Bought with the Italian's Ring

by Tara Pammi

His life-long legacy is at risk
Buying a bride could save it…

CEO Raphael Mastrantino has absolute power—until a shock heir to his billion-dollar empire emerges! He initiates a calculated seduction to rob Pia Vito of her inheritance, and inescapable hunger soon engulfs them. But Pia’s innocence unravels his plans to acquire her. Now, to make her his, Rafael must give her more than a diamond ring!

Genres: Harlequin Presents, Harlequin, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 11, 2018

About the author

Tara Pammi can't remember a moment when she wasn't lost in a book, especially a romance which, for a teenager, was much more exciting than mathematics textbook. Before long, she was hiding romance novels within bigger textbooks, smuggling them into the home through her unsuspecting younger cousin’s school bag, and cycling more than a few miles to her favorite library to borrow more.

Through numerous ‘true’ loves :-) and traveling thousands of miles from family and friends, her attachment to books and especially romance novels stayed constant.

One fine day, toiling away as a grad student in a basement lab, Tara started typing the beginning of a story instead of her thesis. But it wasn’t until years later, encouraged by her real life hero, Tara realized what she truly wanted to do was to write.

Tara lives in Texas with her real life hero and her two little girls. When she isn't writing or reading, Tara can be found failing in the kitchen, watching TV or making resolutions to exercise more, or even a little.

Reviews

[Vashti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read much by this newer HP author,the premise of this one sounded good....newly discovered granddaughter of an aged Italian millionaire whose Nonna was his lover untill they had and argument, the old man married another ,and went on to marry a few more times,and Nonna went away to America with his unborn son who he never new untill the newly discovered Granddaughter comes to Italy after her ex boyfriend took her for all she has and left her in debt.Nonna is now deceased and she thought she had no family untill she went thru her papers and discoverd the old man ,her grandfather.She did not know her new Nonno was a rich old man who has an even richer godson who he gave his automobile parts company to and now said company is worth billions.
The hero is of course extremely suspicious of the heroine and is having her investigated.So the minute he sees the heroine,his John Thomas is at attention and stays that way thru out the entire story,it sounded like he stayed hard constantly.I did not like him,he was horrible to the heroine and said some really harsh things to her.The only time he showed some humanity was when he was with his stepdaughter from his now ex wife who is doing a stint in drug rehab and he has sole custody of the child.This ex put him off from love though he confessed to the heroine that he only married her as a trophy wife and never loved her,the ex went on to have numerous affairs ,hence the child that is not the hero's.
The heroine is a naive chit,she wears her heart on her sleeves as regards to the hero.She makes excuses for his behavoir,but she does call him out on his behavior each time.
I have to say that this was on the explicit side for an HP,heroine was also "wet" constantly around the hero,guess with him constantly "hard" and she "wet",they were the perfect pair .
The Nonno was a master manipulator as he wanted these 2 to get together which led them to become engaged to ward off any possible fortune hunters.They did get together and the sex scenes were very sexy.I felt this ended on the abrupt side,I turned the next page and nothing.We know that she was pregnant and he proposed to her.
In all,not a bad read,it had its moments that I enjoyed and wanted to bash the hero a few times and the heroine was just too good to be true,hence the 3 stars.

[Rgreader · Rating 1 out of 5]

A boring romance. I was determined to finish this thing. They spent so much time getting to know each other then the heroine runs away near the book's end...that annoyed me since she spent time getting to know the hero w/o smexy times.

The first chapter really caught my attention. I was disappointed the storytelling went downhill from there.

[lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

not a fan of this author!

[Jenny]

Sadly I couldn't get into this book. No idea why but this author is not for me.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major Plot Spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.

As soon as Pia and Raphael met at, the two of them had some serious heat and chemistry that just bounced off the pages. The pair met at a lavish ball thrown by Pia’s grandfather Gio to introduced his newly discovered granddaughter to Milan society, but Raphael being suspicious that Pia might be a con artist out to get money out of her grandfather, who happened to be Raphael’s godfather. So Raphael instantly disliked Pia and had major distrust for her, but that didn’t stop the heat and attraction between the two. They had some sexy banter back and forth as well as an even sexier dance at the ball that just oozed sexual tension and sparks between the two of them. His animosity towards her was very palatable and caused a bit of hurt feelings in Pia, who had very low self-esteem issues, but that didn’t stop her from going against him and even pushed back about his misconception about her. Then it just became a very playful, intense, sensual, and raw cat and mouse game with a little animosity thrown in there to provide even more heat between the couple. And they were on fire.

Despite that animosity between them over misconceptions there was also a connection between them that was beyond physical attraction. In Pia’s case, she trusted and felt safe with Raphael and believed he could help her from her matchmaking grandfather. The butted heads with the looming attraction for one another lofting around the periphery. What was refreshing about it was that Pia was totally open about her attraction for him and never tried to hide even if she wanted to. And she put it out there for Raphael that she found him really attractive and he made her feel like no one in her else in her life had ever made her feel, but she wouldn’t act on it because she believed that he didn’t reciprocate in that way and feel the intense attraction as she did so she tapped it down. It was nice change to see heroine be as open about her attraction as she was. It was refreshing. But Pia didn’t know was Raphael was just as attracted to her as she was to him, but just hid it better and fought it more.

Even though the tension simmered between, Pia figured the only way to get her grandfather off her back was to pretend that she was in a relationship with Raphael to keep away the vultures, and Raphael agreed to go along with it. As they pretended that they were involved lead to a very steamy, very sexy first kiss. It was sexier than some of the lovemaking scenes that I have read in the past. It was scorching, and I could feel the heat between these two and feel just how intense their attraction and connection was with one another. It was hot, as they were consumed by the kiss and everything else faded to the background, almost. They were interrupted, but from that moment on their attraction took off like a lighting bolt with no sign of stopping.

Raphael wanted to deny this intense connection so he did the bone head move and basically made her feel like that all that he was interested in her for sex and that she didn’t mean a thing to him. He did it to push her away, and it worked. Oh, did it work. It was very heartbreaking to see because I could see how much it broke Pia’s heart as he downgraded their connection with one another to only a base level. Of coarse Pia was developing deeper feelings for him, which I think Raphael knew hence the reason he pushed her away, but he didn’t have to do it so cruel. It was very raw and very painful to watch especially knowing how Pia felt for him plus she didn’t have great self-esteem so that just hit her back a notch and basically deflated her. Heartbreaking.

But once Raphael had the excuse of going after Pia, thanks to her grandfather, Raphael went all in and went after with a sexy vengeance. That was when he gave himself permission to explore that connection with Pia, at least bedroom scene, which lead to their first time. Their first time was intense, sexy, tender, and beautiful. That scene showed how intense of a connection they truly had and that there were feelings involved even if not admitted out loud. It was shown in the care that they had for each other as they kissed, touched, spoke, and made love. And they really embraced it. It was really beautiful to see Raphael to be so gentle and tender with her knowing it was her first time, but it was more that it just showed depth of his feelings for her and just how much he did care for her. I totally believed that he was starting to fall in love with her at this point with his action alone. His words weren’t quite there though admitted he did need and want her, but I didn’t need the words. Pia might not have understood his feelings for her, but I did. That didn’t mean Pia didn’t have a pleasurable and enjoyable experience with him, embracing every little moment that she had with him and enjoying that intimacy between the two them. It was nice paced scene that was really beautifully written.

They explored their attraction through the rest of the book, and it was clear that they were both falling deeper and deeper in love with each other, though Pia was more open with it. She had no problem declaring her love for him after another sexy and intense love scene. Her heart was on her sleeve, and she wasn’t afraid to show her love, which humbled Raphael in the process. She never asked for anything in return like his love or expect him to do anything in return. All she wanted to do was make her love known and let him know that he was in fact loved for himself and not what he could give her like everyone else in his life. Shel loved him wholeheartedly and gave to him freely, expressing her love whenever she could for him. But I have say the first time that she told him that she loved him was absolutely beautiful and really defined the meaning of unconditional love. I loved seeing how open her love was and how free she gave it to him just because she wanted to show him her love because she couldn’t keep it inside more. It was a very poignant moment for both of them, and that was the big turning point in the book because it got Raphael to thinking and processing this unconditional love that he really never had before.

Though he was processing not only her feelings but his feelings as well, he didn’t exactly do the right thing and kind of pushed her away not knowing how to deal with all this, which of coarse caused her to feel hurt and alone. It was heartbreaking to see her deflate more and more as he kept his distance away from her for longer of period time. She just wanted him close and keep that intimacy going between them. She didn’t expected love from him, but she didn’t expect him to distance himself from her either. And that just caused a bunch of issues as well as her dealing with her own insecurities along the way.

