Series: Lady Travelers Society (Book 2)
She must secure her future
A lady should never be obliged to think of matters
financial! But when Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe's carefree, extravagant lifestyle
vanishes with the demise of her husband, her only hope lies in retrieving a
family treasure -- a Renaissance masterpiece currently in the hands of a
cunning art collector in Venice. Thankfully, the Lady Travelers Society has
orchestrated a clever plan to get Willie to Europe, leading a tour of mothers and
daughters…and one curiously attentive man.
He must reclaim his heritage
Dante Augustus Montague's one passion has long been his
family's art collection. He's finally tracked a long-lost painting to the
enchanting Lady Bascombe. Convinced that the canvas had been stolen, he will
use any means to reclaim his birthright -- including deception. But how long
before pretend infatuation gives way to genuine desire?
Now they're rivals for a prize that will change
everything
Willie and Dante know they're playing with fire in the
magical moonlit city. Their common quest could compromise them both…or lead
them to happily-ever-after.
This is a fun book to read, with an abundance of
interesting characters. The most interesting were Willie and Dante. Willie is a
young widow in financial difficulties. She and her husband had been part of a
fast set, and before his death, he ran up quite a lot of debt. By selling
everything possible, Willie paid off George's debts, but there is little left
for her. If she can get to Venice and pay off the last loan, she can retrieve a
family heirloom, sell it, and have enough to live on for a reasonable amount of
time. Her godmother offers Willie the job of hosting a tour for the Lady
Travelers Society which will get her to Venice. Willie has never set foot
outside England, but how hard can it be to lead two American women and their
daughters, an Englishwoman and her daughter, and the Englishwoman's brother.
There is more to Dane Montague than Willie knows. From a
long line of art-loving men, Dante recently became the director of his grandfather's
little known art gallery. He spent years in the study of art and business and
is determined to make a success of his grandfather's legacy. His best option is
to locate and retrieve a missing painting from a famous trio of artwork that he
believes was stolen, which he has traced to Willie. He will do anything to get
it back, including inveigle himself into the tour group.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the relationship
between Dante and Willie. Their first meeting set the tone, with amusing banter
and obvious sparks between them. Dante finds himself unexpectedly intrigued by
Willie, who is not at all what he expected. He's a bit wary as he was burned by
another woman who turned out to be not what she seemed either. Willie is
equally drawn to Dante but is also cautious. She has learned from the mistakes
of the past and doesn't intend to repeat them. Dante plans to use the time to
befriend Willie and therefore keep track of her and ultimately the painting. He
doesn't expect to actually like her, and it throws him entirely out of kilter. I
loved watching their friendship develop as they discover how much they enjoy
being together.
Dante is caught in a dilemma. The stronger his feelings
grow for Willie, the guiltier he feels about his deception. He knows he needs
to tell her the truth, but he keeps putting it off. His sister regularly scolds
him about it, warning him of what will happen if he doesn't tell her. When the
truth finally comes out, it's even worse than he expected. I ached for both of
them. Willie feels used and betrayed, and the loss of her trust in the man she
came to love was heartbreaking. I hurt for Dante too. He loves her deeply and
regrets his mistakes. Unfortunately, both of them are incredibly stubborn, and
the painting becomes an insurmountable obstacle. There's a brief truce
involving the actual retrieval of the painting, but it continues to come
between them. There are some exciting twists in the resolution of the problem
before Willie and Dante find their way back together. I loved Dante's grand
romantic gesture. It was sweet and over the top, as well as showing his
vulnerable side. The epilogue was great, though it did contain a bit of mystery
I'd love to have the answer to.
The secondary characters were fantastic and a huge part
of the story itself. The friendship that developed between Willie and Roz,
Jane, and Marian was fantastic. I loved how it showed the changes that Willie
experienced as she embraced her new life. Their support of her when she had her
troubles with Dante was fun to watch. They also looked out for her and provided
some much-needed advice to Dante. They were instrumental in retrieving the
painting in an unexpected way. I enjoyed their relationships with their
daughters, which weren't all that different than similar relationships today. The
daughters were great, each with their quirks and issues. The story of the unsuitable
suitor was an excellent addition, and I liked the method Dante used to deal
with it. The brief appearance of the Marquess of Brookings was hilarious, and I
laughed out loud at the scenes where he "helped" move Willie's
relationship with Dante along.
Another important "character" in the book is
the travel itself. I loved the details of the Paris Exhibition and the Eiffel
Tower and the shopping at Worth. The scene at Notre Dame was especially
poignant considering the recent fire there. I enjoyed the trivia from Genoa and
Verona, and the descriptions of Venice were vivid. I loved the changes in
Willie as she coped with all the challenges that arose during the traveling,
and the difference it made in the way she saw herself.
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