The Forbidden Ferrara by Sarah Morgan
Contemporary Romance
May 22, 2012
Harlequin
Reviewed by Mandi
There is a nasty feud on the coast of Sicily between the Ferrara family and the Baracchi family. The two families hate each other for many reasons but that isn’t stopping Santino Ferrara from wanting to expand his hotel onto Baracchi land. His family thinks he is crazy and the Baracchi family would never in a million years sell their land to him. But what they don’t know is Santino and Fia Baracchi had a passionate night three years ago. When it was over, they both walked away and never spoke again. But Santino thinks he can influence her to sway her grandfather to sell his land.
But Fia has a secret. When they slept together that one time three years ago, nine months later she had his son. Santino’s heir has been living very close to him all this time and he had no idea. And when he barges into Fia’s restaurant and takes one look at the toddler, he knows he is his.
I enjoyed the previous book in this series, but this one isn’t as good in my opinion. I actually don’t mind a secret baby plot although I think it is important how events turn out once the baby is out in the open. It is pretty rotten to hide someone’s child from them and I’m not sure Fia’s reasons for being secretive sat well with me.
Santino is so alpha, that when he finds out Fia has been hiding his son from him, he loses it and demands she marry him. I felt like that was a little over the top, but expected from these Ferrara men. Fia resists at first, but then the next day she sees Santino playing with her son for a few minutes and magically thinks they all need to be together as a family. And then their relationship just didn’t unfold well for me. Santino is too bossy and domineering and I never felt like he loosened up at all throughout the book. I didn’t feel Fia’s love for him, maybe acceptance that he belonged in their child’s life, but not love. And likewise for Santino.
The feud between the families fizzles a little too. I don’t know, this one was just too over the top in testosterone and not enough romance for me.
Rating: C
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I usually like the secret baby stories, but this one sounds kind of predictable.
Yeah…the hero is just poorly done
Well boo. :( I generally like Sarah Morgan but haven’t read this series.
Yeah..the one before this is pretty good!
I can’t handle the Mediterranean Men stereotype, I know extreme-alphaholes are expected in Harlequin Presents, but it’s offensive. Are these guys for real? The woman hid the kid from him and the reaction was to demand marriage? O.O And the worst part is that there was potential: they knew each other since childhood, she came from a broken home, he knew about it, even the secret baby can be interesting, but everything went wrong. First time I don’t like a book by this author so hopefully the next one will be better.
Yes, I like this author too…the next one has to be better, right? :)
Santino had no compassion for her. It was depressing.