol Marinelli titled Uncovering The Correttis.
Ella has decided to escape her nightmare life in Australia, and travel to Sicily to have a fresh start. Embarrassed by her families dark secret she is praying no one discovers the truth. She is determined to make a name for herself in the film industry as a director, and will let nothing get in her way, not even her boss that she has been attracted to since the first day they met. I really felt for Ella's character in more ways than one.
Santo Corretti goes though women and PA's faster than you can blink your eyes. Santo's being attractive and rich has women throwing themselves at him. So there is never a shortage. He has been attracted to Ella since the day she first walked in looking for work. Ella might not be the best personal assistant he has ever had, but she seems to always have her "Santo Bag" ready when needed. But Ella is the one woman he can't stop thinking about, maybe because she refuses to be just another one night stand.
Accepting a new job, Ella gives into the passion that has been brewing for months between these two. But will she be able to walk away when the time comes. And let me tells you Carol Marinelli writes some really good passionate scenes. I mean WOW ... Good thing there was some ice. The bedroom might have caught fire otherwise.
I was unsure how this story was going to resolve, but was very pleased with the outcome. Santo went from a player to a Hero by the end of this book.
Looking forward to reading the entire series that is listed below.
A Legacy Of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
An Invitation To Sin by Sarah Morgan
A Shadow Of Guilt by Abby Green
An Inheritance Of Shame by Kate Hewitt
A Whisper Of Disgrace by Sharon Kendrick
A Facade To Shatter by Lynn Raye Harris
A Scandal In The Headlines by Caitlin Crews
A Hunger For The Forbidden by Maisey Yates
5/5 stars
This is the first book in Sicily's Corretti Dynasty Series. There is a prequel available for free by Carol Marinelli titled Uncovering The Correttis.
Ella has decided to escape her nightmare life in Australia, and travel to Sicily to have a fresh start. Embarrassed by her families dark secret she is praying no one discovers the truth. She is determined to make a name for herself in the film industry as a director, and will let nothing get in her way, not even her boss that she has been attracted to since the first day they met. I really felt for Ella's character in more ways than one.
Santo Corretti goes though women and PA's faster than you can blink your eyes. Santo's being attractive and rich has women throwing themselves at him. So there is never a shortage. He has been attracted to Ella since the day she first walked in looking for work. Ella might not be the best personal assistant he has ever had, but she seems to always have her "Santo Bag" ready when needed. But Ella is the one woman he can't stop thinking about, maybe because she refuses to be just another one night stand.
Accepting a new job, Ella gives into the passion that has been brewing for months between these two. But will she be able to walk away when the time comes. And let me tells you Carol Marinelli writes some really good passionate scenes. I mean WOW ... Good thing there was some ice. The bedroom might have caught fire otherwise.
I was unsure how this story was going to resolve, but was very pleased with the outcome. Santo went from a player to a Hero by the end of this book.
Looking forward to reading the entire series that is listed below.
A Legacy Of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
An Invitation To Sin by Sarah Morgan
A Shadow Of Guilt by Abby Green
An Inheritance Of Shame by Kate Hewitt
A Whisper Of Disgrace by Sharon Kendrick
A Facade To Shatter by Lynn Raye Harris
A Scandal In The Headlines by Caitlin Crews
A Hunger For The Forbidden by Maisey Yates
5/5 stars
May 11, 2013
First book of Sicily's Corretti Dynasty series.
Normally, I'd give 3 stars for this kind of story. But somehow I was quite drawn to this one. Maybe because I always like this kind of theme. An arrogant playboy boss and his PA. And those ridiculous requests and orders. I really liked the idea of 'Santo Bag'. :))
It's just that sometimes both characters can be very annoying. I can't find the exact words yet. But I kinda liked the fact that I can go like and dislike both hero and heroine, in good terms. Well, everyone has their own flaws. Sure, there's an family issue from both heroine and hero. Or else, there won't be a story. :D
What I liked from this novel:
- the fact that the heroine didn't drool over him from the very beginning. Perhaps the chemistry, the lust, the desire, was there. But they went through it just fine. It just took one 'incident' to make both come clean about what they actually felt toward each other.
- it's about family. Big one. And I just can't wait to read the rest.
- the part when Ella told Santo about her 'Santo bag' and showed him what's inside, and Santo realized that she's been jealous all this time. :D
Now, hop on to the next book: An Invitation to Sin from Sarah Morgan
e-arc from NetGalley provided by Harlequin.
Normally, I'd give 3 stars for this kind of story. But somehow I was quite drawn to this one. Maybe because I always like this kind of theme. An arrogant playboy boss and his PA. And those ridiculous requests and orders. I really liked the idea of 'Santo Bag'. :))
It's just that sometimes both characters can be very annoying. I can't find the exact words yet. But I kinda liked the fact that I can go like and dislike both hero and heroine, in good terms. Well, everyone has their own flaws. Sure, there's an family issue from both heroine and hero. Or else, there won't be a story. :D
What I liked from this novel:
- the fact that the heroine didn't drool over him from the very beginning. Perhaps the chemistry, the lust, the desire, was there. But they went through it just fine. It just took one 'incident' to make both come clean about what they actually felt toward each other.
- it's about family. Big one. And I just can't wait to read the rest.
- the part when Ella told Santo about her 'Santo bag' and showed him what's inside, and Santo realized that she's been jealous all this time. :D
Now, hop on to the next book: An Invitation to Sin from Sarah Morgan
e-arc from NetGalley provided by Harlequin.
April 21, 2013
Considering the set-up and setting, the book is nowhere near as dark and melodramatic as you'd expect. It's pretty light (with dark accents), and the dynamic between the hero and heroine didn't seem conventional to me. Overall, it was very enjoyable, particularly because the hero seems unusual. He's rich, but there's an element of screw-up in him that you don't normally see in HPs. Not a major screw-up, but a bit - enough to make him seem almost human. I'd probably give it 3.5 stars, despite the inevitable traces of sequel-bait. But I'm going to push it to 4 stars, just because the hero makes a comment about how he's unlikely to sleep with his new male PA - but "never say never." So nice, especially in contrast to another recent HP in which the hero was offended at being thought homosexual.
August 4, 2013
Rating 3.5 stars
Okay the hero came across as a sex crazed pig most of the book and the heroine was pretty closed off but for some reason I enjoyed the book.
To be honest I am sure the hero was a walking talking STD and it was weird that the heroine would sleep with him seeing as his PA having witnessed his super slutty behaviour. Plus he was cheap as well and a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen, as he had always slept with his PA's the heroine having rejected that possibility early on.
But somehow she sleeps with him. It also jarred me that she expected him to give her the post of the director without her having any experience. Overall I felt that it was weird she suddenly fell for him. The love part didn't ring that true to me.
Okay the hero came across as a sex crazed pig most of the book and the heroine was pretty closed off but for some reason I enjoyed the book.
To be honest I am sure the hero was a walking talking STD and it was weird that the heroine would sleep with him seeing as his PA having witnessed his super slutty behaviour. Plus he was cheap as well and a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen, as he had always slept with his PA's the heroine having rejected that possibility early on.
But somehow she sleeps with him. It also jarred me that she expected him to give her the post of the director without her having any experience. Overall I felt that it was weird she suddenly fell for him. The love part didn't ring that true to me.
April 17, 2016
UPDATED APRIL 2016: First read in June 2013 I decided last week I wanted to re read the story in this series where we discover WHY the bride Alissa runs away from her wedding but to do it true justice i believe you really need to re-read the entire series before you get to "the one". A Legacy of Secrets is Book One and I enjoyed every page. I think I even liked Santo more and having read the whole series I understood more about the background stuff that is cleaverly revealed thru the exciting story. A fast paced story where Ella decides to chuck in her PA job to movie producer Santo and fullfill her life dream of being a director. Knowing she's about to resign she decides to let her built up walls down and let herself have a night with Santo. Neither of them calculated in their feelings or all the other chaotic things going on in their private lives and while A Legacy of Secrets reveals hints of secrets in the exciting stories to come both Ella and Santo need to learnn if they can come together and be together both personally and professionally. Ive upgraded my rating from a 4 to 5 star. I felt A Legacy of Secrets was exciting, emotional, jam packed with "moments" and an exceptional opener for what is to come.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Book one of the Corretti Dynasty (unless you include the fab prequel) where we meet Santo who is currently producing a film which by the way, stars a Book II main character, Taylor. Santo is used to wearing out his PA's in more way than one which is why they never last. Ella has never fallen for Santo's charm and it's probably why they've lasted so long working together.
