Blurb
Single mom Valentina wants to provide a good
life for her son, starting with the perfect home. When the deal on her dream
house falls through, rather than move back in with her parents and disappoint
them and her son once again, she accepts the help of the intimidating-as-hell
stranger she’s admired from her coffee shop seat for the last six months. She's
afraid to fall for the wrong guy again, so she makes Cole promise to keep their
relationship strictly professional.
Following his failed marriage, Cole can’t find
a reason to care about anything or anyone. Saving his company from his ex-wife
is the only thing that has kept him afloat for the past six months. As
loneliness sets in and he begins to lose the fight over his company, Valentina
becomes his lifeline. Cole wants to be more than her landlord, and he has a
plan to get her to release him from his promise.
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Excerpt
The VIP of the
VIP room in yet another section in the ginormous warehouse was smaller and more
intimate than the last two. At the far end of the room, a violinist played an
old tango I knew well, “Mano a Mano.” The sensual and melancholic melody added
to the decadent setting of the place. Probably the reason Cole didn’t want to
bring me here.
His tent was
cozy, all done in white leather furnishings and infused with a faint scent of
vanilla. Under the shimmer of the small chandelier overhead, my dress looked
scarlet red. I swallowed and smoothed out the fabric around my waist. This was
the worst place to tell him about his ex’s plans. I plumped myself on the sofa,
and a few pillows dropped to the floor.
“Oh, sorry.” I
bent to pick them up.
“Leave it.” Cole
caught my hand. He unbuttoned his tuxedo jacket and sat.
Out of habit, or
cowardice, I inched over to my left to make room. He gave me a bright smile
that said nice try. “Make up your
mind, Valentina. I can’t take this any longer.”
A hot puddle of
unrealized desire, I melted a little every time he said my name. I squeezed my
legs together and scooted some more. This sofa wasn’t big enough for the two of
us. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Do you want to
kiss me or not?” He slid across the cushion, closing the space between us. “Ask
me.”
I adjusted my
weight on the seat. He tightened his hold on my fingers. God, even if I had
wanted to flee, I didn’t think my legs would respond. Cocking his head, he
rubbed his thumb across the inside of my wrist where my pulse was visible.
“I want you.” The
words left my lips of their own accord. I had meant to say something else, but
for the life of me, I couldn’t remember what.
“Close enough,
sweetheart.” Cupping the nape of my neck, he took my mouth with a longing that
sent a wave of adrenaline from my core to my toes. Heat pulsed between my
thighs as the tip of his tongue teased mine. I leaned in and sucked gently. I
might not get another chance to taste him.
He eased me back
on the sofa, and I landed on a bed of soft and silky decorative pillows. A
groan escaped his lips, making my nerves dissolve. Did he want me as much as I
wanted him? The knowledge that he might fueled the daring side of me. My hand
trembled as I slipped it inside his jacket and kneaded the hard muscles under
his shirt. I pulled on it, my fingers itching to touch his skin.
Author Bio
Diana became an
avid reader when she found her first romance novel tucked away in a corner of
her high school library. The more books she read, the more she wanted to be a
writer. Diana has a Master’s degree in information systems and accountancy and
for many years worked for a major Fortune 100 telecommunications company as an
IT project manager (As one does when pursuing a career as a romance author.)
These days, when she’s not writing, Diana enjoys running half marathons,
traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate.
She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband.
Author Links
Review
I received a complimentary ARC for review purposes.
This is a brand new author for me and I thought the writing was just wonderful. The characters she created I also liked a lot. It is a mixed race romance with a Spanish girl, Valentina and white man, Dylan Cole.
Dylan and Val meet in a coffee shop but never talk to each other until one day she starts crying. That is when he discovers she needs a place to live and he offers his guest house. Val tries to find another place but being a poor newly graduated and single mom she has no options so she moves in.
Dylan, has had a hard last year of his life. His ex wife was cheating on him in said guest house, they are trying to get divorced but she wants to steal his company so they are trying hard to get the other to sign the divorce papers.
Meanwhile when Val moves in she changes Cole's life and his attitude but the ex won't let go and she tries to insinuate herself in his life to keep from him being happy.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters in this story. But the ex wife and the plot around her was not my favorite plot device in a story. It was a great story without her machinations and I would have enjoyed the story more. With her and her plans the story felt more of a thriller type of story and I was looking for more romance than edge of your seat type of drama and who was the bad guy in the story.
That said for a debut, it was very well written and plotted and I did enjoy the story.
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