Return of the Italian Tycoon

Vineyards of Calanetti #2

by Jennifer Faye

When tycoon Angelo Amatucci returns to his Tuscan village to secure a wedding contract, he takes his assistant with him. Kayla Hill instantly falls for the charming village – and the new side to her boss! Maybe it’s time to plan a second wedding…

Genres: Romance, Family, Contemporary, Harlequin, Fiction, Category Romance, Contemporary Romance

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2015

About the author

Award-winning author, Jennifer Faye pens fun, heartwarming contemporary romances with rugged cowboys, sexy billionaires and enchanting royalty. With more than a million books sold, she is internationally published with books translated into more than a dozen languages. She is a two-time winner of the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Award, named a TOP PICK author, and been nominated for numerous other awards. Now living her dream, she resides with her very patient husband and two spoiled cats. When she's not plotting out her next romance, you can find her curled up with a mug of tea and a book. Jennifer loves to hear from readers—you can contact her via her website.

And be sure to follow Jennifer for the latest on sales via Bookbub.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angelo Amatucci, (CEO of Amatucci and Associates Advertising---a popular ad agency in New York City), asks Kayla Hill, his temporary personal assistant, to go to Italy with him on business. Angelo had just received a phone call from his brother, Nico, letting him know his single younger sister, Marianna, is pregnant. Angelo is concerned and worried so he decides to fly to Italy and try to help Marianna. Angelo hasn't been home in years. He left Italy when he was a young man and went to the US to hopefully start a career. He had problems with his parents, who had a very turbulent and unstable marriage, and the only reason he's going back is because his siblings need him.

Angelo and Kayla arrive in Italy and Kayla finds the village he grew up in, Monte Calanetti, lovely and charming, and she can't figure out why he would ever leave such a beautiful place. While they are there, they find out a royal couple is interested in getting married at Monte Calanetti. Knowing this would be wonderful publicity for the small village they both work to try to bring the royal wedding to the small town. While working with Angelo to secure the wedding contract, Kayla finds herself falling for Angelo.

This was a sweet romance. I really liked the lovely and quaint village, Monte Calanetti, that was in the Tuscany countryside. I liked Kayla. She was from a small town in Pennsylvania and she was eager to make it big in New York City as an ad executive on Madison Avenue. She wasn't interested in love, marriage, babies---she wanted to get away from her hometown and experience it all! I also liked Angelo. He was a workaholic and didn't have time for romance. He also wasn't interested in love and marriage, after watching his parents bicker and fight for years. I liked how Kayla made him see his old home/village with new eyes, and how surprised he was that the villagers remembered him and missed him while he was away. I liked the romance between Angelo and Kayla, they made a nice couple. This was a sweet, enjoyable story with a very lovely and romantic setting.

[Nancy Luebke · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I've read this before, it's been a long time ago. Anyway, I really enjoyed this walk through small town Italy. I received this for free and I voluntarily chose to review it. It gives a small town overview in his hometown and what's really charming about it. With the world as it is for now, I like the tone of this story. I've given this a 5* rating. Another of Jennifer's books on the longer list of hers that I've enjoyed.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jen
Book provided by the author
Originally posted at Romancing the Book

When Jennifer Faye put out a call for some street team members, I thought why not? The Romancing the Book staff has enjoyed her books and I am always ready to read a Harlequin romance. So my first assignment was Return of the Italian Tycoon.

So this book follows Kayla and her boss, Angelo. Let’s start with Kayla. She’s a smart chick using her job as a personal assistant to Angelo as a foot in the door in the company. She ultimately wants to be an ad exec and prove to her small-town family that she can make it in the big city. Then there is Angelo. After a fall out with his father, he leaves his family in Italy to start an advertising company in New York. When Angelo gets a call from his brother asking for help, he takes Kayla along on the trip to Tuscany.. and of course, it’s not all work since we’re reading a romance.

I had no major problems with Kayla and Angelo. I actually liked them both. Angelo could be a little arrogant and unbending for my tastes. But I could understand the appeal to Kayla. When it came to Kayla, she was more relatable to me. She’s the girl next door; that normal girl who gets into an abnormal situation.

I suppose in the end, what didn’t work for me so much was the whole boss – employee relationship. I know it happens, but it just crosses that moral line that I have. That said, if I keep that tidbit out of mind, the romance was well developed and worked.

In the end, this was a good book. I just couldn’t get past that one little aspect and that put this one in that middle of the road category. But I do look forward to future books by Ms Faye.

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Return of the Italian Tycoon: 2nd book in THE VINEYARDS OF CALANETTI~~

A sweet story of love, romance, wine, and so much more....Be swept of your feet in the Wine Country in Sunny Italy..

When Angelo must return to the village of Monte Calanetti because of a family situation he must bring his assistant with. So in the heart of his home town Kayla is overwhelmed. She and Angelo are taking in the sights, they come up to the fountain in the piazza.
Angelo's deep voice came behind her. "you know there's a tradition that if you toss a coin and it lands in the shell, you get your wish." She wonders will it come true?

Kayla Hill working for Amatucci and Associates was everything she ever dreamed of.. She is a driven person. She thinks maybe this trip to Italy will really show off her skills. She's a lot worried what she's leaving behind while being gone for so long. The center depends on her, but on the up side maybe she can get Angelo on her side..

The more time Angelo and Kayla spend together something blossoms.. The trip is business only. Soon things get more difficult. When a new business venture comes up which is pretty big, and will make his family very happy and the town. He isn't quite sure, but takes it on anyway with the help of Kayla's. She must make him see what she see's or it will be doomed.

We will see what the Tuscan Sunny Sky's of Italy bring these two.
You might just want to stay there.



Coming out in August..

[Fanny Roswita Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kepulangan sang hero ke tanah kelahiran bersama dengan asisten pribadinya menempatkan dirinya pada posisi yang sulit karena niat awalnya adalah ingin mengetahui sapa laki-laki yang menghamili adik bungsunya (yang sampai di ending cerita hal itu tidak terungkap sedikitpun) dan sang hero yang memandang sang heroine dalam sudut yang berbeda. Dari model gaya pakaian sampai dengan model rambut yang tdk spt biasanya dikantor, sang heroine mempesona sang hero secara perlahan-lahan.
Seperti biasa, pada HQ sosok sang hero tidaklah suka dg hubungan permanen yang mengikat krn dia tdk percaya akan cinta. Trauma masa lalu dimana hubungan orang tua sang hero yang up and down "kadang akur dan kadang bercerai" membuat dirinya percaya bahwa tdk ada pernikahan dalam masa depannya krn untuk menjadi sukses maka dia harus fokus 100% pada karir-nya agar bisa memberikan perfom yang terbaik buat klien.

Terakhir pada penutup cerita seperti hal-nya HQ yang lain pastinya ada kesalahpahaman yang membuat heroine melarikan diri dari sang hero, lalu sang hero sadar dan kemudian mengejar sang heroine untuk menyakinkan kalo dirinya ingin diberi kesempatan ke-2

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this series out of order - as I can find the books, not that I feel reading OOO makes much difference with them. I struggled giving this one 3 stars, I didn't care for the uppy/down and lack of communication between the H/H, felt the heroine lacked enough backbone to stick to her guns re her personal time with (not adding spoiler stuff) - I've read books about heroes or heroines with personal family issues, and so on. Took me 12 days to read a Harlequin Romance that should have taken me a few hours. That says it. I do have one other "Calanetti" book on hand ("A Bride For The Italian Boss"/Susan Meier) but I'm really not into tempermental chefs. Way too "today" for me, so we'll see how I feel about that one.

[Delacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. So I started this book a couple of months ago. Then I put it down and was very close to not picking it up again. I did decide to give it another go, starting where I think I left off. If I didn't get the right spot I don't feel I missed anything important. This book was boring. Then it was more boring. Then it got a little entertaining, them back to boring. The workaholic main characters had little more than to them then a bad family history (H) and need to volunteer (h). The grand finale was cheesy at best and just had no feeling to it. The only benefit to finishing this book was that I could add it to my GR number of books read this year, and that's kind of sad. Thus this book will hit the donation pile and maybe find a home that will like it better than me.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angelo uses work to avoid messy emotions based on his parents roller-coaster marriage growing up instead keeping everything controlled and orderly.
Kayla is career focused and unable to see how relationships, marriage and children will fit in the mix so her crush on her boss Angelo is an inconvenience. A family situation sends Angelo and his temporary assistant to Angelo hometown where emotions and relationship lines get blurred. This story has sweet moments but also progression and stalling moments that cause the flow of story to be impacted as well

