**Copy received via NetGalley for an honest review**

3.5 stars

21 year old designer Erin Angelo is living the dream in Milan.

23 year old Alek Dostov the wunderkind of the music world, The Maestro, and infamous playboy.

Both emotionally damaged by their past, can they overcome this and be happy?

The Prelude was told from duel POV's which I quite enjoyed, and was done better than some I have read.

A few things though left me shaking my head thinking 'what the?'

Alek changed from playboy to a one-woman man in the blink of an eye, which just didn't feel realistic. A slow change would have suited better.

And don't get me started on Erin's "Reckless me" and "righteous me". I am all for inner dialogue, but these annoyed me much as the Fifty Shades "Inner Goddess" did!! Just - don't!

I could totally understand Erin's reluctance to let anyone into her heart - though the high school ex-boyfriend was probably superfluous. And I like they way she tells people where to go - she's got a smart mouth on her! And her first couple of interactions with Alek were both funny and cringe-worthy.

Overall The Prelude was a pretty good book, but it just left me wanting.... something.

But I will read more in the series.