To Rome with Love
by Mandi Benet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Contemporary
romance
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BLURB:
When Gaby Conte’s Italian husband, Danieli, abandons her for a young
Peruvian waitress at a restaurant they co-own in San Francisco, Gaby seeks
refuge in Rome with her best friend Maria.
There,
she swears off romance for a long while and Italian men forever. That’s until
she meets Silvio, who belongs to an old, aristocratic Roman family and lives in
a palace alongside the best private art collection in Rome.
Silvio,
who is the cousin of Maria’s husband, is going through his own divorce. He’s
gorgeous, of course, which Gaby doesn’t tell him. And arrogant and
condescending, which she does. The last thing Gaby needs is more Italian
trouble, but the attraction is instant and powerful, and against the backdrop
of one of the world’s most romantic cities, both try—and fail—to resist the
chemistry between them.
But both
Gaby and Silvio have made a rule never to make the mistake of trusting in love
again. Will they realize some rules are made just to be broken?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPTS:
Silvio pivoted to toss the tissue into the garbage,
and then turned back. He stood rooted in place, watching her. Gaby shivered.
Waited. Waited some more. She knew she should run but she couldn’t move. She
felt locked to that room. Locked to this man.
He stretched out his hand and stroked her cheek
softly with his thumb. Goose bumps immediately broke out on her arms. He saw
them and smiled, quirking an eyebrow at her in amusement. Her skin felt
feverish now, and she could feel moisture settle between her breasts.
Silvio ran his knuckles along her jawline, gently
caressing her skin, and then moved to her lips, lips she hadn’t much thought
about until now, until he touched them, until he made them burn. With one
finger, he traced their outline, dipping in and out of the perfect Cupid’s bow
that crowned them, and then sweeping along the seam.
His own lips parted and he stared into her eyes.
Was he asking for permission? She couldn’t give it to him. Her mouth was as dry
as a crouton and her brain wasn’t working too well.
The air around them pulsed and thickened and Gaby
stood as still as a hot summer noon, her heart slowing to thick, solid beats.
The banked fire in his gaze sent electrical charges zipping through her, and
she felt desire spring crazily within her. She didn’t even like this guy,
right? But she saw the lust in his eyes and wanted more. Maybe it was the heat,
or too much Chianti the day before, or the fact that Rome exuded a widescreen
romance impossible to resist, but only a thin slice of air separated them and,
suddenly, she couldn’t wait for Silvio to breach it. She could feel his breath
warm on her temple, see his nostrils flare wide, feel him ready to pounce like
a lion spotting a limp. She closed her eyes in readiness and before she knew
it, he had bent toward her and crushed her mouth to his.
REVIEW
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AUTHOR Bio and
Links:
Mandi
Benet grew up in England and published her first piece of fiction when she was
twelve years old. She has been scribbling away ever since, as an award-winning
journalist covering everything from the Democratic Convention to the Oscars—and
an author, writing contemporary romance and women’s fiction with rich, original
characters.
LINKS
Mandi
Benet will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via
rafflecopter during the tour. Use the link below to enter.
Thank you for hosting today
ReplyDeleteHow do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the excerpt!
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