Meet the Brannigan brothers—seven sexy brothers who bring the heart and the heat! From bestselling authors Barbara Freethy, Ruth Cardello, Melody Anne, Christie Ridgway, Lynn Raye Harris, Roxanne St. Claire and JoAnn Ross comes a brand new contemporary romance family series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. You won’t want to miss a single one! JAMESRunning a billion-dollar hedge fund doesn’t leave a lot … doesn’t leave a lot of time for fun in the sun, but that doesn’t bother James Brannigan. After spending his youth helping his widowed father raise six younger brothers, James took a cue from his workaholic dad and channeled all his energy into business. So when he learns that his father left him a tiny winery on the Amalfi Coast, he’s not thrilled. A trip to Italy is the last thing his busy schedule needs, but the winery has to go. Which means…he has to go to the winery.
Kyra Summers is the definition of a free-spirit. In her thirty years on earth, she’s never stayed in one place long enough to put down roots until she arrived in Positano and fell hard for the bold flavors, hot sun, warm people, and above all, the wonderful wine. Her job at a small, local winery is her first attempt to make a real home and the people who run the place start to become like family to her. Until the winery’s new owner, a devastatingly handsome, shockingly ruthless billionaire, arrives with plans to shut it all down. Kyra’s willing to do whatever it takes to save this place she loves–even if it means cozying up to a man who’s harder than granite and twice as cold.
But the Italian sunshine has a way of heating things up–with every fiery exchange, they strike sparks and draw irresistibly closer together. James is stunned by his attraction to a woman unlike any he’s met before, and Kyra discovers a simmering passion hidden behind his polished exterior. But passion won’t be enough to change James’s mind and his priorities, which is exactly why his late father sent him to Italy. Changing James is going to take a much bigger risk–it’s going to take love.
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Luke – Barbara Freethy
Gabe – Ruth Cardello
Hunter – Melody Anne
Knox – Christie Ridgway
Max – Lynn Raye Harris
James – Roxanne St. Claire
Finn – JoAnn Ross
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I loved this book. Colin, the patriarch of the Brannigan family, died eight months earlier, after an illness he kept from his seven sons. Though he tied up his billions in a trust for five years, he left each of his sons unique legacies. James received ownership of a tiny winery on the Amalfi coast of Italy, a bequest that left him thoroughly confused. He never knew his dad owned a winery, and running a hedge fund is not conducive to winemaking. Besides, James doesn’t drink wine or anything alcoholic because it can lead to a loss of control. The best thing he can do is unload it fast and get back to what he does best. With an offer already in hand, James heads to Italy to check the place out before signing on the dotted line. He doesn’t expect to get blindsided by Kyra, the pretty and bubbly tourist liaison for the winery.
Kyra toured the winery during her world travels and never left. After moving from place to place for most of her life, something about Positano made her want to put down roots. She was embraced by the Sebastiani family who quickly made her feel like one of them. When they hear that the new owner is coming to visit, Kyra is determined to find out his intentions. She’ll do anything to help her family.
I loved the development of the relationship between James and Kyra. It got off to a slightly rough start as laser-focused, business-only James was confronted by bright and cheerful Kyra, who refuses to be deterred by James’s cold demeanor. I laughed out loud at Kyra’s success at rolling right over James’s attempts to avoid going with her, then at his reaction to riding the Vespa. James realized from the very beginning that Kyra was going to be trouble for him, and he was right. There was no denying the attraction between them, but worse than that was the way she got past his walls.
Both James and Kyra were raised by workaholic parents. James’s dad buried his grief at his wife’s death by immersing himself in work, leaving James to watch out for his younger brothers. It was Colin’s influence that had James following in his footsteps, both in business and in choosing work to avoid his feelings. Kyra’s mother was also a workaholic, leaving Kyra in the care of nannies most of the time. All Kyra wanted was her mother’s attention, but all she got was watching her mother coldly destroy people’s lives in the name of business. Instead of becoming like her mother, Kyra became the opposite. She left home at eighteen and traveled the world, getting to know people of all kinds, always in search of a sense of belonging.
It was so much fun to watch Kyra teach James how to relax and enjoy himself. The more time they spent together, the stronger the attraction became. They also developed a sense of trust in each other that enabled them to share painful parts of their pasts, and in that sharing began to heal. The attraction and trust deepened into stronger feelings. Kyra knew she was going to hurt when James left, but she couldn’t stop what was happening. It took James longer to realize what he was feeling. I loved his moment of revelation and his determination to show Kyra the depth of his feelings. Who knew that stuffy old James had the capability for something so romantic? But fate threw them a curveball in the form of trouble at the winery. I ached for Kyra and her feelings of betrayal, and for James and his bewildered devastation. I loved the ending and how both James and Kyra found what they were looking for.
The winery itself was at the center of the story. In previous books we saw how James’s father had his reasons for each bequest, each son learning something about himself and his parents along the way. At the beginning James was closed off and determined to sell the winery at the earliest opportunity. But as he got to know the Sebastiani family, the rush to sell began to fade and thoughts of keeping it began to grow. When the matriarch of the family shared her memories of James’s parents and their visit there, it brought back memories of happier times. I loved seeing the effect it had on James and laughed a little at the confusion it caused him. His conversations with assorted brothers only confused him more. At the same time, James began to question some things about the winery itself. I had my suspicions long before James did and wondered if he would figure it out. I loved when the light went on and James realized what was going on. His reaction was fantastic and I loved seeing the combination of the old ruthless businessman James and the new and improved James with a heart. The confrontation at the hotel was great, followed by him riding to the rescue (on a Vespa, by himself, with no helmet!) at the winery. That scene was exciting and heartwarming and perfectly showcased the new James. The epilogue was great, and I loved the conversation with Finn, the last man standing in the Brannigan family – for now.