The Billionaire's Bridal Bargain by Lynne Graham ISBN: 9780373138050
Published by Harlequin Books on 2015-03-17
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 256
Goodreads
To love, honor…
Cesare Sabatino never intended to marry. But if his thoughts did ever stray in that direction, the lucky woman's answer would have been a resounding "yes". Imagine his surprise when Lizzie Whitaker turns him down on the spot!
…and possess?
To get his hands on her Mediterranean island inheritance, Cesare must wed innocent Lizzie…and ensure she's carrying his heir! Luckily the formidable Italian is legendary for his powers of persuasion. With Lizzie desperate to save her family's farm, it's only a matter of time before she gives in…and discovers the many pleasurable benefits of wearing this tycoon's ring.
EXCERPT
Cesare Sabatino flipped open the file sent by special delivery and groaned out loud, his darkly handsome features betraying his disbelief.
There were two photos included in the file, one of a nubile blonde teenager called Cristina and the other of her older sister Elisabetta. Was this familial insanity to visit yet another generation? Cesare raked long brown fingers through his luxuriant black hair, frustration pumping through every long lean line of his powerful body. He really didn’t have time for such nonsense in the middle of his working day. What was his father, Goffredo, playing at?
‘What’s up?’ Jonathan, his friend and a director of the Sabatino pharmaceutical empire, asked.
In answer, Cesare tossed the file to the other man. ‘Look at it and weep at the madness that can afflict even one’s seemingly sane relatives,’ he urged.
Frowning, Jonathan glanced through the sparse file and studied the photos. ‘The blonde’s not bad but a bit on the young side. The other one with the woolly hat on looks like a scarecrow. What on earth is the connection between you and some Yorkshire farming family?’
‘It’s a long story,’ Cesare warned him.
Jonathan hitched his well-cut trousers and took a seat. ‘Interesting?’
Cesare grimaced. ‘Only moderately. In the nineteen thirties my family owned a small island called Lionos in the Aegean Sea. Most of my ancestors on my father’s side are buried there. My grandmother, Athene, was born and raised there. But when her father went bust, Lionos was sold to an Italian called Geraldo Luccini.’
Jonathan shrugged. ‘Fortunes rise and fall.’
‘Matters, however, took a turn for the worse when Athene’s brother decided to get the island back into family hands by marrying Luccini’s daughter and then chose to jilt her at the altar.’
The other man raised his brows. ‘Nice…’
‘Her father was so enraged by the slight to his daughter and his family that Lionos was eternally tied up in Geraldo’s exceedingly complex will.’
‘In what way?’
‘The island cannot be sold and the two young women in that file are the current owners of Lionos by inheritance through their mother. The island can only be regained by my family through marriage between a Zirondi and a Luccini descendant and the birth of a child.’
‘You’re not serious?’ Jonathan was amazed.
‘A generation back, my father was serious enough to propose marriage to the mother of those two girls, Francesca, although I would point out that he genuinely fell in love with her. Luckily for us all, however, when he proposed she turned him down and married her farmer instead.’
‘Why luckily?’ Jonathan queried.
‘Francesca didn’t settle for long with the farmer or with any of the men that followed him. Goffredo had a narrow escape,’ Cesare opined, lean, strong face grim, well aware that his laid-back and rather naive father could never have coped with so fickle a wife.
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I just read Fearless by Devon Hartford, and loved it.
I haven’t read a romance lately – I usually read cozy mysteries, but this looks like a good story.
Ann
Working my way into the Outlander series. Finally finished Dragonfly, on to Voyager next! After a few mysteries, and Dead Wake. 🙂
I haven’t read a romance lately.
This sounds real good thanks for the review on it, I can’t wait to read it.
Penney
i read everyday that is all i read most of the time is romance books
Yes I’m reading a new romace Abby and the smart guy but would also love to read your new book. Thanks for the review and giveaway.
Read Romancing The Duke by Tessa Dare. An amazing book. She always has so much humor mixed in hr books. Thanks for the post.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at ) aol (dot) com
Just finished “On a NIght Like This” by Barbara Freethy. It was a sort of sweet Romance centered around Firefighters. I gave it a 4.58 rating.
Last romance I read was A pocketful of Sand by m leighton and I didn’t like it.
I just finished The Royal We. It was pretty good.
lately i’ve been too busy to read.cant remember the last romance i read.
“Have you read a romance lately?” Yes. Always 😛 Just finished Jaded by Varina Denman, Together With You by Victoria Bylin, and The Seeker by Ann Gabhart. Great books all!
not really
nope no time lately
Congrats to Kim!