Emilia (Mia) Callo was a go-getter who played by the rules. After one night with a gorgeous stranger, she broke her lifelong habit of playing it safe and moved from New York City to St. Helena, California. As the new head of Event Planning for Ryo Wines, the success she always dreamed of is within her grasp. Too bad her one lapse in judgment followed her—and could ruin everything. Mia couldn’t mix pleasure with business, no matter how much Derek Marconi’s bedroom eyes begged her for a repeat.
Derek Marconi is done trying to prove himself. Working his fingers to the bone as sales manager for DeLuca Wines got him nowhere with nothing to show for it. Working for his cousin’s winery sounded like the perfect opportunity, until the blonde that’s been racing through his mind became his new boss. He didn’t imagine the instant connection they had, no matter how much Mia now fights to forget. Now Derek has a new job and a new goal—to make her remember for a lot longer than one night.
Stephanie Rose is a badass New Yorker, a wife, a mother, and lover of all things chocolate. Most days you'll find her trying to avoid standing on discarded LEGO or deciding which book to read next. Her debut novel, Always You, released in 2015 and since then she's written several more—some of which will never see completion—and has ideas for hundreds to come.
Charming, sexy and full of romance! This lovely and utterly romantic novella completely whisked me away to the story world of Mia and Derek where I swooned, loved and felt the perfect level of emotion.
After a one night stand and the realisation that she needs to make a drastic change in her life, Mia Callo moves from NYC to St. Helena to work for Ryo Wines and put her expertise and talents to good use by heading up their event planning. What she doesn't anticipate is coming face to face with her aforementioned one night stand and in the very place she works; a factor that she fears could ruin everything. Enter charismatic Derek Marconi who woos both reader and heroine in equal measure and has his own reasons for entering into a new career.
Time transitions are shown to give perfect pace to the story and a realistic time span for the development of their relationship. Their attraction to each other ignites intensely but at a rate which I completely believed, it felt real, the motivation is plausible where everything falls into place for them to become brilliant friends and later lovers with the most beautifully chemistry and a once in a lifetime love. The ironic sense of humour and spunky personality displayed by heroine along with her genuine vulnerabilities totally warmed me to her persona along with the banter she shares with Derek. I swooned deeply, a factor which is key to the enjoyment of a romantic novella and, in all honesty, I could have read more about this couple.
There are times when I crave a quick romance fix. A thirst quenching story with a swoon worthy hero. A perfect tale where girl meets boy, where there are obstacles preventing the blossoming of their love and then ultimately their love conquers all. Equally, I want the story to show development, be believable, have characters who act with a sense of truth and faith. Yes, I want everything from my stories, whether they’re full length or novella size and ULTIMATE STRANGERS satisfied all my cravings with its charming romantic narrative and swoon worthy hero. I loved getting to know Mia and Derek, their story is beautiful, and can be read completely as a standalone sweet romance.
Note: Intimate Strangers by Stephanie Rose is a novella from Marina Adair's St. Helena Vineyard Kindle World Series and can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Beta Read *
★ Graphics created by me with stock photos I purchased from deposit photos ★
Wow......this was a novella and it was Fabulous. I got on the elliptical at the gym and an hour later, I got off feeling so happy because this book filled my hour in the most delightful way!! From the first page to the last, the story took hold of me and took me on a wonderful journey. It was romantic, sexy, a little angsty, and a whole lotta lovey. The author made me connect with Derek Marconi and Mia Callo and fall in love with them.
The blurb sets up the story for you.....what I want to add is that the author managed to pack a full book into a beautiful Novella. There are so many times when you need a little story to fill up a small amount of time.......Well Guess What Folks......Intimate Stranger is a PERFECT NOVELLA that will satisfy and leave you with a big smile on your face. You will love Derek and Mia and their beautiful story set in a vineyard in St. Helena. A one night stand that forever changes their lives.
This novella deserves many many Cheers!!!
*book graciously gifted in exchange for an honest review*
**Intimate Strangers generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**
5 "Then what are you waiting for?" Stars
This Kindle Worlds novella by Stephanie Rose was a perfect little romantic read. Without any prior knowledge of the Kindle World within which Rose is writing it still was so easy to fall into the landscape of her words and the story of Derek and Mia. A one night stand turned on it's head a few months down the road made this short, contemporary romance charming and romantic. The setting was gorgeous for the pair to fall and the ways in which the author set up their conflict was engaging and intriguing. Stephanie Rose's lovely writing allows you to fully immerse yourself in this story without even realizing you've reading a novella. It's quite complete, succinct, passionate, and absolutely worth the read.
Yippee! This was definitely a goodie despite it being a novella. I love Maia and Derek. I love Stephanie Rose and her flawless prose. Everything worked. From their first meeting, their one night stand , to them meeting again later on. Their interactions were fabulous filled with humor, depth and romance. I don't read many novellas because of their fast pace and not being longer but with Intimate Strangers it worked perfectly. Mia and Derek were terrific. As individuals and as a couple. Also Mia's grandfather was great. His love and support of Mia was heartwarming. Stephanie Rose definitely knows how to write a caring, loving and vulnerable man. Derek was all that and more. Intimate Strangers put a smile on my face. If you need a quickie this is definitely a must read!
For a novella, this story sure packs a punch! I absolutely fell in love with Derek and Mia and didn't want their story to end! Intimate Strangers is part of Marina Adair's St. Helena Vineyard Kindle World Series, but can completely be read as a stand alone.
Derek and Mia have such scorching hot chemistry! Although they only shared one passionate night, it's clear that when their paths cross again, the attraction and spark is still there. I loved how both the hero and heroine are driven and independent individuals, but can recognize that together, they are even stronger. Each has their insecurities however, and those moments of vulnerability make you only root harder for them to get their happily ever after.
Intimate Strangers is a swoony and sweet novella with minimal angst, that will leave a smile on your face. I devoured it and can only hope that this isn't the last we see of Derek and Mia!
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*
This book was simply hot, sexy and an HEA that will leave you swooning... Mia and Derek are simply wonderful and the way the story carries you away makes you wish something like this could happen in real life!
Anyone want to pack their bags and move to St. Helena with me??? If I didn't have a house full of books and a car payment, I'd be loading said car up and moving across country tomorrow. There's got to be a DeLuca man over there for me!
One amazing night with Derek ~insert swoon here~ is just the catalyst Mia needs to make some major changes in her life. As hard as it is to say good-bye the next morning, they do- Derek back to his unsatisfactory life and Mia off to find something more than what she has now. Never expecting to see each other again, are these 2 in for one heck of a surprise!
Intimate Strangers is such a sweet and sexy second chance romance, one of my favorite tropes to read. For a short little novella Ms. Rose was able to draw me completely into the world of Mia and Derek. The chemistry between them is so hot, sparks almost flew out of my Kindle. Try as they might they just can't fight their attraction to each other. Derek is a total doll- I'm not sure how Mia was able to hold off for as long as she did once they reconnected.
Sometimes all it takes is one night, one chance encounter, to show you everything you were missing in life.
* A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review *
~ 5 When One Night Turns Into Forever Stars ~
What can I say except…..Read this Book!!!
Intimate Strangers is a standalone novella written by Stephanie Rose. It is told in Dual POV and was a fun, sexy and spicy chance encounter romance. This will only take a couple hours to read, but it lacks for nothing.
I know novellas aren’t some readers thing because they tend to be short and lack some of the depth you get in a full length novel, but that is NOT the case with this book. Stephanie knows how to incorporate all the feelings and depth of character in her shorter stories. She gives you all the emotion and background on the characters, you can’t help but fall in love with Mia and Derek.
In this book we meet Mia and Derek. Mia is an event planner in NYC for the Thompson Hotel and is extremely unhappy with her current position and boss. Derek is a wine salesman for his families Winery and is also unhappy with what he is doing. Derek runs into Mia (Literally) at an event that she has planned. There is instant attraction and as the night progresses neither can stop looking for the other. After talking for a couple hours Mia has decided she is going to throw caution to the wind and have a one night stand. What could go wrong with that??? Little did she know that her one night stand wouldn’t really be just one night ;)
Mia and Derek were absolutely amazing and fun loving characters. They will make you smile, swoon, laugh and even shed a tear. But in the end you will have the biggest smile on your face :)
My only negative for this book was that I wanted more!!! Although I always feel like that after reading a Stephanie Rose novel. I never want them to end!!!! I totally got swept up in Mia and Derek’s story and lives. Hopefully we will get to see them again in the future.
If you have a couple hours to spend some time reading, pick this novella up…I think you will truly love it!!!!
“We weren’t strangers anymore. We were two people who wanted each other so much and had waited so long, all that mattered was the moment. And in that moment, there was no job, no dread over repercussions. There was only us, as though it had only been us all along.”
A new novella from Stephanie Rose!! Sign me up please!! As soon as I heard about this little novella, I just knew that I had to read it.
Now, if you know me, then you know that when it comes to novellas, my reviews are always short and sweet. I like to keep them that way, so I don’t spoil the story for you. So, what can I tell you about Intimate Strangers? Well, I thought Intimate Strangers was a lot of fun. I fell for Mia right away. I loved how ambitious she was and how seriously she took her job. And Derek…Derek was burnt out and always working so hard to prove himself to others. The moment he met Mia, he just knew that she was going to be a total game-changer…
Derek and Mia’s story is definitely one of insta-love, but I have to say, I loved their connection. Their chemistry was intense and undeniable. I don’t know about you guys, but I honestly couldn’t read the pages fast enough. I loved the push and pull between these two and I loved how hard Derek worked to convince Mia to take a chance. Sure, these two had a few bumps along the way, but it was so much fun watching and wondering how things were going to play out.
Intimate Strangers was a super quick and easy read for me. And even though Derek and Mia’s story is a novella, I promise you, it packs a punch. There is never a dull moment and the romance is definitely worth experiencing. Stephanie Rose did an amazing job with this little novella!
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Oh my! For a novella, this blew my mind! I generally am not a fan of novellas unless they are catching us up on characters from a previous novel, but this breaks the mold!
Chemistry. It is galore between Derek (ahhh!!) and Mia! They meet one evening while Mia is overseeing an event; Derek is a guest at this event. They spend hours getting to know each other, by the end of the night with more than just words. A few months later, both unhappy with their previous jobs, they end up working together. Surprise, surprise- the spark is still there!
This book takes place and is a part of Marina Adair's St. Helena Vineyard world (oh my God, I didn't realize how many books there are out there in this Kindle World- I've added a lot to my TBR list). As someone who has read those books, I loved going back there (however, you certainly do not have to read Adair's books first). Stephanie Rose has yet another hit on her hands!
Short, fun, sexy, flirty and sweet. Intimate Strangers was all the good things I like about Stephanie Rose's writing with a lighter kick to it.
I enjoyed Mia and Derek's story. The insta-lust. The sense of this is more even though they both knew it couldn't be after this one night had me crossing my fingers for them. When an unexpected move puts Mia back in Derek's world, all the feelings come slamming back for both of them.
But Mia is scared. Has been her whole life. She doesn't want to let anyone down or be looked at as not good enough. Thank goodness for Derek. His kindness and actions coupled with his curls and six pack to help ease her fears- mostly. I really loved how she...I can't tell you!!!
The only thing I wish was that there was more to this book. It was over way too soon! Mia and Derek are electric together. And while their story was short, everything came full circle.
Talk about a way to start a story!! Hot damn!! Derek and Mia! Just ahhhh!!!! One night when Mia needed it most because of her boss. Here comes her night and shining armor. But then come the next morning it's back to real life. But hey it was fun.
And so then we time jump and Mia has a new job...... and from there our story continues. I'm sure you can figure out what happened and who showed up. And let me tell you the more I got to know Mia and Derek the more I loved them. Derek, he's just plain sweet and sexy! And he's exactly what Mia needs! Mia just needs to open her heart a little bit and accept what is right in front of her. Will she or won't she?!
My addiction to Stephanie's books continue with this novella. It's just what I need for a good read! I'd pick it up again and again just to share these characters story one more time.
What a great story Stephanie Rose wrote in Intimate Strangers. For not being a full length novel, I felt like I really got to know the characters and really got into the story. Novellas usually aren't my favorite because I don't feel like I get a good handle on the characters or the big picture, however, that is not the case with Intimate Strangers. Stephanie writes a beautiful, heart warming story here that will make you want to shake Mia at some point, but you'll come around eventually!
This author makes some of the best book boyfriends and she does not disappoint in this book. Derrick is so sweet, funny and swoon-worthy. The chemistry he and Mia have is amazing. The book is written in alternating POV. It was especially great seeing Derrick's POV to see how fate worked out in this story.
** Copy of this book received in exchange for my honest review.
My only complaint about Derek and Mia's story - it's just not long enough! Given that this is a novella, Ms Rose does an excellent job of giving us characters we can embrace and root for as they figure out the complexities of a work place romance. I would be first in line for a full length novel featuring these two!
****SLOW HAND CLAP*** That was just so.....sigh, I loved every second! I was either smiling like a fool, laughing, swooning or just enjoying the butterflies in my tummy. I adore a Stephanie Rose book! Intimate Strangers being my third. I recently read After You and Always You and I'm telling you the Rose addiction is real. There is no cure! There's something about the characters she creates that connects you to them immediately and Mia and Derek were no different! From their first contact I was already DYING for more! More banter, more side glances, more steamy kisses, just MORE!! You'll completely fall for these two.....head over heels! Their dreamy story keeps replaying in my head, can you say BOOK HANGOVER!!!?
This sweet and sexy second chance romance is the perfect example of how a short story should be written. It grabbed me right from the start and wouldn't let go having a depth that was totally satisfying. Derek and Mia are at a crossroads in their careers when they meet and have a one night stand. No numbers, no last names, just an instant connection and smoking hot chemistry, not looking back in the morning. Now months later they unexpectedly cross paths again. They never forgot that night and know that they still desperately want each other despite the complications that should keep them apart. I really fell for both Derek and Mia, they were so perfect together. I loved everything about this charming and sexy novella and can't recommend it highly enough!
Derek and Mia spend one hot and sexy night together and both believe that's it. When they find themselves working together the chemistry been them is still there. I loved these two as they both respected each other and they worked great together! The ending left me smiling and hoping for more from them.
This story was short but so great. I have only read a few of the St. Helena Vineyard's Kindle World books and everyone is wonderful. This one was about Mia and Derek. Mia is from New York and working for the ice queen herself. Derek is from California and in the family business but is tired of traveling and not feeling appreciated. Both are wanting a change. After a one night stand and not thinking they will see each other again they decide to make one. Then they are thrown together unexpectedly and they can't fight the attraction. This was One Great read.
❤️📖 This is a short standalone novel, perfect if you want to read something good and short in one night 😊📖❤️
One night Mia decides to not be perfect by doing everything everyone expect her to do (or so she thinks) and makes something crazy, something what makes her feel alive, crazy and free. She spends one night with Derek, a total stranger, but somatime they both feel a conection. But in the morning the fairy tale ends and they both have to go on. Not knowing how they both affected each other.
Three months later they connect again. Now Mia is Derek´s boss and soon however hard they try they´re not able to stand aside.
Derek realises very fast what he wants only Mia will need longer time to realise that playing it safe won´t bring her happiness with Derek. That sometimes you have to do what you want and not what you think other people expect from you.
I did enyoj this story, so if you have only short time for reading this is a good choice.
Mia is an up and coming star in her field, working in a company that doesn’t appreciate her. Derek is frustrated with his job and it’s constant travel. They meet at an event that she is running, and have one hot night where they both vow to quit their dead end jobs and do what they want. The next day they part ways without exchanging information, but both do exactly what they said they would do. As fate would have it, they find themselves in new jobs, at the same company, her as his boss. The rest of the story finds them trying to see who they are together and if they could make it work dispote all of the obstacles in their way, namely her being his boss. This was a sweet, fun, sassy and sexy read. I loved it!
This is a fun quick read and a great way to escape the real world for a little while. Mia and Derek drew me in from the first page and I read this in one sitting! Stephanie Rose has a way of writing characters that I feel like I know. They are real people with real feelings. Derek and Mia are no different. From their first meeting to their engagement they are real. They are fun and funny, sexy and steamy!
Sweet little love story of two people who had an instant, passionate attraction. They agreed to walk away without knowing more of each other than that one perfect night. Later, they meet again and it's still there; that desirous pull. Circumstances don't align for an easy relationship and they have to decide what they really want. Him, her, love, forever. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I devoured every word of this amazing novella. Intimate Strangers had everything that you want and need in a full length novel packed into its pages and it was exceptional.
Mia and Derek are the perfect couple. They complement each other in every way and I loved watching their relationship evolve. This story was sweet and romantic. 5 stars for sure!
Sweet little love story of two people who had an instant, sexy attraction. They agreed to one night of sex. And then go there separate ways. Later, they meet again and it's still there is the attraction. Circumstances don't align for an easy relationship and they have to decide what they really want❤️
Like some other reviews have said, this author was able to put a whole book into a novella!
I enjoyed that the novella took place over an extended period of time. It allowed for their to be more of a story and to get to to know the characters better.
It does get pretty steamy in spots- it is definitely open door romance.
I always love a good novella, you get all of the parts of a story without having to worry about the story going on for longer then necessary. Intimate Strangers is such a good read. I loved Mia and Derek's story.