Reviewed by Desere:
Hot, hot, hot read ladies! This was a wonderful contemporary romance from a brilliant author. The book had me entranced and completely mesmerized from start to finish.
The characters of Abby and Dante were both wonderful to read about. Abby the young woman that will risk it all to save the life of her grandmother, she will do what ever it takes, which in this book made her the go getter.
Dante the strong, charming and relentless but oh my so sexy man that will rather blackmail his wife back into his bed then ask her to come back to him.
Yes, I know it does sound a little like most modern contemporary romance books from today only this one had something that some modern romances miss, it had heat, intrigue, passion and a deep powerful underlining message. Some modern romances have just some of those elements but not always it all or even combined together so beautifully.
I loved how the author used the blackmail element combined with the loyalty to family into play to bring forth a story that will truly stay with me for a very long time.
The dialogue was passionate, emotional and powerful. The character of Dante was the perfect one in the sense that he was the kind that every woman loves to hate,yes ladies as much charm as the has he also has the arrogance of treating Abby no better than he would a servant. And Abby certainly is only there to preform a "service" in order to get what she wants.
I felt bad for poor Abby at times but at others I was also delighted for her in the subtle little hints the author drops to let me as reader know there is so much more the Dante and what lies beneath his wall of resistance to love.
The backdrop of Italy was perfect for this lovers reunited romance, not just because Italy is one of the definite cities of romance but because it just has all the perfect elements for the making of a excellent romance book, which believe me this certainly was.
And most of all it reminded me as reader that communication no matter how little is always important.
Brilliant work Bronwen, bring us more!
5/5 star review
"Returning to the man you love in spectacular style"
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Review by TashNz For me this is the perfect story. Second Chance stories are in my top three genre's, but they have to be well written, powerfully emotive and as a reader I have to want the characters to have their second chance and to me The Reluctant wife ticked off everything on my list - plus more!
The Reluctant Wife introduces us to Abby when she's pulling up to the gate of her Husband's home, the home she left three years prior, needing his help. Seeing an opportunity that will suit all parties Dante promises to assist her, under some conditions of her own. Knowing she has no choice Abby moves back home.
That's when the spellbinding magic starts flowing and I disappeared into Dante's and Abby's world, completely forgetting I was curled up in a comfy couch at my local coffee shop reading The Reluctant Wife. As the reader I followed Dante and Abby down the rocky road of second chances, I shared their personal demons with them and I hoped and hoped they would get their second chance together, even when things looked dim and impossible.
I love that Abby was strong, stood up for herself and also wore her heart on her sleeve. My heart broke for her for what she was going thru in terms of her own personal situation. I loved that Dante clearly loved Abby, he was quite the alpha hero. He had his own personal situation too which was just as worrying and as important as Abby's.
And ah yes! The heat was scorching the pages as hot as the Australian sun I experienced last week!
How delighted I was to discover at the end Bronwen is a Kiwi, I love love love to see Kiwi's do so well in the big wide world, all the best with success for this story. I'll be googling you in Amazon for more :)
