Review: Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye

This book falls into my New Author Reading Challenge.

I had seen a few reviews around for Ms. Kaye's latest book, Breakfast in Bed, and I thought it looked pretty good. Of course, if you know me at all, you know I couldn't just jump in and read that one, I had to start with the beginning of the series! Romeo, Romeo is the first book and Ms. Kaye's debut novel. I loved it!

Rosalie Ronaldi is a young executive who works for a turnaround company. She's got a boyfriend whom she's not serious about - it's more that she dates him to keep her mother off her back about why she doesn't have any marriage prospects. Then he proposes to her - and it's one of the most insulting (and comical) proposals I've ever read. Needless to say she drops him like a hot potato.

Nick Romeo is super sexy....and super rich. But when Rosalie meets him she thinks he's a mechanic, not the owner of several car dealerships. She ends up agreeing to date him after he tows her car, and the chase is on. Nick isn't looking for love, just a good time.

Rosalie tells him up front she wants no commitment and will never, ever get married. Nick is sort of taken aback because he's usually giving this line, not receiving it! They start dating and things are going well, they're both busy professionals and therefore only see each other occasionally, which keeps things from getting predictable and boring. Then, when Rosalie doesn't show for a date, Nick goes to check on her and ends up taking her to the ER - she's got pneumonia. Then he brings her home and takes care of her....and while he's there he gradually makes himself at home. (I liked how it was gradual so neither of them didn't really recognize what was going on!)

The thing is, he never told Rosalie who he really is, or that he's been trying to buy the auto dealership she's currently working on turning around. AND, he's got another secret from his past so he's afraid to meet her family. When her brother calls to tell her he's coming to visit, Nick knows it's now or never...but fate and circumstances have other plans.

This book was great! Ms. Kaye writes believeable characters who I'd love to hang out with in real life. I liked Rosalie and Nick and wanted them to be together. I probably need a dental check up for all the times I ground my teeth together in frustration with Nick for not coming clean with the truth. The secondary characters were well-written and showcased the fears of the h/h in an entertaining way.

Here's my one complaint: The characters were of Italian descent, and there were a couple of words and phrases in Italian that I didn't know what they meant. I blogged about this earlier - couldn't they put an index at the back of the book? I mean, I got the general idea, but I wanted to know. And I was reading this book in the waiting rooom at the hospital so I couldn't run off and look it up.

Aside from that one criticism, I thought this book was great. I can't wait to run out and get the 2nd book in this series, Too Hot to Handle, in which Rosalie's sister Annabelle is the heroine.

I give Romeo, Romeo 4 1/2 stars!