Prism Book Group News!
www.prismbookgroup.com
____________________________________________________________________________
When two bitter rivals….
One
person stands between Brielle and her inheritance—Nicholas Trenton. If
she fails to serve as CEO of her grandfather’s company, Santorini
Jewels, for one full year, then everything goes to Nick—the company, her
trust fund, and her home…the only home she’s ever known. Nick doesn’t
care about the money, but he wants the company his father helped build.
Now is his turn to run Santorini. Brielle isn’t qualified, nor does she
deserve the position of CEO. One way or another, he will ensure she
doesn’t run Santorini into the ground.
Are forced to run a multi-billion dollar company together…
Despite
a clash of wills, they learn to work together for the benefit of the
company. But when they can no longer ignore the attraction building
between them, will they give in to it or will it ultimately be the
downfall of Santorini?
$3.99 Ebook
Available through these popular eBook retailers & more!
(Click to follow link)
(Click to follow link)
EXCERPT
Copyright 2014 © Ruth Roberts
Brielle tried to
moisten her dry mouth to speak. The board of directors looked at her
expectantly, waiting on her answer. The last two weeks had been the
worst of her life—and this meeting was adding to her nightmare.
Brielle
regarded the seven men and five women. Successful and distinguished,
each had played a part in making Santorini what it was today, and
Brielle knew her grandfather had trusted them implicitly. She looked at
them one by one, attempting to gauge their feelings on grandfather’s
decision. Some smiled, but most looked skeptical. Could she blame them?
Then her gaze collided
with the cold, steel gray stare of Nicholas Trenton. Brielle attempted
to control the slight recoil of her head when their eyes met. There was
no skepticism. Instead, pure rage projected from him. He obviously
agreed with her—she was not the right person for the job.
“Miss Santorini? Did
you hear what I said?” asked Ken Rogers, Chairman of the Board. Forced
from her reverie, Brielle gave a hesitant head shake. “No. I don’t
believe I understood correctly.
Grandfather appointed me as CEO of Santorini before he died?”
“Yes. Even though you
are the majority shareholder, owning fifty-one percent of Santorini
stock, it was still Mr. Santorini’s wish that you run the company as he
did, after he was gone.”
“That’s absurd!” she said. “Didn’t you all have to agree to this before my grandfather put it in his will?”
“Mr. Santorini did propose it to the board, and after a careful review of your qualifications, we agreed.”
“What
qualifications? I haven’t the slightest idea what it takes to run a
company of this magnitude. Any one of you would be better suited to run
Santorini.”
Ken
stood up and handed her a file. “We appreciate your vote of confidence.
However, Mr. Santorini made the decision. He felt certain you could
handle the position and so do we.”
Brielle
reviewed the will. Grandfather had actually done this monumental thing.
He had appointed her, frivolous Brielle Santorini, CEO of the largest
and most distinguished jeweler in the country. Since she graduated from
Harvard Business School with an MBA at the age of twenty-one, he had
been pestering her to utilize her knowledge at Santorini. Yet each time
he asked, she had declined his offer. Why? To be more like the mother
she hadn’t seen since the age of three? To finally gain her approval by
visiting the very places Gabriella frequented? How pathetic did that
sound now, to have traveled the world in an unconscious search for the
mother who didn’t want her? What a waste. Yet not once did Grandfather
chide her for the way she had chosen to live the last few years. She did
sit on the board of three charities, but that never felt like work. It
was enjoyable. With a laptop and Wi-Fi, she could fulfill her duties
from just about anywhere.
Brielle looked at them defiantly. “What if I refuse to do it?”
“Eh-hem.” Jason
Simmons, her grandfather’s attorney, cleared his throat to get her
attention. “In his will he also stipulates if you do not serve as CEO of
Santorini for a minimum of one full year, then your trust fund is to be
broken, and the funds will go to Nicholas Trenton, along with all of
your grandfather’s personal assets. The stock will also go to Mr.
Trenton. Added to the shares he inherited from his father, he would then
own sixty-six percent of the company, making him the majority
shareholder and owner. ”
“Are you saying I’d have nothing left?”
“That is precisely what
I am saying, Miss Santorini.” For a brief moment, the harsh expression
on his face looked as if it had been chiseled in stone. It reminded
Brielle of Mount Rushmore. After what seemed the longest moment in human
history, he grinned.
He
looked as if he were enjoying this far too much. Brielle’s hand itched
to slap the smug expression off his face. He’d always been an arrogant
and pompous jerk. She would fire him at the first opportunity. Now she
understood why Nick was so angry. If it weren’t for her, he’d have
control of Grandfather’s company and his money. It would all belong to
him. She wasn’t about to let Nicholas Trenton take everything from her.
She just needed to find some way out of this without giving up her
inheritance. At the moment though, she couldn’t think of one. She either
had to run Santorini for a year or lose everything. Her choice was
really no choice at all.
Brielle
felt like a caged animal, and her grandfather was the captor. She had
thought he loved her dearly, but now she wasn’t so sure… No! She gave
herself a mental shake. She would not doubt her grandfather’s
affection—he was the only person who’d ever loved her. She suddenly
realized he believed in her, too. He wouldn’t have made this decision if
he hadn’t thought she could do it. He had loved Santorini and would
never do anything to jeopardize his beloved company. If he had this much
confidence in her, then she would do it. For him and maybe even for
herself. She looked around the room confidently. “Well, ladies and
gentlemen, it looks like I have a company to run. Where do I start?”
They all applauded her decision, whether they agreed or not, and came
around one by one to shake her hand—except Nick Trenton, who stood up
and left the boardroom.
5.0 out of 5 stars Dazzling Romantic Fiction, October 8, 2014
ReplyDeleteBy
Victoria Pitts Caine
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Diamond Heiress (Kindle Edition)
Ruth Roberts consistently delivers well-written romantic novels. Set against the back drop of the jewelry trade with gala balls and store openings Diamond Heiress in an outstanding example of Ms. Roberts carefully thought out character development and story plotting.
Brielle Santorini has inherited her grandfather’s jewelry empire along with a large trust fund. However there’s one small catch, she must remain as CEO for one year or forfeit it all. Nicholas Trenton, whom Brielle has had a crush on since she was fourteen, feels the position should be his. He’s been in command of Santorini Jewels for the last few years and why shouldn’t it continue? He’d force her to leave.
But Nicholas soon learns that there’s more to Brielle than the self-centered heiress he had thought she was. He falls for Brielle very quickly and he’s the answer to her long awaited dreams.
Their hopes and plans are on the brink of ruin when Brielle learns she can no longer trust Nicholas. How can he convince someone she is a prize, not just for her money or the company? It’s Brielle herself who he wants. Rejected by her mother and sought after in another relationship for her creative designs, she feels she can trust no one. Now, even Nicholas had other reasons for seemingly loving her. Can he do make one final attempt to change her mind?
I highly recommend this novel which will warm your heart and bring tears to your eyes. I also enjoyed the cameo appearances of characters from Robert’s other novels.