Manga Maniac Cafe

3.75 stars

Another stalker story! There was never a confrontation with the stalker, and the suspense elements were almost non-existent, so I never felt that uncomfortable surge of anxiety that the heroine would be deadly danger, so all was good. The stalker sub-plot was used as a convenient excuse to whisk Marietta away to Nico's private secluded island. While a touch too convenient, I could roll with it. Who doesn't want to spend a week on a beautiful island with a devastating attractive man?

After a foolish decision as a teenager, Marietta has spent the past twelve years in a wheelchair. She has struggled for her independence and a sense of self-worth. When a stalker begins sending her flowers, as well as dubious notes, her brother is justifiably alarmed. Enter Nico, security expert and Leo's best friend. The two decide that it will be safest for Marietta to spend a week at Nico's until the stalker can be apprehended.

At first infuriated that they won't take no for an answer, Marietta decides that there are worse things than taking an unexpected vacation in paradise. After her stalker breaks into her home, she is alarmed for her safety and thinks that the time on the island might do her some good. She can paint and lounge in the sun. Not a bad deal by any stretch of the imagination. The only drawback? Being in close quarters with Nico. A physically superb specimen of manhood, he is so far out of Marietta's league that she's afraid of embarrassing herself by letting him know how attracted she is to him.

The romance progressed predictably, with an appropriate amount of chemistry between the protagonists. Nico's tragic past puts the brakes on their relationship, as he refuses to allow himself to get emotionally involved with anyone again. Because Marietta doesn't feel that it's fair to saddle herself on a man because of her disabilities, an affair with Nico with no strings attached is just what she wants. The sex with no commitment trope is beginning to annoy me because it is so overused in series romance, so I wasn't totally engaged in the story after they started sleeping with each other. I did find the ending satisfying, and thought they both grew up by the last page. Epilogues can be tedious, but I enjoyed this one. I did believe in their HEA, so this was a win for me. Angela Bissell is a new to me author; I won't hesitate to read more of her books.