[Nancy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two of the vineyards of Calanetti focuses on the elder brother of Nico and Marianna, Angelo Amatucci who after his father threw him out of the house while his mother did nothing. Left for the states to build something of himself he now runs an extremely successful business dealing with advertisement campaigns and promotional for high brand businesses. He is solely focused on his business he doesn’t believe in marriage or love thanks to his childhood watching his parents marry and get divorced regularly. Kayla Hill left her small town to come to New York and create a life for herself. Angelo recruits her for a perfume campaign before a family call by Nico calls him back to the childhood hometown of monte Calanetti in Tuscany he takes Kayla along with him as he deals with the fact that his younger sister is pregnant and won’t name the father. While in Tuscany Nico and Marianna receive news that monte Calanetti have made the short list of potential locations for the upcoming royal wedding of prince Antonio and Christina rose and they need Angelo and Kayla’s help the longer they work together the closer they get to each other as they learn things about each other they fall in love but after a night of passion he puts distance between them. Kayla struggles with the compaigns and her own fund raising compaign for at risk youths for a after school program, especially when she learns of Angelo’s opinion of those who aren’t completely committed to Gus business have no place because they need to be cutthroat making it hard for her to turn to him for help even when he tells her to tell him what’s wrong when cancellations threaten all her hard work when she tells him they get into a loud fight which brings bad memories of his parents arguing causing him to question if she’ll have her job. She resigns after finishing the Royal pitch and heads back to New York. Angelo realises how badly he messed up with Kayla and that he got scared by how much he loves her and is determined to do whatever it takes to win her back and prove he loves her. He and her fund raiser partner Pam fix up the problems and surprise Kayla at her night of recognition and gives her a heartfelt confession and she goes back to working for him and accepts his marriage proposal another lovely happy ending. This was a very enjoyable book to read

[Jennifer Zorko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return of the Italian Tycoon is a sweet, sassy quick read that had me hooked from the first page to the last.

Angelo runs the top advertising agency in all of New York. He works 24/7 and takes a hands on approach to every client. He works really hard to make his company the best one around. He has a strict rule about no charity work, it distracts from the work at hand and makes his staff soft. When he gets a call from his brother letting him know their younger sister is in trouble, Angelo has no choice but to return to the home that he was kicked out of so long ago.

Kayla wanted nothing more than to prove to her family that leaving her little home town, getting her degree, and breaking her engagement in order to follow her dream was not in vain. She volunteers at the children's shelter, playing games, helping with homework, anything that she can do to make their lives a little better. She has even volunteered to head up this years fund raiser, knowing that it goes against the rules her boss has set out. When she is asked to join Angelo on his trip home in order to help him keep on top of current client accounts, and then they take on the proposal for the possible Royal wedding in Angelo's home town, it will take juggling her account, her fundraiser and her feelings for her boss.

Angelo and Kayla had a chemistry from the beginning of the book. Angelo was very protective of his brother and sister. It showed in the way that he dropped everything to fly home to help his sister with the pregnancy that she would not talk about, the way that he took on the pitch to get the royal wedding to come to his little home town. Kayla has such a giving nature. When things for the fund raiser look the bleakest, she keeps moving forward on her own, not asking for Angelo's help, even though she desperately needs it. In the end, they both come riding to the rescue of each project and in the end, they find a HEA that is a sweet as the wine created in the Italian Vineyards. I give this sweet story 4 stars

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kayla Hill is a temporary personal assistant to Angelo Amatucci, CEO of a Manhattan ad agency. Kayla aspires to be an ad executive in New York City and is working very hard to achieve her goals. Angelo acknowledges all the hard work she does and when he receives a frantic phone call from his brother in Italy, he takes Kayla with him as his associate so they can work on a big account they have in New York. When in Italy, Kayla falls in love with the village that Angelo grew up in and helps him to see it through her eyes. His childhood was not the best and he left and moved to the U.S. when he was a young man. He never would have gone back to Italy if his siblings didn't need him. A royal couple is checking out several spots to hold their wedding and reception and the village Angelo grew up in is one of their choices. His sister and brother convince Angelo and Kayla to pitch the village to the royal couple. While working so closely together, Angelo sees Kayla for more than just his dedicated, highly motivated personal assistant but because of his past, he doesn't want to open up his heart to anyone. Kayla helps Angelo see that there is more to life than just being wealthy and successful. I loved this book and I couldn't put it down. Jennifer Faye is a phenomenal author who writes wonderful books. I received this book from the author for an honest review.

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I waited to start reading Return of the Italian Tycoon until I read the prequel and first book in the series. The books standalone however I am so very happy that I read them all and in order. I loved Jennifer Faye’s book in this series! The thing that stands out most, for me, is the Italian Alpha that turns out to be such a mush at heart.

This story is about Angelo Amatucci and Kayla Hill, his newest assistant (who is filling in for his permanent assistant who is out on leave), and their chemistry hits you right from the start. Ms. Faye does a great job of writing about the attraction between them – a story we read often – and making it her own. These two are pretty funny to watch and also pretty clueless to their own feelings and self-worth. Everyone else can see their true feelings for one another, but they struggle with it thru the story. No worries, they get their HEA and it is their journey that makes this book terrific. I am so glad I started this series with the first books as we are introduced to more and more characters and places that will be important to the story – at least IMHO.

I really liked Return of the Italian Tycoon. It was fun, it was a quick read for me, and most enjoyable. I’m looking forward to the rest of the stories coming out of The Vineyards of Calanetti!

[Joshualyn Prater · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved how this book transported you into a small town in Italy and also the Big city of New York. The story was pretty good, I love how it ended.. although I do feel like the author kept repeating themselves to fill up pages... I also felt like I was at work most of the time rather then getting to enjoy the Vinyard in Italy... she talked so much about work, work, work. It would have been nicer if it had more of a vacationy feeling... with that being said the reason they went to Italy in the first place was for his sister because they found out she was pregnant, she was mentioned so little that at times I forgot that's why they were even in italy... in the end we still don't know who the father is and very little about his brother and sister... I think this book could have been much better with alot more going on rather then the same ol same ol throughout the entire thing.. it was a nice, quick read but it could definitely have been alot better... I can't wait to read the next book in the series and hope it turns out alot better then this. I'm pretty curious about what happens to the pregnant sister... :)

[Rhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something comfortable about reading a Harlequin Romance. The predictable nature of the plot allows one to slip into the fantasy Harlequin promotes and author Jennifer Faye certainly creates characters that encourage this.

Angelo Amatucci runs a successful New York advertising firm. His assistant, Kayla Hill, dreams of becoming an ad exec in her own right. When Angelo's brother asks him to return home because their sister is pregnant, he brings Kayla with him so that they can work on a new ad campaign together. She not only helps him with the original ad campaign, but also with a second one his brother drops into her lap. I won't spoil the plot further but it was refreshing to see the two of them working together, while falling for each other.

Filled with rich characters and a rich setting, The Return of the Italian Tycoon left me with a warm feeling and an eagerness to read the next book in the series.

[Pam Lowery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!Kayla is the temporary PA for Angelo but wants to be an Ad executive in the firm and works hard toward that goal. It is all business between them but with one phone call, everything changed. Angelo is very close to his brother and sister and when a situation demands his attention and that he return to his hometown, he brings Kayla with him so business can continue. While there, they both see each other in a different light. While working on a project to bring a royal wedding to the town, love blooms between the two. But they both have secrets that they have to overcome to get to there HEA. I loved the description of the town, Jennifer made me want to hop on a plane and visit. Highly recommend this book!

[Lori R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for an honest review.
Get carried away to Tuscany in a love story between Angelo Amatucci and Kayla Hill. Kayla goes to work as a temporary office assistant to Angelo. He has some family troubles that need his prompt attention so he goes back to his homeland and takes Kayla with him. I enjoyed how this story developed from an office attraction to something more. The author makes you feel for Angelo as he works through his past feelings on love and family so he can have a relationship with his assistant, Kayla. It is a fun story that can easily be read in a day or two. It will make you feel sad, happy, and hopeful as you read it! You will want to read the other books in this author's series!

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story! A wonder sweet romance, the beauty of Tuscany, the wine. It all just makes you swoon and leaves you with a huge smile. I haven't read the other books in this series but I had no problem following along. I will definitely be going back and reading the others though.

Kayla Hill has been working with Angelo Amatucci for a while, but when he returns to his family's vineyard and takes her with him, Kayla begins to see Angelo in a different light. Soon their relationship develops from employee/employer to friends to more ......

This is a wonderful story and one I highly recommend!

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this story! When Angelo is needed back home in Italy, he knows he must take Kayla, his temporary Assistant, with him. Once away from the office the two spend more time together and soon it is difficult to deny the attraction to each other that everyone else sees. Kayla falls in love with Angelo's village and tries to make him see it from her perspective, especially now that they are trying to convince a royal couple to have their wedding there. May the wedding bells ring in Italy! Once I started this book I couldn't put in down until the end. Any book by Ms. Faye is a must read and I highly recommend them all.

[N. Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book free in exchange for an honest review*
I loved this story. This is one of those feel good sweet tomances that Harlequin is known for. The boss and the assistant. The over seas trip. Beautiful countryside. This was just a sweet romantic tale. I loved it. Throw in planning a royal wedding and damn.
With sweet things like:
"You can't keep yourself locked away from love because you're afraid. Some things are worth the risk." This was a book that would leave you smiling when you're done! If you want a beautiful story that makes you smile, isn't overtly erotic, but just sweet and full of love? Read this!

[Tonya Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let the Tuscany sun sweep your cares away. Italy, vineyards, a royal wedding and two lost souls. I loved this book, Jennifer Faye never ceases to amaze her readers with her cleaver writing style. Angelo and Kayla's journey to Italy changes direction in midstream, summoned to create the perfect pitch for the upcoming Royal wedding, just might prove more than these two can handle. Secrets kept hidden, ideas suppressed, can Angelo and Kayla truly pull off what's important and save themselves at the same time? The best summer romance, yet!!!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story that transports readers to a charming Tuscany Village. Family problems have forced Advertising CEO Angelo Amatucci to return home to his village in Tuscany. He brings along his temporary personal assistant, Kayla Hill, to help him stay focused on business matters. As priorities shift and an amazing opportunity becomes available, Angelo and Kayla must work together to secure a royal wedding that will benefit the village and the Vineyards. Great ambiance and chemistry provide a lovely story that brings two very different people together in a beautiful setting.

[Myra Wardhana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really love this book so much! I think I will try to find the previous series of The Vineyards of Calanetti, I also have just finished Liz Fielding's Vettori's Damsel in Distress, which was also set in Italy and part of the month's Harlequin Romance releases.

Love the sweet, intriguing part between Angelo and Kayla, only was a little disappointed that the writer did not elaborate their romantic encounter a little more (end of chapter 18 to 19), actually would like this book to go on and on, don't want it to end, really!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little story. Heroine wants to be a business success. Hero drags her with him on a visit to his family in Italy so he can keep up with work in New York. It pulls him out of his all-business-all-the-time mindset. The story is a little bit travelog, a little bit romance, with a smidgen of angst. It's kind of like it's trying to be about the same things as a Presents-- the foreign tycoon boss and the secretary, for instance-- only sweeter, and without the jerk-doormat issues. Some of them work better than this one. It's not bad, but it feels like it wants to be...

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy a book by Jennifer Faye. This one wanted me to book a plane ticket to Italy.The way she described the scenery made me feel I was there. I actually visited a small village in Italy that reminded me of the village in the book. This was a romance about a man that was surprised he could find romance and the woman who showed him how to live. I just hope there are more books coming about some of the back characters in the book.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaways and I am thankful everyday that I got to win this book because it was Beyond... Once you read you will understand what I mean by Beyond. When you start a book with "Can I smell you?" you have me curious to know why that was asked so I have to read more to find out why such a strange question started this book.

[Linda Rimer-Como · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute story I couldn't put the book down. It's well written and the characters are remarkable. There are lessons to be learned by both Angelo and Kayla, as they both work hard to achieve their goal and fight the growing attraction between them. Great read, I enjoyed it very much.

Gifted a copy for an honest review.

[Nancy Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a sweet story. I loved the fact that Kayla and Angelo were able to be honest with one another - and were truly believable characters. I also loved the fact that there are other stories in this series, all written by separate authors. So now I get to investigate the other books. But Jennifer Faye did a great job with the story of Kayla and Angelo.

[Debra Wolsleben · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - the details of the vineyard and the small town nearby makes you want to visit there. The characters were complex but understandable, tenderhearted and hardheaded, hard working and dedicated.

[Harlequin Books]

"The vineyards of Calanetti are just as picturesque as this romantic duo’s personalities. Full of color and light!" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).

Miniseries: The Vineyards of Calanetti