Who is he if not a hero?Aldo Moretta has always been the hero. The strongest, the fastest, the bravest. He fought for his country and built a thriving business in his hometown. With friends and family never more than a few blocks away, there was just one thing he was missing. The right girl.She’d fallen for the wrong guy. The bad guy. But now that she’s finally free, Aldo isn’t going to miss his … But now that she’s finally free, Aldo isn’t going to miss his second chance. Not until his last deployment goes horribly wrong. He was prepared to give his life, but he wasn’t ready for an injury that takes a piece of him. How can he be her hero now?
Who is she if not a victim?
Gloria Parker walked away from a relationship that almost cost her her life. But the shame clings to her like a shadow. She’s wasted ten long years on the wrong man. When the right one returns home scarred and broken, she sees a kindred spirit. But as Gloria rebuilds her life, brick by brick, she wonders if she’s cut out for love. Real love.
Will they find a way to heal together or will their wounds keep them from the happiness they both crave?
Publisher’s Note: Finally Mine is the companion novel to Pretend You’re Mine, Harper and Luke’s story. It can be read as a standalone.more
This was a wonderful book showcasing how love can overcome an extremely dark past. Gloria was abused by her boyfriend for 10 years and finally broke it off. Of course, she suffers from the mental consequences of not just the abuse but the feeling of weakness that comes from staying within an abusive relationship for so long. This is particularly what is done well- Gloria grows within the story and shows that even a dark past can be overridden with love and hope.
Aldo also has his cross to bear. A wonderful person, he is a soldier and comes back from his deployment missing a leg. Used to being the strongest, fastest, etc, this damages his psyche. How can he overcome that so that he and Gloria have a shot at happiness?
While this is book 2 in the series, it can be read as standalone. A good proportion of the book is actually repetitive with the first book in the series- it’s just that you start to see the interaction from another perspective. At first it was jarring but then I liked the reminder since I enjoyed book 1 too. I loved the different supporting characters (including the characters from the first book as well as a closer look at Mrs Moretta who is hilarious!)
Looking forward to Linc’s story next!
Finally Mine by Lucy Score
I fell in love with Benevolence in Pretend You’re Mine and absolutely loved going back.
Aldo had held onto feelings for Gloria Parker for much longer than she could have believed. When Harper Wilde saves her from an unfortunate situation Aldo can finally get his chance with Gloria.
An accident while deployed changes everything for Aldo, but not for Gloria. Pick up Finally Mine to find out if Gloria can help Aldo work through his issues and find her happily ever after. http://ow.ly/YuLo30rAaWR
We finally get Aldo and Gloria’s love story. I have wanted to read about their love story right after finishing Pretend You’re Mine. But Lucy made us wait, but it was worth it!
Gloria and Aldo knew each other since High School. Gloria got into a bad relationship that she felt she couldn’t get out of. Aldo is a wounded warrior that has to learn how to accept that he’s not broken. Together they learn that they are both beautiful and worth loving.
I was soo happy to read this love story. Aldo is a strong quiet hero that you just LOVE! Gloria is a strong woman and it was beautiful to read how she finally saw that she was.
A great love story for 2 wonderfully written characters!
Both Aldo and Gloria have scars inside and out. Learning to live again, be healthy and happy takes a lot of work. Singly they’re strong, together they are unstoppable. Yes there are a lot of bumps along the way but in the end they are living their dreams.
This is a MUST READ!
I’m 100% hooked on these sweet, steamy and sometimes heartbreaking stories. Lucy Score is my new one-click addiction!
Wow! Simply wow!
First off, read Pretend You’re Mine first. I think you could also read the other way around but it seemed more meaningful after Pretend Your Mine. You will love both books.
Lucy Score was really reaching for the stars (meaning the ones in the sky not the ones with this review) when she wrote this book. I have loved every one of her books but this one was SPECIAL. Lucy is probably the best dialogue writer I’ve encountered and that was definitely evident in the interaction between Gloria and Aldo in this story, as well as between Gloria and her Mom.
There are a couple of topics tackled in this book that were traumatic. One was domestic violence and the other was PTSD for a wounded soldier. I do not have any experience with those topics but I feel Lucy gave a very honest and gut-wrenching voice to those topics. This holds true through the extended epilogue.
At the end of the day I felt this two book series was a lot about family; both the one you are born to and the one you are lucky enough to find. I would have given this book all the stars in the sky if that had been an option, but instead I settled for the ones allowed on this page.
Finally Mine by Lucy Score is a contemporary, small town, military romance told in third person, dual POV. It’s a companion novel to Pretend You’re Mine and follows the same timeline, so some scenes appear in both books from different characters’ perspectives. It’s not necessary to read Pretend You’re Mine first because Finally Mine is a complete standalone.
Gloria is starting over after getting out of a ten-year abusive relationship. When Aldo expresses interest in her, she almost can’t believe it. He’s leaving for a six month National Guard deployment, but he kisses the daylights out of her and makes it very clear that he wants a date when he gets back. He’s so strong, charming, and sexy – what could he possibly see in her?
Aldo has secretly loved Gloria since high school, but he missed his chance to be with her. Now that she’s finally free from her violent, no-good ex, he wants to make a move. He’s leaving for deployment, but what’s six months in the grand scheme of things? He’s waited years for a chance with her, and he’s not going to miss another opportunity. But what will happen when a life-changing injury sends him home early? Will it change everything?
I loved Gloria and Aldo’s story! They were both likeable, well-developed characters. The author does a beautiful job of tackling the difficult issues of domestic abuse and physical disability with sensitivity and respect. Gloria and Aldo’s journey isn’t easy, as they both deal with physical and emotional trauma, and it was wonderful to see them grow and overcome their challenges. The story was emotional and gut-wrenching, romantic and steamy, hopeful and inspiring. I highly recommend it.
A beautiful story about a military man who loses a leg and a woman who stayed too long in an abusive relationship. Can they put aside their baggage and finally let love lead them? This book runs in the same timeline as Pretend Your Mine so you’ll get some repeat scenes if you’ve read it, otherwise this can be a stand alone and you won’t miss anything. But either way you are going to love this book. It’s got some angst, it’s got some humor, it’s got the feels, everything you want in a book for strong women (and men) to overcome what they thing damages them.
So glad to finally read Aldo and Gloria’s story! This story is heartbreaking and heartwarming. Gloria is ready to escape her life of domestic violence and in the process almost loses her life. Harper who had stepped in to help her soon becomes a friend, something that Gloria has lost over the last ten years. To watch her grow and accept support was so heartwarming.
Aldo has had a long time crush on Gloria and makes his intentions known to date her when he comes back from six months in Afghanistan. However, he comes back early post an IED explosion and feels he is less of a man and now has nothing to offer Gloria.
Both their struggles are so real and reading how together and with the help of friends and family they make their way back to each other for a sweet HEA made my heart smile.
Lucy Score has given us another wonderful small town story. I was so excited to go back & visit Benevolence again, this time getting Gloria & Aldo’s HEA. After Gloria finally leaves her abusive relationship, Aldo who has always had a thing for her finally makes his move. Gloria is wary of relationships but she decides to give Aldo a chance. Shortly after that Luke & Aldo have to go overseas for their military assignment & Aldo gets injured. Both Gloria & Aldo have to deal with pain, fears and their pasts so they can hopefully have a happy future together.
Gloria and Aldo are perfectly imperfect together. Gloria’s past is 10 years of abuse and Aldo just lost part of his leg can they push past the doubt they have of themselves. Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended.
Aldo Moretta is my absolute favorite book boyfriend. I have never read a character who loves so absolutely with his whole self. He has been in love with Gloria Parker since high school. Unfortunately, Gloria was in an abusive relationship for years and Aldo, out of respect and self-preservation, kept his distance until Gloria had the strength to remove herself from a bad situation.
We first met Aldo and Gloria in Pretend You’re Mine. This book runs along the same timeline as that book but from another couple’s point of view.
Aldo, in addition to being a successful business owner, was also a lieutenant in the National Guard. He was deployed to Afghanistan a month after he had just begun to renew his friendship with Gloria. He returned a lesser man, in his mind, than he was before. While Aldo healed physically from the outside, Gloria was healing from her previous relationship from the inside. Neither of them felt they were deserving of the other but once they allowed themselves the freedom to explore the possibility of the two of them as a couple, I think my Kindle caught fire!
This book makes you believe that happy-ever-after is real and possible. The characters that Lucy Score created in this book are some of the most loving, caring, and REAL – they practically leapt off the pages and made you wish that you actually knew them.
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. Be sure to keep some tissues handy when you read this book – you’re gonna need them.
I love and will read anything by Lucy Score!
Gloria has spent the last ten years at the hands of an abuser, when she’s finally made the decision to get away it isn’t as easy as she thought it would be but that doesn’t mean that a stranger and the rest of town aren’t willing to help. Now she just needs to learn to stand on her own two feet, and show the town that she’s more than “poor little Gloria”
Aldo has had a crush on Gloria since high school, but between thinking he was two old for her, and her abusive boyfriend, she’s kept his distance. Now that she’s gotten a fresh start he’s waiting for her to find herself, but then Aldo hits a rough patch of his own, and isn’t sure he is good enough for her.
The entirety of Finally Mine happens throughout the same timeline of Pretend You’re Mine, so there aren’t really any spoiler or surprises if you have already read PYM, but it gives you Aldo & Glorias POV. Love Love Loved their story. It was so sweet.
This book is beautifully written. I love the characters and the interaction between them.
“Pretend You’re Mine” was the first Lucy Score book that I ever read. I have been fortunate enough since then to have become a member of her ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) team, and am so happy to have been given the chance to read Finally Mine!
I have to admit, I wish I could have gone back to read PYM before reading FM, but due to time constraints (not to mention the SNEAK ATTACK of this book on us unsuspecting readers!), I was not able to. (I did find a paperback copy of PYM at a used bookstore the other day, though, so a re-read is in my future.)
It had been so long since I’d read PYM, that I only had vague recollections of what happened in that book. I do remember a fun polar plunge and a very sexy office scene, and a mention of Gloria and Aldo here and there, but other than that, I could have used a refresher.
That being said, you could totally read this book as a standalone, without having read PYM. It would give you some spoilers about things that happen in PYM, but I don’t see it as a big problem. I actually loved that it wasn’t really a sequel, as it took place around the same time as the events in PYM were taking place. (Penny Reid does that with her Winston brothers series, and I really enjoy that.)
The bottom line: Aldo and Gloria have a complicated history, which is one of my favorite kinds of couples. They are both damaged, in more ways than one, and the real heart of this book is whether each of them can see past their scars (not wounds!) and allow themselves to love and be loved.
As a military brat, I really liked the military aspect of this story. There’s also the Small Town feel that Lucy is so good at (see her Blue Moon series), as well as some very fun sexy times. Not every author writes these well, but Lucy really does! This particular book delved into some interesting issues surrounding sexy times, which I won’t spoil, but it was very well handled and I enjoyed it very much.
I will admit that I do hate that inevitable moment when the couple “breaks up,” and I *really* hate when it’s because one or the other of them is being an idiot, and that’s what happens here. But I understand that the conflict has to happen so that they can have their reunion and subsequent HEA.
Lucy Score is one of my favorite authors. She is crack-me-up funny, but oftentimes, she will hit you with a life lesson that is simple but profound. For example, “It doesn’t matter what happens to you. In the end, all we are is our ability to love. That never gets taken away or diminished.” And, “Without pain, there is no joy.” Phew. Deep!! Her writing made me tear up multiple times in this book. I love when that happens.
This may be my new favorite Lucy Score book, and I was especially excited to see that we will be going back to Benevolence sometimes next year to see Lincoln Reed meet his match!
*heart eyes emoji* I sighed in pleasure the whole way through Finally Mine. It may have taken Gloria years, but she managed to find the strength to change her circumstances. Seeing her bloom was real pleasure. And Aldo! Yummy yummy Aldo. Even when he was feeling sorry for himself, he was trying to put Gloria’s needs first. This was a bit long, but the plot kept moving along nicely and the end will definitely give you warm fuzzies!.
Almost Three years ago, Lucy introduced us to Harper and Luke of a small town of Benevolence. From there on I was hooked on everything written by Lucy. This book was a surprise, Lucy never mentioned she was writing it, but I am so happy she did. I love that Gloria and Aldo “finally” get their own story. The great thing is their story overlaps Luke and Harpers, so you get a different point of view of Pretend you’re Mine. My heart was constantly aching for both Gloria and Aldo. Together they help each other through so much emotional pain and physical. They both get a life they always dreamed of after thinking it would never be possible. I could not put this book down. Do not be scared by how many chapters, because everyone is “oh so good”!
I swooned big time. The first book in this series killed me, I even read it twice. I
couldn’t wait to get my hands on this story! It’s got some touchy subject but it was
incredibly well-written.
The first ever Lucy Score book I ever read was “Pretend You’re Mine.” I loved that book and have read every Lucy Score book since. I loved its protagonists, but I also fell in love with Gloria and Aldo, secondary characters within the story. I was thrilled when I found out that they would be the stars of “Finally Mine!” And that we would get to visit Harper and Luke again!
“Finally Mine” made me cry quite a bit. Gloria is a seemingly broken woman trying to find herself after enduring years of abuse in a toxic relationship. Aldo, who had always been sweet on Gloria, wants her to find herself and then give them a chance. It all looked like it was heading in the right direction, but as always life happens.
Aldo suddenly had to deal with his own demons and this jeopardized the promise of a relationship he had with Gloria. He was stubborn and a jerk, but the new Gloria was not going to take it. And, then of course her own demons came roaring back and it was Aldo’s turn to fight them.
I adored the romance aspect of “Finally Mine” – I mean I love love stories and Lucy Score always delivers, but this story was so much more. Reading about Gloria’s story and her quest to find herself after someone had taken so much from her was heartbreaking and joyful.
I know people in my personal life who have been impacted by domestic violence in the most tragic of ways and this story resonated strongly with me. I was happy to see that Gloria was able to find her happy ending, especially knowing often times women in these situations do not.
Again, another beautiful story by Lucy Score