Customer Reviews

The Marcelli Bride (The Marcelli Sisters of Pleasure Road, Book 4)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Navy SEAL Joe Larson is the biological son of Colleen and Marco Marcelli, the result of a teen romance that their parents thought would fizzle out. Several decades and four daughters later, the Marcelli's are still going strong, and after suffering a lonely childhood in the foster system, Joe just wants to be left alone. When a prank by his SEAL team goes awry, he is sent to baby-sit Darcy, the president's daughter while she is hiding from potential kidnappers at the family winery. The last thing Joe expected is to fall for the black sheep of the first family.

Darcy is a plain Jane who likes to wear black and sink into the background. Always a distant second to her blond and buxom sister, she has always felt that she was not enough, especially for her father. At sixteen, she discovered on her mother's deathbed that she was the result of an illicit affair, and her insecurities have only become more prevalent. Add to that the fact that her kidnappers release her because she "is the wrong one." It is enough to make anyone lack self esteem.

Marcelli family patriarch Lorenzo insists that Joe join the family in his rightful place - as the head of the winery operation, despite no desire and no knowledge or interest in wine. Joe resists Lorenzo and the rest of the family at every turn, and tries to resist Darcy, who is more in tune with him than he wants. And his attraction to her is putting her in danger as he cannot control his desires.

Mallery adds another great chapter in the romantic exploits of the Marcelli family. While this is a great stand alone novel, it helps to have a little family background to understand why Lorenzo is so set in his ways about a male heir. Adding tons of comic delight is sister Brenna - in all her pregnant glory. And a secondary romance (though not fully developed) between two of Darcy's security agents adds additional romantic tension.

The Marcelli Bride was one of those books you just couldn't put down or didn't want it to end. It's a story about family, a story about feelings, and a story about passion.

This book stands alone in the Marcelli Sisters series. However, I would strongly suggest that one reads all of the series in order to understand this complex and loving Italian family. First in the series is The Sparkling One - Katie's story. Second, The Sassy One, Francesca's story and the third The Seductive One, Brenna's story. All three books also incorporate their sister Mia, who will soon have a story as well.

The Marcelli Bride is Joe's story, their brother they didn't realize they had. Their parents had been young and in love and also pregnant. Their parents felt it best for them to give Joe up for adoption even though Colleen and Marco did not want to give up their baby. In later books, one finds out that Joe's adoptive parents died and he was raised in foster homes. Is Joe bitter? A little and weary and of course overwhelmed by this over zealous family who want to bring him into the fold, love him and of course have him involved in the family wine business. Yes, but Joe learns many lessons about family, responsibility, belonging and love.

Joe is a Navy Seal, strong, proud, and smart and gorgeous. He loves his job, but when the President's daughter is kidnapped and needs a "safe house", Joe is asked to assist her security team and take her to the family winery for safe keeping. To further go into details would ruin this story. However, it's full of action, suspense, and love so hot it burns the pages, and family dynamics that will blow your mind!

Darcy, the President's daughter is lovely but insecure. Her story is the one that touched me because even though she loved her beautiful sister whom she believed the President favored, she was insure within her own family and afraid to trust and love. Joe and Darcy's story is beautiful and moving and have some tissues available, you're going to need them.

Again, Susan Mallery has penned a beautiful and entertaining story, one that I personally didn't want to end but I will read over and over again..

Lt. Commander Joe Larson hasn't come to terms with his family issues. Given up for adoption as a baby, his adoptive family had loved him dearly, but when they unexpectedly died, he was dumped into an unforgiving foster system. So, when the Marcelli's suddenly appeared in his life and wanted to claim him as their son, grandson, and brother he's understandably unwilling to give them the opportunity to have a chance after they threw him away. Especially since they want him to end his military career as a Navy Seal and settle down as their only male heir, running the family winery business.

When a kidnap attempt on the president's daughter, Darcy Jensen, calls for her to be placed in protective custody, Joe is called upon to help hide her at the Marcelli Winery. Now Joe is forced to deal with not only the family he's trying to avoid, but also Darcy, a woman he finds himself falling in love with, no matter how hard he fights against it.

Susan Mallery is an author who continually delivers stories that I am unable to put down! In The Marcelli Bride both Joe and Darcy are facing personal issues that make it hard for them to trust in love, but that doesn't stop them from falling for each other. And I quickly fell in love with them too! I can't wait for the next Marcelli book. Filled with humor, emotion and action, The Marcelli Bride should be on every romance lovers reading list!

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I thought the book was really good and I read it in two days. The story line was what grabbed my attention: The typical damsel in distress and her hunky hero. The whole Navy SEAL fantasy was definately a delight, however, I felt as I read the book that something was still missing.

Some of the scenes I found hard to imagine. Two days would pass and the characters would not speak to one another and then they would talk to one another as if no time had passed at all. I also found the realtionship between Paige and Alex slightly dull and hard to imagine because it seemed so undeveloped. I think that the author could have made a whole different book about Paige and Alex rather than give them a "quickie" synopsis throughout the Marcelli book.

Parts of the book also seemed to remind me of scenes from movies which I had scene before. I felt like some of the ideas were unoriginal or typical almost.

Overall the book was good. It was definately a fun read and I'd definately recommend reading it while at the beach or for a weekend getaway.

For Darcy Jensen, daughter to the President of the United States, a normal life was something the rest of the world took for granted. Darcy Jensen's life was frustrating, unnerving, and humiliating! Who else was virtually unemployable; who else had bodyguards 24-7; and who else was a rejected kidnappee? The world saw Darcy as a difficult person with a smart mouth. Yes, she had a temper, but she also had wonderful sense of humor. Moreover, she was very attractive and yet very shy. But right now Darcy Jensen, the rejected ex-kidnappee, was also very afraid. And Darcy Jensen hated being afraid.

He was aware of her, from the moment he saw her. A subtle tension flowed between them. An attraction that was both unfamiliar and uncharted. Lieutenant Commander Joe Larson was a total military man. After ten years with the SEALS, he knew his job and his job was to follow orders. But right now, they were punishing Joe Larsen. His SEALS team had screwed up and his current assignment was small fry - babysitting - babysitting the president's daughter. Joe Larsen was trapped for the duration, but the stay would be temporary.

Lieutenant Commander Joe Larson was a lot of man. He was powerful, capable, and total unfriendly. He was a lethal combination and he was also very lucky. Joe Larson belonged to the Marcelli family and the Marcellis were all family. They were overwhelming and chaotic. The Marcellis made escape very difficult. Darcy envied him - envied the familial love that surrounded him. He was lucky! Yet, he acted as if he did not care. Darcy read the raw pain in his eyes. It was oblivious; Joe Larson did not do relationships well . . . love was a gift . . . was it the gift Joe was ready to share . . . with Darcy?

Humor floats throughout THE MARCELLI BRIDE - good, witty humor! In general, Susan Mallery writes a fun book and yet sensitive scenes are present. The story's downfall? Although, Mallery's heroine is great; her hero is a flop! Lieutenant Commander Joe Larson, with his prolonged "woe is me" attitude, radiates dud material! In addition, the story's secondary romance dangled - like loose string! Still, Susan Mallery writes enough of a tale to gain page-turner status.
Grade: B-

MaryGrace Meloche.
Reviewed for Romance Designs.
This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy.

This is the third of Mallery's books that I've read, and I've enjoyed them all. Not to say this is a two thumbs up book, because it's not, but I liked it quite a bit. Mallery has a nice writing style. She always keeps me in her stories. There's a nice flow to her words, and she tells a good story.

The Marcelli Bride is primarily a romance, but there is a sideline plot; the whole kidnapping thing, but it's really just a background issue. Even so, it adds a nice element to the story, gives it some meat. I wished I'd read the other books in the series so I could have a better idea of the family dynamic, but without reading them, you still get a good idea of everything. Mallery has created a great family in the Marcellis. I enjoyed reading about them.

I think the one thing I can complain about in this book is that for whatever reason, I wasn't exactly feeling the chemistry between Joe and Darcy. There was definitely an attraction, and they worked nicely together, but the writing just didn't convey the chemistry all that well. But that didn't detract too much from the overall story. My only other minor complaint was that I'd liked to have had a little more information about the antagonist when it was all said and done. The answers to 'why' were a little bare.

In the end, good book. Not great, but a nice read for a general romance. I'd like to read the others in the series.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

I started out reading the first 3 books on the Marcelli sisters, then I figured there had to be more books because of the brother and the last sister. I went and pulled up Susan Mallery's books and I found them. These where the best written books I have read in a while. In this book, book 4, I laughed the first half and cried the last half. When the grandfather died I thought that was the saddest time in their life. The way Susan wrote this story you felt like you where right there with the family.
I have only been reading Susan's books for about 6 months and I have read four different series. Suaan has not let me down yet. My hat is off to this Lady. Keep up the "GREAT WORK" and I will keep reading!

I enjoyed reading the 5 books of this series. They were fast paced and kept my interest. I could hardly wait for the next book. Wish we had more series like this.

I get so attached to characters when reading a series. I just wish none of them had to end. The characters in this book are so likeable and being Italian myself, I can relate to the "Italian ways", and find myself laughing a lot! I'm also a huge fan of Susan Mallery!

I loved this book. It was fourth in a series of 5 books, and was the hardest to find. Fortunately, it was worth the work, and worth the wait. Great read, I totally recommend it. I recommend the entire series, actually.