ילד הרחוב האיטלקי חי חיי עוני ודלות עד שברח לברזיל. שם הוא התנער משורשיו ואימץ לעצמו שם חדש... עכשיו ריו ד'אקילה הוא עשיר מופלג, ויצא לו שם של איש עסקים קשוח, ושל מאהב יוצא דופן... אבל המפגש עם איזבלה אורסיני מעורר בו משהו עמוק, והוא מוצא את עצמו מעמיד פנים שהוא אותו גבר נשכח. התשוקה מתלקחת והרומן שלהם מסתחרר... אבל איזבלה לא יודעת שהמאהב שלה משקר לה. היא לא יודעת מיהו ריו ד'אקילה האמיתי...
I've been a writer, one way or another, all my life. Before I could read, I made up poems and my mom wrote them down for me. In elementary school, my teachers almost always let me write poems or stories instead of requiring me to do art projects. Always, I dreamed of becoming a published writer...and that dream came true! I write novels about sexy, powerful men and independent-minded women, and what happens when they find each other and fall in love. My books are sexy and romantic, and they've very often full of romantic suspense. I write the kinds of books I love to read, and I hope that makes my readers happy.
I thought this might be the book in which Marton's "cynical-detached-tycoon-falls-head-over-heels" formula finally wore thin, but once again she turned it around and made me her bitch. Well, not entirely. The first third of the book had too much bickering and stubborn feistiness from Isabella, and the last third was heavy on character reappearances, this being the final book in a long family series. Marton did get some fun out of that fact, as in this scene:
"Startled, Rafe, Dante, Nick, Falco and Draco turned toward the man who appeared beside their booth. He was tall, same as them. Powerfully built, same as them. Dark-haired, same as them. He worse a custom-tailored suit, same as them.
And in a heartbeat, they knew who he was."
They only have one unmarried family member left, so it's pretty obvious who he would be. Let's not get too analytical about how Isbella's new love is so exactly like all her brothers and her brother-in-law; it's too squicky.
I was thinking that the conflict of the story called for a Sarcastic Wonka gif, something like, "So it turns out your gorgeous, romantic lover was lying to you about his job and is really a mega-millionaire. Wow, it sucks to be you." But it actually plays out pretty plausibly, without getting very negative. After the bickering ends, the mood of the book is quite romantic and enjoyable.
This was an enjoyable HP and anyone who has read a lot of Marton knows she has a formula but I enjoy that, a hunk hero who falls for a heroine so much so that he can't stop kissing her to shut her up.
Izzy is the youngest Orsini, a landscaper and she shows up a late for an interview with Rio. Izzy isn't a fan of wealthy men and Rio who is pissed off that she's late doesn't correct her about who he is, when she mistakes him for the caretaker, after all she will be gone shortly but as things come to pass she has to spend the night which develops into more and Rio enjoys being his true self with her.
Well as you know the deception is something he starts fearing since he has fallen for her, after that typical HP drama.
This book was okay but it was sort of all on the surface. It took place over about 3 days and they were super in love. It was very light and so little happened that it seemed like the actual nuts and bolts of the story could have been told in maybe 30 pages. Just that the day they met took over half the book. Enjoyable but more fluff than normal even for HP.
Man, the cover stinks on this book. Good thing I read the description before looking at it!! yikes! Anyway, I really enjoyed this book despite wondering what planet these people were from at times. Ok. She probably wouldn't have researched him because she is an outdoorsy type, but c'mon!
Letting it go. He was a rather drool worthy hero, btw. A good, satisfying read. I kinda wish I had read the rest of the books in the series, but I don't think you really need to do that unless you are like I am normally-must read the series in order.
An instant lust built on lies, what could go wrong? But boy, wrong it did. But not before a lot of good things happened. Things that were oh-so-sweet, and funny, and cute.
