THE VALENTINE BRIDE
LIZ FIELDING
ISBN# 0373039328
February 2007
Harlequin Enterprises Ltd
225 Duncan Mill Rd, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9
Paperback
$4.50
109 pages
Traditional
Rating: 4 Cups

Louise Valentine thought she had a family that would never lie to her. She was proven wrong when she found that she was adopted. Feeling lost and alone, she throws herself into her work. She ignores her family, doing her best to cut ties, until her 'cousin', Max Valentine, comes to ask for her help.

Max Valentine did not want to go to Lou and ask for her help. He knew that getting her to help with the PR for the restaurant group would not be an easy task, but he would somehow manage to get her on board. He only sees one problem; keeping control of the rising passion that he feels for her.

Louise and Max definitely have a past filled with arguments, and when Max goes to her for help, they start right back where they left off. Louise feels she at least owes the Valentine family this one last thing and then she can leave them behind without feeling guilty. He wants to keep her in his life and bring the family back together. Now that they know they are not related by blood, they realize they no longer have to keep their passion and love for each other under control.

Ms. Fielding has done a wonderful job writing the characters of Max and Louise. The stubbornness of the characters is intriguing; each fighting for control, but yielding very little. The story gives enough background that you can follow along with the Bella Lucia stories. I held my breath each time something came between Max and Louise that caused them to not trust each other, but I was always cheering them on. A well-written story of love and trials, I will be reading more of Ms. Fielding and Bella Lucia.

Liadan
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books