The Black Madonna

Roundheads & Cavaliers, Book 1

By: Stella Riley

Narrated by: Alex Wyndham

Length: 22 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

As England slides into Civil War, master-goldsmith and money-lender, Luciano Falcieri del Santi embarks on his own hidden agenda.

A chance meeting one dark night results in an unlikely friendship with Member of Parliament, Richard Maxwell.

Richard’s daughter, Kate - a spirited girl who vows to hold their home against both Cavalier and Roundhead - soon finds herself fighting an involuntary attraction to the clever, magnetic, and diabolically beautiful Italian. Hampered by the warring English and the quest itself growing daily more dangerous, Luciano begins to realize that his own life and that of everyone close to him rests on the knife-edge of success...for only success will permit him to reclaim the Black Madonna and offer his heart to the girl he loves. From the machinations within Parliament to the last days of the King’s cause, The Black Madonna is an epic saga of passion and intrigue at a time when England was lost in a dark and bloody conflict.

©2013 Stella Riley (P)2019 Stella Riley

Dazzling and beautiful, a tale of mystery and love read by a master narrator

Stella Riley once again weaves a story full of history and wonderful characters and an intricate plot that you eagerly follow throughout its twists and turns. Every word she writes helps bring alive these amazing people, who I would love to meet in real life, but fortunately get to visit over and over. Her research is impeccable, the details are engrossing and when you finish one of her books, its like finishing a great meal, satisfying and yet sad it is over. I loved this book as it is the start of her much loved and praised Civil War series.
This book follows the story of the Maxwell family before and after the start of the Civil War. A mysterious Italian enters their lives and their stories begin to entwine. Luciano is on his own mission to track down the people responsible for his father’s death. He grows close to Richard the father of the Maxwell family and slowly secrets come to light. To Kate, the oldest Maxwell daughter, he is both annoying and intriguing and she too is pulled into his orbit against her will. Tensions mount and lead to a very bloody war, dividing families and friends against each other. As the war winds on, each person is affected by it and relationships are strained to the breaking point.
Above all the fracas is Luciano, who remains neutral and uninvolved in the war, pursuing his purpose and remaining maddeningly aloof to a closer relationship with Kate.

Alex Wyndham skillful narration once again brings the characters to life and keeps you on the edge of your seat. He inhabits the characters, adding nuance to each one. His wonderful voice is a delight to listen to.

Each book by Stella Riley is a work of art, written in a style uniquely her own. She writes whole characters with strengths and weaknesses on display and who make mistakes but persevere. Her plots hold together beautifully and she makes you want more each time you get to the end. I was so happy this book was 22 plus hours as I knew the story would be all the more intriguing and balanced. I would give many more than 5 stars if possible.

Wonderful narration of a great story!

I could listen to Alex Wyndham all day. His voice is seductive, his performance remarkable, and he brings the listening experience to a whole new level. Whenever he partners with the talented Stella Riley, the result is breathtaking.
In Black Madonna, Alex outdid himself as the complex Luciano de Santi (and as the strong Kate Maxwell) literally taking the reader into a journey through 1639 England.
The eminent civil war, the religious tension, and the different backgrounds of the MC's are the ingredients of this amazing story.
This is the first book of the Rounds and Cavaliers Series and there is more of Luciano and Kate to enjoy in the next books (as side characters). I am crossing my fingers hoping they will also be released in audio soon.
What I like the most about Black Madonna and the other books in the series is how historical facts and figures are intertwined in the story.

Excellent, More Than Romance

Clever dialogue, complex characters that come to life as you are whisked away on a fascinating trip into England's history.

Long but good

The characters and story are neatly woven together but there were times it veered into form over substance as far as propelling the story forward. Still, it was enjoyable and the romance genuinely good.

Mindblowingly Thrilling & Romantic

The description of this book in Audible's listing doesn't do justice to its genius. Sweep, scope, historical details, heart, sensuousness...Stella Riley has put everything anyone could want in a family saga/adventure/romance/war story/revenge drama into it. Her brilliant construction weaves an Italian revenge story into an English gentry family's cataclysmic experiences during the complicated, tragic, murderous, and historically consequential beginnings of the English Civil Wars. It's frightening how realistic it seems: how a country can go from civil disagreements into bloody civil war in a flash. The hero and heroine are complex and irresistible. The book is endowed with the unique pathos of the beauty of the English countryside and the cadences of country life disrupted by love and hatred. Warning: this series is addictive. I highly recommend that for maximum enjoyment, the books should be read in the author's numbered order. And Alex Wyndham's performance - bewitching, terrifying, bone melting.

C'est Merveilleux!

A slow, arduous, and gripping journey across a broad spectrum of characters, but a subtly sensual delight to intrigue and captivate any ardent romance reader. Especially, with the tantalizing vocal renderings of an enthralling artiste, such as Mr. Alex Wyndham.

MAGNIFICENT!!!

I am a full time book listener. This book is by far the absolute best I have had the privilege of listening to! The reviews of all around 5 stars are correct. You will NOT regret the purchase, nor the time you invest in the Black Madonna!

Wonderful!

Don’t be put off by the spectre of a ‘war novel,’ or the length (22+ hours..eek!). This is a wonderful book. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

One of the BEST books I have ever read!

Although I had high expectations to begin with, because I have never read a Stella Riley book that didn’t deserve 5 stars, The Black Madonna na managed to surpass even those high expectations.

I have waited for 3 years to read the series because I was fairly certain that Alex Wyndham might one day narrate it, so when Audible released the audio, I decided to finally start the series. Alex Wyndham is the best narrator I have ever heard—and he was stellar! His voice is gorgeous, romantic, suave, and smooth.

The writing is brilliant. The dialogue is intelligent, with a lot of humor. The plot is fascinating and I never once got bored or hoped she would hurry up and get to the point. There were no foolish misunderstandings or miscommunications. All of characters were believable and fully sketched.

As an American, I wasn’t that familiar with the English Civil War, and while I learned a lot, it wasn’t dry or boring. There was the perfect blend of history, mystery and romance. I can’t express how much I loved it!

Since I am now so invested in these fascinating characters, and what will happen to them, I will continue reading the remainder of the books in the series, and just have to listen to the audiobooks when each one is released.

I can’t recommend this book and the author enough!

Loved this book!!

Alex Wyndham and Stella Riley combination never disappoints. I really love Alex’s voices. I do not know how he keeps all those characters straight!! But he does and it is marvelous. Stella is an amazing writer and the story was beautiful!! I not only was invested in the Hero and Heroine but the side Characters were great too! Stella does such a great job of combining history and beautiful story telling. If you love history like I do you will love this book. I learned a lot about the English Civil War that I did not know. This is definitely worth the credit if you love romance novels that have great historical research behind them.