Dreaming of Love (The Bradens at Trusty, Book 5) (Love in Bloom: The Bradens at Trusty)

"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak If you enjoy the LOVE IN BLOOM series, you may enjoy my new series, HARBORSIDE NIGHTS .. HARBORSIDE NIGHTS is a sexy, hot, and evocatively real New Adult Romance series that follows a group of friends who have known one another for years as "summer" friends, and now come together after college to build their lives. They're tough, edgy, and accepting--most of the time. Catching Cassidy is written in the loving, raw, and emotional voice readers have come to love by New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster. . COMING soon the full Harborside Nights series: Catching Cassidy (Het)Discovering Delilah (F/F)Tempting Tristan (M/M)Chasing Charley (Het)Breaking Brandon (M/M) NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHORMelissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, contemporary women's fiction, romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa also co-writes the Love on Rockwell Island series with Bella Andre. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary's Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.xa0Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website."What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about... desperately. I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked." International bestseller, M.J. Rose Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. LUSH. VERDANT. HILLY…Amazing. Emily stood on the covered balcony of the villa where she’d rented a room just outside of Florence, Italy, overlooking rolling countryside and the spectacular city below. The sun was kissing the last light of day goodbye, leaving chilled air in its wake. She sighed at the magnificent view, wrapped her arms around her body, and gave herself a big hug. She couldn’t believe she was finally here, staying at the villa that her favorite architect, Gabriela Bocelli, built. Gabriela Bocelli wasn’t a very well-known architect, but her designs exuded simplicity and grace, which Emily had admired ever since she’d first come across this villa during her architecture studies. That felt like a hundred years ago. She’d dreamed of visiting Tuscany throughout school, but in the years since, she’d been too busy building her architecture business, which specialized in passive-house design, to take time off. If it weren’t for one of her older brothers, she might still be back in Trusty, Colorado, dreaming of Tuscany instead of standing on this loggia, losing her breath to the hilly terrain below. She pulled her cell phone from the back pocket of her jeans and texted Wes. You’re the best brother EVER! So happy to be here. Thank you! Xox. Emily had five brothers, each of whom had hounded her about her safety while she was traveling. Or really, whenever they didn’t have their eyes on her. Pierce, her eldest brother, had wanted to use his own phone plan to buy her a second cell phone with international access. Just in case. She’d put her foot down. At thirty-one years old, she could handle a nine-day trip without needing her brothers to rescue her. It wasn’t like she ever needed saving, but her brothers had a thing about scrutinizing every man who came near her. Yet another reason why she didn’t date very often. Still, she was glad they cared, because she adored each and every one of their overprotective asses. Adelina Ambrosi appeared at the entrance to the balcony with a slightly less energetic smile than had been present throughout the day. Adelina had run the resort villa with her husband, Marcello, for more than twenty years. She was a short, stout woman with a friendly smile, eyes as blue-gray as a winter’s storm, and wiry gray hair that was currently pinned up in a messy bun. She must have mastered the art of walking quietly to keep from disturbing the guests. “Good evening, Emily.” Adelina brushed lint from the curtains hanging beside the glass doors. Emily was glad they loved the property as much as she did. They rented out only two rooms of the six-bedroom villa in order to always have space available for family and friends. The villa was a home to them, not just a business, as was evident in the warm guest rooms. “Good evening, Adelina. Any news on Serafina’s husband?” Serafina was Adelina and Marcello’s daughter, who had recently moved back home with her eight-month-old son. They’d been living in the States when her husband, Dante, a United States Marine, had gone missing in Afghanistan while out on tour almost three months ago. Adelina had told Emily that she’d begged Serafina to come home and let her take care of her and baby Luca until her husband returned―and Adelina was adamant that he would return. Emily, on the other hand, wasn’t quite so sure. “Not yet, but I have faith.” Adelina lowered her eyes, and with a friendly nod, she disappeared down the hall in the direction of her bedroom. Emily turned back toward the evening sky, sending a silent prayer that Serafina’s husband would return unharmed. “It’s a beautiful view, isn’t it?” The rich, deep voice sent a shiver down Emily’s spine. She turned, and―holy smokes. Standing before her was more than six feet of deeply tanned, deliciously muscled male. His hair was the color of warm mocha and spilled over his eyes, hanging just an inch above the collar of his tight black T-shirt. She opened her mouth to greet him, but her mouth went dry and no words came. Read more