Re-reading old favorites.....why do I do this?

So, I have a gazillion eARC's that I should be reading and reviewing,  but,instead I am re-reading the entire Fortune Hunters series by Christina Dodd.  
It started when I began listening to the audio version of Tongue in Chic in my car  I decided that I needed to read the other books in the series and also the series before that connects to this one, Lost Texas Hearts.  I have all of the books so off I went.

I love listening to audio books! but sometimes they just go too slow with my short commute, so I find myself listening to books I have read before. Sometimes it's a book I read really quickly and want to revisit. Other times it's a book by a favorite author that I usually enjoy but found this one book not up to par.  When I listen to it, I often find that I enjoy it more than when I read it. 

The other thing that happens, is what happened this time, it triggers the need to read all of the other books in the series just because! Oh, well, it's a long weekend and it's only time..... 

Betrayal, Bella Terra # 3 by Christina Dodd

Noah Di Luca and Penelope Alonso shared one passionate summer together. And then, when the secrets of his past threatened, Noah walked away from her without a word. Years later, Penelope must return to Bella Terra, never expecting that she will encounter Noah...or that one glance will reawaken their fiery passion. And as danger stalks the streets, she has no choice. To survive, she must once again trust the man who betrayed her.

Paperback, Penguin, 448 pages   Rating 5/5

Christina Dodd wraps up her Bella Terra series with a winner. This book tells the story of Noah, the last brother still unmarried. His past lover, Penelope, has returned to the area after the death of her mother to confirm her mother’s deathbed confession. She plans to stay away from Noah but ends up befriending his sister in law, Brooke and working as the decorator on Brooke and Rafe’s house. Needless to say, she meets up with Noah pretty quickly and the sizzle is still there.

After reading the first two books in this series, I expected suspense, but WOW!  This book is a page turner. Noah has some big secrets in his past that are about to unravel and take his family down with him if he isn’t extremely careful. Penelope has secrets of her own and she can tell that Noah is carrying a heavy burden but she isn’t sure that she is strong enough deal with her emotions about him. Ms. Dodd does an excellent job of setting up a scenario that seems impossible to end any other way but badly.

The characters from the other books play a big part in this book along with some new ones who really stir up the pot. Villainy abounds from every place  in which Noah and Penelope look for answers. There are parts of the book that seem very slightly contrived but somehow it works,  the plot stays true and doesn’t seem a stretch. The ending of the book is very satisfying with a nice twist in the last paragraphs.

Revenge at Bella Terra by Christina Dodd -Loved It!

Eli Di Luca lives in Bella Terra, but now the family vineyard he runs is in financial trouble. Enter Italian magnate Tamosso Conte, who makes a proposition Eli can't refuse: marry his daughter, and Conte will solve Eli's money problems.
Unfortunately, the beautiful Chloe has no intention of getting married without a fight. Soon she discovers Eli's been keeping secrets from her, and the truth will put them both in mortal danger. (Synopsis from Barnes & Noble.com)

Revenge at Bella Terra is a fast paced romantic suspense novel, the second in a series. I love the fact that Ms. Dodd has incorporated two tried and true romance concepts- secret baby and marriage of convenience-into a book you cannot put down. Eli DiLuca is in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to his family winery. He needs 4.5 million dollars and if he marries Chloe Robinson, her father, Tamosso Conte, will give it to him.
In the typical forced marriage novel, the heroine is a shy, retiring, young thing who can't attract a man and whose father finds her a husband. Chloe is feisty, independent, and fully aware of her father's plots. She and her father have only met recently and he is old school, wanting to plan her life. Eli is closed emotionally and focused only on work. He has a conscience, which makes him hesitate to follow through on the marriage, but circumstances force his hand. The chemistry between Eli and Chloe is combustible (in more ways than one). There is just the right amount of backstory to make both characters believable. The supporting characters are fleshed out as well, so all of the interactions add to the plot moving forward rather than distracting from it.
The first book introduced a mystery plot involving a feud between families and a missing item that seems to be a key component to the feud. In this book the mystery is unraveled a little more, but there is still enough left to keep your interest peaked. The set up for the third book made me want to read it NOW, not wait for several months. I will definitely be in line to buy it when it comes out.

Paperback; 431 pages

RPL note: This book is available in the Adult new paperback section. The first book in the series" Secrets of Bella Terra" is also in that section.