Elli

Elli Morenelli is a successful Hollywood movie producer with many accolades to her credit. She’s also a breast-cancer survivor and has started a foundation to help others test for genetic occurrences and to support other families dealing with cancer. Recently a benefit event she held was the target for thieves, when an event planner ran off with all the funds and confidential celebrity contact information. Elli is not sure she can handle much more, when she is notified of an inheritance of half of an estate in the deep south of Louisiana. The current resident is a local man whose family has lived and worked the plantation over 200 years, and is running a dog training and kennel business there with his six-year old son. Ben Bienvenu is not at all interested in the woman from California and wants her gone as soon as possible. Elli hopes to convince him to sell in order to save her foundation.

Ms. DeSalvo has created a family unit out of frightened and broken folks. The cancer treatments and bonds made through the struggles of medical treatments are easy to understand and readers with or without firsthand experience will greatly appreciate the life Elli is living. The plot is a bit slow to start but picks up nicely and evenly throughout, introducing a southern crew of characters that are a true delight! Some suspense is added to this romantic Mardi Gras experience, although a bit predictable it’s enjoyable just the same. This southern charmer is sure to please most readers.

Julie Caicco