Lilian and the Irresistible Duke by Virginia Heath

” ‘…. Yet still you took me to that same spot where your biggest mistake happened….
You arranged that picnic with the sole intention of getting me to lift my skirts
and spread my legs for you…like…like…a trollop!’ “

 

Blurb:

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 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?

 

Review:

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the second of my final four blog tours, which sadly, is the fourth and final book in the excellent ‘Secrets of a Victorian Household’ series, which follows the stories of Lilian Fairclough and her three children. Each book is about a different Fairclough, and is written by a different author.

Lilian has been talked into going to Italy with her friend Alexendra, where they will stay with the Contessa di Bagnoregio, an old friend of Alexandra’s. Unfortunately, no one has told Lilian that the Contessa’s brother actually owns the Palazzo, and he is non other than the sexy Italian, Pietro Venturi, Duca della Torizia, with whom she shared a kiss last Christmas.

Lilian is not looking for love because she’s still mourning her lost husband with whom she was very much in love. At the beginning, she’s apparently suffering from ’empty nest syndrome’, and has begun to question herself after a lifetime of being a wife, mother, and running the Fairclough Foundation. Who is she? What does she really want? Where does she belong now?

Pietro is a widower who, as a consequence of that marriage, has a cold and barricaded heart. In the years since, he’s had many, discreet affairs which he has always kept at a physical distance from his home, so he can equally keep his lovers at an emotional distance. And this gorgeous, sexy, sinful Italian is a very good lover indeed….

Set mainly in Rome, against her backdrop of art and art history, it’s the story of an older couple with all the emotional baggage that comes from previous relationships whether good or bad. It’s wonderful to read because contrary to popular opinion, our desires and emotions don’t disappear as soon as we hit forty, or even thirty! It’s beautifully and compassionately written, and that, together with Ms Heath’s trademark wit and humour, has made it one of my favourites.

It’s powerful, it’s emotional, and it’s breathtaking. I love it.

All in all, a fabulous ending for a fabulous series!

 

Buy:

Mills & Boon

Amazon UK

Harlequin.com

Amazon.com

Kobo

 

 

Author Bio:

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Despite that, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Virginia’s Website    Virginia on Facebook    Virginia on Twitter    Virginia on Instagram

The Princess Plan by Julia London

 

‘ “If you know who I am, then you surely must know you cannot refuse me.”

‘ “This is a free country Your Highness. And while you may be someone’s

prince somewhere, you are not mine….” ‘

 

Blurb:

London’s high society loves nothing more than a scandal. And when the personal secretary of the visiting Prince Sebastian of Alucia is found murdered, it’s all anyone can talk about, including Eliza Tricklebank. Her unapologetic gossip gazette has benefited from an anonymous tip off about the crime, forcing Sebastian to ask for her help in his quest to find his friend’s killer.
With a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a noble bride, there’s nothing more dangerous than a prince socialising with a commoner. Sebastian finds Eliza’s contrary manner as frustrating as it is seductive, but they’ll have to work together if they’re going to catch the culprit. And soon, as temptation becomes harder to ignore, it’s the prince who’ll have to decide what comes first―his country or his heart.

 

Review:

Hi everyone, I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the Princess Plan blog tour. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did……

Eliza Tricklebank, her sister Mrs Hollis Honeycutt, and their friend Lady Caroline Hawke have been invited to the Duke of Marlborough’s masquerade ball. Separated from her companions, Eliza inadvertently meets Prince Sebastian of Alucia in a series of ‘comedy of errors’ moments. While he leaves a lasting impression upon her, (and her foot), he apparently later dismisses her from his mind. The next day, although Eliza’s thoughts keep turning to a pair of moss green eyes, she is under no illusions she’ll ever move in such high circles again. However, reminiscing about the Ball soon gives way to talking about the murder of Prince Sebastian’s personal secretary. And then someone sends an anonymous tip about the murder to Eliza’s blind father, which she gets printed in her sister’s newspaper, ‘Honeycutt’s Gazette of Fashion and Domesticity for Ladies’. It’s a shock when the Prince appears on her doorstep because of it, demanding to see her father….

This moment is pure comedy gold! The scene is one of the best I’ve read in a long while – Sebastian’s bewilderment, his pomposity, and sense of entitlement are extremely well drawn, while Eliza’s anger, and her entirely reasonable and justified behaviour made me cheer. And from this moment on, you know they really are made for each other. She’s intelligent, independent, very opinionated, and a real delight; he’s old fashioned, and privileged, but very endearing, and oh so easy to tease and fall in love with. The way he emerges from the cocoon of privilege, to turn into his true self is sympathetically done; and the ending is realistic, satisfying, and quite simply breathtaking.

It really is an enjoyable read. It’s got romance, intrigue, and a murder. I loved the interplay between friends as well as the main characters, and I especially loved the snippets from ‘Honeycutt’s Gazette of Fashion and Domesticity for Ladies‘ at the start of each chapter. I felt they really added to the flavour and charm of the period. For me though, the best part of the book is the deft and humorous banter between Eliza and Sebastian which elevates them into real people you can genuinely care about.

It’s fun, it’s refreshing, and it’s quirky. True escapism at its best!

One final word: Eliza is very much a modern, contemporary heroine, rather than a woman of the time, and while I enjoyed this, I am aware that others may not.

 

Buy:

Mills & Boon

Amazon UK

Harlequin.com

Amazon.com

Kobo

 

Julia’s Website