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Devil Riders #1
The Stolen Princess
From Anne Gracie come the Devil Riders—four soldiers back from war and forced to adapt to a new world. Here, meet Gabriel Renfrew, who rescues a runaway princess—and falls head over heels in love.
The estranged younger son of an earl, Gabriel Renfrew earned glory and honor on the battlefield, but now, without purpose, he finds himself deliberately courting danger at every turn. Then one night he races his horse along a dangerous moonlit cliff—and stumbles upon a beautiful woman obviously in need of saving.
A princess on the run, Callie has disguised herself and her son, the crown prince, as commoners, hoping to protect him from those intent on stealing the throne. She has no choice but to trust the handsome ex-officer who's come to her rescue, even when he insists that only a marriage of convenience will provide her the ultimate protection. But while her new husband may keep Callie and her son safe from assassins, what will he do to her heart?
The estranged younger son of an earl, Gabriel Renfrew earned glory and honor on the battlefield, but now, without purpose, he finds himself deliberately courting danger at every turn. Then one night he races his horse along a dangerous moonlit cliff—and stumbles upon a beautiful woman obviously in need of saving.
A princess on the run, Callie has disguised herself and her son, the crown prince, as commoners, hoping to protect him from those intent on stealing the throne. She has no choice but to trust the handsome ex-officer who's come to her rescue, even when he insists that only a marriage of convenience will provide her the ultimate protection. But while her new husband may keep Callie and her son safe from assassins, what will he do to her heart?
356 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 2, 2008
126 people are currently reading
1754 people want to read
About the author
Anne Gracie
95 books1,535 followersI've always loved stories. Family legend has it that I used to spend hours playing in the sand pit, with a dog on either side of me and Rocka the horse leaning over me, his head just touching my shoulder, while I told them stories. I have to say, dogs and horses are great audiences, apart from their tendency to drool occasionally. But people are even nicer.
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
December 24, 2015
This was just . . . ouch. Way below what I have come to expect from Gracie. The background was just awkward, with a made-up country that doesn't really fit into Europe very well and whose details weren't very coherent and seemed to exist solely for story purposes (like the supposedly great horses).
But worse than the backdrop was the two main characters. Callie was a one-note ninny stuck in emotional-response mode even when things like the life of her son are at stake. Her plans all suck and her response to any setback was to throw an emotional fit and make demands of all the wrong people. Oh, and to push off the people who might actually be able and willing to help. I'm not sure why there's this trope about having one experience with a man dominating your life but I really hate it. Even the densest block ever born knows that there are differences among people and painting falling in love as the fault for a bad relationship is patently stupid in a world full of diverse personalities and characters. How hard is it to see that Gabe isn't anything like Rupert? She mentally notes it time and time again, but oh no, best not fall in love again because he'd be the same then. Bah.
And Gabe isn't any brighter, sadly. I mean, his plans don't actively suck, but his response to any time Callie argues is to go all sexual. Because that's a healthy response mechanism. Conversations are messy, I guess, and hey, she's pretty so might as well get with the kissing. I guess he may have a point because heaven knows Callie isn't responding rationally, but I can't help thinking that seducing her to his viewpoint is, at best, a stopgap.
So yeah, this was a disappointment. I stuck with it in hopes that the rest of the series doesn't suck. Oh, and because Gracie does her regular very fine job with the secondary characters. Callie's son Nicky and his friend Jim are fun and the rest of the band of brothers were very interesting, too. I look forward to getting to know them better in subsequent books. I hope they aren't the slog this one is, though. It won't take much more of this kind of hard read for me to abandon the series altogether.
A note about Steamy: This was the middle of my steam tolerance. There are two explicit sex scenes, though the first is rather extended. Unfortunately, they're problematic as Gabe has kind of an unhealthy view of sex as the way to win arguments—or at least to delay a decision he feels may go against him until he can figure something else out.
But worse than the backdrop was the two main characters. Callie was a one-note ninny stuck in emotional-response mode even when things like the life of her son are at stake. Her plans all suck and her response to any setback was to throw an emotional fit and make demands of all the wrong people. Oh, and to push off the people who might actually be able and willing to help. I'm not sure why there's this trope about having one experience with a man dominating your life but I really hate it. Even the densest block ever born knows that there are differences among people and painting falling in love as the fault for a bad relationship is patently stupid in a world full of diverse personalities and characters. How hard is it to see that Gabe isn't anything like Rupert? She mentally notes it time and time again, but oh no, best not fall in love again because he'd be the same then. Bah.
