The Billionaire's Heart by Kathleen O'Brien

From Goodreads:
High School art teacher Sophie Smith is usually the most honest of women. But when her dearest friend and mentor asks her to be her stand-in on a two-week vacation at an Amalfi Coast luxury resort, she won’t let her down… even if it means posing as a rich, pampered socialite.

As it turns out, Sophie could get used to this, especially handsome, enigmatic gardener Declan Muldoon who’s strangely more thrilling than any of the billionaires buzzing around. She ends up falling for him—hard.

Then Sophie discovers she’s not the only one pretending. Declan’s gardener gig is temporary. He’s actually the black sheep of a very wealthy, powerful family, a man who appears to be in need of an heiress.

An heiress exactly like Sophie is pretending to be…

*Previously titled The Billionaire's Secret

My Take:
The Amalfi Coast sounds like a dream! I can see how Sophie allows herself to get lost in the beauty of it all. I loved that she bumbles through playing the part of a rich socialite at times, while pulling it off at others. Her discomfort with that life shows though in the fact that she's drawn to the gardener. Oh, sure there's that lovely sexual tension too, but initially I think she finds him safer because he isn't filthy rich. Or so she thinks.

Declan never really chases Sophie for her money as is hinted at in the blurb. And for that fact, I'm grateful. He's really a good guy, and he wants to be with her simply because he enjoys her company. he tries so hard to keep it on a friend basis, but Sophie is a force to be reckoned with.

There is a closed door scene and a lovely ending to it all after a bit of moping heart break.

I give this one a solid 4.5 because I never felt frustrated by any of the plot devices. It was easy to get lost in the story.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure