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Love versus ambition! Bella Francis is an heiress whose duty is to marry a wealthy young man of her father’s choosing – which is why she ran from that life. Bella follows her friend and fellow suffragette to a western town in Texas, where she pursues owning her own bakery. She finds the perfect space, but the man who owns the building not only refuses to lease to her, but also had the nerve to spark her interest!Luca Ruffini has a buyer for the family bakery and is in the process of selling the building to pursue his own dreams. His father, who doesn’t want to sell the building, insists Luca put his plans on hold for six weeks to give Bella a chance to fulfill her passion for baking. Yet Bella is a temptation he finds himself unable to deny.In the end, whose dream will be fulfilled and who will give up their dream for love? Who will concede?
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2016
17 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia McDaniel
217 books652 followersUSA Today bestselling author Sylvia McDaniel has published more than forty western historical romance, contemporary romance and even a few sci-fi novels. Known for her sweet, funny, family-oriented romances, Sylvia is the author of The Burnett Brides a historical western series, The Cuvier Widows, a Louisiana historical series, Lipstick and Lead, a western historical series and several short contemporary romances.
Former President of the Dallas Area Romance Authors, a member of the Romance Writers of America®, and a member of Novelists Inc, her novel, A Hero’s Heart was a 1996 Golden Heart Finalist. Several other books have placed or won in the San Antonio Romance Authors Contest, LERA Contest, and she was a Golden Network Finalist.
Married for over twenty years to her best friend, they have two spoilt dachshunds that reign supreme over the house. She loves gardening, hiking, shopping, knitting and football (Cowboys and Bronco’s fan), but not necessarily in that order.
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Former President of the Dallas Area Romance Authors, a member of the Romance Writers of America®, and a member of Novelists Inc, her novel, A Hero’s Heart was a 1996 Golden Heart Finalist. Several other books have placed or won in the San Antonio Romance Authors Contest, LERA Contest, and she was a Golden Network Finalist.
Married for over twenty years to her best friend, they have two spoilt dachshunds that reign supreme over the house. She loves gardening, hiking, shopping, knitting and football (Cowboys and Bronco’s fan), but not necessarily in that order.
Sign up for Sylvia’s newsletter
Visit Sylvia at www.SylviaMcDaniel.com
Follow Sylvia on twitter
Join Sylvia on Facebook
Goodreads
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 28, 2021
Bella is one of a group of college friends who are suffragettes, standing up for women's rights to conduct their own businesses and financial affairs. A wealthy heiress, she is escaping her father's choice in an arranged marriage. She has always loved baking and has a dream of opening her own bakery. Unfortunately, as a woman she encounters many obstacles to opening her own business and she cannot access her money or risk her father finding her. Luca owns a building that may serve as her bakery, but he needs to sell rather than lease to ensure the growth of his vineyard. While they are at odd in the business world, their attraction is undeniable. Can love prevail?
This book is a great addition to the Scandalous Suffragettes series. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
This book is a great addition to the Scandalous Suffragettes series. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
February 4, 2020
Bella was in Boston at school with Abigail, she's also a suffragette, then she hears that her father has picked out a husband for her. She flees to New Hope to be near Abigail and to hide.
She loves baking and starts by providing pastries to sell at the mercantile.
She enters a baking contest and beats Franco, someone, a man, whose won for the last ten years.
A change is in progress.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Another great read in the series.
She loves baking and starts by providing pastries to sell at the mercantile.
She enters a baking contest and beats Franco, someone, a man, whose won for the last ten years.
A change is in progress.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Another great read in the series.
December 8, 2017
Strong Bella
A very good read. Keeps you wanting to turn the pages. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys happy endings.
A very good read. Keeps you wanting to turn the pages. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys happy endings.
September 3, 2016
Note: I was given a complimentary copy for an honest review.
Bella and her friends identify themselves as suffragettes. They want to be catalysts for change. They want women to be able to make decisions for themselves, own businesses, and have personal bank accounts among other things. They are tired of being forced into marriage and denied rights that they feel should be theirs. As a result, Bella is hiding out in New Hope, Texas with her friends after her father declared that he had found a man for her to marry. However, she's not just hiding and doing nothing. She intends to pursue her dream by owning and operating a bakery and she believes that the vacant bakery that used to be operated by the Ruffini family is just the place for her.
Luca Ruffini grew up with the bakery that his parents operated. However, now that his mother is dead and his father is too weak to run it alone, he intends to sell the building and use that money for his vineyard. His dreams are for producing wine and the money earned from the sale of the bakery would give him enough to buy much needed supplies. Therefore, when Luca's father wants to let Bella reopen the bakery, he's got to figure out a way to stop her.
What follows is a fun story of Luca trying to run Bella off, but the more he's around her, the more he wants to get to know her. In the meantime, Bella is likewise drawn to Luca, even though she fears he wants her to fail.
My primary complaint is that the story is billed as "sweet" and yet it contains steamy, passionate kissing and a sex scene that pushes the envelope for even a PG13 book. It really should be placed closer to an R rating.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the book. I liked the character development and found the storyline fresh and entertaining.
Language - PG - mild curses
Romance - several steamy kisses and one essentially R rated romance scene.
My rating - 4 stars
Bella and her friends identify themselves as suffragettes. They want to be catalysts for change. They want women to be able to make decisions for themselves, own businesses, and have personal bank accounts among other things. They are tired of being forced into marriage and denied rights that they feel should be theirs. As a result, Bella is hiding out in New Hope, Texas with her friends after her father declared that he had found a man for her to marry. However, she's not just hiding and doing nothing. She intends to pursue her dream by owning and operating a bakery and she believes that the vacant bakery that used to be operated by the Ruffini family is just the place for her.
Luca Ruffini grew up with the bakery that his parents operated. However, now that his mother is dead and his father is too weak to run it alone, he intends to sell the building and use that money for his vineyard. His dreams are for producing wine and the money earned from the sale of the bakery would give him enough to buy much needed supplies. Therefore, when Luca's father wants to let Bella reopen the bakery, he's got to figure out a way to stop her.
What follows is a fun story of Luca trying to run Bella off, but the more he's around her, the more he wants to get to know her. In the meantime, Bella is likewise drawn to Luca, even though she fears he wants her to fail.
My primary complaint is that the story is billed as "sweet" and yet it contains steamy, passionate kissing and a sex scene that pushes the envelope for even a PG13 book. It really should be placed closer to an R rating.
Otherwise, I enjoyed the book. I liked the character development and found the storyline fresh and entertaining.
Language - PG - mild curses
Romance - several steamy kisses and one essentially R rated romance scene.
My rating - 4 stars
October 28, 2016
This was a sweet read that but filled with some heat and passion just the way I like them. She and her friends are years ahead of their selves wanting to own their own business and have money to call their own. It was a very hard time for women with fathers picking husband and having little or no say of finding one they will love. With Bella’s father having picked a husband for her she runs off and hides. She has dreams of owning her own bakery, she has picked the building and sets forward to make her dream come true. The only problem is Luca getting in her way of making that dream come true.
Luca wants to sell the bakery but his father has other ideas he want Bella to open it again. Luca needs the money of the sale to help his own business. Now begins the tug of war between Bella and Luca each wanting their way. The author gives you a very fun read that is a pretty clean read. It does have a little steam and passion that makes it even more fun to watch these two dance around the issues of love.
I loved these character they really know how to stir things up. I love the humor which made me laugh. I enjoyed the history, the finer points of years gone by. I had no trouble investing in the story being taken back to another place and time when things were so different. I know women had it hard but I would have loved to have lived back then. Things were harder but easier in so many ways. This was a very enjoyable read watching their relationship grow you have to laugh at them as they run around each other trying to outdo. If you are looking for a pretty clean read filled with laughter you really should give this story a try. I love this author and her writing as I am sure you will.
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Luca wants to sell the bakery but his father has other ideas he want Bella to open it again. Luca needs the money of the sale to help his own business. Now begins the tug of war between Bella and Luca each wanting their way. The author gives you a very fun read that is a pretty clean read. It does have a little steam and passion that makes it even more fun to watch these two dance around the issues of love.
I loved these character they really know how to stir things up. I love the humor which made me laugh. I enjoyed the history, the finer points of years gone by. I had no trouble investing in the story being taken back to another place and time when things were so different. I know women had it hard but I would have loved to have lived back then. Things were harder but easier in so many ways. This was a very enjoyable read watching their relationship grow you have to laugh at them as they run around each other trying to outdo. If you are looking for a pretty clean read filled with laughter you really should give this story a try. I love this author and her writing as I am sure you will.
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September 3, 2016
Bella by Sylvia McDaniel was a really fun read for me. I love anything history, and although this is fiction it is always interesting to think of how things may have been years ago before women had rights and could do things that we take for granted every day of our lives. Bella and the suffragettes are strong women in a world that doesn't recognize their beliefs to be valid, what a different world we live in now.
Bella wants to start a bakery, but although she has money she has no access to it and since banks don't lend money to women and women aren't encouraged to own a business it will be a fight to the end, but a deal with the town's retired bakery owner may be the key to her dream.
Luca has dreams of his own and to achieve them he intends to sell the a building that housed his family's bakery, and he has no intention of allowing Bella to run a business from there.
Bella wants to start a bakery, but although she has money she has no access to it and since banks don't lend money to women and women aren't encouraged to own a business it will be a fight to the end, but a deal with the town's retired bakery owner may be the key to her dream.
Luca has dreams of his own and to achieve them he intends to sell the a building that housed his family's bakery, and he has no intention of allowing Bella to run a business from there.
September 26, 2016
Luca does not want Bella to open the bakery. He wants to sell the building so he can start his vineyard. He sets a plan in motion to run her off. But can he resist her? Bella just wants to own and run a bakery, but she finds her attraction to Luca is a distraction. Will he help her or hurt her? This was a great story, and kept me interested throughout. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews