We are thrilled to unveil M.L. Lexi’s most ambitious project yet: *The Farfalla Family Saga*, a dazzling trilogy that begins with the powerful romance, *The Determined Woman*. This first novel introduces Isabella Farfalla, a heroine whose unwavering commitment to her father’s legacy and her own grand dreams of becoming a fashion mogul is tested by profound loss and crushing financial ruin. This compelling story is about resilience, where a mountain of debt and a shocking family secret threaten to eclipse her future, forcing her to rely on strength she never knew she possessed.
In the midst of her despair, a man enters her life who is destined to change everything. Antonio Sabatini, her kind-hearted landlord, offers more than just practical support—he offers a connection that challenges Isabella's guarded heart and restores her faith in humanity. However, Lexi ensures the path to love is never simple. As Isabella battles to save her family’s tailor shop, she finds herself the object of a mysterious man’s intense gaze and must confront not only the menaces of the past but a shocking revelation about her own identity. This novel truly captures the high stakes of love against impossible odds, proving that a determined woman will stop at nothing to protect her loved ones.
To celebrate this exciting series launch, we offer an emotional glimpse into the opening chapters. This moment captures the crushing weight of Isabella’s grief and the beautiful, life-changing encounter with Antonio Sabatini, a man whose simple act of kindness promises redemption and a spark of hope. The emotional intensity and the promise of a sweeping, complex romance are clear from the very first page, reminding us: **BECAUSE NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE**. Read the excerpt below, and prepare to be utterly captivated by the Farfalla family legacy:
THE STOMACH CANCER detected during the routine check-up seven months ago had metastasized. It was a word Isabella didn’t fully understand its implications but sensed it wasn’t an outcome her father deserved. Six weeks from the diagnosis, with his wife, Maria, and daughter, Isabella, by his side, Angelo Farfalla drew his last breath. He was forty-one. As painful as it was to watch her father die, seeing him at peace and pain-free was soberly gratifying. On a February winter day, under a dark sky with a cold, howling wind seeping deep into your bones, Angelo was laid to rest. Isabella and Maria flanked by Angelo’s brother Gianni, his wife Nina, and their daughter Michaela filled the front row as Father Lenny recited prayers. Looking solemn and respectful, friends and neighbours gathered around the family.
Angelo Farfalla was a loving husband, father, good brother, and caring friend. He and Isabella made so many plans. They were going to visit the major fashion houses in Italy, Paris, and New York. They planned to attend every major fashion show, and when the time came, they’d work together to turn the modest tailor shop that bore Angelo’s name into a renowned fashion house. Growing up watching her father work in his small tailor shop gave Isabella a taste of tailoring. A mixture of love and pride illuminated Angelo’s face when she told him she wanted to follow in his footsteps and learn all she could from him. “I’ll let you know, princess. Until then, everything that’s in me will be yours. You will be bigger and better than I could ever be because you’re smarter than I am. You’ve inherited the entrepreneurial gene and an aptitude for business from your old man.” They had so many plans, but as fate would have it, at the age of twenty-two, Isabella watched her father’s casket lowered into a darkness he’d never come back from.
FROM THE SHELTER OF TREES A pair of eyes fixated on Isabella. Firing up a cigarette, they watched her every move, studied her, and surveyed her face. It had been months since they’d come upon her, but she looked as beautiful as always. Eyes the colour of aged bourbon were sad and solemn today. Her mouth was wide and full. Her long dark hair tumbled in waves around an unpainted face as delicate as silk. She wasn’t one to flaunt her striking beauty, but she didn’t have to, he thought approvingly. A warmth came over him when he watched Isabella gnaw that lovely lower lip in the way she tended to do when she was nervous or deep in thought. She’d done that since he could remember. For a moment, he thought Isabella flicked wary eyes in his direction, but with a tug of relief, dismissed the notion when her cousin Michaela reached for her hand and walked her to the car. He pitched the cigarette at the grass and hid from view. Isabella never saw or sensed the eyes that remained on her until she left for home.
ISABELLA’S EYES ROLLED over the stack of overdue bills, then flicked to the bankbook balance. The $59.25 wasn’t going to cut it, and she pushed the bankbook and bills aside when the sense of helplessness overtook her. As much as Isabella wanted to save the shop, she couldn’t hold on to it much longer. She had no option but to close the doors to her father’s tailor shop and give up her dream. Struggling against twin urges of defeat and failure, every bone in her body felt weighted by the most dreadful fatigue. “What have I told you about crying?” “Daddy?” She closed her eyes, opened them. There he was. “Jesus, I need to get some sleep.” “Reach for the stars, princess. Fulfill your vision, but do it for yourself, not me.” “But, Daddy…” “Reach for the stars, princess. Fulfill your vision, but do it for yourself, not me.” “We’re broke, Daddy,” Isabella reluctantly admitted. “Princess, we’ve always been broke... Believe in yourself, and everything will fall in place.”
“Hello.” The man’s voice brought Isabella out of her slumber. “Can’t you see the closed sign on the door?” Isabella groggily shot out with a mixture of irritation and annoyance. His eyes were the colour of the sea and sky with long, thick lashes. His hair, peppered with snowflakes, was a mane of jet-black waves that framed a compelling face with a wide mouth curved into a warm smile. “My name is Antonio Sabatini. I’m your landlord.” “I know what you want to talk to me about. We owe you back rent. And like I said, take a number.” Antonio’s dimples flashed with charm. “I’m not here to collect.” Isabella kept puzzled eyes levelled on the spellbinding blue ones. “I know you’re going through a difficult time, and I stopped in to tell you not to worry about the rent. You can take all the time you need.” Something powerful and raw in his tone, in the eyes so compassionately gazing at her, made it difficult for Isabella to hold her composure. The stranger she’d just met with a simple act of kindness, restored her faith in humanity.
This emotional start perfectly sets the stage for a grand, multi-book saga filled with romance, family secrets, and the triumph of the human spirit. *The Determined Woman* is a gripping tale of love, loss, and the incredible power of a woman to overcome even the most daunting of obstacles. This is M.L. Lexi at her masterful best, beginning a series that promises to sweep you off your feet. Pre-order your copy today and join Isabella on her journey!