Virtuoso

Engaging Read

The Virtuoso bears out the saying that "When one door closes, fortune will usually open another". Bereft at being denied his music, Valentine (Val) Windham plans to bury himself in the refurbishing of a rundown manor. However, the gentle, unassuming Ellen FitzEngle, once the mistress of the old manor, opens new feelings, hopes, and purpose for Val.

Deciding how to do justice to a story so revealing of emotions that range from the depth of misery to ecstasy while it entertains with subtle humor, understatements that sparkle, descriptions that bring places and people to life in one's imagination, plus a tension building undercurrent of downright meanness, takes some thinking about.

This book stands alone in its completeness. However, it is the third book of the trilogy about the sons of the Duke of Moreland. If you read The Heir and The Soldier, The Virtuoso will catch you up on the Windhams you already know and will bring into bright focus the youngest of the sons, Valentine, who has always felt like a misfit that his father did not understand.

With his music Valentine gave one of his brothers a lifeline when war and traumatic stress had dragged him to his own personal hell. His music soothed the misery of another brother, allowing him to rest when pain wracked his body, and little Winnie's nightmares abated with help from her Uncle Val's music. Valentine had enchanted great audiences with his amazing music. Now, he must give up his music for an undetermined length of time, maybe forever. Music is his muse, his mistress, his soul's home. How will he fill his days?

His lucrative businesses function well without him, so he and his friend Darius Lindsey go to a dilapidated manor Val won from Fredrick Markham, the new Baron Roxbury, a devious wastrel young Lord who was known to sell his vote in Parliament to the highest bidder-along with other mean, reprehensible doings that furnish him with money.

"She's waited for me" is Val's first thought when he sees the neglected yet elegant, graceful, serene manor; all at once he has purpose in life. But oh, my, that which is just a short distance through woods brings even more purpose to his life.

Ellen FitzEngle, widow of the former Baron of Roxbury lives in a cottage there among her flowers, herbs, fruit trees and vegetable garden along with Marmalade, her cat. Even with the beauty and bounty she creates, Ellen cannot dispel the guilt, grief, and fear that dogs her tracks in the day and haunts her nights. On the outside, she has a graceful serenity about her, yet on the inside she feels inconsequential and unworthy of love and the station in life that should be hers.

As new neighbors and acquaintances from time past, Val and Ellen forge a unique connection. They soothe each other's deepest wounds while standing together against a common adversary. Their love that grows and the gentle erotic love scenes are breathtaking.

The many truly interesting secondary characters help propel the plot along and create sub-plots as they fill in needed back story and actions-some humorous, some intriguing, and others dangerous and devious. The interactions of all the characters reveal life in and around a small village in the Regency time of English history.

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4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Great addition to the series

I was so surprised when I saw this in print version - I have no idea why they wouldn't have released it as a nookbook at the same time! This book was great If you liked the first two, you will love this one. Without the addition of a third person to the relationship (Anna's sister in Gayle's story, and Winnie in St. Just's story) there is more time for just Val and Ellen.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A True Symphony

Another beautiful story about the power of familial love and the bonds of friendship. This author does a great job portraying strong male relationships that either leave you laughing or teary eyed. I really enjoyed the romance of Val and Ellen, although the ending seemed rushed to me. It would be great if we could get a story about the romance of Percy and Esther, the Duke and Duchess.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

need in nook book.

please.

2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Grace is great

Her books have all hit it out of the ball park. The heir, the soldier and this book have not let me down.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

In keeping with the "time"

I love Ms. Burrowes books because while they are written in the Victorian error, they depict that people are real even thought they lived in a time of oppressive expression they still had lives of love and standards of morality. Ms. Burrowes also improve the vocabulary with her lively and interesting vernacular of the time.
She also writes family life and love between siblings in an interesting and delightful way. I love the Windhams, their friends and family.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

waiting for the nook version to be released

PLEASE

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

"THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL LOVER STORY" WONDERFUL:D

Do yourself a favor and read all of the books about this family; starting with this one. It is going to be hard to put the books down. The name of the series is called " The Duke's Obession"

Very good book

If you have read the other two books you will enjoy this one just as much and if you haven't you will want to read them after you get done with this one! Enjoy !

Excellent book

In the book "The Virtuoso" you meet Valentine Windham, younger son of the Duke of Moreland. His father doesn't understand Val's passion for his music. When Val loses his music, he flees to the country, alone and lonely to rebuild an estate he won in a card game. Then he meets his neighbor, Ellen Markham, the woman he kissed in the forest many years ago and never forgot. They are both wounded souls who come together to make perfect music. I loved this new book by Grace Burrowes. She is a very gifted author and I can't wait until the next book comes out.

Loved it!

I enjoyed the story and characters so much. I bought more Grace Burrows books.

Very enjoyable.

This is the third book in this series and I have enjoyed all three.

Brilliant!!!

I fell in love with Valentine. A must read.

Rre Reader

Read three of her books. Good characters. Super fun.

Great Book

Third in the series, they just keep getting better. Can't wait to start reading about the sisters.

The other books in the series are quite good.

Needs be available in ebook format.

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