Review: Standing on shaky ground
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2012
This book sneaked up on me, it started slow but built momentum quickly once Nick saves Cara's life. Cara a heiress to one of America's wealthiest families has just learned some disturbing news about her marriage when she over hears her husband plotting her death. She immediately got in a feet don't fail me now mode and ran for her life. She hides out in a summer rental along the shores of Puget Sound. Her world will literally come tumbling down when an earthquake strikes and she is buried alive in the rental.  She will be rescued by her neighbor Nick. He will risk his life to save her and in the process they will both find a love to build their dreams on.Nick is an Alpha that walks softly and carries a big stick. He is part of a big, loud, loving, Italian family. When Cara and Nick meet he is in the process of re-building his life after going through a divorce. Cara and Nick weren't looking for love when love found them. When the book opens Cara is timid, not capable of taking charge of her life. Since a very early age she has lived under the rule of Trustees and Guardians to her estate. She desperately wants to be treated like a normal  person having normal relationships. Due to her desperation she became an easy target to be used for her wealth. When she is finally forced to opens her eyes to what is going on around her it will take a strength of character she didn't know she possesse to get her life in order. With Nick and his family supporting her every step of the way Cara will blossom into the woman she was meant to be.  Nick was a to die for macho teddy bear, he turned her world around and she captured his heart. They couldn't help but fall in love with each other, he was the rock she leaned on to take control of her life. And she loved him unconditionally.I loved experiencing Cara and Nicks relationship develop and Cara's re-birth. The dialogue is witty and there is one love scene that was HOT. My only complaint is the transition between scenes, sometimes it was choppy, no easy flow or setup between scenes. One minuet you're in a room the next sentence you're in a car. I would recommend the reading of Nick's Journey that is currently free on Amazon before reading Maxine. It is the story of Nick's childhood. It explains a lot about Nick, his compassion for the poor, and why family and having children is so important to him. Excellent start to the Donatelli series. Another thing that sold me on this story was the fact it took place in Gig Harbor. Words cannot describe the beauty of the place, one of my favorite places to visit when I'm in that neck of the woods.