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Book Review By Katrina Lo
Lessons Learned by Nora Roberts

Juliet Trent is a professional public relation person and she maintains it that way even when she's dealing with a hot-blooded gorgeous Italian hunk and chef, Carlo Franconi. Her job is to make Mr. Franconi's book tour a smooth journey; actually being a personal assistant to this celebrity cook. In return for her hard work, she'll earn a name for herself as a top publicist and will be a step away from establishing her own public relations firm.
Carlo Franconi is a connoisseur of women – he loves each facet of a woman and earns a reputation of being a ladies man. In his food, he is a perfectionist and a hedonist. When he first sees Juliet, there is an instant attraction. Applying his seduction methods on Juliet, he is turned off when she doesn't reciprocate his feelings. But spending time with her throughout the book tour, he is able to enjoy being friends with her and slowly melts away her resistance against him.
Juliet tries to maintain a professional relationship with Carlo. And instead of taking care of Carlo, he seems to be the one who is concerned about her needs and comfort. He destroys all her presumptions that celebrities are snobs when he turns out to be sensitive and loving with the way he caringly treats his close friends and talks about his family. Finally Juliet cannot withstand his seduction and sleeps with him believing that their relationship is purely casual and will end when the book tour also ends. Being Carlo's lover is a truly extraordinary experience for Juliet. Carlo is more attentive and is completely devoted to a woman's needs and feelings. He even teaches her how to cook the Franconi way.
Carlo falls deeper in love with Juliet. He considers Juliet as the woman with whom he can spend his lifetime. When Carlo confesses his love and marriage proposal to Juliet, she panics. Juliet is alarmed that Carlo has deeper feelings for her when she believes what they have is only a short-term affair. She is also bewildered and upset when Carlo wants her to tidy up her business in New York to join him in Italy for their wonderful life together. Juliet has an opposite dream and ambition. Finally the book tour ends. With unresolved feelings and uncompromising hearts, they separate ways. Juliet's life has never been the same and she realizes that her life is with Carlo and that without him she is miserable. Can she give up her dreams to be with the one she loves?


Plot & Themes
Time/era of story
Forbidden/mismatched love? Yes
How mismatched?
Inner struggle subplot Yes
Struggle with...
If one lover chases another... - she chases after him

Main Male Character
Profession/status:
Age/status: - 20's-30's

Main Female Character - 20's-30's

Setting
United States Yes
City? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
What % of story is romance related? - nearly 100%
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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