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.