Lilian and the Irresistible Duke

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!

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.