Francesca by Valentina Luellen
Francesca By Valentina Luellen 188 pages Published by Mills & Boon Limited (1977) Francesca was set in early 16th century Italy with the notorious Borgia family in centre stage. The Borgias’ ill reputation for exterminating families showing more power than them, and the fact that Rodrigo Borgia – the Pope Alexander VI – was believed to have fathered countless illegitimate children, created the perfect setting for Francesca . Francesca was the sister of Silvano Novar, who led the Novar family which strongly support the Republic of Florence. The power hungry Borgias were eyeing to conquer Florence, but Novar stood in their way. It all began when the Pope Alexander VI and his son Cesare Borgia plotted to run down the Novars in order to clear their path towards Florence. Initially, the Borgias tried to be friendly with the Novars. They invited Silvano – who brought along his sister Francesca – into the Borgia household to size up their opponent and apparently trying to see if they can