"Another winner from Lisa Marie Rice"

Hope Winston met Kay Summers in New York City while both were working as teachers, and they became great friends. Wanting more, Kay goes to Italy to be the director of the English Language Center in Bari. When Kay becomes a victim in a hit and run accident, Hope goes to Bari, Italy to help out. Kay is going to be in the hospital for some time and she needs Hope to take over her duties as Director as well as take care of her house.

Hope's childhood and adolescence weren't that great. Her mother was an actress in summer stock and moved them around continuously. Several bad experiences have left Hope with bad feelings toward the police and she usually avoids them at all costs. Soon after Hope moves into Kay's house, several strange occurrences start to happen. She keeps having the feeling that someone is lurking outside and she's found a dead fish on her doorstep. After talking to Kay, she agrees to contact Kay's friend Captain Franco Rivera.

Franco was in training for the diplomatic corps but after his father's murder he joins the police. He usually works on cases involving the mob but he's more than willing to help Hope out with the strange happenings around her house. Kay asked Franco to keep an eye on Hope but he hasn't had a chance to meet her. From the first moment he meets Hope he feels strongly attracted to her.

I love this story. The characters were believable and easy to care about. The hero was an Italian alpha without being a jerk. The heroine was smart and vulnerable without being a doormat. The attraction between the two main characters was hot from the beginning and thoroughly enjoyable to read about. I was sorry to see the story end.

Sexual content: NC-17.

Reviewed by Emily Anne
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted May 25, 2003

Summary

Hope Winston is in Italy running a school for her best friend, Kay Summers. But helping Kay has put her life in danger. Hope doesn't want protection and she doesn't want help. She doesn't want anyone, particularly not devastatingly sexy Capitano Franco Rivers, head of the elite anti-mafia squad. Hope hates cops. So how did she end up sleeping with one?

Hope Winston is the most delectable woman Franco Rivera has ever seen. There's only one problem. Hope keeps sticking her pretty little nose in trouble. She needs a keeper. And Franco Rivera is just the man to keep her...
In his bed.

Sexual Content: NC-17. Genre: contemporary.