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Starred review for The Soldier:
"Captivating. . .Burrowes' sensual love story is intelligent and tender." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A genius with a terrible loss. . .
Gifted pianist Valentine Windham, youngest son of the Duke of Moreland, has little interest in his father's obsession to see his sons married, and instead pours passion into his music. But when Val loses his music, he flees to the country, alone and tormented by what has been robbed from him.
A widow with a heartbreaking secret. . .
Grieving Ellen Markham has hidden herself away, looking for safety in solitude. Her curious new neighbor offers a kindred lonely soul whose desperation is matched only by his desire, but Ellen's devastating secret could be the one thing that destroys them both.
Together they'll find there's no rescue from the past, but sometimes losing everything can help you find what you need most.
Praise for The Heir:
"Sweet, sexy, tender romance between two characters so vibrant they seem to leap off the page." — Meredith Duran, author of Wicked Becomes You
"Burrowes' enchanting romance charms from the beginning!" — RT Book Reviews, 4 starts
"Refreshing. . .a luminous and graceful erotic Regency." — Publishers Weekly
"A wonderful historical romance that I absolutely could not put down. The passion between Ellen and Val literally leaps off of the page." - Eva's Sanctuary
"A delightful couple who were good people whose relationship grew and deepened with time.... Definite heat and passion between these two." - Love to Read for Fun
"Burrowes transports readers back in time and fills them with love and longing..." - Debbie's Book Bag
"I always enjoy Burrowes' writing, and The Virtuoso was no exception." - Sexy Women Read
"Burrowes really knows how to build chemistry and relationships..." - Books Like Breathing
"A must-read for fans of historicals... [Burrowes'] writing is a fresh twist to the genre." - The Romance Reader
LASR_Reviews
Posted October 26, 2011
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.
Read the Full Review at the Long and Short of It Romance Reviews
5 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LauraO
Posted October 18, 2011
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.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 16, 2011
please.
3 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 4, 2011
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.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AnnieMayB
Posted May 27, 2013
Ohh and did I mention that list includes a tall, darkly handsome man with enchanting green eyes and a big, strong, loving heart. I have read almost all of Grace Burrowes' books and finished each with a sappy smile plastered to my face and a warm place in my heart for the hero and heroine. She does excellent historical research, using her information to develop situations, dialogue, and characters that exactly suit her story. I read a lot of books from almost every category and there are only a few romantic writers who I buy simply based on their name. Grace Burrowes has become one of those writers' for me. I will happly return again and again to the Duke's family and descendents to see what remarkable and interesting stories they are willing to share with me. And to anyone who scoffs at this family's honor and says it is not keeping with history, I can only say perhaps not, but isn't this the way it should have been?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 1, 2012
I don't think I red the same book as the others reviewers. I thought it like the others in the serie, boring! All books in this serie are the same, changing just the characters. All women in this series have a secret and they don't trust on their men. In the beginning until the end is the same thing. The men fell in love with them and even then the women don't tell what is their secret, is annoying.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 16, 2011
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.
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Posted December 6, 2011
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.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.calyssa1223
Posted August 12, 2011
PLEASE
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.nana-et-al
Posted January 11, 2013
This is the third book in Miss Burrowes series about the Windham family. Each book has been excellent. Love the family dynamics as well as the individual stories. There is always lots of love, warmth and mystery in each book. In Virtuoso, Valentine Windham, the youngest son of the Duke of Moreland whose passion it is to see his son married with children, is a gifted pianist. When he finds he can no longer play the piano, his torment drives him into the countryside. There he meets his new neighbor, Ellen Markham, who is as alone and desperate as he is. She's hiding a secret that could bring destruction to them both. As in her other books there is that special love and warmth of family and friends that permeates her books.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 4, 2012
This one in the series was not my favorite, but still a great book. Nicely developed characters.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Babygirlsa
Posted April 13, 2012
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"
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Kkennedy
Posted March 18, 2012
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 !
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.QueenofBooksSue
Posted March 4, 2012
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.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 3, 2012
I enjoyed the story and characters so much. I bought more Grace Burrows books.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 25, 2012
This is the third book in this series and I have enjoyed all three.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Teresa51
Posted January 22, 2012
I fell in love with Valentine. A must read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 27, 2011
Read three of her books. Good characters. Super fun.
Anonymous
Posted December 23, 2011
Third in the series, they just keep getting better. Can't wait to start reading about the sisters.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.123reader456
Posted September 28, 2011
Needs be available in ebook format.
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Overview
Starred review for The Soldier:
"Captivating. . .Burrowes' sensual love story is intelligent and tender." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A genius with a terrible loss. . .
Gifted pianist Valentine Windham, youngest son of the Duke of Moreland, has little interest in his father's obsession to see his sons married, and instead pours passion into his music. But when Val ...