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Virginia Heath
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Lilian and the Irresistible Duke (Secrets of a Victorian Household) Kindle Edition

by Virginia Heath (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 62 ratings
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A timeless historical romance, perfect for fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton! 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 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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  1. Book 4 of 4
    Secrets of a Victorian Household
  2. Print length
    369 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Harlequin Historical
  5. Publication date
    February 1, 2020
  6. File size
    4.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Harlequin historical romance period sweeping bodice regency victorian scottish viking past history

Editorial Reviews

Review

“An engaging read with delightful characters, a vivid setting and a realistic but romantic love story.” – Jane Hunt, Writer and Book Blogger

"If the front cover says Virginia Heath then you know you're in for a treat. Pick up Lillian and The Irresistible Earl, laugh, swoon and share it with friends or family." - The Blossom Twins

“Lilian and the Irresistible Duke is a romantic and engaging story one where I was in a bubble and completely wrapped up in Lilian’s adventures in Italy! A romantic, charming and wonderful story, loved it!” - Rae Reads, Book Blog

“Virginia Heath never fails to deliver first class historical romances and with Lilian and the Irresistible Duke, she continues to prove to be one of the genre’s brightest and most gifted stars.” – Bookish Jottings

“The perfectly paced plot is full of fun, brilliant banter, sizzling tension, flirtatious winks and saucy innuendos.” – Chicks, Rogues and Scandals

“A ‘grown up’ romance between two people who have a wealth of life experience under their belts, the sex scenes are well-written and I really appreciated Lilian’s re-claiming of her self.” – All About Romance

“A gorgeous, refreshing historical romance about letting yourself be you again. It was beautifully atmospheric, sexy and full of desire.” – KraftiReader Book Blog

“5 Stars! It was such a lovely story to read, a few twists and a thoroughly additive plot.” – Donna’s Book Blog

“It’s powerful, it’s emotional, and it’s breathtaking.” – Touch of Innocence, Book Blog

“It's another win for this amazing author… [Virginia Heath] has a knack for writing stirring tales that warm the heart, quicken the pulse, and leave you with the happily-ever-after you crave.” - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Blog

“I do love Virginia Heath’s books! Her heroes, heroines and stories just leap from the page… I can highly recommend this fabulous read, and cannot wait for more.” - Jennifer C. Wilson, Book Blog

“The book is excellently written and the characters are fully formed and totally relatable… 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.” - Flippin’ Pages

“It's nice to have a book that shows that lust and love aren't reserved purely for those under 30… This book ticked all the boxes for me and left me smiling. I loved every emotional minute of it and am more than happy to recommend it.” – DragonRose Books Galore Reviews

“5 stars! Mrs Virginia Heath can’t disappoint me… Her heroes are wondrous brought-to-life characters.” – Elodie’s Reading Corner

“Once again Ms Heath has written an amazing story with characters you become attached to immediately... Do yourself a favour, and read this book and this series. Can't recommend enough.” – Lisa Reads Romance, Book Blog

About the Author

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it look her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to 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. Over thirty books and three Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07VJ5QQ8X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harlequin Historical
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 1, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 369 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1488063756
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 4 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Secrets of a Victorian Household
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 62 ratings

About the author

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Virginia Heath

Virginia Heath

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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 happily ever after. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Thirty Regency Romcom books, two publishers and four Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
62 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Mark
    4.0 out of 5 stars Recommend
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2020
    Lilian and the Irresistible Duke (Secrets of a Victorian Household, #4)

    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!

    Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Lilian and the Irresistible Duke from the author in eBook format (Kindle) 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.
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  • Julie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superlative historical romance
    Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2020
    Charming, engrossing and wonderfully romantic, Lilian and the Irresistible Duke sees talented Regency author Virginia Heath striding forth into the Victorian age and making it her own. Sparkling with humour, sensuality, pathos and emotion, Lilian and the Irresistible Duke is another winner by this gifted storyteller.

    Since the death of her beloved husband, respectable widow Lilian Fairclough has invested all of her time, energies and efforts into the charitable foundation her husband had set up and into looking after her three children. Only, her children have all grown up and are now making their own mark in the world with families of their own and Lilian has been left all by herself wondering what she is going to do with herself next. Lilian feels without purpose or direction, so when she is persuaded by her cousin to travel to Rome for a couple of weeks, she jumps at the chance to see a city she has always been fascinated by and to let her hair down. But little did she realise that in Rome she was about to come face to face with a man she had met briefly who had awakened deep within her feelings that had been buried for a very long time.

    Life has hardened Italian Duke Pietro Venturi and made him jaded and cynical. The widowed aristocrat had built impenetrable walls around his heart and vowed never to let anyone close to him ever again. Pietro thought that he had his emotions under control – until he had gone to an assembly in England and found himself unable to resist sharing a kiss with the widowed Lilian Fairclough. With Lilian living in another country, Pietro thought that he would never see her ever again – so he is absolutely flabbergasted when he discovers that his well-meaning but interfering sister is good friends with Lilian’s cousin and had invited them to stay at his palazzo in Rome!

    Thrust together by fate into the most extraordinary of circumstances, Lilian and Pietro quickly find themselves giving into temptation and indulging in their feelings for one another. A secret and passionate affair soon ensues and Pietro makes Lilian feel like a woman for the first time in absolute ages, but while he may have no qualms about sharing his body with her, his heart is completely out of the question. With the two of them living in different countries, a long-term future would be impossible anyway…or is it? Will Pietro and Lilian find the courage to fight for their love? Or will they let this unexpected chance at happiness slip through their fingers?

    I’ve read every single one of Virginia Heath’s books and my bar for her novels is set very high, but she exceeds my expectations time and time again. With Lilian and the Irresistible Duke, she has written a heart-warming and emotional tale peppered with delicious wit, searing drama and heart-warming romance. Lilian and Pietro are two fabulous characters readers will fall in love with and care about. Their love story is mature, brilliantly nuanced and tender and touching.

    Virginia Heath never fails to deliver first class historical romances and with Lilian and the Irresistible Duke, she continues to prove to be one of the genre’s brightest and most gifted stars.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Proud Book Reviews
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fourth book in a series written by 4 authors, but that doesn't stop it from seamlessly continuing
    Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2020
    When I read the first like, 2 pages, of this book I instantly realised it was a sequel to Miss Amelia’s Mistletoe Marquees and then promptly realised that the series was one of a few I’ve noticed in the past few months where different authors write one book each in the series so they can be released quickly. Does anyone know where this trend is coming from? Coz I’m curious!

    The consistency of the character’s personalities across multiple authors was amazing. The fact that Lillian and Millie are quite similar was great. I’m assuming a lot of work had to go into getting these kinds of facts aligning, but I’m so glad they took the time to do it!

    For those that are reading multiple books in the series this means a lot. While also allowing each character to have their own unique voice and style as each book is written by someone new. Rather than feeling weird that the writing style was a bit different it was great!

    It allowed me to focus more on the story I was reading rather than why they felt too different, or too similar. And I was definitely engrossed in the story! Damn all those times I had to stop reading to get off a plane, to get ready for my new puppy and to have to go to the gym. Those times sucked!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Serendipity
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely gently romance
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this book, utterly charming. I liked that the main characters were in their 40’s and the descriptions of Italy and art.
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  • avidreader
    4.0 out of 5 stars A grown-up romance
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This story is quite different from the author's usual subject matter - I like her writing, and in this book she takes a slightly older couple, a woman with a grown-up family of her own, and a man who has endless casual relationships without ever wanting commitment, almost to the point of phobia. Meeting again in Italy, they embark, eyes wide open, on an affair which inevitably [this is a romance!] grows into something bigger and more lasting, despite neither of them seeking it. However, there is no sudden resolution to their relationship and there are revelations which give both parties pause for thought. Right through to the end, it is an adult story, treated in an adult way. Very enjoyable.
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