GRR Reviews For Love or Legacy (Book 2) (Legacy Colle by Ruth Cardello

For Love or Legacy is a different view of the first volume in this series, Maid for the Billionaire (Book 1) (Legacy Collection). We are now following Stephan Andrade, the enemy of the hero in the first book, Dominic Corisi, who is also doing a Romeo and Juliet plot... his former girlfriend was Nicole Corisi, Dominic's sister! But first, a recap...

Stephan Andrade had plotted revenge against Dominic Corisi for decades after Stephan's father lost control of his company and their ancestral island to the Corisi's. With Corisi Enterprises over-extended in China, Stephan saw a way to gain revenge on Dominic Corisi... except for Nicole, Dominic's sister, and Stephan's one-time lover. Their family obligations forced them apart years ago, but now, Nicole needed Stephan as a fake fiancee. She needed to save her own software company's management, except her father's will stipulated that the software company be run by her brother for a year. The ONLY way around it was for Stephan to execute the buy-option as her fiancee, and just sell it back to her at the same price after a few weeks. She'll offer up one of her software patents in exchange. Stephan refused, seeing no advantage to be gained. When Stephan's China gambit failed and Dominic obtained the China contract, Stephan decided Nicole's plan is worth trying... just to keep Dominic off balance for his plan B. But being engaged means living together, and pretending to love each other may actually be love indeed. Now Stephan has to choose whether to fight for love... or legacy.

I rather enjoy the twists, as the characters have conflicting needs, making them truly 3 dimensional. I personally think the "hacking" details are a bit off and vague, but it did not distract too much from the overall story. And I kinda got lost at some of the company names. Overall, it's definitely a good book.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Billionaire plotting revenge agreed to be fake fiancee to rival's sister (and ex-lover), but is that real... or pretense?

Tropes: romeo and juliet, reunion, marriage of convenience, family pressure, family secrets

Overall Rating: 4/5

GRR Reviews Destined for Love: Rex Braden (Love in Bl by Melissa Foster

Destined for Love is a "Romeo and Juliet" scenario (feuding families) set as a contemporary western romance (cowboys, horses, and ranches). It was quite nicely done with the theme that love will prevail over (retrospectively) stupid feuds.

Jade Johnson had to ditch her holistic veterinary practice when her ex-lover turned into a stalker. She went home into familiar territory, but one day, while riding, her horse was injured and she had to rely on Rex Braden's help to get her horse back to the stables. Rex Braden... is way too handsome and way too sexy... and totally inappropriate, because The Johnsons and the Bradens had bee feuding for over 40 years, and none of the children really knew why only that neither family is to set foot on the other's property... Ever. It's like Hatfields and the McCoys, w/o the gunfire. But Rex had known Jade since they were kids, and they started to really like each other, and a forbidden affair developed. When a horse on the Braden ranch developed problems, Jade was the only vet around... Will the Johnsons and the Bradens finally let go of their hatred and help the couple love in the light? Or will the feud destroy their happiness forever?

The feud seems so... trivial after 40 years, that the kids don't even understand why there was a feud at all. But the pressure of maintaining their love under so many potentially compromising eyes can be tense, but nothing too special here. Fun read.

Category: Contemporary Western

Primary Plot: Jade and Rex are like Romeo and Juliet in a Contemporary Western Romance

Tropes: ranch, romeo and juliet, family secrets, doctor/patient (veterinarian)

Overall Rating:  4/5