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The Princess Swap #1
Ordinary Girl in a Tiara
Faking it - as a princess! Unceremoniously dumped by her posh fiance, Caro Cartwright's decided that when it comes to life (and men) - ordinary is good. Until an old friend begs her to stage a gossip-worthy royal diversion! Reluctantly, Caro packs her shamefully non-designer bags and prepares to masquerade as a European prince's latest squeeze...Used to pampered princesses, Philippe doubts Caro's ability to look the part, but soon her warmth and humour - and the odd fashion faux pas - are toppling hearts like dominoes! Meanwhile Caro's uncomfortably aware that their play-acting is increasingly convincing. It's a tempting fantasy - after all, Philippe is gorgeous - but in the real world ordinary girls don't become princesses - do they?
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
22 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Hart
484 books137 followersAfter a haphazard career spent working and travelling around the world, I stumbled into romance writing as a way to fund a PhD. My first book, A Sweeter Prejudice, came out in 1991, and since then I've written a further 59 books, some of which have won awards in the US and the UK.
I live in York, a historic city in the north of England, and waste the best part of my days planning trips away or on Facebook and Twitter, both of which mean that I end up writing late into the night. As well as romance, I write 'time slips' as Pamela Hartshorne, and am a freelance project editor and occasional writing tutor.
In May 2013 I will publishing the Jessica Hart Vintage Collection of five of my early books from the 90s.
For news of forthcoming books and exclusive offers, do sign up for my newsletter: email jessica@jessicahart.co.uk or come and find me on Facebook.
I live in York, a historic city in the north of England, and waste the best part of my days planning trips away or on Facebook and Twitter, both of which mean that I end up writing late into the night. As well as romance, I write 'time slips' as Pamela Hartshorne, and am a freelance project editor and occasional writing tutor.
In May 2013 I will publishing the Jessica Hart Vintage Collection of five of my early books from the 90s.
For news of forthcoming books and exclusive offers, do sign up for my newsletter: email jessica@jessicahart.co.uk or come and find me on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 3, 2013
4.5 stars
A fun and delightful read with a delightful heroine who takes prince Philippe and his small country Montluce by storm. Caro is an ordinary girl with ordinary dreams, who loves food and ridiculous vintage clothes. She is doing her best friend princess Charlotte ( h in The Secret Princess ) a favor by pretending to be prince Philippe's girlfriend. Philippe's first impression of this plum quirky girl is not favorable. But soon enough, she gets under his skin and into his heart. She makes him laugh and relax. She eases away his tension and frustration with his family.
As most of the royal romance, the story may seems far-fetched but very emotional nonetheless. JH 's writing is flawless, warm and heart-lifting. Her humour is at its best. The emails between Caro and Lotty throughout the story, are fun to read and make the story seems more realistic, more rooted in the present. Philippe's jealousy over Caro's attempts to find Mr. Right on a dating site, is totally endearing. The sexual tension between these two so different characters is so well- written , proving that a good author doesn't need graphic scenes to provide more sizzle.
A fun and delightful read with a delightful heroine who takes prince Philippe and his small country Montluce by storm. Caro is an ordinary girl with ordinary dreams, who loves food and ridiculous vintage clothes. She is doing her best friend princess Charlotte ( h in The Secret Princess ) a favor by pretending to be prince Philippe's girlfriend. Philippe's first impression of this plum quirky girl is not favorable. But soon enough, she gets under his skin and into his heart. She makes him laugh and relax. She eases away his tension and frustration with his family.
As most of the royal romance, the story may seems far-fetched but very emotional nonetheless. JH 's writing is flawless, warm and heart-lifting. Her humour is at its best. The emails between Caro and Lotty throughout the story, are fun to read and make the story seems more realistic, more rooted in the present. Philippe's jealousy over Caro's attempts to find Mr. Right on a dating site, is totally endearing. The sexual tension between these two so different characters is so well- written , proving that a good author doesn't need graphic scenes to provide more sizzle.
June 26, 2023
Re-read June 2023
Re-read August 2020
Re-read September 2018
I loved it - like really liked it. It was such a sweet fairy tale romance.
Don't read it if you hate Harlequin, but if you don't then it's a delight . Not like the cover - that's so hideous, I have no words...
Re-read August 2020
Re-read September 2018
I loved it - like really liked it. It was such a sweet fairy tale romance.
Don't read it if you hate Harlequin, but if you don't then it's a delight . Not like the cover - that's so hideous, I have no words...
August 29, 2012
Loved this book. It made me laugh, cry and sigh. Read it in less than a day and kept meaning to put it down, but I was so caught up in the story that I kept missing the chapter headings and so kept reading!
January 4, 2021
I've had this on my TBR pile and e-reader for quite some time. I'm glad to have finally gotten to it. I'm not a huge fan of romantic royalty stories outside of the occasional Hallmark or Netflix movie. However, I must admit this was very well done and an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. If you like stories by Jessica Hart, then I definitely recommend giving this one a shot.
January 18, 2023
Oh SWOON. Just the gushy romance book I needed at this time. 4, a love story that hit the spot for me at this time, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2016
Its been a while since I picked up a harlequin romance title by an author I wasn't previously exposed to. However I'm kind of a sucker for ordinary girls who swap with their royal friends (or royal look-a-likes or twins swapping lives or anything in that brand of romance actually) and Borders had both books in the duology for 50% so...
I was pleasantly surprised! While I still kind of grew exasperated by the sheer amount of miscommunication that occurred between the leads, I enjoyed watching as Caro got practically an entire country to adjust their way of thinking just by being eccentric and personable. I take issue with the cover, its pretty, but rather bland and does nothing for either character (it doesn't show Caro's luscious curves or her unique style of dressing for starters). That's par for the course in Harlequins isn't it though?
As I said earlier the miscommunication issues vexed me, there were several times I really wanted to just ask why neither thought to just say something. Some of the walls built between them felt very artificial and a little silly (Philippe's constant criticisms about Caro's outfits, or Caro's rather reckless penchant for ignoring what Philippe told her), but it was amusing to watch Philippe's obvious deep feelings for Caro and her pragmatic approach. It was usually Caro who had to remind Philippe that he had to step back and remember it was a temporary gig and Philippe who made (silent) plans for their future.
You can't tell from the cover picture, but Caro has 'luscious' curves and though its never explicitly stated more of an 'average' woman sized figure I'm guessing. I liked that she dressed how she liked--in vintage clothing mainly that was a little offbeat, but had emotional significance to her usually.
While some of Caro's backstory was a bit spotty and if looked at too closely a bit implausible to boot, I thought the genuine affection she and Lotty felt for each other was an endearing piece of the story.
The companion book to this, The Secret Princess, parallels the timeline during Ordinary as Caro and Philippe begin their charade and it quickly becomes something more. Throughout the novel there are email exchanges between Caro and Lotty that give us a little bit about what's happening with Lotty, but surprisingly the end of this book does not ruin the end of that book.
I was pleasantly surprised! While I still kind of grew exasperated by the sheer amount of miscommunication that occurred between the leads, I enjoyed watching as Caro got practically an entire country to adjust their way of thinking just by being eccentric and personable. I take issue with the cover, its pretty, but rather bland and does nothing for either character (it doesn't show Caro's luscious curves or her unique style of dressing for starters). That's par for the course in Harlequins isn't it though?
As I said earlier the miscommunication issues vexed me, there were several times I really wanted to just ask why neither thought to just say something. Some of the walls built between them felt very artificial and a little silly (Philippe's constant criticisms about Caro's outfits, or Caro's rather reckless penchant for ignoring what Philippe told her), but it was amusing to watch Philippe's obvious deep feelings for Caro and her pragmatic approach. It was usually Caro who had to remind Philippe that he had to step back and remember it was a temporary gig and Philippe who made (silent) plans for their future.
You can't tell from the cover picture, but Caro has 'luscious' curves and though its never explicitly stated more of an 'average' woman sized figure I'm guessing. I liked that she dressed how she liked--in vintage clothing mainly that was a little offbeat, but had emotional significance to her usually.