Maybe my tolerance for this story has improved, because I just ignored how quickly they fell in love with one another. Izzy was sweet, but still snappish; Rio was arrogant, much like all the other men in the family. It was a nice touch with one man saying something, and another realising that actually, no, that wasn't quite true. And the other lovely surprise was Sofia and Cesare's reveal at the end - great job you two!
Isabella Orsini alias Izzy terlambat parah utk wawancara dgn bos barunya, Rio D'Aquila. Sesampainya di rmh Rio, yg ditemuinya malah pengurus rumah yg arogan yg mengaku bernama Matteo Rossi. Padahal Rossi = Rio. Jadilah sepanjang cerita ini Izzy dibohongi dari identitas asli Rio.
Novel HQ ini tergolong insta-love, mereka tertarik satu sama lain atas ketertarikan fisik saja. Selain itu banyak narasi yg diulang-ulang juga. Terlalu banyak sesi ttg mereka bercinta krn chemistry mereka seperti kompor meleduk. Dan saya juga kurang suka "intervensi" keluarga Orsini ini, yg makan porsi cukup banyak di novel ini. Padahal yg terpenting adalah romansa para tokoh utamanya, yg sayangnya nyaris gak ada konflik yg menegangkan. Penerimaan dan pemaafan tanpa hukuman gak menarik bagi saya.
If 'The Ice Prince' was great,'The Real Rio D'Aquila' was amazing/ Thank God! I didn't get dissuaded by my friend's constant warning- "The book is damn boring!"
Well,I found the book lovely, emotional, elusive and charming. The story was so different and it was hard not to fall for the couple. The heroine- Izzy was kind of dumb at first. C'mon, when you've signed on an important client whom you haven't met, you can at least check the world wide web. Or did Sandra Marton write the novel at a time when the internet wasn't available? But as the story progressed, I came to endear Isabella. First, she was different from normal m&b heroines who are generally strong, straight-forward and sassy. Izzy was sweet, soft and chaste and for a moment you might wish that she were an understanding elder sister. Second, she was quick to fall in love and trust a perfect stranger. She felt so normal and represented a class of women who believe in love at first sight. Not everyone is feisty like most harlequin heroines.
Rio D'Aquila's childhood intrigued me, his intense love for Izzy enthused me and his looks interested me- I guess! The beautiful way he muttered Izzy's name in soft Italian words with a tone of eloquence makes him a cherish-able hero. The book was funny at parts especially the scene where he became confused with Anna, Joey and Gaby- or the place where Anna kept nagging Isabella about Rio's methods of seduction.
Finally, the ending was miraculously wonderful. The time when Cesare and Sophia Orsini revealed about their match-making qualities was exhilarating. But the cover sucks! The writing was serene and romantic whereas the cover shows unemotional faces of two models. Other than the bad cover, the book was...beautiful.
The last book in what I now call the Orsini Siblings Series. And it's time for the youngest one. Isabella Orsini, the horticulturist who runs Growing Wild - her own landscaping business. And a hero who's completely the opposite of her, thirty two years old Matteo Rossi a.k.a. Rio D'Aquila, origin unknown, Italian to boot, but made Brazil his home. On Long Island's South Shore, where he's in search of some privacy, though it is again elusive due to one Izzy Orsini. Because he had had to wait for her to appear for an interview, for the job of a landscaper. Especially because his cousin, Dante Orsini, put in a good word. Yep, his. Rio thinks Izzy is a he. Possibly an uncle, even. He's been waiting for more than two hours now and his patience has run thin.
This story is a reversal of all the previous ones. Here senior Orsini didn't want Izzy to work for Rio. Another case of mistaken identity happens when Izzy thinks of Rio as the caretaker and he doesn't correct her. He was doing ... wait for it ... hard manual labour, hence the appearance. Hmm...
Rio D’Aquila is a man the papers called a removed, cold, heartless multibillionaire.
Rio continues the charade by introducing himself as Matteo Rossi, his given name. Instead of Rio D'Aquila, his acquired name and by which everyone knows him. It's night-time, and with Izzy's car gone, there's no choice but to spend the night at Matteo's boss's house. And you know what happens. And she ends up pregnant. But the things that happen in the middle are more interesting. Like she talks, no, kind of bitches about Rio and other rich people like him, to Matteo. It was so funny.
