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First Blush: After I Do
This coming February, you're officially invited to attend a month-long celebration of love! Twenty-eight of your favorite short, steamy romance authors have teamed up to bring you stories that will make you swoon, laugh and set your e-readers on fire! Whether they’ve stumbled into love, fallen for their worst enemy, corralled their bestie or are fighting to rekindle a lost love... Tag along and find out what happens "After I Do"!First BlushSet in the Halcyon days when American Troops have returned from Europe at the end of WWII, Santo Marini marries his blushing bride. Vera Donato came to America to escape the devastation spreading through Italy and then waited several years for him to return home to New York. Surrounded by his family, they celebrate the joining of their lives in matrimony. Everything is a whirl of color and joy until they find themselves alone.Santo wants to be a generous lover to his innocent bride, but the long wait and the years apart make him wonder if he'll be able to school his emotions and the aching need for his beautiful wife. Vera worries that her inexperience will turn him away. She has had ample time to realize that her lack of knowledge compared to American-born women. who have more confidence and liberty. may disappoint her husband.It doesn’t take long for Santo and Vera to realize that all they need to offer each other is their love and passion. Together, they discover that the barriers between them can’t hold a candle to the bright light of their future, After “I Do.”
- GenresContemporary
57 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2022
26 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 18, 2023
This was a surprisingly sweet romance, with a likable couple, but it didn't have as much character development as I like. I knew that it was short when I decided to read it, but I needed more backstory on both Santo and Vera. It gets 3.5 stars from me, rounded up to 4 stars.
Santo fell in love with Vera when she first came to live with his family, since her family wanted to keep her safe from the war (World War II) in Italy. He saw that she was sad and missed her family, so he tried to do anything he could to make her happy. She soon fell in love with him, too, and they got engaged.
Before they could get married, though, Santo decided to join the military and fight in the war. He hoped he could find Vera's family, and bring them to America for her.
After finding out that her family was gone, and coming home from the war, though, Santo thought he wasn't good enough for Vera anymore. He thought he failed her by not finding/saving her family, and he was ashamed to let her see his scars. It was sweet when Vera convinced him that he didn't fail her, and said his scars would always just remind her of what he tried to do for her.
The story did cover their wedding night, but mostly in a fade-to-black way. It was not very explicit, and was actually very sweet and romantic.
My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
Santo fell in love with Vera when she first came to live with his family, since her family wanted to keep her safe from the war (World War II) in Italy. He saw that she was sad and missed her family, so he tried to do anything he could to make her happy. She soon fell in love with him, too, and they got engaged.
Before they could get married, though, Santo decided to join the military and fight in the war. He hoped he could find Vera's family, and bring them to America for her.
After finding out that her family was gone, and coming home from the war, though, Santo thought he wasn't good enough for Vera anymore. He thought he failed her by not finding/saving her family, and he was ashamed to let her see his scars. It was sweet when Vera convinced him that he didn't fail her, and said his scars would always just remind her of what he tried to do for her.
The story did cover their wedding night, but mostly in a fade-to-black way. It was not very explicit, and was actually very sweet and romantic.
My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
February 1, 2022
I am reviewing First Blush by Reina Torres, from the After I Do anthology. This was a very heartwarming book. It's set during World War 2. Santo and Vera meet when Vera's parents send her to America from Italy to keep her safe during the war. She missed her family terribly. She and Santo are attracted to each other but, in those days, you were very careful about showing affection. A gentleman was very respectful and considerate. Santo wanted to make Vera happy and mistakenly thought he could find her family and bring them back with him...if he joined the Army. They exchanged letters for 2 years before he came home. They were married and on their wedding night everything they had waited and longed for was within reach. Will their first time together be everything they hoped? Get this book ASAP and find out what happens. Sorry, no spoilers. I received this ARC and here is my honest review.
February 2, 2022
Powerful
This may be a novella but it is packed with promises, guilt, forgiveness and faith.
Santo and Vera have a hard journey to 'I do' but the wedding night proves more difficult, it's an emotional minefield for Santo, however Vera shows him just how strong she is and how everlasting their love is....he should never have doubted!
A sweet but emotional addition to the series, I read this on Kindle Unlimited
This may be a novella but it is packed with promises, guilt, forgiveness and faith.
Santo and Vera have a hard journey to 'I do' but the wedding night proves more difficult, it's an emotional minefield for Santo, however Vera shows him just how strong she is and how everlasting their love is....he should never have doubted!
A sweet but emotional addition to the series, I read this on Kindle Unlimited
February 3, 2022
Aww super sweet and emotional story of young newlyweds set during WWII. It's amazing how much background info and emotional content Reina Torres can pack into such a short story. I got the gist of the development of Santo and Vera's relationship and their wedding was simple but beautiful filled with family and love. If you want a super quick happily ever after romance, you've got it in First Blush: After I Do.
*I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book*
*I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book*
March 5, 2022
First Blush. This book was sweet. It was a good read that dealt with the issues when a man goes off to war and returns. So much happens to Santo because of war that has him not sure he is the man for Vera. He was also devastated because he couldn't bring Vera's family back to her. But Vera stood with him and told him they would be okay because they have each other. Love with conquer all. Good read.
February 5, 2022
Santo and Vera
Santo is a former soldier returning to marry his love Vera.
Vera is Santo’s fiancée and later became his wife.
Santo came home after his military service and they were married.
You will have to pickup this book if you want to know what happens.
This is a sweet heart warming story taking place during World
War II, it has romance and emotions.
Great story !!!
Santo is a former soldier returning to marry his love Vera.
Vera is Santo’s fiancée and later became his wife.
Santo came home after his military service and they were married.
You will have to pickup this book if you want to know what happens.
This is a sweet heart warming story taking place during World
War II, it has romance and emotions.
Great story !!!
February 10, 2022
Santo fell for Vera the moment he met her and they plan to marry. Then Santo enlists in World War 2. When is comes back he is a damaged man both physically and psychologically. He no longer feels worthy of Vera but loves her too much to walk away. Can Vera prove to Santo he is worth her love and they can still have the future they dreamed of?
February 27, 2022
5 stars
I read everything Reina Torres puts out. So I picked this one up without even checking the blurb. This novella takes a break from her many romantic suspense works and delves into a historical love story that will melt your heart
I read everything Reina Torres puts out. So I picked this one up without even checking the blurb. This novella takes a break from her many romantic suspense works and delves into a historical love story that will melt your heart
February 2, 2022
Intriguing quick read set during the WW2 era. Loved the story between Santo and Vera and their happily ever after.
February 4, 2022
I loved it! A sweet and beautiful love story!❤
February 5, 2022
Totally enjoyed reading this book
February 7, 2022
This book takes place after WWII and Santo has come back and him and Vera are getting married. This is a short quick read that has romance, emotions, and it's just a beautiful love story.
March 9, 2023
Loved it. Very emotional love story.
May 24, 2022
gurl I was expecting some smut
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews