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Effingtons #4
The Prince's Bride
"Once upon a time there was a young debutante of means who dreamed of marrying a prince. So she traveled to London to become..."
"The Prince's Bride"
As a poor but proud young lady, Jocelyn Shelton had but one dream: to marry a prince and bring comfort to herself and her family. Now circumstances bring her to London, where her charms could make her wish come true. But her rendezvous with royalty is dangerously interrupted, and she finds herself rescued—and thoroughly kissed—by Rand, Viscount Beaumont... a daring man in the service of the king.
To protect her life, Rand whisks her away to the countryside, and to defend her reputation, he agrees to marry the willful beauty. Lady Jocelyn is hardly his first choice as a bride, but beneath her fiery nature he uncovers a tender vulnerability and a sizzling passion. But Rand is keeping a shocking secret-one that, when revealed, could either shake her belief in him or make herrealize that it takes more than blue blood to be a true prince.
"The Prince's Bride"
As a poor but proud young lady, Jocelyn Shelton had but one dream: to marry a prince and bring comfort to herself and her family. Now circumstances bring her to London, where her charms could make her wish come true. But her rendezvous with royalty is dangerously interrupted, and she finds herself rescued—and thoroughly kissed—by Rand, Viscount Beaumont... a daring man in the service of the king.
To protect her life, Rand whisks her away to the countryside, and to defend her reputation, he agrees to marry the willful beauty. Lady Jocelyn is hardly his first choice as a bride, but beneath her fiery nature he uncovers a tender vulnerability and a sizzling passion. But Rand is keeping a shocking secret-one that, when revealed, could either shake her belief in him or make herrealize that it takes more than blue blood to be a true prince.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
78 people are currently reading
1080 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Alexander
64 books1,324 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.
Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written thirty-one full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife—originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008—hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into more than a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.
Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON’T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.
During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She’s interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor’s helicopter. She’s covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter’s school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She’s never looked back.
Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.
Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and her dogs. Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam (on the left), the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie took on the position of loyal companion and did a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!
Now he's been joined by Reggie, also a faithful companion.
They all live happily ever after in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal—she has to.
New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.
Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written thirty-one full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife—originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008—hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into more than a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.
Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON’T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.
During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She’s interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor’s helicopter. She’s covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter’s school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She’s never looked back.
Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.
Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and her dogs. Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam (on the left), the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie took on the position of loyal companion and did a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!
Now he's been joined by Reggie, also a faithful companion.
They all live happily ever after in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal—she has to.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
August 28, 2021
Ik heb de Nederlands talige uitgave gelezen : Hartenwens - Candlelight Historische roman 808 .
De eerste helft van dit boek kon mij totaal niet boeien , gelukkig was de tweede helft wat beter en kwam er wat actie in het verhaal .
Het vele navelstaren van de hoofdpersonen in dit boek haalt al de vaart uit het verhaal en vond ik ronduit ergerlijk .Ook dit deel uit de serie is maar net 3 sterren waard voor mij .
De eerste helft van dit boek kon mij totaal niet boeien , gelukkig was de tweede helft wat beter en kwam er wat actie in het verhaal .
Het vele navelstaren van de hoofdpersonen in dit boek haalt al de vaart uit het verhaal en vond ik ronduit ergerlijk .Ook dit deel uit de serie is maar net 3 sterren waard voor mij .
June 13, 2016
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Many a little girl dreams of growing up to marry a handsome prince. As a lover of fairy tales in my childhood, I know I did. And that’s part of the premise around which The Prince’s Bride is based. Our heroine, Jocelyn, believed from the time she was ten years old that she was going to marry a handsome prince. She’s been having a successful season in London and has even caught the attention of a visiting foreign prince, but when he entices her into a private meeting at a ball, she ends up the target of assassins when she witnesses another private meeting she shouldn’t have. Enter our hero, Rand, a Viscount who works for the English government and who has been investigating the threat to the prince. Knowing that the assassins will probably go after Jocelyn again, he secretly uses her as bait, which nearly gets her killed. Feeling badly that he placed Jocelyn and her family in danger, he vows to protect her by any means necessary, even entering into a marriage of convenience, so that he can whisk her away to his uncle’s rural castle for safe-keeping, where they fall madly in love. It was all a romantic fairy tale scenario that I very much enjoyed reading.
While reading the last couple of books in the series, where we first meet Jocelyn, I had some reservations about her character. I could relate to her dreams of marrying a prince, and sometimes she seemed very sweet. Other times, however, she seemed a little shallow and mercenary, something that Rand believes of her as well in the beginning. Admittedly, Jocelyn is none too happy about marrying a mere viscount at first, but it’s not just that his title isn’t what she’d hoped for. It’s also because she was being forced to marry a man out of convenience rather than choice, which was understandable. From there, Jocelyn only grew, and I have to say that I also grew to like her quite well. She’s instantly charmed by Rand’s uncle and his castle even if it is in disrepair, and she begins to look at the bright side of her marriage. At least her husband is attractive to the point that she’s almost constantly hot and bothered when he’s around. She figures if she’s going to be married she might as well take advantage of the perks of matrimony. It was really funny how Rand was trying to woo her into wanting to make love with him, but she was already there and couldn’t wait. Jocelyn also continues to prove herself as she falls for Rand. She quickly comes to terms with the idea that being married to him could be great even though she initially believes he doesn’t have much to offer in the way of title or money. Love soon trumps the material things for her, so that when the full truth comes out, the reader knows that Jocelyn is being sincere. I also like that she wasn’t the featherbrained beauty she previously seemed to be, but actually showed intelligence in thinking several things through. I was also glad to see that she finally gave up her vanity in favor of having better eyesight by wearing her glasses.
Out of Thomas’s three friends who were introduced in the previous book, Rand was my favorite. He turned out to be a dashing hero here. I loved his protectiveness toward Jocelyn and that even though she wasn’t the wife of his choosing, he was willing to marry her out of a sense of honor and duty. Since he was expecting her to be shallow, he’s very surprised to find depth and intelligence underneath her beautiful exterior. I like that he was more interested in marrying someone with intelligence rather than beauty, because that’s how I am. And of course, he got both. I also like that in spite of being wildly attracted to her, he didn’t just demand his husbandly rights or fall right into bed with her. He actually wanted to romance her a little and get her to want him, which wasn’t too difficult.;-) Rand didn’t plan on falling in love, but he found that Jocelyn was an easy woman to love. I also adored him for trusting her. When Alexei basically kidnapped her to gain Rand’s cooperation, he appropriately read into the clues she left behind for him and instinctively knew that she hadn’t left him for another man even though that was nearly everyone else’s initial thought.
Since the bulk of the story takes place at a rural castle, there aren’t as many supporting characters on the canvas as there were with some of the previous books. Jocelyn's two sisters, Marianne and Becky, are seen a few times, and her brother, Richard (The Husband List), finally returns from his lengthy trip to America. Marianne and Thomas (The Marriage Lesson) marry, but it’s little more than a mention in the background. Richard and Thomas also accompany Rand on his long journey to Avalonia, when he goes after Jocelyn. Rand’s uncle was a hoot. Other than him, I’d say that Prince Alexei is the primary supporting character in this book. I was never quite sure what to make of him, because he has his moments of decency, but he’s also a manipulator. I guess in the end he was OK, because he didn’t make good on any of this threats and at his heart was only looking out for the well-being of his country. While none of the unattached characters seem to carry on and get their own books, it does look like Alexei’s sister (who wasn’t seen in this story) will become the heroine of the next book of the series, Her Highness, My Wife.
Overall, The Prince’s Bride was a very enjoyable read for me. Like its predecessors in the Effington Family & Friends series, it had its light-hearted moments, but it also had some serious ones as well, primarily in the form of a little political intrigue. I think this gave it some substance and kept it from being overly breezy which was my main issue with a couple of the other books in the series. While the reasons for Rand and Jocelyn needing to marry so quickly could have been a little stronger (they didn’t really try very hard to come up with other potential ways to protect her), as could a few other plot points, such as Rand capitulating to Alexei’s reasons for luring him to Avalonia, it was still a good read. Also Rand and Jocelyn do fall in love rather quickly, but for some reason, to me, it didn’t seem like it. Maybe I was simply enamored of the fairy tale quality of the story or the marriage of convenience (regardless of the strength of the reasons it’s still a favorite trope of mine). Or maybe it’s because I felt a strong emotional connection between Rand and Jocelyn. Whatever it was, I did have fun reading this book. Up until now, I’ve found enjoyment in Victoria Alexander's stories, but I hadn’t yet found one that I could call a real keeper. With The Prince’s Bride, now I have, and I’m looking forward to reading more of the series.
"4.5 stars" Many a little girl dreams of growing up to marry a handsome prince. As a lover of fairy tales in my childhood, I know I did. And that’s part of the premise around which The Prince’s Bride is based. Our heroine, Jocelyn, believed from the time she was ten years old that she was going to marry a handsome prince. She’s been having a successful season in London and has even caught the attention of a visiting foreign prince, but when he entices her into a private meeting at a ball, she ends up the target of assassins when she witnesses another private meeting she shouldn’t have. Enter our hero, Rand, a Viscount who works for the English government and who has been investigating the threat to the prince. Knowing that the assassins will probably go after Jocelyn again, he secretly uses her as bait, which nearly gets her killed. Feeling badly that he placed Jocelyn and her family in danger, he vows to protect her by any means necessary, even entering into a marriage of convenience, so that he can whisk her away to his uncle’s rural castle for safe-keeping, where they fall madly in love. It was all a romantic fairy tale scenario that I very much enjoyed reading.
While reading the last couple of books in the series, where we first meet Jocelyn, I had some reservations about her character. I could relate to her dreams of marrying a prince, and sometimes she seemed very sweet. Other times, however, she seemed a little shallow and mercenary, something that Rand believes of her as well in the beginning. Admittedly, Jocelyn is none too happy about marrying a mere viscount at first, but it’s not just that his title isn’t what she’d hoped for. It’s also because she was being forced to marry a man out of convenience rather than choice, which was understandable. From there, Jocelyn only grew, and I have to say that I also grew to like her quite well. She’s instantly charmed by Rand’s uncle and his castle even if it is in disrepair, and she begins to look at the bright side of her marriage. At least her husband is attractive to the point that she’s almost constantly hot and bothered when he’s around. She figures if she’s going to be married she might as well take advantage of the perks of matrimony. It was really funny how Rand was trying to woo her into wanting to make love with him, but she was already there and couldn’t wait. Jocelyn also continues to prove herself as she falls for Rand. She quickly comes to terms with the idea that being married to him could be great even though she initially believes he doesn’t have much to offer in the way of title or money. Love soon trumps the material things for her, so that when the full truth comes out, the reader knows that Jocelyn is being sincere. I also like that she wasn’t the featherbrained beauty she previously seemed to be, but actually showed intelligence in thinking several things through. I was also glad to see that she finally gave up her vanity in favor of having better eyesight by wearing her glasses.
Out of Thomas’s three friends who were introduced in the previous book, Rand was my favorite. He turned out to be a dashing hero here. I loved his protectiveness toward Jocelyn and that even though she wasn’t the wife of his choosing, he was willing to marry her out of a sense of honor and duty. Since he was expecting her to be shallow, he’s very surprised to find depth and intelligence underneath her beautiful exterior. I like that he was more interested in marrying someone with intelligence rather than beauty, because that’s how I am. And of course, he got both. I also like that in spite of being wildly attracted to her, he didn’t just demand his husbandly rights or fall right into bed with her. He actually wanted to romance her a little and get her to want him, which wasn’t too difficult.;-) Rand didn’t plan on falling in love, but he found that Jocelyn was an easy woman to love. I also adored him for trusting her. When Alexei basically kidnapped her to gain Rand’s cooperation, he appropriately read into the clues she left behind for him and instinctively knew that she hadn’t left him for another man even though that was nearly everyone else’s initial thought.
Since the bulk of the story takes place at a rural castle, there aren’t as many supporting characters on the canvas as there were with some of the previous books. Jocelyn's two sisters, Marianne and Becky, are seen a few times, and her brother, Richard (The Husband List), finally returns from his lengthy trip to America. Marianne and Thomas (The Marriage Lesson) marry, but it’s little more than a mention in the background. Richard and Thomas also accompany Rand on his long journey to Avalonia, when he goes after Jocelyn. Rand’s uncle was a hoot. Other than him, I’d say that Prince Alexei is the primary supporting character in this book. I was never quite sure what to make of him, because he has his moments of decency, but he’s also a manipulator. I guess in the end he was OK, because he didn’t make good on any of this threats and at his heart was only looking out for the well-being of his country. While none of the unattached characters seem to carry on and get their own books, it does look like Alexei’s sister (who wasn’t seen in this story) will become the heroine of the next book of the series, Her Highness, My Wife.