Rio also has a very sad and poor childhood, similar to his predecessor in The Ice Prince, only without the title of a prince. The major love making scene is written with finesse, considering she's naive as far as sex is concerned. The way he soothes her is so sweet. While the Prince in the previous book wasn't known to Anna's brothers, here Rio is Dante's best friend. Who still doesn't know that Isabella isn't a relative but Dante's sister. I couldn't wait for the confrontation! Also, I'm loving how descriptive the author is in this book.
It was hilarious! Every one of the Orsinis, sans Isabella of course, descend on her and Rio on their private getaway. I love how in this book, everyone comes together at the end. A very big, very happy, Italian family. I'm glad that mother Orsini finally found her voice, even if at the very end, and it was obvious why senior Orsini was so interested in seeing his children in a settled life...
Sudah 3 jam Rio menunggu kedatangan Izzy di rumahnya ketika gadia itu datang dalam keadaan lusuh dan kotor, serta mengira Rio adalah penjaga rumah. Rio sendiri meperkenalkan diri sebagai Matteo Rossi. Identitas tersebut tidak salah, karena nama Matteo sebenarnya adalah nama lama Rio.
Secara instan, ada ketertarikan di antara keduanya. Dan Matteo menggunakan kesempatan itu untuk mencium Izzy. Kurang dari 24 jam keduanya sudah tidur bersama, dan dilanjutkan dengan rencana terbang ke pulau pribadi Matteo. Gimana keliarga Orsini tidak panik coba?
THE REAL RIO D’AQUILA by Sandra Marton is a December 2011 release by Harlequin Presents.
Isabella Orsini is looking forward to a job at tycoon Rio D A’Quila’s new country estate as a landscaper. But she was late to the interview due to unforeseen circumstances. Reaching there at last she meets a hunky shirtless man who introduces himself as Matteo Rossi, the caretaker of the estate. And sparks flew!
Rio had waited for Isabella to turn up for the interview and when at last she did come and took him to be a servant; he pretended to be the caretaker. They get closer still when Isabella spends the night at the estate. The chemistry between them just sizzled and they end up in bed. But what will happen when Isabella will learn that Matteo Rossi is Rio? Will she accept the lies he told and forgive him? But Isabella does know that Rio didn’t lie about his background and he was Matteo Rossi before he became Rio.
Isabella’s family lands in on their romantic getaway and takes her away after letting her know that Matteo is Rio. Can Rio now live without Isabella? How will he confront the family and ask them about Isabella?
THE REAL RIO D’AQUILA is a sensational and exquisite romance. The premise is exciting and the story keeps you involved from the first page.
Sandra Marton has brought with her master story telling this remarkable tale, THE REAL RIO D’AQUILA that sparkles with plenty of sizzle, sensuality and romance. Her characters are amazing in their complexities, their interactions and their growing love for each another. A very unique and enjoyable read!
Aku tau aku bakal jatuh cinta sama buku ini #loveit
Lucu, kocak, romantis, menghibur, pokoknya recomend. Paling seneng saat2 mau ending, mereka ga perlu waktu lama buat saling mengungkapkan kalau mereka saling mencintai.
Matteo Rossi, atau Rio D'Aquila, siapapun dirimu, aku meleleh.
Banyak banget curi2 ciumannya haha Bikin mesem2 sendiri bacanya.
Sandra Marton’s The Real Rio D’Aquila takes readers into the glittering, high-stakes world of the über-wealthy. Rio D’Aquila has lived a life few can imagine, rising from the gutters of Italy, reinventing himself in Brazil, and turning his name into one of immense wealth and power. He is a man who thrives on control, whose reputation precedes him as ruthless in business and incomparable in bed. But when he meets Isabella Orsini, his carefully constructed world begins to unravel.
