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The Italian's Christmas Secret
One night, one bed…one baby! When chauffeur Keira Ryan accidentally drives her car into a snow drift, she and her devastatingly attractive passenger must find a hotel…only to discover they’ll be sharing a bed! Luckily, billionaire Matteo Valenti takes it upon himself to show virgin Keira just how to make the most of a bad situation – with the most sizzling experience of her life. It’s nearly Christmas again before Matteo uncovers Keira’s secret. He may have resisted commitment his whole life but now it’s time to claim his son and heir… One Night with Consequences When one night…leads to pregnancy!
176 pages, ebook
Published November 1, 2017
117 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Kendrick
1,221 books454 followersI was told off as a child for making up stories—little did I know that one day I’d earn my living by writing them!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
To the horror of my parents, I left school at sixteen and held a bewildering variety of jobs: I was a London DJ (in the now-trendy Primrose Hill), a decorator and a singer. After that I became a cook, a photographer and, eventually, a nurse. I waitressed in the south of France, drove an ambulance in Australia, saw lots of beautiful sights but could never settle down. Everywhere I went I felt like a square peg—until one day I started writing again and then everything just fell into place. I felt like Cinderella must have when the glass slipper fit!
Today, I have the best job in the world, writing passionate romances for Harlequin. I like writing stories which are sexy and fast-paced, yet packed full of emotion—stories that readers will identify with, laugh and cry along with.
My interests are many and varied—chocolate and music, fresh flowers and bubble baths, films, cooking and trying to keep my home from looking burglarized! Simple pleasures—you can’t beat them!
I live in Winchester, one of the most stunning cities in the world, but don’t take my word for it—come see for yourself! I regularly visit London and Paris. Oh, and I love hearing from my readers all over the world…so I think it’s over to you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 21, 2018
I can't believe I finally decided to read this novel. I've had it for months, then forgot about it and then remembered it only recently when the author came up in a discussion of another of her novels. I'm very surprised that I actually enjoyed this novel because I had honestly become a bit cynical about this author's portrayal of her H's. The H in this novel doesn't start off by winning any prizes. He's gruff, rude, entitled and leaves the heroine the night after taking her virginity. He also leaves a wad of cash for her and that makes her feel like a prostitute. Matteo says he left the money so she could fulfil a certain dream she had mentioned to him during their time together. The guy obviously doesn't know women well enough to understand how wrong he was. Or, maybe he had been associating with the mercenary type of women. There's a huge misunderstanding that followed with the naive heroine spilling her guts to an undercover tabloid reporter. This leads to a horrible argument between the MC's ( on the phone ) and they each leave that conversation vowing never to communicate with the other again.
The heroine Keira ends up pregnant and has a baby boy she names Santino. Now this part made me roll my eyes. Here's this woman who hates Matteo so much for treating her like a whore and she goes and gives her kid an Italian name. She could have given him a good Irish name like Liam. Anyway, Keira is unemployed and living with grouchy, ugly, mean old aunt Ida and jealous cousin Shelley. We never meet Shelley but we are told that she had been so jealous that Keira was pretty that Kiera had had to cut her hair just to look like a boy and be less attractive. I am really glad that jealous cousin Shelley never made an on page appearance. Keira is forced to contact Matteo after the old witch Ida starts bubbling up some trouble by dropping hints that the baby should be put up for adoption. Matteo is shocked but he turns up as soon as he can and whisks Keira and the kid away to his estate in Umbria. Keira gets a long deserved rest because there's a nice nurse to help look after the baby and then she gets a MUCH NEEDED makeover. Kiera is really pretty and cute but this girl is such a tomboy that she is one those heroines who deserved a makeover and some pampering desperately.
Keira and Matteo start having sex after a couple weeks pass but the H still has not bonded with his son. This part was really bothering me because the guy actually suggested that he doesn't know how to love his son and that he didn't feel any love when he had first seen the child. I did kinda write him off at that stage and wanted to stop reading but it was a good thing I continued. I have to give Sharon Kendrick kudos for developing Matteo's character in a manner that made me actually empathize with him and even share his pain. Matteo has never known a father's love and his mother had died giving birth to him. He has no siblings and has never known what a family means. He's had wealth and material comforts but not any significant human connection. As an only child of parents who only married because of my impending birth, I can understand how Matteo feels. Sometimes I wonder if I have the qualities that a really good and ideal mother would possess. Other readers probably won't identify with him in this way and so they wouldn't end up liking this novel so much. But it's REALLY hard to be comfortable around babies when you're not used to having them around you. Sometimes I feel so bad because I tend to respond better to other people's pets than I do to their kids. I once complimented a lady's dog and then noticed I had forgotten to tell her that her kid was cute. And it was an automatic thing with me; it was not intentional or malicious or bitchy. So I kinda understand why it took Matteo so long to bond with his son. The psychology of parent-child bonding is not as simple ( or as cute as a fairy tale story ) as we would wish it to be. This, of course, is just my personal take on the issue and since I'm kinda weird I wouldn't expect anybody to understand it easily. I only included my personal information to explain why I understood Matteo and why I liked him in the end.
Matteo proposes to Keira and he starts to spend a lot of time with Santino. He fed him, played with him, spoke to him in Italian and even changed his nappy ONCE ( lol ). Things seemed to be going well for the MC until his plastic, filler faced wicked stepmother Luciana bursts Keira's happy bubble on their wedding day. Luciana tells Keira that Matteo only married her because he would have lost the property in Umbria if he had not had a son and legitimized him. The vicious harpy added that the property would have gone to her son Emilio. Keira is mortified and tormented so she asks Matteo to let her live separately from him. The scene that happens after he agrees reluctantly, is the most important scene in the novel for me. It's significant because it shows that Matteo has indeed, without even being aware of it, bonded with Santino and grown to love the child. After Matteo accedes to her demands, he insists on seeing his child alone. This is the scene that takes place with father and son:
"But Matteo’s heart was heavy as he walked towards the nursery—as if a dark stone had lodged itself deep inside his chest. The night light made the room appear soft and rosy and Matteo stared down at the sleeping child. He remembered the first time he had seen him. When he had counted his fingers and toes like someone learning basic mathematics, and had felt nothing.
But not this time.
This time he could barely make out any detail of his sleeping son, his vision was so blurred. Too late, his heart had cracked open and left room for emotion to come flooding in, powerfully and painfully. And Santino stirred as Matteo’s tears fell like rain onto the delicate white shawl"
This was the most emotional scene in the novel because it showed how the cold, unyielding and entitled billionaire had finally felt love for the first time in his life: love of a father for his child. He doesn't actually have to say the words for the reader to see that, at this point, he loves Santino. The scene where an alpha male actually cries is quite moving for me personally. In the epilogue Matteo also proves his great love for the child by doing something a billionaire dad would not do himself: stay up late on a cold Christmas Eve to go build a snowman outside the little boy's bedroom window so it would be the first thing he will see when he looks outside. Matteo didn't have to build that snowman himself; he could have paid one of his minions to do it but he did it as a personal gesture for his son. I loved how Matteo grovelled to Keira and he even put the Umbrian estate on the market to prove to her that he loved her and had not married her just to inherit it. He also wrote her love letters during the two weeks they had spent apart. The dummy didn't open the letters until he got fed up and turned up to declare his love. I believed in his declaration of love and I really think their HEA was a sincere one.