It really came to head once she learned that her grandfather kind of manipulated Raphael in getting him to marry her then all types of hurt feelings came to the surface and suddenly she felt really alone. She believed that not only was he forced into it, but he also pretended a connection to her that he didn’t feel. It felt like a betrayal to her. She felt she was duped especially having been duped by her ex in the past, which Raphael knew and all the pains that she went through that difficult time. This was where she broke a little bit and the sadness just came off of her in droves, and it was very sad to watch. She was so hopeful especially after that really romantic proposal that he did at the opera house, which really gave her hope. But this made her hopes die and made her believe that he would never love her so she left even though it was agonizing for her to do so, but she still did.

Pia and Raphael do come together again though and get their happily ever after, however I think Raphael could have done a bit more groveling for all the crap he did to her especially since it was clear he was in love with her, he just didn’t want to admit it and pushed her away because he didn’t want to admit it. I just think he could have done a lot more than he did in order to win back. At least he should have done a grand big romantic gesture to show her how much he did love her. He was more romantic during their first time and proposal than he was in winning her back. He had it in him, but he just didn’t do it. I just think if he did something epic at the end, it would have been more satisfying of ending, instead rushed like I thought was. Just something more needed to happen at that point.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. I liked all the sexual tension and heat between the two of them that happened immediately when the met. As soon as their eyes met, the story really began because there was such intensity and connection between them at that point. Hers was a deeply sexual attraction and connection that she never felt before in her life and was immediately drawn to while for him it was a little bit of animosity, heat, and sexual tension all mixed together to created a lethal combination. The sparks flew and the game began from that point on as they start off with a bang with that very sexy dance number, and from that moment on they really bounced off of each other. Their heat was palatable as they fought the attraction. It was very heated cat and mouse game that really sparked off their romance. What I liked was that Pia stood up to him and didn’t take crap from him, calling him out whenever he misjudged her or accused her of something that was not of her character. She was no doormat, and she embraced going toe to toe with him, which was really fun to watch. But always in the background was that intense attraction that they had for each other that never really went away, and Pia was very open about her attraction to him and didn’t try to hide it, and I really liked seeing that. In fact, she was willing to explore it more than he was in the beginning, but as this was a cat and mouse game it took a little while to get there, but once they did holy moly was it hot and steamy and just plain yummy, but it was more than them just exploring their sexual attraction, but more of their connection to one another. It was clear that there were feelings on both sides, which made it even more beautiful and satisfying one they had their first time again. I loved the first time scene and thought it was written very well and just showed the level caring they each had for one another. There were some nice romantic moments in there as well. There was never a doubt in my mind that these two were in love and were meant to be together. It was clear when they touched and kissed that it was more than just lust. He did some boneheaded things along the way, but I never doubted his feelings for her. I wish he made more of an epic gesture at the end then I think I would have been more satisfied with the ending than I was. It just felt really abrupt and rushed. But otherwise I liked seeing Pia and Raphael as a couple and the passionate and intense journey they had to go on before they got their happily ever after.

[Mattie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like it. Wasn't a fan of hero having a daughter from his previous marriage and that he was in a custody battle during the book (he was not the biological father, his ex wife cheated on him a lot). Knowing he didn't leave his ex when she cheated on him lessens his alpha image quite a bit, he was in reality a cuck. He's constantly manipulated into giving money to all the females in his life (sisters, his mother, women, etc), but he can easily be mean and say cutting things to the heroine.

Even though he's attracted to heroine he went on dates with other women and wanted to sleep with them (but his body / mind didn't). He tells heroine he was going out with another woman (that he had a long standing arrangement that they slept together throughout the years) and admits he planned to sleep with her. He ended up not sleeping with the other woman though.

As for his daughter, I don't even understand her addition to the story, she was hardly ever around and it never felt like she was part of heroine's life fully. His daughter was constantly being watched by his mother or sisters, the heroine was only around his daughter a couple times over the 3 month span of knowing him.

Even after they were engaged she wasn't around his daughter at all, he wasn't even around because he was constantly working and also dealing with custody battle, basically shutting heroine out of his life.