Overall, The Prince’s Bride was a very enjoyable read for me. Like its predecessors in the Effington Family & Friends series, it had its light-hearted moments, but it also had some serious ones as well, primarily in the form of a little political intrigue. I think this gave it some substance and kept it from being overly breezy which was my main issue with a couple of the other books in the series. While the reasons for Rand and Jocelyn needing to marry so quickly could have been a little stronger (they didn’t really try very hard to come up with other potential ways to protect her), as could a few other plot points, such as Rand capitulating to Alexei’s reasons for luring him to Avalonia, it was still a good read. Also Rand and Jocelyn do fall in love rather quickly, but for some reason, to me, it didn’t seem like it. Maybe I was simply enamored of the fairy tale quality of the story or the marriage of convenience (regardless of the strength of the reasons it’s still a favorite trope of mine). Or maybe it’s because I felt a strong emotional connection between Rand and Jocelyn. Whatever it was, I did have fun reading this book. Up until now, I’ve found enjoyment in Victoria Alexander's stories, but I hadn’t yet found one that I could call a real keeper. With The Prince’s Bride, now I have, and I’m looking forward to reading more of the series.
June 13, 2023
Çocukluğundan beri bir prensle evlenmeyi hayal eden Jocelyn sonunda bu hayaline kavuşacağını düşündüğü anda birden bire kendisini Vikont Beaumont ile evli bulur.
Buraya kadar herşey güzeldi. Ta ki evlenir evlenmez hemen birbirlerine aşık olup bütün eğlenceyi bozana kadar. Ya arkadaş evleneli daha bir gün olmuş üstelik ikinizinde istemediği bir evlilik ne ara aşkı konuşur olduk ne ara sensiz yaşayamam kısmına geldik anlamadım. Konu çok hızlı ilerledi ve ben bunu hiç sevmedim. Samimi gelmedi. Kitabın sonuna kadar da ikisinin aşkı bana geçmedi maalesef.
Buraya kadar herşey güzeldi. Ta ki evlenir evlenmez hemen birbirlerine aşık olup bütün eğlenceyi bozana kadar. Ya arkadaş evleneli daha bir gün olmuş üstelik ikinizinde istemediği bir evlilik ne ara aşkı konuşur olduk ne ara sensiz yaşayamam kısmına geldik anlamadım. Konu çok hızlı ilerledi ve ben bunu hiç sevmedim. Samimi gelmedi. Kitabın sonuna kadar da ikisinin aşkı bana geçmedi maalesef.
November 6, 2021
3,5 / 5
March 21, 2016
You remember (or probably familiar with) that book with the lovely stepback? The one that everyone was raving about how lovely the heroine's gown looked like? Well - let me tell you a short story. Once upon a time, I went to this humungous book sale in a mall, digging my way through books, historicals and YA's. Out of curiosity and interest at the title, I checked out this book and HELLO THERE!
Wow, what can I say? Doesn't this step back make you already fall in love with the book and give it 3 stars? Sadly, the loveliness ends there. As much as I love the theme and all, the story and plot was really anti climactic (or that may just be me!) but in all fairness, this is the first book I have read from the author and found her writing style really at par with the classic HR romance writers - her writing is flawless, she does the right mix of romance, seduction and humour perfectly and I commend her for that.
This could have been 5 stars if the intensity and angst was sustained that pretty much built up during the first 20% of the book. Oh well, this won't stop me from reading another one of her books soon!
Wow, what can I say? Doesn't this step back make you already fall in love with the book and give it 3 stars? Sadly, the loveliness ends there. As much as I love the theme and all, the story and plot was really anti climactic (or that may just be me!) but in all fairness, this is the first book I have read from the author and found her writing style really at par with the classic HR romance writers - her writing is flawless, she does the right mix of romance, seduction and humour perfectly and I commend her for that.
This could have been 5 stars if the intensity and angst was sustained that pretty much built up during the first 20% of the book. Oh well, this won't stop me from reading another one of her books soon!
March 30, 2011
Jocelyn has dreamed of marrying a Prince since she was a little girl. What little girl hasn't? The difference is her dream may come true. She is the center of Prince Alexi's attention. Unfortunately, while waiting to talk to him in private (she believes to propose to her), she over hears a conversation of conspiracy that proves to ruin her plans. In order to be protected from those who think she can identify them she must run away with the mysterious and handsome man who has saved her from their first attempt at killing her. To protect her reputation, however, she must wed this unknown man. Sometime you just can't win or can you???????? A very fun read. I am now a definite Victoria Alexander fan and am working my way through her books.
October 5, 2015
Spent the summer trying to find and read all of Alexander's books. This is my favorite so far. Loved Rand in the last book, and was waiting for Jocelyn's story. Rand is almost as clueless as Thomas was in saying the right thing, and I love that. Fortunately Jocelyn seems to know what he really means. This book has excitement, love, secrets, castles, Prince's and much more. A really fun read.
July 29, 2022
Jocelyn is the star of the season. She has caught the eye of a prince. And now the prince wants her to rendezvous with him him in the library. When she arrives, the room is dark, there is no prince and 2 strange men are plotting together. When one of the men throws a knife at Jocelyn, she realizes things are not going as expected.
Then a man appears and saves Jocelyn’s life. He is Randall, Viscount Beaumont. Rand has been working for the government, trying to keep the Prince safe from plots against his life.
When there is another attempt on Jocelyn’s life, things get out of hand. It is determined that in order to keep her safe, she must marry Rand in order to preserve her reputation. (After all, this is fiction, so it could happen.)
All this goes against the dreams and plans Jocelyn has had since she was 10 years old. She had planned to marry a prince and become a princess and live happily ever after.
Jocelyn and Rand are a lovely couple. They are intelligent, brave, and humorous. And after some ups and downs, they become very attracted to one another.
This story has wonderful dialog. Romance. Mystery. Danger. Villains. And family members who are absolutely fun to be around.
Ms Alexander is a talented author who does terrific character development. She also uses her imagination to put those characters in situations which are never exactly as expected.
I enjoyed this book.
Then a man appears and saves Jocelyn’s life. He is Randall, Viscount Beaumont. Rand has been working for the government, trying to keep the Prince safe from plots against his life.
When there is another attempt on Jocelyn’s life, things get out of hand. It is determined that in order to keep her safe, she must marry Rand in order to preserve her reputation. (After all, this is fiction, so it could happen.)
All this goes against the dreams and plans Jocelyn has had since she was 10 years old. She had planned to marry a prince and become a princess and live happily ever after.
Jocelyn and Rand are a lovely couple. They are intelligent, brave, and humorous. And after some ups and downs, they become very attracted to one another.
This story has wonderful dialog. Romance. Mystery. Danger. Villains. And family members who are absolutely fun to be around.
Ms Alexander is a talented author who does terrific character development. She also uses her imagination to put those characters in situations which are never exactly as expected.
I enjoyed this book.
September 25, 2011
I loved the first half of this book! The fairy tale fantasies of a 9 year old girl is something I can easily relate to. Marrying a Prince indeed. And a few years down the road, we find Jocelyn dancing with a Prince. What's more he is about to propose marriage or so Jocelyn thinks. They agree to meet in a secluded music room.
I have to admit, the music room scene was a nice twist. It surprised me and increased my interest ten fold. You see, like Jocelyn's Aunt I very much like irony. So imagine my delight upon finding a very unprincely, infuriating Viscount entering Jocelyn's life.
His introduction in the book was pretty intriguing and I decided on the spot that this Viscount was wonderful. The only question was how long will it take Jocelyn to realize that? Specially when she's feeling anything but loathing for him at the moment and being forced to marry the blasted man as well? She's not ready to give up her dreams of marrying a Prince.
There were some witty scenes in the book, flirtatious banter that had me smiling. I loved Rand but I think he was made too perfect and fantasy like. Jocelyn was an interesting character, she was shallow and mercenary, inquisitive too but likable still, probably because her attitude had more to do with her naivete than these unappealing qualities. Lord Nigel was a wonderful character! And I enjoyed reading him
I enjoyed the reappearance of Prince Alexi later on in the book, the ending was alright though things rose to an alarming fairy tale level and an unnecessary trip to a certain foreign kingdom just to prove how much Jocelyn had matured over the time and come to realize her priorities and her love for the mere Viscount she married.
I'd give it a 3.5
I have to admit, the music room scene was a nice twist. It surprised me and increased my interest ten fold. You see, like Jocelyn's Aunt I very much like irony. So imagine my delight upon finding a very unprincely, infuriating Viscount entering Jocelyn's life.
His introduction in the book was pretty intriguing and I decided on the spot that this Viscount was wonderful. The only question was how long will it take Jocelyn to realize that? Specially when she's feeling anything but loathing for him at the moment and being forced to marry the blasted man as well? She's not ready to give up her dreams of marrying a Prince.