I gave this novel 4 stars because I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Matteo had also been celibate after the first time he'd made love to Keira. That made a huge difference to my final opinion about him. I have to end by saying that Sharon Kendrick surprised me. I never expected the same woman who wrote that distasteful Bought by Her Husband and that other silly crapfest about the sheikh and his "little lizard" stable girl could write something that would appeal to me. Best of all: Matteo was handsome, sexy and did not have a "beak of a nose" like that guy in Exposed: The Sheikh's Mistress. In my personal opinion, Matteo was redeemed. I also loved the hard working heroine Keira who was like a lioness when it came to the love she felt for her child. I admired how she put her child before everything else ( including Matteo ) and her tragic backstory as a child conceived from rape touched me. Finally, the MC's got themselves a cuddly little dog called Charlie and a cute little cat called Luca. ( OK, so they shoulda named the dog Luca and called the cat Charlie. I have to fuss about something right ? )
The heroine Keira ends up pregnant and has a baby boy she names Santino. Now this part made me roll my eyes. Here's this woman who hates Matteo so much for treating her like a whore and she goes and gives her kid an Italian name. She could have given him a good Irish name like Liam. Anyway, Keira is unemployed and living with grouchy, ugly, mean old aunt Ida and jealous cousin Shelley. We never meet Shelley but we are told that she had been so jealous that Keira was pretty that Kiera had had to cut her hair just to look like a boy and be less attractive. I am really glad that jealous cousin Shelley never made an on page appearance. Keira is forced to contact Matteo after the old witch Ida starts bubbling up some trouble by dropping hints that the baby should be put up for adoption. Matteo is shocked but he turns up as soon as he can and whisks Keira and the kid away to his estate in Umbria. Keira gets a long deserved rest because there's a nice nurse to help look after the baby and then she gets a MUCH NEEDED makeover. Kiera is really pretty and cute but this girl is such a tomboy that she is one those heroines who deserved a makeover and some pampering desperately.
Keira and Matteo start having sex after a couple weeks pass but the H still has not bonded with his son. This part was really bothering me because the guy actually suggested that he doesn't know how to love his son and that he didn't feel any love when he had first seen the child. I did kinda write him off at that stage and wanted to stop reading but it was a good thing I continued. I have to give Sharon Kendrick kudos for developing Matteo's character in a manner that made me actually empathize with him and even share his pain. Matteo has never known a father's love and his mother had died giving birth to him. He has no siblings and has never known what a family means. He's had wealth and material comforts but not any significant human connection. As an only child of parents who only married because of my impending birth, I can understand how Matteo feels. Sometimes I wonder if I have the qualities that a really good and ideal mother would possess. Other readers probably won't identify with him in this way and so they wouldn't end up liking this novel so much. But it's REALLY hard to be comfortable around babies when you're not used to having them around you. Sometimes I feel so bad because I tend to respond better to other people's pets than I do to their kids. I once complimented a lady's dog and then noticed I had forgotten to tell her that her kid was cute. And it was an automatic thing with me; it was not intentional or malicious or bitchy. So I kinda understand why it took Matteo so long to bond with his son. The psychology of parent-child bonding is not as simple ( or as cute as a fairy tale story ) as we would wish it to be. This, of course, is just my personal take on the issue and since I'm kinda weird I wouldn't expect anybody to understand it easily. I only included my personal information to explain why I understood Matteo and why I liked him in the end.
Matteo proposes to Keira and he starts to spend a lot of time with Santino. He fed him, played with him, spoke to him in Italian and even changed his nappy ONCE ( lol ). Things seemed to be going well for the MC until his plastic, filler faced wicked stepmother Luciana bursts Keira's happy bubble on their wedding day. Luciana tells Keira that Matteo only married her because he would have lost the property in Umbria if he had not had a son and legitimized him. The vicious harpy added that the property would have gone to her son Emilio. Keira is mortified and tormented so she asks Matteo to let her live separately from him. The scene that happens after he agrees reluctantly, is the most important scene in the novel for me. It's significant because it shows that Matteo has indeed, without even being aware of it, bonded with Santino and grown to love the child. After Matteo accedes to her demands, he insists on seeing his child alone. This is the scene that takes place with father and son:
"But Matteo’s heart was heavy as he walked towards the nursery—as if a dark stone had lodged itself deep inside his chest. The night light made the room appear soft and rosy and Matteo stared down at the sleeping child. He remembered the first time he had seen him. When he had counted his fingers and toes like someone learning basic mathematics, and had felt nothing.
But not this time.
This time he could barely make out any detail of his sleeping son, his vision was so blurred. Too late, his heart had cracked open and left room for emotion to come flooding in, powerfully and painfully. And Santino stirred as Matteo’s tears fell like rain onto the delicate white shawl"
This was the most emotional scene in the novel because it showed how the cold, unyielding and entitled billionaire had finally felt love for the first time in his life: love of a father for his child. He doesn't actually have to say the words for the reader to see that, at this point, he loves Santino. The scene where an alpha male actually cries is quite moving for me personally. In the epilogue Matteo also proves his great love for the child by doing something a billionaire dad would not do himself: stay up late on a cold Christmas Eve to go build a snowman outside the little boy's bedroom window so it would be the first thing he will see when he looks outside. Matteo didn't have to build that snowman himself; he could have paid one of his minions to do it but he did it as a personal gesture for his son. I loved how Matteo grovelled to Keira and he even put the Umbrian estate on the market to prove to her that he loved her and had not married her just to inherit it. He also wrote her love letters during the two weeks they had spent apart. The dummy didn't open the letters until he got fed up and turned up to declare his love. I believed in his declaration of love and I really think their HEA was a sincere one.
I gave this novel 4 stars because I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Matteo had also been celibate after the first time he'd made love to Keira. That made a huge difference to my final opinion about him. I have to end by saying that Sharon Kendrick surprised me. I never expected the same woman who wrote that distasteful Bought by Her Husband and that other silly crapfest about the sheikh and his "little lizard" stable girl could write something that would appeal to me. Best of all: Matteo was handsome, sexy and did not have a "beak of a nose" like that guy in Exposed: The Sheikh's Mistress. In my personal opinion, Matteo was redeemed. I also loved the hard working heroine Keira who was like a lioness when it came to the love she felt for her child. I admired how she put her child before everything else ( including Matteo ) and her tragic backstory as a child conceived from rape touched me. Finally, the MC's got themselves a cuddly little dog called Charlie and a cute little cat called Luca. ( OK, so they shoulda named the dog Luca and called the cat Charlie. I have to fuss about something right ? )
October 18, 2017
This was an enjoyable read with an initial Christmas type setting .Matteo ,billionaire,and Keira his driver gets stranded in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve and wind up in a bed and breakfast for the night.They are greeted by their charming B/B owner who tells them only one room avaliable and it is theirs for the night.Off they go to their small attic room for the night ,but during the night,things get heated and passion succumbs to both and the heroine's virginity is a thing of the past.During the course of the night,Matteo asks Keira about her dearest wish for Christmas and she tells him about her dream.Next morning she awakens to an empty room and empty bed,Matteo has gone and left her a wad of cold hard cash for her to make her dream come thru..Keira in turn in affronted by the cash and upon her return to civilization, she goes into a charity shop and gives the money away.A savvy reporter sees her ,eves drops on her conversation and follows her out,makes contact and takes her for a drink where Keira spills her guts,she does not know that her new found confidant is a reporter.