Heroine realized he was shutting her out and that he was only marrying for control of her grandfather's company. She left him and stayed 3 weeks with another man she had just met, the hero was extremely bothered by it, yet he didn't do anything about it (once again he's coming across as a cuck).
Obviously she didn't view the other man as anything but a friend, but quite disappointing that that didn't make hero come to his senses sooner and put a stop to that.

While the ending had them together and her revealing she was pregnant, it didn't feel like a true happy ending and like they were compatible and truly resolved their issues. This story needed an epilogue a few years in the future showing how custody with his ex wife was going, how he handled his mother and sisters constantly demanding money from him. Also how the heroine got along with his family, his mother hated her and would constantly tell her things about the hero making heroine feel bad on purpose. P.

[Tonya Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raphael Mastrantino is not sure if he is being manipulated by his godfather, Gio or if the sudden arrival of a lost granddaughter Gio knew nothing about is for real. Is Pia Vito out to take advantage of the situation and the wealth that her grandfather has? Or is she as she seems. Quiet, mild mannered, and too easily swayed and vulnerable to those that want to take advantage of her.

Pia Vito knew she had to find the only family left after her nonna Lucia passed away. Gio is her grandfather, but it is his grandson Raphael that sets her heart on fire. But he is not what she expected. But then, neither is she. Both have a lot to learn.

Over all, just OK. The story seemed to drag. Not anything specific, just slow and difficult to get engaged with the people and plot.

[Frankie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read a chapter or two and had to give up. I hate stupid/naive heroines who can't defend or resist an asshole H who abuses them because they are so in lust with him! Heroine in this story is a doormat and has a "poor me" attitude. Hero is as usual in HP, a judgemental, divorced, womanizing jerk who seems more interested in not loosing his meal ticket now that his Godfather has an heir in his Granddaughter. This kind of trope has been done to death and while others may like it, this one is clearly not something I am interested in reading any further.

[Geraldine Sadiku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read, Pia appears naive and weak but to me i found her to be a strong heroine who was able to stand up to the manipulations of her Grandfather and his godson Raphael, a well written passionate story.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the story however whilst there is mention of Raphael's daughter there are no scenes or interactions with Pia or Raphael so no real sense of family development only the relationship between Raphael. In this sense a bit of a disappointment.

[Kelly Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved both Raphael and Pia! And their scenes are HOT!

[Ryley Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the chemistry between Raphael and Pia - there was a lot of sizzle, right from their first meeting. This was a good story with a fair amount of sexiness and good conflict.

[Tigger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story

[anisa fitri zakirah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kinda like the story but the ending is very brief without any further explanation. Perhaps an epilogue would've been better.

[Anissa Hairston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional

The storyline was excellent. The heroine could have been a little more confident and the hero a little less stoic…overall a very good read.

[Elizabeth Mckernan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book I enjoyed it!

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Posted at HarlequinJunkie.com

Raphael Mastrantino is a man that loves the power his role as CEO for Vito Automobiles gives him, but he never imagined that power being threatened by his godfather’s recently-discovered grand-daughter. Will Raphael do everything he can to make Pia his, or will he walk away from the woman he’s fallen in love with? Read More

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me costó un poco al principio engancharme, pero cuando lo hice no pude parar!
Una historia con mucho conflicto, con poca confianza y mucho amor al igual que.miedo, Raphael y Pia enamoran descubren el amor y lo que es amar juntos, enfrentan miedos juntos, se tropiezan y vuelven a empezar, es una historia linda con un final lindo también,  que no te deja con ganas de saber más!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a nice M&B book but I felt like it was a little rushed.

There was the usual story sequence. However it was a little different in how she gets there. There is the same poor family life but meets prince charming and he sweeps her off her feet meets her sister but doesn't sleep with her like all her ex's have.

It is a good read and it does make you feel quite good at the end. Or at least it did me.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Conveniently Wed!

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Conveniently Wed!

[RomLibrary]

His lifelong legacy is at risk

Buying a bride could save it…

CEO Raphael Mastrantino has absolute power—until a shock heir to his billion-dollar empire emerges! He initiates a calculated seduction to rob Pia Vito of her inheritance, and inescapable hunger soon engulfs them. But Pia’s innocence unravels his plans to acquire her. Now, to make her his, Raphael must give her more than a diamond ring