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Candellanos #1-2

Finding You/Knowing You

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Fall in love with two unforgettable new novels in one extraordinary volume!

Meet the Candellano Angela, the matriarch, Tony the oldest son and town sheriff, Nick and Paul, the twin brothers with completely different personalities, and Carla, the beautiful daughter whom Mama is still trying to fix up. And though Mama's brood is all grown up, they still gather every Sunday around her kitchen table-where anyone who falls for a Candellano had better be prepared to share laughter, love...and the best lasagna in town...

FINDING YOU
Carla Candellano has faced a tragedy she'd like to put behind her, but no one has been able to penetrate the wall she has built around herself-until she meets six-year-old Reese Wyatt. Reese hasn't spoken since her mother died last year, and it's friendship at first sight for Carla and little Reese. But it's the girl's worried father, Jackson, who arouses Carla's curiosity, and passion, in ways she never imagined...

KNOWING YOU
Ever since Stevie Ryan was a young girl, she was in love with her best friend Carla's older brother Nick Candellano. But Nick had to complicate things by growing up gorgeous-and breaking Stevie's heart. Now she's convinced that forgetting him is the way to go. And it's working out fine...until she and Nick's brother, Paul, spend one sultry night together. Has the right brother been under Stevie's nose all along?

691 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 18, 2003

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About the author

Maureen Child

1,149 books548 followers
USA Today best selling author Maureen Child is the author of more than ninety romance novels and novellas. Maureen is a five time nominee for the prestigious Rita award from Romance Writers of America.
One of her novels, A Pocketful Of Paradise, was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector, starring Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis.
Over the years, she’s written under lots of different names and she prefers the term ‘pseudonym’ to ‘alias’. As Ann Carberry, she wrote western historical romances. As Kathleen Kane, she wrote not only Americana romances, but western paranormal romances as well. As Sarah Hart, she wrote one really spectacular western paranormal that is still one of her favorites. And once, Ann Carberry even wrote a Victorian historical which she absolutely loved doing.

Under her own name, Maureen writes short contemporary novels for Silhouette Desire—books she loves to write because of their fast pace and condensed story telling. Maureen is also writing funny, contemporary paranormal romances for NAL and darker paranormal stories for Silhouette Nocturne.

Maureen writes paranormal romance novels under the pesudonym of Regan Hastings

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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for jenjn79.
723 reviews265 followers
May 31, 2009
Rating: 4.5 / 5

I've been wanting to read this trilogy since reading author Maureen Child's "Marconi Sisters" trilogy - the two series are connected in that they take place in the same town and share characters - but it took me a while to find the books. These first two books didn't disappoint, though. Child tells a good contemporary romance.

This volume contains two books, and not short stories either. The book is basically two full length novels glued together in one edition that totals almost 700 pages.

In the first book, Finding You, Child introduces the Candellano family - headed by Italian immigrant matriarch Angela followed by her 3 sons, Tony, Paul and Nick, and her daughter Carla. Finding You focuses on Carla, a canine search and rescue expert who retired after the tragic loss of a little boy she hoped to save. Since that day two years earlier, she has retreated from the world, blaming herself for the young boy's death.

Then she meets her new neighbor, summer vacationer Jackson Wyatt and his six year old daughter Reese. Jackson brought his daughter to Chandler, CA in hopes of healing her emotional problems caused by the sudden, tragic death of his wife a year earlier. Reese hasn't spoken a word since that day. And Jackson plans to devote the summer to helping his daughter. He hadn't expected Carla Candellano, the attraction he felt for her, or the way she seemed to be able to reach Reese. They both try to fight it, but its hopeless. But in order to move on to the future, both will have to learn to let go of the past.

This was such a sweet story. Little Reese just breaks your heart. I'm not generally a fan of romance novels where kids play a big role, but it worked for this book. Maureen Child did a great job portraying Reese's situation, how Jackson handled it, and how Carla got involved. It was an engaging storyline.

The romance was well done as well. There's a great emotional struggle between the characters and some nice chemistry. A little steam as well. Just a very readable and enjoyable romance.

I also liked how involved the other members of the family are in the story. You get to learn a lot about everyone. There's a side story about Tony's, the oldest Candellano brother's, marital problems. And there's Nick's struggle with big changes in his life. Reading all about them gives the story a real cohesiveness.

The second story, Knowing You, features Paul Candellano, who has secretly been infatuated with honorary family member Stevie Ryan for years. He never had a chance with her, though, because she was involved with his twin brother, Nick, who treated her pretty badly. The two have been broken up for two years, now, though, and on the night of Carla's wedding a simple dare between Paul and Stevie changes everything, revealing an attraction Paul had hoped to keep hidden and Stevie had never realized existed.

But once it's out, Stevie does everything she can to fight it. The Candellano's are the only family she has and she won't do anything to risk losing them. So how she keeps ending up in bed with Paul is a mystery. She keeps telling herself it won't happen again, but Paul is worming his way into her heart.

Like the first book, this is another sweet romance story. I enjoyed the way the romance played out between Stevie and Paul...a simple dare about a kiss and WHOOSH! And I liked that the two had a friendship as a base to build off of. Each had their own emotional battle to fight...Paul's logical mind making him fight his true feelings, and Stevie's desperate need for a family.

Also like the first book, the other characters play a large role in the story. This is one of those trilogies where the characters aren't insular to their book. They are a part of each story. I love that. It's makes the whole sense of family that much stronger. I always get frustrated by seroes that feature a pair in one book then practically forgets them in the next. That definitely doesn't happen in this series.

And because of that use of characters, I'm really curious about how Nick's book will play out. So far, he hasn't been exactly likable. It'll be interesting to see how he is redeemed in the next book, Loving You.

If you're a fan of contemporary romances that aren't too light or fluffy, have great characters and a great sense of family, then I'd definitely recommend this book (and series). I really enjoyed reading these first too book.
Profile Image for Jennifer Wardrip.
Author 5 books517 followers
November 7, 2012
I had somehow managed to overlook Maureen Child's books for years, but discovered her recently with the Marconi Sisters Trilogy. Those three great books coerced me into picking up the Candellano Family Trilogy, starting with FINDING YOU/KNOWING YOU. And I'm so glad I did!

In FINDING YOU, we meet Carla Candellano, the youngest Candellano sibling, and only daughter. Surrounded by Mama, the family matriarch, Tony, the oldest brother and town sheriff, and older twin brothers Nick and Paul, Carla is the "baby" of the family that they all dote upon. Carla's life had, until two years ago, been spent working for Searchers, a company that performed search operations to find missing victims in earthquakes, hurricanes, or those lost in mountains or forests. Along with her dog, Abbey, Carla was one of the best at her job, and it was her life. She loved doing what she could to find missing people with the help of her pet--until the one day she found a boy that she knew personally, too late to save him.

Ever since then, Carla has drawn away from everything that matters to her. She quit her job, moved back home to Chandler , California , and so far has avoided her Mama's plan to find her a husband. She's contented herself with spending time with Abbey and the new pups she plans to train as search dogs. Until Jackson Wyatt and his daughter, Reese, move into the summer place across from her own house.

Jackson has come to Chandler as a last resort. His six-year-old daughter was involved in a tragic automobile accident over a year ago that took her mother's life, and she hasn't spoken a word sense. He only has the summer to somehow get Reese to return to the land of the living before her haughty and very well-to-do maternal grandparents ship her off to a pshychiatric facility.

FINDING YOU is contemporary romance at it's best. Three people, each lost in their own memories, regrets, and heartbreak, will have to learn to love and trust again to find their way back to a wholesome life.

In KNOWING YOU, we get the story of Paul Candellano and Stevie Ryan. Stevie grew up with a wandering mother who searched the world for her next wealthy husband, but after several marriages and so much moving around, at twelve Stevie had had enough and moved to Chandler to live with her father. His love, along with the love and acceptance of her best friend, Carla Candellano, and her family finally gave Stevie a feeling of belonging.

She had also fallen in love with Nick Candellano, the "aw-shucks, look at me, I'm the best" NFL playing brother. When she got him too many times with another woman, Stevie finally gave up on rescuing Nick. Instead, the last few years have been spent making her business, The Leaf and Bean, the best coffee shop it can be, and rescuing the stray animals that she always seems to find in Chandler .

Now, after Carla's wedding to Jackson , Stevie is feeling a little lost, a little lonely, knowing that her relationship with Nick is definitely done and over, and that she may very well be destined to live her life forever alone. Until a night spent with her good friend, Paul, Nick's twin, where things heat up and one thing leads to another. Suddenly, it's not just Paul's friendship she's craving, but his body in her bed.

Paul Candelllano has always had a crush on Stevie Ryan. Long before she hooked up with Nick, Paul wanted to be more than the shoulder that Stevie cried on when Nick's antics drove her to tears. Now, he's finally had Stevie physically, but he's not sure where it will lead. What will the Candellano's, especially Nick, think about a budding relationship between the quiet, responsible twin that the other half of the Nick/Stevie whole?

KNOWING YOU is the story of a woman who has to come to terms with a birth mother who is never going to be who she wants to be, the discovery of a sibling that doesn't need to be rescued, and the fact that true love has to be persued, regardless of consequences.

This book, full of two wonderful, heartwarming stories, is a true delight for your keeper shelf!
Profile Image for Lisa James.
941 reviews81 followers
January 18, 2016
Cute 2 books in a new series, by this author. Characters were likable, the big Italian family was very relatable in their love, loyalty & they way they pick on each other. However, the guys were, yawningly predictably "gorgeous", all of them, & the plotlines were recycled basically from one to the next, but I think all romance books are like this. The sex scenes were ok, & the endings were traditionally happy ever after ones.
Profile Image for Gemma.
895 reviews35 followers
January 11, 2011
I liked these stories, but I got really annoyed at the characters constantly using "Christ" and "Jesus" as swear words. Especially since a lot of these characters were supposedly Catholic! It really gets under my skin. Honestly, an f-bomb doesn't bother me as much. I know not everyone feels that way, but it really bugs me.

I usually don't like "big family" or "small-town living" stories, but this author handled it well without letting those themes become cliches.

There was a preview for "Loving You" at the end of this book, which is Nick's story. But after the way he cheated on Stephanie (aka Stevie), I'm not that interested in reading it. (I don't think cheaters deserve a happily-ever-after ending.)

This author also writes historical paranormals under the name Kathleen Kane. I enjoy those books more.
Profile Image for Marilyn.
454 reviews
October 9, 2011
I like this trilogy so far. The second book was much more steamy (which was great) but I got tired of the drama of Stevie leaving Paul in anger and declaring things "over" about 6 times and then running back to him the next day or him following her because they can't stay apart. It got to be old news. By the time they came clean at the end of the book, I kinda didn't care any more. But, overall, nice romance here.
Profile Image for Sharon Forbes.
260 reviews38 followers
March 1, 2018
I really enjoyed these two stories about the Candellano family very much! Maureen Child has a writing style that is so much fun to read-it's romantic, fun, and somewhat facetious at times, which is totally my jam! The first story in this bind-up tells the romance of Carla Candellano and Jackson Wyatt. Jackson has moved him and his six year old daughter Reese to town to hopefully help Reese get over her mother's death from a car crash that Reese was also involved in. Ever since the accident, Reese has become mute, hasn't spoken the first word. Carla has a search and rescue dog, Abbey, and together, they have helped find many children who have gotten lost in the mountains, etc. in the past, except for one time, a couple of years back, and the young boy died, and Carla feels totally responsible, even though it's a group effort for a search and rescue mission. Towards the end of this story, Reese one day runs away, and Carla has to get her courage to go help find Reese even though she hasn't done a S&R in a few years. This is a great story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how Carla and Jackson got together. The second story is about Stevie Ryan, who is Carla's best friend and "honorary" Candellano family member, and Paul Candellano. A few years back, Stevie was involved with Paul's twin brother, Nick, but their relationship fizzled out, largely due to Nick's somewhat selfish behavior, and the fact that he cheated on Stevie with a cheerleader(Nick is a former football player, forced to retire early due to a bad knee). Stevie, as the years go on, becomes close to Paul, and they develop feelings for each other, but of course it's complicated by the fact that Stevie was with Nick first, and the family still sort of sees her and Nick as a couple, even though their relationship is long since over. This was something that kind of threw me off a bit, but it all worked out in the end, as feelings got worked out and dealt with. Overall, these are great romances, with a family that I really love reading about. I already have the third book in this series, Loving You, which is about Nick's romance, on my TBR. Maureen Child is a new favorite author for me, which I love discovering.
1,228 reviews
July 8, 2018
Loved Stevie and Paul’s story. I really got into all poor Stevie was going through and she tries her best not to hurt anyone. This series is very entertaining and look forward to book 3. Highly recommend reading this book.
2 reviews
August 31, 2018
Very predictable. Not much character building. Apt for a teen. Not an adult novel in terms of story , language.
Profile Image for Sarah.
320 reviews31 followers
June 12, 2013
Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:

I have been really enjoying reading Maureen Child’s backlist lately. Her writing style has been just what I’ve needed to balance my crazy workload with school. This book actually contained two novels, both involving the Candellano family. Child’s writing style is funny, fast-paced, and quirky, with characters that will make you laugh, cry, and shake your head at times.

One of the things that I love best about Romance, especially in series Romance, is that you get to know a family or a group of people, so the story has a chance to bloom a little more fully. The Candellanos were such a fun, feisty, and lively family that I found it really difficult not to like them.

The first story introduced us to Carla Candellano, baby sister of the clan. She’s returned home after an issue with her work (it involves Search and Rescue), but she’s clearly got some other things to work out, too. She ends up becoming friendly with the summer renters, or at least the daughter of the renter, who is very interested in Carla’s dog, Abbey. The trouble is the little girl, Reese, is still in shock from her mother’s recent death and has gone mute. Exposure to Abbey seems to be helping to getting her talking again, but her father, Jackson, isn’t interested in anything other than getting his daughter back to normal. He’s surly, direct, and doesn’t want to have anything to do with Carla. So naturally these two can’t get enough of each other. I love stories like this, because the sexual tension and chemistry is almost visible on the page. What a fun story.

In the second story, we meet one of the twins, Paul, and one of Paul’s sister’s best friends, Stevie (Stephanie) Ryan. Stevie dated Paul’s brother, Nick, a long time ago, so the Candellano family seems to automatically assume that they should get back together following Nick’s return to Chandler, CA. The trouble is that’s not what Stevie wants. Nick was an interesting character to read about, because he was definitely someone narcissistic enough to make you hate him, yet he clearly had some potential strengths that you could see growing in another book. Paul, however, seemed like the twin to always play second fiddle, so I liked him right away. He was smart, funny, sensitive, but also proud enough to deny up the wazoo what he was feeling for Stevie throughout the course of the book. Stevie ends up being a really interesting character, too, because she’s always trying to fix things to make up for the hole not having a family left her with. There are some really fun plot twists with this story, so do yourself a favor and find a copy of this book, because it’s a two-fer you’ll love. Child is a fantastic author and one that I cannot wait to read again in the future.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
10 reviews
September 10, 2008
Both books were really good. I really liked how they tied into each other
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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