Review: Enjoyable but not one of her best
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 28, 2013
Dana Marsden's first mistake is stopping on the fog-shrouded Amalfi Coast road to help clear a traffic jam. Her second is rescuing the valuable cat that appears out the mist. And the third? Trusting the handsome Italian who comes to her aid when her rental car plunges over a cliff in what may not have been an accident.Since the American police officer refuses to believe she's in danger, Andrea Tonello sees only one option: spirit her away to the safety of his private island.But who's going to protect him from one mad, independent lady when Dana discovers what he's doneImagine my delight when I learned that one of my favorite all time authors was using my last name in her newest book.  Imagine my chagrin to discover that she did not use it as a surname but as an adjective.  Now, I don't speak Italian, I've never been to Italy, but my grandpop Amalfitano sure gave me the impression that it was a surname and only a surname meaning "the man from Amalfi." OTOH, Ms. Blake has actually been to Italy and I have not.  It dies puzzle he, though, that she used "Amalfitano" because the hero was clearly from Positano and not Amalfi and for me it would have made more sense to entitle the book "The Positano's Bold Abduction."Also have to admit, I think she skated with this story.  Read to me more as if she was using stuff she gathered in her visit to Italy rather than having the story be her main objective.  Most of her books have a far more complex plot and I missed that in this novel.  I also thought her portrayal of the sister and her husband was cliche.  Yes, we Italians are an emotional, passionate people but the main way we communicate is not yelling at each other.The many knitting references delighted me as I am a knitter.  Knitting is often mentioned in Ms. Blake's books but this one had more knitting content.  I also love cats and was glad that a cat was a main character. Ms. Blake must also love cats and obviously has spent a goodly amount of time observing them.I found hard to believe that the heroine fell in love with her abductor in such a short period of time. He kidnapped her.  She's a cop from a family of cops. How is that she does not see her kidnapping as a crime? I am also getting tired of young billionaires as heroes. That is really getting to be trite.But still and all, Jennifer Blake is one of my favorite authors and she has given me many hours of reading enjoyment and I have read every thing she has written several times.  I'll be reading this one also.