While some of Caro's backstory was a bit spotty and if looked at too closely a bit implausible to boot, I thought the genuine affection she and Lotty felt for each other was an endearing piece of the story.
The companion book to this, The Secret Princess, parallels the timeline during Ordinary as Caro and Philippe begin their charade and it quickly becomes something more. Throughout the novel there are email exchanges between Caro and Lotty that give us a little bit about what's happening with Lotty, but surprisingly the end of this book does not ruin the end of that book.
January 4, 2017
Yes, I'm one of those girls who reads chiclit as their guilty pleasure. Got problem with that? :P
I always read one every now and then, especially when I was in reading slump.
This book is really cute, full blown romance in romance novels, just what I expected.
But I definitely think that the synopsis didn't give it a fair definition. This is one of the best book for the development of the characters for a "trashy novel". The synopsis just made me want to say nah, thank you.
I always read one every now and then, especially when I was in reading slump.
This book is really cute, full blown romance in romance novels, just what I expected.
But I definitely think that the synopsis didn't give it a fair definition. This is one of the best book for the development of the characters for a "trashy novel". The synopsis just made me want to say nah, thank you.
August 16, 2017
Sweet.
The ending was sweet but it was hard work reading the story to get there. The first half of the book was especially hard to get through. The only reason I kept reading was that I had bought this book based on reviews, so I figured it must get better! It did. A bit.
The ending was sweet but it was hard work reading the story to get there. The first half of the book was especially hard to get through. The only reason I kept reading was that I had bought this book based on reviews, so I figured it must get better! It did. A bit.
Read
December 24, 2014Miniseries: The Princess Swap
April 1, 2015
Adorable, fast read!
February 21, 2020
Pretty good. Loved how the main character wasn't skinny and typically gorgeous. Her quirks were awesome and I loved her obsession with vintage! The arrogance Phillippe showed with her not being all over him was disgusting! Glad to see his ego knocked down a few pegs. The story was interesting, especially the royal family's dynamics and the apparent "we're above, we do not lower ourselves to comune with these lesser creatures " them vibe. All in all enjoyed. I laughed, got angry, felt sad and admittedly swooned a bit at their way of being together, outside the bedroom. Definitely reading the sequel.
December 29, 2017
It was okay it guess. It was super short, and I’m not usually one to judge the writing style itself, but I could I written a story better than this. The vocabulary and phrasing of the words was just kind of off for me. The plot was okay even though it’s like reading a hallmark movie.
April 15, 2018
A sweet and simple story, with good characters and dialogue.
April 22, 2019
3 1/2 stars, well written and if you’re looking for an easy read with an ordinary girl meets prince in a predictable storyline to a happy ending it’s the book for you.
March 3, 2020
3.5 stars
August 14, 2021
Very good book. Loved the details and the special moments they shared.
September 11, 2024
It's for sentimental reasons this is the first romance book I read back in 2017🤧🤧🤧 I love it so much
February 15, 2013
Bueno, a mi me gustan leer algunos libros de Harlequin (Esos libros romanticos pequeños que venden en las revisterias y que seguramente nuestras mamás leen) pero es que, después de terminar una aventura en libros fantásticos o sagas adictivas, me gusta leer un libro entretenido sin muchas páginas, ideales para leer mientras estas en bus camino a la escuela (¡Además de que son baratisimos!)
Sin embargo, este libro, sí que me gusto un montón, (ya me he leído varios de esta autora) Ademas pensé que a este especial romantico nos faltaba un Principe de verdad ¿no? Al contrario de su mayoría este libro no es sobre el dominante y guapo italiano que se enamora de una chica inocente.
Caro es una mujer bastante peculiar, no es tan delgada como se espera que sea, ni ordenada y no muy buena manteniendo novios, pero Caro tiene un sentido muy peculiar hacia la moda, siempre viste a un estilo vintage de los 50's, le encanta cocinar y comer, y es casi experta en sitios para citas online.
No todo iba viento en popa con la vida de Caro, sin embargo, cuando su mejor amiga Lotty (Princesa de Montluce) le pide ayuda ya que la abuela de Lotty la quiere casar con su primo, Philippe, no puede decir que no. Pero, lo que Caro no sabia, es que para ayudarla, Caro se tenia que hacer pasar por la prometida enamorada de Philippe mientras Lotty desaparece un rato del mapa.
Philippe no puede ser lo más opuesto a Caro, Philippe es engreido, guapo y sofisticad. Sin embargo, Philippe aún así no es el típico Principe (ni el ideal) arrogante y dominante, si no que se le considera rebelde y salvaje, siempre a la sombra de su hermano mayor perfecto que ha muerto.
La historia trancurre ligera, graciosa y entrenida, Philippe no puede estar más que desconcertado por Caro y su forma de vida, mientras tanto Caro aun no puede acostumbrarse a la vida tan recatada en el castillo, ¡tan serio y diferente de ella!.
Ambos saben que sería muy malo involucrarse, Caro no es tipo de Philippe ni el tipo ideal de princesa, y además Caro lo que menos quiere es enredarse con un hombre guapo e inancalzable, Caro busca un hombre normal que lleve una vida normal y de quién se pueda enamorar.
Y bueno, no les digo más para no contarles toda la historia (muy pequeña por cierto, pero no por eso menos buena).
Sin embargo, este libro, sí que me gusto un montón, (ya me he leído varios de esta autora) Ademas pensé que a este especial romantico nos faltaba un Principe de verdad ¿no? Al contrario de su mayoría este libro no es sobre el dominante y guapo italiano que se enamora de una chica inocente.
Caro es una mujer bastante peculiar, no es tan delgada como se espera que sea, ni ordenada y no muy buena manteniendo novios, pero Caro tiene un sentido muy peculiar hacia la moda, siempre viste a un estilo vintage de los 50's, le encanta cocinar y comer, y es casi experta en sitios para citas online.
No todo iba viento en popa con la vida de Caro, sin embargo, cuando su mejor amiga Lotty (Princesa de Montluce) le pide ayuda ya que la abuela de Lotty la quiere casar con su primo, Philippe, no puede decir que no. Pero, lo que Caro no sabia, es que para ayudarla, Caro se tenia que hacer pasar por la prometida enamorada de Philippe mientras Lotty desaparece un rato del mapa.
Philippe no puede ser lo más opuesto a Caro, Philippe es engreido, guapo y sofisticad. Sin embargo, Philippe aún así no es el típico Principe (ni el ideal) arrogante y dominante, si no que se le considera rebelde y salvaje, siempre a la sombra de su hermano mayor perfecto que ha muerto.
La historia trancurre ligera, graciosa y entrenida, Philippe no puede estar más que desconcertado por Caro y su forma de vida, mientras tanto Caro aun no puede acostumbrarse a la vida tan recatada en el castillo, ¡tan serio y diferente de ella!.
Ambos saben que sería muy malo involucrarse, Caro no es tipo de Philippe ni el tipo ideal de princesa, y además Caro lo que menos quiere es enredarse con un hombre guapo e inancalzable, Caro busca un hombre normal que lleve una vida normal y de quién se pueda enamorar.
Y bueno, no les digo más para no contarles toda la historia (muy pequeña por cierto, pero no por eso menos buena).
May 14, 2011
ORDINARY GIRL IN A TIARA from author Jessica Hart is from the new Harlequin M&B line, RIVA.
Caroline Cartwright, hurt by her fiancé leaving her for someone sexy and fun, felt herself to be too ordinary for the likes of an European prince.
Prince Philippe, dashing, jet-setting playboy is used to sophisticated and pampered princesses. When he hatches a plan with Caro’s friend Princess Charlotte, for Caro to masquerade as his girlfriend in order to thwart Lottie’s Grandma’s matchmaking, he knows Caro wouldn’t be able to play the part. But Caro would do anything for Lottie and she agreed to live the life of a princess for a few months.
Yet while pretending, Caro sees a different side to Philippe, a good, kind and caring man, who funds missions and flies aid to stricken areas and she becomes aware of the chemistry between them. The growth and progression of the love between Caro and Philippe is depicted in a natural flow which is emotionally satisfying.
She knows she has to return to her ordinary life, and Philippe becomes irritated when he sees her trawling the dating sites. Can he be jealous?
Philippe’s snide comment on every man’s profile Caro tells him about from the dating site is hilarious. And the emails depicted between Caro and her friend Lottie keeps the story very much in the present and is realistic.
This story is liberally spiced with humor, pathos and heartfelt emotion. I did feel emotional when Caro went to say goodbye to the Dowager. And I kept thinking how the author would bring these two characters together for their happily ever after.
You just can’t help but root for these two characters to get to their happy ending. I didn’t want the story to end just then. But who wants a good romance to end? And after finishing I sort of missed Caro and Philippe!
Written with all the warmth, tenderness and sensitivity that has become Jessica Hart’s hallmark, Ordinary Girl in a Tiara is the latest charming and mesmerizing romance from her. It’s every ordinary girl’s story and I highly recommend it!
Caroline Cartwright, hurt by her fiancé leaving her for someone sexy and fun, felt herself to be too ordinary for the likes of an European prince.
Prince Philippe, dashing, jet-setting playboy is used to sophisticated and pampered princesses. When he hatches a plan with Caro’s friend Princess Charlotte, for Caro to masquerade as his girlfriend in order to thwart Lottie’s Grandma’s matchmaking, he knows Caro wouldn’t be able to play the part. But Caro would do anything for Lottie and she agreed to live the life of a princess for a few months.
Yet while pretending, Caro sees a different side to Philippe, a good, kind and caring man, who funds missions and flies aid to stricken areas and she becomes aware of the chemistry between them. The growth and progression of the love between Caro and Philippe is depicted in a natural flow which is emotionally satisfying.
She knows she has to return to her ordinary life, and Philippe becomes irritated when he sees her trawling the dating sites. Can he be jealous?
Philippe’s snide comment on every man’s profile Caro tells him about from the dating site is hilarious. And the emails depicted between Caro and her friend Lottie keeps the story very much in the present and is realistic.
This story is liberally spiced with humor, pathos and heartfelt emotion. I did feel emotional when Caro went to say goodbye to the Dowager. And I kept thinking how the author would bring these two characters together for their happily ever after.
You just can’t help but root for these two characters to get to their happy ending. I didn’t want the story to end just then. But who wants a good romance to end? And after finishing I sort of missed Caro and Philippe!
Written with all the warmth, tenderness and sensitivity that has become Jessica Hart’s hallmark, Ordinary Girl in a Tiara is the latest charming and mesmerizing romance from her. It’s every ordinary girl’s story and I highly recommend it!
June 21, 2015
Coras Leben verändert sich als Sie für ihre Freundin Prinzessin Lotty, die Freundin des Prinzen Philippe von Montvivennes spielen soll. Da sie immer noch unter der Trennung ihres Ex-Freundes leidet, spielt sie mit. Es wird ihr größtes Abenteuer und auch sehr romantisch.
Wer will nicht einmal Prinzessin sein, oder ihren Prinzen treffen. In der Geschichte hat man schnell das Gefühl in einem Märchen für Erwachsene zu sein. Man hat auch die böse Königin dabei, teilweise wird es sehr romantisch und gefühlvoll. Ich habe mich sehr gut unterhalten mit der Geschichte und konnte auch immer wieder herzhaft Lachen. Da Cora auch wie eine Frau beschrieben wird, die wie ich du sein könnte.
Wer will nicht einmal Prinzessin sein, oder ihren Prinzen treffen. In der Geschichte hat man schnell das Gefühl in einem Märchen für Erwachsene zu sein. Man hat auch die böse Königin dabei, teilweise wird es sehr romantisch und gefühlvoll. Ich habe mich sehr gut unterhalten mit der Geschichte und konnte auch immer wieder herzhaft Lachen. Da Cora auch wie eine Frau beschrieben wird, die wie ich du sein könnte.
December 10, 2011
I have been buying quite a few Jessica Harts, after reading (and loving) Juggling Briefcase & Baby.
This one unfortunately didn't quite live up to my expectations - too much head-hopping (pet peeve of mine) and also umm... less realistic than previous Harts (I know, I know - it IS an M&B, but I think I prefer something more rooted in reality).
