Natalia Puccini has spent her entire life playing by her overbearing but well-intentioned Italian family's rules...except the one time she took a chance on a bad boy and fell hard. She's worked to get her life back on track so when Aiden McCann comes sauntering back into town with his heart-stopping smile, Natalia vows not to fall for him again. There's no way she'll let him mess with her perfectly planned life...and there's no way she'll let him near her heart again...
Now reformed and a self-made success, Aiden is tormented by regrets and secrets. He left Red River years ago filled with anger and resentment and a promise to never come back. But when his ill father needs help, Aiden knows it's time to face the mess he left behind, and face the one woman he never got over. It doesn't matter how beautiful or intriguing she is, though, because he'll never be able to give her what she needs. As soon as his father is healthy, Aiden is leaving Red River...for good.
Natalia was the epitome of a good Italian daughter,
she would do everything to please her family and not cause them any heartaches.
Even if it means being the maid of honor to her overbearing cousin’s wedding.
The sacrifices she made would make her a saint and I do not envy her. She was
trying to live a happy, single and peaceful life until the bad boy she fell in
love with over a decade ago came back into her life. She swore that she would
never allow Aiden McCann to enter into her life and break her heart again. She
should learn from her mistakes.
Aidan left Red River years ago and never look back,
but a family emergency brought him back home, and back into the life of Natalia
Puccini. He knew he did her wrong, and wished he could tell her what really
happened. But he was only home for some weeks, and he had no intentions of
staying. Their house held a lot of painful memories. If not for his father who
needs his help (even if he doesn’t really say he needs it), he wouldn’t be in
Red River. But thinking about not going back, and seeing the love of his life
in the flesh is different. No matter how much he wants her, he couldn’t give
what she needs. As soon as his father is okay, he was going to leave Red River
and would not come back.
I love how the story came about. It may lack the usual
steam I got used to, but it was sweet, and had a dash of sexy in it. They tried
to fight their emotions, but it was just useless. I love how things work out
for Aidan. It made me shed some tears. What happened between him and his father
was heartbreaking, but I was glad someone was trying, and someone was
apologizing. I was also happy Nat was finally standing up for herself and not
allowing her family (well, some of them) to step on her. It was brave of her to
do so.
The Rebel’s Return is a short read. This is a story of
love, second chances, friendship and family.