The book opens when Ella gets the usual early morning call from Santo to pick him up from some ungodly place and this time Ella needs to drive him and his brother who's just been left at the aisle back to Santo's apartment. It's all on, things are so chaotic that Ella doesn't really have time or can find the right time to break it to Santo she's moving on. Ella's dream is to be a director and she's getting zilch support from Santo so makes a break and decides to look after number one. Whether it's because she knows she's leaving Santo or whether he catches her in a weak moment they spend a magical night together. Due to circumstances beyond his control Santo ends up letting Ella take over the director's role. In amongst all this we learn about Santo, what makes him tick, characters that feature in further stories about the Corretti's and the deep seated family loyalty Ella feel's obligated to uphold when she has to face what her family may think if they know she's "sort of" seeing a Corretti.
Book One and Two are a match made in heaven, both assist in helping you understand each character and where their head's at. The points of view fantastic and the background stories are like little pieces of jigsaw that all fit together in the end. In saying that you can read each story as a stand alone or in order, it doesn't matter. I read this one 4th and every little piece of information is like a jem of understanding.
I love continuity stories, especially the Bad Blood (Notorious Wolves) series but this one, I have to say is the BEST YET!!!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Book one of the Corretti Dynasty (unless you include the fab prequel) where we meet Santo who is currently producing a film which by the way, stars a Book II main character, Taylor. Santo is used to wearing out his PA's in more way than one which is why they never last. Ella has never fallen for Santo's charm and it's probably why they've lasted so long working together.
The book opens when Ella gets the usual early morning call from Santo to pick him up from some ungodly place and this time Ella needs to drive him and his brother who's just been left at the aisle back to Santo's apartment. It's all on, things are so chaotic that Ella doesn't really have time or can find the right time to break it to Santo she's moving on. Ella's dream is to be a director and she's getting zilch support from Santo so makes a break and decides to look after number one. Whether it's because she knows she's leaving Santo or whether he catches her in a weak moment they spend a magical night together. Due to circumstances beyond his control Santo ends up letting Ella take over the director's role. In amongst all this we learn about Santo, what makes him tick, characters that feature in further stories about the Corretti's and the deep seated family loyalty Ella feel's obligated to uphold when she has to face what her family may think if they know she's "sort of" seeing a Corretti.
Book One and Two are a match made in heaven, both assist in helping you understand each character and where their head's at. The points of view fantastic and the background stories are like little pieces of jigsaw that all fit together in the end. In saying that you can read each story as a stand alone or in order, it doesn't matter. I read this one 4th and every little piece of information is like a jem of understanding.
I love continuity stories, especially the Bad Blood (Notorious Wolves) series but this one, I have to say is the BEST YET!!!
May 22, 2013
I tend to like storylines of admin/PA heroines working for alpha male bosses, and this was a great one. The heroine is efficient at her job but opens herself up to passion while hiding the deep scars of her past. The hero is a playboy who learns to open his heart to real love.
I have to admit the head hopping in the writing style made it rather confusing, especially in the last quarter of the book, but the characters were very well developed and the romance had good emotional conflict. The external conflict flowed naturally from the storyline and wasn't contrived. The ending was great!
I can't wait to read more of the Correttis!
Received ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit the head hopping in the writing style made it rather confusing, especially in the last quarter of the book, but the characters were very well developed and the romance had good emotional conflict. The external conflict flowed naturally from the storyline and wasn't contrived. The ending was great!
I can't wait to read more of the Correttis!
Received ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2021
I really wanted to like this, I really did.
The set-up seemed great, but the characters just didn't work for me.
I couldn't get past the fact that the heroine got a plum director's post purely for sleeping with the head of the film company (hero). I really really hate women who do that. She had zero experience and yet she felt so entitled, above all the people who had achieved their way into that position over years.
She got it, with no experience, by sleeping with someone important. I don't think she even had any technical training in how to make films - just her dreams as a little girl. Seriously.
Meh. Women like that in professional life give all women a bad name.
And the hero just seemed sleazy. I know the film industry is notorious for poor behaviour but a guy who sleeps with every one of his PAs including the heroine just seems icky to me.
The heroine's horrible parents stressed me out. I can't understand a mother who would condone what happened to the heroine.
I didn't like any of the characters.
I'm sorry I didn't like it when everyone else did.
The set-up seemed great, but the characters just didn't work for me.
I couldn't get past the fact that the heroine got a plum director's post purely for sleeping with the head of the film company (hero). I really really hate women who do that. She had zero experience and yet she felt so entitled, above all the people who had achieved their way into that position over years.
She got it, with no experience, by sleeping with someone important. I don't think she even had any technical training in how to make films - just her dreams as a little girl. Seriously.
Meh. Women like that in professional life give all women a bad name.
And the hero just seemed sleazy. I know the film industry is notorious for poor behaviour but a guy who sleeps with every one of his PAs including the heroine just seems icky to me.
The heroine's horrible parents stressed me out. I can't understand a mother who would condone what happened to the heroine.
I didn't like any of the characters.
I'm sorry I didn't like it when everyone else did.
July 10, 2013
This is the 1st book in the Coretti family series. They're all written by different authors & that's sometimes a mistake IMO.
I read the Sarah Morgan story, which is 2nd in the series first. In that story, Santo came across to me as a serious, driven, mature man. He's actually a shallow playboy in CMs book, which is a shame. He could have been actually more like Sarah Morgan's interpretation & been a far more interesting character. Instead, we get the same old trope about the hardworking PA, who falls for her careless, shallow boss. Of course he's rich & handsome, who'd fall in love with a regular guy? Of course they both have secrets. Just not a very interesting story.
I read the Sarah Morgan story, which is 2nd in the series first. In that story, Santo came across to me as a serious, driven, mature man. He's actually a shallow playboy in CMs book, which is a shame. He could have been actually more like Sarah Morgan's interpretation & been a far more interesting character. Instead, we get the same old trope about the hardworking PA, who falls for her careless, shallow boss. Of course he's rich & handsome, who'd fall in love with a regular guy? Of course they both have secrets. Just not a very interesting story.
June 3, 2013
I liked this one. Santo is a member of the infamous Corretti family which is riddled with scandal. Santo didn't have a huge secret, but he was huge playboy. When his PA, Ella, ends up breaking her own rule of not sleeping with him, the end up confessing hidden feelings of love(after a typical interim of not being together and misunderstanding about something else). I'm curious about the rest of the family and am anxious for the release of their stories :)
June 4, 2021
Personal assistant Ella is never without her "Santo Bag"—not the latest designer "must have," but emergency supplies to handle whatever the devilish Santo Corretti throws at her. But no pair of sunglasses will cover the darkness in her boss's eyes this morning.
Scandal is circling. Santo's family is in tatters. His brother is languishing in a jail cell and his latest film's on the rocks. All Santo wants is a little TLC. Except, Ella's heart is not part of the playboy fix-it kit.
Scandal is circling. Santo's family is in tatters. His brother is languishing in a jail cell and his latest film's on the rocks. All Santo wants is a little TLC. Except, Ella's heart is not part of the playboy fix-it kit.
April 22, 2013
I really liked this book. The first book in Corretti Dynasty series, loved Santo a lot, he is arrogant yes but he also cares for Ella. The chemistry between Santo and Ella is very good.
I don't know why but I found Ella changing her mind often very cute and sexy and the way Santo deals with her is also cute.
I don't know why but I found Ella changing her mind often very cute and sexy and the way Santo deals with her is also cute.
September 1, 2013
I would probably have not read this if I had not gotten it as a part of a reader panel. I thought I'd try something different.