Their paths cross through Isabella’s family connections, and from the very start, their relationship is shaped by a case of mistaken identity. Isabella does not realize exactly who Rio is, and he allows her to believe otherwise. For a man who has built a life where everyone sees only the billionaire, being able to step into the role of “someone else” gives him a rare freedom. For Isabella, meeting Rio under this guise makes him feel disarmingly approachable, someone she can lean on at a time when she is the most vulnerable. It is this unusual foundation, paired with undeniable chemistry, that draws them together and sparks a passionate affair neither expects.
Rio is thirty-two, a classic Marton hero; gorgeous, commanding, and utterly commitment-phobic. He is the kind of man who has everything money can buy but nothing that truly matters. Isabella, on the other hand is not the wide-eyed innocent many of Marton’s heroines tend to be; instead, she carries her own scars and insecurities, making her someone readers can both root for and empathize with. Their chemistry is immediate, their attraction undeniable, but what makes the story stand out is how Rio finds himself smitten from the very start, even as he grapples with the lies he has allowed to stand between them.
Their relationship is complicated by a tangle of half-truths and secrets that hover between them. Rio is, in many ways, two men: the boy from the streets who knows hunger and hardship, and the man he has crafted into one of absolute dominance and success. When Isabella enters his life, she sees glimpses of both, but Rio’s reluctance to bare his entire self puts them on a collision course. Watching Isabella navigate this storm of emotions while trying to trust a man shrouded in shadows makes for much of the novel’s tension.
What I liked most about this story is Rio himself. Marton wrote him as smitten from the beginning, which meant he never strayed into the territory of a cruel or irredeemable hero. Instead, he is a man who cannot quite reconcile who he once was with who he is now, and it makes him both fascinating and enigmatic. My one gripe was that the angst didn’t run as deep as I might have preferred, which I wanted more of given Rio’s layered past and the potential for emotional clashes, I found myself wishing for more intensity at certain points.
That said, Marton knows how to weave tension, sensuality, and the push-pull of emotions into a narrative that keeps the pages turning. While not my absolute favorite of hers, it still delivered on the promise of a romance that entertained.
Recommended for: readers who enjoy mistaken identity tropes, self-made billionaire heroes, and heroines who become their undoing.
Final Verdict: The Real Rio D’Aquila delivers passion and heart, even if I longed for a touch more angst.
This was an OK book. I was looking forward to Izzy's story and really wished it had had more of her gardening since that was so important to her. Somehow, too, the "insta-lust" between the two of them just didn't ring true to me.
That said, there were some good passages: Another minute or two, then he’d pull aside the curtain and reveal himself as the Wizard in the Emerald City. And, no, that hadn’t gone so well for the real wizard but the analogy made—
and I *loved* this one!: The band began to play. The tune was soft and haunting. Rio led his wife onto the dance floor. Draco did the same with Anna. Rafe, Dante, Falco and Nick followed with their wives until the entire Orsini clan, Cesare and Sofia included, was waltzing to the beautiful music. It was Anna who caught on first. “Ohmygod,” she said to Draco, “it’s the theme from The Godfather!”
I had figured out what Cesare was doing almost from the first book, but didn't realize that his wife was his "partner in crime".
One of the things I really disliked is when Mama says, “I know it is difficult for you to understand. I know what your father is, what he has had to become. I know it in ways you cannot possibly comprehend and while I deplore the life he had to choose, I love him with all my heart." "had to become"?! "had to choose"?! How can she say that?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The author definitely has regressed in her writing style or maybe I have lost patience with authors who have no concept of keeping inconsistencies in characters. H is rich but the author hasn't made up her mind about how rich - some chapters he has multi millions lying around and other sometimes multi-billions. What is a few 0s? Hs mind is weird despite seeing very clearly the woman is not old and wearing heels he speculates about the possibility of the woman being his 50 year old rotund stalker! The h is dithering between idiocy and infancy. She has no concept of personal safety, directions, responsibility for selecting or wearing her own clothes, shoes or driving a car and even worse she ends up driving into a ditch, ditches the above said shoes to walk barefoot in the garden and squeezing her feet back in borrowed shoes.
