REVIEW: A Legacy of Secrets by by Carol Marinelli

A Legacy of Secrets by by Carol Marinelli is book one in the Coretti Dynasty series. There is a prequel, Uncovering the Coretti’s, that I recommend reading first because it sets up the series nicely. It’s free  A | BN

Ms. Marinelli’s contribution to the story concerns Movie Producer Santo Corelli and his PA, Ella.

Ella works to resolve a family problem when the situation gets out of hand. As much as she tries, her mother is not willing to help herself. So she packs up and leaves Australia – headed for her mother’s home country of Italy. When she grasps the opportunity to interview for a job working with Santo, she barrels in and knocks him for a loop. Of course, he doesn’t let her know that, he just hires her.

Although she aspires to be a Director, she settles for the PA job, hoping to work her way up the ladder. Santo bypasses her in favor of more experienced movie-makers, but Ella is determined to stick it out. She starts to waver every time she has to send flowers to one of his conquests as a “day after” goodbye gift. Every time he wakes her up in the middle of the night to bring him condoms. Every time she has to baby him at work when he’s got a major hangover. When she gets an offer to work for another company – it seems like a step up, and now she has to make a decision.

Santo noticed Ella the day she barges into his office asking for the job as his Assistant. There’s something about her. Something out of the ordinary. She’s not like the girls he hooks up with – he and Ella actually like each other. He can’t resist bantering with her, because she’s smart and funny – and he respects her.

When he finds out that she’s very close to accepting another position, he tries to talk her out of it. It couldn’t come at a worse time however, as it happens just as a family wedding turns into a scandal of epic proportions. Not to mention some negative buzz has started concerning his latest project’s star. When Ella surprisingly makes a move on him, Santo can’t say no.

With only a few weeks until she’s no longer under Santo’s employ, Ella seizes the opportunity to be with him – even if she’s the flavor of the week. At least she’ll have memories to take away with her. Neither of them expect the intensity that envelops them as they start their ‘off-the-clock’ relationship.

During the confusion in their lives, they also find out that they’re each keeping pain locked inside themselves. They open up to one another slowly, and things just get more complicated from there.

A good start to the series (prologue not withstanding), the writing is exceptional, but a little vague in parts. We’re introduced to several of the other storylines & family members, but in a very unobtrusive way. The next book deals with Taylor, the sometimes diva-ish movie star from this book. Some nice funny moments intertwined with the seriousness of family trauma – and it struck a pleasant balance between the two.