A thoroughly dislikeable couple, a storyline that was not as interesting as the back cover copy, and worst of all, it felt poorly edited to me.
Did not enjoy this one at all.
A thoroughly dislikeable couple, a storyline that was not as interesting as the back cover copy, and worst of all, it felt poorly edited to me.
Did not enjoy this one at all.
October 15, 2014
The first book in the series about Sicily’s Corretti Dynasty by various authors.
A LEGACY OF SECRETS—Carol Marinelli
AN INVITATION TO SIN—Sarah Morgan
A SHADOW OF GUILT—Abby Green
AN INHERITANCE OF SHAME—Kate Hewitt
A WHISPER OF DISGRACE—Sharon Kendrick
A FACADE TO SHATTER—Lynn Raye Harris
A SCANDAL IN THE HEADLINES—Caitlin Crews
A HUNGER FOR THE FORBIDDEN—Maisey Yates
A LEGACY OF SECRETS—Carol Marinelli
AN INVITATION TO SIN—Sarah Morgan
A SHADOW OF GUILT—Abby Green
AN INHERITANCE OF SHAME—Kate Hewitt
A WHISPER OF DISGRACE—Sharon Kendrick
A FACADE TO SHATTER—Lynn Raye Harris
A SCANDAL IN THE HEADLINES—Caitlin Crews
A HUNGER FOR THE FORBIDDEN—Maisey Yates
April 5, 2013
I laughed a lot in this one. Some of it, a lot of it was very emotional but there was some funny/romantic parts as well that made me laugh, giggle and smile. It was all around a decent and good novel to read.
January 23, 2014
Normally, this would be a 3 stars but the scene with the ice cubes was hotter than the whole Fifty Shades of Gray trilogy so it became a 4 stars for me. Now I can't wait to read the rest of the Corretti's books.
April 14, 2013
One of the best Harlequin's I have read in quite a while.....Full review to follow.
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley
April 23, 2019
Liked the woman a great deal, and the guy was pretty decent too.
June 14, 2018
Ahh, TLC = Tender Loving Care, I didn't know that this is a type of short form, till now, hee hee.
The first M&B I have read where the male protagonist cries (otherwise, I was starting to think that they are not humans). Many a times, it reminded me of the movie 'Two Weeks Notice'.
Not for the first time Ella wondered what it would be like to have a sibling, how it might feel to have someone in your corner - for how it hurt to deal with her parents alone.
Aww, I heart you, Ella. I completely get her, the occasional pangs of being a single child.
Loved the humor, and the ending, and the epilogue as well.
The first M&B I have read where the male protagonist cries (otherwise, I was starting to think that they are not humans). Many a times, it reminded me of the movie 'Two Weeks Notice'.
Not for the first time Ella wondered what it would be like to have a sibling, how it might feel to have someone in your corner - for how it hurt to deal with her parents alone.
Aww, I heart you, Ella. I completely get her, the occasional pangs of being a single child.
Loved the humor, and the ending, and the epilogue as well.
January 25, 2018
3,5 Syukak banget sama sampulnya ♥
Santo ini beberapa sifatnya hampir mirip dengan Ferrara tentunya ada penambahan poin plus seperti humor yang mirip kek sepupunya si Luca dan sifat gentlemen dalam men-treatment wanita. Waktu Ella merajuk itu loh sampe bengkak dan terpaksa pake kacamata pas Santo tau langsung membujuk Ella dan kekesalan yang diluapkannya kemarin langsung lenyap.
So sweet... abis meluapkan kemarahan besoknya langsung terlupakan.
Santo ini beberapa sifatnya hampir mirip dengan Ferrara tentunya ada penambahan poin plus seperti humor yang mirip kek sepupunya si Luca dan sifat gentlemen dalam men-treatment wanita. Waktu Ella merajuk itu loh sampe bengkak dan terpaksa pake kacamata pas Santo tau langsung membujuk Ella dan kekesalan yang diluapkannya kemarin langsung lenyap.
So sweet... abis meluapkan kemarahan besoknya langsung terlupakan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews