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Roman Spring
Destination: Rome
Attractions: the Colosseum, Vatican City...and Nicolo Sabatini
New World woman versus Old World man -- it's more than just a culture clash when American fashion model Caroline Bishop meets Prince Nicolo Sabatini. Certainly to a woman of the nineties, this Roman hunk's views on love are as antiquated as the ruins of his city. And, given half a chance, perhaps as eternal...
Attractions: the Colosseum, Vatican City...and Nicolo Sabatini
New World woman versus Old World man -- it's more than just a culture clash when American fashion model Caroline Bishop meets Prince Nicolo Sabatini. Certainly to a woman of the nineties, this Roman hunk's views on love are as antiquated as the ruins of his city. And, given half a chance, perhaps as eternal...
155 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
11 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Marton
577 books542 followersI've been a writer, one way or another, all my life. Before I could read, I made up poems and my mom wrote them down for me. In elementary school, my teachers almost always let me write poems or stories instead of requiring me to do art projects. Always, I dreamed of becoming a published writer...and that dream came true! I write novels about sexy, powerful men and independent-minded women, and what happens when they find each other and fall in love. My books are sexy and romantic, and they've very often full of romantic suspense. I write the kinds of books I love to read, and I hope that makes my readers happy.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 26, 2018
Re Roman Spring - Sandra Marton gets the June 1994 Postcards from Europe slot. Gather up your sixpence and prepare to make a wish at the Trevi Fountain, this time we are going to Rome.
SM decided to follow in the steps of Emma Darcy's and Charlotte Lamb's HP h Must Gulp the Kool-Aid theme for the month, but this time we get an arrogant Roman Prince who is obsessed with the American Model h who really wants to become a clothing designer and only took up runway modeling for the insider fashion experience.
( SM must have been a big Tennessee Williams fan, cause there was some distinct overtones of the prostitution degradation of the The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone woven throughout this, and as per HPlandia rule #1, the H's bad behavior is ALWAYS the fault of the h, this h is going to suffer for the H's extreme biases. )
So the book starts with the h in the middle of a terrible fashion show. The designer is an idiot and the h is less than pleased with the short and tight red dress she is forced into. Unfortunately for the h, she signed a dodgy modeling contract and has six months to go to finish it. (It is one of those deals where the agency imports foreign models and then charges them for all their stuff, so the h will wind up owing them money.)
The H is at the charity fashion show as well, he has escorted his very elderly, but very nice grandma, who sees the h and is startled by her resemblance to a very favorite female relative. The incredibly rich but very rigidly staid Ancient Prince H has a very poor opinion of any woman who is pretty and not his Nona.
Gramma's favorite female relative was also the H's big love infatuation, but she wanted a party type lifestyle and dumped his hiney for a string of men who would give her one and now the H believes that all beautiful women are Tarty McTartletts on the make for the lucrative party lifestyle option, even if they have to sell themselves to do it.
The HP Lurve Mojo Force kicks in by page three and the H is assured by a pimpmaster friend that any of the ladies at the fashion show can be had for the right price, so the H zeros in on the h and we just know that things aren't going to go well. The h knows a subtle proposition when she sees it eyeballing her and stripping her down, so she isn't exactly nice to the H. She does like the H's Nona tho, so the night isn't a complete loss.
Then SM's deus ex machina moves kick in and the h's agency isn't paying the models. The H steps in with an offer to hire the h and buys her contract and there is lots and lots of bickering as the H assumes the h is a tart for sale and the h takes offense at that. The h also has been trying to get an internship or bottom of the rung job in an Italian design house, but the H's contract offer scuppers that as he cons her into going from Milan to Rome to see his now ill Nona.
When the h gets to the H's house, she thinks it is for a quick visit. However the H is the Prince of Pay As You Play Womanizers and he cozens the h into staying as his Nona's paid companion. There are roofie kisses, verbal battles and lots of Tarty Tramp comments by the extremely arrogant domineering H. The h gives as good as she gets verbally, but the Treacherous Body Syndrome wins in the end and we wind up in big lurve club moment after an extensive tour of Rome and it's sights and a wishing session at the Trevi Fountain.
The next day the h is infuriated all over again as the H promises an apartment, a designer clothing internship and whatever else the h wants if she will continue to lurve him up in her special purple passion style. The h tells the H she isn't a mistress and he is putzy slime gulper, then wrapping her broken heart in cotton wool, she takes off for Brooklyn New York.
The h has her mopey moments, but she doesn't lay around whining or mourning. The h gets herself into design school and is very excited cause she thinks she is going to intern for Chanel in Paris. Sadly, the Paris bit falls through and the h is sent back to Rome.
While she is interning under a real fashion designer in Rome, there is a model crisis and her mentor asks her to step in for a catwalk model. The H's pimpmaster friend notices her and the H arranges for his own private catwalk show later that day. The fashion designer is quite happy to pimp the h out when the H explains that his Nona will buy the designer's entire collection and the H drags the h off to the Roman Forum Boarium (which is an ancient cattle market.)
In the Forum Boarium, the H leads the h to the Bocca della Verità (otherwise known as the Mouth of Truth,) a big marble masque of a lion type figure with an open mouth that is hung in the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church. The legend is that if you put your hand into the mouth of the mask and lie, the mask will bite your hand off.
In true dramatic HPlandia style, the H makes the h put her hand in the mouth and then asks her if she loves him. The h doesn't answer, cause she has a really creepy feeling and then the H gallantly declares that he loves her and wants to marry her and he is totally over his Nona's favorite relative ex - he will even put his hand in the mask's mouth to prove it.
The H claims OW ex that the h looks like is not really the H's type and probably never was, but the h is prefect for our Ancient Italian Prince and he has been going mad while his detectives tried to track her down - tho apparently no one, not even the Ancient Prince who went to Wharton and Yale, had ever heard of Brooklyn, NY.
The h is ecstatic, cause she loves the H madly and loves his Nona too and we leave the two of them planning the wedding and a special lurve it up celebration for a HEA Roman Spring HP outing.
This one was okay, SM took us to the standard Roman Movie Tourist sites, but she also took us to other places in Rome too and even threw some Alaric the Visigoth Barbarian history in the general HP travelogue. The little guide to Rome in the back of the book was interesting as well, tho I suspect it's writer must have had a hugely romantic time in Rome by the number of times romance was mentioned.
The H was the standard SM arrogant donkey butt H, but the h was fairly feisty and stood up for herself until the TBS overruled her brain. I wasn't sure they would be extremely happy together or really compatible long term, but it was good enough for a standard day at the HP office and a nice addition to the Postcards series.
SM decided to follow in the steps of Emma Darcy's and Charlotte Lamb's HP h Must Gulp the Kool-Aid theme for the month, but this time we get an arrogant Roman Prince who is obsessed with the American Model h who really wants to become a clothing designer and only took up runway modeling for the insider fashion experience.
( SM must have been a big Tennessee Williams fan, cause there was some distinct overtones of the prostitution degradation of the The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone woven throughout this, and as per HPlandia rule #1, the H's bad behavior is ALWAYS the fault of the h, this h is going to suffer for the H's extreme biases. )
So the book starts with the h in the middle of a terrible fashion show. The designer is an idiot and the h is less than pleased with the short and tight red dress she is forced into. Unfortunately for the h, she signed a dodgy modeling contract and has six months to go to finish it. (It is one of those deals where the agency imports foreign models and then charges them for all their stuff, so the h will wind up owing them money.)
The H is at the charity fashion show as well, he has escorted his very elderly, but very nice grandma, who sees the h and is startled by her resemblance to a very favorite female relative. The incredibly rich but very rigidly staid Ancient Prince H has a very poor opinion of any woman who is pretty and not his Nona.
Gramma's favorite female relative was also the H's big love infatuation, but she wanted a party type lifestyle and dumped his hiney for a string of men who would give her one and now the H believes that all beautiful women are Tarty McTartletts on the make for the lucrative party lifestyle option, even if they have to sell themselves to do it.
The HP Lurve Mojo Force kicks in by page three and the H is assured by a pimpmaster friend that any of the ladies at the fashion show can be had for the right price, so the H zeros in on the h and we just know that things aren't going to go well. The h knows a subtle proposition when she sees it eyeballing her and stripping her down, so she isn't exactly nice to the H. She does like the H's Nona tho, so the night isn't a complete loss.
Then SM's deus ex machina moves kick in and the h's agency isn't paying the models. The H steps in with an offer to hire the h and buys her contract and there is lots and lots of bickering as the H assumes the h is a tart for sale and the h takes offense at that. The h also has been trying to get an internship or bottom of the rung job in an Italian design house, but the H's contract offer scuppers that as he cons her into going from Milan to Rome to see his now ill Nona.
When the h gets to the H's house, she thinks it is for a quick visit. However the H is the Prince of Pay As You Play Womanizers and he cozens the h into staying as his Nona's paid companion. There are roofie kisses, verbal battles and lots of Tarty Tramp comments by the extremely arrogant domineering H. The h gives as good as she gets verbally, but the Treacherous Body Syndrome wins in the end and we wind up in big lurve club moment after an extensive tour of Rome and it's sights and a wishing session at the Trevi Fountain.
The next day the h is infuriated all over again as the H promises an apartment, a designer clothing internship and whatever else the h wants if she will continue to lurve him up in her special purple passion style. The h tells the H she isn't a mistress and he is putzy slime gulper, then wrapping her broken heart in cotton wool, she takes off for Brooklyn New York.
The h has her mopey moments, but she doesn't lay around whining or mourning. The h gets herself into design school and is very excited cause she thinks she is going to intern for Chanel in Paris. Sadly, the Paris bit falls through and the h is sent back to Rome.
While she is interning under a real fashion designer in Rome, there is a model crisis and her mentor asks her to step in for a catwalk model. The H's pimpmaster friend notices her and the H arranges for his own private catwalk show later that day. The fashion designer is quite happy to pimp the h out when the H explains that his Nona will buy the designer's entire collection and the H drags the h off to the Roman Forum Boarium (which is an ancient cattle market.)
In the Forum Boarium, the H leads the h to the Bocca della Verità (otherwise known as the Mouth of Truth,) a big marble masque of a lion type figure with an open mouth that is hung in the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church. The legend is that if you put your hand into the mouth of the mask and lie, the mask will bite your hand off.
In true dramatic HPlandia style, the H makes the h put her hand in the mouth and then asks her if she loves him. The h doesn't answer, cause she has a really creepy feeling and then the H gallantly declares that he loves her and wants to marry her and he is totally over his Nona's favorite relative ex - he will even put his hand in the mask's mouth to prove it.
The H claims OW ex that the h looks like is not really the H's type and probably never was, but the h is prefect for our Ancient Italian Prince and he has been going mad while his detectives tried to track her down - tho apparently no one, not even the Ancient Prince who went to Wharton and Yale, had ever heard of Brooklyn, NY.
The h is ecstatic, cause she loves the H madly and loves his Nona too and we leave the two of them planning the wedding and a special lurve it up celebration for a HEA Roman Spring HP outing.
This one was okay, SM took us to the standard Roman Movie Tourist sites, but she also took us to other places in Rome too and even threw some Alaric the Visigoth Barbarian history in the general HP travelogue. The little guide to Rome in the back of the book was interesting as well, tho I suspect it's writer must have had a hugely romantic time in Rome by the number of times romance was mentioned.
The H was the standard SM arrogant donkey butt H, but the h was fairly feisty and stood up for herself until the TBS overruled her brain. I wasn't sure they would be extremely happy together or really compatible long term, but it was good enough for a standard day at the HP office and a nice addition to the Postcards series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2020
Caroline is an American on an internship in Italy. She wants to be a fashion designer, but is contracted as a runway model and hating it...especially the guys who seem to think that because she's a model, she's also for sale sexually. Prince Nicolo Sabbatini obviously believes it of her, though he denies wanting to purchase her...all he wants if for Caroline to entertain his poor little nonna for a while. Caroline is highly skeptical, naturally. But the evening ends and all she does is talk to the sweet old lady. But then Nicolo comes to her with another offer, come to spend the evening with his grandmother yet again. Caroline agrees without realizing he's taking her to Rome (from Milan) and before she knows it, Caroline is being manipulated into a long-term stint as nonna's companion. But she can't complain because, so far, Nicolo hasn't put the moves on her. But then he does, believing themselves to both be equally attracted, but for Caroline it confirms her worst beliefs about him - that he believes she's for sale. Their relationship is tense and fraught with sexual chemistry, but what future can a lowly model and an Italian prince have together?
This was okay. I really liked that Caroline had so much backbone. I mean, sheesh. She just kept smacking the hero down every time he got up the gumption to approach her. Of course, she also kept misreading his intentions, which either tells us how paranoid she is or how highly she thinks of herself...or possibly that she's spot on and he's just lying to her. That's never 100% clear in this book. But he does decide to seduce her, maybe believing their both on the same page and she's fully aware of his feelings for her, but she obviously isn't. These two had some miscommunications issues. I was also a little skeptical about how Caroline could fall in love with the guy when he wasn't exactly a prince (LOL) to her. But they did have a few lighter moments as they were gallivanting around Rome (some good travelogue stuff there) and when they both let their guards down, which was rare, you could kinda see how they liked each other. I did really like most of the end part, where the heroine misinterprets the hero's wanting to keep her around as an offer to be his mistress. She gets all huffy and actually leaves him (fair enough, he never said he loved her). But it turns out that he was actually rising above his old world traditional beliefs and trying to offer the heroine the career that she wants - I liked that he was willing to try. It was awesome that for once a hero was willing to sacrifice, to compromise for the woman he loved. So sweet. So it was really disappointing that she's all, "Nevermind, never wanted a career anyway. Let's get married and have babies."
This was okay. I really liked that Caroline had so much backbone. I mean, sheesh. She just kept smacking the hero down every time he got up the gumption to approach her. Of course, she also kept misreading his intentions, which either tells us how paranoid she is or how highly she thinks of herself...or possibly that she's spot on and he's just lying to her. That's never 100% clear in this book. But he does decide to seduce her, maybe believing their both on the same page and she's fully aware of his feelings for her, but she obviously isn't. These two had some miscommunications issues. I was also a little skeptical about how Caroline could fall in love with the guy when he wasn't exactly a prince (LOL) to her. But they did have a few lighter moments as they were gallivanting around Rome (some good travelogue stuff there) and when they both let their guards down, which was rare, you could kinda see how they liked each other. I did really like most of the end part, where the heroine misinterprets the hero's wanting to keep her around as an offer to be his mistress. She gets all huffy and actually leaves him (fair enough, he never said he loved her). But it turns out that he was actually rising above his old world traditional beliefs and trying to offer the heroine the career that she wants - I liked that he was willing to try. It was awesome that for once a hero was willing to sacrifice, to compromise for the woman he loved. So sweet. So it was really disappointing that she's all, "Nevermind, never wanted a career anyway. Let's get married and have babies."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2010
What is it about asshole men that makes women swoon? So the hero in this book is a Roman Prince. Be still every heterochick's heart! I mean seriously he's an ass and cultural differences don't excuse assholeness! Alright so here's what I like. I like that the heroine sticks to her goals and her life. She refuses to give up her career goal or allow the hero to make her feel that her fashion modelling is just another word for prostitute. She wants a career in design and is trying to learn from the catwalk up. I admire that about her. She has principles and a self-confidence and sense of self that is quite enjoyable. The truth is that the heroine would have never spent anytime with the hero if it wasn't for his lovely grandmother. I truly wish that the grandmother's character had been more developed.
August 3, 2018
I liked this book alot but not enough to give it four stars. I had every sympathy with the Hero Nicholo but the Heroine Caroline drove me to distraction and I could quite happily of shaken her ! She was extremely lucky to have the outcome she did at the end of the book !
I read this for the Armchair Traveller Challenge so I visited Rome in Italy !
I read this for the Armchair Traveller Challenge so I visited Rome in Italy !
August 3, 2021
Destination: Rome
Attractions: the Colosseum, Vatican City...and Nicolo Sabatini
New World woman versus Old World man -- it's more than just a culture clash when American fashion model Caroline Bishop meets Prince Nicolo Sabatini. Certainly to a woman of the nineties, this Roman hunk's views on love are as antiquated as the ruins of his city. And, given half a chance, perhaps as eternal...
Attractions: the Colosseum, Vatican City...and Nicolo Sabatini
New World woman versus Old World man -- it's more than just a culture clash when American fashion model Caroline Bishop meets Prince Nicolo Sabatini. Certainly to a woman of the nineties, this Roman hunk's views on love are as antiquated as the ruins of his city. And, given half a chance, perhaps as eternal...
April 17, 2013
Maybe just 3.5 stars. This was a decent read, if you're in the mood for a hero who unjustifiably and immediately labels the heroine a whore, and takes a long time to change his mind. Decent angst and tension, satisfying ending. Felt a little long.
October 3, 2020
I really loved the beginning, which was a really grim view of international modeling - our heroine's been lured over to Milan as a model, but finds herself constantly in debt to the agency, working shows for flash-in-the-pan models, and dealing with the fact that everyone assumes models are willing to supplement their modeling work with a little light prostitution. Caroline's a firecracker and it's fun to noodle along with her as she bitches with her model friends and fends off gropers, but then she meets the hero and it degenerates into toddler name-calling; she constantly accuses the hero of trying to sleep with her, the hero responds by forcibly kissing her or getting upset because he thinks she's a part-time hooker, rinse, repeat. In between there's some aggressively travelogue-y roaming of Rome, which is fine. Over all, the heroine was enjoyably feminist (in the beginning) but the hero is a dick and the heroine's reactions to him were so over-the-top dumb that the actual romance was my least favorite part of the book.
November 7, 2023
This author was always a go to for me when she was first writing. This book was originally published in 1993 (approx), and is a new reissue. Years ago, I probably would have loved it to bits. The writing is of course excellent within itself, but the story is very dated. So, just an okay read these days.
April 20, 2013
It's the bottle perfect scenario where in if I was a model why not snag an Italian prince after a cat walk. What stood out a lot about the book the strong female character. She is a model with a different agenda. I love her so what if he was a prince attitude. She kept her cool and didn't lose herself in their affairs.
May 6, 2018
This novel is full of angry conversation and misunderstanding! Full of emotions from the heroine's part - not that I blame her! The hero was really something of a rock sometimes! However, it's definitely recommended. You'd love reading it.
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April 1, 2020Categories
Romance, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Postcards from Europe (Book #8)
Romance, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Postcards from Europe (Book #8)
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January 4, 2021Hero is a condescending pig, who has quite low opinion of the heroine. And surprise, surprise...
h is attracted to H becoz he's an asshole?!
For all the NO she says to him, she always acts the opposite when he kisses her,Jealous of thinking him having company of other women.
So y act as if she isn't interested?! She says something and does something else. Pretty sad actually and kinda pathetic. It is as if she(h) wants to prove him(H) wrong, even though he's right and she is attracted to him.
"that she’d loved him almost from the moment they’d met," really?!
Dosen't matter how much he insults or tramples her, as long as he's gorgeous
..everything seems to fall in line.
Great
h is attracted to H becoz he's an asshole?!
For all the NO she says to him, she always acts the opposite when he kisses her,Jealous of thinking him having company of other women.
So y act as if she isn't interested?! She says something and does something else. Pretty sad actually and kinda pathetic. It is as if she(h) wants to prove him(H) wrong, even though he's right and she is attracted to him.
"that she’d loved him almost from the moment they’d met," really?!
Dosen't matter how much he insults or tramples her, as long as he's gorgeous
..everything seems to fall in line.
Great
September 18, 2019
American model is trying to make enough money to go to design school, by modeling in Italy. When Caroline Bishop meets Prince Nicolo Sabatini they clash but are attracted. A deliberate misunderstanding sends her back to New York, but work then takes her back to Rome where they connect again and the truth and their love comes out. Ok, quick read.
April 14, 2019
رواية ربيع في روما من قلوب عبير
تمتعت كثيرا بهذه الروايه
كارولين عارضة ازياء تكره عملها
الامير نيكولو سليل اسره ايطاليه عريقه
ماذا سيحدث ان تصادمه هذان الشخصين من عالمين مختلفين
رواية مليئة بالتحدي والرومانسيه
تمتعت كثيرا بهذه الروايه
كارولين عارضة ازياء تكره عملها
الامير نيكولو سليل اسره ايطاليه عريقه
ماذا سيحدث ان تصادمه هذان الشخصين من عالمين مختلفين
رواية مليئة بالتحدي والرومانسيه
April 18, 2016
This book gave me a headache.
The H was a domineering judgmental jackass who constantly overstepped himself, then got pissy at the h when she accused him of trying to seduce her.
The h was a hotheaded shrew.
The backstory on her is that her grandma died and she found herself unable to get a job with just a diploma in her native Vermont, so she went to NY to look for work. Not sure why there would be more opportunities - at least, that didn't involve a street corner. Also not sure why she didn't try to go to college since the financial situation should have gotten her grants/scholarships/etc. She got spotted by a modeling agent, so became a model.
So he spots her at a fashion show in Milan. She reminds him of an old girlfriend. He essentially buys out her contract, forcing her to accept his job offer of companion to his elderly grandmother. She assumes initially that he's trying to buy her services of another sort (what woman wouldn't, really?).
I didn't feel chemistry so much as irritation. She felt relief that he went away on a business trip even though she figured he was visiting other women. Then... his grandmother attempts I think to play matchmaker, he almost got lucky but said something that reminded her of his initial opinion of her, pissing her off and inspiring her to toss him out of her room. A day or so later, grandmama insisted she attend some business function he was putting on, he made an ass of himself, and she later visited him in his rooms to throw a tantrum (errr....) Naturally this leads to the only sex scene (which I skimmed because frankly I just wanted the mess to be OVER). The next day, he makes some proposal that comes across as him setting her up as mistress. She throws more tantrum. He agrees to let her leave.
God knows how many weeks later, she's back in Rome, apprenticing with a designer and gets pressed into service as a model (what else?) And...he sees her. He shoves her into his car, drags her off, and...proposes to her, confessing his undying love?! What the everloving hell?!
The H was a domineering judgmental jackass who constantly overstepped himself, then got pissy at the h when she accused him of trying to seduce her.
The h was a hotheaded shrew.
The backstory on her is that her grandma died and she found herself unable to get a job with just a diploma in her native Vermont, so she went to NY to look for work. Not sure why there would be more opportunities - at least, that didn't involve a street corner. Also not sure why she didn't try to go to college since the financial situation should have gotten her grants/scholarships/etc. She got spotted by a modeling agent, so became a model.
So he spots her at a fashion show in Milan. She reminds him of an old girlfriend. He essentially buys out her contract, forcing her to accept his job offer of companion to his elderly grandmother. She assumes initially that he's trying to buy her services of another sort (what woman wouldn't, really?).
I didn't feel chemistry so much as irritation. She felt relief that he went away on a business trip even though she figured he was visiting other women. Then... his grandmother attempts I think to play matchmaker, he almost got lucky but said something that reminded her of his initial opinion of her, pissing her off and inspiring her to toss him out of her room. A day or so later, grandmama insisted she attend some business function he was putting on, he made an ass of himself, and she later visited him in his rooms to throw a tantrum (errr....) Naturally this leads to the only sex scene (which I skimmed because frankly I just wanted the mess to be OVER). The next day, he makes some proposal that comes across as him setting her up as mistress. She throws more tantrum. He agrees to let her leave.
God knows how many weeks later, she's back in Rome, apprenticing with a designer and gets pressed into service as a model (what else?) And...he sees her. He shoves her into his car, drags her off, and...proposes to her, confessing his undying love?! What the everloving hell?!
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December 31, 2010this is an awesome book I want to read it again
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