Review: LOVED Ciao Baby!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 23, 2013
I am a sucker for FREE BOOKS and when I saw this one, I had to get it.For me Ciao Baby by Elaine Dyer was the standard romance story. It's the classic, rich boy meets poor girl in college, they fall madly in love, dues to a series of interference/meddling from other parties, they go their separate ways.  They later met again and after much heartbreak and many tears, they profess their love for each other and live happily ever after.Yes, it was a very predictable story line, but the ride getting there was fantastic.  Elaine created some wonderful strong characters with a delightfully well-written, angst-filled storyline.Perri may have grown up poor and neglected, but she never let that define her. Despite her up bring, Perri was a strong, independent, smart and loving person.  She had a dream and she follows it, becoming a Master Chief was her goal.  While she was attending cooking school on a scholarship in NYC, she meets Brad.Brad was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He had the world at his feet, but all he wanted was to live a normal live and have someone love him for who he is and not how much his bank account is worth. He refused to give into his very controlling mother and go to work for her.  He was determined to make his own way in this world.The romance between Brad and Perri is is tender and sweet.  The love they have for each other was heartwarming to read and made me smile while doing so, which made the breakup between this two wonderful characters even more heart wrenching.  Because now entering the picture, someone doesn't want these two together, so they concoct a plan to end their relationship.  Each thinking the other has betrayed them, leaving them heart-broken.  And what classic love story doesn't have the added twisted, there is a baby on the way and Brad knows nothing about it.The story now jumps ahead four years later.  Both Perri and Brad have moved on with their lives, burying their pain, while still carry their love for each other.  Perri has moved to Italy and seen her dream come true, she has become a chief and owns a very popular restaurant.  Brad has finally given in and is working for his mother.  Through a series of circumstances, he finds Perri and decides it's time to confront her and finally get the explanation he deserves for her betrayal.  Imagine his surprise when he finds is a PISSED off Perri, who accuse him of abandoning her.Once they see each other again, they both realize that the attraction between them still burns strongly.Will they be able to overcome the last 4 years of pain?  How will Brad feel when he finds out that he has a child? Will they ever find the underlying cause of who did this to them?Being that is this a classic love story, of course there is a Happy Ever After and watching Brad and Perri get there was a splendid and exciting ride for this reader.