Two love stories for Natalie that burn with passion and heart-stopping twists—a spicy whirlwind with billionaire NYC architect Steve and a steamy slow burn with Italian artist Max.When Natalie crosses paths with the charismatic Italian artist Maximus Ricci in the seductive streets of Italy, she's forced to question whether true love lies with her husband or with a sensual stranger who promises a life of beauty, adventure, and love.
Writing Everything Happens for a Reason was so much fun to write. Writing that story felt like what I would imagine an out-of-body experience to be like. It’s hard to explain but I knew I was sitting at the computer but it’s like my mind was totally controlling my fingers as they typed what I envisioned in my head with each scene. In one day, I wrote an entire timeline. In three months, I wrote a complete first draft.
This was a journey I have always wanted to take and for decades just squashed it. I wrote a novel twenty years ago and never did anything with it. Maybe someday I will go back and edit it and publish it but for now I have a few ideas I have to get out before I go back to that one.
This story marinated in my mind every night as I went to sleep. It started in my mind during the pandemic and the ridiculous lockdowns in my state. To entertain myself, I created Steve, the billionaire architect and I was Natalie. Every night in my mind, I continued the story for ten minutes at a time as I drifted off to sleep. My storytelling to myself was what got me through and then I got bored with continuing the story because Steve and Natalie were happy and now what. I needed conflict and I didn’t have any so I let the story go and left it alone.
Fast forward almost two years later in late April 2022, I watched 365 Days on Netflix. I was late to the party watching that movie but my God, when I saw the most perfect male specimen walk onto the screen, Max was born in my head. I wrote Max with Michele Morrone in mind and no one else in the world could ever be or play the part of Max. Thank you Michele for not giving up your dream of acting. I wish you more acting success than you can imagine for yourself. As I developed Max and wrote his chapters, I truly fell in love with Max along with Natalie.
I started writing the first draft in June 2022 and finished in August 2022. I wrote every night as soon as I logged off my work laptop into the late night and every weekend, sometimes all weekend and pulled a few all-nighters. I spent hours and hours researching every location in New York and Italy. I scoured the web to pick out clothes for Natalie (check out the gallery of Natalie’s outfits on a separate page on this website). I signed up for many newsletters about living in Italy.
I love the city of New York so for the foreseeable future all my books will take place there. New York is a character in this book as much as Steve, Natalie, and Max. I use real locations and places. I scouted out each place or location mentioned in this story. I lived Natalie’s life in New York unfortunately without a Steve but I haven’t given up hope that my Max is out there.
Italy came into play when I decided to create Max and I have never been to Italy but I researched as much as I could about all the locations and places I used in this story and they are real. I plan to visit all the places I mention in the book within the next two years.
New York and Italy are minor characters in my book dedicated to my favorite television shows that made New York so prominent and used actual locations, Sex and the City, Younger, Gossip Girl (original series on CS). New York, I know well but sadly I’ve never been to Italy so I hope I don’t disappoint those who live there or have visited with the descriptions and the online research I did to choose real places.
I hope you like reading Everything Happens for a Reason as much as I loved writing it. - Nicole XOXO
“Sorry, we were interrupted just as you were about to come,” Steve whispered in her ear
Natalie blushed. “You’ll make it up to me later,” Natalie said peeking at the outside of the one-story light-yellow stone and wood villa with a terracotta roof.
“I forgot to tell you, since I’ll be working so much, I hired a live-in local tour guide who has his own room on the side of the villa. He comes highly recommended and will take you to see or do anything you want around Italy.”
“Sounds good. Thank you.”
Steve grabbed the suitcases and before they reached the double wooden front doors, the side door opened. Out stepped a 6’3” hunk of a man with thick wavy black hair styled with hair gel, short in the back and a little longer in the front. A few strands fell onto his forehead above his deep green almond-shaped eyes, Roman nose, pillowy lips, and neatly trimmed beard covering a perfectly chiseled jawline.
“Oh my,” Natalie gasped loud enough for Steve to hear as she scanned the stranger’s broad shoulders and narrow waist wondering what he looked like underneath the clothes.
“Relax tiger. You’re all mine, only mine,” Steve reminded her sternly.
“I know, husband.” She turned briefly glancing at Steve.
Natalie examined the ruggedly handsome stranger from head to toe in faded blue jeans and a tight, white t-shirt. The perfect specimen winked at Natalie and smiled baring perfect white teeth against his olive skin. He turned his head to Steve but kept his eyes fixed on Natalie.
“Buongiorno, I am Maximus. You can call me Max. Welcome,” he said with a thick Italian accent. He regarded Natalie steadily with his green eyes and she found she couldn’t look away.
Max put out his hand and Steve shook it. “Hi Max, I’m Steve and this is my wife, Natalie.”
Max kissed Natalie’s hand and lingered there while keeping his eyes locked on hers. She pulled her hand away anxiously. “Hi Maximus,” she said her voice shaking as she felt her cheeks grow warm.
“You can call me Max,” he said carefully scanning her face.
Steve cleared his throat to get the handsome guide’s attention. “Max, as I explained to the agency, I will be working six days a week so you will be showing my wife around. Take her anywhere she wants to go, spare no expense. I want her to be happy while I’m busy working.”
Max didn’t stop staring at Natalie. “Wherever you want to go, you let me know. If you need ideas, I can help. Is this your first time in Italy?”
“We were here for our honeymoon about two years ago but only for a few days and we saw the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Coliseum, and the Pantheon.”
“Okay, good to know. I will plan other sites to see.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he smiled at Natalie. “What is your cat’s name?” he asked pointing at the carrier in Natalie’s hand.
“This is Peanut,” she said holding up the carrier to eye level.
Max finally glanced over at Steve. “Do you want some time to settle in and then we can go over some of the itineraries I have, and we can customize them?”
“That would be great. You can do that with Natalie. My associate will be arriving soon.”
Natalie turned to Steve with surprise. “Oh, they are coming already? I thought we would have a little time, at least today before you dove into work.”
“Sorry, baby. I need to learn things before I can just dive into the project.”
“I get it,” she said, trying to hide her disappointment.
“Signora, I can meet you on the back patio, and we can make our plans for the next few days and weeks. How does that sound? Maybe we can do some quick sightseeing today if you’re up to it.”
“Perfect. Thank you, Max,” she said inadvertently batting her eyelashes.
Steve and Natalie entered the villa. There was no foyer, the front door opened directly into the cozy living room with a beige sectional couch, stone walls, and a brick fireplace. Paintings of landscapes hung along the walls. The living room opened into the farmhouse-style kitchen with a back wall with sliding glass doors leading to a garden patio with an in-ground pool.
“Steve, this is lovely.”
“I’m glad you like it. I hope you understand that I need to start work so soon. I’m sorry.”
“I do understand. This is our new life for a while. You can finish what you started in the taxi later tonight before bed.”
“Mmmm, deal, baby.” He kissed her and quickly squeezed her ass.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
Steve’s last name came from my love for General Hospital (GH) as an ode to them. In each of my seven published books, I have an ode to GH and I plan to have on in all my books – fun note: I’ve list these on my website under extras.
https://www.nicoledicicco.net/extras
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Everything Happens for a Reason?
Steve is a completely fictious billionaire bachelor architect in New York. He was burned by a serious relationship in college and told himself he would never be hurt again. He was raised to believe his self-worth is based on how success he is in his career.
Natalie is a mix of mostly fiction with a little bit of me tossed in. The me parts are her cat, Peanut (my cat Shea), lives in Brooklyn, loves Broadway, Frick Collection Museum being her favorite, and she loves the Woolworth Building, the Brooklyn Bridge being her favorite New York icon. I do believe anyone who has ever lived in or visited New York has a favorite icon.
Max was born in my mind when I first saw Michele Morrone on my television screen. Max looks like Michele and paints like him but that is where the resemblance ends. The rest of Max is fictitious.
Matteo and Nicoletta: a mix of all the kids that have entered my life through the years.
Rose: I modeled her after my Nan Rose – her rosy cheeks, Italian woman who insisted on cooking rather than eating out – this character was a way of honoring my hero in life – my Nana Rose.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for Everything Happens for a Reason?
This story marinated in my mind every night as I went to sleep. It started in my mind during the 2020 pandemic and the ridiculous lockdowns in my state. To entertain myself, I created Steve, the billionaire architect and I was Natalie. Every night in my mind, I continued the story for ten minutes at a time as I drifted off to sleep. My storytelling to myself was what got me through and then I got bored with continuing the story because Steve and Natalie were happy and now what. I needed conflict and didn’t have any so I let the story go and left it alone.
Fast forward almost two years later in late April 2022, I watched 365 Days on Netflix. I was late to the party watching that movie but my God, when I saw the most perfect male specimen walk onto the screen, Max was born in my head. I wrote Max with Michele Morrone in mind and no one else in the world could ever be or play the part of Max. Thank you Michele for not giving up your dream of acting. I wish you more acting success than you can imagine for yourself. As I developed Max and wrote his chapters, I truly fell in love with Max along with Natalie.
I started writing the first draft in June 2022 and finished in August 2022. I wrote every night as soon as I logged off my work laptop into the late night and every weekend, sometimes all weekend and pulled a few all-nighters. I spent hours and hours researching went to every location in New York and researched Italy online. I scoured the web to pick out clothes for Natalie (check out the gallery of Natalie’s outfits on a separate page on my website). I signed up for many newsletters about living in Italy, bought books and researched online.
Weaving irresistible tales of love, lust, life’s unpredictable twists—and the occasional mind-bending psychological turn—Nicole DiCicco crafts stories where complex hearts meet sizzling passion.Nicole’s books span the worlds of romance, romantic suspense, and psychological dramas, with settings as captivating as her characters. Whether it’s New York City's vibrant streets or Italy's enchanting landscapes, her stories transport readers to places where love, secrets, and drama unfold in unforgettable ways.
Known for her quirky blend of heartfelt dialogue, emotional depth, and gripping twists, Nicole dives deep into the tangled web of human relationships—whether it’s love, desire, or the secrets we hide even from ourselves.
Her characters? Complex. Her scenes? Spicy. Her style? Boldly unpredictable! From sizzling erotic moments to the exploration of love's more delicate nuances, Nicole isn’t afraid to mix it all up, making her a true standout in romance.
Hailing from Brooklyn, Nicole is a die-hard Mets fan (yes, her cat Shea is named after the stadium). When she’s not spinning tales of love and suspense or watching General Hospital (since she’s five), you’ll find her chasing the next great plot twist—or the nearest slice of pizza.
Want to keep up with Nicole's latest? Head over to her website for updates on new books, behind-the-scenes peeks, and maybe even some spoilers (you’ve been warned)!
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Sounds like a wonderful book.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds like an interesting read. I love the cover.
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt sounds really good. I would enjoy reading this one.
ReplyDelete