Title: Rough Edges
Author: Nancy Pirri
Genre: Contemporary
Published in March 2005 by Romance At Heart Publications
IBSN: 0–954589-7–3
Gina Liberatti grew up under a domineering father whose word was the law and forced to marry at the tender age of seventeen because of an unplanned pregnancy to a man just as domineering as her father. She vows never to fall for a man exactly like them after her husband Charlie passed away the year before leaving her with very little to live on and raise two young boys. She starts her own business calling it Smooth Edges Consultations, as an image consultant who gives advice to people on how to change their image. She is happy with her life such as it is aside from the problems her eldest son who seems to want to get into since her husband died.
With her new-found independence in delicate balance, Gina takes on a new client. She had come highly recommended by his neighbor and that makes her very happy until he steam rolls his way into her heart. He is just her type except for one thing. He seems to be cut from the same cloth as her father and late husband. Not to mention her eldest son Jack has a penchant for getting into trouble and is on his way to becoming a juvenile delinquent. Never a day goes by where she isn’t being called by the school about his misbehavior. What is she to do? How is she going to get through to her son before it’s too late? She hears about an intervention group somewhere and means to find out from her neighbor where it is. It is her last resort and she hopes it will help.
Stone Mitchell is an ex-Ranger and owner of Falcon’s Ridge; with demons of his own who feels the need to find a wife by Christmas. He hears about Gina from another ranch owner who had made a change in his lifestyle that he figures that she would be able to do the same for him in order to attract the owner of the property next to his. He is hiding something underneath his beard and mustache and is not willing to shave it off. He does not even acknowledge Gina’s request for him to shave them. But he does agree to her request that he change the way he dresses. He is a typical alpha male and does not take too kindly at being defied by a woman.
What he does not bargain for is his attraction to the woman he is hiring to change his image. Nor is he willing to let her go. He knows that she is skittish and her son Jack is a problem but he will do just about anything to have her and her sons in his life for good. He has no problems with Gina’s younger son Chris then Jack throws a monkey wrench into the works with his delinquent ways. Now he has a choice whether to walk away from it all or become the man Gina and her sons so desperately needs in their life. Their first session is interrupted by a fire caused by her youngest son Chris, who tries to melt crayons in the microwave and damages their home. This is his chance to get to know the prickly Gina Liberatti and get close to her. He recognizes her need to be independent; he knows that she needs him just as much as he needs her. But how is he going to convince her that she belongs with him? Will he be able to temper his dominating ways enough to convince her that they belong together?
I for one love how Nancy Pirri makes her heroines strong and independent women who do not take too kindly to being coerced by the he men that come into their lives. Gina Liberatti is a newly independent single mother of two teenage boys. After growing up with a domineering father and married to a husband cut from the same cloth, she vows never to let a man rule her like that again. Then Stone Mitchell steamrolls into her life and hires her to change his image but he is not cooperating with her demands to shave his mustache and beard that hides a very wicked looking scar and things in his past he’d rather not tell anyone. He knows that as an ex-Ranger he is more than capable of handling whatever problems her son gets into. But will she appreciate his help or will she take it as his way of trying to dominate her? Will Gina’s fear of being dominated again keep her from finding the happiness she knows she will find with Stone?
Rough Edges has you on your toes trying to figure out if Gina will ever accept the love that underneath Stone’s gruff domineering personality and wanting to know if Stone himself will ever accept that Gina can be loving as well as independent and does not need to be helped all the time. I for one find myself wanting to whop Jack’s behind for the problems he gives his mother but happy that Stone stepped in. Gina and Stone have a long journey ahead of them and lots of work in loving and accepting each other. Gina’s son Jack has his own journey to straighten his young life out and stop using getting into trouble to get attention. Stone is bent on reuniting Gina and her father. Will he be able to accomplish it or will it push her away from him? You need to read this story to find out what happens! Rough Edges is available online from A href="http://rahpubs.com/" target="_blank">Romance At Heart Publications E-Novels.
Enjoy the read!
Lynne
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