There were some witty scenes in the book, flirtatious banter that had me smiling. I loved Rand but I think he was made too perfect and fantasy like. Jocelyn was an interesting character, she was shallow and mercenary, inquisitive too but likable still, probably because her attitude had more to do with her naivete than these unappealing qualities. Lord Nigel was a wonderful character! And I enjoyed reading him
I enjoyed the reappearance of Prince Alexi later on in the book, the ending was alright though things rose to an alarming fairy tale level and an unnecessary trip to a certain foreign kingdom just to prove how much Jocelyn had matured over the time and come to realize her priorities and her love for the mere Viscount she married.
I'd give it a 3.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2009
It's the first historical romance I have ever read, and I blame the addiction to this book! It was an easy read, yet, there are some parts, especially at the ending, where it became somewhat dragging, or maybe because I wasn't really interested in the other story (the adventure) other than the romance itself!
I suggest people reading it because it's fast-paced, light, and relaxing. And the heroine and the hero in the picture are gorgeous! The lovemaking was hot, though I thought it would be better if it had been more romantic (like in bed or something soft surface).
The heroine by the way in this book is somewhat annoying, whiny and such a spoiled one, and some would be irked by it, but I love heroines like it, because I am most likely a bratty one too. and I enjoyed how Rand is so considerate at his young wife, and looked to be the mature one in the story.
I suggest people reading it because it's fast-paced, light, and relaxing. And the heroine and the hero in the picture are gorgeous! The lovemaking was hot, though I thought it would be better if it had been more romantic (like in bed or something soft surface).
The heroine by the way in this book is somewhat annoying, whiny and such a spoiled one, and some would be irked by it, but I love heroines like it, because I am most likely a bratty one too. and I enjoyed how Rand is so considerate at his young wife, and looked to be the mature one in the story.
August 29, 2011
The 4th book in the Effington Series.
Jocelyn, the 3rd sister in the Shelton family, was always known as the pretty one. She just wanted a rich husband so they would never be poor again. Her two older sisters had found love. Emma was married and living in Paris where she could paint and Marianne was about to marry Thomas Effington the following week. The long season was almost over and here Jocelyn was with a real prince. Her dreams were about to come true. She would marry Alexei and be a real princess and have a castle and riches and ladies in waiting. Only everything went wrong and she ended up with Viscount Beaumont protecting her from being murdered and had to marry him to keep her reputation safe as they fled London.
Full of humor and fun. She has a unique writing style that make her characters personalities jump from the pages.
*sexual situatons
Jocelyn, the 3rd sister in the Shelton family, was always known as the pretty one. She just wanted a rich husband so they would never be poor again. Her two older sisters had found love. Emma was married and living in Paris where she could paint and Marianne was about to marry Thomas Effington the following week. The long season was almost over and here Jocelyn was with a real prince. Her dreams were about to come true. She would marry Alexei and be a real princess and have a castle and riches and ladies in waiting. Only everything went wrong and she ended up with Viscount Beaumont protecting her from being murdered and had to marry him to keep her reputation safe as they fled London.
Full of humor and fun. She has a unique writing style that make her characters personalities jump from the pages.
*sexual situatons
June 10, 2013
Poor but proud growing up, Lady Jocelyn Shelton vowed that she would marry a prince and live in a castle. When circumstances forced her to forgo her chance at that dream and quickly marry Rand, Viscount Beaumont and flee on horseback to his uncle's estate for her safety, Jocelyn was sure all was lost. But Uncle Nigel lived in a real castle which was crumbling to the ground and things were not as they seemed when Prince Alexi, the very same prince she was chasing, showed up uninvited. By this time, Jocelyn had decided that Rand was her "prince" in fact and Rand had fallen for Jocelyn. What was Prince Alexi up to?
A charming story for anyone who ever dreamed of a "happy ever after" even if it meant that it wasn't an easy road.
A charming story for anyone who ever dreamed of a "happy ever after" even if it meant that it wasn't an easy road.
April 17, 2016
The Effington series continues with Jocelyn Shelton, Marianne's younger sister and Thomas Effington's best friend Viscount Beaumont; Randall.
Caught in the middle of a trouble, Jocelyn's life is in danger and she has to marry Randall in order to protect her family and herself.
Jocelyn is a very smart lady and a mercenary as well. Both Rand and Jocelyn are determined to make their marriage work.
Jocelyn has always wanted to marry a prince but instead she got a viscount. The story is really interesting and also introduces Prince Alexei Pruzinsky of Avalonia.
At some point the story seemed a bit dragging, inspite of that the book was enjoyable. 3.5/5
Caught in the middle of a trouble, Jocelyn's life is in danger and she has to marry Randall in order to protect her family and herself.
Jocelyn is a very smart lady and a mercenary as well. Both Rand and Jocelyn are determined to make their marriage work.
Jocelyn has always wanted to marry a prince but instead she got a viscount. The story is really interesting and also introduces Prince Alexei Pruzinsky of Avalonia.
At some point the story seemed a bit dragging, inspite of that the book was enjoyable. 3.5/5
August 6, 2016
Another great story by Victoria Alexander. To save her life Rand, Viscount Beaumont, is forced to marry Lady Jocelyn, who has to settle for a mere viscount when she has always dreamed of marrying a prince. It may appear as if she is shallow and mercenary because of the tantrum she throws when she realizes she has to marry Rand but she redeems herself as the story progresses and you learn why she had always wanted to marry a prince. Reading the love develop between the two was very nice and there's a little intrigue and conspiracy thrown in as well as a wonderful surprise for Jocelyn. Overall a very satisfying read.
February 24, 2017
Lady Jocelyn always knew she wanted to be a princess. And since she wasn't born one, she would just have to marry one, unfortunately, none of the available English prince's seemed to be interested in marrying her. When Prince Alexei Frederick Berthold Ruprecht Pruzinsky of the Kingdom of Greater Avalonia, comes to London for the Season Jocelyn might just get her chance.
I liked the character of Alexei more than I did Jocelyn but it was still an interesting book to read.
I liked the character of Alexei more than I did Jocelyn but it was still an interesting book to read.
February 12, 2022
Effingtons Serisinin dördüncü kitabı, serinin en beğendiğim, en keyif aldığım kitabı oldu.
Tek hayali prensle evlenip rahata kavuşmak olan Jocelyn Shelton ile gizemli adamımız Vikont Beaumont’un yollarının tehlikeli bir şekilde kesişmesiyle eğlenceli bir kitap okudum. Özellikle Leydi Jocelyn’ e hayran kaldım. Kendisini şımarık, zenginlikten başka bir şey düşünmeyen biri gibi gösterse de aslında tamamen farklı bir karaktere sahip olduğunu ve görüldüğünden daha akıllı olduğunu çok kısa sürede Vikont Beaumont’a da gösterdi.
Tadımlık, eğlenceli bir kitap okumuş oldum.
----------
“Günaydın.”
Jocelyn aklına ilk gelen şeyi söyledi. “Bu senin kalen mi?
“Tanrım, ne kadar da paragözsün.” Beaumont’un dudakları alaycı bir gülümsemeyle kıvrıldı.
Jocelyn omuz silkti ama yüzünün kızarmasını gizlemedi. “Paragöz değilim, sadece meraklıyım.”
*********
“Çiçekler özür dilemek için uygun olurdu. Karı koca arasında pahalı mücevher de öyle.” Jocelyn duraksadı. “Gördüğüm kadarıyla zarif bir süs eşyası da yok, değil mi?”
“Hayır,” derken Rand başını salladı ama gülmemeye çalışıyormuşçasına dudakları seğiriyordu.
“Benim paragöz mizacımı asla unutma, Rand. Ancak ne mücevher ne de çiçek aldığına göre” – Jocelyn umursamazca elini salladı- “bunun hiç önemi yok.” Bardağının üzerinden gülümsedi. “Ama gelecek sefere, en azından çiçek beklerim.”
Tek hayali prensle evlenip rahata kavuşmak olan Jocelyn Shelton ile gizemli adamımız Vikont Beaumont’un yollarının tehlikeli bir şekilde kesişmesiyle eğlenceli bir kitap okudum. Özellikle Leydi Jocelyn’ e hayran kaldım. Kendisini şımarık, zenginlikten başka bir şey düşünmeyen biri gibi gösterse de aslında tamamen farklı bir karaktere sahip olduğunu ve görüldüğünden daha akıllı olduğunu çok kısa sürede Vikont Beaumont’a da gösterdi.
Tadımlık, eğlenceli bir kitap okumuş oldum.
----------
“Günaydın.”
Jocelyn aklına ilk gelen şeyi söyledi. “Bu senin kalen mi?
“Tanrım, ne kadar da paragözsün.” Beaumont’un dudakları alaycı bir gülümsemeyle kıvrıldı.
Jocelyn omuz silkti ama yüzünün kızarmasını gizlemedi. “Paragöz değilim, sadece meraklıyım.”
*********
“Çiçekler özür dilemek için uygun olurdu. Karı koca arasında pahalı mücevher de öyle.” Jocelyn duraksadı. “Gördüğüm kadarıyla zarif bir süs eşyası da yok, değil mi?”
“Hayır,” derken Rand başını salladı ama gülmemeye çalışıyormuşçasına dudakları seğiriyordu.
“Benim paragöz mizacımı asla unutma, Rand. Ancak ne mücevher ne de çiçek aldığına göre” – Jocelyn umursamazca elini salladı- “bunun hiç önemi yok.” Bardağının üzerinden gülümsedi. “Ama gelecek sefere, en azından çiçek beklerim.”
September 14, 2017
I've really enjoyed other books by this author, but somehow this book fell flat. It was just too silly and I've lost interest in the last 50 pages and don't see the point of making myself finish it. The romantic tension was resolved too early in the novel for me, and I can't seem to make myself care about the last dramatic incident that the author has put in motion. I've got too many other books that will expire soon, so I'm going to set this one aside.
January 17, 2021
Just as enjoyable as the previous book in the series, but I am beginning to pick up on a formula here. While I really like the characters and the story, the events only take place over a very short length of time. Things I thought would happen over weeks only took place in a few short days. Jocelyn pretty much summed it up when she says that she and Rand spent more time apart than together. I’m pretty sure the two of them fell in love in three days, a trope I absolutely despise.
May 1, 2023
Beginning in 1810, when ten year Jocelyn Shelton buries a wish: to marry a Prince.
Fast forward to 1819 London, Jocelyn is on the verge of seeing her wish fulfilled, when narrowly escapes a threat on her life.
Rand, Viscount Beaumont works for the British government, and has been keeping an eye on Jocelyn.
Rand and Jocelyn are forced to marry in order to protect her.
Alexander mentions the fairy tale: The frog Prince in the story.
Fast forward to 1819 London, Jocelyn is on the verge of seeing her wish fulfilled, when narrowly escapes a threat on her life.
Rand, Viscount Beaumont works for the British government, and has been keeping an eye on Jocelyn.
Rand and Jocelyn are forced to marry in order to protect her.
Alexander mentions the fairy tale: The frog Prince in the story.
Read
June 19, 2021Loved the h in this one. The heroes had very good communication and trusted and respected each other. They didn't make hasty conclusions, the misunderstandings were quickly solved and they forgave each other with not much drama. The heroes were wise in a way, they could think logically and it surprised me because oftentimes the heroes make no sense and I'm left wondering wtf just happened.
October 2, 2021
The best thing about the book is the title’s play on words making a reference to the classic movie. I really shouldn’t expect more from romances but I really found the premise for this one weak, ridiculous and tedious. I like this author I usually and will read more of her books but that might change if another one is like this title.
October 11, 2022
Absolutely Delightful
I've read a lot of mediocrity lately and came to this novel jaded, not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised from the start. I laughed til I cried and just generally grinned throughout this entire read. It was decidedly delightful. I had forgotten Ms Alexander's work, having not read her in years. Since my paperback reading days.
I've read a lot of mediocrity lately and came to this novel jaded, not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised from the start. I laughed til I cried and just generally grinned throughout this entire read. It was decidedly delightful. I had forgotten Ms Alexander's work, having not read her in years. Since my paperback reading days.
April 16, 2019
A surprise Prince and murderous intrigue
The season's incomparable and a Viscount who might be a spy or a Prince or both end up married and hiding to protect his bride. The story moves along fairly quickly and the takes some twists at the end.
The season's incomparable and a Viscount who might be a spy or a Prince or both end up married and hiding to protect his bride. The story moves along fairly quickly and the takes some twists at the end.
July 5, 2017
Maybe even 4 stars so I'll split the difference and say 3.5/5
July 19, 2018
Really nice story. Liked it
March 28, 2019
Intriguing story
I liked the unpredictable plot twists, but the story explores certain leads without further clarification or termination. It’s somehow annoying
I liked the unpredictable plot twists, but the story explores certain leads without further clarification or termination. It’s somehow annoying
April 20, 2019
3.5 where are you?
This is a great story with likable characters but I was frustrated by feeling like it was over explained. I love to read a book I hate to put down.
This is a great story with likable characters but I was frustrated by feeling like it was over explained. I love to read a book I hate to put down.
January 24, 2021
This was so good!! It had bickering, angst, a bit of action and it had a bonus bathtub scene 😄
June 20, 2021
Best book in the Effington series so far. Rand and Jocelyn's adventures and character development was really good. The twists and turns were well done and even their love confessions weren't borne out of necessity.
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