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Footsteps (Pagano Family, #1)

Susan Fanetti

Start date: September 1, 2014

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What Members Thought

Jul 21, 2014 Amy | Foxy Blogs rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-5-stars, lendable, patina, 2014-books

LOVED IT!! Susan Fanetti has created a new series with a big Italian-American family living in New England. The Pagano family consist of six grown children whose lives are all tightly knitted together.

Carlo is the eldest son and he's the responsible one among his siblings. His devotion to his son, Trey, made my heart melt. Trey may have been abandoned by his crazy mother but like any preschooler he adjusted well because of his Pagano family's love for him. TREY is the best child character I've ...more

52 likes · Like · see review

Jul 22, 2014 TeriLyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary-favorites, arc, re-reads, 2014-favorites

Susan Fanetti Fans! Irene and I featured this talented author today over at The Literary Gossip! Go "Back to Signal Bend" with us and learn more about the phenomenal woman who created this series!

Q&A with Isaac
Q&A with Susan Fanetti

My *spoiler-free* review of Footsteps:

5 Brilliant, Pagano Family Stars

If you’ve ventured on a Susan Fanetti journey before you know the excitement over the release of a new Susan Fanetti novel. You willingly open her books ready for an emotional trip. A trip so frigh ...more

32 likes · Like · see review

Aug 15, 2014 Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ rated it it was ok

DNF at 78%

I know, I hear you now..."You gave up at 78%? But you were almost done!" No, per my kindle, I had two more hours of reading left in the book....two hours I'll never get back if I chose to finish.

I'm really bummed to quit. Let me start by saying that Ms. Fanetti's Signal Bend series is bar none the best Motorcycle Club series I've read. This new series just really fell short for me. I think she excels at dark, more graphic storylines.

So, her other stuff was so awesome, were my exp ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Aug 17, 2014 Amanda rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary-romance

3.5 stars

Oh my bad. I thought this series is about a mafia family. Guess I'm wrong. The only mafia connection we have is the hero's uncle is the mafia Don. This book resemble Kristin Higgin's Blue Heron series due to the emphasize of a big family tree and a sweet romance.

Carlo Pagano Jr. is the eldest sibling of the Italian-American family. He is a single dad and also one of the good guy. When he saw Savannah being treated badly by her famous philanthropist of a husband, James Auberon, he decid 3.5 stars

Oh my bad. I thought this series is about a mafia family. Guess I'm wrong. The only mafia connection we have is the hero's uncle is the mafia Don. This book resemble Kristin Higgin's Blue Heron series due to the emphasize of a big family tree and a sweet romance.

Carlo Pagano Jr. is the eldest sibling of the Italian-American family. He is a single dad and also one of the good guy. When he saw Savannah being treated badly by her famous philanthropist of a husband, James Auberon, he decided to step in to help the poor woman.

Savannah is trapped in a horrible marriage with the abusive James Auberon for fifteen years. Never had she thought she will have a chance to free herself from his sadistic clutch, but when she came across Carlo Pagano, she dare to hope for a taste of freedom.

Footsteps had a perfect recipe for a great suspense or something dark. James is one sadistic bastard, but his treatment to Savannah was not describe in graphic detail. For those who had a delicate sensibility to abuse, do not sweat. Not only that, we also had a dose of deranged ex-wife appearance. Bullets flying and all that.

My main problem is that all these conflicts mentioned above was resolved too easily and I felt totally anti-climatic about it. (view spoiler) I felt that Susan Fanetti totally wasted this opportunity for a great psychological thriller. We should have more of the villain wreaking havoc to Carlo's life.

My favorite part of the book is the Pagano's family. I think I'm a little in love with bad boy, Luca. Who can resist this fine specimen. He had a rebellious streak, but you know deep down he is a good guy. I wish we can have more about Uncle Ben and Uncle Lorrie's family story. What can I say, I had a thing for mafiya and violence.

If you went into this for a feel good romance with a side of boisterous family, I'm sure you won't be disappointed like I do. I'm heading over to read Luca's book next. ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Sep 01, 2014 ❤️ Diana ❤️ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: buddy-read, drazen-sisters

Susan Fanetti is an excellent story teller. She pulls you into the story so naturally. She's not into the shock value but rather the story. She pulls on your heartstrings in a beautiful way, you become vested in the story, the characters and you find yourself tearing up at the simplest of things.

So the premise:

Carlo is a single dad whose wife left him and his adorable son Trey (seriously if you don't love this kid something is wrong with you!! ) lol

Bina is a beautiful woman in a very abusive re ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Aug 13, 2014 Rica rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary-romance, angsty-emotional, companion-or-standalone, mafia-mob-gangster, great-supporting-cast, standalone-but-part-of-a-series

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I think it may have been Sabina...I just couldn't fully embrace her. The Paganos though, love them. I love their loyalty to each other and how they all come together through good times and bad. I love Susan's writing and although this book didn't exactly work for me, I'm am looking forward to Luca's story. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2014 Fil rated it it was ok

Boy Did I struggle to finish this, might not continue :(

2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2017 Suzanne rated it liked it

Shelves: mafia-organised-crime, survival

The Pagano series is one I have been meaning to begin for some time now. Having devoured all the MC/Biker Romances Susan Fanetti has written, I have been keen to explore her other genres. Footsteps is the first book in a mafia dynasty series and while it doesn’t have a heavy mafia presence it builds as the story grows.

James has the infamous surname Pagano. It opens doors as a matter of consequence but not through his intentional use. His father worked hard to ensure his family remained separated The Pagano series is one I have been meaning to begin for some time now. Having devoured all the MC/Biker Romances Susan Fanetti has written, I have been keen to explore her other genres. Footsteps is the first book in a mafia dynasty series and while it doesn’t have a heavy mafia presence it builds as the story grows.

James has the infamous surname Pagano. It opens doors as a matter of consequence but not through his intentional use. His father worked hard to ensure his family remained separated from all the notorious business associated with them. Such was the divide the families sit on opposite sides of the church at Mass. Apart from blood and a name, they share little else.

James has broken away from his father’s construction company to go into partnership with a friend. It is at a social event, where he encounters Sabina, the wife of a cruel and powerful man. He refuses to look away when Sabina’s husband manhandles her leaving the event while everyone else turns a blind eye. So moved is he by her plight, he does the unthinkable and uses his heritage to shame her husband into stopping his public display of cruelty.

Cruelty to women is a trait James’ uncle abhors and is more than willing to assist. And so begins a complex relationship between the estranged extended Pagano families. A situation not welcomed by all and questioned by the people who can see the cost it will incur.

Serena is a character I struggled to connect with and as a consequence it impacted on my overall appreciation of the story. Her story of how she married such an ogre of a man was sad and heartbreaking. How she remained sane and unbroken for so long while she was with Carlos was astounding. The time she spent away from Carlos and with the Pagano's was refreshing but it wasn't without complications.

Circumstances bring James, his family and Serena closer together, and she develops a reason to embrace life again. The interaction she has with James’ son adds an endearing facet to this story to be relished. She’s a character I found hard to accept in many ways. The way she drifted in and out of broken English had me questioning the use of the idioms when they were used. While I can appreciate communicating in another language is difficult during stressful situations, it made connecting with her character a challenge. My other peeve was shortening her name to Bina, it shouldn’t have bothered me but it did.

There was a lot of inner reflection which had a tendency to be repetitive, slowing the pace of the story down for me. I did enjoy the secondary characters and while I found Serina frustrating at times, there was still much to appreciate in her and the way she interacted with the Pagano family. I picked up this book with high expectations of what the story would entail. Footsteps was exactly as the name implied, reflective and considered. Luca’s story is next and I am looking forward to beginning his story in The Pagano Family Book 2, Touched.
...more

1 like · Like · see review