Review: Loving Lucianna by Joyce DiPastena w/Giveaway

 

Loving Lucianna: A Hearts in Autumn Romance by Joyce DiPastena

Paperback, 220 pages

Published October 11th 2014 by Sable Tyger Books 

My Source: I received a copy from the tour host in exchange for an honest review

Description: Sir Balduin de Soler gave up long ago on love. He never had the means to support a wife until an unexpected advancement in his fifties allows him to reassess his future just as the lovely Lucianna enters his life.

Lucianna Fabio harbors a secret, painful memory from her past that has kept her unwed, as well. Now in her forties, she thought herself too old to marry until she meets Sir Balduin. Now suddenly their lonely autumn lives feel very much like spring again . . . until Lucianna’s brother appears without warning and threatens to revive the secret that will destroy Lucianna’s second chance at love.

Tour Schedule for Loving Lucianna 

 

My Review: I really enjoyed the setting, as well as the story of two people, who assume they are past the age for marrying, finding one another and falling in love. The story was slow for me and it took me while to get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it.

The story has some humor, as well as a mystery. The reader will learn that Sir Baluin isn't a poet, by any means. When everything came out, Lucianna's reluctance made sense. She has a secret that she doesn't want shared, but when her brother shows up, she knows that nothing good can come of it.

Sir Balduin was very persistent and knew exactly what he wanted, while Lucianna was more hesitant. She was a little frustrating at times, because she seemed content with what was going on and they would suddenly look for little reasons to doubt her choice. She didn't seem to handle things in a very mature way, despite her physical age.  Of course, I thought the villain was perfect for the part.

A major theme that came through for me was the importance of family and relationships. I loved the emphasis placed on honoring ones word, too.

Content: Clean.

 

(3.5)

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About the Author:

 

Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist).

Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.

Connect with Joyce:  Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter

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