BOOK BLITZ
Beautiful Regret (Book 3)
Bounty Hunter Series:The Marino Bros.
MJ Nightingale
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25728725-beautiful-regret
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Lisa Rasmussen, formerly Lisa Raphael, has had enough of her manipulative abusive husband. He has forced her to his will, tortured her both physically and
psychologically, and she wants out. Her sham of a marriage to Albert, son of the blue blooded Rasmussen’s of Manhattan, has to end. But, Albert has vowed
to never give Lisa her freedom. He owns her. Body and soul. Her plans to blackmail him to get out, will not go unpunished. Albert will strike first.
Gio Marino knows Lisa. He knows of Albert. After all, Lisa left him to marry the son of the luxury classic car dynasty. So when Lisa calls him begging for
help, he is floored. Not only because she called him, but because of what she has been accused of. Attempted murder! She had meant everything to him, but
after what she did nearly a decade ago, he knows not to trust her, but the temptation to see her in an orange jumpsuit is just too hard to resist.
Lisa is full of regret. She has a lot to feel guilty about. But, she doesn’t have any one else to turn to. She needs Gio. He is the only one she can trust
even though he might never be able to trust her again.
The minute he walks into Riker’s and sees her, he knows he has made a big mistake. The emerald eyes, the flawless skin, the fiery hair, bring it all back.
Especially the regret. Can he help her? Does he want to? And why, after all these years, does he find her beauty so hard to resist?
Beautiful Regret is the third book in The Bounty Hunters - The Marino Bros.
Suspenseful, erotic, and romantic, these books are packed with passion, sex and characters you will love. What more could you want?
EXCERPT
The old man dropped his hand from Gio’s arm, and looked wistfully up the block towards his own house, just eight up from Gio’s.
“I used to watch her, Lisa, run to your house every day, in high school. She was in love you know. Back then, I thought it was a passing fancy.” He closed
his eyes at the memory. “I remember her telling me she was going to marry you one day. She was fourteen when she said it, and I laughed. Then you kids had
all those fights, and I took them so seriously. You boys, good boys, I know that now, but you had your share of scrapes in the neighborhood. I was a father
of all girls. What did I know? I worried. I heard stories. But I didn’t keep in mind that you were just kids.”
“Sir, I don’t understand what you are trying to say?” The old man was rambling and Gio knew he was trying to make a point. He wanted to move him along.
“I should have never allowed her to marry that man. I should have not even considered it. But I was going to lose everything, and the Rasmussens, I owed
them too. They were a good family I thought, so rich, respected. When Albert’s father approached me, it was a business deal. I did not think. I thought it
was a step up, but I was wrong. I saw bruises on my daughter’s arms once and I almost killed myself.”
Gio stood back, shocked, and the old man’s words grew harsher. He was practically spitting the words out. Still he remained silent hearing the man out.
“That was about two years after Lisa married. But Celia, I could not tell her. I was mortified, and so ashamed. I am not a man.
Gio was afraid the man would have a heart attack. He had to stop him. “Mr. Raphael. We all have our regrets. I have mine too. I know I wasn’t perfect. I
made mistakes.” He sighed trying to think of what to say next. “I think we all need to just put the past behind us. Focus on the here and now.” He looked
towards his house, where Lisa and Johnny played and laughed inside with family, and something clicked inside him. “We have all lived our lives for too long
with regret. I think we need to stop regretting the past, and move on. What do you say?” he held out his hand and Mr. Raphael took it with tears in his
eyes.
“Son, thank you. That would mean a lot. As many mistakes as we, I, have made, that would do my heart good. I love my daughters and my grandson. Your son. I
am glad he is yours.”
“He is a fine boy. I’m glad too.”
“And son, one more thing.” He took hold of Gio’s arm once more as he was about to turn and head back inside. “You say you were not perfect, but you are.
Perfect for my Lisa anyhow. I wish I had seen that earlier.”
The old man was smiling at him with tears still in his eyes. “You old fool,” Gio swiped the tears that had sprung from his own eyes, and pulled Mr. Raphael
into his arms, and gave him a quick hug. The man was crying and laughing at the same time.
“Let’s get inside. I miss my family.”
“I do too, son. I do to.”
With each consecutive
book in the Bounty Hunter series I fall more and more for the Marino
brothers. Beautiful Regret is the third
book in the series and Giovanni (Gio) Marino is now my favorite. (I admit I’m a little fickle because I say
that after each book.) From the first
page I was hooked. I couldn’t put the
book down as every chapter reveals a new piece of information that either
increased my anxiety or made my heart flutter with love, pan or relief as Gio
goes through some life changing events.
Honestly one
of the most delightful aspects of this series is how the Marino brothers are presented
and developed. The brothers drop
everything for family without question.
It makes the reader want to be adopted into their group.
It is interesting
to live in Gio’s head as he thinks through what each of his brothers are
dealing with in their own lives before he calls for help. Gio knows the danger ahead for him
personally. He also knows all he has to
do is ask and every one of his brothers will be on his doorstep but he thinks
of them first. I love these guys. What a great family!
What I love:
GIO!
The way this character is written moves me in a good way. Gio has a good heart. Even Lisa, who betrayed him like no other,
he can’t turn away her cry for help. This
hero is so real and lovable. It is a journey for the reader to experience Gio’s
struggle between his heart and brain.
This arc is developed perfectly.
The reader
feels what is going on in Gio’s head and heart as he works through the past and
present hurt. There are a couple times that Gio is harsh
with Lisa but, in my opinion, that is perfectly understandable after their
history. It is actually those moments
that made me love him more because the internal conflict that he experiences is
so normal. It made me wish I could reach
into the book and give him a hug.
Lisa. For the most part I like the way this
character is developed. She gets
stronger as the story moves forward; the reader can’t help but cheer for her. She is a good match for Gio. The push/pull between them is understandable
and not too much that it becomes annoying. Lisa pays for her mistakes in a big way and
the fallout feels right. It is developed
in a plausible way that lets the reader appreciate that there are always
consequences.
Some of Gio’s
experiences or feels are the best. There
are a couple tough emotional scenes.
Lisa’s responses to Gio are also moving and very emotional. There is one scene that is so beautiful and
emotional (I want to give a hint but it is too big a spoiler) it is my favorite
of the series thus far.
What I didn’t like or, more accurately,
didn’t connect with:
Lisa’s past
bad decisions: She is the girl who loved
and planned to marry Gio through high school and college and then she went off
and married someone else. Lisa’s secrets
are the only thing that keeps me from giving this book a higher rating. As hard as I tried I couldn’t relate or wrap
my mind around the whole situation. I
understand some of her thought processes but I couldn’t comprehend never
discussing her situation with Gio AND THEN the lies of omission. I kept reading for a plausible explanation
but even by the end of the book, after all the reveals; I still couldn’t wrap
my head around Lisa’s thought processes.
This made me angry with her. If I
could relate, and maybe some can, I would say five stars and then some.
That said and
even though I can’t reconcile Lisa’s past decisions in my mind I still like her
character. I finally did a hand wave and
reminded myself it is only fiction. She
paid big so let’s move on.
Ms.
Nightingale has a way of building the suspense and relationships through the
story until the reader is sitting on the edge of the chair trying to read faster
and find out what happens next. I’m looking forward to Andreas’ story. I’m expecting a nail biter. We’ll see in a couple days. I recommend this, the third book and the series—it’s
all good.
4 STAMPS
AUTHOR BIO
MJ Nightingale has been a teacher for over two decades. Writing is her new career, and something she has wanted to do for a very long time. But reading has
been a part of her life since she was a child. She has been an avid lover of romance novels, and they have always held a special place in her heart. When
not working, or writing, or spending time with her children, she devours books all summer long, and any type of fiction; thrillers, crime, suspense,
contemporary, and drama.
She has published seven novels, all contemporary erotic romance with elements of action and suspense. She currently lives in Florida with her wonderful
husband, and sons. And, she loves to hear from her readers.
Follow her on Amazon to get all the latest on her upcoming new series; Mystic Nights. Five new romantic suspense books that follow Tawny Sassacus and her
children who help her to run Mystic Casino Nights.
You can contact her on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram, or visit her website.
AUTHOR LINKS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nightingale_mj
Goodreads:
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