4.5 Stars
"My name is Gabriel Ferrara and I am utterly and hopelessly in love with Gracie Porter."
"I loved him, but more than that, I love to hate him."
Wow, this took me by surprise. I picked it up by chance, not thinking much would come of it. I've been either DNFing or skim-reading a lot lately, just giving books a try, hoping something will stick. Well this one definitely did. I was instantly hooked by the main characters and the story. I loved their funny banter. Highly entertaining (maybe a bit childish and OTT, but I don't care because it worked for me in my current mood) and addictive. The angst was just right and the hero was deliciously alpha. Of course, I'm a sucker for the secret baby trope, and Ms. Swan pulled it off here. I connected with Gabriel and Gracie. Normally, I pass on stories where there's a long separation between the main characters, but the 7 year separation wasn't a deal breaker. I must say, however, when there are secret kids involved, it's a bummer to see so much time wasted. Gabriel and Gracie wasted so many years they could have spent blissfully together. If I recall correctly, it was 14 years in total. The 7 years she worked for him where they both hid their feelings for one another. Then, the 7 years where they were separated with no contact.
"From the moment I met her, I knew she was the one. My heart ached for what I couldn’t have. So I loved her from afar."
It was clear they both loved each other very much and belonged together. I felt their connection, and their chemistry was sizzling. I was exceedingly happy to see them reunited (he goes to find her in Chapter 10; @ 24%). His groveling was absolutely delightful. How the tables turned. She did not make it easy for the fool. He went all out to win her over. Their twins were cute and endearing. The secondary characters weren't dull or annoying or got in the way of the story (which often happens!). Was this perfect? No, but I'd still call this a winner. I know I'll come back for a reread.
A few negatives or observations:
Some repetitive phrases and descriptions. I noticed the main characters sometimes expressed themselves too similarly; they would use the same turn of phrase, for instance. I've seen this in other books and it always breaks the spell. It pulls me out of the story momentarily, even if it's for a split second, because I no longer see the character, I see the author behind the character, failing to differentiate her characters. But what do I know, I'm not a writer.
Kindle Unlimited