Saracinesca

"Saracinesca" by F. Marion Crawford is a story that explores the lives of Roman nobles in the 1800s, during a time of big changes, complete with social expectations, family honor, and a dash of romance. In Rome, 1865, the main character is Giovanni Saracinesca, a member of a well-known family, who finds himself caught between what his family wants for him and what his own heart desires, especially when he starts to like the Duchess d'Astrardente. The story heats up when Giovanni and his father don't see eye-to-eye on a marriage proposal with a rich widow named Tullia Mayer, leading to conflicts and a showdown between following tradition and chasing personal happiness in a world of fancy parties and high-society drama.