For the Love of Pete

by Julia Harper

Book Overview

Dante Torelli is an undercover FBI agent assigned to protect a mob informant and his family. But when the informant's hiding place is blown, a baby girl is snatched by a ruthless hitman. Now, Dante... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446619183
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Forever
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 1.3" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Another contemporary hit for Julia Harper!

Last January, Julia Harper (also known as USA Today bestselling historical author Elizabeth Hoyt) debuted with her contemporary hit, Hot. I loved it! It was unique and refreshingly funny with utterly endearing characters. It also featured an especially charming secondary character, Dante Torelli, and For the Love of Pete is his story. Zoey Addler is livid. Dante Torelli, her upstairs neighbor, just stole the parking spot she finished shoveling snow from only moments ago. While arguing, they notice a man running out of the apartment complex with a baby under one arm and a gun in his other hand. Dante knocks Zoey to the ground as shots ring out. When the kidnapper gets into a Hummer and drives away, Zoey doesn't think twice about jumping into Dante's BMW to give chase. Because it wasn't just any baby that the man snatched -- it was Zoey's niece, Pete. Dante cannot believe his bad luck. First, his crazy redheaded neighbor, Zoey, body slams the hood of his car over a parking space. Then, a middle-aged man holding the toddler of the man he's protecting starts shooting at him. After that, Zoey jumps in his car when he chases after the kidnapper. Subsequently, while stuck in traffic, they see the Hummer pull into a convenience store and two elderly ladies wearing Indian saris steal it (and Pete) after the thief goes inside. When Dante and Zoey are finally able to pull into the parking lot and drive around to see if they can spot either the ladies' car or the kidnapper walk out, they are shot at by Chicago PD. Can it get any worse? The answer is yes. On top of all that, someone in the Chicago FBI is a traitor and trying to frame Dante for a series of murders. And thus begins a mad-cap race and zany switcheroo of not one, but two babies and one case of very fine, but very illegal Indian saffron. I always enjoy a good "opposites attract" storyline and this one is top notch! Zoey is unconventional and quirky, says goofy things and wears clothes that clash. She is totally contrary to Dante, who wears designer suits, a Cartier watch and drives a stylish Beemer. As they are forced to spend days confined together while attempting to retrieve Pete, they begin to learn that despite their many differences, both are looking for the same things in life: someone to trust, someone to need, someone to love. For the Love of Pete is an action-packed, poignant and funny story of two contradictory people who discover love on the road while dodging bullets, outsmarting a hit man and risking everything to rescue an adorable toddler. Mix in some sharp dialogue and a cast of wacky, yet unforgettable secondary characters and Ms. Harper has penned another hit! Andrea Romance Novel TV 4.5 stars

Unbelievably Entertaining

4.5 Stars I picked this book up on a whim at the bookstore because of the simple but cute cover. Plus the plot sounded interesting and funny. So, I gave it a shot . . . and loved it. It was worth the money, people. FBI Agent Dante Torelli and 3 other agents were in charge of protecting a couple and their baby, Pete, while they await a trial of a mob boss. Zoey Addler, Pete's aunt, lives on the floor below. When Zoey and Dante finally meet, while arguing over a parking space, Pete was kidnapped. Zoey jumps into Dante's BMW and off they went. What they didn't realize that this wasn't just some simple kidnapping. Bigger things were happening behind the scenes and there were some people out there that want Dante dead. So, while dodging crooked police, FBI agents and hit men, they needed to rescue baby Pete and figure out who wants them out of the way. Despite being 400-so pages, this is a very fast read. It helped that the chapters were kept short and too the point without all the prosy descriptive paragraphs. Each chapter switched from varying character viewpoints in the third person narrative. This way you kept your finger on the pulse and see how everyone was connected. (It sort of reminded me a 24 episode except this story lasts over the 2-3 day period.) The romance and the intrigue were perfectly balanced. Things would be quiet for a while and all a sudden, your hit with a shoot out. Dante is the perfect hero. He's handsome, dresses well, looks hot when being shot at and is meticulously neat. On the other hand, Zoey was his opposite. Goofy, sweet and uncaring of convention, she was a perfect foil for Dante. The other characters were perfect in their roles. They added unexpected spice and obstacles. The writing was funny and light. The ending was perfectly wrapped up. This is a pretty clean romance up until the very end. This is a really well paced, well written book. The only reason I gave it 4.5 stars instead of 5 was that even though I love the story, I wouldn't read over and over again. But definitely a keeper for my shelf.

Fast paced action...

For The Love Of Pete Julia Harper Hachette Book Group.com, 2008 ISBN: 0446619183 Reviewed By Kay R. for ReviewYourBook.com, 01/09 5 stars Fast paced action... Zoey Addler's niece was kidnapped by the mob to silence her father. Zoey enlisted the aid of Special Agent Dante Torelli. Dante was working undercover to find a Rat in the FBI. Things heat up quickly between searching for Pete, staying one-step ahead of the mob, and their growing attraction for each other. For The Love Of Pete by Julia Harper is a fast-paced, page turner. The characters work well together. The plot is just what this reviewer wants in a suspenseful romance.

A Funny Joy Ride

Author, Julia Harper grew up in St. Paul , Minnesota , then went to college at the University of Wisconsin at Madison , where she majored in anthropology and took Shakespeare classes for fun. Julia now resides in central Illinois . This title, For the Love of Pete, follows her other title, Hot. FBI Special Agent Dante Torelli's mission was to keep a federal witness to the Chicago mob and his family safe until he could testify. Secretly though, he was brought in undercover for the FBI to draw out a corrupt agent. When the agents on duty are murdered, he is framed for it, and the witnesses baby daughter is kidnapped, Dante finds himself on an unexpected adventure through Illinois with a civilian, Zoey Addler- who also happens to be the baby's aunt. Throw in two elderly Indian women on their own mission for secret illegal saffron, and Dante is just about to lose his mind. Dante likes peace and quiet- Zoey never stops blabbering. Dante follows all the rules- Zoey does what she wants, when she wants. Dante hides his emotions- Zoey wears hers on her sleeve. On the new mission to clear his name, rescue a kidnapped baby, chasing down matrons obsessed with contraband spices, and a killer on their tale- Dante and Zoey don't need the attraction between them, nor do they expect it. But both will do anything and risk everything for The Love of Pete. Every once and awhile you read a book that is so clever you can envision it on screen. This is one of those books. I would like to see this adapted to a screenplay. Car chases, crazy Indian women, a kidnapping, the mob, an FBI investigation gone wrong, a heated love story- what more could you want? This is set in the Midwest, in Chicago , Illinois mostly, and I was very happy to see an accurate portrayal of climate, setting, traffic, etc. Coming from Wisconsin myself, you'd be amazed at how often it can be misconstrued. The plot flowed well, the characters were adorable and relatable, the backdrop was realistic, the Indian women were hysterical as secondary characters, and the dialog was downright brilliant. I couldn't put it down. For the Love of Pete is a laugh-out-loud, clever, and enchanting tale...A breath of fresh air for the romance genre! I very much look forward to more of her books. Kelly Moran, Author and Reviewer

Laugh out loud FUN! Highly recommended

For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper Contemporary Romance Mass Market Paperback - January 5, 2009 5 Stars In a typical cold Chicago morning, people are sharking for parking spots, snow is covering window shields and individuals are running late for work. Once in a while, the typical turns into the unusual as detailed in Julia Harper's For the Love of Pete. The story begins when Zoey Addler's freshly snow-cleared parking spot is snatched by Special FBI Agent Dante Torelli. Dante is running late for work and while attempting to negotiate taking the parking spot; gun shots are heard from the apartment building across the street. In a matter of seconds and like a slow motion action scene, Zoey and Dante observe a man running out of the safe house where Zoey's sister, boyfriend and niece are being protected from the mob. The cold Chicago mornings gets even colder when Zoey and Dante notice that the man running from the apartment is carrying a bundle in his hands- Pete. Without thinking twice, Zoey jumps into Dante's car and a chase to recover Pete ensues. The chase sets into motion a variety of twists and turns. Other characters join the chase which keeps the story moving quickly and the pages turning. While all this is happening, an attraction develops between Zoey and Dante. This is written in a very sweet way. The story doesn't feel forced and neither does the interaction between characters. The development of the story is fast paced including the budding relationship between the two main characters. This story is full of funny, quirky, twisted characters engaged in funny, quirky, twisted situations. One of the many reasons I enjoyed this story is because of the array of likeable characters. Even the bad guy is likable and that made me wonder how Harper would tie all ends. I was not disappointed! Harper has a nice charming writing style. Her characters are well developed and relatable. I laughed out loud during some pretty funny moments. This book is highly recommended! Reviewed by Cez from Bookaholics Romance Book Club