And Gabe isn't any brighter, sadly. I mean, his plans don't actively suck, but his response to any time Callie argues is to go all sexual. Because that's a healthy response mechanism. Conversations are messy, I guess, and hey, she's pretty so might as well get with the kissing. I guess he may have a point because heaven knows Callie isn't responding rationally, but I can't help thinking that seducing her to his viewpoint is, at best, a stopgap.
So yeah, this was a disappointment. I stuck with it in hopes that the rest of the series doesn't suck. Oh, and because Gracie does her regular very fine job with the secondary characters. Callie's son Nicky and his friend Jim are fun and the rest of the band of brothers were very interesting, too. I look forward to getting to know them better in subsequent books. I hope they aren't the slog this one is, though. It won't take much more of this kind of hard read for me to abandon the series altogether.
A note about Steamy: This was the middle of my steam tolerance. There are two explicit sex scenes, though the first is rather extended. Unfortunately, they're problematic as Gabe has kind of an unhealthy view of sex as the way to win arguments—or at least to delay a decision he feels may go against him until he can figure something else out.
January 24, 2016
When her son, the crown prince is in being plotted against, his mother the princess whisks him off to England. There she finds a retired soldier and younger son who becomes the protector she has always dreamed of.
I though Callie, the heroine, was well developed but not so much the hero. In general, I don't like mother-and-son-in-need-of-rescue story tropes so this wasn't such a great book for me. Although I love Anne Gracie's writing, she really kept the story moving along nicely.
I though Callie, the heroine, was well developed but not so much the hero. In general, I don't like mother-and-son-in-need-of-rescue story tropes so this wasn't such a great book for me. Although I love Anne Gracie's writing, she really kept the story moving along nicely.
July 7, 2010
The Stolen Princess is a breezy novel about a princess who is on the run from a man who wants to kill her son. She encounters Gabriel Renfrew, a man searching for meaning in his post-military life: just the man to protect her and her son from a vicious and well-connected killer.
The story is entertaining enough, but it never really grabbed me. I had trouble taking the "Princess" part of the story seriously, and I wasn't impressed by the Princess. She comes off as a ditz, though a well-intentioned one. The hero is generically appealing, but I never felt the heat between him and the heroine. Despite some of the action scenes, I think that heat, or excitement, is what it is missing in general.
I prefer the next book in this series, His Captive Lady, which is much more intense.
The story is entertaining enough, but it never really grabbed me. I had trouble taking the "Princess" part of the story seriously, and I wasn't impressed by the Princess. She comes off as a ditz, though a well-intentioned one. The hero is generically appealing, but I never felt the heat between him and the heroine. Despite some of the action scenes, I think that heat, or excitement, is what it is missing in general.
I prefer the next book in this series, His Captive Lady, which is much more intense.
April 8, 2014
Caroline is the princess of some made-up land that starts with a Z. Her son is the crown prince and will rule once he turns 18. People are trying to kill him? So she runs away and gets involved with Gabriel who...is a dude. He's like the 3rd son of an earl; he doesn't talk to any of his older brothers; he makes jokes at really, really poor moments... They fall in love, great.
1. Gracie's already unique tone felt oddly awkward here, as if it were unpracticed and underdeveloped. Several phrases threw me entirely out of the story.
2. AHAHA, I could tell the exact moment it was decided who this series would focus around. HELLO EXPOSITION DUMP.
3. Gabe was kind of an asshole! I loved that Callie totally calls him on his bossy asshole-ish-ness, but rather than STOP BEING A BOSSY ASSHOLE, he keeps on keeping on! NOT GREAT.
1. Gracie's already unique tone felt oddly awkward here, as if it were unpracticed and underdeveloped. Several phrases threw me entirely out of the story.
2. AHAHA, I could tell the exact moment it was decided who this series would focus around. HELLO EXPOSITION DUMP.
3. Gabe was kind of an asshole! I loved that Callie totally calls him on his bossy asshole-ish-ness, but rather than STOP BEING A BOSSY ASSHOLE, he keeps on keeping on! NOT GREAT.
February 3, 2008
Meh. I hate it when a woman has a child she is supposed to be protecting, then makes incredibly stupid choices that aren't in the child's best interest. I spent a lot of this book being annoyed, which is sad, as it had potential.
June 25, 2024
Loved it in every way the story is beautiful and i love the character one by one
March 23, 2013
The Stolen Princess is the first in the series, and I found it to be so addicting, I could hardly put it down. I wondered what this one would be like, especially since the last one I read was good, but didn't have me so enthralled like this one did. I love how charming this one was. I just absolutely adored Gabe. Gabe is not pure Alpha, he is so much better. He likes to take control and loves to be obeyed (he is a man and was in the military right?) and Callie just never does. She defies him on every turn, it aggravates him so. Which I found to be very amusing. These two just danced around each other, it was pretty hilarious. Callie was the type of heroine that I admired at times and got frustrated with at other times. Most times I liked her, she has gone to hell and back trying to protect her son, and I really liked that about her. But she is also afraid of her own shadow at times. But I did enjoy seeing her grow a bit more throughout the story, and become stronger and more sure of herself. I loved how she ended up fighting for Gabe and to keep him in her life. Now about the little boy Nick...I have to say I was utterly charmed by this mini scoundrel. He is so cute with the little phrases and how at the age of seven still fights for those that he cares about. Made me wish I had a child just like him. LOL. Overall a charming story that had me totally into the story from the first chapter, and I could hardly put it down. The way Gracie writes her story is just brilliant, and I loved the little intricacies this author displays. The plot was exciting and I was on the edge during many parts. I loved the way this story is weaved in such a way that makes you want to join in on the adventures. The love story was endearing and emotionally heart wrenching, and I loved seeing these two grow as the story progressed. A Winner hands down!! One you don't want to miss out on.
September 8, 2015
Cute and light with a fairy tale feel to it. Someone tried to kill her son and so the princess runs away to England with him to keep him safe.
Here come the Devil Riders--four soldiers back from war and forced to adapt to a new world. Here, meet Gabriel Renfrew, who rescues a runaway princess--and falls head over heels in love...
The estranged younger son of an earl, Gabriel Renfrew earned glory and honor on the battlefield, but now, without purpose, he finds himself deliberately courting danger at every turn. Then one night he races his horse along a dangerous moonlit cliff--and stumbles upon a beautiful woman obviously in need of saving...
A princess on the run, Callie has disguised herself and her son, the crown prince, as commoners, hoping to protect him from those intent on stealing the throne. She has no choice but to trust the handsome ex-officer who's come to her rescue, even when he insists that only a marriage of convenience will provide her the ultimate protection. But while her new husband may keep Callie and her son safe from assassins, what will he do to her heart?
Here come the Devil Riders--four soldiers back from war and forced to adapt to a new world. Here, meet Gabriel Renfrew, who rescues a runaway princess--and falls head over heels in love...
The estranged younger son of an earl, Gabriel Renfrew earned glory and honor on the battlefield, but now, without purpose, he finds himself deliberately courting danger at every turn. Then one night he races his horse along a dangerous moonlit cliff--and stumbles upon a beautiful woman obviously in need of saving...
A princess on the run, Callie has disguised herself and her son, the crown prince, as commoners, hoping to protect him from those intent on stealing the throne. She has no choice but to trust the handsome ex-officer who's come to her rescue, even when he insists that only a marriage of convenience will provide her the ultimate protection. But while her new husband may keep Callie and her son safe from assassins, what will he do to her heart?
October 24, 2008
I typically don't like "Princess Books" (because there are some really BAD ones out there), but I read this one because it was by Anne Gracie. Although there are some inconsistencies and weak parts, overall it was a very engaging and sweet romance novel. The plot is somewhat improbable, but most romance novels are worse. The hero is "nice", protective, and has a sense of humor--all positives as far as I am concerned.
It had interesting characters with some personality and I look forward to the rest of the books in this series.
It had interesting characters with some personality and I look forward to the rest of the books in this series.
November 18, 2015
Ok, right off the bat, I don't like stories about imaginary countries. Second, I don't like books that have no plot, no interesting characters, and no interesting dialogue. Finally, how can an author write. really good books and really crummy books?
April 7, 2013
Recommended for ages 17+...for those who like sweeping tales of danger, undercover princesses, dashing ex-soldiers, plenty of witty banter and of course a pretty picture of an England before our time, aglow with the magic of balls, fashion and scandals.
January 9, 2016
A princess and her young son, running away from a villainous murderer. A former officer, bored out of his wits by the stifling Regency society. Danger and romance in Regency England. Absolutely charming. I would recommend this delightful romp to any romance reader.
January 24, 2016
Amusing and fresh in a few spots, but the holes in the plot were annoying, and not enough time was spent in drawing the characters, which resulted in my not caring much about them.
August 2, 2016
What can I say except that it was a wonderful read, okay my reviews can be a bit annoying a biased cause all of them are positive, and again what can I say I cant read something I know I wont like.
the story in itself was great, and as always the single parent sub-genre is always a welcome, my favorite character is the hero,Gabe, and the boy, Nicky. Gabe was an amazing hero in the story, you know the type of guy who flirts and is sweet and considerate and honest, and overall cute. Nicky was a cute character, I loved how the author pictured him as a brave young thing and how he transformed under the care of Gabe and his friends, and how he felt overly protective of his friend.
The heroin was another matter, I'm not saying I didn't like her, I did. But honestly she frustrated me a bit on certain points. taking in to consideration that shes running away to save her son from assassination, she could at least accept some help. OK I know she didn't want to trouble them or hurt them, still she was very very stubborn. and how she felt inferior all the time, on how he will never love her, and for god sake women can you leave the chess maneuvers alone and just get on with your life!!
Not to the side parts, I always welcome side love stories, and that's why I loved the almost development of the older couple, but what made me feel bad for them is how everyone is like, it wont progress any further and stuff, but I'm crossing my fingers on maybe they will be mentioned in the later books of the series. The book was a funny adorable and a quick read of a book
Overall *thumps up*, and this series is showing a great promise.
the story in itself was great, and as always the single parent sub-genre is always a welcome, my favorite character is the hero,Gabe, and the boy, Nicky. Gabe was an amazing hero in the story, you know the type of guy who flirts and is sweet and considerate and honest, and overall cute. Nicky was a cute character, I loved how the author pictured him as a brave young thing and how he transformed under the care of Gabe and his friends, and how he felt overly protective of his friend.
The heroin was another matter, I'm not saying I didn't like her, I did. But honestly she frustrated me a bit on certain points. taking in to consideration that shes running away to save her son from assassination, she could at least accept some help. OK I know she didn't want to trouble them or hurt them, still she was very very stubborn. and how she felt inferior all the time, on how he will never love her, and for god sake women can you leave the chess maneuvers alone and just get on with your life!!
Not to the side parts, I always welcome side love stories, and that's why I loved the almost development of the older couple, but what made me feel bad for them is how everyone is like, it wont progress any further and stuff, but I'm crossing my fingers on maybe they will be mentioned in the later books of the series. The book was a funny adorable and a quick read of a book
Overall *thumps up*, and this series is showing a great promise.
April 7, 2015
I started out liking this book. It was kind of predictable that a woman in need of rescuing ends up being rescued and in love. The hero falls in love instantly, which isn't my favorite plot points, but I can manage, usually. So this is not my favourite Anne Gracie, but I have loved some of her other books, so i'm not giving up on this series.
What put me off?
- that even after her marriage to Gabe she is refered to as princess. If I missed something please correct me, but her title was because she was married to the prince. After marrying Gabe and becoming an english citizen, her title, in my opinion, didn't exist anymore.
- that the book seemed to end somewhere after the middle. It's very difficult I found to keep the tension up after the h/h are married. (With the exception ofcourse being Devil in Winter). This book was no exeption. I ended up skipping through till the end.
- that the final conflict seemed to come out of nowhere. Gabe suddenly came off as a total wimp instead of the self assured man he was throughout just because he wasn't the one to save them. That point was never made that important between them, at least not in the pages I managed to read.
- that anyone could have guessed that an abduction was the Count's next step and that those Devil riders, with their masterfull strategic capabilities, didn't take steps to prevent that and instead were dancing and flirting at the party downstairs.
What put me off?
- that even after her marriage to Gabe she is refered to as princess. If I missed something please correct me, but her title was because she was married to the prince. After marrying Gabe and becoming an english citizen, her title, in my opinion, didn't exist anymore.
- that the book seemed to end somewhere after the middle. It's very difficult I found to keep the tension up after the h/h are married. (With the exception ofcourse being Devil in Winter). This book was no exeption. I ended up skipping through till the end.
- that the final conflict seemed to come out of nowhere. Gabe suddenly came off as a total wimp instead of the self assured man he was throughout just because he wasn't the one to save them. That point was never made that important between them, at least not in the pages I managed to read.
- that anyone could have guessed that an abduction was the Count's next step and that those Devil riders, with their masterfull strategic capabilities, didn't take steps to prevent that and instead were dancing and flirting at the party downstairs.
October 23, 2009
To read my full review visit here at Mom-Musings
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Sometimes it is refreshing to read a story that is easy,fun and quick.
What is even better is if you can read a book that also makes some typical genre elements flow and not feel cliché.
The Stolen Princess is that refreshing book.
It was such a fun, quick and easy read. Most of the typical romance elements worked as the words flowed off of the page. Was I a bit "blah" about the quick and intense attraction? Um…yeah, but not enough that it spoilt the story. The cincher, for me liking this story as much as I did, was the characters of Callie and Gabe. They are both very likable. They each had their strengths and weakness. Their interactions were fun, intense and passionate. They were very plausible.
The Stolen Princess was a fun read!
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Sometimes it is refreshing to read a story that is easy,fun and quick.
What is even better is if you can read a book that also makes some typical genre elements flow and not feel cliché.
The Stolen Princess is that refreshing book.
It was such a fun, quick and easy read. Most of the typical romance elements worked as the words flowed off of the page. Was I a bit "blah" about the quick and intense attraction? Um…yeah, but not enough that it spoilt the story. The cincher, for me liking this story as much as I did, was the characters of Callie and Gabe. They are both very likable. They each had their strengths and weakness. Their interactions were fun, intense and passionate. They were very plausible.
The Stolen Princess was a fun read!
November 28, 2012
I probably brought DNF on myself by reading series out of order. I read His Captive Lady first, which is basically the same story. Nice guy saves damsel in distress.
It's just that this nice guy, Gabriel, was also kind of importunate. He kissed Callie out of the blue (this is common motif in Gracie's books, and sometimes it works, but this time it didn't) and then he proceeded to "flirt" with her during breakfest offering to lick honey of her hands and so on. Girl just wants to eat! Man.
The fairytalesque feeling of the story also didn't help. Mythical land of Zindaria? Princess?
When so many poor English girls are waiting for their true love...
And the kid. It was the last straw.
It's just that this nice guy, Gabriel, was also kind of importunate. He kissed Callie out of the blue (this is common motif in Gracie's books, and sometimes it works, but this time it didn't) and then he proceeded to "flirt" with her during breakfest offering to lick honey of her hands and so on. Girl just wants to eat! Man.
The fairytalesque feeling of the story also didn't help. Mythical land of Zindaria? Princess?
When so many poor English girls are waiting for their true love...
And the kid. It was the last straw.
March 29, 2022
La compré, ¡en papel! en 2014, y no la lei hasta el otoño de 2020. Que digo yo que para qué, ¡qué enaguas tan poco inspiradas...!
La princesa Callie de Zindaria huye, con su hijo, a Inglaterra de incógnito. Al desembarcar, se encontrará con un jinete al rescate, el aguerrido Gabriel, antiguo soldado y que, a diferencia de tantos soldados de las guerras napoleónicas de romántica, este se lo pasó bien luchando. Es ahora, en la paz, cuando anda un poco perdido. Tuve la impresión de que el argumento, en otras manos, daría para una novela resultona. A mí me aburrió, leí de través y tardé un montón. Creo que fue, sobre todo, porque los personajes no me resultaron muy simpáticos ni inteligentes.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
La princesa Callie de Zindaria huye, con su hijo, a Inglaterra de incógnito. Al desembarcar, se encontrará con un jinete al rescate, el aguerrido Gabriel, antiguo soldado y que, a diferencia de tantos soldados de las guerras napoleónicas de romántica, este se lo pasó bien luchando. Es ahora, en la paz, cuando anda un poco perdido. Tuve la impresión de que el argumento, en otras manos, daría para una novela resultona. A mí me aburrió, leí de través y tardé un montón. Creo que fue, sobre todo, porque los personajes no me resultaron muy simpáticos ni inteligentes.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
January 7, 2014
The princess character felt unrealistic for a person groomed 16 years to act like a princess, and the love interest had a case of love at first sight, happened to like children and knows how to interact with them well, has a great sense of humor even though he spent his childhood traumatized and eight years at war, and has super warrior friends at his beck and call. Now, I'm not saying those traits are bad or impossible to have (I particularly appreciated the humor), but it just felt like too many cliches wrapped into the characters (even if the princess was "chubbier" and lopsided...).
I did enjoy it, I just really want something fresh. I don't feel like I got that from this story.
I did enjoy it, I just really want something fresh. I don't feel like I got that from this story.
August 28, 2014
For me this is a story of empowerment. A woman finally free of dictatorial men to make choices, a child blossoming with acceptance, gentle guidance & encouragement, a man as a child who'd been discarded by parents/siblings, seen ravages of war finally finding a woman who'll adore & love him unconditionally.
The stark difference of the characters from the beginning compared to the end was remarkable. I enjoyed the development of the characters especially Jim and his poignant send off for his father.
Enjoy
The stark difference of the characters from the beginning compared to the end was remarkable. I enjoyed the development of the characters especially Jim and his poignant send off for his father.
Enjoy
January 1, 2012
I've been on a historical romance novel kick lately. I really liked this one. It was much better written and more enjoyable than a lot of the ones I read in 2011. The only thing I did not like was the ending. Unless I'm missing some pages, it ended rather abruptly. Still, I give it 3.0 stars.
The secondary characters were very well written and I'm going to read the other books in this series. It was a good way to spend this lazy day. Happy New Year! Book 1
The secondary characters were very well written and I'm going to read the other books in this series. It was a good way to spend this lazy day. Happy New Year! Book 1
February 25, 2009
I think I was more impressed with Gabriel's relationship with his half-brother Harry (illegitimate and shunned by the rest of Gabriel's family), and their war buddies, who together make up the Devil Riders. Also liked the relationship that Gabriel developed with Callie's son, the Crown Prince, and how he helped the boy develop some skills and self-confidence.
January 13, 2012
While this book shares some troupes with other Gracie book (knight in shining armor, big dog, even a the beach), it is really lovely how the H love the h and we see the h grow up in terms of knowing love is risk.
I do wish the secondary romance had been resolved a bit more and there was a little bit more following the last chapter but I suppose the next book will have that.
I do wish the secondary romance had been resolved a bit more and there was a little bit more following the last chapter but I suppose the next book will have that.
March 29, 2017
Never liked made up kingdoms or countries in regency novels, it makes stories less believable and to me seem like laziness on the author's side. I liked that the author her time to develop the romance, but the denouement was poorly written and made the hero rather unlikeable.
June 21, 2017
No me ha gustado mucho, en un principio el protagonista tenía un comportamiento muy divertido, pero según iba desarrollándose la historia se fue apagando sus intervenciones para tomar las riendas la protagonista y empezar a ponerse ñoña la historia. Ella no me gusta nada. Un 2/5
October 11, 2017
He's funny and cute and charming, but also cannot seem to stop himself from stampeding all over the heroine's expressed wishes to do what he thinks is best. It got increasingly irritating the longer the story went.
December 17, 2017
Loved it! Paper thin plot and silly characters, but I really enjoyed reading it. I thought it was just as entertaining as a title like "The Stolen Princess" would be. If you like silly romance novels, you'll like this one. If that's not your cup of tea, then it's probably not worth it.
April 22, 2018
Too much with Zindaria
The made up country nagged at me. Also, the H was a little emasculated imo in the end. Finally, the banter was nowhere near as good as the Merridew sisters books.
The made up country nagged at me. Also, the H was a little emasculated imo in the end. Finally, the banter was nowhere near as good as the Merridew sisters books.
February 3, 2009
Overprotective mommies make for dull romance.
May 25, 2016
It was slow for me at first, but it picked up halfway through and in the end was a very enjoyable read.
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