Okay, I haven't finished the book, but I'm almost done. So, far I'm loving this series. Each full length story has been entertaining. This one you have Willie who is trying to start fresh, but it's a little hard when your strap for cash. She meets the dashing Dante, but he's trying to get the same thing as her. EEK! Oh boy is it starting to get complicated. I'm at a point where it's getting GOOD! Seriously, they have been skirting around one another, but now it's getting so good. I should have more later this evening.

Update:
I finally finished The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger. That is seriously a mouthful to say. Yes, I did enjoyed the book. Normally I would use the title again, but that is a lot of words for a title. Anyway, it was a pretty good adventure. Like I said Willie is after a fresh start and she believes obtaining a picture that was once in her possession was the only way to do it. However, she didn't count on encounter a charming, delectable young man to skew her view. Now Dante is actually a stick in a mud, but he seems to bring out the charm on Willie. At first he's acting, but his sister notices that it's a bit more than that, after all big sisters know everything. So, we have them developing a friendship. Not only that they are taking a group of Americas on a trip through Europe. Willie's plans definitely go askew as the book progresses. Situations develop with Dante, but we can't have an easy happy every after. We need both of these characters to grow, and in order to grow they need each other, and help of the other ladies on this journey.

This story was a lot of fun. I mean Willie and Dante are great together. I also like the secondary characters, because they add more depth to the story. They were also there to give Willie companionship she needed. Yes, Willie and Dante both have convoluted plans to get the painting that they both deem belongs to one another. Dante does some stupid things in the story, and his sister points out, after all that is her right as an older sister. However, he definitely redeems himself at the end. Overall, if you are looking for adventure, The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger might be the adventure you are looking for.

Copy provided by Harlequin.

Lady Bascombe is expecting to accompany a group of ladies and their daughters to the continent on behalf of the Lady Travelers Society. She's taken aback to learn one D. Montague is a very dashing man.
I liked that the main characters were of a more mature age. The humor is subtle. I enjoyed tagging along with this interesting group of characters on their European tour. Nicely told story.

Another adventure with the Lady's Traveling Society. Willie needs to get to Venice to retrieve a painting that can help her get out of debt so her godmother arranges for her to take a group of Americans on a mini tour.

This Lady Travelers Guide is a fitting successor to the first book in this delightful series, The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen, even though both the hero and the heroine are opposites from those in the first book.

Unlike India Prendergast, Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe is quite likeable, and more than a bit uncertain of herself. Which does not stop her from being absolutely determined to find a way to rescue her fortunes without resorting to marrying for money.

As a widow, Willie has a bit of latitude in her behavior. As the widow of a young man who seems to have had zero funds but was determined to have oodles of fun, Willie has few means at her disposal, particularly after she paid off her late husband’s many (many) debts.

She may have eloped with George in a cloud of scandal, but she’s discovered over the two years since his death that she doesn’t miss him very much. And she’s outgrown the constant thrill-seeking that used to be their existence. But she does miss all the friends she thought she had.

And where Derek Saunders certainly had lived up to being the “scoundrel” of the title in that first book, Dante Montague has become a bit too staid and respectable for his sister Rosalind’s comfort. Not that respectability isn’t a good thing, but it seems as if Dante has lost the spirit of fun that he used to have, between managing his investments and managing the down-at-heels art museum he inherited.

But Willie and Dante have something in common, something that is going to bring them together, and very nearly tear them apart.

Once upon a time, Dante’s grandfather owned a beautiful triptych of paintings by one of Titian’s students. And dear grandfather either gave the center painting in the set to Willie’s grandmother – or Willie’s grandmother stole it.

Willie’s late and less-and-less lamented husband pawned it to an Italian collector. She plans to go to Venice to pay back the loan and redeem her painting, so that she can sell it for enough to provide her with financial independence.

But Willie is pretty much flat broke, and the only way she can manage the trip to Venice is to take over as tour host for one of the tours arranged by her godmother’s little enterprise, the Lady Travelers Society.

Dante wants to take back what he believes is “his” painting, and the only way he can do that is to follow Willie to Venice. He contacts the brilliantly idiotic scheme to accompany his sister and her daughter on the Lady Travelers Society tour.

And that’s where everything goes terribly right and horribly wrong, all at the same time. Even before they are forced to flee Venice one step ahead of the polizia.

Escape Rating B+: As Dante discovers, it is impossible not to like Willie Bascombe. Her life was completely overthrown, but she is determined to make the best of the situation that she admits she stuck herself in. George was charming, but neither steady nor trustworthy. Sooner or later, they would have come to financial grief, with or without his death.

Willie is independent, whether she wants to be or not, and she is determined to make the most of it. Not by remarrying for money, but by finding a way to achieve independence on her own. She’s having a difficult time of it, and she’s finding out she has more inner strength and resources than she ever imagined. And that independence can be very, very hard.

One of the lovely bits of this story is the way that the women on Willie’s tour band together and develop a true and sincere friendship, in spite of their many differences. That they all end up first fostering Willie’s relationship with Dante and then uniting against the common enemy is a terrific testimonial to the power of real friendship.

Dante is used to being in control. His investments are successful because he does his research and controls his emotions. While he may have done his research on Willie, he is never, ever in charge of his emotions. Part of what makes the story so much fun is the way that Dante’s sister Rosalind manages to burst his bubble at every turn. She’s his older sister, he’s being a complete idiot, and she relishes calling him on it, while still making it clear that she loves him in his idiocy, even though she refuses to save him from the folly of his own actions.

This is my second book in a row to feature Paris as a setting. In this case, a big chunk of the tour is set in Paris during the time of the 1889 World’s Fair, when the Eiffel Tower was new and a marvel of the world. The descriptions of Paris in general and the Tower in particular are lyrical and moving. It’s astonishing to think that the icon of Paris was originally intended to be a temporary structure.

At the end, this story surprisingly reminded me of the famous short story, The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. Each tries to give the other something that they once wanted desperately but no longer need. The little bit of mystery at the end is the icing on a very fine cake.

There’s one more book in this series at least so far. The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl will be published next May. And it looks like another treat!

Travel with the new Lady Travelers Guide and experience Paris, Monte Carlo, and Venice like never before!

What I liked: My favorite part of The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger is Willie and Dante. They’re great!! They are some of the more memorable characters I’ve read this year & I’ll never forget this adventure.

The romance and plot of The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger are really quite unique. That surprised me. It’s been some time since I’ve read something so completely different… well, it does have the wonderful Victoria Alexander wit and style we’ve come to know and love

What I didn’t like: There were many sights and travelling references that didn’t interest me. To be fair, I have had a headache while reading this and it effected my relaxation and enjoyment.

Overall, The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny With a Dashing Stranger is a fun and romantic read but you’re going to need to pay attention, it’s not a light or quick skim. 🙂 Enjoy!

Another lady traveler has a completely unexpected adventure on the continent.

Lady Wilhelmina "Willie" Bascombe's life was turned upside down when her husband, George, passed away and left her in dire straits. Prior to George's departure, she led a carefree, somewhat scandalous lifestyle full of fun and excitement. Willie is hoping to change things around for herself financially by reclaiming a family painting. Only problem is, the painting is in Venice and she needs a way to get there. Fortunately, the Lady Travelers Society comes up the perfect plan: Willie will lead a group of American women and their daughters on a grand tour. No matter that Willie has never actually traveled abroad before.

Dante Montague has long been searching for a painting belonging to his family, the same painting Willie claims is her's and is set on reclaiming. Dante comes up with his own perfect plan: he convinces his sister and niece to go with him on the tour Willie is leading since it would be suspicious for a man to go on alone. What Dante didn't count on was falling for Willie, which puts a kink in his plans of acquiring the painting and complicates their budding relationship.

The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger is the second in the series, but can be read as a standalone. There are guest appearances from the first book in the series, such as the founder's of the Lady Travelers Society themselves and Val Brookings. The relationship between Willie and Dante is quite endearing and Victoria Alexander's signature humor can be found throughout their story. I would have loved to have been part of the tour myself to experience all the sites so wonderfully described. This is an excellent addition to the series and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Just delightful!

Widowed Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe finds that all was not as smooth sailing as she thought. It seems she and her husband had partied their way through life, incurring the sort of debts that fit their new extravagant lifestyle. Having paid off most of what was owed, Willie's last hope of some monetary security is to reclaim a Renaissance painting her husband used as collateral for a loan. And that's where the Lady Travelers Society comes in. Willie has to travel to Venice to seal the deal. She will lead a tour of American women through Europe, including Paris and Venice.
Unfortunately Dante Augustus Montague is searching for a lost painting to make up a triptych that once belonged to his family's collection. The painting that belongs to Willie! The key to her future independence! Deviously, Dante has his sister and niece join the group. Dante is the surprise participant.
Willie is just a superb character, Dante is a wonderful foil for her.
I loved the American ladies and the way their friendships grew with Willie. Suddenly she is not a pariah any more. (I can see Society swishing their collective dresses and avoiding her in her time of need)
Alexander's descriptions of cities the groups visited are perfect. I was transported to both Paris and Venice with the vivid language she employs, bringing those wonderful cities to life.
This second addition to the Lady Travelers Society never wavered. It drew me on and in. Intrigue, romance, mystery and humor all wrapped up in a European montage. Fabulous!

A NetGalley ARC

This is the 2nd book in the Lady Traveler series, each being a stand alone. While i liked the first book, I loved this book. The hero, Dante and the heroine, Wiihamenia, Willie for short, we're wonderful. You felt the connection between them right away. Their banter going back and forth had me chuckling at times throughout the book.
The thing I found different and really enjoyed was the descriptions of the places they visited. They went to Paris, Monte Carlo and Venice. I thought the descriptions of the sights, the sounds and the people we're extraordinarily. I felt as if was also experiencing it.
Job well done. Can't wait to see the next in the series.

This is another book in the Lady Travelers Society series by Victoria Alexander. This book features a beautiful widow making do with what life gave her, and the handsome gentleman who has a hidden agenda but ends up falling for her along a journey filled with laughter, love, and the entertaining group being led on a tour of Europe. The book is an entertaining read with delightful characters and a romance between two likable persons that brings the story a depth to it that I felt is better than the first book of this series. Of course, I look forward to more Lady Travelers Society books in the future, with recurring characters that makes this series fascinating to read.

Provided a copy by the author via NetGalley to give an honest and personable review.

The Ladies Travelers Society sets off on another grand adventure in book 2, Larceny with a Dangerous Stranger, and it is a delightful read. Victoria Alexander creates a wonderful cast of characters in which the secondary characters play a great part in the story and are just as intriguing as much as the primary characters. Willie Bascombe has been put in charge of hosting a group of mothers and daughters across Europe. However, her true purpose was to go to Venice to reclaim an important renaissance painting that was willed to her by her grandmother. Joining the group as the only male is Dante Montague. He comes along in pursuit of the same painting under the assumption that it rightfully his. Dante and Willie may not know each other’s true purpose but it doesn’t stop them from flirting with one another and falling in love. How can one not find love when one is on a grand adventure?

Lady Willie Bascombe is one a personal journey herself since the death of her husband. She’s left destitute and needs that painting to pay off debt and live a quiet life. With the help of the Travelers Society she studies hard to do an excellent job of hosting these women and their daughters, and with Dante’s help, she does a pretty good job of it. I liked Willie because she grew up from living a life of partying to being responsible for herself for once. She even helped out her younger charges and advised them to find out what they truly wanted and find a way to pursue it. I also loved the banter between Dante and Willie because neither one wanted to be bested by the other.

Dante Montague was a charming gentleman and a good businessman. Retrieving the painting for his family would be the crown jewel for his museum and would do anything to get it back. Unfortunately, his lies of omission would cost him greatly and realization would come too late. Soon both he and Willie will realize that the painting would come between them and possession of it will be at a huge cost for both of them.

This story is charming, humorous and quite romantic. The author describes quite beautifully their travel destinations and you can see them vividly as if you were there yourself. Her writing is crisp and the story flowed well from beginning to end. Victoria Alexander has a way with blending multiple characters and let the story take its course. She is an excellent storyteller and The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger is one of her best. If you are a fan of historical romance you would be amiss to not read one or all of her stories.

Review copy provided by Netgalley for a voluntary review.

Wilhelmina, Viscountess Bascome, Willie to her friends, needs to get to Venice to retrieve a valuable painting her late husband used as collateral for a loan. After his untimely death, Willie learned that they were debt ridden and she is basically penniless. When she learns about the painting, it seems like the answer to all her problems, she just needs to get to Venice. She calls on her godmother, Poppy, knowing she is a founding member of the Lady Travelers Society, hoping she will be able to help. Poppy and her friends arrange for Willie to led a tour of American women to Venice. Willie has no experience traveling - but really, how hard could it be?

Dante Montague is also on the hunt for the painting. The painting belonged to his grandfather and was recently discovered missing. Dante will do whatever is necessary to retrieve the painting and return it the family museum - a legacy left by his grandfather. He tracks the painting to Willie and convinces his sister Rosaline (Roz) and his niece Harriet (Harry) to join the tour to Venice so he can tag along and reclaim the painting.

Dante makes it his mission to befriend Willie, but soon his feeling change and he wants her in his life, but he also wants the painting and the longer he waits to tell her his true purpose, the harder it gets. He is repeatedly warned by Roz to tell Willie the truth, but he never finds the right time.

Willie is falling for Dante, hard, but she has made mistakes in the past and is not willing to make them again. When she learns his true reason for joining the tour, she is heartbroken and angry. But she is not willing to let go of the painting either.

When the reach Venice, they form a truce to retrieve the painting - but gaining the painting will most definitely cost them any chance at happiness, as neither is willing to give it up.

This book was so delightful, it is well written - I was astounded at the amount of research that must have gone into the writing of this story, the descriptions of each city were amazing and very detailed! The secondary characters were wonderful and added so much to the story without overshadowing the love story and there is an appearance by "Val" Percival, Marquess of Brookings, a lot of amusing banter, a bit of steam, betrayal, heartache, larceny, surprises and a grand romantic gesture. The road to HEA is not easy for these two - but it is quite an enjoyable journey!

This kindle edition also included the novella "The Rise and Fall of Reginald Everheart", but I will review that separately.

This is a fun romp that is a travelog as well as a romance. The book takes place in various locations in Europe and the info about each adds to the feel of the story. The relationship between Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe and Dante Augustus Montague' is a train wreck just waiting to happen so when it does it is no surprise. However how they still work together helps and in the end both realize what is the most important thing and what is not as important as it seemed at first. A nice addition to the series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

What a marvelous tale, Willie's husband, George died two years ago. She took the two years to think, her husband left her deep in debt. Dante was the director of a very small gallery and found a painting was missing. So he started reseaching. She went on a trip to eventually end in Venice, to pay off a loan and get her picture back As expected this was just the tip of the iceberg.
She and the lady's of the Lady's Traveler Guide, had a great time and became fast friends. This is their story of their adventure. The characters were varied in age and for the time, they were right on as far as dialogue and the descriptions were equally wonderful.. The plot is a little complex, but so good. So many things happen to them. Five are adults and four are young girls, that are in a stage of rebellion, I leave that to your imagination.
The author handled everything so amazingly well. It was well written, kept your attention, and easy to read.

Widow, Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe "Willie" is in a bind. She eloped with a dashing young man living a wild and exciting life until he died in an accident. Willie discovers her beloved wasn't attending to business and she has to liquidate everything to pay their bills. She discovers her husband secured a loan with a painting given to her by her departed beloved grandmother. She has enough to pay off the loan and retrieve the last thing she has of value but the gentleman lives in Italy. She appeals to her Godmother, Mrs. Persephone "Aunt Poppy" Malcolm, one of the beloved trio who "advise" the Lady Traveler's Society. These three ladies almost steal every one of these books. I just adore them. Anyway, Poppy and her friends manage to get Willie hired to be a tour guide to a group of American mothers and daughters for a tour of Europe, even though Willie has never traveled outside of England, so she can afford to get to Italy. Among the group is Dante Augustus Montague with his sister & her daughter. Dante is after the painting that belongs to his family's museum and believes it was stolen from them. Thus begins the adventure.

This is written with such droll language and humor. People refer to themselves in the third person as "one" in the english way. I grin with the humor the permeates the book. The push/pull of Willie and Dante's love developing was a fun journey. The friendship that develops between the mothers and Willie is heartwarming. The brother/sister interaction is entertaining and very real.

Thank you Victoria and Harlequin for granting me a NetGalley ARC for this freely given review. I was delighted through the whole journey.

The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger by Victoria AlexanderLady Wilhelmina Bascombe lived a carefree, somewhat wild life until her husband died. Then it all came crashing down. It wasn't that she truly loved her husband but she also didn't know how truly in debt they were. The only way she can dig herself out of the hole is to retrieve a priceless family artifact that her husband used as a lien on a loan.
Her family friends arrange to have her lead a tour of mothers and daughters on the Continent. A cover that will help her hide her true purpose in going to Italy. Too bad one of the tour group's number is actually a man, one who is interested in the painting for his own purposes.



Three stars

This book comes out November 28

Follows The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Victoria Alexander continues her Lady Travelers Guide series with The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger. Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe has liquidated her assets to pay the debts of her dead husband and is now determined to retrieve a valuable painting that had belonged to her that her late husband had given to an Italian noble for a loan.. As she guides a tour of Americans to Italy, she is confronted by Dante Montague who asserts a claim to the same painting. The duelling couple who are also falling in love enjoy the tour. End of the nineteenth century romance with complications. Great plot.

The Lady Travelers Society was created by 3 older women because they could. It has morphed into a service for travelers to find new and exciting adventures in Europe.

Lady Wilhelmina Bascomb is a widow who has financial problems. Her late husband left her with debts and he also stole a painting which was inherited from her grandmother. He used the painting as collateral for a loan. Willie has paid off the debts, but now in order to survive and have a future, she must get the painting and sell it. She has saved enough to pay off the loan so she needs to get to Venice and retrieve the art.

Willie led her early life just floating along. Her husband was someone who promised to take care of things but never did. Now, she has learned to accept responsibility and make decisions on her own. She is learning and no matter how difficult things become, she is beginning to enjoy her new life.

Because her godmother is one of the founding members of the Lady Travelers Society, a special trip is arranged. Willie will act as a host to a group of American mothers and daughters. Her trip will be paid for and she will be able to go to Venice and get the painting. The Americans will love being on a trip with actual nobility.

As well as Americans, there is also an English lady, Rochelle, and her daughter who are traveling along. Willie does not know it but Rochelle's brother Dante Augustus Montague will also be on the trip.

Dante is in charge of a family museum. He is a successful business man but he also is addicted to art. He has traced part of a triyptych which belonged to his grandfather. It is now in the possession of Lady Bascomb. Or it will be when she retrieves it from Venice. Dante intends to be in Venice and take possession of what he believes belongs in the museum.

Dante is an uptight business man who has separated himself from any sense of adventure or romance. His psyche was damaged by a heartless woman and he does not intend to allow that to happen again.

When Dante and Willie get together they are wonderful. The conversations are witty and humorous and at times like open warfare. They are attracted to one another, but each of them have pain from the past. The pain creates a distance between the two. Until it doesn't.

The story is wonderfully written. The plot moves forward and involves every character. The secondary characters are terrific. The American mothers as well as their daughters add a wonderful depth to the story. Rosalind and her daughter, Harriet are terrific. Harriet is determined to cause her mother pain and anxiety and she is very good at it.

Ms Alexander has created another wonderful story. Her books are always filled with humor and humans who are lovely. In this story, she has created characters who draw the reader into a tour of some of the loveliest cities in Europe. The scenery and atmosphere are very real and in fact become an important character in the story.

This is a wonderful fun book.

I received the book from the author through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

Publisher's Description:


Join the Lady Travelers Society in their latest romantic misadventure, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander

She must secure her future

A lady should never be obliged to think of matters financial! But when Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe's carefree, extravagant lifestyle vanishes with the demise of her husband, her only hope lies in retrieving a family treasure—a Renaissance masterpiece currently in the hands of a cunning art collector in Venice. Thankfully, the Lady Travelers Society has orchestrated a clever plan to get Willie to Europe, leading a tour of mothers and daughters…and one curiously attentive man.


He must reclaim his heritage


Dante Augustus Montague's one passion has long been his family's art collection. He's finally tracked a long-lost painting to the enchanting Lady Bascombe. Convinced that the canvas had been stolen, he will use any means to reclaim his birthright—including deception. But how long before pretend infatuation gives way to genuine desire?


Now they're rivals for a prize that will change everything

Willie and Dante know they're playing with fire in the magical moonlit city. Their common quest could compromise them both…or lead them to happily-ever-after.

My Thoughts:


This series has been a joy to read to date.

There is just enough of a comical nature along with intrigue and romance to make the reader so involved they never want to put the book down.

The characters are well drawn and the storyline is both comical and intriguing. This has been a favorite series from book # 1 and I look forward for more to come.

Lady Wilhelmina Bascombe has lived a charming existence until the death of her husband revealed the true state of her financial situation. Now she is desperate to go to Italy to recover a painting her husband had borrowed funds on.

Dante Augustus Montague is also trying to recover this same piece of art. It belonged to his family and there is no record of it ever being sold or given away.
He intends to follow Willie to Venice to take possession of what rightfully belongs to him as part of his family heritage.

How will this comical tale of mystery and romance proceed?

I gave this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 3.5 of 5.0 flames.

Sparks fly when these two come together.

As usual Victoria Alexander does not fail us with her witty and intriguing story and her ability to keep the reader absorbed.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book with invitation from the author via Netgalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.