Oh well. I did think the release was spot-on timing-wise, what with Wills & Kate's wedding at the same time.
This one unfortunately didn't quite live up to my expectations - too much head-hopping (pet peeve of mine) and also umm... less realistic than previous Harts (I know, I know - it IS an M&B, but I think I prefer something more rooted in reality).
Oh well. I did think the release was spot-on timing-wise, what with Wills & Kate's wedding at the same time.
June 25, 2013
I loved Caro and Phillipe's story. Caro is trying to help out her friend Lotty by pretending to be Phillipe's girlfriend so she could escape. Caro has never felt like she belonged and she does not feel it will change when she goes to Montluce. Phillipe and Caro pretend to be in love but it's just a show or is it. Caro encourages Phillipe to ask for more responsibility in running the country and she is just herself and the people if Montluce fall in love with her. I love the ending and how it leads to Lotty's story.
February 19, 2012
This was such a lovely story! I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! Just another sweet and fluffy love story about an ordinary girl, who happens to be best friends with a princess, and how she falls in love with her best friend's cousin, the Crown Prince. A lovely story about how, underneath the titles and glitz and glamour, a Crown Prince is just a regular guy.
Very cute story. I'd definitely recommend it.
Very cute story. I'd definitely recommend it.
September 13, 2021
A lovely and sweet, satisfying read and hit all the right spots. It was a modern version of Cinderella where our heroine met a real-life Prince. I won't give further details, so you have to read it yourself—all I can say is that this was such an excellent book. I loved everything about it.
I loved Caro and Phillippe. They were perfect for each other. I was so caught up in their story that I couldn't wait to find out the ending. Loved the book from the beginning.
I loved Caro and Phillippe. They were perfect for each other. I was so caught up in their story that I couldn't wait to find out the ending. Loved the book from the beginning.
September 2, 2011
I loved this book. I'd been put off getting it for a while by the hideous UK cover but as I own almost all Jessica's books I knew I'd end up giving in. A lovely sweet satisfying read. I could have done without the brief epilogue and had more time at the ending bit but the dialogue was so lovely and the hero and heroine so good. It's another 5 star read.
May 16, 2012
Awesome, delicious read! Each word held me spellbound...I fell in love with the quirky Caro and princely yet vulnerable Philippe. It was one of those books you couldn't wait to find out the ending but never wanted to end. Jessica Hart is one of my all-time favorite authors. I will be reading this again soon.
October 14, 2013
Princess swap series...wow...name itself shows promising! I love fairy tales...and this series is just a fairy tale romance!!
A sweet romance, with a predictable story but entertaining read....with an uncomplicated, simple book. I loved caro and Philippe....enjoyed reading how they fall in love despite their entirely different characters.
A time-passing read for a lazy afternoon !!
A sweet romance, with a predictable story but entertaining read....with an uncomplicated, simple book. I loved caro and Philippe....enjoyed reading how they fall in love despite their entirely different characters.
A time-passing read for a lazy afternoon !!
September 28, 2013
This is a book.
For a full review, please go to:
http://mlleelizabeth.booklikes.com/
GoodReads's policies no longer comply with my review policy. Therefore my reviews will be posted at BookLikes going forward. Thank you for following my reviews here. I hope to continue discussing books with you on BookLikes.
For a full review, please go to:
http://mlleelizabeth.booklikes.com/
GoodReads's policies no longer comply with my review policy. Therefore my reviews will be posted at BookLikes going forward. Thank you for following my reviews here. I hope to continue discussing books with you on BookLikes.
January 14, 2015
im giving it 3.25 stars
it was a really sweet read! hit the right notes, emotions and pulled the right set of heartstrings. i thought it'd make me feel gooey inside and too good to be true. but the characters were very ordinary and i could relate to them, royalty or not, we're all still human. great read!
it was a really sweet read! hit the right notes, emotions and pulled the right set of heartstrings. i thought it'd make me feel gooey inside and too good to be true. but the characters were very ordinary and i could relate to them, royalty or not, we're all still human. great read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews