The Vision of a Viscountess (Widowers of the Aristocracy Book 2)

For the second time in his life, widower Jasper Henley finds himself proposing marriage to a woman after being caught kissing by a statue of Cupid in the gardens during a ball. His proposal sets off a whirlwind as he intends to marry Marianne Slater before sailing to Sicily on an archaeology expedition, an expedition that is to be their honeymoon. Marianne is happy to go along with these plans, as her fiancé sets her heart aflutter and her body humming.  During their trip, however, they uncover more than just ancient history as the past collides with the present.

Marianne and Jasper may not be star-crossed lovers but as a couple, they are well suited to one another and watching their relationship develop is charming.  Unfortunately, the plot line of their story lacks excitement as it centers around their mutual discovery of an enjoyable marriage bed and Jasper convincing Marianne that she is not only beautiful with her spectacles, but that she should get some new ones while they are in Sicily.  Fortunately, two other couples help the story progress.  One story is an old flame that is rekindled for a mature couple. The other is the start of a discreet homosexual relationship, not often seen in regency romance. Sadly, these two other romances stay on the periphery and while interesting, they don’t add much action or plot to the storyline of this book.   This stand-alone novel is rich with architectural and archeological details history buffs are sure to enjoy. 

Elissa Blabac