Becky Wicks

Good book. After she caught her fiancé cheating on the day they were to announce their engagement, Adrienne decided her medical training was more important. Though it took longer than usual because of her royal commitments, she's now ready for the next step. Though convincing her parents, especially her father, to let her go was difficult, Adrienne is finally in Naples and prepared to learn everything she can from cancer doctor Franco Perretta.

I loved the first in-person meeting between Adrienne and Franco. She's trying so hard to be "normal" and ends up in an awkward situation. Franco comes zooming up and whisks her away on his motorbike. Adrienne was surprised to see him there, especially as she had just been thinking of him. I liked her focus on his credentials and work as an oncologist, though there also seems to be a hint of a crush under the admiration. Franco wins my heart later that day when he informs Adrienne that her qualifications and passion brought her there, not her family name. He then goes on to treat her like any other doctor.

I liked watching the relationship develop between Adrienne and Franco. They are drawn together from the beginning, but neither is interested in a relationship. Adrienne is focused on her career while trying to stop her parents' matchmaking attempts. Franco has loved and lost and isn't interested in risking that pain again. However, the more time they spend together, whether work-related or not, the greater their attraction grows. Each of them believes that anything more is impossible. Adrienne knows that Franco is a very private man, and her life is anything but private, thanks to constant media attention. Despite her growing feelings for him, Adrienne attempts to keep him at a distance to protect him. At the same time, Franco knows he's not the type of man her parents want for her.

There are some sweet scenes of them together, from Franco telling Adrienne about his lost love to their midnight swim later in the book. A misinterpretation of something Adrienne does causes Franco to pull back just as a revealing picture of them becomes public; Adrienne is forced to go home and do damage control. I loved seeing how her time away has given her more confidence and the courage to stand up for herself. The dinner scene with her parents was terrific. I ached for Adrienne, who is sure she's lost Franco just as she's found the courage to go after him. Franco is also unhappy without her. I loved his big scene at the end. Aided and abetted by Adrienne's mom, Franco pulls off a very romantic reunion.

I truly enjoyed the romance, but I was also fascinated by the medical side. Franco lost his love to a rare form of cancer and has spent his life since then fighting the disease. Adrienne lost a beloved uncle to cancer, which motivated her to specialize in cancer treatment and research. I enjoyed seeing Adrienne and Marco interact with their patients and their determination to do their best for them. A significant part of the story involves a promising new drug treatment stuck in the approval process, while Franco and Adrienne desperately need it released for one of their patients. Franco follows the frustrating traditional route of approval while Adrienne conceives of another approach. I was fully invested in Adrienne's project and loved seeing it in progress. The results, which I could envision thanks to the author's descriptive skills, were thrilling to see. I loved seeing her get the credit she deserved, and Franco get the tools he needed to continue his work. I loved the update in the epilogue.

#netgalley… (meer)

"4 out of 5 stars! Not what I suspected, as it was so much more! I found it to be a fun mixture of Ms. Haddow's "Tweethearts" and Ms. Ahern's "Love, Rosie" (which happens to be one of my all time faves)."

Read more of this review and TWO teasers here: target="_top">http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2014/05/feasted-on-hotflush-series-boo...… (meer)

Great read! Noah Lockton and Chloe Campbell have been friends all their lives. Moving a relationship like that from friends to lovers is hard enough. Add in new found fame and living far from home makes that even harder. Chloe always knew that Noah was destined for big things with his music and holding on to him wouldn't be the right thing to do. Noah has loved Chloe forever but when she sends him away he doesn't want to risk the friendship by pushing for more. But now, spending 24/7 together makes it hard for either of them to hide their true feelings!

This is a very well done book and one I would highly recommend.… (meer)