Review & Giveaway: To Rome With Love by Mandi Benet

To Rome with Love

by Mandi Benet

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GENRE: Contemporary romance

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BLURB:

When Gaby Conte’s Italian husband, Danieli, abandons her for a young Peruvian waitress at a restaurant they co-own in San Francisco, Gaby seeks refuge in Rome with her best friend Maria.

There, she swears off romance for a long while and Italian men forever. That’s until she meets Silvio, who belongs to an old, aristocratic Roman family and lives in a palace alongside the best private art collection in Rome.

Silvio, who is the cousin of Maria’s husband, is going through his own divorce. He’s gorgeous, of course, which Gaby doesn’t tell him. And arrogant and condescending, which she does. The last thing Gaby needs is more Italian trouble, but the attraction is instant and powerful, and against the backdrop of one of the world’s most romantic cities, both try—and fail—to resist the chemistry between them.

But both Gaby and Silvio have made a rule never to make the mistake of trusting in love again. Will they realize some rules are made just to be broken?

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My Review:

I live in Rome so I could not help but read this book. In addition to the title, I was attracted by the cover, it is the view of Rome that I prefer. I'm not disappointed. It 's a romantic and full of passion story between a grumpy but charming man and a disillusioned but genuine and full of passion woman.

Gabi has just discovered that her husband has decided to marry the young waitress who works in their restaurant. In a moment her whole world has collapsed. To recover she decides to join her friend Maria in Rome. In this city so romantic it will be difficult to keep her promise to stay away from men. Especially when she meets Silvio, a charming man but very unfriendly and surly. Between them the chemistry  is very strong and even if they try to resist it will be impossible. In addition Maria tries in every way to fit them together. Will she succeed?

I had great fun to see evolving the relationship between Silvio and Gaby: two people wounds, with a divorce behind, lack of confidence in the other sex, so much fear but so much passion in their heart. Their dialogues are witty, brilliant, in certain moments very hilarious, in others so sweet to feel butterflies in the stomach, in other almost exasperating.

Needless to say I loved the other protagonist of this story, Rome: the author has been able to create the right atmosphere and has given life to a breathtaking landscapes.

I recommend it to anyone who wants to do a romantic trip to the Eternal City.

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EXCERPT:

Silvio lifted Gaby’s face to his with his finger. “So, you try to make me jealous?”

“Did it work?”

“No.” Silvio’s eyes glittered in the dark.

Gaby grinned. “You mean yes.”

“No. I mean no. Well, okay, maybe a little.”

Gaby grinned again and lowered her head to his shoulder.

“What did Massimo want with you all this time, dancing? What was all that whispering between you?”

“He wanted a date.”

Silvio went very still. “Excuse me?”

Gaby lifted her head up and looked at him. “He wants to take me out on a date when we get back to Rome.”

Silvio’s arms fell away and his eyes grew cool. “The kid’s barely out of college. You could be his mother.”

Gaby’s head snapped to the side. “I beg your pardon? He’s twenty-eight. I would have to have given birth to him when I was twelve.”

“Well, he looks like he’s twelve.” Silvio yanked Gaby toward him and they began to move to the music again. “You said no, right?” he murmured against her face.

“As a matter of fact, I said yes. He asked me if I was dating anyone and I said no.” Gaby added this last part for fun.

And boy was it fun when Silvio’s eyes immediately went from cool to frosty. “So,” he said, stepping back. “You’re not dating anyone?”

Gaby cocked her head to one side and suppressed a smile. “No. Who would I be dating?”

A tic started up in Silvio’s jaw and he pulled her to him, pressing his body against hers. He seemed so agitated over her admission, but why did he think he could stake any claim to her? “I thought maybe . . .” His voice trailed off weakly.

“You thought what?”

Silvio shook his head. “Nothing.”  He buried his face in her neck lighting charges all through her body. “It’s just that it looked like you felt a bit awkward dancing with Massimo.”

“Awkward? How do you mean?”

Silvio’s tongue laved the nape of her neck. “Well, for one, you didn’t have your arms around his neck like you have them around mine, nor were your legs entwined with his as they are with mine.”

Gaby immediately sprang back. The image he was drawing was highly sexual. But he caught her.

“Come back here,” he commanded.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Mandi Benet grew up in England and published her first piece of fiction when she was twelve years old. She has been scribbling away ever since, as an award-winning journalist covering everything from the Democratic Convention to the Oscars—and an author, writing contemporary romance and women’s fiction with rich, original characters.

LINKS

http://amzn.com/B01AO6MH96

http://www.mandibenet.com/

www.facebook.com/mandibenetauthor

https://twitter.com/MANDYSCRIBEISTA   

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Mandi Benet will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway