The Italian was a delicious read! The story centers around Enrico Ferrara, an Italian policeman in Rome and Olivia Reynolds, an Aussie clothing designer on a 5 week holiday that's coming near to a close in Italy. He approaches her while out with his younger brother at a restaurant and the two hit it off. There's instant attraction - he's hot as hell, sweet, flirtatious, dominant in the bedroom (as she soon finds out) and an all around nice guy. After the first night together when she throws caution to the wind, they end up spending a wild and blissful weekend at his 'apartment'. When they get there she realizes he may be a policeman but his family is seriously loaded. The Ferrara name in Italy is actually attached to billions in hotels, auto manufacturing - they're a huge conglomerate and Italian household name. This Olivia is oblivious to. They sightsee all over the city, dine, and create massive steaminess in the bedroom. When it's time for her to go down to the Amalfi Coast for two weeks to hook up with her best friend before coming back to Rome for a few days before going back to Australia, they exchange numbers, promise to stay in touch everyday and see each other when she gets back.
Only that never happens. Just after seeing her off at the airport Enrico gets one of those dreaded telephone calls regarding family one never wants to get. There has been a serious accident and his world flips from the outcome. Not only is he dealing with the results of the accident but he is also dealt a shocking blow when this leads to family secrets coming to light and putting him in a place of being forced to make a commitment to something he does not want nor believes in. He is overwhelmed, angry, absolutely betrayed and resentful of his situation. To say this changes him is an understatement.
For Olivia, not hearing from Enrico or ever having him answer her messages while she's on the coast stings and leads her to believe he was just a player and she swears to write him off. And when she arrives back in Rome for her flight home, their original plans are dust in the wind.
Cut to almost two years later, and Olivia is still designing pyjamas for a store chain but has put in serious time, resources and resumes to try to get with a good fashion house. She applies to the New York branch of Valentino but ends up being given a job in the Milan branch instead, hmm wonder how that happened. And surprise, surprise, she runs into Enrico again. But this time he's not the free spirited soft guy she met. He's hard and unyielding and seemingly way out of line with how possessive he is of her and how jealous. This guy hasn't seen her in almost 2 years after seemingly blowing her off and that's how he's going to act? Olivia wants no part of it even though she never forgot him, try what she may.
Of course, she eventually caves. The fact is while she's thought of him for all this time, he's also constantly thought of her too. And once again, they slowly find their way back together. Enrico is madly sexy although he vacillates between the hard businessman and the completely sentimental guy. He's still dominant and now very bossy but it's clear he never got over Olivia. However, the secrets he discovered on the day of the accident and the position is has now put him in lead him to a constant balancing act of wanting Olivia forever and wrestling with going against tradition by doing so. On top of that, there is the constant danger and threat that comes around now leading the family business and trying to conceal the less appealing facets of that from Olivia. First to keep her safe and secondly because he dearly doesn't want to lose her.
For Olivia's part, she was a great match for Enrico. Far from home and country, she was willing to give up everything and learn the Italian way to compromise and make a life together. These two have some massive blowouts with each other and a tad of OW almost drama but they're obviously fated to be and getting there is the fun part of the journey.
There were several times I wanted to punch Enrico in the face but then he'd turn around and do something so nice or show such sentimentality that he'd be back in my good graces. All in all, a swoon worthy guy with a woman that wises up fast and learns how to help support him in finding his way. A really entertaining read!
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“Rhys Bowen crafts a propulsive, unexpected plot with characters who come vibrantly alive on the page.” ―Mark Sullivan, author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky | Learn more
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Top reviews from other countries
LC81
WOW! Intense from start to finish, T L Swan has done it again!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2019Cheshire
Loved the story but I had issues
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2019
Planet_Reading
Sometimes predictable - sometimes so not.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2019Marian Chawner
Fatal attraction and trust
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2021
