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Big Trouble in Little Italy
Book 1 in the Simply Trouble Series
Life is looking pretty good for thirty-two-year-old Jessica Dodd. She just bought her wedding dress and closed on a house with her trial lawyer fiancé, Thomas. But first, she needs to take care of one tiny her husband - a youthful indiscretion from a drunken weekend in Vegas years ago. She never saw the guy again, so it didn’t really count. Still, she needs to get divorced.
CIA agent Parker Salvatore has thought of his “Vegas wife” over the years, though it was never time to start dating her. However, when he returns from a two-year assignment to find that she is literally in bed with the enemy, he realizes it’s time to make his move. First, he needs to catch the bad guy, then he can woo the girl.
Things begin to unravel when Jessica finds out Thomas has been lying to her. Determined to confront him she follows him to Italy. Fueled by a surplus of caffeine and a colossal lack of sleep her plan becomes a hell of a lot more complicated when she walks straight into the middle of the CIA’s criminal investigation of her fiancé.
Set against the backdrop of the Tuscan countryside, Parker and Jessica find themselves treading the perilous waters of infiltrating a well-known crime family, filing for divorce and attempting to keep their rekindled attraction at bay.
Life is looking pretty good for thirty-two-year-old Jessica Dodd. She just bought her wedding dress and closed on a house with her trial lawyer fiancé, Thomas. But first, she needs to take care of one tiny her husband - a youthful indiscretion from a drunken weekend in Vegas years ago. She never saw the guy again, so it didn’t really count. Still, she needs to get divorced.
CIA agent Parker Salvatore has thought of his “Vegas wife” over the years, though it was never time to start dating her. However, when he returns from a two-year assignment to find that she is literally in bed with the enemy, he realizes it’s time to make his move. First, he needs to catch the bad guy, then he can woo the girl.
Things begin to unravel when Jessica finds out Thomas has been lying to her. Determined to confront him she follows him to Italy. Fueled by a surplus of caffeine and a colossal lack of sleep her plan becomes a hell of a lot more complicated when she walks straight into the middle of the CIA’s criminal investigation of her fiancé.
Set against the backdrop of the Tuscan countryside, Parker and Jessica find themselves treading the perilous waters of infiltrating a well-known crime family, filing for divorce and attempting to keep their rekindled attraction at bay.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2022
14 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Sharp
14 books38 followersLegend has it that Nicole Sharp was born to hippies during an ice storm in Stone Mountain, Georgia. While confirmation of said events cannot be agreed upon, one fact is for certain, it was a Tuesday. By age twelve, Nicole was sure of two things: 1) She wanted to be a writer and 2) She wanted to travel. She begged her parents to allow her to voyage alone to exotic lands. They permitted to go from California to Boise, Idaho to visit a great-grandmother.
These days, Nicole swigs cappuccinos the way a dehydrated sailor with scurvy would whiskey, as she writes about Italy, love, coffee and the quirky adventures of fearless women. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with no houseplants and three pink stovetop espresso makers.
These days, Nicole swigs cappuccinos the way a dehydrated sailor with scurvy would whiskey, as she writes about Italy, love, coffee and the quirky adventures of fearless women. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with no houseplants and three pink stovetop espresso makers.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 27, 2022
Jessica has the perfect life and the perfect fiancé and they’re about to close the deal on their perfect home. But you know what they say about perfection: it’s merely an illusion. Cracks begin to appear in Jessica’s picture-perfect façade as the bride-to-be realizes she’s still married to the drunken mistake she made one night long ago in Vegas. Soon after, ugly truths surface, imminent danger rears its head, and the illusion is shattered as the perfect world Jessica is living in starts to fall apart in spectacular fashion.
Like a postcard, or rather, a love letter, from Italy, I was transported by the bella vistas that Nicole Sharp paints in her debut romantic comedy. You can tell that the author is genuinely knowledgeable and comfortable with translating the nuances of the country and culture. Nicely paced with witty dialogue, unexpected twists, and smart pop culture references, this fun read held my interest to see if heroine Jessica would escape the clutches of peril and prevail to save the day and win the guy. I thought several times to myself what a great movie caper this would make!
Like a postcard, or rather, a love letter, from Italy, I was transported by the bella vistas that Nicole Sharp paints in her debut romantic comedy. You can tell that the author is genuinely knowledgeable and comfortable with translating the nuances of the country and culture. Nicely paced with witty dialogue, unexpected twists, and smart pop culture references, this fun read held my interest to see if heroine Jessica would escape the clutches of peril and prevail to save the day and win the guy. I thought several times to myself what a great movie caper this would make!
July 31, 2022
Funny and full of adventure. Imagine Bridget Jones got kidnapped and had to chase after her fiancé in Italy. Add in a bit of romance and wha-La you have wonderful few hours of entertaining reading. Highly recommend!
June 7, 2022
Alright, yes, she's my daughter and I've always been her #1 fan! Now that the admission is out of the way, lets get to the reasons why "you' should pick up this book.
BigTrouble In Little Italy is what I call a page turner! Our main character,Jessica, could be someone you have met in your own life. As Jessica's normal life has turned into a nightmare, you will find yourself not wanting to leave her: muting your cellphone, eating on the den sofa or in bed just to finish this book! Nicole's writing can trap you in the storyline, carrying you from one scene to the next ,to where you forget to blush at the love/sex scenes (crap, my kid wrote this?) or giggle at Jessica's whacko mom and friends in the bridal shop. Over a year ago I read and loved this book in its infant stages, I was astounded to read the final book here polished for you to read
BigTrouble In Little Italy is what I call a page turner! Our main character,Jessica, could be someone you have met in your own life. As Jessica's normal life has turned into a nightmare, you will find yourself not wanting to leave her: muting your cellphone, eating on the den sofa or in bed just to finish this book! Nicole's writing can trap you in the storyline, carrying you from one scene to the next ,to where you forget to blush at the love/sex scenes (crap, my kid wrote this?) or giggle at Jessica's whacko mom and friends in the bridal shop. Over a year ago I read and loved this book in its infant stages, I was astounded to read the final book here polished for you to read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2022
The epitome of rom-com, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE ITALY, has it all—travel, romance, action, adventure, and bad guys—really bad guys! So grab a cappuccino and prepare to duck and weave because the twists are fast and furious. I devoured this hilarious read and look forward to the next book, SIMPLY PROTOCOL.
June 9, 2022
Do you want a summer page turner to read? Would you love to be in the middle of beautiful Italy?This is the book for you but warning, it will leave you wanting more and in need of a trip to Italy!!
January 21, 2024
Some fun after you run out of Stephanie Plum. And she gets way out of Trenton! Lots of twists and surprises.
June 11, 2022
I love this book!! Romantic suspense, hilarious internal monologues filled with pop culture references, intelligent and sassy women, descriptions of cappaccinos and food that transport you to tucked away Italian cafes; not to mention the beautiful images of Italian landscapes, architecture and history that the author takes us through via Jessica's perilous adventure.
I love the memorable characters too. I enjoyed watching Jessica take more and more control, developing her character further and reaching back to her past and reviving the strengths already present in her character that had gotten buried over time. I had a soft spot for the rumpled Parker and delighted in the sexy tension between the two of them. The side characters were interesting to the point of wanting more of their stories. And the villains a good blend of malicious and hilarious.
I simply became dreamily lost in this novel and can't recommend it enough!
I love the memorable characters too. I enjoyed watching Jessica take more and more control, developing her character further and reaching back to her past and reviving the strengths already present in her character that had gotten buried over time. I had a soft spot for the rumpled Parker and delighted in the sexy tension between the two of them. The side characters were interesting to the point of wanting more of their stories. And the villains a good blend of malicious and hilarious.
I simply became dreamily lost in this novel and can't recommend it enough!
June 28, 2022
Big Trouble in Little Italy is a roller-coaster of a read with a very feisty and funny heroine. It's a story of deception, heartbreak, kidnap, the Mafia, the CIA, and a past that comes back to haunt our heroine in a surprising way. There are lots of twists and turns and humour in the story and some beautiful descriptions of lovely Italian food and coffee. A fabulous summer read with the intriguing promise of another book in the series.
June 7, 2022
This book is awesome! If you like sarcastic, witty writers and ballsy bad-language heroines, then this is for you. It's made me laugh out loud so many times. I am also now extremely hungry for Italian food (not Olive Garden though ... you'll get it once you've read it) and ... I am now looking for the perfect cappuccino.
September 10, 2024
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
THE BACK OF THE BOOK
There's no way I could put all this as concisely as (I'm guessing) Sharp did for the back of the book. Also, I think I'd trip over myself not saying some of this, but I clearly think some things are more spoiler-ish than others do. So I'm just going to steal this:
SLIGHTLY AJAR DOOR ROMANCE
I'm not an expert on this kind of thing, but I can read definitions online, so I feel safe saying that this isn't a closed-door romance. But it's really not that far off--I've read books (Romance and otherwise) that put more on the page. Sharp does fade to black pretty quickly, thankfully*, but she could fade a bit quicker--and take a little more time before fading back into light.
* That's a reflection of my prudish-inclinations.
