Art Historian Super Heroes Series by Rebecca Branch

Nearly raped at her photo shoot in Milan, English actress/model Molly Moncrieff flees south only to lose her luggage, her clothes, and her remaining money upon her arrival in Rome. Desperate and alone, emotionally drained and at her wits end, knowing no one but a young, long-haired American she'd just met by a fountain late at night, she has no choice but to accept his kind offer of a place to sleep... moreNearly raped at her photo shoot in Milan, English actress/model Molly Moncrieff flees south only to lose her luggage, her clothes, and her remaining money upon her arrival in Rome. Desperate and alone, emotionally drained and at her wits end, knowing no one but a young, long-haired American she'd just met by a fountain late at night, she has no choice but to accept his kind offer of a place to sleep. Certain that she will have to perform to his advantage, remarkably, no advantage is taken, and she rests in the comfort of clean sheets and safety in the young man's apartment...the rich and ancient villa of his mother, an Italian Contessa. Waking, she is swept away into his world of antiquity, art, literature, music, food and culture with a loving, sweet and innocent younger man. Somewhat frightened and intimidated by her at first; thinking her way out of his league, Maximillian DuPont's attraction to her grows as he tours her through the ancient city. Son of an American archaeologist, cultured, polite, elegant, smart and free-spirited, his youthful outlook and positive take on life brings new hope and reclamation to his stunning guest. Desperate for salvation and in need of care and understanding, she uses her every physical attribute and sensual talent to attract and capture his attention, all the while unaware that it is he, with his intellect, and in his innocence, who is capturing her heart, mind and spirit. Set against a background of the ancient city, its art and monuments, piazzas and fountains...and the cafe society of the early 70's, this summer romance comes to define who these two people are, and will be, as their lives are forever changed by the encounter. This book, the first in a series, takes the reader through a world of ancient architecture, art and history, all delivered through the eyes of an art historian. The romance is the story of her reclamation and his sexual awakening, taking place in Rome, Capri, Positano, Pompeii, Santa Marinella, the aircraft carrier USS America, and New York in the turbulent times of the cultural revolution of the early seventies. Famous people and many minor characters populate the book. There is a sub-story which takes place in the First Century BC in the city of Rome, capital of a new burgeoning empire, embroiled in civil war, and ruled by Julius Caesar. The characters here are Marcellus, Tribune of the Tenth Legion, and Alessandra, hostage princess of the Kingdom of Bithynia. Another story of love, personal growth and sexual awakening, this one guides the reader through the daily life of ancient Rome, breathing life into the ruins examined earlier in the narrative. The book is at all times romantic, often erotic, but also assumes an interest on the part of the reader in Rome today and in the ancient world. Travel the mysteries of the imperial city, the medieval streets, renaissance piazzas, and the minds of the two protagonists as they find comfort, companionship, love and lust in a world of wonder and social consciousness. You will walk away from this book with a detailed guide to the ancient city and museums, and stories you will not often find elsewhere." less

Maximillian DuPont, son of an American archaeologist and an art historian on the curatorial staff of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, heads to Paris, London and Rome. Recently jilted by his fiancé at Cal Berkeley, he strikes off on an antiquities buying tour. Tired of the night life, dating scene, and loneliness of his world in New York, Max finds focus in a recent find…an outstanding collection of the personal possessions of Gaius Julius Caesar, only recently discovered... moreMaximillian DuPont, son of an American archaeologist and an art historian on the curatorial staff of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, heads to Paris, London and Rome. Recently jilted by his fiancé at Cal Berkeley, he strikes off on an antiquities buying tour. Tired of the night life, dating scene, and loneliness of his world in New York, Max finds focus in a recent find…an outstanding collection of the personal possessions of Gaius Julius Caesar, only recently discovered. Examining the priceless objects, Max sets off a chain of events which unlocks an ability to connect with any of Caesar’s blood ties throughout time, leading him back to Caesar himself. Experimenting with his new found ability to time travel, Max amasses a fortune through stock purchases, becoming an overnight multi-millionaire. Complications arise when he meets Sally, a woman who shares his interests and passions; the unhappily married thoroughbred wife of a New York entertainment lawyer in 1955. More than ten years his elder, a bright, beautiful socialite, she clings to Max, who can’t help but empathize with a soul mate who lives her life as a society ornament. In 1937, Sarah Goldsmith, beautiful and brilliant daughter of a German Jewish antiquarian, fights the prejudice of her times in pre-World War Two America, guarding her chastity, and concentrating her spirit and energy on her studies and her equestrian abilities. Lost in a world of nineteenth century romance novels, harassed by her neighbors, she fights the horrors of her times to complete her education and get away to New York City, a place where being Jewish has little stigma and where she might finally meet a companion who sees her for who she is. This is a story of time travel, of places past and present, of historical figures and events, visited and observed by an art historian whose life pans between New York and Rome. The second book in a series, but a stand-alone novel, this book will take the reader to Paris, London, Rome, Berkeley, New York, and the North Atlantic as it wends its way through the fabric of time. Join the hero and heroine through their challenges and personal growth as they experience the turbulent times of the last century and Max sets his sights on his ultimate goal…meeting Caesar. less

This is the third book in the Art Historian Superhero series. In Summer of 71 you were introduced to Max DuPont, a young American who spends his summers in Rome, split between two continents and shared by divorced parents. That summer Max had the romance of his life and was introduced to the mysteries of women by Molly, the dream lover of any young man, a down on her luck actress and model ten years his elder. Theirs was a romance which defined who they were and who they were to become... moreThis is the third book in the Art Historian Superhero series. In Summer of 71 you were introduced to Max DuPont, a young American who spends his summers in Rome, split between two continents and shared by divorced parents. That summer Max had the romance of his life and was introduced to the mysteries of women by Molly, the dream lover of any young man, a down on her luck actress and model ten years his elder. Theirs was a romance which defined who they were and who they were to become. Seven years later, in my second novel, Great Caesar’s Ghost, Max found himself again in Rome, this time an adult, working on the curatorial staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Together with his father Edward, an American archaeologist, Max discovered a long lost treasure, the personal artifacts of Gaius Julius Caesar. Amongst the relics was a ring which had the ability, when worn by one of Caesar’s descendants, to transport the bearer to any time and place. Max started his journey to uncover the past and ultimately to visit with Caesar himself. Waking from her near-death experience, having survived the sinking of the Titanic, Sarah Goldsmith (Sally) saves Max and accompanies him in his travels. Brilliant and resourceful, a Harvard educated art historian, she awakens from a frightening era of anti-Semitism to champion the fight against injustice, intolerance and barbarity in all its forms. A natural feminist, Sally finds her match in Max, and two lonely lives come together as one. This third novel in the series takes the time travelers from the modern world to the ancient past. Travel with them to California in the year 2050 to gather together their team and to New York in 1980 where Max lives his current life. Visit Studio 54, the court of Theodoric the Ostrogoth in Rome in 494 AD, and be present at the epic battle of Alesia where Caesar battles the Gauls in 52 BC. Ultimately a love story and also a tale of discovery and self-awareness, join Max as he sheds the loneliness he has endured since his teenage years and finds the girl of his dreams who travels at his side. Then be prepared to admit within your circle one of the strongest and most attractive characters I’ve written…Ambrosia, a combined product of Apple and Google, and the most capable heroine in this series. These are all adult books. They are written for a mature audience, suffused with observations of history, art history, Roman culture, contemporary New York, and many other locations. They are also a story of attraction, commitment, discovery and self-awareness, loss of innocence, coming of age, love and lust. They are often erotic but always loving, respectful of both genders, upbeat and satisfying. Although adult themes abound, they do not dominate, and these books are romantic time-travel historical fiction first and erotic adventures second. Come along for the journey in this sequel to Great Caesar’s Ghost. less