The Virgin's Secret [Mass Market Paperback]

Victoria Alexander (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009

Even the least sensible woman knew, upon meeting his gaze, that here was a man who was more than he might at first appear, who might steal the heart of even the most resistant woman. But oh, what a lovely theft!

Adventurer Nathanial Harrington would never steal another man's discovery. And he'd never be so dishonorable as to tempt an untouched woman into his bed . . . even one as stunningly beautiful as Gabriella Montini. Yet she intrigues him. What is her secret? Nate would do anything to find out.

Nathanial is an earl's son—but Gabriella knows he's not to be trusted! He's more than just a mere thief of hearts, he's also stolen her brother's good name. Determined to restore his reputation, she'd even masquerade as a destitute orphan and be taken into his family's home. But how can she continue her ruse when she finds herself succumbing to Nathanial's passionate charms?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Launching a series of adventure-flavored historical romances, Alexander (Seduction of a Proper Gentleman) describes Victorian-era amateur archeology as a cutthroat business. Gabriella Montini, mourning her slain brother, is determined to continue his quest for a priceless ancient seal that could help locate the lost city of Ambropia. When Gabriella breaks into the home of a man she suspects of hiding the seal, his brother, handsome adventurer Nathaniel Harrington, catches her and insists on joining her mission. Episodes of skulking and confrontation ensue through the ballrooms, mansions and bedrooms of London. Gabriella is a likable heroine with a few secrets of her own, and Nathaniel proves easy to love. A pleasant subplot describes Gabriella's reunion with her late mother's family. Two additional seals and Nathaniel's two brothers will presumably require two sequels. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Victoria Alexander was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and has never looked back. Victoria grew up traveling the country as an Air Force brat and is now settled in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two teenaged children, and a bearded collie named Sam. She firmly believes housework is a four-letter word, there are no calories in anything eaten standing up, procrastination is an art form, and it's never too soon to panic.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061449474
• ISBN-13: 978-0061449475
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #736,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.

Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written twenty-four full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife--originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008--hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.

Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON'T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.

During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She's interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor's helicopter. She's covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II's historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter's school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She's never looked back.

Victoria is a former president of the Omaha Press Club and in 2009 was named an OPC Face on the Barroom Floor. A caricature portrait of her joined previous faces including presidents, sports figures and politicians in a tradition that began in 1971.

Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.

Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband, a son in college and a daughter working in film.

Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam, the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie has now taken on the position of loyal companion and is doing a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!

They live in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal--she has to.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A misleading title for an exhilarating adventure., April 30, 2009

By 

Detra Fitch "Always hunting good books." (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Virgin's Secret (Mass Market Paperback)

Enrico Montini found an ancient Akkadian seal with reference to the Virgin's Secret of the lost city of Ambropia. It is one of three seals that (together) would reveal the location of the city itself. When Enrico went to present the seal to the Antiquities Society he discovered it had been stolen and a false seal left in its place. Enrico was discredited and died shortly thereafter.

Gabriella, Enrico's sister, believes the seal was stolen by one of the Harrington brothers. While searching the Harrington's library, she is caught. The Harrington brothers are sons of the Earl of Wyldewood. After hearing Gabriella's tale, Countess Wyldewood insists they help Gabriella in her quest. Believing Gabriella alone in the world and in financial trouble, the countess offers her a room in their home. Nathanial "Nate", the youngest, agrees to help Gabriella. Nate and Gabriella had danced at a ball recently and their attraction to each other is demanding. So while residing in the same home they can not only keep an eye on each other, but also team up to learn the identity of the real thief and recover the seal to clear the Montini name. And perhaps, if Fate smiles upon them, Gabriella and Nate may take a leap of faith.

***** This is the first of a series about three brothers. Though they are sons of an earl, these brothers love to explore the world and discover artifacts, much like Indiana Jones. I can only hope the two other brothers' stories will be as exciting as this one is. The author created the heroine, Gabriella, to be loyal, brave, and incredibly intelligent. No wimpy lady for this exhilarating adventure. I could not help but admire the earl's entire family. Each member is totally unique in their own way. The author even goes so far as to give each their own set of quirks and personality. Victoria Alexander has outdone herself yet again! Brava! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic start to a new series!, May 1, 2009

By 

Andrea W - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Virgin's Secret (Mass Market Paperback)

There are some authors who are guaranteed to make me shed a tear while reading their emotionally written story and there are some authors who never fail to make me smile and even laugh while reading the witty banter in their delightfully, sexy romp. Victoria Alexander always delivers on the latter. With The Virgin's Secret, Ms. Alexander does just that and begins a new series about an aristocratic family of treasure hunters.

Nathanial Harrington and his brothers, Sterling and Quinton, have longed for adventure from the time they found their great-grandmother's journal in an old trunk when they were children and discovered that their distant relative had been a smuggler (The Perfect Wife). Since then, Sterling had become the Earl of Wyldewood while Nate and Quint went on to complete their studies and travel abroad searching for antiques and antiquities in foreign lands. The discovery of those artifacts and what they represent is Nate's motivation, while the money they would bring in from museums or collectors is Quint's drive. Despite their differences, they make a great team. Their sister's coming out brings them both back to London and, unbeknownst to them, another adventure.

After her half brother's humiliation and untimely death, Gabriella Montini makes it her mission to restore his reputation. A year before, Enrico Montini claimed to have found an ancient Akkadian seal that made reference to the location of the Virgin's Secret, the lost city of Ambropia. When he presented what he thought was the seal to the Validation and Allocation Committee of the London Antiquities Society, he was discredited when it turned out to be fake and he lost his temper in the process. He suspected that someone switched the seal and wrote letters to Gabriella stating that and naming four possible suspects--two of which were Quinton and Nathanial Harrington. After breaking into the Harringtons' London home to search for evidence, Gabriella is caught and uses her wits and intelligence to procure an invitation to stay after explaining to the family about her brother and the seal.

Both Nate and Quint are familiar with Gabriella's story and Nate, who is instantly attracted to the beautiful young woman, offers to help her in any way he can. As they work together to restore Montini's name, more surprises emerge and Nate wonders which would be the greater adventure, the quest or the woman. And which would be the greater find?

I absolutely adore Gabriella and the fact that she is a remarkably brilliant young woman. She has earned a certificate at Queen's College, earned one university degree and still studies ancient civilizations, history, archeology, myths, legends and anything else that would prove useful to her brother's work. She is fluent in nine languages and remembers everything she's ever read. Does this intimidate Nathanial? Absolutely not. In fact, it makes him appreciate and respect her all the more. And this not only makes him an exceptional hero, but also leads to a great deal of witty repartee full of sexual tension between the two. Their exchanges positively sparkle. Some even had me laughing and made my reading experience that much more enjoyable. Ms. Alexander hints at what might occur in future stories and this one certainly leaves readers begging for more. I, for one, am positively bursting at the seams for the next in this exciting new series. Be sure to pick this one up!

Andrea
Romance Novel TV
4.75 stars

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery, romance & multitude of evil characters...., June 9, 2009

By 

cb (Minot, ND) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Virgin's Secret (Mass Market Paperback)

I took this book everywhere I went for 24 hours - so if I had a spare moment I could escape back in time. Nathanial Harrington comes from a large boisterous family. His brother is an Earl and his family has been treasure hunters for generations. Gabriella Montini wants to find her deceased brother's stolen artifact and she finds herself breaking into Harrington family home ... only to be caught. The treasure hunt, multitude of evil character, the romance and the knowledge that this is only the being of a great series made for his a delicious book. Looking forward to her next book Believe( due out - Nov 24, 2009)

If you enjoy this genre I would also suggest; Vexing the Viscount (Leisure Historical Romance), Sins of a Wicked Duke (Historical Romance) and Confessions of a Little Black Gown.