divorcee

Back Cover:

For Sicilian billionaire Cesare Gambrelli, the death of his sister was the fault of reckless Simon Ingram. The feud between the two families could only be settled by vengeance!

It was Ingram's sister Robin who would pay the price. Cesare's plan of revenge demanded marriage and motherhood. It was the last part Cesare savored—with passionate pleasure….  

Favourite Scene:

Cesare glared at her frustratedly for several long seconds before leaning forward across the table to easily hold her startled gaze with his. ‘Perhaps I should warn you that at this moment this tabletop is looking very tempting as a place to make love to you!’ he hissed between gritted teeth. 

Back Cover:

"I've never yet met a woman I couldn't live without!"

But that didn't mean Steve Warwick wasn't interested in the opposite sex. On the contrary, he made it quite clear to Davina from their first meeting that he wanted her in his bed. Davina had other ideas. The last thing she needed right now was a tough, arrogant male who thought he could organise her life for her. And if that meant trouble in this South Pacific paradise she was all prepared for it!
  

My Review:

She comes to work for him as a housekeeper because his female relatives are about to descend on him for a month long visit.  He needs her to take control and difuse the tension.  They are instantly attracted to each other.  His reaction to learning she's his new housekeeper is "oh hell, YOU are Mrs. Hastings?"  She married a 40 year old ruthless businessman to get her parents out of financial difficulty, the marriage was a disaster and she divorced him.  That marriage comes back to haunt her in this book because the ex is famous and she gets recognized by tabloid reporters.  She eventually gives in to the hero's pursuit despite her hang ups. 

Favourite Scene: (he's undressing her after their wedding, such reverence!  I could visualize this scene)

But he didn't make any response to her slightly nervous comment.

Instead he dropped down on one knee in front of her and started to kiss
his way around the bare flesh at top of her stocking, pausing to slowly
unclip her suspenders and then roll the fine silk down her leg,
following it with the caress of his lips.

My Review:

Good story.  This is about Lucy, who has had a crush on the hero since college, she thought it was unreciprocated, so she went on the defensive and married another man, who turned out to be a sleaze ball who cheated on her, ruined her business financially, and then ran out.  So now Lucy is divorced and trying to get her business back on it's feet.  She meets Marcus again and because she's drunk she hits on him and he for some reason doesn't knock her back.  Having spent the night together, all of a sudden Marcus sees Lucy as a good potential wife of convenience, it's time he marries, so why not Lucy? 

Wow!

This was a heartfelt tale about a divorcee devoted to raising her 12-year-old daughter while resisting the advances of her daughter's sexy chaperone, Mr. Mendez. A well-executed, well-written tale of a mother's inner conflict. Coming November 2008.

--review by Vicki So, proofreader