Series: Bravos of Valentine Bay (Book 7)Bravo Family Ties (Book 58)
It’s the perfect summer: sun, surf, sand and a secret
fling!
It’s just fun and games…
Until someone falls in love.
Officer Dante Santangelo doesn’t “do” relationships, but
the busy single dad happily agrees to a secret summer fling with younger,
free-spirited Gracie Bravo. It’s the perfect arrangement. Until Gracie falls
for Dante, his adorable twins and their ever-present fur baby. Gracie wants a
life with Dante. Either she can say goodbye at the end of the summer…or risk
everything to make this family happen.
Fantastic book. I've been waiting for this story ever
since that brief glimpse of Dante and Grace at the bar in The Husband SheCouldn't Forget. I had a feeling there was something there, and I was right.
Grace is the youngest of the Bravo clan and the last to
move out of the family home. Now that her oldest brother Daniel is married (TheNanny's Double Trouble), she feels like a fifth wheel. She also butts heads
with Daniel regularly because of his overprotectiveness. She's ready for a
place of her own.
Dante is a divorced father of twin girls. He likes his job
as a cop, has a terrific house, and sees his daughters regularly. He has a fairly
active social life, but romantic love and marriage are not in his plans. Been
there, done that, and failed, and has no intention of trying again.
I enjoyed the opening. Dante pulls Grace over for
speeding, but after writing her the ticket, he invites her over for dinner and
to talk about whatever it was that was bothering her. They are long-time
friends, thanks to Dante's friendship with her brother, Connor. I loved seeing
their mental processes, as each catalogs the non-friend attributes that they've
noticed. I liked their conversation over dinner and their ability to talk about
anything. However, this dinner is accompanied by a bottle of tequila, and it
isn't long before inhibitions begin to fade, especially on Grace's side. Her
method of making a point fanned the banked flames into an unexpected fire. Unfortunately,
Dante was filled with regrets by the next morning and pulled back, while Grace
was ready to run with it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their
relationship. It was fun to watch Grace tempt and torture Dante after he pulled
away, hoping for a repeat performance. Dante's struggle to resist was formidable,
but it was only a matter of time before he caved. They agree to a summer fling,
but Dante insists on it being secret. He doesn't want to deal with family
expectations when nothing will come of it.
With Dante's daughters visiting for six weeks,
opportunities to be together were not easy to come by. It was amusing to see
how they managed it and witnessing the growing intensity. Grace also spent time
with Dante's daughters, getting to know them. It didn't take long for Grace to
realize that she wanted more than just the secret summer fling. I ached for her
when she accepted that Dante was never going to give her what she needed. There
were many times when I wanted to bash Dante over the head or shake him until
his teeth rattled. Grace makes him feel things that he's never felt before, but
he refuses to admit it. I hurt a little for him, too, because it's his own
fears that hold him back. I loved the "full circle" conversation that
set him straight. Dante's big moment at the end was great, and I loved his
daughters' reactions.
As always, I love the family relationships in these
books. Dante is close to his family and has a marvelous relationship with his daughters.
I found his history with his ex-wife interesting, especially the insight
provided by Connor. He is also close to the Bravos, thanks to his friendship
with Connor, who is married to Dante's sister, Aly. There have been occasional
strains on the bond, and I loved seeing a little bit of "gotcha" at
Connor and Aly's party. The Bravo family continues its traditions of family
dinners and loving support. Grace knows that they have her back, even when she
asserts her independence. I loved the time she spent with Hailey and Harper,
and can't wait to read their stories.
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