Review: Can't Miss with a Kristen Ashley book
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 18, 2014
This wonderful, heartfelt love story is the 5th book in the 'Burg series by Kristen Ashley.  This book focuses on Benny and Frankie, who we met in the 2nd book in the series "At Peace", which is my favorite book in the series.  Benny is Cal's cousin from Chicago, and we meet Frankie and Benny when Vi is kidnapped by a psychotic bad guy and Frankie ends up being kidnapped trying to look out for Vi.  Frankie and Benny go way back, she was the long-time girlfriend of  his brother Vinnie, Jr., who was killed in a mob hit seven years ago.  Benny's family always blamed Frankie for Vinnie Jr.'s involvement with the mob and she tolerated it for a long time because she really loved his family since she was a kid.  But after she takes a bullet for helping his family get Vi back, she is through!  Its at this point that Benny realizes that he loves Frankie and his family wants to let bygones be bygones, but at first Frankie isn't having it. she wants nothing to do with the Bianchi family anymore. We watch as Bennie slowly but surely wins Frankie's heart and watch as they struggle to be together even though they have to endure a long distance relationship.So, why is this book so great?  It is a classic KA book: sexy, hot alpha man who loves the heroine but likes his girlfriend to be spunky, he describes Frankie as "sweet and spicy".  Frankie has a life and a career; she's ambitious and wants to get ahead but is able to also want to have love and a family in her life as well.  Watching the two of them overcome the obstacles of their history , Frankie's crazy, dysfunctional family, and of course a new mystery that involves fraud in a pharmaceutical company where Frankie works, dealing with the difficulties of being in a long distance relationship (I've been there and done that so I could really relate to how hard it is to say goodbye!) was just incredible.  I think one of the things that I really like about KA books is that they are incredibly romantic.  I always find myself writing notes in my Kindle to the characters; they make you laugh, cry and angry, sometimes in the same paragraph!  Some of the most tender moments involve family. At one point, "Uncle Sal" the mafia man who Vinnie Jr. worked for gets involved in trying to make sure Frankie stays safe in the midst of the pharmaceutical scandal, which makes Benny livid because he doesn't want Sal anywhere near Frankie, especially after what happened to his brother. There is a scene where Sal tries to explain to Benny why Frankie means so much to him and his wife Gina - you need to pull out your hankie for that one!  There are a lot of tender moments when they are falling in love and it is just unbelievable the things that Frankie and Benny say to each other to express their love.  KA alpha men always have this paradox: they typically are men of few words; they'd rather show you how they love you rather than wax poetic, but the rare times when they express their true feelings: OMG!!!  It always brings tears to your eyes.I also really like the fact that we got to revisit a lot with Cal & Vi and see in greater detail how things turn out for their family. The epilogues are always great and you can always see how she is setting up the next book, which will focus on Cheryl and Merry.  I really was looking forward to hearing the story of Benny & Frankie and it was well worth the wait!