Reading Michelle Smart’s Once a Moretti Wife was balm to Miss Bates’s reading soul after its wounding by Knox’s Madly. Admittedly, if you’re an HP reader, you’re going to recognize some of the line’s pernicious elements in Smart’s novel: a hero and heroine plagued by abusive and/or disappointing families, a heroine is the nonpareil to the hero’s usual negative views of women, and a gargantuan mis. MissB. had one of two choices: cling to every accusation thrown at the HP, even though conventions are givens and if you don’t like them, don’t read them, OR revel in its wit and characters’ vibrancy. Add a dollop of amnesia to the heroine, show her disoriented and weak, even while the dark, nasty hero conjures his revenge against her, then catches her when she collapses at his feet and nearly has a heart attack from his fear over her well-being. Marvelous, thought MissB., this is going to be great! And it was.

How can an HP-aficionado resist this introduction to the eponymous Moretti, Stephano, and his feelings towards estranged wife: “Anna Moretti, née Robson, the woman with the face and body of a goddess and the tongue of a viper. Clever and conniving, sweet and lovable; an enigma wrapped in a layer of mystery. He despised her. He missed having her in his bed.” Meanwhile, Anna wakes in her sister Melissa’s apartment, adrift in every way: she doesn’t even recognize herself in the mirror, surprised when she notes how much her hair has grown.

Anna may be nauseous with the hang-over from frat-party-hell, but she’s also late for work. Her boss, the brooding, dark Stephano Moretti awaits. She staggers to his office, noting, bewildered, that an assistant has usurped her desk taken. Stephano confronts her with the FACT of their marriage, while he seethes with internal anger and revenge against her perfidy (she accused him of infidelity, LEFT him, and then, sued him for billions). Anna is flabbergasted at the news she married Stephano: ” ‘Why would I have married you?’ He shifted his chair forward and leaned over to speak directly into her ear. His warm breath stirred the strands of her hair, making her pulses stir with them. ‘Because you wanted my body.’ His nearness meant she had to concentrate hard to form a response. ‘This is no time for your jokes. I wouldn’t marry you. I have self-respect.’ ” (A passage that only hints at Smart’s protagonists’ wit.) Anna falls in a dead faint. Stephano takes her to hospital and she is diagnosed with concussion-causing “retrograde amnesia.” Anna has lost the last year of her life: that is, her and Stephano’s marriage. Stephano seizes this as an opportunity to exact revenge: pretend their marriage is intact, seduce his wife, and then humiliate her publicly, as she did him.

Once A Moretti Wife is outlandish, unlikely, and so entertaining. Smart’s ability to make her characters vibrate with temperament is wonderful. Miss Bates loved Stephano’s blunt charm: he was always roguishly lopsided grinning. He was big, funny, cut-to-the-chase and had a penchant for entertaining endearments: MissB. loved his “bambolina” for Anna. He was cynical about love and yet so deprived as a child that he’s totally dense when he is heartbroken at the havoc he wreaks on his beloved Anna and their marriage’s idyll.

There is nothing languorous or idyllic about their relationship, however. While Stephano is ruled by his cynicism, which drives his urge for revenge, Anna is ruled by her exuberant temper. Anna rails, yells, rants, and breaks expensive bottles of alcohol (one of Miss B’s favourite scenes). Stephano and Anna’s bickerish banter and melodramatic scenes are evidence of Smart’s ability to write humorously and with great pathos in one romance. Another quality to her characters that MissB. loved was their honesty. Yes, they’ve been tainted by abandonment issues in Anna’s case and a violent life on the streets in Stephano’s, but they have an innocent admittance to truth that endears. Witness, for example, Anna’s thought about her attraction to Stephano: “She just wished her body didn’t sing its delight at his new proprietorial manner with her.” But it does and she embraces the experience with gusto. And witness Stephano’s thoughts about Anna: “He received desire from women and enthusiasm from men, both sexes looking at him with dollar signs flashing in their eyes. Anna had looked at him with disdain.” Her nose-in-air, confrontational style, despite her bambolina size, attracts him, distracts him, entertains him, and completes him. Stephano and Anna are always honest about their feelings, unafraid to admit when they’re wrong. And, even though, they’re strong characters, they’re also tender and vulnerable to and for each other.