Soon after ,Keira gets a phone call from Matteo and he reams her a new one and how can she tell their story .She explains,but he is not listening and he tells her bye,bye!
But,there is a present from their might that either did not expect to recieve in the shape of a beautiful bouncing baby boy.Unable now to financially provide for their son and living with her meanie Auntie, she contacts Daddy Dearest to inform him of his unexpected prezzie.
So of course he hightails it to find his new found son and whisks them off to his beautiful family farmhouse in gorgeous Umbria.
I liked this one,Matteo was a cold fish to start off till he finally thawed and realized that heart and home is what he wants most.Good story,but I need more,felt like the story was skimmed over,but enjoyable none the less.Lovely epilogue.)
Soon after ,Keira gets a phone call from Matteo and he reams her a new one and how can she tell their story .She explains,but he is not listening and he tells her bye,bye!
But,there is a present from their might that either did not expect to recieve in the shape of a beautiful bouncing baby boy.Unable now to financially provide for their son and living with her meanie Auntie, she contacts Daddy Dearest to inform him of his unexpected prezzie.
So of course he hightails it to find his new found son and whisks them off to his beautiful family farmhouse in gorgeous Umbria.
I liked this one,Matteo was a cold fish to start off till he finally thawed and realized that heart and home is what he wants most.Good story,but I need more,felt like the story was skimmed over,but enjoyable none the less.Lovely epilogue.)
July 14, 2019
This is one of SK’s hurting, cold heroes. He’s not outwardly cruel, he just doesn’t trust emotions, yadda yadda. You know the drill.
Heroine is hero’s hired driver in England as he looks for new hotels to buy. It’s two days before Christmas. They get stuck in snowstorm in Dartmoor and have to spend the night in the same bed at a filled-up bed and breakfast. The hero seduces the virgin heroine, but regrets his actions as soon as she falls asleep. He calls for rescue and is whisked away a few hours later, leaving the heroine money and a note.
Heroine is ashamed and angry. She gives the money away at a charity shop and a sympathetic woman buys her a drink because she looks so upset. Turns out the lady is a journalist.
Hero calls heroine and accuses her of selling her story. Heroine is angrier still and hurt.
Fast forward 11 months. Heroine has had the secret baby. She’s living with a disapproving aunt. Heroine calls hero and tells him about his son. Hero storms in and whisks the heroine to Italy.
Rest, make-over, catty women, quiet wedding, heroine who can’t live without love, a two-week separation and a groveling hero round out the second half of the story.
Hero was celibate after their one-night stand. Heroine was a stubborn idiot and created a lot of drama. This was enjoyable. Just another brush with a billionaire that turns out absolutely fine.
Heroine is hero’s hired driver in England as he looks for new hotels to buy. It’s two days before Christmas. They get stuck in snowstorm in Dartmoor and have to spend the night in the same bed at a filled-up bed and breakfast. The hero seduces the virgin heroine, but regrets his actions as soon as she falls asleep. He calls for rescue and is whisked away a few hours later, leaving the heroine money and a note.
Heroine is ashamed and angry. She gives the money away at a charity shop and a sympathetic woman buys her a drink because she looks so upset. Turns out the lady is a journalist.
Hero calls heroine and accuses her of selling her story. Heroine is angrier still and hurt.
Fast forward 11 months. Heroine has had the secret baby. She’s living with a disapproving aunt. Heroine calls hero and tells him about his son. Hero storms in and whisks the heroine to Italy.
Rest, make-over, catty women, quiet wedding, heroine who can’t live without love, a two-week separation and a groveling hero round out the second half of the story.
Hero was celibate after their one-night stand. Heroine was a stubborn idiot and created a lot of drama. This was enjoyable. Just another brush with a billionaire that turns out absolutely fine.
August 15, 2017
ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 Rating.
Kiera Ryan was the chauffeur for billionaire Matteo Valenti during his stay in London. But during one of the drives that they took into the country (checking out property) they became stranded in a snow storm. Thank goodness there was a B&B they had just pasted that was able to accommodate them, even if it was only one room with a double bed. Kiera was shocked by her attraction to the billionaire and did all she could to hide it. Matteo had the same struggle with Kiera, especially as she was not what he normally was drawn too. The close proximity of that bed and time together melted all the walls and the two gave into there mutual attraction. But Matteo disappeared the next morning, leaving a note and some cash explaining that he wanted her to get her wish (he asked her if there was anything she could have if money wasn't an issue and she shared that she would love to stay in a expensive hotel and lay in bed and watch TV). Kiera was heartbroken and humiliated. She returns home and walks by a charity for kids shop and gives them the money. As she leaves in tears she bumps into a woman who sees she's upset, she offers to buy her a drink and then asks why she's crying and Kiera spills her story to the stranger. Well the stranger was a reporter/journalist. Kiera receives a call from Matteo who believes she gave their story to this journalist for money and he would not be blackmailed. He never wanted to speak to her again.
Ten months later we find Kiera pregnant, living with relatives and unemployed. She's desperate and calls Mateo, she tried before when she found out she was pregnant but he never answered her calls. But this time he did and she asked for his help, for their sons sake.
From there Matteo takes her to his home in Italy. The two work through and negotiate the direction of their future as well as their sons.
Enjoyable to an extent. Pacing of the story was good but found I had a difficult time with some of the obstacles and conflict the two encountered. Obvious where the strange woman scenario was headed. The other problem I found was the development of the heroines character. To me she seemed weak and was underdeveloped and had much more potential. She was sweet but yet not as strong as I would have liked to see IMHO. Matteo was a much more charismatic and interesting character, I found he was the star in this story. I so appreciated that he wasn't a manwhore and more selective and celibate!!! But still came across as alpha and strong too. Very nice change and need more of these type of hero's.
It was a nice read, all in all. 🙂
3.75 Rating.
Kiera Ryan was the chauffeur for billionaire Matteo Valenti during his stay in London. But during one of the drives that they took into the country (checking out property) they became stranded in a snow storm. Thank goodness there was a B&B they had just pasted that was able to accommodate them, even if it was only one room with a double bed. Kiera was shocked by her attraction to the billionaire and did all she could to hide it. Matteo had the same struggle with Kiera, especially as she was not what he normally was drawn too. The close proximity of that bed and time together melted all the walls and the two gave into there mutual attraction. But Matteo disappeared the next morning, leaving a note and some cash explaining that he wanted her to get her wish (he asked her if there was anything she could have if money wasn't an issue and she shared that she would love to stay in a expensive hotel and lay in bed and watch TV). Kiera was heartbroken and humiliated. She returns home and walks by a charity for kids shop and gives them the money. As she leaves in tears she bumps into a woman who sees she's upset, she offers to buy her a drink and then asks why she's crying and Kiera spills her story to the stranger. Well the stranger was a reporter/journalist. Kiera receives a call from Matteo who believes she gave their story to this journalist for money and he would not be blackmailed. He never wanted to speak to her again.
Ten months later we find Kiera pregnant, living with relatives and unemployed. She's desperate and calls Mateo, she tried before when she found out she was pregnant but he never answered her calls. But this time he did and she asked for his help, for their sons sake.
From there Matteo takes her to his home in Italy. The two work through and negotiate the direction of their future as well as their sons.
