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Staci Troilo
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Bleeding Heart (The Medici Protectorate Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Staci Troilo (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 15 ratings
See all formats and editions
Passion is desirable. Until it turns deadly.

After her father’s brutal murder, Franki Notaro discovers she and her three sisters are the only surviving, secret legacy of the Medici. The same people who brutally murdered her father now target her and her family for assassination. Unprepared to battle an unknown enemy, she finds her safety depends on the Medici Protectorate, the warriors who guarded her bloodline for centuries but who failed to protect her father.

Gianni DeSanto, Franki’s protector, blows his first meeting with her then scrambles to garner the trust of all the Notaro women. Without that, he fails, too, and that is unacceptable—not only to him but also to the Protectorate. His troubles only grow larger, though, for as he assumes his new role, he also undergoes inexplicable, explosive physical changes… transformations he can’t control. One of which is his uncontainable desire for Franki.

Their worlds collide in passion and violence, and Franki struggles to trust Gianni. When her life is on the line, Gianni will have to conquer both her fears and his own personal demons to rescue her in time.
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  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Medici Protectorate
  2. Print length
    620 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    August 11, 2015
  6. File size
    1683 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

The Medici Protectorate series is near and dear to my heart because of how the premise came together. 
The first part came to me because of my grandfather. His father was the illegitimate son of Italian nobility. His story is a fascinating one, but I wanted to veer away from biography and tell a truly fictional tale. Thus the Medici heritage came into being.
The second part came to me from my children, who are talented tae kwon do practitioners. My son is a second degree black belt, my daughter a first degree. They both love working with weapons. Before I had the concept for this series nailed down, I was talking with them about it, and both of them thought indestructible weapons would be a great addition. That's how the daggers came to be. (Well, with a little magic thrown in. How else could they be indestructible?)
The third part stems from my own interests. At one point, I considered becoming an architect. I even flirted with the major in college. My husband and I have built several houses over the years (we move a lot), and we've learned a lot about construction. I enjoy decorating our homes, and my father-in-law and I love working with landscape designs. Combining all these interests gave me the careers for the four sisters.
The fourth part is the most obvious. The series is initially set in Western Pennsylvania, the place I grew up, will always consider home, and love with all my heart. It was important to me to include it in the series, because it means almost as much to me as my family does. 
This series is a combination of my ancestors and my legacy, of my hobbies and my history. How could I not hold it in a special place in my heart? And the rest of it? Well, I am a writer. Flexing my creative muscles is what makes the project fun.

From the Inside Flap

An Unknown Legacy...
After her father's brutal murder, Franki discovers she and her three sisters are the only surviving secret legacy of the Medici. The same people who brutally murdered her father now target her and her family for assassination. Unprepared to battle an unknown enemy, she finds her safety depends on the Medici Protectorate, the warriors who guarded her bloodline for centuries, but who failed to protect her father.
Gianni, Franki's protector, blows his first meeting with her, but he knows he must garner the trust of not only Franki, but also her sisters. Without that, he fails too, and that is unacceptable--not only to him but also to the Medici Protectorate. His troubles grow larger, for as he assumes his new role, he also undergoes inexplicable, explosive physical changes... transformations he can't control. One of those is his uncontainable desire for Franki.
Their worlds collide in passion and violence, and Franki struggles to trust Gianni. When her life is on the line, Gianni will have to conquer both her fears and his own personal demons to rescue her in time.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B012UN5SF6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lagan Press; 1st edition (August 11, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 11, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1683 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 620 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

About the author

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Staci Troilo

Staci Troilo

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Staci Troilo grew up in Western Pennsylvania writing stories and poetry in her free time, so it was no surprise that she studied writing in college. After receiving creative and professional writing degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, she went on to get her Master’s Degree in Professional Writing, and she worked in corporate communications until she had her children. When they had grown, she went on to become a writing professor, and now she is a freelance writer and editor.

Staci is a multi-genre author. Her fiction is character-driven, and despite their protests, she loves to put them in all kinds of compromising or dangerous situations.

You can find out more about her on her website (stacitroilo.com).

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
15 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Book Addict
5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, stimulating and superbly executed
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2015
Verified Purchase
After reading Bleeding Heart, Staci Troilo's first venture into suspenseful romance, I can attest that she’s made a wise choice to branch out from mainstream fiction and mystery. She titled it Bleeding Heart for a very good reason (you’ll find no spoilers here), but I can tell you it was heart-stopping, heart-throbbing, and heart-pounding as well.

The novel, the first in her Medici Protectorate series, never allows the reader a moment to relax and take a breath for a variety of reasons. It’s a novel that crosses genre lines in a fascinating cross-pollination of lives, eras, and continents. There’s suspense, mystery, intrigue, and history. But overriding the whole thing is a romantic sensuality that tops anything I’ve read of late.

I’m impressed with what Ms. Troilo accomplished in this book. It’s intelligent and explores an area of mystery that has plagued generations from the United States to Italy. But she’s also written some of the steamiest sex scenes I’ve ever read. I’m embarrassed when I read some steamy romances because the plot line can delve into cheesy. Not so with this novel. She matched the personalities of her main characters–Franki and Gianni–perfectly. Both proud, stubborn, and with streaks of anger that are down right frightful. Even Franki’s sisters and Gianni’s adopted brothers fear that anger. What a combustible combination when the two meet and then eventually collide into one another on an explosive sensual ride.

It’s a roller coaster of a book that takes the reader from a city in the U.S., loosely resembling Pittsburgh, to the past of Michelangelo’s Italy.

But there’s more, if that’s not enough. There’s the paranormal aspect of the Medici line that’s been passed down to Gianni and his family tribe. Franki only begins to understand her family’s role in the whole Medici mystique after her father’s murder. That’s right–there’s murder, too. And the threat of murder always overhanging the sisters who are beautiful, talented, and devoted to their mother and dead father.

Be forewarned–not everything is solved at this end of this novel because Book Two is now being readied for release in 2016.

I highly recommend reading this book to add lots of spice and excitement to your life! I know my heart is still bleeding all over the floor after my voyeuristic visits with Franki and Gianni through all their trysts.
2 people found this helpful
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D.L. Finn
4.0 out of 5 stars Action-packed book that I fully enjoyed!
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
Bleeding Heart is a book that has a little bit of everything: history, culture, magic, romance, mystery, and action. The characters are strongly written and include four sisters who lost their father and a group of “brothers” whose job it is to protect them. Gianni is one of the brothers who shows up at the architectural firm the sisters own and meets Frankie, the oldest sister. They are passionately drawn to each other as he tries to protect her without her knowing and she unwillingly accepts his offer of help when she finds her car tires slashed. Then, there are the secrets. The brothers carry knives that provide them with powers, the sisters don’t know they are descendants of the Medici family or someone wants these Medici descendant’s dead. There’s plenty of action that makes it a page turner as well as details of Italian culture. I especially loved when they were at mass, cooking or interacting like brothers and sisters do. Ms. Troilo wrote an action-packed book that I fully enjoyed. I look forward to reading the rest of the series to see where the story goes.
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Mae Clair
5.0 out of 5 stars Characters who stole my heart!
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2015
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Bleeding Heart is an intricately plotted story that weaves together the lives of two groups. The Notaro sisters who run an architectural design firm have just lost their father, John. The patriarch of their family, he was brutally murdered by unknown factions.

The sisters come to learn they are descendants of the Medici, a bloodline that dates back to the time of Michelangelo. Another group, the Brotherhood of Medici Protectorate has safeguarded the Notaro line for centuries. When the sisters learn of their legacy and the Brotherhood, there are immediate clashes— especially between Franki (Francesca) Notaro and Gianni, of the Brotherhood.

The mythology in this book is extremely well-developed. The author really took her time in building a believable and fascinating history for each group. As an example, Gianni and his adopted brothers each carry a stone dagger which is a focal point and an extension of the powers they wield. Gianni’s talent is related to blood and passion. He is able to both heal and inflict wounds, his fiery temperament nowhere more evident than in his passionate relationship with Franki. Their romance is at times steamy and tender, even combustible, but always full of heart.

As someone who grew up in an Italian family, I loved the old-world essence of this book. There are references to the Catholic Mass, Italian cooking, and family traditions. Franki and her sisters fight and argue but are always there for one another. The same with Gianni and his brothers. The guys’ disagreements tend to be explosive, but their loyalty for one another is unquestionable. The mystery kept me flipping pages, but the characters stole my heart. If you love elements of the paranormal, woven with romance, and intrigue, this is one book you don’t want to miss!
3 people found this helpful
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C Randolph
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2015
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I learned about this book and the author on another author's blog. It sounded so good, I took a chance and bought it. I'm so glad I did! I loved this book. I won't go into details because others have done that, but I just want to say I'm so impressed with Staci Troilo's writing. I also loved the family dynamic in this book. The romance was a little rocky at times, and I love a bit of conflict. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves books about romance and family. I can't wait for the next in the series!
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Top reviews from other countries

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SusiQ
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing romance
Reviewed in Germany on September 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
This novel is an intriguing mix of Italian old world and new world flair. After her father's brutal assassination, Franki is approached by a handsome man, Gianni. He'd like to hire her family's architect firm to take on a massive project. What Frankie doesn't know is he is a part of an ancient brotherhood and that she is a descendant from the Medici family. Gianni and his brotherhood's task is to protect Franki and her sisters from a similar fate as their father. What comes next is a rollercoaster ride with enough suspense and thrills and intrigue to keep you turning pages. The romance between Franki and Gianni further complicates things. Can't wait to read the second book!
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Harmony Kent
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 2017
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An old prophecy ... magic daggers ... hot men sent to protect and safeguard four corporate females who don't want said protection ... a dead father ...

An enjoyable read with unexpected steamy passages and plenty of aggression. The author does a good job of mixing normal everyday stuff with things more on the magical side of the spectrum, and it all blends wonderfully. Despite my feeling tired and in a 'not bothered' mood when I began this book, the characters gripped me within the first few pages, and I ended up enjoying it immensely. Some things I struggled with, like the word 'had' seems to have gone AWOL much of the time, and I had to keep re-reading some of the sentences to get the sense of them. (For example: 'It reminded him of where he lived with his mother and father ...' only to read on and see 'before they both died.' This changed the context, and it wants to read, 'It reminded him of where he had [or he'd] lived with ... before they...', as he doesn't live there currently and the lack of had misleads.) A few other hiccups occurred (like discrete instead of discreet, and 's left in where they need taking out, etc.) but nowhere near enough to spoil the fun of the read. I would highly recommend this first book in the series, and look forward to getting into book 2.
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Irene Aprile
5.0 out of 5 stars This is going make you yearn for more
Reviewed in Italy on June 11, 2017
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What would you do if one day you discover you are the last descendant of an ancient Italian family destined to greatness by a prophecy? Probably you'd brush everything off like a tale for patsies or the ravings of a madman.
That's what happens to Francesca Notaro and her sisters, one day not long after their father's murder. Even those who break the news to them, those who say should protect and guide them, are skeptical deep down. But then strange things starts happening. Accidents, attacks, housebreaking, but also display of strange powers and abilities. And when the effects of the prophecy get in motion there's little time for Franki and her sisters to deal with the how-is-all-of-this-possible factor.

Bleeding Heart, the first chapter in the Medici Protectorate Series, is a fast-paced novel which perfectly mixes action, family relationship, brotherhood, love, steamy romance, personal growth, magic, mystery, and powers. There is everything you might want from this kind of novel, blended in just the right amounts and with the perfect timing.

Don't be deceived, I was skeptical about bringing back an ancient Italian family in the contemporary USA, but I was surprised and proved wrong. If you fear all these elements might clash with each other, put your worries aside. You're going to read Beeding Heart in very few seats and it's going to let you yearn for more.
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