Miss Bates adored every moment of Once A Moretti Wife and didn’t want it to end. When it did, the inane epilogue disappointed, but from page one to the betrayal, grovel, and love avowals, it was marvelous. With Miss Austen, Miss Bates says of Smart’s Once A Moretti Wife, “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Michelle Smart’s Once A Moretti Wife is published by Harlequin Books. It was released in March and may be procured from your preferred vendor. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from Harlequin, via Netgalley.

Review: I’ve always enjoyed Harlequin Romances especially since they are quick reads and Once a Moretti Wife by Michelle Smart did not disappoint. Smart is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books.

They say the opposite of love is hate but what are the true feelings between Anna and Stefano? Anna has amnesia and can’t remember the last year of her life. Convenient since she was married almost a year ago and only remembers Stefano as her boss and can’t believe she’d marry him. Stefano is out for revenge and little by little we learn why but also that doubts are starting to sink in. He and Anna are like fire and water together but their passion is strong and they have undeniable chemistry. Stefano is helping Anna to heal since she collapsed in front of him at the office but what was she really doing there and why would he help her given their past?

We learn about Stefano and Anna little by little – their younger years as well as their history – how they worked together and when passion entered the picture how they reacted. When things took a turn for the worst how they handle it is truly telling. There are family, coworkers, homes, injuries, sorrow, sadness, hurt, anger, disbelief, tears, lots of money, the jet set, happiness, laughter, lots of heat and between the sheets moments but is there love? There is wonderful closure, a happily ever after and the epilogue tied up loose ends.

I really enjoyed this Harlequin book. It was a quick read.

This book drags a bit and it took me a long time to care about the two characters in this book. It starts off with amnesia and you feel mostly confused, almost as confused as the lady is. Mr. Moretti seems cold and I just didn't like him. I did say I would buy the book because the ending was good and many things are cleared but it was just so slow getting there.

Michelle Smart’s latest Harlequin Presents features a marriage in trouble, two flawed main characters, a bout of amnesia, and a secret revenge plot. Anna and Stefano Moretti married in haste, didn’t communicate with each other when they should have, let their personal anxieties and fears gnaw at them, and thoroughly mucked up their marriage beyond repair.

When Anna suffers a concussion and finds herself with retrograde amnesia, it forces the Morettis back together and gives them a chance to reconnect. Of course, this reconnection is doomed to failure from the start, because one of them does not have amnesia and he’s still massively pissed off. Dude decides he’s going to take advantage of Anna’s condition, make her fall in love with him again, and then publicly humiliate her like she did him. What could go wrong?!?

Smart does a really good job here of showing both how Stephano and Anna are seriously compatible and how they so easily blew everything to pieces. They both of have explosive tempers but stand up to each other and give back what the other one is throwing. They also both have considerable baggage. Stephano has a bad history with gold diggers, so he gets his hackles up when signs indicate someone is after his wealth. Anna has a bad history with abandonment, so she has major issues with fidelity and trust.

This book starts out a little rocky with the whole amnesia plot, but it quickly finds its bearings. I find it satisfying to see people work their shit out and I’m also pretty fond of stories where two dominating personalities are paired together, so I liked the story overall. This is a solid Michelle Smart.

Quick Summary: Slow pacing; retrograde amnesia; conflict due to a misunderstanding related to poor communication; love, loss, life
Rating: 2+ to 3-/5
Recommend: +/-
Status: M
Audience: Adult
Chemistry/Intensity: +/-
Conflict/Drama: Yes
Family Dysfunction: Yes
HEA: Yes

I enjoyed this read and that is saying a lot as I have a hard time finding these days any Harlequin books that I like. It had everything that I look for in terms of angst, a connection and a HEA that was not rushed. Yes, the heroine got on my nerves in the beginning but she easily warmed up as the story progressed.

Stefano Moretti hates losing and especially when it was his wife.  Anna humiliated him in his boardroom and will never forgive her for that.  When she returns to his office with no memory of ever leaving him he sees an opportunity for revenge.  He decides he will seduce her and plan a public humiliation even worse than his.  What happens when he realizes he may have had the reasons for what she did wrong and finds that he still loves her.  Lovely book and enjoy the banter between these two.  Enjoy it as I did.

This was well written story. It is Anna and Stephano's story. She was his right hand at work. He has a very troubled past. Sh has had a lot of heartbreak with her mother. Their pasts make them distrust each other. There are many twists and turns in their relationship. This book was a very fast read. I couldn't put it down.

Anna is a savvy, young business woman who was practically raised by her older sister Melissa. When Anna wakes up one day with a severe headache, unable to find her sister or her cell phone she stumbles into work to tell her boss that she cannot work and has the shock of her life. I received a free copy of Once a Moretti Wife from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It turns out that Anna has a good reason for that headache and she has come to be more to her boss, Stefano than she realizes. Anna's lack of memory gives Stefano the perfect opportunity to take his revenge on her.

Stefano had a horrible childhood. Anna's was pretty good, though she suffered some devastating losses. Both tend to stay away from commitment due to the fear of losing again. Stefano is quite angry with Anna and as is his way he has an extremely complex plan of revenge he plans to take out on her for something that Anna does not actually remember. They each have spent so much time trying to protect themselves that when something goes wrong it really goes wrong. The reader can only sit back and hope they both take the blinders off and work things out.

4.5 Rating.

We open with Anna, the heroine waking up with a horrible headache and wondering if she's got a hanger but doesn't remember getting drunk or over indulging in drink. Anna heads to work and once she arrives at the office things seem to be off, like another women at her desk. She confronts her boss Stefano and get a strange and heated reaction from him. Anna feels faint and lighted head, not herself at all and faints.

Stefano is shocked when his estranged wife walks into his office demanding to know why someones else is at her desk and why things have been moved around and things seem different. Anna had recently left him, accusing him of untruths and humiliating him in front of his board. Anna is behaving in a strange manner and then proceeds to faint.

Anna learns she is suffering from amnesia. In the hospital she learns she can't remember what's happened in her life the past year. Stefano proceeds to inform her they are married and she can't believe or accept that she's married to her playboy boss. The two worked together for 18 months, Anna was Stefano's assistant and they worked very well together. Anna was very attracted to her boss but was determined not to be like the women that parade in and out of Stefano's life. Stefano hired Anna because she was bright, intelligent and stood up to him. Oh, he was also very attracted to Anna and her beauty.

Stefano finds an opening or more like an opportunity for revenge. Revenge on Anna for running out on him, humiliating him in front of his board and her outrageous accusations of infidelity. So he decides she doesn't need to be told of their month separation. His plan was to make her spend time with him, celebrate their one year anniversary and then humiliate her at an awards ceremony but dumping her in public. Stefano decides to spend some time at their costal home for her to rest and recover before the ceremony. During their time together old feelings for Stefano resurface as well as Anna realizing she was in love with Stefano while working for him. Anna starts remembering bits and pieces of their time together and her feelings intensify as well and deepen. Stefano learns things about his wife that she didn't share when they had been married and sees a side of Anna that touches him and makes him second his plan of revenge.

This story stared with me not liking Anna very much as she came across very angry and somewhat of a shrew the first chapter or two. But as the story progresses to Anna and Stefano's time together at their beach house I was hooked, all in. I loved their time together. You learn about each of their past and how it's shaped them. Stefano realizes that his feelings haven't died for Anna and are very strong and real. And something doesn't make sense in how Anna left him, doesn't add up. Anna remembers why she fell in love with Stefano and how strong their attraction was. Their chemistry and sexual tension is intense and the emotions as well. The scene that play out at the awards ceremony and afterwards is heartbreaking, emotional and beautiful all at the same time. I loved how they both opened up and poured out their hearts, dreams and heartbreak to each other. It was a beautiful and very emotional scene. I found their romance to be a very adult and mature in how it evolved, even with them amnesia theme (I though it was very well done actually). I came to love Anna and Stefano, each had great character, depth and growth. Very good pacing and love story was excellent.

Another high point was the resolution and conclusion didn't happen suddenly and then we had "The End". In fact the author did justice to their romance and love story by giving it the needed time/chapters for a very happy and satisfactory conclusion, and wonderful HEA.

But the icing on the cake was the epilogue, it was beautiful and left you very happy.

Why not a five star rating then, the heroine was somewhat irritating for a chapter or two but thank goodness redeemed herself.

Stories on loss of memory are one of my favorites. I like the way she kept her same personality and didn't become a totally different person. He was arrogant and likable the way he should be for a good story, thank you Michelle Smart!

An utterly divine and totally time occupying tale full of intensity and emotion and touching moments which encase a wonderful, wonderful story.

Once a Moretti Wife is an amnesia story which is exceptionally well written becasue it was like watching a movie backwards, you knew where they were but how they got there was unexplained until time revealed all.

Bent on revenge for one of the worst humiliating moments of his life and caused by his wife, Stefano can't believe his luck when Anna crashes into his office wondering why on earth someone else has littered her normally perfectly ordered desk with pictures of animals she's not a fan of. The revenge gods have delivered him his wife on a platter and it's not before long a plan is hatched. Anna can't remember the last year of her life and relies on Stefano answering her rapid fire questions which help fill the picture for me the reader and very quickly I was swept away on a stirring and suspenseful story.

Life to Anna is incomprehensible, slowy bits of memory return and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the conclusion which I knew would be nothing short of explosive. I wasn't disappointed and I was right there on the ground curled up with Anna bawling.

I love Michelle Smart's writing because it is fresh, innovative and highly emotional, three ingredients I love in a story. I also love the dedication to Jennifer Hayward, another fresh and innovative writer. Thank You Michelle for writing another wonderful, wonderful story.

I really liked this one. Though strangely enough, I read 2 harlequins in the same night and both heroines suffered from retrograde amnesia. In this one, the heroine is lost due to a concussion from a bad fall. Her marriage is on the rocks but she doesn't remember the last year of her life. She doesn't even remember being married.

The hero is a bit of a rascal. Having found out that his estranged wife suffers from memory loss, he plots his revenge. Of course this will back fire on him and he will be brought to his knees.

An enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this story. It didn't seem like a standard M&B novel which was refreshing.

I loved how it begins when Anna wakes up thinking she has a hangover. I liked Anna and Stefano's characters and their dialogue. We don't get to read too much about their time together before they married but they had worked together for 18 months. Anna was attracted to Stefano but she didn't like his playboy image and she didn't trust him then on a business trip they kiss and she tells Stefano if he wants to take it any further he has to marry her first and promise that if he is ever attracted to another woman he must tell her first. Stefano agreed and they married.

I liked the pacing of the story and how it keeps you eager to keep reading and find out their story and what went wrong in the marriage. They were married nearly a year but then Anna accuses Stefano of being unfaithful and humiliates him at work in front of his board members. The book starts a month after his humiliation and once he realises a bang to the head has given Anna amnesia and she can't remember their marriage, he delights in the thought of getting his revenge and humiliating her in return.

The story is told from both their POV and Stefano often mentions how much he hates Anna but it's easy to read between the lines and see he loves her really! They get to spend some time together and because Anna doesn't remember what she has and hasn't told him, they start to become closer than they were during their marriage and Stefano starts to have second thoughts about his revenge.

I felt the chemistry and connection between Stefano and Anna and was rooting for their happy ever after.

An enjoyable read and I will check out more books by this author.

This book was an interesting read. I really like the authors writing and I absolutely LOVED the ending. That said I did not like the plot or the evil plan by the hero, Stephano. At first I was okay with it but as I got to know Anna, I really liked her and I hated what he was doing to her. He also claimed to not love her for amajority of the story and he also claimed to have married and never loved her, which was tougher to accept. BUT the ending OMG I beyond loved. I loved how Anna tortured him in return and he totally deserved it too.

In this story Stephano is about to celebrate his 1st anniversary but he has also been separated from his gold digging wife, Anna for a month. On the day the story begins, Anna collapses at his feet and he finds out she has a consussion and didn't even know they married.

Anna is an interesting character, essentially when she was 14 her mother abondoned her and her 18 year old sister for a man. Since then Anna has trust issues. She was Stephano's assistant and they ended up married. She then felt he cheated on her and before she knew it he kicked her out.

Stephano believes Anna does not trust him and she married him to get his money. Then in a fit of anger she accused him of cheating at his companies board meeting and she he wants to humiliate her too. When he finds her with amnesia, he uses it to get close to her and make her fall for him before planning the ultimate revenge to humiliate her.

I hated the revenge plot. I really had a hard time finding the romance of that. I Did like Stephano and I LOVED Anna. I just did not love his plot and how he used this woman he supposedly respected and married. But I did love the ending and so I felt satisfied as the story ended.