A reunion in Rome… sparks an affair to remember! Responsible widow Lilian Fairclough is persuaded to travel to Rome for a hard-earned break and to let down her hair! She’s surprised to be reunited with bold yet cynical Italian duke Pietro Venturi. He reawakens her sensual side and intrigues her with glimpses of pain beneath his rakish surface. Enticed into a secret and temporary affair, what … affair, what will happen once she returns home?
Experience more passionate historical romance twists and turns with the rest of the Secrets of a Victorian Household series:
Miss Lottie’s Christmas Protector
Miss Amelia’s Misltetoe Marquess
Mr. Fairclough’s Inherited Bride
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
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Lilian Fairclough is a loose ends in her life, widowed for many years, she has devoted her life to her children and keeping the Fairclough Foundation’s doors open. But now her children are grown and married, her daughter and her husband have taken over running the foundation and while they are happy for Lilian’s help, they don’t really need her. So when the opportunity to visit Italy arose, Lilian was eager to have an adventure. She is traveling with her late husband’s cousin Alexandra – who warns Lilian that Italy is not like England and the Italians are nothing like the prim and proper English. This is something Lilian is very aware of since meeting Pietro Venturi, Duca della Torizia last Christmas and sharing a kiss with him that still haunts her all these months later.
When they finally arrive in Italy, Lilian is horrified to learn that they are staying with Pietro! Lilian had no idea his sister Carlotta moved back to his home when she was widowed. So after an awkward and embarrassing reunion – in which Pietro misunderstands Lilian’s arrival in his home and is unbelievably rude and crass to her, it becomes clear that this will not be a smooth journey to HEA. Lilian is hurt and angry, but her desire to experience Rome and to see art that she has only seen in pictures, outweighs her anger, she will ignore Pietro and enjoy the sights.
Pietro almost immediately realizes his error and apologizes at the first opportunity. He and Lilian share a love of art and agree to “forget” about the kiss and be friends. He shows her the fresco in his home and she is awed – but unlike others who have seen it, she is more interested in the story behind it – just like Pietro. Intrigued by her, he offers to show her the Sistine Chapel and tells her places to visit. They form a true friendship and try to ignore the attraction that is simmering between them.
When Pietro takes her to his gallery and shares his most treasured possession with her – sketches of the design of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo – the passion between them ignites and neither can deny it any longer. They begin an affair, but set rules and make it clear that the affair is temporary, goodbye will be goodbye. In addition, Pietro, who is quite the ladies’ man, has rules of his own that he doesn’t share with her. They embark on a very passionate affair, but soon they both realize they are in over their heads. And when Lilian learns of his past, she is hurt and decides to end their affair before she does the unthinkable and falls in love with him. But is it already too late? And can Pietro let go of the past and seize a chance at true love or will he let it condemn him to a lonely future?
I loved this book, it is well written, flows nicely and is almost impossible to put down. I love that Lilian and Pietro are older and shared more than just passion. The author did a wonderful job with imagery for this book, I was fascinated by the vivid descriptions of the art and the landmarks used in the story and had no problem visualizing based on her writing. The story itself was a lovely “second love” story, filled with emotion, steamy love scenes, heartache, guilt, learning to move on from the past and healing. It is definitely one of the better “second love” stories that I have read and I highly recommend this book. It is the final novel in an author collaboration series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone title with no problems.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me*
Series: Secrets of A Victorian Household #4
Publication Date: 1/20/20
Number of Pages: 288
This is a fun author collaboration series that follows the members of the Fairclough family. I haven’t read all of the books, but I didn’t have any problem following this book. The book is excellently written and the characters are fully formed and totally relatable. You’ll feel as if you are friends with all of the characters before you are through reading.
One of the best things is an absolutely delightful epilogue set about five years after the end of the last chapter. I love epilogues and this one was one of the loveliest ever. Not only did we get a very sweet and romantic look at Lilian and Pietro, but we also got an update on all of the characters from the other books in the series. Even though I hadn’t read a couple of the books, I loved seeing what happened to those characters as well. It really was one of the best epilogues I’ve read.
