The Forgotten Duke

by Sofi Laporte

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When a penniless Viennese musician is told she may be an English duke’s wife, a quest for lost love begins.

Amid the glamour and intrigue of the Congress of Vienna, Lena Arenheim and her musical family perform at aristocratic soirees to make ends meet. When, out of the blue, the sister of the arrogant Duke of Aldingbourne proclaims Lena to be her brother's long-lost duchess, her safe but small world is turned upside down. Amid opulent ballrooms and echoes of forgotten memories, Lina embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of her past.

For Julius Stafford-Hill, Duke of Aldingbourne, the wounds of a tragic loss still linger after eight long years. When he encounters a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to his late wife Catherine, he will do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means immersing himself in her world and facing the everyday challenges of a common middle-class life.

Can the lost duchess be found, and can they rebuild a love that transcends the boundaries of time and circumstance?

This is a sweet and clean Regency romance and the first book of the Viennese Waltz Series:

Set against the backdrop of Vienna’s 1814 elegance, diplomacy, and intrigue, this series twirls through the entwined destinies of friends, enemies, and lost lovers in charming tales of love, desire and courtship.

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Book Details

Genre

Historical Romance

Subgenre

Regency (1811–1820)

Series

Viennese Waltz • Book 1

Audience

Upper YA

Bell Peppers

🫑🫑

Profanity

2 Mild

Violence

2 Mild

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

2 Mild

Publication Date

February 21, 2025

Language Versions

English

Narration Type

Human

Fiction Form

Novel

Sensitive Themes

Arranged or forced marriage, Grief or loss of a loved one

Representation

Adoption or foster-care representation, Single-parent or widowed-parent protagonist

Editorial Reviews

"I just loved this book. It’s a highly engaging historical romance full of political intrigue, forgotten identities, and the bond of family." - Reader on Amazon

"An enchanting story of love and second chances.. Heartfelt and emotional.. Really enjoyed it." - - Reader on Goodreads

Hugely Enjoyable!

An entertaining & sparkling beginning to Sofi’s new series.This is such a good read & with a cleverly contrived plot set during the Peace Conference in Vienna.Sofi has us guessing about identity, amnesia, past happenings (why did Catherine leave & where was she going???)The children are hugely enjoyable & so lovable.The mystery is intriguing, the love story beautifully & sympathetically written.Loved it!

A love forgotten… and remembered!

What a beautiful story of a love forgotten, and allowed to bloom again, charmingly set in the beautiful city of Vienna.Lena lost her memory in an accident eight year ago and has built a new life as a musician with her adopted family. Her husband the Duke has grieved for her all this time, thinking her dead. When duty takes him to the Congress of Vienna with the British delegation, he finds her alive and well! And not just that, she has grown into herself, a confident and lively woman he can’t help but fall over for again! Absolutely delightful.

A mysterious “resurrection “.

The encounter between the Duke and his amnesiac wife, whom he’d believed he’d buried 8 years ago, weaves together two worlds: that of the aristocracy, and that of the working poor, in the political maelstrom that was the Council of Amiens. Laporte has developed into an excellent author. Her writing is so good, ditto the editing, and it combines wit, humour and poignancy with compassion and depth of character. The denouement is just superb. Highly recommended.

Excellent.

An outstandingly good read. A well written novel with a great storyline, longer than my preferred reading length but it kept me enthralled throughout.Well worth the read.

Good read

Well written with few "Americansims". Good research of the period with interesting insights into customs of that period in Vienna. Read the book twice and found much to think about the life people led in those days. Very different to the author's other books.