Release Day Blitz ~ Kiss & Ride by Teodora Kostova ~ (Review, Excerpt + Book Trailer)
Synopsis
What happens when you meet the right guy at the wrong time?
When Vincent Alesi’s estranged father dies, he gets on the first plane from New York city to Rome to be at the memorial service. Even if he has to max out his credit card. Even if he hates the man for leaving him. Even if it’s a day before Christmas.
Everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and Vin ends up trusting a complete stranger with all his secrets, even the ones he didn't know he had.
Luca Romano’s job as a flight attendant takes him all over the world. But a jet-setting lifestyle is not what he wants. His dream of opening his own restaurant is being placed on hold over circumstances beyond his control.
Timing is everything...
When Vin bursts into Luca’s life, both men fall fast and hard. But their lives, their dreams, even the cities they live in couldn’t be more different.
Their few days together in Rome are romantic, emotionally intense, and leave them both wanting more.
Excerpt
He passed Vin the shopping bags he was carrying and grabbed the tree, taking it inside his building. The ancient elevator seemed to be big enough to fit only the tree, so Luca had the idea to stuff it inside, press the button for the third floor, then race up the stairs to meet it on his floor. Vin was laughing too hard to be able to climb the stairs fast enough to catch the elevator, especially carrying all the shopping bags. When he made it to the second floor he heard Luca’s colorful curses and the mechanical whirl of the elevator moving again.
“There was nobody downstairs a moment ago!” Luca cried in outrage when Vin finally joined him on the third floor.
“I saw an old lady carrying a Pomeranian walk in when I started up the stairs,” Vin said, panting, dropping the bags on the floor unceremoniously. “And by the way, I could have stayed downstairs and sent the elevator up after you made it to the third floor.” Luca stared at Vin with wide eyes – obviously that thought hadn’t even occurred to him. “Just saying.”
“Why is there a Christmas tree in the elevator?” A faint female voice carried up the several flights of stairs, followed by a dog barking.
“Sorry, Signora Mortelli,” Luca shouted, leaning over the banister. “The tree is mine. Long story. Could you please send it to the third floor and I’ll unload it as fast as I can?”
“Luca Romano, is that you?”
“Yes, Signora Mortelli.” He lowered his voice and looked at Vin over his shoulder. “Why isn’t she pressing the fucking button?”
“I don't know, man. This whole thing is too ridiculous to try and make any sense of it.”
Luca stared at Vin as if he couldn't quite grasp what Vin’s problem was.
“When did you come back, caro?” Signora Mortelli’s voice carried up the three flights of stairs.
“Yesterday.” Luca huffed in exasperation, taking his keys out of his pocket and tossing them to Vin. “This can take a while.” Vin grinned at him as he caught the keys.
“Are you spending Christmas alone again this year?” The old lady yelled.
“Signora Mortelli, please just press the button and send the tree back up, please,” Luca called down the stairs, resting his head against the wooden banister.
Vin unlocked the door, transferred the shopping bags to the floor inside the apartment, and leaned against the door frame, curious to see how this would unfold. A sound came from downstairs, then some banging, the dog barking, and finally the elevator started moving again.
“Thank fuck,” Luca muttered, straightening to meet the elevator.
When it arrived at the third floor, Luca cursed under his breath before schooling his features into a polite smile and pulling the door open.
“Signora Morelli. How did you fit in here?”
Book Trailer
4 Stars
A lovely Xmas tale, one that started with a chance encounter and that ended up in a HEA.
This is a short Xmassy tale that takes place in Rome - did you know this author LOVES to travel? In this, like in A Sip Of Rio, we get to see Rome through her eyes, and I can tell you, having just visited there myself and gone to all the places she mentioned, that she's pretty much nailed the details. She's also a fan of cooking and eating Italian, which also comes through in this - an Italian Xmas meal sounds amazing!
It's a tale of a couple of guys who have a chance encounter when they're stuck in a lift, and end up talking about their lives and then begin an unlikely friendship. I mean, strangers sharing a personal experience such as the remembrance/memorial service of one's father, and then an invitation from the Roman guy to the other to come and bunk down at his place over Christmas, isn't your average happening, but hey, the guys are Italian/of Italian descent (Italians are meant to love family, be gregarious and generous, right?) and it's the season of goodwill, so why not?
I liked that everything felt so natural, as if the guys could have met under any circumstances, really, and become friends and lovers. I liked that unlike so many holiday romances, TK slowed it down at the point where some important, but possibly slightly premature, words might have been uttered and came up with a lovely, lovely plan that had both realism and romance. And, which showed selflessness and a commitment to try to build a firmer, lasting relationship on something that had started off so well. It reminded me a little of the Cary Grant-Deborah Kerr movie, An Affair To Remember, where the leads agree to meet at a certain place, date and agreed time, to see if they still feel the same way.
It ends 4 years later down the line, in a very believable way, with the leads living their HEA. I loved the bit in between their parting and their reunion, where each lived his life in different ways, keeping in touch as best they could, and remaining steadfast - a proper romance, this tale is.
ARC courtesy of the author and Bayou Book Junkie, for my reading pleasure.
About the author
This is a short Xmassy tale that takes place in Rome - did you know this author LOVES to travel? In this, like in A Sip Of Rio, we get to see Rome through her eyes, and I can tell you, having just visited there myself and gone to all the places she mentioned, that she's pretty much nailed the details. She's also a fan of cooking and eating Italian, which also comes through in this - an Italian Xmas meal sounds amazing!
It's a tale of a couple of guys who have a chance encounter when they're stuck in a lift, and end up talking about their lives and then begin an unlikely friendship. I mean, strangers sharing a personal experience such as the remembrance/memorial service of one's father, and then an invitation from the Roman guy to the other to come and bunk down at his place over Christmas, isn't your average happening, but hey, the guys are Italian/of Italian descent (Italians are meant to love family, be gregarious and generous, right?) and it's the season of goodwill, so why not?
I liked that everything felt so natural, as if the guys could have met under any circumstances, really, and become friends and lovers. I liked that unlike so many holiday romances, TK slowed it down at the point where some important, but possibly slightly premature, words might have been uttered and came up with a lovely, lovely plan that had both realism and romance. And, which showed selflessness and a commitment to try to build a firmer, lasting relationship on something that had started off so well. It reminded me a little of the Cary Grant-Deborah Kerr movie, An Affair To Remember, where the leads agree to meet at a certain place, date and agreed time, to see if they still feel the same way.
It ends 4 years later down the line, in a very believable way, with the leads living their HEA. I loved the bit in between their parting and their reunion, where each lived his life in different ways, keeping in touch as best they could, and remaining steadfast - a proper romance, this tale is.
ARC courtesy of the author and Bayou Book Junkie, for my reading pleasure.
About the author
Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband and my son. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job a few years ago when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had the guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among other things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a very inventive kid.
Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers.
Twitter: @Teodora_Kostova
E-mail: t.t.kostova@gmail.com
Instagram: teodorika1
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