The Sparkling One [Mass Market Paperback]

I come from a large family but I found the Marcellis a bit off-putting. The grandfather, especially, is pretty unlovable. I hope he gets better in the next books. The older Marcelli women are kind of cute. I liked how they all pulled together to help Katie out in a major crisis.

However, it was the story of Zach and Katie that I enjoyed the most. I like that the story unfolded over months rather than a week or two. (One of my pet peeves is forever after occuring in just a few days). The respect they had for each other from the beginning was wonderful. Even as they disagreed on what to do about the young engaged couple. Her sister, his son. Both 18. Yikes!

Another thing I like was the progression of the relationship of the youngsters. It was presented in a pretty lifelike manner, I feel. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read the book so I won't detail the outcome of their engagement. Let's just say I'm glad things worked out the way they did. It was nice to see the women working together the way they did. Gramps could learn a lesson there. Not a likeable man.

It was good to see that Katie didn't back down in the face of Zach's unsubtle attempt at blackmail. She is my kind of heroine. Smart and determined without falling into the TSTL category. (Another pet peeve) She has her fears and that makes her very human and easy to relate to.

All in all, I do recommend reading this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Kate attends an estrogen feast at the family estate. Also expected there are her mother, two grandmothers, her married sister, her widowed sister, and her teenage youngest sibling Mia besides two embattled males. Mia announces that she is engaged and that her fiancé David and his father will soon arrive. Mia's family is ecstatic, but also concerned with the single status of Kate, who says she found her client to be hot and bothersome. David and his father Zach arrive. Zach gave the fund-raiser project to Kate in hopes of an ally to stop these kids from marrying, but his future in-laws embrace the idea. As Kate and Zach work together they fall in love, but will he force his beloved to decide between him and her family?

Though the Marcelli clan can be hormonally overwhelming, readers will enjoy this contemporary romance. The story line is fun as her family matchmake Kate and Zach not fully grasping he feels strongly against David and Mia marrying as both are too young though Marcelli women marry as teens except for Kate. The ensemble cast display individual traits so that the audience receives a warm Italian-American tale that is often humorous especially when the estrogen levels go off the Richter scale.

Harriet Klausner