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The Italian Brothers #1

Rinaldo's Inherited Bride

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Rinaldo Farnese and his brother Gino had just discovered that an Englishwoman, Alexandra, had inherited part of their estate. There seemed only one solution to reclaim their missing they would flip a coin and the winner would marry her! Alex liked Gino, but sparks flew between her and the dark and brooding Rinaldo. He seemed to hate her . . . yet attraction simmered between them. Had Rinaldo won the right to propose?

Hardcover

Published November 10, 2004

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About the author

Lucy Gordon

680 books90 followers
Christine Sparks was born in England, UK. She wanted to be a writer all her life, and began by working on a British women's magazine. As a features writer, she gained a wide variety of experience. She interviewed some of the world's most attractive and interesting men, including Warren Beatty, Richard Chamberlain, Charlton Heston, Sir Roger Moore, Sir Alec Guiness.

Single life was so enjoyable that she put marriage, and even romance, on the back burner, while she went about the world having a great time. Then, while on vacation in Venice, she met a tall, dark handsome Venetian artist, who changed all her ideas in a moment, and proposed on the second day. Three months later they were married. Her friends said a whirlwind romance would never last, but they celebrated their 25 anniversary, they are still married, still happy and in love.

After 13 years on the magazine Christine decided that it was now or never if she was ever going to write that novel. So she wrote Legacy of Fire which became a Silhouette Special Edition, followed by another, Enchantment in Venice. Then she did something crazy gave up her job. Since then she has concentrated entirely on writing romances for Mills & Boon, Harlequin and Silhouette and has written over 75 books. Her settings have been European and her heroes mainly English or Italian. Christine now claims to be an expert on one particular subject. Italian men are the most romantic in the world. They are also the best cooks.

A few years ago she and her husband returned to Venice and lived there for a couple of years. This proved the perfect base for exploring the rest of Italy, and she has given many of her books Italian settings: Venice (of course), Rome, Florence, Milan, Sicily, Tuscany. She has also used the Rhine in Germany for Song of the Lorelei, for which she won her first RITA Award, in 1991. Her second RITA came in 1998, with His Brother's Child, set in Rome.

Eventually Christine Fiorotto and her husband returned to England, where they now live. She write and he paints, they have no children, but have a cat and a dog.

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
181 reviews
April 24, 2022
Honestly this was VERY well written. Tightly drafted, absolutely mind blowing banter, the h never let anyone put her down once in the book and in fact gave multiple verbal, physical and mental smackdowns to all the men in the story, including the H. The angst was done well and was very believable. The H was a 37 year old widower who lost his wife and unborn son due to pregnancy complications 15 years ago and has closed up since then. Shortly after the book starts, we see him first lose his father and then his loyal, aged dog, so he shuts himself off even further although it is made very obvious that he is in under immense emotional and mental strain trying to cope with it all. He is also solo responsible for the family business and out on multiple mortgages thanks to his dead dad.


The only thing which initially softened me but also almost put me off was the H's backstory: He had a childhood sweetheart since he was 15 whom he married at 20 and lost her 2 years later. This all happened 15 years before the book starts. There is one instance where we see him mourn her, and remember the night they consummated pre-marriage in his house's garden. We also see in a flashback that he was absolutely shattered when he lost his wife and child and starts crying in the hospital and is basically a total wreck. TLDR, she was his first true love and he is keeping their dog alive since the last 15 years cz it was hers. JUST FYI, THIS IS ALL TOLD BY AUTHOR EXPOSITION, we never ever ever see him even mention any of this to the h, and he is not actively pining for his dead wife, its just somewhere in the background.

Unfortunately, the H and h also consummated their first time in the vinery fields and I couldn't help but recall the poor dead wife. I'm also a hypocrite and don't like to see my Hs having had TRUE WUV with any other woman before the h unless its totally glossed over in a single line towards the end of the book. Rest assured, the dead wife is not a major vibe in this book but I didn't even want what I read lol.

The H and h's chemistry is palpable throughout, the sizzle when their eyes meet, and when they are having their verbal skirmishes its honestly one of the best dialogues I have ever read in a romance novel, plus when they finally come together it's done so slowly and tastefully that you are just glad they found each other and now both can heal and be in love together.

The almost last-minute twist with the OM was annoying and just made me feel sorry for the poor lad when he was rejected. I went ahead and read plot summary of the next book and I think the author did him dirty by making him fall so randomly for the h. Ill skip Book 2 but Book 1 was brilliant!
Profile Image for Canan .
1,055 reviews71 followers
January 28, 2013
ben bu yazarı neden sevemiyorum ya..aslında hikaye iyi gidiyordu ama şak diye aşık oldular ve hemen aşklarını itiraf ettiler..
yani bi uyarı yada bi çıtlatma bile olmadı..
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