Tag: Linda Rae Sande

A Rogue In Rome by Linda Rae Sande

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

A Rogue in Rome (The Grand Tours of the Aristocracy Book 4)Barbara’s rating: 3.8 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Grand Tours of the Aristocracy #4
Publication Date: 10/24/25
Period: 1841 – Rome
Number of Pages: 329

With this author, we always get two wonderful romances and HEAs in each book. She also usually references something from a long-ago book – something that helped the hero win the heroine. In this book, it is shoes. If you read that earlier book, it will make you smile as you remember, and if you didn’t read it, you’ll think ‘how cute’ and move on. In this series, we follow a group of family members embarking on a Grand Tour – with Rome as their final destination. During the tour, all of the unattached males have found their HEAs – except David, Viscount Penton.

David has always behaved as a gentleman should. He’s respectful, thoughtful, kind, caring, protective, and amiable. Everybody loves David – well, almost everybody. He cannot believe the young lady he just tried to rescue thinks he is as bad a rake as the man from whom he attempted to rescue her. Humpf! Of course, he has to admire the fact that she had actually already rescued herself.

Lady Vittoria has been excessively sheltered by her overprotective father all of her life. She’s never really traveled nor mixed in society – but she has been raised to think all men are rakes, and she acts accordingly. So, when one rake tries to take advantage of her, she believes the one who comes behind him is a rake as well.

Our second romance is between American Patrick McAdams and Dona Armenia D’Avalos, who is Lady Vittoria’s great aunt. Patrick is a widower with an adult son, and has come to Rome to expand their textile business. Armenia has never married and is thankful for that. She thinks Patrick is a fortune-hunting lothario who is after Vittoria.

The sparks fly quickly between each couple, and it was a delight to see David and Patrick pursue and win Vittoria and Armenia.

This was a fun read filled with lovely characters and delightful romances. This author is well-traveled, and you’ll also pick up lots of the history of Rome – along with descriptions that will make you feel as if you are walking right along beside them.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Pursuit of a Duchess by Linda Rae Sande

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Pursuit of a Duchess (The Ladies of the Aristocracy)Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Ladies of the Aristocracy
Publication Date: 4/30/24
Period: Regency – 1814 London
Number of Pages: 332

This entertaining book presents us with three romances all gloriously intertwined. Three couples whose lives and happiness are all interwoven into an intricate knot that will see them all reach the very best of HEAs. There is even a lovely epilogue showing that our couples’ happiness has spanned the years. Yes, I certainly enjoyed it.

Thirty years ago, Michael Cummings, Marquess of Fenwick, and Lady Helena, daughter of the Duke of Woodleigh, loved each other desperately and wanted to marry. Thanks to her cruel, uncaring, unfeeling father, she was forced to marry the Duke of Weston instead. Although it was an arranged marriage, Helena went on to have two children – a son named Alfred, and a daughter named Amelia. The marriage was unhappy, but at least she got her children out of it. Michael went on to marry, though he didn’t love the woman and she knew it. She did love Michael and they were happy even though Michael was always in love with Helena. Michael also went on to have two children – a son named Philip and a daughter named Violet.

Fast forward thirty years and both Michael and Helena are widowed. Michael can hardly wait for Helena’s mourning period to be over so he can see her again. He still loves her as much as he did thirty years ago. Does she still love him? Will she be happy to see him? He hasn’t set foot in London for thirty years – but he is so excited to get back there and see his one true love.

In the meantime (in London) – Michael’s son has fallen madly in love with Helena’s daughter – and she returns that love. Michael and Alfred were friends once, but they had a serious falling out and Alfred has hated Philip since. Michael and Amelia fear Alfred will refuse his permission to marry out of spite. How can they get his approval? There has to be a way.

Violet is Amelia’s best friend and she desperately wants to help convince Alfred to agree to Amelia and Philip marrying. However, he isn’t what she expected when she meets Alfred and spends time with him. Why does he seem so different from Amelia’s description of him? He isn’t unpleasant at all? As a matter of fact – it wouldn’t take much for Violet to come to care for him. OOPS!

This is a fun read with characters you will very quickly come to love and you’ll surely be rooting for them all to figure it out – no matter how twisted and convoluted it all seems. Will we get three weddings? You bet we will and it was a blast watching them all work through the pretzel twist of things to get there. I enjoyed this read and can definitely recommend it. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. HAPPY READING!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.