Description
By Rebecca W. Martin
Rome—once the heart of an empire, now the heart of the Catholic Church—has witnessed many love stories. When the Eternal City draws together a Swiss Guard and an American expat, a modern-day romance blooms in the shadow of Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Haunted by a broken engagement and betrayed by her best friend, Elena Gattino travels to Rome for a new job and the hope of a new life. Fueled by pasta and bolstered by prayer, she becomes brave enough to forge new friendships with the Rechsteiner siblings as she explores Rome and finds her footing at work.
Benedikt Rechsteiner is comfortable serving in the Swiss Guard, even if he recognizes his life lacks a special something…or someone. Simmering family tensions and uncertainty about his future have left Beni wary of relationships, but his unexpected feelings for Elena challenge him to face his fears.
Soon, Beni and Elena’s friendship turns into more, thanks to the matchmaking meddling of a Vatican spymaster, a Swiss Guard comrade-in-arms, and Beni’s overenthusiastic yet lovable sister. But then Elena’s past follows her to Rome, putting her in danger that even Beni may not be able to save her from. And if Beni wants to be with Elena, he’ll need to discern where his own future lies—and reconcile with his father after years of bitterness. Can the two forge a relationship strong enough to withstand the suffering that comes their way? Or will the tensions of their own lives pull them apart?
Barb Szyszkiewicz (verified owner) –
At last: a heroine who isn’t perfect and doesn’t try to pretend she is! Elena’s fiance and best friend betrayed her professionally and romantically, and her confidence is shaken by continuing panic attacks after a terrifying cyberstalking situation. Seeking a new start, she heads to Rome with a scrubbed social media profile and a new job, only to meet Benedikt (Beni), a Swiss Guard who’s spent his life failing to measure up to his father’s expectations.
Working in the Vatican, Elena and Beni are in frequent contact with highly-ranked clergy, including the pope, and both the pope and Elena’s boss inject wisdom and humor in difficult situations. Those two characters charmed me from their first mention, and one of them has made it his mission to get the Elena and Beni together.
There’s a surprising espionage subplot, a couple of kindly landlords, and a not-so-little stepsister who becomes a BFF to Elena and a friend to her older brother Beni.
All in all, this is a charming novel with engaging characters–and I guarantee you’ll be hoping those characters get engaged, pretty much as soon as you meet them. It’s a lovely read.
Elizabeth Baruzzini (verified owner) –
Let me say, first and foremost, that I am not usually a romcom reader. I’m not sure why, but that genre just hasn’t grabbed me in the past. But this book! This book absolutely, 100% grabbed me. This book deserves all the exclamation points, all the praise, and all the emphasis on the genuine delight of this story and characters! “Love in the Eternal City” is a new favorite; it will be a comfort read for me, one I’ll return to time and again. The setting — Rome sweet home — is perfect, and the author describes everything in a way that so clearly echoes lived experience and excellent research. Throughout the novel, and in various locales around the Eternal City, there’s a steady, realistic sense of place. On a related note, the bits and pieces of information about the Swiss Guards, Church history, and the like were both interesting and organic to the flow of the plot. This is a story that feels truly, authentically Catholic, and not just because of the setting. The main characters, Beni and Elena, are authentic, multifaceted, and strong in their faith; their friendship and love story is the kind of literary example I’d like to see more often. They’re written as real people with real baggage, but with the moral backbone to pursue virtue and the good nature to see the lighter side of life along the way. I also appreciated and related to plot points involving past mistakes/trials, mental health struggles, and the necessity of trust in God’s plan no matter what. The story has well-crafted themes, but at the same time, it doesn’t try to say everything about everything (which is a very good thing). Instead, the author tells the story in a way that’s always engaging, heartfelt, and meaningful — and the result is a wonderful novel that will certainly be loved by newcomers to the genre (like myself) as well as long-time romcom fans. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this series!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Lindsay Rankin (verified owner) –
I love this book so much! Everything about this book made me feel like I was right there with the characters! The setting is beautifully described, the characters have great character development, and I loved seeing them grow and change for the better while they fell in love. It’s always so beautiful to see characters growing because they want to for themselves, and because of the inspiration and support of the ones they love.
There is so much I could say about Beni and Elena, but the biggest thing is how real they felt. Their emotions, their struggles, their joys, and their growing feelings for each other are wonderfully detailed, and I felt like they were both old friends of mine while I was reading because they just felt so real to me. I also loved the side characters! They often stole the show when they were on the page, which I loved because it made reading this book even more fun.
And oh, the setting! I felt like I was walking the streets of Rome again. This book made me think of so many of my memories from my Rome semester, which made me so happy and nostalgic while I was reading. I really wish I had some gelato right now!
I loved how faith is naturally woven throughout this book. It’s authentically Catholic, and it was beautiful to see the characters living their faith throughout their daily lives. I loved that part of the book so much!
This book is funny and sweet, with deeper themes and wonderful character development. There is also an element of suspense which made me happy, and it is was so much fun to wonder what would happen next! I love it so much, and I’m so happy I got to read it! I highly recommend this beautiful book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Monica Chenet –
We all know how busy life can be, and despite what my professional academic husband might say (we must forgive him, he exists on a different plane), sometimes your brain just can’t handle Crime and Punishment or Mobey Dick (sorry, dear husband), And that’s where Love in the Eternal City comes in like a delightful time-warp to keep you reading and loving the written word, refreshing you until you can jump into the deep end again. I’ve felt so down lately about wanting to read romance and not finding anything that was in any way really enjoyable or fulfilling. I like romance as much as the next girl, but that’s where I like it to end, thanks. The author herself describes the novel as “virtuous fluff”, and it will give you that breath of fresh air you need to continue on the drudge of daily life. I’ve been disappointed by my fair share of Christian romance (I’ll bet you have too), but this met every expectation and more!
(I was not paid for this review but was a member of the launch party and boy-howdy I’m glad I was! All opinions are my own!)
Mary Woods (verified owner) –
Humor, heart, and faith meet in this delightful romance set in contemporary Rome. When Elena, a young American woman, arrives in the Eternal City, dating is the last thing on her mind. She has a new job, new friends, and is determined to make a fresh start after a disastrous former relationship wrecked both her career and her mental health. But then she encounters Benedikt, a Swiss Guard serving at the Vatican, and his bubbly younger sister Rianna. As Elena’s friendship with the siblings grows, she finds herself—despite her broken past—falling for Benedikt’s strong and caring personality. Benedikt is falling for her, too, but he has his own set of struggles: uncertainty about his future and estrangement from his wealthy, demanding father.
As the two begin to navigate a new relationship, they must grow in trust and faith—both in God and in each other—in order to find healing. Fortunately, they have a host of loving friends to support them, including Rianna, Benedikt’s fellow guards, a monsignor who also happens to be the Vatican spymaster, and even the Holy Father himself.
As a reader, I almost never pick up contemporary romance, but I found this book highly enjoyable. It strikes a lovely balance between rom-com humor and the more serious themes of spiritual discernment and mental/emotional struggles. The author’s descriptions of life in Rome are written with great love and attention to detail. Also, the behind-the-scenes look at the Swiss Guards and their daily work is fascinating. I learned a lot about them that I never knew!
In short, this book is a wonderful clean Catholic romance with a lot of laughs, a strong faith element, and even a dash of action and intrigue. It was a light, easy read that left me smiling and satisfied. Highly recommended!
Megan (verified owner) –
I went into this book not knowing exactly what to expect since it’s from a debut author and I haven’t read a lot of Catholic romance books, but the cover grabbed my eye and the synopsis intrigued me. I was not disappointed! If you didn’t know this was the authors first book you wouldn’t be able to tell it from reading it. It was so well done! The setting of Rome made me feel like I was there, visiting the actual places in real life. I loved getting to “visit” Italy for the first time.
The characters were so well written. The romance between Elena and Beni was just scrumptious. I appreciated the fact that Elena isn’t your typical skinny heroine. Instead she struggles with some extra weight gain, and the feelings of trying to accept yourself that come along with that issue. I admired how Beni still found her attractive, and how he wasn’t perfect either.
I wasn’t expecting the mental health angle of the book, but it was very well done and fit in perfectly. The author perfectly captured the struggles that we all go through at times, while still offering hope that it doesn’t have to overcome us.
There was also some intrigue and suspense in the book, with regards to Beni’s job as a Swiss Guard and Elena’s difficult relationship with her ex, Chris. It kept me turning the pages to see how it would all turn out. I loved this story, the characters and setting so much! I’m excited that its the first in a series, though it can easily be a stand alone story as well. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher; all opinions are my own.
Candide –
Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca W. Martin was a great read!
I really enjoyed the place it takes you to. I’ve never been to Vatican City and now I would like to go and visit 🙂
The character were well developped and I could easily identify with Elena and Benedikt was perfect for her 🙂
I didn’t know anything about the Swiss Guards but I could tell that Rebecca did extensive research and her description and details were really appreciated.
— I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. —
Benita J. Thompson –
When I learned about this book’s existence, I thought “oh cool, I like romcoms and I’ve only ever read like one Catholic one, maybe I’ll check it out.”
Then I read it.
I melted a million times, cried, laughed, and lay awake for half an hour after finally putting my phone down at midnight (and I have a baby who doesn’t sleep through the night, so that’s saying something), smiling uncontrollably over how much I adore this book. I’m pretty sure haven’t fallen in love with a book so hard since The Lord of the Rings.
First and foremost, I was not expecting the mental health arc, and it was OH so good. Perfectly realistic, relatable in parts, and even helped me see some people in my life in a new way.
Then the characters’ faith, so beautifully represented and an incredible witness to the richness and depth of the Catholic Faith. It was seamlessly woven into the story, never preachy, and truly inspiring. The redemption and healing arcs were so moving!
All the characters, adorable and perfectly lovable. The Monsignor? The POPE??? (Side note, one chapter is entitled “If You Give the Pope a Pinecone”, which I feel is important.)
The humour—I highlighted a bunch of lines on my Kindle, which I NEVER do:
‘Beni has to pry my fingers off his waist. Mid-travel, I went from hands-off to hands very much on. I probably gave him an accidental Heimlich maneuver.’
“You are an empty-headed buffoon,” Oscar says in the tone of someone reciting a shopping list. “You have the brain of a sea slug and less common sense than a rabbit. Your reputation is doomed to be lower than dirt, and the best future you can hope for is as a garbage collector for a scientific base at the South Pole. There, I’ve forestalled your self-flagellation.”
“Oh, your son provides some excellent amenities,” I blurt out. “Have you seen his muscles?”
‘“Andiamo! Get to the hospital, he’s losing consciousness,” Monsignor Mercadante yells and slams the door shut.’ (spoiler alert, he is not losing consciousness)
In conclusion, if you want the best book you will ever read, go get this one without delay. It’s light enough to enjoy when you’re tired, but with plenty of depth. I’m getting a print copy as soon as it releases, and I’m gonna reread it so many times it’s not even funny. (The book is, though.)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher; all opinions are my own.
Joanna –
Wow! a book about adults actually intentionally dating! A miracle!
The author’s website describes this book as “virtuous fluff” and honestly that’s the perfect description. It’s fluffy. It’s a romance. Almost everything is perfect with clearly defined problems to face, and then we get a great happy ending. (that’s what we want and need sometimes) but it’s also so wonderfully wholesome and cute! And this is a kissing book! It’s not a prudish, restrictive, “we can’t touch each other” story. It’s just life! Plus some
adventures (I gasped out loud once – SO exciting!) so it’s not just romance romance romance, but also life stuff like jobs, and also spies, hand to hand combat, secret missions, and intrigue!
All of the side characters are absolute gems (the Pope makes a few cameos! And I think he’s from Texas?!?)
I loved reading this book, and I also loved reading all the review of this book. 100% agree with all of them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Lana Spelliscy –
What a satisfying read! This book takes the reader on a wonderful journey through the streets of Rome and the Vatican as the characters learn to face life, love, setbacks, forgiveness, and finding the path God has for each of them. The way forward is not easy but realistic so all readers can relate and even learn from the characters. The rich and detailed description transports the reader to Rome, complete with a longing for gelato.
This book has a great balance of romance with real life issues being tackled. Elena needs to deal with mental health issues, brought on by a previous relationship that has threatened so much for her. Beni has so many questions about where his life should be heading and where God belongs in it all. Enter the sigh worthy romance that develops between these two. Rebecca Martin has crafted a wonderful story that inspires, teaches, and leaves the reader smiling after the last page.
This book is written with a Catholic perspective and characters who are actively participating in their faith. It is nice to see faith worked seamlessly worked into everyday life within the pages of this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Jeanti Steenkamp –
“Love in the Eternal City” by Rebecca W. Martin is a delightful romance that brings the magic of Rome to life. The book does an amazing job of showcasing the city’s culture and history, with fascinating insights into the Vatican and the Swiss Guards, offering readers a fresh perspective on the Catholic faith.
Elena, an American trying to find herself in the city she loves after a broken engagement, takes on a new job in Rome. There, she forms strong relationships with Benedikt, a Swiss Guard who feels something is missing in his life and his sister. Benedikt’s life is complicated by simmering family tensions and uncertainty about his future, leaving him wary of relationships. However, his unexpected feelings for Elena push him to confront his fears and reconsider what he truly wants.
Their relationship is beautifully developed, showing how love can grow even when you’re dealing with past hardships. The pacing is just right, and the mix of romance, intrigue, and a bit of suspense keeps things interesting.
This book isn’t just a love story—it’s also a celebration of faith, culture, and the timeless charm of the Eternal City. I couldn’t put it down and would recommend it to anyone looking for a heartfelt, engaging read set in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Maggie Rosario –
While romantic comedy is not the first genre that comes to mind, nor to hand, when I am in search of a good novel, Love in the Eternal City provided me a very enjoyable foray into such ranks of novels.
Amid the ranks of rom com, this novel certainly stands out. I am confident that Rebecca Martin presents something better than any popular you will find in mainstream media, offering glimpses of real love rather than modern substitutes. Aside from cringing a bit at the sugar sweet romance, I was thrilled to read a novel that sanctifies human love rather than depreciating it into something merely emotional or physical. It was a refreshingly clean romance!
There is something very hopeful and joyous about Martin’s novel placement in our modern day. I was delighted by the masterful storytelling that made it possible to read a love story which was rather fairy-tale like, despite its setting in the 21st Century. We still need moments to feel like royalty today!
Even better than the skillful weaving of fairytale into the modern was the weaving of Catholic faith and tradition into a lively novel. Readers get to visit the holy places of Rome not only as a reading tourist but with a lively sense of God’s presence in the grand sights. Rather than facing the problems of life and love alone, there is a fortifying presence of the divine throughout.
Altogether, Love in the Eternal City was fun, witty, and good for the soul.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this novel so that I might provide an honest review. All opinions and views expressed are solely my own.
Kelsey Gietl (verified owner) –
Love in the Eternal City was a fun ride through the streets and sites of the Vatican, many of which I hadn’t even heard of. For example, who knew there was a Death Star in Vatican City? The romance of this story was a wonderful blend of rom-com and romantic suspense, all based in Catholicism which I absolutely loved. Faith in Christ was woven throughout the novel, showing both its importance and also the frustrations and doubts even the most devout person can experience. It certainly dug deeper emotionally than the typical rom-com with the thread of cyberstalking and mental health. Rebecca W. Martin portrayed the signs of depression realistically and with compassion, showing how often the person experiencing depression doesn’t even realize that’s what they’re experiencing. Overall, a great read and I’m looking forward to the sequel.