Enjoyable to an extent. Pacing of the story was good but found I had a difficult time with some of the obstacles and conflict the two encountered. Obvious where the strange woman scenario was headed. The other problem I found was the development of the heroines character. To me she seemed weak and was underdeveloped and had much more potential. She was sweet but yet not as strong as I would have liked to see IMHO. Matteo was a much more charismatic and interesting character, I found he was the star in this story. I so appreciated that he wasn't a manwhore and more selective and celibate!!! But still came across as alpha and strong too. Very nice change and need more of these type of hero's.
It was a nice read, all in all. 🙂
October 4, 2017
Steamy and romantic love story. I loved Matteo and Keira they had great chemistry. Epilogue was just ok though!
August 7, 2018
3.5 stars
Ivy H has an amazing review and I completely agree with her about the baby-bonding and H's stone heart and stupidity issues.
My two cents are:
- I hate it when I'm told the heroine is a competent worker or good at doing something but soon I get proof of uselessness. She's thinking about how important her job is and couldn't tell him as they were passing the B&B about her concerns for the weather so he could make the decision to keep going or stop in time so if he wanted to keep going and got stuck (which happened) then it would have been his fault. So she lost points with me.
I actually prefer to be told if the heroine is clumsy or bad at her work (because she doesn't like it or is not trained to do so) so I know what I'm getting. Anyways, leaving that behind she was a pretty decent heroine and I would have loved her if not for adding the next point.
- The guy TOLD her he has a stone instead of a heart, that NOBODY has ever been affectionate to him, let alone tell him "I love you". She hopes his heart would melt and he will love the baby and maybe her in time so she's giving their relationship a chance but I don't see her making ANY effort, not where it counts. Silly me thinks that you have to teach/show the guy to express feelings and make him feel cared about, loved, so in time, he'll reciprocate. Well, the heroine never tells/shows her feelings for him except for one time it slipped from her tongue to tell him she loved him and immediately took her back, he was disappointed (in her taking back the words) and she noticed. Please, someone, tell me if my lack of experience in man-woman relationships is showing and I have no idea what I'm talking about if I'm ever to be in a relationship with a cold closed man I have to wait for him to say "I love you" first while me (the emotionally healthy one, or so I would like to think) says nothing about my feelings.
Why did this issue stand out in this particular HP? I know that in almost all HP the heroine is the one to fall first (or recognize she's fallen) but doesn't say it, the H is the one to say it first. But in most cases, the h doesn't know the whys of his behavior or isn't directly told that he isn't capable of feeling or she knows she's capable of love (to his family, friends) but isn't sure he can ever love her. In most of those cases, the h's tender loving (even if she doesn't tell him in words) is what melts the H (even while being an idiot about it).
I'll better go check if my mango and rompope milkshake has frozen...
Ivy H has an amazing review and I completely agree with her about the baby-bonding and H's stone heart and stupidity issues.
My two cents are:
- I hate it when I'm told the heroine is a competent worker or good at doing something but soon I get proof of uselessness. She's thinking about how important her job is and couldn't tell him as they were passing the B&B about her concerns for the weather so he could make the decision to keep going or stop in time so if he wanted to keep going and got stuck (which happened) then it would have been his fault. So she lost points with me.
I actually prefer to be told if the heroine is clumsy or bad at her work (because she doesn't like it or is not trained to do so) so I know what I'm getting. Anyways, leaving that behind she was a pretty decent heroine and I would have loved her if not for adding the next point.
- The guy TOLD her he has a stone instead of a heart, that NOBODY has ever been affectionate to him, let alone tell him "I love you". She hopes his heart would melt and he will love the baby and maybe her in time so she's giving their relationship a chance but I don't see her making ANY effort, not where it counts. Silly me thinks that you have to teach/show the guy to express feelings and make him feel cared about, loved, so in time, he'll reciprocate. Well, the heroine never tells/shows her feelings for him except for one time it slipped from her tongue to tell him she loved him and immediately took her back, he was disappointed (in her taking back the words) and she noticed. Please, someone, tell me if my lack of experience in man-woman relationships is showing and I have no idea what I'm talking about if I'm ever to be in a relationship with a cold closed man I have to wait for him to say "I love you" first while me (the emotionally healthy one, or so I would like to think) says nothing about my feelings.
Why did this issue stand out in this particular HP? I know that in almost all HP the heroine is the one to fall first (or recognize she's fallen) but doesn't say it, the H is the one to say it first. But in most cases, the h doesn't know the whys of his behavior or isn't directly told that he isn't capable of feeling or she knows she's capable of love (to his family, friends) but isn't sure he can ever love her. In most of those cases, the h's tender loving (even if she doesn't tell him in words) is what melts the H (even while being an idiot about it).
I'll better go check if my mango and rompope milkshake has frozen...
January 25, 2018
It was okay SPOILERS BELOW
I think I expected more. Don't get me wrong it was good but I didn't feel it so much. It was cold to me. I liked the heroine and the hero too really. I liked his honesty in admitting how he 'didn't' feel when he first saw his son. I really thought it was wrong the way the heroine reacted and didn't read his letters. That annoyed me for some reason. The child was not a major character in the book. Really weird for a secret child trope. It was a nice HEA and it was nice to read a Sharon Kendrick book that didn't have a promiscuous hero. All in all a good book.
I think I expected more. Don't get me wrong it was good but I didn't feel it so much. It was cold to me. I liked the heroine and the hero too really. I liked his honesty in admitting how he 'didn't' feel when he first saw his son. I really thought it was wrong the way the heroine reacted and didn't read his letters. That annoyed me for some reason. The child was not a major character in the book. Really weird for a secret child trope. It was a nice HEA and it was nice to read a Sharon Kendrick book that didn't have a promiscuous hero. All in all a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2020
"The Italian's Christmas Secret" is the story of Keira and Matteo.
A sweet yet angsty Christmas romance, with a strong h and a cynical emotionless H.
Our h and H meet when she chauffeurs him on a trip, but they end up being trapped in a snowstorm. Taking shelter in a B&B, passions ignite, and the H leaves next morning by taking her virginity and giving her the gift of motherhood..
Months later, the h struggles to make ends meet for herself and her newborn son, and resigns from frustration, calling the H and informing him of his paternity. The H then swoops into her life, and whisks her away to the land of riches and comfort. But with him wanting to change her and not connecting with his son, how long will the h take his "callousness"?
Loads of passion and tearjerking moments in this book. Nice grovel and HEA towards the end, and loads of drama sprinkled throughout. Scarred H/sweet h.
Safe
3.5/5
A sweet yet angsty Christmas romance, with a strong h and a cynical emotionless H.
Our h and H meet when she chauffeurs him on a trip, but they end up being trapped in a snowstorm. Taking shelter in a B&B, passions ignite, and the H leaves next morning by taking her virginity and giving her the gift of motherhood..
Months later, the h struggles to make ends meet for herself and her newborn son, and resigns from frustration, calling the H and informing him of his paternity. The H then swoops into her life, and whisks her away to the land of riches and comfort. But with him wanting to change her and not connecting with his son, how long will the h take his "callousness"?
Loads of passion and tearjerking moments in this book. Nice grovel and HEA towards the end, and loads of drama sprinkled throughout. Scarred H/sweet h.
Safe
3.5/5
April 12, 2020
Safety Gang Info:
Keira Ryan is a pretty, petite young woman who is the temporary chauffeur for the gorgeous, wealthy, and powerful Matteo Valenti while he is in England visiting sites for hotels. He is a harsh, crass, grouchy, brooding, opinionated, jerk of a man, approximately thirty-years-old to Keira's twenty-four. He is not a likable character...until the proverbial end. Everything that comes out of his mouth has the potential to wound, hurt, and put down.