Lilian Fairclough is five and forty years and she’s suffering a bit from what we might call ‘empty nest syndrome’ today. She enjoyed a fairy-tale marriage with the love of her life, but she’s been a widow for ten years. She never even thought of another man during those years and spent all of her time and efforts in raising her three children and running her husband’s foundation. There was little time for anything else. Now, the children are grown, married, and one of them is expecting her first grandchild. She’s needed less and less at the foundation because her daughter and her husband have taken over the every-day running of it. At a loss for what to do with herself now and in the future, she allows her family to persuade her to travel to Italy with Alexandra, her husband’s cousin.
Pietro Venturi, Duca della Torizia, had an entirely different experience with marriage and, as a widower, has sworn that he will never, ever, marry again. At eight and forty, he has spent twenty-five years living a life of no commitments, no emotional involvement, and very strict rules around his affairs. Those rules, however, fly out the window as soon as he meets Lilian. Too bad it took him so long to figure it all out.
Lilian and Pietro had a bit of a history – just a small bit, but it was significant to both of them. The previous December Pietro had been in London and shared an impetuous, mind-blowing kiss with Lilian. Now – all these months later – when he encounters her in the corridor of his own home, he believes she is there to entrap him into marriage. He quickly sets her straight and propositions her. She was totally shocked to realize that it was his home they were visiting and made her position very, very, undoubtedly, clear to him. Well – that didn’t get off to a good start.
As Lilian and Pietro are thrown together more and more – and discover they share a love of art and many other things, their feelings grow. Each fights those feelings – especially Pietro – and they each have their reasons for believing that a relationship won’t work – especially since they live in two different countries. Seeing Pietro grow was a marvelous thing and I came to love him. Lilian had more room for love, but her growth and acceptance of another love was a wondrous thing to behold.
I really enjoyed this story of two very different people with two very different views of love and marriage find their HEA with each other. I hope you will love it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
(Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Lilian and the Irresistible Duke from the author in eBook format in exchange for an honest review. The opinions and observations I share here are mine and mine alone, and were in no way influenced by the manner in which I received the book.)
There may or may not be spoilers ahead…
I discovered Virginia Heath’s Harlequin Historical romances last February, and she has quickly became one of my favorite romance authors. I thoroughly enjoy her writing style, her well-rounded characters, and her well-chosen adjectives which anchor me in the setting. Her storytelling and plotting compel me to continue turning the page. She has sass and snark; I like sass and snark. I didn’t think it was possible to enjoy her books more than I already do, but Lilian and the Irresistible Duke has done it.
I loved just about everything about this book. I loved the “older” heroine, Lilian Fairclough. She may be a restrained English widow (with grown children and responsibilities that weigh heavily on her mind and spirit) who travels to Italy to put the past behind her and to discover where her future may lie, but there’s barely any dissembling when invited to engage in an affair with a handsome gentleman from her past. Lilian makes a conscious decision to abbracciare la vita while in Italy. She indulges her sensual side, reawakens a passion and desire that she had repressed after the death of her husband, and thoroughly enjoys all the sights and sounds Italy has to offer. After they share an explosive night of passion, Lilian and Pietro agree to terms for their affair, except Lilian begins to question these “terms” as she establishes herself as a person in this next stage of her life separate from her late husband, frown children, and inherent obligations.
Pietro Venturi, the Irresistible Duke in our story, is a wonderful hero. And Italian; did I mention he’s Italian? He is dark, handsome, and cultured. He oozes sensuality. He suffered a disastrous marriage and now as a widower, Pietro’s heart is hardened to commitments and love. But then Lilian reenters his life and their passionate encounter and subsequent affair undermines all his efforts to conduct their liaison by their agreed upon guidelines and to abide by his own self-imposed set of life’s rules.
Italy and all its wonder was the perfect backdrop for Lilian and Pietro’s story. Maybe I’m biased since my beloved mother-in-law is Italian, but there’s something so genuine, passionate and vibrant about the country that Ms. Heath’s use of locations, historic sites and artifacts made it a supporting character. Her descriptions of the landscapes, the weather, and surroundings buildings were lush and gave the overall story a “you are there” feel. My only complaint is I found the Epilogue too long; I loved Pietro and Lilian’s carriage ride, but I skipped a lot of the “bring the reader up to speed” narrative that preceded it.
Lilian and the Irresistible Duke is a well-crafted historical romance that was a great read. The hero & heroine are both likeable and relatable; the setting is vibrant, and the overall story is highly satisfying. I highly recommend!
It all started with a kiss in a carriage.
Lilian’s children have decided she needs to get away and take some time for herself. Her cousin, Alexandra, brings her along to Rome, and unbeknownst to Lilian, they’ll be staying at the palazzo of Pietro, the Duke with whom she shared that illicit kiss. Both having lost their spouses many years ago, the pair decide they’ll start up an affair while Lilian is in Rome. While neither wants a commitment at the start, will their feelings change by the end of her stay?
I will admit I had a hard time getting into this one at first because it is the fourth book in a series written by other authors. However, I should have known Virginia Heath would not let me down! The buildup of Pietro and Lilian’s relationship is the strength of this title. While many of Virginia’s books feature an outside villain, it was the characters’ backgrounds that caused their strife. I loved that the hero and heroine were older, in their forties, because they had so much more history to bring to the relationship. This is an excellent and unique read, and is well worth your time.
Lilian and the Irresistible Duke
Secrets of a Victorian Household Series #4
Virginia Heath
https://www.facebook.com/virginiaheathauthor/
Release date 02/01/2020
Publisher Harlequin Historical / Mills&Boon Historical
Blurb :
A reunion in Rome…
Sparks an affair to remember!
Part of Secrets of a Victorian Household. Responsible widow Lilian Fairclough is persuaded to travel to Rome for a hard-earned break and to let down her hair! She’s surprised to be reunited with passionate, cynical Italian duke Pietro Venturi. He reawakens her sensual side and intrigues her with glimpses of pain beneath his rakish surface. Enticed into a secret and temporary affair, what will happen once she returns home?
My review :
When two persons sharing a common love for art, can it be more than a temporary affair …
In fact I preordered this book without even reading the blurb, as I know Mrs Virginia Heath can’t disappoint me, she never and today she confirmed my hopes.
What a delight it was to read Lilian and Pietro’s story, I embarked in their journey all eyes big open, enjoying their outings and the paint lessons.
Next time I visit Roma, I might see it under a different light, and it is sure I would look at the seven hills with the same way.
I have come to cherish these older peoples romances, by being more mature, they act differently than their younger self, they know what they want and who they are. And Mrs Virginia Heath explores it perfectly. Her heroes are wondrous brought-to-life characters, they have their flaws and strengths as their past shaped them to the person they are now.
Both have experienced very different marriage, she filed with love but also duties and he a transaction without even an once of passion. Why they board in their affair with their own expectations.
Lilian had a loving union, and mourned her husband for many years, so when she collides with Pietro, she is far away from thinking of having an affair, and already knows it will be a challenge in itself to disconnect her heart from her body.
Pietro on his side is very adamant with his own rules to in no way disturb his bachelorhood, but happy to indulge with a lovely widow sharing his love for art. She awakens feelings he never experienced and it scares him.
At the beginning of their romance there is an air of lightness, I do not know why but it made me thought of A Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn. Their relationship was so romantic and charming, but also sensual thus I wondered when the other shoe would drop.
And it did.
From there, they must face the shadows from their past and particularly figure out what is worth, when Lilian could be easily swayed from her path, Pietro refuses to budge, single he is, unwed he will stay.
I spent my entire reading picture Pietro as Antonio Banderas, et definitively it suited him.
Even if it is part of a mini series written by different authors, this book is a standalone and no need to read the previous books to fully appreciate it, but do not deprive you from three other good reads.
It is again a 5 stars read by Virginia Heath.
I was provided by the author an advance copy but prior to it, I preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/524312864824556?d=n&sfns=mo
Just lovely. These two made my heart soar. It shows no matter what age the heart needs love and fulfilment. It’s really about choosing to live and not be afraid to risk all for love. Pietro and Lillian are just enchanting.
4.5 stars as reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-16V
Lilian Fairclough has been widowed for ten years, and has survived some hard times, while still managing to raise her three children and running the Fairclough Foundation. Now her children are all happily married, money is no longer an issue, and the family foundation is now in capable hands. For the first time in forever, forty-five year old Lilian is going to take a holiday and visit Italy – a place she’s longed to see. She’ll also be able to view some of the world’s greatest art, another passion of hers. Lilian travels with her friend, Alexandra, and they’ll be staying with her friend, Carlotta. What Lilian doesn’t know is that Carlotta happens to be the sister of a man she met briefly last Christmas, and with whom she shared an unforgettable kiss.
Pietro Venturi is the Italian Duke of Torizia, an avid art lover, and a successful art dealer. His business involves travelling, often to England, where he encountered Lilian last Christmas. He fondly remembers her and their shared kiss, but is surprised to find her in his Italian home as the guest of his sister. Pietro is now forty-eight years old, and has been widowed for twenty-five years. When his wife died, he made a decision about how he was going to live his life. From that point forward, he had numerous lovers, but all his affairs were conducted by his rules. He’ll never marry again. No emotions are involved. No promises are made. No strings are attached.
Pietro still feels that attraction for Lilian, and before too long, he boldly suggests an affair for the duration of her stay in Italy. Lilian, feeling free and attractive for the first time in years, surprises even herself as she agrees. Pietro and Lilian begin a steamy affair, but it turns out there’s so much more to their relationship. As Pietro takes Lilian to visit the lovely sites and art in his country, they discover they are compatible in so many ways other than the physical. They share a passion for art and beauty, and they share the same sense of humor. Though they agreed to a physical relationship only, it’s clear that they are becoming emotionally involved.
Since Lilian has felt love before, she recognizes what is happening, but Pietro is a stranger to the emotion and only feels unsettled and threatened. Though Lilian’s life has been hard, it’s also been filled with the love of a wonderful man and her children. Pietro, on the other hand, was forced into a marriage of convenience by his father at a young age, to a woman he didn’t know, couldn’t love, and who made his life hellish. Now, he doesn’t want to let Lilian disappear from his life, but he’s at a loss as to what he should do.
There is so much I love about LILIAN AND THE IRRESISTIBLE DUKE. Watching Lilian blossom and come into her own was joyful. I appreciate that she wanted their relationship to become permanent, but never tried to force Pietro into something he wasn’t ready for. Pietro was handsome, charming, and sexy, but confused and hurt from his youthful marriage. He always built Lilian up and made her feel beautiful, even though he had to find his own way and discover the path he needed to take. It’s wonderful to see a lead couple who are not youngsters in their twenties, but mature adults, even though they each had things to learn. I greatly enjoyed Lilian and Pietro’s sometimes bumpy journey to happily-ever-after, and especially loved the last chapter which gave a little glimpse into their future. LILIAN AND THE IRRESISTIBLE DUKE is a lovely wrap up to the Fairclough series, Secrets of a Victorian Household, and it can easily read as a standalone. I recommend this book, and appreciate Virginia Heath’s lush descriptions of beautiful Italy and some of its wonderful artwork, which added another layer of enjoyment to an already captivating story.
What a beautiful story. Lilian and the Irresistible Duke was an amazing read,with great characters, an engaging plot and the beautiful setting of Rome.
I really loved Lilian and Pietro journey seeking frienship and happiness. Lilian Fairclough is an uptight english widow, Pietro Venturi is an outgoing italian Duke.They are mature characters,I’ve enjoyed their personality differences and I was captivated by their lives full of experiences and their passion for the italian renaissance painters.
Virginia Heath is one of my favourite historical romance author,I really liked her writing that is so effortless to read and enjoy.
While this is the fourth in a multi-author miniseries about a Victorian family, you don’t need to have read the other three to follow the plot of this one, though there is a charming reunion scene at the end where you’ll get to revisit favourites from other books if you’ve been following along.
The first three books in the series featured the three adult children of the Fairclough family finding their happily ever afters; this final book features their widowed mother, Lilian, who at forty-five with her children all grown and married finds herself in something of a mid-life crisis. She’s become surplus to requirements in her own life, and she’s clearly at a crossroads, unsure of what path her life will take from here on out. Convinced to accompany her relative Alexandra on a trip to Rome, she almost immediately encounters Pietro, an arrogant duke with whom she had a previous encounter in London. An encounter which involved a kiss.
Lilian is a delightful heroine, one mature enough to have no truck with games, something she makes clear to Pietro at the outset and reinforces whenever he attempts to dismiss her concerns. While she and Pietro are both widowers, they have very different backstories; Lilian loved her husband, whereas Pietro’s marriage was a disaster, making him deeply cynical about love. The pair fall in love over a shared passion for art, and the descriptions of Rome as it must have been seen through Victorian eyes are a delight to read, the author having obviously deeply immersed themselves in research of the location and period.
Because this is a romance, everything gets resolved in the end, of course, though there was one question I genuinely thought needed addressing, which was the question of Pietro’s heir. It seemed an obvious question for Lilian, at least, to ask; a duke without a son must want an heir, and why wouldn’t Pietro therefore be seeking a bride of childbearing age? Honestly it would have been a simple matter to include a younger brother/nephew/cousin who is a fine, responsible young man and therefore remove the concern, but since it wasn’t addressed, I was left to wonder. It was a small niggle, though, and one which didn’t spoil my genuine enjoyment of this second-chance romance with a couple both in middle age. Five stars for a delightful read.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via Rachel’s Random Resources.
I loved Lilian and Pietro. The physical side of their relationship was perfect. But they were over thinking the whole concept, throwing everything into turmoil. I loved it!
I am voluntarily leaving a review for an ARC that was provided to me.
Lilian and the Irresistible Duke by Virginia Heath is the fourth and final story in the Secrets of a Victorian Household series. This has been a fantastic series to date featuring stories based on the Fairclough Family. Although this is a part of a series, each book can easily stand alone. But I highly recommend reading the entire series to get to know and love the Fairclough family like I have!
Lilian Fairclough at forty-five is feeling a little lost not knowing what the future holds for her now. With all three of her children happily married, and her place in the Foundation that she helped build now being run by her daughter and son-in-law, she’s not sure what she should do next. So she agrees to a trip to Italy, courtesy of her children.
Pietro Venturi, Duca della Torizia at forty-eight years old still fights the restlessness that has plagued him since his youth. Despite his success, fortune, and the usual methods of distraction it seems to be bothering him more than ever. But then the woman he shared an unforgettable, heated kiss last Christmas shows up in Italy.
What an absolutely fabulous and perfect story by one of my all-time favorite authors, Virginia Heath! I always enjoy seeing a hero and heroine who are in their forty’s. With this story, not only do we get an older couple but we get an Italian Duke with the setting in Italy instead of London. I’ve been waiting for this story since I first heard about it and of course, Virginia Heath never disappoints!
For those of us who’ve read the previous books in this series, we’ve seen and heard of Lillian Fairclough. She was married to the love of her life, raised three children, and helped her husband build the Fairclough Foundation to help unfortunate women better themselves. I’ve liked Lilian since I first met her, she’s a kind, caring woman who has spent the last ten years since her husband’s death taking everything on her shoulders. So I was looking forward to seeing her finally get to live her life on her own terms and explore the possibilities that life had to offer. Oh my Pietro, I do believe I fell I love with him myself! Pietro is a new character in this series, although we do find out Pietro and Lilian shared a rather heated kiss many months ago in London that neither one has forgotten… Pietro was such a fabulous hero and I loved watching him break all his rules when it came to Lilian, much to his surprise. They were a fabulous couple and you couldn’t help but root for them to admit their feelings for one another and find a way to be together. It was also great to catch a glimpse of the Fairclough siblings and their spouses at the end of the book, such a perfect ending!
Ms. Heath has truly outdone herself with this story! With wonderful secondary characters, a fabulous storyline, the beautiful setting of Italy, to a couple who captured my heart, this was a story I just couldn’t put down! I absolutely loved everything about this story and would highly recommend it!
Lilian and the Irresistible Duke, by Virginia Heath, will be available and booksellers on February 1, 2020. Lilian is book four of the Secrets of a Victorian Household series. Each book/character has been written by a different author. I find a series of this type very interesting, you get a different take on each of the entertwined characters. A fresh set of eyes on a plot can be enlightening. Although Lilian is a stand-alone tale it is part of a series and I’d recommend reading each book to throughly flesh out the entire story. This story is about adults, not blushing virgins, so they act like grown-ups. I like that and it’s written beautifully.
Ms Heath has taken on the love story of the older couple, near and dear to my heart as I’m “older” too. Our heroine, Lilian, is widow who had a lovely marriage and her children are her prized achievement. She’s been content until now, she has an “empty nest” and finds herself at loose ends. She’s talked into a trip to Rome, it’ll be good to get away for awhile. She’s a nice lady and easy understand & empathize with. She’s likeable.
Pietro, our hero, had the exact opposite marriage experience. No love lost there, it never existed. He’s not going down that road again. Nice guy who was disappointed by life and that’s easy to empathize with too. He & Lilian have a huge mistake to work through, it takes some time to get over but their chemistry won’t be denied. Both are set in their ways & watching them grow and learn is enjoyable. They have so much in common that it’s no wonder they’re drawn to one another.
One more plus to Lilian & Pietro’s story is the setting. Rome is very, very, different from a London setting. The places they visit, things they do, it’s all awe inspiring and makes me want to hop on a plane to Italy. Since I don’t have a passport I’ll just have to thank Ms Heath for the imaginary vacation.
#VirginiaHeath #SecretsofaVictorianHousehold #LilianandtheIrresistibleDuke #HarlequinHistorical #historicalromance
I am so pleased to see more authors writing romances with older characters. The opportunities for love are not gone when a person is older. In Lilian and the Irresistible Duke we have the story of the mother of the other characters in the series. Like so many women she has put her personal life aside for the benefit of her family. Long widowed after a solid, loving marriage, Lilian embarks on an adventure trip to Rome, with the support of her children.
While in Rome Lilian meets Pietro, a duke and sister of her hostess. Cautiously, they begin a sexual affair. It was such fun to see two people in their forties enjoying the sights of Rome, art treasures, and each other. Of course, all good things come to an end and Lilian must return to England.
I don’t think this is Heath’s strongest book, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. The ending brings together and updates all of the characters from the series. (This was not as exciting as it could have been since I was able to read only the first and last books so far.)
ARC provided by the author.
Hands up, who is with me in going to Italy? How can you resist a man like Pietro. Yes, he has his flaws but also the language, the love of art, the man himself. The fact that Lilian and Pietro are an older couple was a real draw for me. The story flowed very well and the characters are extremely well written. This is such a romantic story that I dare you not to fall in love.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Ohh I was totally swept away with this story by Virginia Heath, it was utterly sublime and I didn’t want it to end; a beautiful romance taking the characters on a journey of self-discovery and of new beginnings. Virginia Heath has written with such intricate detail with this novel I felt myself totally transported to Rome viewing for the first time the splendour and the majestic sights of the city just like our leading lady, Lilian. I was mesmerised by the atmospheric words then the beauty of the developing friendship between two people who were almost strangers but the love of the arts helped cement a blossoming alliance. A friendship that has had to overcome different cultures and beliefs and the grief of the past.
This is the first romance the author has written with the leading lady and gent being of a more mature age and it’s also her first romance were the leading gent is a sexy, charismatic, debonair Italian. It was refreshing to read a romance with characters facing different milestones and concerns in their lives than those of a younger generation; the characters had lived and lost and were learning to love again.
The book is one of a four part series of individual stories written by four different historical romance authors. The stories are all centred around the a Victorian household. I’ve not read any of the other stories in the series but now I’ve met Lilian, the mother and matriarch of the family I’m keen to see how life for Lilian’s children faired.
A gorgeous, refreshing historical romance about letting yourself be you again. It was beautifully atmospheric, sexy and full of desire.
This is the fourth and finale book in the Victorian Household series, and if there was any author who can end a brilliant series with a swooningly brilliant bang, then it’s Virginia Heath! And what an ending, it’s so romantic…but then what do we expect from a sensual Italian?
Lillian whom for those who have been following this series will know as the mother of the three siblings whose stories have come before this, she has done the dutiful mother and wife she has put her whole life on the back burner for her family and now after being widowed for many years and having her children fly the next to start their own chapter’s she has now the opportunity to go out there and have an adventure of her own. I can’t help but think I have made her sound a little cold, which was not my intention she is as far from cold as a person can get, yet I don’t think I have done this amazing lady justice. This is what happens when you have a very small vocabulary and your soul focus is on the incorrigible Italian, maybe I should just stick to gifs to get my opinion across?
I really, really like Lillian, she is a remarkable lady; selfless, loving, caring, protective and resourceful. She believes that she can never find love or ever feel the stirring of lust and tingles of desire again, oh how wrong she is! After the sad passing of her beloved husband she reached into that deeply hidden internal strength to pull her self up and raise her children – plus their Fairclough foundation, as her husband would have wanted, I also love that she genuinely appeared to love her husband that theirs was a love match another reason why I think she’s a wonderful lady she has a romantic’s heart. She did the most amazing job doing all that on her own, but she is well and truly in dire need of some happiness, a little wooing and adventure of her own. Something which she thinks a lady of her age cannot have, honestly lady your not in the grave yet.
It is such a breath of fresh air to read a story with an older couple instead of your young whipper snappers at twenty something taking centre stage, we have here a women in her prime finally having fun and living the life she should be and being charmed by a sexy enigmatic and gloriously seductive man…isn’t that every woman’s wish?
So our lovely Lillian sets out to Rome for an adventure of a lifetime, unfortunately for her she ends up with not one but two match-makers who are both gently nudging her in the direction of the ridiculously charming, sexy, god-like, rampant Italian stallion that is Pietro…oh, my days! Where is my feather fan when I need it? I’m getting all hot and flustered, one of the things that I have got from this gorgeous book is that; Virginia you really need to send me some more sexy Italians!!!
So…where was I? Oh, yes, Lillian is soon reunited with a very familiar face, if you have read the previous book; Amelia’s story, then you will know that while at a house party Lillian got friendly with a mysterious Italian Duke….oooh the minx! Well that very man is right there before her eyes in all his beautiful tantalising glory.
Pietro, oh Pietro; be still my beating heart! He is a real stud, a proper rascal, roguish in a very elegant way, charming, enigmatic, seductive, a blazing Italian stallion. But, he is also jaded and cynical, his view of relationships and of love is gone a little astray and all he now sees is the needy, manipulative and the bad side of love. He is a bit of a playboy, hopping from one woman’s bed to the next, never sticking around too long and never visiting the same bed twice, but his reluctance in love comes from a real deeply ingrained pain, a pain that our Lillian can see straight away she sees the sadness behind his sparkling smile. I adore the way Virginia describes his voice, I have this sudden image of chocolate; smooth, luxurious and delicious, it made me melt and go into a full on swoon whenever he purr’s those Italian love words to her. Smooth Pietro, very smooth!
They are both guarded, but they can’t deny the attraction they have for one and other, and it is so lovely seeing them as they slowly and rather cautiously get to know each other as Pietro shows her his beautiful city, as they discover they each share a love of art, but seeing as Lillian is only there on holiday will be an end to their new found love? Well I’m not going to divulge what happens’ next, but that ending…oh, be still my beating heart, super romantic!
I love this, the perfectly paced plot is full of fun, brilliant banter, sizzling tension flirtatious winks and saucy innuendos. Fabulously likable character’s, and set in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the description of the city, the art, the history is magical.
Lillian is a widow of a certain age who has wonderful memories of her marriage. Pietro on the other hand, as a widower, does not. They once shared a ground moving kiss but when they meet again, the interaction is more like gunpowder. Pietro makes an assumption and their second meeting does not get off to a great start. They have more chances however and despite each of their histories, their doubts, and their homes being across the channel from each other, the romance flourishes and they realize they have more in common than not. Virginia Heath makes her characters real and this is a great addition to the collection Secrets of a Victorian Household.
A sensual journey of romance and an unexpected chance at finding love a second time. Prepare to step back in history and see beautiful Rome with all of its wondrous art and settings as described perfectly by this author. Virginia Heath has engaged her knowledge and historical facts perfectly as we follow widow Lilian Fairclough on her travels to Rome, where she meets Duke Pietro Venturi. Having shared a sizzling kiss a year hence while he was in London, it was one that neither had forgotten. As fate brings them back together, there is resistance at first but as they spend time together it is amazing how much they have in common and their attraction grows.
Lilian is a wonderful character. She is romantic, has a joy for life and loves the city and the culture. Pietro is the quintessential Italian lover, handsome, a little bit of a rogue but charming. As they give into their attraction, is that all it will be?
Amazing characters, scenic romantic vistas, witty dialogue and this author’s magnificent prose bring this story full circle to be one that is a keeper and will be read again. Perfect.
Forty five year old widow Lilian Fairclough is persuaded to travel to Rome for a hard-earned break now that her three children are all happily married She’s surprised to be reunited with passionate, cynical Italian duke, Pietro Venturi with whom she’s shared a passionate kiss the previous Christmas. He reawakens her sensual side and intrigues her with glimpses of pain beneath his rakish surface. Enticed into a secret and temporary affair that not only includes toe curling passion but a friendship & a love of art.
I fell in love with Pietro from the start, yes he had his faults but oh my, was he gorgeous? He was charming, intelligent but had his rules about a relationship which no way would he break! That is until Lilian who totally upended his world. Lilian had been widowed for ten years & still loved Henry but now wanted to soak up the history & art of Rome. She was passionate, intelligent & ready to live again. I loved that both Pietro & Lilian were in their forties & that they were first & foremost friends. They both struggled with their feelings especially Pietro. I adored how all of his rules were gradually broken. The realisation of how they felt was lovely & the epilogue set five years later rounded the series beautifully, it was lovely to catch up with Lilian’s three children who had all had their stories in the series. A lovely read that had me sighing, laughing & crying
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Lilian Fairclough had met the seductive Pietro Venturi, an Italian duke, the previous Christmas and they exchanged an unexpected and passionate kiss. Lilian has been widowed for years, and now that her children are all happily married, she doesn’t know what the future holds for her. When her children gift her a trip abroad, she vows to enjoy herself. When she arrives in Rome, she is to stay with a friend of a friend, the wonderfully exuberant Carlotta. But uh-oh. Pietro also lives at the palazzo, Carlotta is his sister!
The ever fabulous Virginia Heath switches eras and countries with remarkable ease, as if she’d always written about Italy in the 1840s. Pietro and Lilian are also older – he’s 48, she’s 45 – and I think it added depth and texture to the romance, particularly as they behaved like adults. The romance is exquisite; it’s very passionate but without page upon page of explicitly detailed lovemaking. It’s steamy but not vulgar or cheap, there are no endless mentions of tightness and wetness, of twitching in one’s ever-tightening breeches, or heavenly ecstasy of the maiden’s first time. Grown-up bliss!
Lilian is a superb character; she’s a lover, a romantic, she’s enthusiastic and effervescent, and embraces Italy, where she feels alive again. Pietro is so marvellously Italian! Charming, roguish, but in a respectful and romantic way. Virginia Heath admits her own love of Italy and it translates magnificently on the page. I saw the country, I admired the art, all through Lilian’s eyes; I could feel the warmth of the sun, I could hear those lovely words and names in Pietro’s voice… It is all so unbearably lovely! So pleasant, lively, angst-free… and ever so romantic! The extended epilogue brings us up to speed with everything that’s happened in the previous three books of the Secrets of a Victorian Household series. The very appealing characters, the sublime descriptive prose, the sparkling dialogues, the delightful wit, the art, the magnificent latin backdrop, LILIAN AND THE IRRESISTIBLE DUKE has it all!