HER BROODING ITALIAN BOSS by Susan Meier is the book
immediately following The Twelve Dates of Christmas. This
series by Susan Meier follows three friends as life leads
them down different paths toward love. One of the things
that I really like in HER BROODING ITALIAN BOSS, that
isn't
made clear in the book's description, is that Laura Beth
and Antonio are friends rather than strangers. For me,
this
makes all the difference. They are friends who have
harbored a secret attraction to each other but haven't
acted on it because the timing never seemed right.
Laura Beth is a stronger woman than she thinks she is. At
the opening of HER BROODING ITALIAN BOSS, she is in a very
tough spot -- pregnant and alone. I like that, in spite of
her difficulties, Laura Beth tries her hardest to make the
smartest decisions for both her and her unborn baby. She
strikes a great balance between being a thoughtful
expectant mother, and a woman trying to improve herself.
In
spite of his flaws, I found Antonio to be a likeable
character as well. Even with psychological scars caused by
his late wife, I never thought he ever struck out at Laura
Beth in a cruel way. They are both complex characters
trying to sort out their emotional baggage. However,
happily for me, I don't believe the drama ever rises to
the
level of melodrama.
For me, the romance that develops between Laura Beth and
Antonio is hotter because of their prior interactions as
friends and their secret attraction. Antonio's being an
artist and his painting Laura Beth also adds another level
of eroticism to the relationship. Susan Meier does a
fabulous job of capturing the frustration they both feel,
as well as the simmering attraction. I also like Antonio's
father as a supporting character. I think he adds some
lighter moments to the story as well as acting as a
catalyst to get things moving along.
HER BROODING ITALIAN BOSS is a sexy and emotionally
intense
romance. The main characters both have flaws and scars
from
past relationships. I love the romance of two people
meeting years before, almost missing their chance at love,
and then getting a second chance years later. I look
forward to reading more stories by Susan Meier.
Pregnant and broke, Laura Beth's only option is to take a
job with brooding yet brilliant artist Antonio Bartulocci.
He may be darkly handsome, but the fiery Italian proves to
be a difficult boss!
Since his wife's betrayal, Antonio has been unable to pick
up a brush. But captivated by Laura Beth's guileless
beauty,
he wonders if she could be the woman to unlock the talent
he
thought he'd lost forever: It's a miracle which reminds
him
of all that's now good in this life: Laura Beth!
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