Keira can hardly believe she is the chosen one to drive this perfect specimen of a man, Matteo Valenti, around England. But the man is cutting and insulting, never a nice or pleasant word from his mouth. It's not like it's her fault they got caught in a blizzard but he blames her nonetheless. There are no hotels for them to stay the night but they did pass a small B & B a mile back. Problem...there is only one room available containing a single small bed so they think they can positively keep their distance. But into the night when neither can sleep he steels a kiss that turns into so much more. When Keira awakes the next morning he is gone (she is his driver and somehow he left without her.) He was very upset that he broke his golden rule of absolutely no one-night-stands. He is ashamed of himself and knows this woman is so far beneath his station in life that he can't believe he touched her. You don't bed the help! As she looks around the room for him she finds a wad of money on the night stand...supposedly as a Christmas gift for her to have one day of luxury in a nice motel watching movies (her dream) instead of spending Christmas with her horrible aunt and cousin...but she feels he is paying for the sex so as soon as she leaves she goes to a charity to donate the money. She is crushed to say the least. While she does this she becomes upset and begins to cry. A lady takes her for a drink because she is very shook up and she tells her the story thinking the young woman is being a friend. Unfortuneately, this woman was dishonest and ended up being a reporter. When the story breaks in the paper Matteo calls her and says horrible things, accusing her of selling the story and she has no clue what he is talking about. He makes it perfectly clear he never wants to see her or hear from her again...ever!
Ten months later she has no job to support herself since she was let go from her job once her boss found out she was pregnant which made her too much of a liability. She lives with an evil aunt and cousin and endures hell daily. She finally breaks and calls Matteo informing him he is a father. Once he travels to pick them up and bring them to his home he completely ignores them, both of them. (Upon his arrival at her aunt's home all he can think is that she is heavier than before and how tired and awful she looks.) He is cruel and says he feels absolutely nothing for his son and only lust for her. It is really quite a sad situation and our heroine is heartbroken. Of course, he comes around at the very end but what troubled me is that even though he wins the heroine back and tells her he loves her, he never declares his love for their child. I had to wonder if it was an oversight. I found it upsetting and unsettling.
The hero was one tough nut to crack. I still didn't like him in the end and he treated her so terribly. He was never redeemed to my satisfaction. This is not a book I will reread. I just wish the balance had been better and we were able to see a little more happy times. He was an especially cruel alpha-hero and I wish we could have witnessed the two of them together.
Keira Ryan is a pretty, petite young woman who is the temporary chauffeur for the gorgeous, wealthy, and powerful Matteo Valenti while he is in England visiting sites for hotels. He is a harsh, crass, grouchy, brooding, opinionated, jerk of a man, approximately thirty-years-old to Keira's twenty-four. He is not a likable character...until the proverbial end. Everything that comes out of his mouth has the potential to wound, hurt, and put down.
Keira can hardly believe she is the chosen one to drive this perfect specimen of a man, Matteo Valenti, around England. But the man is cutting and insulting, never a nice or pleasant word from his mouth. It's not like it's her fault they got caught in a blizzard but he blames her nonetheless. There are no hotels for them to stay the night but they did pass a small B & B a mile back. Problem...there is only one room available containing a single small bed so they think they can positively keep their distance. But into the night when neither can sleep he steels a kiss that turns into so much more. When Keira awakes the next morning he is gone (she is his driver and somehow he left without her.) He was very upset that he broke his golden rule of absolutely no one-night-stands. He is ashamed of himself and knows this woman is so far beneath his station in life that he can't believe he touched her. You don't bed the help! As she looks around the room for him she finds a wad of money on the night stand...supposedly as a Christmas gift for her to have one day of luxury in a nice motel watching movies (her dream) instead of spending Christmas with her horrible aunt and cousin...but she feels he is paying for the sex so as soon as she leaves she goes to a charity to donate the money. She is crushed to say the least. While she does this she becomes upset and begins to cry. A lady takes her for a drink because she is very shook up and she tells her the story thinking the young woman is being a friend. Unfortuneately, this woman was dishonest and ended up being a reporter. When the story breaks in the paper Matteo calls her and says horrible things, accusing her of selling the story and she has no clue what he is talking about. He makes it perfectly clear he never wants to see her or hear from her again...ever!
Ten months later she has no job to support herself since she was let go from her job once her boss found out she was pregnant which made her too much of a liability. She lives with an evil aunt and cousin and endures hell daily. She finally breaks and calls Matteo informing him he is a father. Once he travels to pick them up and bring them to his home he completely ignores them, both of them. (Upon his arrival at her aunt's home all he can think is that she is heavier than before and how tired and awful she looks.) He is cruel and says he feels absolutely nothing for his son and only lust for her. It is really quite a sad situation and our heroine is heartbroken. Of course, he comes around at the very end but what troubled me is that even though he wins the heroine back and tells her he loves her, he never declares his love for their child. I had to wonder if it was an oversight. I found it upsetting and unsettling.
The hero was one tough nut to crack. I still didn't like him in the end and he treated her so terribly. He was never redeemed to my satisfaction. This is not a book I will reread. I just wish the balance had been better and we were able to see a little more happy times. He was an especially cruel alpha-hero and I wish we could have witnessed the two of them together.
October 8, 2017
Sharon Kendrick never 'Presents' ! anything less than perfection. This is another classic sumptuous romance featuring a gorgeous totally relateable heroine - Kiera and a charismatic larger than life hero - Matteo. Along with the high octane emotion and fantastic surroundings - glorious Umbria - her stories always feel rooted in real life too, in a way that makes the characters seem very accessible and believable without diminishing the fantasy promised by Harlequin Presents.
I love that Kiera is a driver and I love that Matteo is dark and complex but willing to allow himself to be broken apart by Kiera and her fierce strength and honesty.
My favourite line in the book though, is when Matteo asks for a critique on his driving ability and Kiera tells him he's 'ok, but a bit heavy on the clutch.' Brilliant!!!
More please!
I love that Kiera is a driver and I love that Matteo is dark and complex but willing to allow himself to be broken apart by Kiera and her fierce strength and honesty.
My favourite line in the book though, is when Matteo asks for a critique on his driving ability and Kiera tells him he's 'ok, but a bit heavy on the clutch.' Brilliant!!!
More please!
February 14, 2019
The Italian's Christmas Secret begins with a one night stand between strangers. This concept rarely works for me because the heroine reacts like she had a genuine relationship with the hero in her reactions towards the hero. This is what happens in this book.
It was annoying to see the heroine react with offense when she was told why the hero married her because she knew they were together because a one night stand produced a baby. Because the heroine was a virgin and not experienced in dating men I did keep reading.
One last issue I had was the lack of bonding between the hero and his son. I like secret baby tropes because I get to see a hero be a daddy and love his child immediately.
In spite of the issues I had with the story, I found the storytelling compelling.
It was annoying to see the heroine react with offense when she was told why the hero married her because she knew they were together because a one night stand produced a baby. Because the heroine was a virgin and not experienced in dating men I did keep reading.
One last issue I had was the lack of bonding between the hero and his son. I like secret baby tropes because I get to see a hero be a daddy and love his child immediately.
In spite of the issues I had with the story, I found the storytelling compelling.
April 28, 2018
to be honest, I dislikes everything in this book. the male lead, the female lead, the storyline, the plot.
November 28, 2017
Sharon Kendrick is the mistress of the Classic Presents novel, but what I love about her writing is while she has all that passionate intensity in her stories and the uber delicious alpha heroes - Matteo Valenti in this book is off the charts hot and sexy and seductive - her writing is also bang-up-to-date. Kiera's struggles to resist and then to understand this autocratic and emotionally closed man, and Matteo's struggles to become a father to his son while resisting his own feelings towards little Santino and his mother felt utterly contemporary. And that delicious scene when they are forced to share a bed during a snowstorm a few days before Christmas..? Phwoah.
October 4, 2017
just o.k nothing special
December 25, 2018
Had the right sexual tension and premier I love I'm presents novels but the story kind of fell apart towards the end
December 15, 2017
Matteo hired Keira as his driver while in London. After several days of visiting properties, they get stuck in a late December snowstorm and are forced to share a room. This leads to one night of passion and an unexpected pregnancy.
Almost a year later, Keira calls Matteo to let him know that he is a father. Since having the baby she has found life more challenging than she expected and found that she needed his assistance.
He finds Keira almost falling over with exhaustion, takes her to Italy, hires a nanny and allows her time to heal and recuperate.
Since there was no relationship before, they have a hard time forming one now when they are both on the defensive, until they end up in bed together and break down a few barriers.
I love Christmas happily ever after endings. And this book had one. I just didn’t feel like these two characters truly connected. The dialogue was sparse, there was never the feeling of real chemistry and Matteo’s inability to bond with his son at first was really disturbing.
It was a sweet book, but it didn’t wow me the way I wanted it to.
Almost a year later, Keira calls Matteo to let him know that he is a father. Since having the baby she has found life more challenging than she expected and found that she needed his assistance.
He finds Keira almost falling over with exhaustion, takes her to Italy, hires a nanny and allows her time to heal and recuperate.
Since there was no relationship before, they have a hard time forming one now when they are both on the defensive, until they end up in bed together and break down a few barriers.
I love Christmas happily ever after endings. And this book had one. I just didn’t feel like these two characters truly connected. The dialogue was sparse, there was never the feeling of real chemistry and Matteo’s inability to bond with his son at first was really disturbing.
It was a sweet book, but it didn’t wow me the way I wanted it to.
November 5, 2017
I have to get this off my chest first thing- I didn't realize that there was "bonus" material in this book, so when it got to be 57% done and the book seemed to be wrapping up, I felt a little cheated. I guess I need to think of the extra material as just that.
That said, it was an OK story.
That said, it was an OK story.
December 22, 2017
3.5-4 stars
It was hard to give this book an accurate rating because I was kind of going back and forth about it. On the one hand, it was enjoyable and entertaining, yet on the other hand I felt like it could have dug a little bit deeper.
For instance, there was some issues that were present in the story but not really explored and was kind of brushed over. The one that comes immediately into my mind was Keira's dyslexia. Aside from one sentence about it, I would never have even known. Matteo never learned about in the story. There were never examples shown of how dyslexia affected her day to day life and how much she had to overcome and work to overcome her dyslexia. I just wished he learned her struggles and she her strength that came through.
With that being said, there were other issues on display that were very dark. Darker than I was expecting and even kept me of shocking especially surrounding Keira's mother. I just wasn't prepared for that, and I was glad that she told Matteo, and I think that was the turning point in their relationship. They got more emotionally involved. I just really liked seeing them vulnerable with one another. It showed their level of closeness.
There was some misunderstanding in the story that lead to angst. I liked the angst, and all the hurt that went along with it. I felt so bad for Kiera especially in how Matteo treated her. And that created all types of tension between them. I do think that the angst and the tension could have been upped a smidge just to make it a little bit more intense. I just need edge it a little more over the top.
I didn't like his lack of interest as a parent and really made him in my eyes see like a cold, unfeeling jerk in a different way that alpha are usually. It was a turn off. I understand it a point where he was coming from, but still. Yes, there was one scene where he let it all loose when concerning his son, but I wish there was a scene where he was actually interacting with his son. I think it would have been a beautiful scene between father and son.
Although through the book I could see them get closer and closer, I wasn't convinced of their love or more accurately them fall in love. I just felt like it came up all of a sudden instead of build up of progression throughout the book. I wanted more of a steady build. It just wasn't believable enough for me.
Overall it was good, but it wasn't that all consuming love story that I was looking for. The elements were there, but I felt they just brushed the surface and didn't go as deeply as I would have like. I just needed more exploration. I needed more development and see a gradual build up that would have lead to an intense, soulful love story. I wanted to be punched in the gut a little bit more. I will say I liked the angst and tension between them that made the story interesting. I also really liked the setting that was just described beautifully and giving off that holiday vibe. I loved that they were trapped in a snow storm, which created that passionate night. It felt romantic. I felt like I was really there with all its descriptive words. It was a good beginning to the story. I just wish that was how it was the end, which I felt was a little bit rushed and wasn't feeling their soul mate type of love. But I did like it.
It was hard to give this book an accurate rating because I was kind of going back and forth about it. On the one hand, it was enjoyable and entertaining, yet on the other hand I felt like it could have dug a little bit deeper.
For instance, there was some issues that were present in the story but not really explored and was kind of brushed over. The one that comes immediately into my mind was Keira's dyslexia. Aside from one sentence about it, I would never have even known. Matteo never learned about in the story. There were never examples shown of how dyslexia affected her day to day life and how much she had to overcome and work to overcome her dyslexia. I just wished he learned her struggles and she her strength that came through.
With that being said, there were other issues on display that were very dark. Darker than I was expecting and even kept me of shocking especially surrounding Keira's mother. I just wasn't prepared for that, and I was glad that she told Matteo, and I think that was the turning point in their relationship. They got more emotionally involved. I just really liked seeing them vulnerable with one another. It showed their level of closeness.
There was some misunderstanding in the story that lead to angst. I liked the angst, and all the hurt that went along with it. I felt so bad for Kiera especially in how Matteo treated her. And that created all types of tension between them. I do think that the angst and the tension could have been upped a smidge just to make it a little bit more intense. I just need edge it a little more over the top.
I didn't like his lack of interest as a parent and really made him in my eyes see like a cold, unfeeling jerk in a different way that alpha are usually. It was a turn off. I understand it a point where he was coming from, but still. Yes, there was one scene where he let it all loose when concerning his son, but I wish there was a scene where he was actually interacting with his son. I think it would have been a beautiful scene between father and son.
Although through the book I could see them get closer and closer, I wasn't convinced of their love or more accurately them fall in love. I just felt like it came up all of a sudden instead of build up of progression throughout the book. I wanted more of a steady build. It just wasn't believable enough for me.
Overall it was good, but it wasn't that all consuming love story that I was looking for. The elements were there, but I felt they just brushed the surface and didn't go as deeply as I would have like. I just needed more exploration. I needed more development and see a gradual build up that would have lead to an intense, soulful love story. I wanted to be punched in the gut a little bit more. I will say I liked the angst and tension between them that made the story interesting. I also really liked the setting that was just described beautifully and giving off that holiday vibe. I loved that they were trapped in a snow storm, which created that passionate night. It felt romantic. I felt like I was really there with all its descriptive words. It was a good beginning to the story. I just wish that was how it was the end, which I felt was a little bit rushed and wasn't feeling their soul mate type of love. But I did like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2017
The Italian’s Christmas Secret by Sharon Kendrick is a sensual romance where the consequences of a one night stand lead to a sweet happy ending. Keira Ryan knows she’s made a mistake taking a shorter route to Devon when the car in which she is chauffeuring billionaire Italian businessman Matteo Valenti gets stuck in a snow drift during a storm. Taking refuge in a nearby bed and breakfast, the one room available for them leads to a night of passion and pleasure – though in the morning, Keira awakes to find Matteo gone, having found another ride to get to the airport, and return home to Italy.
Ten months later, Keira has given birth to her son, Santino. Her circumstances have become quite desperate and she is resigned to calling Matteo for help. He insists that she come to Italy with him, and he will help provide for her and her son. What he doesn’t tell her is that a clause in his father’s will says that to inherit their ancestral family home he needs an heir. Since Keira has conveniently provided him with one, it all seems to be working in his favor. But when Keira finds out the truth will their fledgling relationship survive?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-the...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
Ten months later, Keira has given birth to her son, Santino. Her circumstances have become quite desperate and she is resigned to calling Matteo for help. He insists that she come to Italy with him, and he will help provide for her and her son. What he doesn’t tell her is that a clause in his father’s will says that to inherit their ancestral family home he needs an heir. Since Keira has conveniently provided him with one, it all seems to be working in his favor. But when Keira finds out the truth will their fledgling relationship survive?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-the...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
February 6, 2018
Keira Ryan is working as a chauffer when a bad bit of weather traps her with Matteo Valenti. The epitome of tall, dark and handsome, he is also way out of her league. Finding out he wants her, thrills her.
Matteo never mixes business with please. He does not get involved with the help. He definitely does not do virgins. But all rules are off when he gets Keira in his sights. But their one night of please had repercussion he had not foreseen. But having a son should make everything great.
An enjoyable story. Seemed to be missing some things (Brought up Keria was dyslexic, but had not follow through. Just a statement that went no where). I did like that Matteo's love for both his son and Keira took time to grow. Life is not always instant. There are events that build you, and make your perspective of things different.
Matteo never mixes business with please. He does not get involved with the help. He definitely does not do virgins. But all rules are off when he gets Keira in his sights. But their one night of please had repercussion he had not foreseen. But having a son should make everything great.
An enjoyable story. Seemed to be missing some things (Brought up Keria was dyslexic, but had not follow through. Just a statement that went no where). I did like that Matteo's love for both his son and Keira took time to grow. Life is not always instant. There are events that build you, and make your perspective of things different.
November 18, 2017
I love all Sharon's books; this was no exception. I really felt for Keira - a kind-hearted heroine who lacked confidence in a way that made me want to give her a big hug. Fortunately, Matteo was there to do plenty of that - and so much more. Sizzling sex scenes, and the kind of tension that makes your tummy swoop and knot, like falling off the top of a rollercoaster. And who doesn't love a secret-baby book!? With Christmas scenes to boot, and a very satisfying conclusion.
October 3, 2017
Any book which doesn't have the H be a manwhore & faithful to heroine (even when they are no longer together) is a must read for me. I don't care if the characters & storyline is underdeveloped, I will still love it - and I did. My only wish is that heroine had a little backbone, otherwise it was a great read!
June 12, 2021
One night, one bed…one baby!
When chauffeur Keira Ryan accidentally drives her car into a snowdrift, she and her devastatingly attractive passenger must find a hotel…only to discover they'll be sharing a bed! Luckily, billionaire Matteo Valenti takes it upon himself to show virgin Keira just how to make the most of a bad situation—with the most sizzling experience of her life.
It's nearly Christmas again before Matteo uncovers Keira's secret. He may have resisted commitment his whole life, but now it's time to claim his son and heir…
When chauffeur Keira Ryan accidentally drives her car into a snowdrift, she and her devastatingly attractive passenger must find a hotel…only to discover they'll be sharing a bed! Luckily, billionaire Matteo Valenti takes it upon himself to show virgin Keira just how to make the most of a bad situation—with the most sizzling experience of her life.
It's nearly Christmas again before Matteo uncovers Keira's secret. He may have resisted commitment his whole life, but now it's time to claim his son and heir…
March 29, 2022
The Italian’s Christmas Secret, Book 35 of the One Night With Consequences series, was about Keira Ryan, chauffeur, and Matteo Valenti, billionaire.
Keira, being the only female chauffeur and a junior one of the limousine company where she worked, had been given one of the more prestigious jobs the company ever had...driving around Matteo Valenti. However, the night she was driving him to the airport, they got stuck in a snowdrift and had to walk to the nearest hotel.
Matteo, in England hoping to purchase a new hotel, was on his way to Rome for a party. The longer it took to get to the airport, the more frustrated he became until they ended up stuck in a snowbank. Angry with her, he was determined she would be out of a job by the end of his car trip. The bed and breakfast that they managed to locate had only one bed...and one thing led to another and they ended up sleeping together. When Keira woke the next morning, she found a note, a pile of cash...and Matteo gone. Later that day, having bared her soul to someone she thought was a friend, Matteo called her, letting her know that her "friend" had been a journalist and accusing Keira of selling her story to the woman. Threats were made, harsh words were exchanged...and life went on.
Almost a year later, Matteo received a phone call...he was a father. And he was pissed off that Keira had managed to keep it from him for as long as she had. Once he had seen her and the baby, Matteo quite forcefully made her pack for the move with him to Italy, not caring about what she wanted, but rather demanding she do exactly as he said, with consequences for balking at his commands.
Sometimes I wonder why authors have to make their main male characters out to be so flawed that the reader takes an instant dislike to them. I did with Matteo due to his overbearing attitude. However, the more I read, the more my opinion changed. I still struggled in the end, for it took him a LONG time to change his outlook on life. Matteo was a strong male character, but a tad overbearing.
Keira was also a strong character with a bit of a backbone, but not much of one. While it was understandable giving in, it was not acceptable that she went so long before letting Matteo know he was to become (or already was) a father. That gives the reader the impression that the female character lacks integrity, and that's just as bad as the impression of an overbearing male character.
The storyline was well written if a bit bland. There was very little angst or drama, absolutely no humor, and definitely long-winded, even though it was a short story. The fluff in the book was unnecessary, but so was the lack of...oomph. It did not have enough "meat" to hold the reader's attention, and it was just...dare I say it again...bland. Very few highs, way too many lows, not enough twists, and turns...just...dull. Definitely not a five-star book.
Keira, being the only female chauffeur and a junior one of the limousine company where she worked, had been given one of the more prestigious jobs the company ever had...driving around Matteo Valenti. However, the night she was driving him to the airport, they got stuck in a snowdrift and had to walk to the nearest hotel.
Matteo, in England hoping to purchase a new hotel, was on his way to Rome for a party. The longer it took to get to the airport, the more frustrated he became until they ended up stuck in a snowbank. Angry with her, he was determined she would be out of a job by the end of his car trip. The bed and breakfast that they managed to locate had only one bed...and one thing led to another and they ended up sleeping together. When Keira woke the next morning, she found a note, a pile of cash...and Matteo gone. Later that day, having bared her soul to someone she thought was a friend, Matteo called her, letting her know that her "friend" had been a journalist and accusing Keira of selling her story to the woman. Threats were made, harsh words were exchanged...and life went on.
Almost a year later, Matteo received a phone call...he was a father. And he was pissed off that Keira had managed to keep it from him for as long as she had. Once he had seen her and the baby, Matteo quite forcefully made her pack for the move with him to Italy, not caring about what she wanted, but rather demanding she do exactly as he said, with consequences for balking at his commands.
Sometimes I wonder why authors have to make their main male characters out to be so flawed that the reader takes an instant dislike to them. I did with Matteo due to his overbearing attitude. However, the more I read, the more my opinion changed. I still struggled in the end, for it took him a LONG time to change his outlook on life. Matteo was a strong male character, but a tad overbearing.
Keira was also a strong character with a bit of a backbone, but not much of one. While it was understandable giving in, it was not acceptable that she went so long before letting Matteo know he was to become (or already was) a father. That gives the reader the impression that the female character lacks integrity, and that's just as bad as the impression of an overbearing male character.
The storyline was well written if a bit bland. There was very little angst or drama, absolutely no humor, and definitely long-winded, even though it was a short story. The fluff in the book was unnecessary, but so was the lack of...oomph. It did not have enough "meat" to hold the reader's attention, and it was just...dare I say it again...bland. Very few highs, way too many lows, not enough twists, and turns...just...dull. Definitely not a five-star book.
November 29, 2017
This book is just pure escapist fun. I really like that the female lead, Keira, had a job that I don't normally read about, she's a chauffeur who has been given the job of a lifetime, to drive around the fabulously wealthy and poweful Matteo something-italian-sounding. She would never normally get this chance, but all the chauffeur's were on other jobs.
So with some anxiety she drives, but as the weather turns more and more wintry and her client ignores her warnings, a situation arises.
I just love this kind of story, two people with so little in common thrown together by a weird and dangerous accident. While I found the seduction to be less than thrilling, it was about as swoonworthy as a microwaved potato with cheese, the aftermath more than made up for it.
Matteo is a pretty thoughtless and socially inept man. How else to explain leaving a wad of cash for the lady chauffeur you just deflowered in a crappy B&B? This part was kind of hysterical, as was the bit where Keira trash talks him to a reporter.
Anyways, this book gave me a few hours of escapist enjoyment and for that it is wondrous.
So with some anxiety she drives, but as the weather turns more and more wintry and her client ignores her warnings, a situation arises.
I just love this kind of story, two people with so little in common thrown together by a weird and dangerous accident. While I found the seduction to be less than thrilling, it was about as swoonworthy as a microwaved potato with cheese, the aftermath more than made up for it.
Matteo is a pretty thoughtless and socially inept man. How else to explain leaving a wad of cash for the lady chauffeur you just deflowered in a crappy B&B? This part was kind of hysterical, as was the bit where Keira trash talks him to a reporter.
Anyways, this book gave me a few hours of escapist enjoyment and for that it is wondrous.
October 23, 2017
Keira Ryan has been driving or working on expensive cars for a long time. When her employer assigns her to drive billionaire Matteo Valenti to various upscale hotels he's considering, it's just another job. Until the snowstorm sends their car into a drift and they're forced to walk back to the country B & B they just passed. One room and one night later, Matteo disappears from Keira's life leaving her with one tiny surprise - his unborn heir.
One year later, Keira's life has taken a nosedive. Forced to live with the aunt and cousin who never did approve of her, Keira's exhaustion finally catches up to her. She makes a call to Matteo, telling him that since he's her son's father, she would appreciate some help. He arrives on her doorstep to sweep her and her son into his life.
Can the two of them possibly have anything in common - the wealthy hotelier and his chauffeur?
I like Sharon Kendrick's books and this one was especially well done.
One year later, Keira's life has taken a nosedive. Forced to live with the aunt and cousin who never did approve of her, Keira's exhaustion finally catches up to her. She makes a call to Matteo, telling him that since he's her son's father, she would appreciate some help. He arrives on her doorstep to sweep her and her son into his life.
Can the two of them possibly have anything in common - the wealthy hotelier and his chauffeur?
I like Sharon Kendrick's books and this one was especially well done.
January 31, 2024
Dibaca sambil killing time. Banyak di-fastforward baris2 jalan ceritanya karena kurang ada perkembangan karakter yg berarti pada kedua tokoh utama.
Dengan teman ONS berbuah komitmen panjang yg tak lelang dimakan waktu, cerita di buku 11-12 dengan buku lain dengan cerita bertema sama. Tentu saja. Bahkan tanpa banyak interaksi sebelumnya, terjadi ONS, diakhiri dengan kesalahpahaman yg miskom, dan berlanjut ke skian bulan berikutnya ketika Sang Pria datang karena Sang Wanita membutuhkan namanya.
Kukira akan ada sedikit perkembangan karakter yg cukup berarti setelah skian bulan. Namun, tetap kurangnya interaksi di awal kisah terbawa hingga meninggalkan konflik, yg tetap dibumbui dngan casual activities dengan alasan desire frustation between the couple #sigh. Kekmana ini. Gemes sendiri.
Happy ending? As u wish.
2/*5
Dengan teman ONS berbuah komitmen panjang yg tak lelang dimakan waktu, cerita di buku 11-12 dengan buku lain dengan cerita bertema sama. Tentu saja. Bahkan tanpa banyak interaksi sebelumnya, terjadi ONS, diakhiri dengan kesalahpahaman yg miskom, dan berlanjut ke skian bulan berikutnya ketika Sang Pria datang karena Sang Wanita membutuhkan namanya.
Kukira akan ada sedikit perkembangan karakter yg cukup berarti setelah skian bulan. Namun, tetap kurangnya interaksi di awal kisah terbawa hingga meninggalkan konflik, yg tetap dibumbui dngan casual activities dengan alasan desire frustation between the couple #sigh. Kekmana ini. Gemes sendiri.
Happy ending? As u wish.
2/*5
September 3, 2017
copy given in exchange for an honest review
--
This story is basically a theme for harlequin romance, but it doesn't get old.
And these types of stories are probably the reason for my fondness of harlequin books.
Matteo was like a knight in shining armor and Keira was the damsel in distress.
Our hero did have a lot of hang ups and he screwed up a little, but I liked him.
I had a little reservation towards Keira though. She was basically this independent woman, but was still a bit naive.
This story was really sweet, and romantic.
Also entertaining when they were snowed in.
--
This story is basically a theme for harlequin romance, but it doesn't get old.
And these types of stories are probably the reason for my fondness of harlequin books.
Matteo was like a knight in shining armor and Keira was the damsel in distress.
Our hero did have a lot of hang ups and he screwed up a little, but I liked him.
I had a little reservation towards Keira though. She was basically this independent woman, but was still a bit naive.
This story was really sweet, and romantic.
Also entertaining when they were snowed in.
August 22, 2017
Although the story does mention Christmas, I do not think the title fits this book properly. I liked the story between Keira and Matteo; it is sweet and even when Matteo makes some mistakes he also makes a very nice comeback. I did not like that the title is a little bit misleading because I was looking forward to the Christmassy part of the story and it was disappointing to have it very short. However, if you are looking for a sweet HP book with a spunky heroine and a distracted but likable hero, this is a good one to read during a weekend evening.
September 19, 2017
This was a great Cinderella story and I loved it. Keira and Matteo both had lonely childhoods and had painful past but together they were perfect. Breaking through Matteo's cold heart wasn't easy but worth it. They had great chemistry and passion, I couldn't put this book down and finished it in one night. I recommend this book highly.
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