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Book Review-He Said Always by Ruth Cardello

by | Oct 13, 2021 | Book Reviews | 4 comments

Book Review-He Said Always by Ruth Cardello

Book Review-He Said Always by Ruth CardelloHe Said Always by Ruth Cardello
Also in this series: He Said Never , He Said Together
Series: The Lost Corisis #1
Published by Montlake on May 25, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 253
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads
AmazonLibrary Thing
four-stars

From New York Times bestselling author Ruth Cardello comes another hot Corisi romance about a bet, a love story, and the secrets that ruin relationships.
When billionaire and tech start-up capitalist Gian Romano strikes a bet with his niece Judy—the daughter of Dominic Corisi—to find even more of the Corisi family, his search leads him to the Boston area. But when he pops into a store, the woman who runs it becomes an instant distraction from his mission. Teagan is beautiful, strong, and too smart not to see through him.
What started as a friendly family bet quickly becomes complicated when sparks fly between Gian and Teagan. Nothing is as simple as it appears, and together they discover the past still has the power to hurt the ones they both love. Teagan won’t settle for less than the truth from Gian, but when it comes to her own secret aspirations, she holds back. If they learn to trust each other, they just might discover that some secrets are better when shared.
They’ll have to trust each other completely, or else their love, along with Gian’s lead on Judy, will be doomed.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

He Said Always is the first book in the “Lost Corisi’s” series by Ruth Cardello. This is a connection to other previous books that she has written but more specifically the Corisi Family which this author has dedicated a couple of previous series to so it was such a delight in knowing that this book and this series she is currently working on is connected to one of my favorite contemporary indie series. I have loved these billionaires that this author writes, she really makes them so fun, and even though this book was a struggle in the beginning, I admit that I ALMOST set this one aside because I just couldn’t get into it but I will tell you that I did get into it about 30% into it and I am so happy that I was able to. Because I ended up truly liking this book and this pairing was so adorable and I can’t wait for the next “lost Corisi”

He Said Always is a story that will stop your heart and that features:

  • Gian-driven, successful, brother to the top Corisi, a scientist, loyal to a fault.  
  • Teagan-independent, sassy, protective of those she calls family, and secretive in reference to her research but dedicated to those she loves.

He Said Always is a story that sets off with a bet that Gian makes with his niece, Judy. Judy is the daughter of Dominic and has a bit too much of her father in her. Gian though is a winner and is determined to show his brother he doesn’t need his wealth or guidance, that he can make his own way through life. He finds Dominic to be too controlling and needs freedom. And when he meets Teagan, he is overwhelmed by what they feel for each other is just their first meeting alone. He knows that the chemistry they have is unique and he has never felt this way about any other woman before and he wants to make her his. But she is connected to some long-lost siblings of Dominic’s, and highly protective and a bit prickly where they are concerned, she doesn’t trust him but he is determined to be as honest as he can with her and prove that he is worthy of that trust. But proving to Teagan that he is worth the risk will be much more difficult than he imagined, and it will take charm and delicate hands to win her heart over. But will his family be too overwhelming for Teagan or will he able to win her heart and trust completely?

Dare to dream. If things worked out the way you wanted them to, what would your life be like?

I found He Said Always to be a charming story that completely won my heart. What I have really admired about this author, is how well she wins me with her character development. She definitely has a style of character-driven stories over plot drive, so if that is what you like more in your contemporary romance than I highly recommend this author. Everything I have read from her so far has been superb. I will admit that I haven’t read her lately and have really fallen behind on her books but I am more than happy to get caught up. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed the Corisi’s especially Dominic (he is such a hoot and one of my favorites, and those of you who have read his book will know why he is a favorite) But seeing Gian come to light, Gian is completely different and I really liked that about him. He is so driven but loyal to those he calls family. I love how sweet he is with Teagan, and so devoted to her. He is falling hard for Teagan, and will admit to it up front, and the transparency he conveys is so heartwarming all the way through the story.

Now Teagan, she can be a prickly heroine. She does get defensive, she has had to work hard for everything that she has achieved, and she is a technology scientist of sorts, and boy she is so secretive about it all, its kinda funny. But when you see what she works on, you will understand why she can only share it with those that she trusts the most. I did find her refreshing at times, and she stands her ground against those she views as threats. I really liked that Gian stood up to her, he wasn’t afraid of fighting for her and proving himself. I would have liked to see more of Teagan proving herself to Gian, because he is such an honest good soul and deserved someone that will fight for him as much as he is willing to fight for her. Not surprised I didn’t get it that much in this one (rarely do I see it in contemporary romance) but I admired the dynamics in the relationship that was conveyed in this story. The bantering between the Corisi family members was a hoot and seeing Judy (who tends to act spoiled and high strung) get a life lesson was wonderful to see. I like her as a character, but she does have a lot to learn.

How can you be so smart and not have figured out that you’re the universe you’re asking for help from? That’s why it works. Once you put it out there, it happens because you make it happen. So make it happen

Overall I found He Said Always to be a romance of charm, wit, and style. It’s a romance to leave you with a smile and eagerness to continue on with the next book in the series. It should prove interesting to see where this author takes this series and these lost siblings.

About Ruth Cardello

Ruth Cardello hit the NYTs and USA Today for the first time back in 2012. Millions of sales are evidence that her books are akin to potato chips, addictive from the first one. She has created a multi-series billionaire world with a combination of escapism and realism that has gained her a faithful following of readers.

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4 Comments

  1. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

    I love books/series that are tied in to previous books. It’s fun to see the connections when you’re familiar with the characters and the background. Glad this one ended up working for you despite the slow start.

    Reply
  2. Sophia Rose

    I think I read an old freebie by her once and liked it. I don’t think it had this family in it. I do love series that have one family at the core and this pair sounds good. Glad you were able to push past the beginning that didn’t grab you.

    Reply
  3. Deanna (A Novel Glimpse)

    I haven’t read this author before. I love that cover, though. It would make me at least curious to read this one. The blurb and your review make it sound great. Just not sure I could read it with a character names Teagan. I know a 12 year old with that name that fits the description of the character for the most part. Might be too weird. Haha

    Reply

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