Good Girl

A financial offer leads a young woman into a relationship with a mysterious businessman in this debut erotic romance.

Gabriella Rossi grew up in a large, loving family of five sisters in a once-thriving New Jersey town. Their lives revolve around their beloved father and the family’s pizzeria; however, their father is in poor health and the restaurant is floundering. One afternoon, a limousine gets a flat tire in front of the pizzeria. The limo’s passenger, Noah Bentley, comes inside and strikes up a conversation with Gabriella. She’s intrigued by the sexy stranger; he expresses interest in purchasing the pizzeria, and she makes plans to see him again the following afternoon. When they meet, he presents her with a shocking offer: $1 million if she spends the next six months “pleasing him.” Despite her misgivings, the promise of financial security leads her to accept the deal. Ensconced in his lavish New York penthouse, she struggles to adjust to his expectations, and the more she resists, the more determined he becomes to win her affections. She soon finds herself drawn to the successful, but complicated, entrepreneur, and as their battle of wills intensifies, they discover the risks and rewards of falling in love. Frank’s novel boasts an intriguing premise, and its strengths lie in its pacing and love scenes, which are erotic but never seem gratuitous. Although the story of Gabriella and Noah’s initial meeting and his offer unfolds in just a few chapters, their romantic relationship proceeds at a more deliberate pace. This approach is effective and allows Frank to explore the opulent lifestyle that Noah’s wealth affords. As their relationship develops, both Gabriella and Noah reveal closely guarded secrets from their pasts; these moments are well-handled and offer some deeper character development. Despite these successes, though, Frank stumbles a bit with Noah’s characterization; his behavior, including sending Gabriella to bed without dinner for disobeying him, is occasionally overbearing and inconsistent with his more romantic gestures.

A well-paced novel that may appeal to fans of Fifty Shades of Grey.