Tuscan Summer with the Billionaire by Susan Meier: I have never been to Tuscany, but from movies and other 
media, I have seen how beautiful it is. Tuscan Summer with the Billionaire shares a lot about the vineyards there and other areas in Italy. It is easy to be immersed in the culture as you learn about the Giordano family.
Marcia Giordano is very rude with the American, Trace, who has bought the family vineyard and home. They had to sell after Marcia’s finance embezzled the money that was to help with the business. Trace is an excellent businessman, but knows nothing about wine. He agrees to keep Marcia and her family on until he gets things settled.
Trace is rather closed off with a terrible experience in the past. Although is a pivotal event in his life, I feel it was brought up too often in this novel. I liked that he had two friends that he has been in business with him who could support him, but also encourage to move on in his personal life. Trace seems like he is a very caring person, but tries very hard to protect his heart.He is even estranged from his father due to past hurts.
Marcia comes across as a hardworking woman whose main goal is to try to buy the family’s business. She, too, is protecting her heart in the aftermath of the disaster that lead to the family having to sell. You can see the love of family even with her father’s harsh attitude towards her. Marcia’s time in America explain why she knows English and American idioms well. It still struck me as usual that the whole family was so well versed in English, though they do have many tour busses come through almost every day. I appreciate how the author blended steamy romance and family dynamics.
As I read this in early summer, it made me long for being able to travel more in the next few years and put a trip to Tuscany on my bucket list.
I have previously read another novel by author Susan Meier. Since this is the first in a series, I hope to read more soon.
Book Info:
Publication: May 25, 2021 | Harlequin Romance | Billion-Dollar Family #1
Close encounter…
Beneath the Italian sun
After her ex left her family virtually bankrupt, Marcia is less than impressed when she meets the new owner of their vineyard, billionaire Trace. For all his business success, he doesn’t know anything about wine! And she’s supposed to teach him! Setting out to discover the root of his lack of knowledge, instead Marcia unearths the hidden pain Trace has come to escape. And a longing Marcia shouldn’t indulge… Should she?
