Customer Reviews

Secrets (The Michelli Family Series #1)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Heitzmann, and I'll surely be back for more. This story is not in my ususal genre, but I sure did like it. Heitzmann is a wonderful character crafter. This story really gets in deep under the skin and into the souls of the characters. It made me cry more than once. I was also impressed by her ability to describe scenery-I felt as though I was actually there.

The themes of this book are: trust in your abilities, trust in others, but above all, trust in the Lord. An amazing story with an amazing purpose.

Highly recommended.

This is the first time I've ever read anything by Ms.Heitzmann so I came to this story with both an open mind and open heart. Without going into a long and detailed synopsis suffice it to say that this is a strongly driven character read that will have the reader glued to the pages if only to see how Lance and Rese will finally deal with all of the baggage that they both carry.

This story is full of rich and wonderful characters (including a dog that likes to ride a Harley) and wonderful descriptive scenes regarding Sonoma (I'm from this part of California) that places the reader right in the heart of this wonderful part of California. Ms. Heitzmann uses the secrets of Nonna as another vehicle for this story, and as a result the mystery surrounding her request of Lance will also keep the reader firmly engaged. Rese may seem unlikable in the beginning of this story, but readers should give her a chance before writing her off. Lance on the other hand seems almost too perfect except we the reader know from the beginning that he has a secret of his own. As a result of this push and pull the romance between Rese and Lance is strongly written, and the reader can believe that they are truly falling in love with each other. For a well-rounded read I highly recommend Ms. Heitzmann's "Secrets". You won't be disappointed.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

Secrets is a romantic mystery between two people who seek truth, but flounder in secrets from the past and present. Lance Michelli has always been a rebel, but not the typical bad guy rebel.

With his motorcycle, long hair and earring, he looked the part, but his rebellions often resulted from trying to do the right thing without thinking of the consequences first. After the untimely death of his brother, Lance is determined to follow in his brother's footsteps by doing things the right way.

When Lance's grandmother falls ill, she begs him to finish something for her, but she can't communicate all that she needs to tell him. That leaves Lance traveling to Italy to look up an old relative who can shed some light on the thing Nonna needs Lance to do for her. The trip to Italy leads him to California to the cottage where his grandmother was raised and where Reece Barret has started renovations to turn it into a bed and breakfast.

After the death of her father, Reece pours everything she knows into the renovation of the cottage as a final tribute to her life with her father. When Lance appears on her doorstep looking for a job and able to do all the things Reece doesn't like to do, she hires him on the spot. Lance has a way of getting Reece to open up and talk about things she has never told anyone before.

Lance also heightens Reece's hunger for God by the way he lives and the things he talks about. Lance shares his faith and his Bible with her.

As she begins to trust him and seek God, Lance is learning more and more about his family's connection to the cottage, but he can't tell Reece for fear she will question his motives for befriending her. Lance knows he must come clean and convinces himself that he will once he put all the pieces together, but will Reece find out what he's up to before he has a chance to tell her?

From skeletons in the cellar and ghosts in the attack, Secrets is a page-turner from beginning to the end. And for those who crave romance, the electricity between Lance and Reece will keep you guessing.

In New York, Nonna Antonia suffers a stroke and is unable to speak, but manages to ask her grandson Lance Mitchelli to go on a quest to find something, but he has no idea what it is. He travels to Liguria, Italy where Nonna's cousin Sister Anna is in a nunnery and she sends him to Sonoma, California in search of his Nonna's SECRETS in the villa she once lived in years ago.

Rese Barrett needs to prove to her deceased father that she can renovate the old villa into a B&B as well as any man could. Lance obtains a job as a cook/maid at the villa hiding his relationship to Nonna, a previous owner. As Rese and Lance work together, he searches for the SECRETS, but tries to hide his growing attraction to his employer who feels the same way. As they fall in love, he worries how she will react to his quest with each looking for heavenly intervention.

SECRETS is an engaging contemporary romance starring two wonderful lead protagonists (though Lance is too adept at seemingly everything) and a fine somewhat eccentric support cast. The story line is character driven as Rese and Lance do not want love, but cannot stop the feelings between them. Nonna's SECRETS will intrigue the audience as like Rese fans will become obsessed to know what she truly wants and hope he delivers it without hurting or losing Rese. The underlying message is simply with God and love even an antihero can become a champion.

Harriet Klausner

This was the second book I tackled by Kristen Heitzmann, & it was worth every hour.

Rese & Lance are polar opposites. She's a do-it-herself craftsman who's never truly expressed any emotion she's ever had. He's an artistic jack-of-all-trades who's lived his life in the shadow of his older brother & never finished anything he started. Oh, & he has an earring. As if their clashing personalities are not enough, Lance is a Christian while Rese observes God & the Bible as mere fairytale.

On a mission from his grandmother, Lance unexpectedly finds himself working for Rese as she restores a beautiful old house into a charming bed & breakfast. Little does she know that the house in which she has invested all of her finances was actually built by, & may still belong to, Lance's family. The two form an odd friendship, eventually moving beyond the obvious reasons why they should dislike each other. But as Lance digs further into his family's history while failing to make Rese aware of his true intentions, love begins to grow within both. Can it survive once the truth erupts?

Thought-provoking, at times heart-wrenching, this book keeps moving. I am amazed at Heitzmann's ability to create realistic characters who survive all-to-real situations. This story saunters along at such an easy, natural pace, I quickly lost track of time & finished it in only a few hours. The thoughts, feelings, reactions, & speech of each character are easy to understand, especially when considering the challenges each face. The only thing I found a bit distracting was the continued references to "terrorists", which is today's buzzword much like "communists" was in the '50's.

I laughed, I cried, & then I clasped my hands & said, 'Ahhh...' Sweet, refreshing, & intriguing. If you love romances, Kristen Heitzmann, or both, you will love this book. And don't worry...there's a sequel.

Kristen does it again!

Heitmann is a masterful storyteller with a gift for words and a greater gift for creating memorable characters. She creates characters that youwant shake when they misbehave, cheer when they are on the right path and you'll especially want to hug them because of Heitzmann's gift of creating characters who stuggle between the human condition and a redeeming faith - in other words she creates literary friends. If you read books to meet the characters get to know them and follow their journey you'll enjoy Heitmann especially because she drops these characters into worthy plots.

As far as plots this book was full of surprises! She didn't use the typical romance book tool of macho male angst with a hyper feminine alpha female trying to make a relationship work because of the anger driven sparks. (Which really doesn't work in real life long term because it creates a combination of two takers and no givers.)

Instead this is a much more realistic blend of characters. Rese is a strong woman, though not necessarily overly strong willed, who has made herself a place in a man's world of construction. By taking that place Rese has had to overcome and create a personna that is tough as nails - but unlike a nail she not only has a head but a heart as well - one wounded from nearly every direction. In comes Lance, a great combination of a artistic male who can cook! But he's a little lost trying to compare up to his heroic, manly, big brother's place in the world an especially tough challenge coming from a Bronx Italian family. Add more then a pinch of Italian family dynamics, historic Sonoma, some great cooking and an old Villa with secrets of its own and this is a book that will intrigue, and warrant going back a couple of times to find those little details that Heitzmann is classic for.

And for me personally the best part of this book is that Lance Michelli is the Great-great grandson of some of Heitzmann's strongest characters. . . Quillan and Carina Shepherd from the Rose Legacy series. I was absolutely thrilled with this 'sequel' that starts off 121 years after we last heard from the historic DiGratia/Shepherd characters. And I felt the tie in was well written and compelling without lessening the impact the Rose Legacy had.

Even with the tie in you don't have to read the Rose Legacy series first because this book will stand alone. But I will warn you that this book does leave you expectantly hanging for closure but another book will follow in the Summer of 2005 that will apparently fill in the details of the 121 years and the future of our heroes. It will leave you hungry for the Italian cuisine and for more of Lance, Rese, Quillan and Carina. And that is my only disappointment with this book is that I have to wait possibly nine months to read the rest of the story. . . but in Heitmann's own words, a litte restraint might not be a bad thing.

Thanks, Kristen for pursuing your gift! You are a treasure to inspirational fiction readers.

Kristen Heitzmann is a master of her craft. Her style will prove to be a classic of our day. Her poetic words entice until you become part of this adventure of suspense, romance, tragedy and, thankfully, a bit of comic relief.

The lives of Lance and Rese intertwine in unseen, multifaceted ways. Rese, hardened by her past, seeks peace in opening a bed and breakfast where the land gives life to wine. Lance pursues a mysterious family quest while serving as her chef/maid/gardener. He voices her thoughts before she feels them, but is he real? Is the God he shares real? Two needy people searching.

Along the way, there is a long-lost diary, a skeleton, and a seductress... along with a dog who rides a motorcycle (not by himself, of course ;-), an elderly neighbor with watchful eyes and heart, and tempting Italian cuisine.

It's an amazing journey. Go for it!

I haven't read such a good and fun book like this one in a long time! The story contains mystery, intrigue, romance, betrayal, humor, etc., and you can really get into the characters and their emotions. I can't wait to read the sequel, "Unforgotten!"

Great job, Kristen!

Engaging, intriguing, well-written, and excellent character development; that's what I want to say first about this awesome story. Kristen Heitzmann really outdid herself in this book. She takes you back to Sonoma, California where a young woman named Rese Barrett, as tough as nails and as independent as any woman could be, is fixing up this lovely old villa she happened to buy on an auction. Little did she know that the man she hired was actually the orginial owner's great-great grandson, Lance Michelli. Lance arrives at Sonoma from the Bronx in New York City to fulfill the mission his nonna Antonia had sent him on. What he didn't expect was the secrets he unearthed beneath the carriage house and the tough yet vulnerable young woman who hired him to be a cook/maid for the bed and breakfast she planned to open in the old villa. As Rese begins telling secrets to Lance that no one had ever been able to discover from her, Lance realizes the longer he keeps the secrets he unearthed, the more of the chance Rese would not allow him a place at her villa...and in her heart. Great story. I'm so looking forward to reading the sequel "Unforgotten" which continues the contemporary story along with a dual time-line in 1931 when Antonia had lived in the villa. Great work, Kristen!

I've read most all of Heitzmann's books and this is by far the best. She clearly combines her dry humor and quick wit with her incredible ablility of unique writing creating nothing less than a masterpiece....

About a traumatized woman, Rese, and her bed and breakfast business attempt. What she didn't expect was employing Lance, who opens her heart to emotions untold.

I won't give much away, but this one is a must read. If you like love stories combined with a bunch of humor, you'll love this one.