I just figure that I should mention it since I've talked about things like this in the past--and I know some of my readers care. Basically, I've learned from the Sunshine Vicram books--these are not ones I will give my mother. Although I have to say, I kind of think I'd be more comfortable knowing that my mother read this over Sunshine (and much more comfortable with my mother knowing I read these, too). That might be a silly basis for rating, but that's where I am.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE ITALY?
I only took one note while reading this book--after the first chapter, I wrote simply "Zany." And I really never came up with anything to say beyond that. There is a lot more to the book than that--but that word is pretty much always applicable.
Sharp's voice is infectious--I thoroughly enjoyed the writing here, more than the rest of it (which is saying something). The characters lept off the page and right into your heart (except for the small handful you just wanted to spit out as quickly as possible, and then spit on). There's an Italian agent working with Parker who is one of those characters that comes close to stealing the show--I'd love to read more about him. That's true for most of the more significant supporting characters, too. Yes, the focus of the book is (rightly) on Jessica, Parker, and Thomas--but Sharp has this book bursting with characters you want more of.
This is very much a Romance novel--yes, a Romantic Comedy, yes, a Romantic Comedy with a Thriller flavor. But the key word there is Romance/Romantic. As such, I'm not really the intended audience for this, but after talking with Sharp at an event this Spring, I really wanted to read something she wrote--and thankfully, the Comedy and Thriller parts of the book were strong enough that I could handle the Romance.
I'm not sure what people who read more Romance fiction than I do would think of this. I think die-hard Thriller readers would think it stretches things a bit (but not as much as a couple of Lee Child books have, for just one example). The Comedy never misses, though. Not once.
I can see myself coming back for more in this series, actually. I can also see me dropping it pretty quickly if the laughs die down. I say that without rancor--but because I recognize that I'm just dabbling in this world.
I'd definitely like to hear what people better versed in Romantic fiction have to say about Sharp's work. But for my money, this is worth your time and money. The plot zips along well, the CIA-Crime story zigs and zags the way it should, and the comedy is pretty consistently goofy and yet heartfelt--actually, all of it is heartfelt. Zany and Heartfelt. A heckuva combination.
Oh, be sure to have your local Italian restaurant's online delivery menu pulled up, you're going to want to use it. Or have it, and your payment methods, locked away if you don't need to treat yourself in that way.
---
THE BACK OF THE BOOK
There's no way I could put all this as concisely as (I'm guessing) Sharp did for the back of the book. Also, I think I'd trip over myself not saying some of this, but I clearly think some things are more spoiler-ish than others do. So I'm just going to steal this:
Life is looking pretty good for thirty-two-year-old Jessica Dodd. She just bought her wedding dress and closed on a house with her trial lawyer fiancé, Thomas. But first, she needs to take care of one tiny issue: her husband - a youthful indiscretion from a drunken weekend in Vegas years ago. She never saw the guy again, so it didn't really count. Still, she needs to get divorced.
CIA agent Parker Salvatore has thought of his "Vegas wife" over the years, though it was never time to start dating her. However, when he returns from a two-year assignment to find that she is literally in bed with the enemy, he realizes it's time to make his move. First, he needs to catch the bad guy, then he can woo the girl.
Things begin to unravel when Jessica finds out Thomas has been lying to her. Determined to confront him she follows him to Italy. Fueled by a surplus of caffeine and a colossal lack of sleep her plan becomes a hell of a lot more complicated when she walks straight into the middle of the CIA's criminal investigation of her fiancé.
Set against the backdrop of the Tuscan countryside, Parker and Jessica find themselves treading the perilous waters of infiltrating a well-known crime family, filing for divorce and attempting to keep their rekindled attraction at bay.
SLIGHTLY AJAR DOOR ROMANCE
I'm not an expert on this kind of thing, but I can read definitions online, so I feel safe saying that this isn't a closed-door romance. But it's really not that far off--I've read books (Romance and otherwise) that put more on the page. Sharp does fade to black pretty quickly, thankfully*, but she could fade a bit quicker--and take a little more time before fading back into light.
* That's a reflection of my prudish-inclinations.
I just figure that I should mention it since I've talked about things like this in the past--and I know some of my readers care. Basically, I've learned from the Sunshine Vicram books--these are not ones I will give my mother. Although I have to say, I kind of think I'd be more comfortable knowing that my mother read this over Sunshine (and much more comfortable with my mother knowing I read these, too). That might be a silly basis for rating, but that's where I am.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE ITALY?
I only took one note while reading this book--after the first chapter, I wrote simply "Zany." And I really never came up with anything to say beyond that. There is a lot more to the book than that--but that word is pretty much always applicable.
Sharp's voice is infectious--I thoroughly enjoyed the writing here, more than the rest of it (which is saying something). The characters lept off the page and right into your heart (except for the small handful you just wanted to spit out as quickly as possible, and then spit on). There's an Italian agent working with Parker who is one of those characters that comes close to stealing the show--I'd love to read more about him. That's true for most of the more significant supporting characters, too. Yes, the focus of the book is (rightly) on Jessica, Parker, and Thomas--but Sharp has this book bursting with characters you want more of.
This is very much a Romance novel--yes, a Romantic Comedy, yes, a Romantic Comedy with a Thriller flavor. But the key word there is Romance/Romantic. As such, I'm not really the intended audience for this, but after talking with Sharp at an event this Spring, I really wanted to read something she wrote--and thankfully, the Comedy and Thriller parts of the book were strong enough that I could handle the Romance.
I'm not sure what people who read more Romance fiction than I do would think of this. I think die-hard Thriller readers would think it stretches things a bit (but not as much as a couple of Lee Child books have, for just one example). The Comedy never misses, though. Not once.
I can see myself coming back for more in this series, actually. I can also see me dropping it pretty quickly if the laughs die down. I say that without rancor--but because I recognize that I'm just dabbling in this world.
I'd definitely like to hear what people better versed in Romantic fiction have to say about Sharp's work. But for my money, this is worth your time and money. The plot zips along well, the CIA-Crime story zigs and zags the way it should, and the comedy is pretty consistently goofy and yet heartfelt--actually, all of it is heartfelt. Zany and Heartfelt. A heckuva combination.
Oh, be sure to have your local Italian restaurant's online delivery menu pulled up, you're going to want to use it. Or have it, and your payment methods, locked away if you don't need to treat yourself in that way.
August 11, 2023
This was good, FUNNY, intriguing -- a good, quick read. I'm working on reading the other books in this series. I especially liked the tourist's descriptions of cities in Italy, and various points of interest there. Fast-moving and quite romantic. Would make an excellent chick flick.
August 19, 2022
This book was a delightful romp. I used it as a palette cleanser between heavier reads. It's amusing and enjoyable. It reminded me a bit of the Shopoholic books.
February 1, 2024
Such a fun mix of spy novel and romance by a local author. Great summer read, looking forward to the follow ups next time I find myself with some sunny downtime!
June 30, 2024
What’s the trouble? Jessica Dodd just needs to get a divorce from her Las Vegas one-night stand (need I say more?) husband and move on in life with her true love. What’s the trouble? Almost everything! Read as Jessica’s life gets shaken up like a good Amaro Daiquiri.
I love Nicole Sharp’s novels. Each is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud romp, infused with Italian scenes, cuisine, and of course, coffee. Makes me wish I were there.
I love Nicole Sharp’s novels. Each is a hilarious, laugh-out-loud romp, infused with Italian scenes, cuisine, and of course, coffee. Makes me wish I were there.
June 7, 2022
What a lovely romance, full of secrets, flirting and fireworks, gorgeous scenery, and plot twists galore! Such a great setup -- the FMC is about to marry a man who seems "a little too good to be true" (and we all know that typically means... he's the worst!) but for some reason, her intuition keeps prickling and telling her something isn't right. Mix in a bit of a legal complication when she discovers she is in fact already married, after a "lost weekend" involving a few too many cocktails and one handsome (and now long absent) man. Just WHO he turns out to be is our first twist (I won't spoil it for you!) and the dangerous truth about her fiancé is the next. Next thing our gal knows, she's jetting off on an impulsive overseas adventure to see if she can unravel the mystery. If you're ready for a wild caper in the Italian countryside with scenic vistas, grand manor houses, quaint villages, luscious foods, and a heaping helping of romance, this is your book!
July 2, 2022
Wow! Just... wow! I honestly cannot believe that this is the author's debut novel. The humor, the action, the sexual tension... it all combines to make a truly unputdownable read.
It started out like a romcom/chicklit that reminded me of authors like Sophie Kinsella, but then it turned into a humorous action-packed novel that makes me think of the Fox and O'Hare series by Janet Evanovich and Lee Childs. Needless to say, the authors mentioned are some of my favorite authors of the genre, and I believe Nicole Sharp is my new fave, auto-buy author. I can't wait to read Cassie's story scheduled to be published this fall!
It started out like a romcom/chicklit that reminded me of authors like Sophie Kinsella, but then it turned into a humorous action-packed novel that makes me think of the Fox and O'Hare series by Janet Evanovich and Lee Childs. Needless to say, the authors mentioned are some of my favorite authors of the genre, and I believe Nicole Sharp is my new fave, auto-buy author. I can't wait to read Cassie's story scheduled to be published this fall!
September 23, 2022
Silly, mindless but cute.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews