Love in the Eternal City by Rebecca W. Martin
Set Up: In this story we follow Elena who has just had her heart broken by both her fiancee and her best friend as she begins her new job in Rome, Italy, and Benedikt who is a member of the Swiss Guard watching over Vatican City, the heart of the Catholic Church. Thanks to the meddling of a spymaster, Beni's coworker/friend and Beni's sister, these two start to become close. We follow them on their journey full of ups and downs to see where God might guide their relationship.
My Thoughts: This book was a welcome surprise. I love depth in my romance books, but I never go in expecting that depth to be there, because that would leave me disappointed the majority of the time. However, this book really allows us to get to know the characters very well. We see their pain and struggles and walk with them as they allow God to guide and heal them. I related to Elena and her thoughts on so many levels. Having been in a relationship with echoes of what Elena experienced it was hard and yet catharthic in many ways to walk with her through the pain.
I long to go back to Italy some day so experiencing Rome through this book was wonderful. We were able to see some of the sights, as well as get a more in depth look at the Vatican. I didn't know anything about the Swiss Guard so seeing how they work was fun, and may lead me down rabbit holes of learning. It's always good when a book inspires me to search out more information. I also really appreciated how central God was to the story line. Sometimes in Christian Fiction God only drops in a bit, but here He was integral. We experience them both getting closer to Him through the Catholicism they both practice, and their prayers. It was a wonderful story and I will definitely be adding a copy to my library.
Here is a link so you can check out the book yourself: Love in the Eternal City
About the Author
Rebecca W. Martin is a Lay Dominican and lifelong Catholic with too many cats, a deep affection for semicolons, and very few hobbies besides publishing. She is the auhtor of two children's books: Meet Sister Mary Margaret (OSV, 2023) and Father Drew, What Do You Do? (OSV, 2025). She serves as Acquisitions Editor for Our Sunday Visitor, freelances as Assistant Editor for Chrism Press, and volunteers as Editor for the Lay Dominicans of Central Province of St. Albert the Great, USA.
When she's not working and freelancing, Rebecca writes children's books, novels, essays, and poetry; sings in a concert choir; and reads just about anything. She is also an active member of the Catholic Writers Guild, and lives in Michigan with her husband and feline assistants.
Here are some other places you can interact with the author:
Instagram | Facebook | Website & Newsletter
With Love,
Melanie
