With the fourth installment in The Bellamy Sisters series, S.M. LaViolette, aka Minerva Spencer, brings to readers the story of the eldest daughter in the Bellamy family. Having fallen into desperate times, each of the sister’s set out to do what they can to restore the family’s finances, at often perilous cost to themselves.

As is signatureS.M. LaViolette, Aurelia is a sensual, atmospheric historical romance that pulls the reader into its lushly detailed setting and makes you root for two unlikely lovers who could not be more different. Aurelia Bellamy, the ever-responsible eldest daughter of her family, is ready to finally step out of the mold that has defined her. When the chance arises to work as an artist for one of England’s most renowned naturalists, she seizes it, even if it means traveling to a remote island to work for Roland Montgomery, the Eighth Earl of Creew, a man infamous for his rakish past and rumored moral ruin.

Roland is a man both physically and emotionally scarred, carrying the ghosts of his two failed marriages and a cynicism that runs deep. He has long convinced himself that love is not for the likes of him. Aurelia, on the other hand, is a prim, spirited young woman whose innate curiosity, artistic eye, and quiet strength makes her stand out in ways Roland never anticipated. Their attraction, once sparked, builds steadily into something far more complicated than either expects.

While Aurelia represents hope, beauty, and a certain innocence of heart, Roland embodies the disillusionment of a man who has seen too much betrayal. It is this push and pull—the idealism of a woman who believes in love against the jaded certainty of a man who believes it only destroys—that fuels the heart of the story. Watching them slowly surrender to what grows between them is both tender and steamy, with an intensity that lingers long after the last page is turned.

I found Aurelia to be an engaging heroine; witty, brave, and determined to carve out a life beyond the quiet sacrifices expected of her. She is ambitious without being reckless, and her compassion shines even when Roland tries to push her away. Roland himself is undeniably sexy, though a touch tamer than I had expected for such a notorious rake. His inner struggles and scars were compelling, but at times I wished for a little more raw angst to heighten the emotional stakes.

As always, LaViolette’s prose is beautifully layered, and her take on historical settings is refreshingly modern (a bit too much at times perhaps). The sensuality is woven seamlessly into the narrative, the sex scenes passionate yet meaningful, and the chemistry between Aurelia and Roland undeniable. Still, I would have liked just a touch more bite to their conflict—it felt as if the story could have pushed further into the darker, more tortured depths hinted at in Roland’s past.

Recommended for: readers who love age-gap romances, heroines who are quietly daring, and rakes who discover that love may not be the ruin they fear.

Final Verdict: Refreshing, intimate, and quietly powerful—Aurelia proves even the most jaded rake can be undone by love.

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