The Third Son

Royals of Cardenas #1

by Elise Marion

Rake. Rogue. Scoundrel. Each of these words has been used to describe Damien Largess, youngest prince of Cardenas. But when he steps into a glittering ballroom on the night of his twenty-fifth birthday, the roguish young prince’s life will be forever changed. Beautiful. Graceful. Sensual. When Esmeralda steps into king’s ballroom to perform for the prince’s twenty-fifth birthday, every eye in the room is upon her. One pair of eyes intrigues her most of all … those of Prince Damien, seeming to stare straight through to her soul. The two know nothing can ever come of their love; he is a prince, and she a Gypsy dancer. Yet, neither can seem to resist the passion that sparks when they are together, or the unmistakable call of destiny forcing their lives onto the same path. However, love is not the only thing destiny has in store … With a deadly plot against the royal family surrounding him in danger and intrigue, Damien will face a decision he never thought he would have to make. Will he step up to claim a responsibility that should never have fallen to the third son? Or will he abandon it to risk all for love? Kings of Cardenas Series Reading Order The Third Son The Second Son The Lady Knights of Barony Gypsy Rose The Gypsy The Mistress (Bonus Novella) Series Keywords Historical Romance Fantasy Romance Victorian Era Royalty and Aristocrats Gypsies Gypsy Fiction Historical Fantasy Multicultural and Interracial Romance Romantic Suspense Mystery Romance

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Ebooks, Mystery

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2011

About the author

Elise Marion is a lover books and has a special place in her heart for sweet and sensual romance. Writing about love across all walks of life is her passion, as is reaching people through the written word. The Army wife and stay-at-home mother of two spends most of her time taking care of her children. Her second job includes writing stories about characters that people can fall in love with. When the Texas native isn’t caring for her family or writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, singing loudly, or cooking up something new in the kitchen.

Reviews

[Mahima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I read it 4 years back and since then this is one of my MOST favourite book!❤️

I know there are other reviews of my fellow GR friends who claim this book to be not as intriguing or even amateur. But to me it was one hell of a story with almost ALL the elements (love, betrayal, empire/kingdom, backstabbing, so many crisis and what not)✨

Maybe when I read it I was young enough to realise the real beauty of a book as it was one of the few first reads I had.
Or I was so engrossed in it that I forgot to find logics (which I'm pretty sure were there in the book).
Also I didn't come across as many authors as I've now to actually know and judge the writing style.

For me it was a full package book which had all the emotions ❤️
Till now I'm not able to forget even a single incident happened in there!! It was terrific!!

[Mahima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I read it 4 years back and since then this is one of my MOST favourite book!❤️

I know there are other reviews of my fellow GR friends who claim this book to be not as intriguing or even amateur. But to me it was one hell of a story with almost ALL the elements (love, betrayal, empire/kingdom, backstabbing, so many crisis and what not)✨

Maybe when I read it I was young enough to realise the real beauty of a book as it was one of the few first reads I had.
Or I was so engrossed in it that I forgot to find logics (which I'm pretty sure were there in the book).
Also I didn't come across as many authors as I've now to actually know and judge the writing style.

For me it was a full package book which had all the emotions ❤️
Till now I'm not able to forget even a single incident happened in there!! It was terrific!!

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can't believe this book is rated so highly here on goodreads. I got it free on Amazon and thought I would give it a try. The plot was...ridiculous. Spoilers ahead. Okay, I know that generally you have to suspend some belief for romance novels but really...a prince and a poor gypsy girl getting married and the only one who doesn't accept the marriage is the evil mom? And how about we talk about the conniving ex-mistress who successfully fakes a pregnancy for months so that she can take the throne...really? No one walked in on her changing in that time? She's continually trying to "seduce" her new husband and when she's walking in to his room in scanty clothes and pressing up against him he can't tell the difference between a cotton belly and a real one? She gets the doctor to lie for her in exchange for sex favors? Really? And the third son even becoming heir because the other two were killed off or incapacitated because their heavily guarded entourage that was expecting an attack was attacked by their bastard ex-brother? It was just too much for me, I couldn't buy the 2D characters and the terrible plot.

[MsRomanticReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found on my blog.

First, let me begin by saying that this author has balls! Big, brass balls. The Third Son was Elise Marion’s debut novel, and it took a lot of guts to write a tale with so many twists and turns and angst ad absurdum. It’s a wonder she isn’t tacked to the wall with pitchforks. That being said, this book was pretty amazing, in my opinion. I was expecting a fluffy, historical read set in a made up country with a made up Kingdom and made up gorgeous princes and the women whose skirts they chase. I got all of that except for the fluffy. A villain hell bent on getting his revenge on the royal family, a prince on the verge of becoming King, another prince who pines for the one woman forbidden to him and another who falls in love for the first time, but learns that his past actions have serious consequences that could jeopardize his future, a vindictive and cunning mistress and a love triangle. That may seem like a whole lot of drama, but the author managed to expertly pack it all into around 300 pages and weave around it a tale so gripping and heartbreaking that you won’t be able to put this book down.

Damien Largess, Prince of Cardenas and third in line to the throne is a rake, a gambler, and just a little bitter that his oldest brother has always received the attention and devotion of their mother. As the third son, he can pretty much do whatever he wants and get away with it. That includes carrying on with the vulgar Davina, his mistress. But all that changes the day he sees the beautiful gypsy dancer, Esmeralda. Yes, his intentions at first are far from noble, but something about her puts a halt to that. The beauty of their blossoming relationship is overshadowed by the attacks on the Largess family, and the underhanded attempts of a jealous ex mistress trying to tear them apart. And then the shockers begin to follow one after another. I won’t divulge what those were, but I was seriously tempted to just stop reading. However, my curiosity got the better of me and I was assured of a HEA, so I continued on.

I loved Damien and Esmeralda as a couple. They had fantastic chemistry together despite their different backgrounds. He was so tender and loving towards her; a complete contrast to the way he treated Davina. That right there also helped to differentiate the two sides of him and his feelings towards each woman. The sex scenes were scorching hot, and I won’t soon forget them either. It also became apparent rather quickly that Damien was not all as bad as he had been made out to be. His character goes through a complete arc from beginning to end. His bad behavior was simply a mask, or his coping mechanism for his [rather boring] life. Esmeralda was a breath of fresh air. She was genuinely good and kind. She put others before herself and never thought ill of anyone. I also liked the fact that she didn’t wait a long time to tell Damien her dark secret. That she could allow herself to open up to Damien body and soul proves that she didn’t let her past control her future. For a woman of that time, she was actually quite remarkable. The story never lost steam so I had a hard time putting the book down for even a second. It was a well thought out plot, and the trials of each character were well planned and told.

When it comes to angst, I will say this much, Damien learns the hard way that sometimes things aren’t always as they seem. He will also learn that his past actions and decisions will have some far reaching consequences. Actually, every character will learn some type of lesson as this story goes along. These were not necessarily easy to read about, but they have a strong foothold in reality, as in “this stuff really happens”. If you love angst and drama then this is for you. I’m warning you that certain things will happen for a reason, and chances are you will hate it, but just read through until the end, and you’ll get the bigger picture. I’m glad I stuck it out.

I also wanted to touch on something that I read in someone else’s review – historical accuracy. I don’t pretend to know my Regency history or anything that took place prior to WWII. I am not familiar with speech patterns or typical clothing of the mid 19th century, and I don’t it a point to do research to see if any author gets it right. As long as a cellphone or radio doesn’t pop up where it shouldn’t, then I rely on the author to have done their part to make sure they’re up to par. I’ll leave the digging to the subject matter experts. The Kingdom of Cardenas was made up, and therefore Damien could pursue a union with Esmeralda if he wanted to. I like the idea of the prince choosing a commoner, even if it would have been technically unthinkable for that time. Last time I checked, creative license was allowed.

Thank you, Elise for writing something out of my comfort zone, giving me no warning ahead of time, and for putting up with my tears and rants on Twitter, lol. And sorry about the peaches and other produce. You know what I mean.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author. A review in exchange for the ARC was not promised.

[Lady Raven RAVE! · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.romancenoveljunkies.com for readers

Brief Summary
Prince Damien was the youngest son of the King of Cardenas. Damien spends his evenings drinking, gambling and seducing women, as his older brother points out often. He then meets Esmeralda, the dancing gypsy girl and things will never be the same. Esmeralda can't resist Damien and they begin a fantasy courtship neither has ever felt before. But a killer is out to destroy the royal family and Damien will have to make life changing decisions.

Thoughts

I really enjoyed this story. Damien is a privileged, carefree soul that does what he wants, despite what his family thinks of him. Damien sees Esmeralda and is instantly swept away with the young gypsy dancer and goes on a mission to find her. Despite her reservations because of her fear of men and difference in backgrounds, Esmeralda can't resist him. Suddenly the King is murdered and all goes wrong! Damien and Esmeralda’s happiness comes to a screeching halt!!

I loved the characters and the story line was great! It never slowed down for me. It's a real page turner until the end........ Looking forward to the next book in the Kings of Cardenas series!

Story: Great
Intimacy: Spicy
Enjoyment: Great

Reviewed by Davia V. of Romance Novel Junkies

Romance Novel Junkies
Romance readers chat: http://rnjforumchat.romancenoveljunki...

[Deborah (LoveToReadRomance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome read for me, the more I got to know Damien (the hero) the more I fell in love with him, I was so jealous of Esmeralda but she deserved some happiness, without giving anything away just let me say her life had not been a bowl of cherries. This book has some very strong secondary characters that I can’t wait to read more about them in the rest of the series. I fell asleep reading on my kindle at 2 am and woke up two hours later and my first thought upon waking was trying to figure out how the author was going to get to a HEA from where the plot was, it seemed impossible. Any book that engages me that much has to be good! The characters were well developed and the plot was very engaging, I can't wait to read more about the Kings of Cardenas! I am starting the second book and hope there will be more coming after that. It is just one of those reads that allows you to escape for a few hours and that's exactly why I read in the first place.
(Review copy supplied by author)
Review also posted at http://www.lovetoreadromance.com

[Andrea Zuvich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable, moving romance! I really loved the main characters. That said, I was a bit confused because I thought Cardenas was in Europe, but then it is said that Europe is across the ocean so South America, maybe? Other than that, fantastic story.

[CK · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Prince Damien knows his eldest brother Lionus will be king, and next in line is Serge who will be general of Cardenas' military, and Damien is...the third son. He is royalty and lives a pa...mpered life; enjoying his life with no major responsibilities. He's labeled a playboy. He doesn't think marriage can make anybody happy and uses his parents marriage as an example. His world changes when he meets a beautiful gypsy girl at his birthday party. And let me tell you, they share some hot kisses! *fans myself* (And Davina his mistress, thought she had him hook, line, and sinker. Even with her big surprise!)

I love how Damien showed her what a telescope was as he pointed out various constellations. So sexy! We see a softer side to this prince that makes you want to fall in love with him too. Underneath all his foolish play lies a man who just has a desire for a more fulfilling life. I don't want to give away the plot, but twists and turns will surprise you and Damien is faced with the hardest decision of his life.

This is more than a Cinderella story about a rich prince and a gypsy girl. Are they destined for love or simply two star crossed lovers? The passion and chemistry between them is amazing and I was gripped by the plot from the very beginning. The writing moves along at a great pace too.

A beautiful love story that stole my heart. *sighs in awe* This is definitely worth 5 stars without a doubt!"

[Reviewers for R.N.J · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.romancenoveljunkies.com for readers

Davia's Review

Brief Summary
Prince Damien was the youngest son of the King of Cardenas. Damien spends his evenings drinking, gambling and seducing women, as his older brother points out often. He then meets Esmeralda, the dancing gypsy girl and things will never be the same. Esmeralda can't resist Damien and they begin a fantasy courtship neither has ever felt before. But a killer is out to destroy the royal family and Damien will have to make life changing decisions.

Thoughts

I really enjoyed this story. Damien is a privileged, carefree soul that does what he wants, despite what his family thinks of him. Damien sees Esmeralda and is instantly swept away with the young gypsy dancer and goes on a mission to find her. Despite her reservations because of her fear of men and difference in backgrounds, Esmeralda can't resist him. Suddenly the King is murdered and all goes wrong! Damien and Esmeralda’s happiness comes to a screeching halt!!

I loved the characters and the story line was great! It never slowed down for me. It's a real page turner until the end........ Looking forward to the next book in the Kings of Cardenas series!

Story: Great
Intimacy: Spicy
Enjoyment: Great

Reviewed by Davia V. of Romance Novel Junkies

Romance Novel Junkies
Romance readers chat: http://rnjforumchat.romancenoveljunkies....

[Lisa Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book through a kindle forum, and I purchased it, not really knowing what I was going to be reading. But from the moment I started, I couldn't put it down. I haven't really read very many historical romance novels, but if this is what they are like, I will be reading many many more, especially from Elise Marion!

There is romance, drama, sex, suspense, intrigue, a little more sex, mystery, and a little more sex.

From the beginning of this story, I was hooked and could not put it down. And I guess I am kind of a picky reader, from the perspective of the story has got to hook my attention within the first several paragraphs, or I won't continue. This novel had my full attention from the opening paragraph.
I enjoyed the characters, and the story line. It flowed well, and the entire story had an emotional impact for me.
The story moves well, giving just enough information for the reader to want to know more, thus you will not be able to put it down.

This is not for the teenagers, there is some explicit sex scenes portrayed, but they are done REALLY well :)

I will read this book again, and probably again, after that!

[🦉Maggie Whitworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
I remember reading the original release of this book a few years ago and really enjoyed it , in fact the whole series was good .
Now it’s been renamed and edited, and a bit more content added .
It’s payed off to my mind .
It’s tense and thrilling its fast moving ,has a lot going on . There is one or two places that it tappers off, but it doesn’t loose the flow.
The characters are great , from our hero and his Gypsy lady to his brothers and mistress, all are great and have so much potential.
In all I really enjoyed reading the book and would recommend the series to others .
I received an advance copy of this book and chose to submit a review

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

great series. Strong characters and good story.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prince Damien Rothchester is the third son of King Adare Cardenas, Damien is known for his drinking, gambling, and whoring. Knowing he will never inherit the throne, he goes about life feeling purposeless. But when he steps into a glittering ballroom on the night of his twenty-fifth birthday, the roguish young prince’s life will be forever changed. When Esmeralda Amador steps into the king’s ballroom to perform for the prince’s twenty-fifth birthday, every eye in the room is upon her. One pair of eyes intrigues her most of all those of Prince Damien, seeming to stare straight through to her soul. The two know nothing can ever come of their attraction; he is a prince, and she a Gypsy dancer. There is someone plotting against the royal family, there’s a rejected mistress out for revenge & an old friend who wants more than friendship. These intrigues had me engrossed in the story.
The book was previously published as The Third Son in 2011 but has been reworked for this release.
I found the premise of a Prince & a gypsy dancer wanting to marry to be highly unusual & wondered if I would enjoy the book. I did enjoy the book, it was well written & I found the characters interesting & they had depth. Cardenas is a fictional country that isn’t in Europe & because of this suspended belief that two people from such diverse backgrounds could form a relationship. The road to their HEA is littered with obstacles one of the main ones being Queen Alexandra who I would have banished if I’d been Damien. The pace is good & it held my interest all the way through. It’s meant to be a fictional historical romance & as such works well, I look forward to the next book in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Franjessca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review posted at Book Lovin' Mamas

(Originally Reviewed on Mrs. Papillion aka "The Book Worm")
I had the privilege of reading "The Third Son" by Elise Marion when she contacted me via email.
It was a different book that I wasn't used to reading. It took me away from Paranormal for a while, and I have to say...I ENJOYED this book. I would've finished this book in a couple of days, but other obligations stepped in...one of them being, me not getting enough sleep at night due to a rocking and rolling baby inside of me. Naps and going to bed early took me away from reading for a while. =(
This book had me in tears at the end. It's even worst being 35 weeks pregnant and reading this book. I don't suggest someone being pregnant reading this book. Wait until after the baby and then you can read it because you will be bawling at certain points in the book like I did.

[Alesha Escobar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance and intrigue always spice up a story--and this one has definitely captured my interest.

Prince Damien is a drinker, a scoundrel, and doesn't care that it embarrasses his eldest brother (heir to the throne of Cardenas). There's not much he takes seriously, especially when it comes to love, because he never met a woman that would inspire it in him--that is, until he meets Esmeralda.

Their romance takes off, but is interrupted with scheming, outward restrictions, and a violent plot against the royal family fueled by hurt and vengeance. Damien finds that his carefree life has been pulled from under his feet and he's going to have to make a stand.

I enjoyed the relationship between Damien and his brothers, the romance, and of course the game of intrigue. Sometimes I found myself shaking my fist at Damien because he really is a scoundrel--but then you know when he falls in love, he falls hard--heh :)

[Carly Fall · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, let me say I have never read any historical romance or period romance, so this book was a new genre for me. It also took me a while to read. Not because it wasn’t good, but because it seems the only time I have time to read is while I’m cooking dinner. I burnt dinner two nights while reading this because I was so enthralled with the story and forgot about the food. When I got to the end of this book, I had a huge smile on my face, but I was also disappointed the story had ended.

I was surprised at how much I was rooting for Damien and Esmeralda, and just when it seems that their relationship is totally hopeless, a plot twist that pretty much came out of nowhere for me brings them back together.

The characters are strong; the story is fabulous. It seemed to touch on every emotion and had a little of everything: happiness, deep sadness, anger, betrayal, despair, and of course, love.

I’m looking forward to reading more work by Elise!

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love old school Lisa Kleypas, you’ll love this book!
This has a rake hero (3rd son in the line of the succession to the throne) from the country of Cardenas that is only reformed by the love of a good woman who also happens to be a gypsy. There are elements of intrigue, suspense, and revenge wrapped in this package. This is the first book in this series and I loved Damien and Esmerelda. They had so many obstacles in the way of their love story, I was really started to get worried they wouldn’t get their HEA (happily ever after). Never fear, they did and it was well earned for all that they go through in this book. Something that I also love to see in romance novels is supporting characters that I also love. In fact, I believe two of them are in the next book. I can’t wait!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finding authors that are not widely known... but I am also really picky in that a book has to be engaging and pull me into the story. I have way too may "to reads" on my list to waste any time.

This is one of those great book/author finds!

Even though this was a rare time when I was able to figure out who the culprit was (i am usually clueless)...the book was written so well that it didn't matter. I was so drawn into the story as I was reading the last 30% of book- I was constantly saying "no!!!" I am salivating to read the next book in the series.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by the book. Usually free books suck. At first I thought the idea was farfetched...a gypsy and a prince? But works! I did guess the villian bu thg not his motive.

Problems: It didn't make sense why princes would discussed with the Butler about assassins instead of the captain of th err guard. Nor why the h would believe a mistress who knowingly slept with other men.

This was a good read. I'm ashamed to admit I cried a little at the end.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fantastic story, it has such a mix of things going on. I could not put this book down. I just loved it. You know when you have read something special when a book can make you smile or cry,this story did both in bucket loads .Off to start the second son.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

its a wonderful story of "what's meant to be, will be" no matter the obstacles in the way, love will still prevail. the story is written vividly and beautifully that it really does seem like a movie being played in your head

[Sally Hannoush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I experienced many emotional ups and downs in this book. I became aware on how truly mad people can become with only one word uttered on a deathbed. Lies and betrayal take up every corner leaving things beyond desperate. The promise of true happiness urged me on with all the heartache endured.

[Margaret Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story filled with betrayal, passion and cold hearts. The beginning of this story ultimately leads to the end - a story that should never have been told is related to a son who had been clueless and should have been left so. If his dying mother's wish was to see him become something other than he had been, she succeeded. I was sympathetic at first but that sympathy died quickly when I realized her bitterness and perhaps jealousy led them down a path to ruin. Another young man, third in line to a throne he does not want, live his life as he chooses in spite of his eldest brother's constant harping at him, his mother's coldness towards him and his twin brother. A mistress, so caught up in herself she cannot see the facts before her face. She is wicked in her ultimate desire to be the wife of a prince. More betrayal and lies. It is difficult to choose the words needed to describe this twisting story - how to draw a reader in without giving too much way. A beautiful gypsy who captures the young prince's heart before he knows it. His desire to know her overcomes all else. Their first meeting results in an overwhelming attraction - desire, love, and fear play an important role in their lives when it is discovered that an assassin has made attempts on the king and very likely will be trying to kill other members of the royal family. The lovely gypsy's grandmother can foretell some of the future and relates to the young prince that there is a "viper" within the family. Yes there is but he will be difficult to find and stop. More than any of them know. The tragedy that occurs leaves the royals in a spin and the young prince and his gypsy love on a back burner. The eldest is dead, leaving a widowed queen and a severely damaged younger prince, the next in line. A coma from which he may or may not come out of, leaves the youngest to take the throne in his place. Enter the greedy mistress and the cold hearted Queen. Forced to marry a woman he does not love, his pregnant gypsy ( unbeknownst to him) is brokenhearted and agrees to marry a man who has loved her for years. Though she cares for him, she does not love him and mourns the loss of the only man she could ever love. What will happen to these two? You will have to read this remarkable telling of life between royals, gypsies and a horrific killer. I enjoyed this story so much, I have already pre-ordered the next book! Do yourself a favour and read this. You won't be sorry.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang on tightly as you read this story with twists and turns you could never imagine! Our hero is Prince Damien Alexander Rothchester, third son in the line of succession to the throne of Cardenas. He is a rather wild gentleman, a rake, who spends much of his time drinking, gambling, and whoring, realizing he will never inherit the throne and can do as he pleases.

On Prince Damien’s 25th birthday, however, he will meet a woman who changes and reforms his life. He and Esmeralda Amador, the gypsy dancer provided to entertain in the ballroom, are strongly drawn to each other, but even knowing nothing can come of it, they cannot resist the attraction.

A plot against the royal family puts Prince Damien in a position he never expected to find himself, with decisions to make which will turn his life around and take him down quite a different path than he ever anticipated. He must look to the good of his country and also decide on the love of his life. What decision will he make? Will the betrayer be discovered?

This is the first book in this Royals of Cardenas series and I loved Damien and Esmeralda’s story. They had so much to overcome on their journey to love. Would that journey take them to tragedy? Or could there be a HEA somewhere along the way? Don’t miss this one! There is so much going on that will pull the reader right in!

[Kat Tolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW… What a rollercoaster of a ride! The Rogue Prince by Elise Marion is book one in a new series Royals of Cardenas. This is my first book I have read by Elise and I am telling you it won’t be the last. I laughed, I cried and at time it was so intense that I could not wait to see what would happen next. You can help but fall in love with the character and the regency descriptions are very clear but do feel like you are in another place and time. This story has rape, murder, grief, gypsies, a fortuneteller, lies, deception, greed, madness, an awful mother, family love, a trap, injures, pain, suffering, pregnancy, a father’s love, love at first sight and a love that wasn’t meant to be. This story has it all and I am highly recommending this book!

***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.

[Carole Burant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow....what a story! I feel like I have just gone through an emotional roller coaster....but that's good! It shows this author knows how to grab your attention and I learned you should never predict how the story will go because in this book, there are many surprising twists and turns!! Damien and Esmeralda's story is one that will leave you breathless in one moment, heartbroken in the next and delighted in another. What this couple goes through to get to their HEA is huge....and I do mean HUGE! This is the first book I read from this author and it definitely won't be the last. In fact, I have already pre-ordered book 2 of this series .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elise Marion can certainly create hated villains! I’m not sure I have ever hated a character as much as I hated Davina and Damien’s mother for that matter. Thankfully every good novel has a spectacular demise of its villains and The Rogue Prince did not disappoint!

I loved Esmeralda! She was independent in her own way. She loved fiercely and made the best of a bad situation. This story very much struck me as a modern day Romeo and Juliet - forbidden love, family meddling, and lots of tragedy. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, Esmeralda and Damien found their happily-ever-after in the sweetest of ways.

[x · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not only was this a cliche ass romance this was also just poorly written. Every problem just got magically solved somehow and it was just generally bad writing. I didn’t see the whole cousin being the murderer coming until way later in the book but still the actual story was badly written and the dialogue wasn’t the best. That period when the 2 main characters were separated by circumstance had the chance to be built up by so much angst but nothing. I did think the main characters background was cool though.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is the third son of the king so he knows he will never inherit the throne so he drinks and has fun with the ladies. On his 25th birthday a gypsy woman comes and dances for him. There is an instant attraction and things bloom between them but they know it will never be forever. Problems arrive and he will need to make a choice. Which one will be take? See by reading

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sherry Westendorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story. It has excitement, drama, emotions, hot, suspenseful and very funny. The characters mesh so well with the story. They keep you involved and not wanting it to end. I love historical romances and this is the top one for me. I was given a review copy by booksprout and voluntarily review it.