Patético. No me gustó el libro porque ES IGUAL A MIL OTROS QUE EXISTEN. El tipo millonario, poderoso y guapo que sólo usa a las mujeres y que no cree en el amor hasta que conoce a la heroína, que es una mujer fuerte, independiente y que no necesita a los hombres. Les parece similar al libro anterior? ES PORQUE LO ES. Hay muchas cosas que me parecen Ridículas en este libro, primero, se supone que el tal Río es un magnate famoso y que sale en portadas de revistas y demás, pero Isabella no lo conoce? Y eso que se mueven en los mismos círculos. NO CONOCE A UNO DE LOS TIPOS MAS FAMOSOS Y QUE ENCIMA ES AMIGO DE SU HERMANO. Osea, por favor! Y segundo, se enamoran en MENOS DE 24 HORAS. Eso es lo más irreal del mundo! No lo disfruté para nada, por lo que fue bueno que haya sido tan corto. Por favor, no más historias así!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Akhirnya setelah sekian lama cerita ini dilirik kembali dan bisa terselesaikan. Awal membaca karena pernah gue diamkan selama berbulan-bulan ceritanya bakal membosanlan. Ternyata tidak juga.. Si Rio/Matteo yang kata Anna bajingan ternyata punya pesona terpendam khas hero harlequin. Itu doang sebenernya.. Yah namanya harlequin mau berharap alur beda? Ya jangan harap lol
Isabella was a woman unsure of her value or place in life. Rio felt his wealth was the main reason for his acceptance. A lie leads them both to gain a more accurate picture of themselves. Then they are ready for love. I especially liked the epilogue which tied up the entire series.
I like this better than the first one. They look real. An ordinary girl meets an ordinary boy, even tough you can't call Rio D'Aquila ordinary. Woman who looks ordinary compared to her perfect sister, make her insecure. And this is the first time a woman rejects him, even though she didn't know the he's Rio D'Aquila.
Río es un empresario duro y frio,huerfano criado en la enorme pobreza.Donde se dedico a la vida delictiva para poder comer.Se enfrento al mundo solo pero resurgió de sus cenizas como el Ave Fénix y alcanzo un lugar en el mundo.Exitoso,guapo,con dinero y poder las mujeres caen rendidas a sus pies.Pero el no quiere ningún compromiso serio y como todo protagonista Harlequin lo menos que quería era creer en el amor.Claro hasta que llega su damisela en apuros,la guapa Isabella.La menor de la dinastía Orsini,torpe como ella sola.Un encanto de chica sin ninguna experiencia sexual,ya que no sabe comportarse con los hombres,o no habla nada frente a ellos o de plano no se calla.Su primer encuentro con Río es hasta cierto punto cómico.Llega tarde a la cita que tenia para poder trabajar en los jardines de la nueva mansión de Rico.
Rico sucio por trabajar en los arreglos de la casa,sin camisa y de mal humor porque el tal Izzi que espera lo dejo plantado.El cree que el Orsini que le recomendaron es hombre y se encuentra con Isabella,que no es solo llega tres horas tarde a su entrevista de empleo si no que llega hecha un asco con la ropa sucia,la cara manchada,las medias roídas,pero de primera intención Rico se sintió cautivado por su sencilla belleza y porque se notaba su inocencia.Como estaba de mal humor al ver que Isabella lo confundió con un empleado de Rico,el se presenta como Matteo Rossi,después de todo no esperaba tener que seguir viendo mas a aquella chica.Además ese fue el nombre que le pusieron en el orfanato antes de llegar a ser el rico y poderoso Rio D'Aquila.Isabella no tiene ni idea que el hombre del que se ha enamorado no es el ayudante de Rio si no ,el mismo!
Pero las cosas se complican cuando tiene que ayudar a Isabella y les llega el amor.Tratare de no dar mas detalles.Pero en el transcurso de la trama y la narración de la historia y la interacción de los dos personajes principales son geniales.Muy románticos,muy apasionados.Claro que todo se termina cuando gracias a la ayuda de los hermanos Orsini ,Isabella se entera del engaño del que fue víctima de Río.
Bueno obviamente el desenlace es igual que todas,es una Harlequin xD!Pero es super interesante,además al fin Don Cesare Orsini y su esposa aceptan que gracias a que ellos decidieron jugar a cupidos de sus hijos,ellos han conocido sus parejas y que desean que sean igual de felices como lo son ellos,ya que ella acepta que apesar de ser Cesare un mafioso es el hombre que siempre ha amado y ha sido feliz a su lado.Esto es bastante notable leyendo los libros anteriores,pero al menos al final de la serie y tras 6 libros la autora no nos deja con esa incógnita y aclara todo.Colorín colorado esta serie se ha acabado... si les gusta los Harlequin,las historias cortas ,el romance no duden en leer esta serie.Muy recomendable.
This is a case of mistaken identity mingled with love. Rio d'Aquila grew up in an orphanage, living in poverty until he escaped to Brazil and assumed a new identity. There, he made a name for himself and became a wealthy, ruthless entrepreneur.
On impulse, Isabella Orsini bids for the job of landscaping his new house. Unfortunately, she wrecks the car on the way to the job site and is forced to walk to her appointment. A young man greets her when she finally reaches d'Aquila's lavish home, weary and bedraggled from her ordeal. He is kind to her and a strange bond is formed between them.
Little by little, Isabella falls more and more in love with the man she knows as Matteo, the name the orphanage gave d'Aquila so long ago. As their relationship grows, Matteo realizes that he has to tell Isabella the truth about his identity, but he is frightened that it may change their fragile relationship. On a mysterious island retreat, Isabella's family finally intervenes. Now, Matteo and Isabella must choose whether to break things off for good or whether love will triumph.
The list of Romance Books Everyone Should Read got me started. This is number 10 on my personal list. Last one, I promise. Harlequin Presents, also Mills and Boon Modern (I like their covers better, so sometimes pick their editions). Heroine mistakes hero for the caretaker instead of the tycoon. But this is not full of angst and drama. Sandra Marton does a fine job of these two falling in love, they speak the same language, like the same things, it makes sense. And when she finds out who he is, her family rides to the rescue, again, given what they knew, perfectly reasonable. When the hero comes apologize, (grovel, yay) he has to run the gauntlet of the heroine's brothers and brother in law. When he asks if they have ever done anything similar, their reactions are priceless! Just a really nice feel-good romance.
Rio D'Aquila is the name he earned, but Matteo Rossi was the name he was given. While one had struggled to become the other, his being Matteo was truly at the heart of Rio.
Isabella Orsini might come from a large family, but as the youngest, she had always remained in the back ground, never truly finding herself. Meeting up with Matteo gave her the passion to seize life and go for her heart's dream, but finding out he had lied was almost too blinding to get past.
Sandra Morton'un Orsini Kardeşler serisinin bu romanını beğenerek okudum..Orsini Kadeşlerin en gösterişsiz ve deneyimsiz olanı İzzt Orsini ve Gizemli yakışıklı milyarder Rio D'Aquila nın hikayesi.. İsabelle Orsini bu gizemli yakışıklıyı görüşmeye geldiği Rio'nun bahçıvanı Matteo Rossi olarak biliyordu ve bahçesinin düzenleme işini alm ak için gelmişti..Ama çiftin tanışmaları çok olaylı olmuştu...Güzel bir hikaye idi..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I just love Sandra Marton's books and have been a fan for years.
Her Orsini brothers and now sisters series is now over (cue - howling).
Her heros are so magnetic and gorgeous and how fabulous to a family of 4 brothers - wow, hot! And because her fans wanted more, she wrote HEA for the 2 sisters.
Loved the series - hope she writes another soon :)