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Arunthia #2
To Claim His Heir by Christmas
From heaven to hell…
Princess Luciana of Arunthia once experienced heaven in the arms of a man whose every touch felt like paradise. But when Thane was revealed as Prince of Galancia – her kingdom’s greatest enemy – she fled, carrying his child!
… and back again?
Now, as Christmas approaches, the Prince is determined to win Luciana back and get the greatest gift of all: a beautiful queen and an heir!
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2014
22 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Parker
59 books58 followersVictoria Parker's first love was a dashing heroic fox named Robin Hood. Then came the powerful, suave Mr Darcy, then Lady Chatterley's rugged lover and the list goes on. Thinking she must be an unfaithful sort of girl, but ever the optimist, she relentlessly pursued her Mr. Literary Right and eventually found him lying between the cool, crisp sheets of an M&B Harlequin romance. Her obsession was born.
If only real life were just as easy...
Alas, against the advice of her English teacher to cultivate her writers muse, she chased the corporate dream and acquired various uninspiring job titles and a flesh-and-blood hero before she surrendered to that persistent voice and penned her first romance. Turns out creating havoc for sassy heroines and devilish heroes who are dynamite-at-first-sight truly is the best job in the world.
Victoria now lives out her own happy-ever-after in the north-east of England with her alpha exec and their two children - a masterly charmer in the making and, apparently, the next Disney Princess. Believing sleep is highly overrated, she writes until 3am, ignores the housework and still loves nothing more than getting cosy with a romance novel. When she isn't buried in a book she loves discovering far-flung destinations and getting into mischief with her rather wonderful extended family!
If only real life were just as easy...
Alas, against the advice of her English teacher to cultivate her writers muse, she chased the corporate dream and acquired various uninspiring job titles and a flesh-and-blood hero before she surrendered to that persistent voice and penned her first romance. Turns out creating havoc for sassy heroines and devilish heroes who are dynamite-at-first-sight truly is the best job in the world.
Victoria now lives out her own happy-ever-after in the north-east of England with her alpha exec and their two children - a masterly charmer in the making and, apparently, the next Disney Princess. Believing sleep is highly overrated, she writes until 3am, ignores the housework and still loves nothing more than getting cosy with a romance novel. When she isn't buried in a book she loves discovering far-flung destinations and getting into mischief with her rather wonderful extended family!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 4, 2015
I'm so glad that some of my discerning buddies on the Harlequin Presents Reader group raved about this book. It was an excellent short and sexy romance to read before the end of the year. At first, I was thrown by the writing style, very descriptive and emotive to the degree that it was hard to get a feel for the tone initially. But it didn't take long before I was soaking this book up like a sponge. Parker taps into my need for an intense, escapist, passionate romance book. It definitely gave me my angsty/dramatic romance fix.
Thane is all that and a bag of chips! Intense, honorable, grumpy, dedicated to his one and only woman (that alone made me swoon over him), and sexy as all get out. I could totally see why Luciana found him irresistible. He touches on all my hero qualities that I love. Luciana is a great heroine. Her motives are sound and her heart was good. She's strong in the best ways. Even though I did want her to cave and fall in with Thane's plans head first ('cause he was just so very...), I could understand her misgivings and her pain and anguish because of what she'd seen in her parents' marriage and scars from her own childhood. She made the best decision she could have at the time, even though she did deny Thane four years of his child's life. She regretted that she had cost him that and understood how wrong she was about him. While I don't care much for secret baby romance, this was well done. Scenes of Thane bonding with his son made me all cartoon starry eyed.
This is the kind of Romeo and Juliet tale I love. Honestly, I didn't care much for the original play, but Parker has given die hard romantics the version of that tale of young lovers and feuding families that they will love.
The sexual chemistry and tension was off the charts, but what made it so powerful was the delirious and intense love that Thane and Luciana found together and never got over. You could tell it was a once and a lifetime connection and you wanted them to get their happy ending.
Parker has convinced me that she's an author to watch for in the Harlequin Presents line. If she has more heroes in the vein of Thane (no rhyming intended), I'm sold!
Definitely recommend this book. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
Thane is all that and a bag of chips! Intense, honorable, grumpy, dedicated to his one and only woman (that alone made me swoon over him), and sexy as all get out. I could totally see why Luciana found him irresistible. He touches on all my hero qualities that I love. Luciana is a great heroine. Her motives are sound and her heart was good. She's strong in the best ways. Even though I did want her to cave and fall in with Thane's plans head first ('cause he was just so very...), I could understand her misgivings and her pain and anguish because of what she'd seen in her parents' marriage and scars from her own childhood. She made the best decision she could have at the time, even though she did deny Thane four years of his child's life. She regretted that she had cost him that and understood how wrong she was about him. While I don't care much for secret baby romance, this was well done. Scenes of Thane bonding with his son made me all cartoon starry eyed.
This is the kind of Romeo and Juliet tale I love. Honestly, I didn't care much for the original play, but Parker has given die hard romantics the version of that tale of young lovers and feuding families that they will love.
The sexual chemistry and tension was off the charts, but what made it so powerful was the delirious and intense love that Thane and Luciana found together and never got over. You could tell it was a once and a lifetime connection and you wanted them to get their happy ending.
Parker has convinced me that she's an author to watch for in the Harlequin Presents line. If she has more heroes in the vein of Thane (no rhyming intended), I'm sold!
Definitely recommend this book. Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
January 12, 2018
This had all the markers of an epic ROMANCE romance. As StMargarets said it is easy to see this as a star-crossed medieval romance or fairy tale. You can just feel sweeping winds, epic vistas and roiling emotions. Reminded me of Olivia Gates in many ways with the expressiveness of emotions.
TROPES:
Romeo-Juliet star-crossed lovers
Enemy kingdoms
Evil fathers
Downtrodden pining mothers
Mistaken identities
Prince/pauper and Princess/Pauper disguises
Evil uncle
Secret baby
Love and longing
Arranged marriage
Pretty princess
Brooding prince
Heroine is light to his dark
Kidnap and sexy ravishing
The beginning of the is story was pretty awesome as the H and h are really star-crossed lovers. They met five years ago not knowing who the other was and fell hard and had a passionate affair. The h figures out who the Prince is first and leaves with the inevitable consequences of their passion.
Times up for her and she has to marry the creep her creep of a father picked out because he LET her have her baby.
The H figures out who she is and kidnaps her to his more repressed kingdom that he wants to save.
When he finds out about the secret baby all hell breaks out. Heroines hiding secret babies usually don’t bother me as the H’s are such asshats. Not in this case. The hero is a complete and total hero. Totally besotted and in love with the heroine, he was devastated when she disappeared and he searched for her fearing that she may have been hurt because of him. It breaks his heart when he finds out that one reason she kept the baby secret from him was she wasn’t sure she could trust him. Major points off the heroine for me at this point.
I am not a fan of the brooding hero as too often they are self-pitying monsters who use that excuse to humiliate and subjugate poor little heroines. I bought into this hero’s angst for the most part, and ALL my sympathies lay with him when he finds out about his son. Couldn’t blame Thane for his anger and bitterness.
The heroine is redeemed somewhat, but can’t give it four stars as the evil uncle and mean father were never really handled.
If you want OTT passion and a yummy hero, definitely give it a try.
TROPES:
Romeo-Juliet star-crossed lovers
Enemy kingdoms
Evil fathers
Downtrodden pining mothers
Mistaken identities
Prince/pauper and Princess/Pauper disguises
Evil uncle
Secret baby
Love and longing
Arranged marriage
Pretty princess
Brooding prince
Heroine is light to his dark
Kidnap and sexy ravishing
The beginning of the is story was pretty awesome as the H and h are really star-crossed lovers. They met five years ago not knowing who the other was and fell hard and had a passionate affair. The h figures out who the Prince is first and leaves with the inevitable consequences of their passion.
Times up for her and she has to marry the creep her creep of a father picked out because he LET her have her baby.
The H figures out who she is and kidnaps her to his more repressed kingdom that he wants to save.
When he finds out about the secret baby all hell breaks out. Heroines hiding secret babies usually don’t bother me as the H’s are such asshats. Not in this case. The hero is a complete and total hero. Totally besotted and in love with the heroine, he was devastated when she disappeared and he searched for her fearing that she may have been hurt because of him. It breaks his heart when he finds out that one reason she kept the baby secret from him was she wasn’t sure she could trust him. Major points off the heroine for me at this point.
I am not a fan of the brooding hero as too often they are self-pitying monsters who use that excuse to humiliate and subjugate poor little heroines. I bought into this hero’s angst for the most part, and ALL my sympathies lay with him when he finds out about his son. Couldn’t blame Thane for his anger and bitterness.
The heroine is redeemed somewhat, but can’t give it four stars as the evil uncle and mean father were never really handled.
If you want OTT passion and a yummy hero, definitely give it a try.
January 5, 2018
Once I imagined this was a Medieval romance, I enjoyed it a lot more. The H/h, prince and princess of warring kingdoms, had an inadvertent romance without revealing their true identities. When the heroine found out who her lover of a few weeks was, she fled. She gave birth in secret and in exile. Now, five years later, the heroine is being pushed by her father, the king, to marry a suitable man in a political marriage. The hero kidnaps her before she can agree.
It easy to imagine them entwined on horseback, making the long journey to the gruff/tender hero's castle where his power-mad uncle keeps the peasants in poverty. (Instead they fly in a plane and the hero covers the heroine with a cashmere blanket and gives her an orgasm. Not quite as romantic, but there you go. )
This story-line fits more comfortably in the Medieval era because of the actions of the hero and the rumors of what went on his country. The author used this as window dressing to explain why the heroine didn't feel she could trust the hero to tell him about his son. But the hero's father ordering him to assassinate the heroine's father and then beating him when he refused? Child soldiers? Those are violations of International Law and romanticizing them really bothered me. Yes, those things still happen, but if a regime is that ruthless, the hero is not going to be able to stop that mindset with a marriage. The uncle the hero usurped is still alive and well at the end of this story and I doubt he and his henchmen would go quietly.
So I'm going to have to add a battle at the end (in the mud of course) with the heroine watching from the ramparts, her heart in her mouth, as she realizes she loves the man who kidnapped her and took her away from her family. She will realize this hero, who has the strength and purity to stay celibate in memory of her, is the right man to raise her son. When the hero vanquishes his foes, she will run on to the field and present him with a token of her affection and fidelity (red rose? silk scarf? a kiss?) and the soldiers will cheer and the feasting will commence. (In the modern day version, the heroine returns and proposes the hero on one knee - not as romantic, either. *sigh*)
Still, this was a decent story. I hope VP tries her hand at a Medieval some day. She seems to have the instincts for court drama that mirrors the dark vs. light emotional landscape of her characters.
It easy to imagine them entwined on horseback, making the long journey to the gruff/tender hero's castle where his power-mad uncle keeps the peasants in poverty. (Instead they fly in a plane and the hero covers the heroine with a cashmere blanket and gives her an orgasm. Not quite as romantic, but there you go. )
This story-line fits more comfortably in the Medieval era because of the actions of the hero and the rumors of what went on his country. The author used this as window dressing to explain why the heroine didn't feel she could trust the hero to tell him about his son. But the hero's father ordering him to assassinate the heroine's father and then beating him when he refused? Child soldiers? Those are violations of International Law and romanticizing them really bothered me. Yes, those things still happen, but if a regime is that ruthless, the hero is not going to be able to stop that mindset with a marriage. The uncle the hero usurped is still alive and well at the end of this story and I doubt he and his henchmen would go quietly.
So I'm going to have to add a battle at the end (in the mud of course) with the heroine watching from the ramparts, her heart in her mouth, as she realizes she loves the man who kidnapped her and took her away from her family. She will realize this hero, who has the strength and purity to stay celibate in memory of her, is the right man to raise her son. When the hero vanquishes his foes, she will run on to the field and present him with a token of her affection and fidelity (red rose? silk scarf? a kiss?) and the soldiers will cheer and the feasting will commence. (In the modern day version, the heroine returns and proposes the hero on one knee - not as romantic, either. *sigh*)
Still, this was a decent story. I hope VP tries her hand at a Medieval some day. She seems to have the instincts for court drama that mirrors the dark vs. light emotional landscape of her characters.
November 6, 2014
Romeo and Juliet kind of story. Hero, a prince and heroine, a princess have a hot affair but when Luciana finds out Thane is her kingdom's enemy she abandons him while expecting his baby. Five years later she is ready to do her royal duty and marry a man she doesn't love. Thane finds her, kidnaps her and proposes a royal marriage.
Great romantic read! Hero is super dreamy, swoon worthy a man who is sacrificing his life for Luciana. If you like your heroes noble this is the book for you. I liked that both Thane and Luciana remained CELIBATE while apart. It touched me deeply and made me believe in their love. Others authors should take note, this is how it should be done!
I would have given it 5 stars but it needed an epilogue badly! Too bad the author didn't write one!
Great romantic read! Hero is super dreamy, swoon worthy a man who is sacrificing his life for Luciana. If you like your heroes noble this is the book for you. I liked that both Thane and Luciana remained CELIBATE while apart. It touched me deeply and made me believe in their love. Others authors should take note, this is how it should be done!
I would have given it 5 stars but it needed an epilogue badly! Too bad the author didn't write one!
March 1, 2015
Loved the fidelity and treatment of sex as something special and sacred between a loving couple, but do wish there were less scenes of being told what happened and more scenes showing what happened. Too much introspection, it went on an on. But unique plot, justifiable anger by hero and likeable H/h. Beautiful depiction of mother/son relationship. A devoted mom is my favorite way of showing heroine to be a great heroine at whom hero just can't stay angry.
December 13, 2014
Smart heroine alert. Really enjoyed this one. Hero is TDF, surly, gruff, and a total goner for heroine. This is a second chance at love secret baby book set at Christmas time. I can't wait to read more of her. It's been a while since I found a new HP writer I liked this much.
September 5, 2016
3.5 stars rounded up because of this:
‘And you are the only lover in mine. There has only been you and there will only ever be you.’
Blame it on the havoc being unleashed on her body, but it took her a second to catch on—and then she pushed at his shoulders to gauge his expression. ‘You mean you haven’t slept with anyone since me?’
Nonchalance made his shrug loose, as if he didn’t see the big deal. ‘No. It felt wrong. Like I was betraying my heart.’
Yasss, you tell em Thane. Tell those whores and sluts who claim to be the romance book "hero" how to do it right.
How long did Thane went without sex? Five years! Did his penis falls off because the severe case of blue balls? No! In fact, the penis came out as magnificent as ever, and it was guaranteed STD free!
I found out about this book from this thread, and it was so refreshing to read a second chance romance where the hero stays faithful to the heroine.
Book wise, it was a nice read. A bit slow at the beginning but it picked up the pace later on. The banter between the main characters was cute. And we get plenty of Thane's POV, so we know what's going on in his mind. Luciana was a likeable heroine.
Because it's a part of a series so some issues aren't resolved yet, but at least we got the HEA of this lovely couple.
‘And you are the only lover in mine. There has only been you and there will only ever be you.’
Blame it on the havoc being unleashed on her body, but it took her a second to catch on—and then she pushed at his shoulders to gauge his expression. ‘You mean you haven’t slept with anyone since me?’
Nonchalance made his shrug loose, as if he didn’t see the big deal. ‘No. It felt wrong. Like I was betraying my heart.’
Yasss, you tell em Thane. Tell those whores and sluts who claim to be the romance book "hero" how to do it right.
How long did Thane went without sex? Five years! Did his penis falls off because the severe case of blue balls? No! In fact, the penis came out as magnificent as ever, and it was guaranteed STD free!
I found out about this book from this thread, and it was so refreshing to read a second chance romance where the hero stays faithful to the heroine.
Book wise, it was a nice read. A bit slow at the beginning but it picked up the pace later on. The banter between the main characters was cute. And we get plenty of Thane's POV, so we know what's going on in his mind. Luciana was a likeable heroine.
Because it's a part of a series so some issues aren't resolved yet, but at least we got the HEA of this lovely couple.
December 31, 2016
Ok, I'm a sucker for heroes being celibate during separation and this hero was serious about his feelings and didn't want to sleep someone while hd had feelings for someone else.
Writing style and use of plot could have seriously been used in better way, but this was still a good read :)
Writing style and use of plot could have seriously been used in better way, but this was still a good read :)
January 3, 2015
I really, really like this HP!!! It was very well written and great pacing.
Wonderful love story and it had everything I Love in reading a romance!!!'
Wonderful love story and it had everything I Love in reading a romance!!!'
June 27, 2017
So close to a five-star read.
I loved the premise of this book and I loved the passion between them but somewhere around 54% it started to almost bore me. I was like come on. Hurry it up already but I don't know why. It just went blah to me. It picked back up at the end and I loved that final scene with the proposal. That upped the score for me by one star. I loved that he was true to her during the separation too and that made it four stars and a really good read. But it could have been great.
I loved the premise of this book and I loved the passion between them but somewhere around 54% it started to almost bore me. I was like come on. Hurry it up already but I don't know why. It just went blah to me. It picked back up at the end and I loved that final scene with the proposal. That upped the score for me by one star. I loved that he was true to her during the separation too and that made it four stars and a really good read. But it could have been great.
December 8, 2014
4.5 stars
I LOVED this one!
I LOVED this one!
November 6, 2014
I went from reading The Woman Sent To Tame Him, to Ultimate Revenge and now this. I think there were a couple before that but I gave them a miss. Out of the three this is deffo more traditional, some would say it verges on 'vintage' but if there is one thing I can say about this author it's that the writing surpasses the usual offerings from this genre. I believe this story is the second Arunthian book and as I said I missed the first but you couldn't feel it. It's a total standalone though I was left with the feeling that I really should have read the first because I came to adore Lucas and Claudia in this book.
But this story is about Claudia's sister Luciana and the royal bad boy that is Prince Thane. Bad boy as in he's a mercenary and he's damn delicious with it. Yum! This guy does not take no for an answer and from the time he kidnaps our aloof reluctant royal poor Luciana finds herself in deeper and deeper waters. It was a real serious pageturner. The emotions were off the charts and the chemistry between them was scorching. But I think what really got to me the most was the air of serendipity, of finding your one and only not once in a lifetime but twice. Sigh. Swoon. Thane wanted his woman and by God he was gonna have her!
Gorgeous. Loved it.
But this story is about Claudia's sister Luciana and the royal bad boy that is Prince Thane. Bad boy as in he's a mercenary and he's damn delicious with it. Yum! This guy does not take no for an answer and from the time he kidnaps our aloof reluctant royal poor Luciana finds herself in deeper and deeper waters. It was a real serious pageturner. The emotions were off the charts and the chemistry between them was scorching. But I think what really got to me the most was the air of serendipity, of finding your one and only not once in a lifetime but twice. Sigh. Swoon. Thane wanted his woman and by God he was gonna have her!
Gorgeous. Loved it.
November 16, 2014
To Claim his Heir by Christmas by Victoria Parker is a well written romance and is the second book in the Arunthia series (The first one being, Princess in the Iron Mask) and can be easily read as a standalone.
Thane was a very much an alpha hero who took without asking. I not a big fan of alphas but he was still likable enough for me because in the end he did give Luciana the chance to choose what she wanted. Most of the time I did want to thump Thane on his head but that’s my personal opinion. If you like over the top alphas then he is the hero for you. Luciana is a wonderful mother who puts her son’s needs above anything else. She did stand up to Thane whenever she could and I liked that. Though things never quite usually went the way Luciana wanted, she adjusted well with the situation. Thane comes to know about his son quite late in the book and I would have preferred if the secret was revealed earlier in the story. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the plot very much along with the steamy and passionate romance .I loved the drama, the angst and all the emotions from the start to finish.
Overall, To Claim his Heir by Christmas by Victoria Parker is a well written romance which definitely does not disappoint. If you are looking for a happily ever after this Christmas then do give this book a read.Read More
Thane was a very much an alpha hero who took without asking. I not a big fan of alphas but he was still likable enough for me because in the end he did give Luciana the chance to choose what she wanted. Most of the time I did want to thump Thane on his head but that’s my personal opinion. If you like over the top alphas then he is the hero for you. Luciana is a wonderful mother who puts her son’s needs above anything else. She did stand up to Thane whenever she could and I liked that. Though things never quite usually went the way Luciana wanted, she adjusted well with the situation. Thane comes to know about his son quite late in the book and I would have preferred if the secret was revealed earlier in the story. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the plot very much along with the steamy and passionate romance .I loved the drama, the angst and all the emotions from the start to finish.
Overall, To Claim his Heir by Christmas by Victoria Parker is a well written romance which definitely does not disappoint. If you are looking for a happily ever after this Christmas then do give this book a read.Read More
August 14, 2015
Luciana was very close to make me hate her but I really liked this book
December 14, 2014
This was the first Victoria Parker book that I was really disappointed with and didn't enjoy as much as her other books that I've read in the past. The concept was there with the whole Romeo and Juliet trope, but I just didn't feel it emotionally. I felt I was told about their attraction rather than felt it. That rawness. The feeling of being gutted and having my heart pulled out of my chest then by book end it was put back there again where it belonged. Just that emotional part was missing for me.
From the very beginning of the book, I just didn't connect with it on an emotional level. In fact I felt that it was rather slow and wasn't getting to the meat of the story. I even found myself skimming through it because I wanted to get to the good part already, but just the whole thing for me really dragged out and seemed to go on forever until maybe the last third of the book where Thane finally found out about the secret that Luciana kept from him for five years. That's where the heart of the story came into play for me, as well as the emotional conflict where actually felt the emotions and rawness come to play. I wish the issue of Thane being the father of Luicana's child came into play a lot earlier then maybe I would have felt the rawness and emotions coming to the surface. That was the highlight of the book for me and I wished it was explore more but instead since it was near the end of the book there wasn't time and the conflict though addressed and there was tension between them was quickly glossed over and dealt with without too much difficulty. So that was kind of disappointing.
I thought that the first half like I said was slow and was more focused on the political situations of both their countries instead of the love story between them. Granted that was the complication and the conflict of why they couldn't be together and needed to stay away from one another, and that part of the story, but I just felt it was too much of that. I felt like I was told about the situation and told what they feeling about the situation as well as each other instead of feeling it or understanding what they were going through emotionally. Just I needed it to pull on my heartstrings a bit more instead it just felt bland and kind of, how to put this, like it wasn't an issue that they were from enemy countries because it was obvious that they were going to get together despite that. It was an issue, but not that big of issue because they both came together without too much fuss or worried about their countries despite them stating that was the biggest obstacle in their relationship, but that really didn't feel true. They gave into their passions anyway. So that conflict for me was kind of weak.
I would have preferred to be told the story of how their relationship first development and how they were in this whirlwind romance that lasted nearly a month before Luciana discovered Thane's true identity then the story could have time jumped five years later or something like that. That to me was more interesting and what I wanted to see. I wanted to see their first meeting, their first time the slept together especially with them both being virgins that really interested me and I wanted to see that played out for both of them emotionally, and also I wanted to see when she discovered the truth and how much that devastated her as well as scared at the fact that she had this relationship with her family's enemy and just all she went through from the time she left until she found out she was pregnant to when she confronted her father. I wanted see that because it just feel more emotional rich and that richness could have been explored. That would have gutted me more especially seeing their longing for each other both in the past and in the present. That more drew me in than anything aside from him finding out that he was a father to Nate. That was what I wanted to see and experience. Instead I just got a story where I was summarized the events of the past and kind of told what was going on in the present with barely feeling any emotions coming into play by either one of them.
Another point was that I expected this to be a more Christmassy book especially from the title but there really wasn't a lot of that aside from the fact that he had to marry her by Christmas Eve for whatever reason that wasn't explained in the book or I missed it when I skimmed my way through the book. I think it had something to do with protection form his uncle or whatnot by it wasn't clearly stated how it protected them from his uncle. I just was expecting a bit more of a holiday twist, and it wasn't there. I didn't even though they were close to the Christmas season until they end when he arranged to marry her on Christmas Eve. So was expecting more of the holiday spirit to come into play.
As for the chemistry between the two, even though they couldn't keep (or didn't want) to keep their hands off each other, I didn't feel it. It didn't feel hot or passionate to me. There wasn't really steam coming off the book instead it just felt like a bunch of actions being relayed to me instead of feeling the emotions and the heat coming off the pair. I was kind of disappointed in that. I wanted to feel more on that score. And the love scenes unfortunately weren't that exciting for me as well, again it was just a bunch of actions being told to me. There was like a love scene and half and that was about it. I was expecting more especially since it was stated that they were hot for each other and hadn't been with anyone else for the five years they had been separated. So I would have expected that passion would be percolating until it was ready to explode and steam up the pages and though they did come together it jut wasn't as passionate as I expected. It was like they did the deed and that was it. There wasn't excitement to it in my opinion probably because there was no on the edge of your seat anticipation that made me so ready for that scene already. Instead it just felt bland because it was expected that they would give in, but that was it. Now I know that in romance novel it is expected that there is a love scene or two but there's more anticipation to it and more heat behind it than the one that happened between Luciana and Thane. It was like they did the did, so what? That's just what I felt when reading it. It didn't blow me away nor did the romance.
The two main characters were okay. Not my favorite. I liked him a little better than I like her, but I didn't hate them. I more rooted for him than her. Thane was definitely a different character than I have ever read before but I still wanted see a bit more from him emotionally until he was stripped raw before my eyes not that he wasn't, but I was told that not shown that or felt that more accurately. I just wanted to feel more rawness come off of him.
As for her I understood why she did what she did and what motivated her, and I get she wanted to protect he son and even admired her for that, but I kind of wished she showed more of a backbone and stood up to her father and basically told him to kiss off that she would rather have her son than the crown because she didn't care about the crown not in the least so why couldn't she tell her father to stuff it? That I didn't get. Okay she was raised to do her duty and be raised as Queen, a job she didn't care for in the least, but even still I think she could have stood up to her father a bit more when it came down to it. I just thought she could have done a lot more than she did and avoid all these complications as well as her feeling she had no control over her life and was being forced into it.
This was just an okay story for me that felt less like an emotional love story and more of a ho hum story of two people getting together that had no surprises in it nor any excitement. It was very predictable and very expected. I just needed more of a spark to it as well as more emotional rawness than I got. I wanted it to dig a little deeper and gut me and put me back together at the same time. I wanted to feel more and feel that intensity behind it that would have created a great love story. It was disappointing to say the least. I wish I liked Luciana and Thane's story more but I didn't and was at time bored.
I have loved Victoria Parker's books in the past with each of them having a lot of emotional depth as well as characters that I really cared about and felt for and I really enjoyed her style in writing. It was bound happen that I can't like every book she has written and this just happened to be the one and the one that I didn't connect with or feel for emotionally. It happens, but that doesn't mean I don't think Victoria Parker isn't a winner and I think her book are really awesome and worth reading and I can't wait to read her next one, and hopefully I will connect with that book more than I did this one. So keep on Victoria Parker. Keep on writing.
From the very beginning of the book, I just didn't connect with it on an emotional level. In fact I felt that it was rather slow and wasn't getting to the meat of the story. I even found myself skimming through it because I wanted to get to the good part already, but just the whole thing for me really dragged out and seemed to go on forever until maybe the last third of the book where Thane finally found out about the secret that Luciana kept from him for five years. That's where the heart of the story came into play for me, as well as the emotional conflict where actually felt the emotions and rawness come to play. I wish the issue of Thane being the father of Luicana's child came into play a lot earlier then maybe I would have felt the rawness and emotions coming to the surface. That was the highlight of the book for me and I wished it was explore more but instead since it was near the end of the book there wasn't time and the conflict though addressed and there was tension between them was quickly glossed over and dealt with without too much difficulty. So that was kind of disappointing.
I thought that the first half like I said was slow and was more focused on the political situations of both their countries instead of the love story between them. Granted that was the complication and the conflict of why they couldn't be together and needed to stay away from one another, and that part of the story, but I just felt it was too much of that. I felt like I was told about the situation and told what they feeling about the situation as well as each other instead of feeling it or understanding what they were going through emotionally. Just I needed it to pull on my heartstrings a bit more instead it just felt bland and kind of, how to put this, like it wasn't an issue that they were from enemy countries because it was obvious that they were going to get together despite that. It was an issue, but not that big of issue because they both came together without too much fuss or worried about their countries despite them stating that was the biggest obstacle in their relationship, but that really didn't feel true. They gave into their passions anyway. So that conflict for me was kind of weak.
I would have preferred to be told the story of how their relationship first development and how they were in this whirlwind romance that lasted nearly a month before Luciana discovered Thane's true identity then the story could have time jumped five years later or something like that. That to me was more interesting and what I wanted to see. I wanted to see their first meeting, their first time the slept together especially with them both being virgins that really interested me and I wanted to see that played out for both of them emotionally, and also I wanted to see when she discovered the truth and how much that devastated her as well as scared at the fact that she had this relationship with her family's enemy and just all she went through from the time she left until she found out she was pregnant to when she confronted her father. I wanted see that because it just feel more emotional rich and that richness could have been explored. That would have gutted me more especially seeing their longing for each other both in the past and in the present. That more drew me in than anything aside from him finding out that he was a father to Nate. That was what I wanted to see and experience. Instead I just got a story where I was summarized the events of the past and kind of told what was going on in the present with barely feeling any emotions coming into play by either one of them.
Another point was that I expected this to be a more Christmassy book especially from the title but there really wasn't a lot of that aside from the fact that he had to marry her by Christmas Eve for whatever reason that wasn't explained in the book or I missed it when I skimmed my way through the book. I think it had something to do with protection form his uncle or whatnot by it wasn't clearly stated how it protected them from his uncle. I just was expecting a bit more of a holiday twist, and it wasn't there. I didn't even though they were close to the Christmas season until they end when he arranged to marry her on Christmas Eve. So was expecting more of the holiday spirit to come into play.
As for the chemistry between the two, even though they couldn't keep (or didn't want) to keep their hands off each other, I didn't feel it. It didn't feel hot or passionate to me. There wasn't really steam coming off the book instead it just felt like a bunch of actions being relayed to me instead of feeling the emotions and the heat coming off the pair. I was kind of disappointed in that. I wanted to feel more on that score. And the love scenes unfortunately weren't that exciting for me as well, again it was just a bunch of actions being told to me. There was like a love scene and half and that was about it. I was expecting more especially since it was stated that they were hot for each other and hadn't been with anyone else for the five years they had been separated. So I would have expected that passion would be percolating until it was ready to explode and steam up the pages and though they did come together it jut wasn't as passionate as I expected. It was like they did the deed and that was it. There wasn't excitement to it in my opinion probably because there was no on the edge of your seat anticipation that made me so ready for that scene already. Instead it just felt bland because it was expected that they would give in, but that was it. Now I know that in romance novel it is expected that there is a love scene or two but there's more anticipation to it and more heat behind it than the one that happened between Luciana and Thane. It was like they did the did, so what? That's just what I felt when reading it. It didn't blow me away nor did the romance.
The two main characters were okay. Not my favorite. I liked him a little better than I like her, but I didn't hate them. I more rooted for him than her. Thane was definitely a different character than I have ever read before but I still wanted see a bit more from him emotionally until he was stripped raw before my eyes not that he wasn't, but I was told that not shown that or felt that more accurately. I just wanted to feel more rawness come off of him.
As for her I understood why she did what she did and what motivated her, and I get she wanted to protect he son and even admired her for that, but I kind of wished she showed more of a backbone and stood up to her father and basically told him to kiss off that she would rather have her son than the crown because she didn't care about the crown not in the least so why couldn't she tell her father to stuff it? That I didn't get. Okay she was raised to do her duty and be raised as Queen, a job she didn't care for in the least, but even still I think she could have stood up to her father a bit more when it came down to it. I just thought she could have done a lot more than she did and avoid all these complications as well as her feeling she had no control over her life and was being forced into it.
This was just an okay story for me that felt less like an emotional love story and more of a ho hum story of two people getting together that had no surprises in it nor any excitement. It was very predictable and very expected. I just needed more of a spark to it as well as more emotional rawness than I got. I wanted it to dig a little deeper and gut me and put me back together at the same time. I wanted to feel more and feel that intensity behind it that would have created a great love story. It was disappointing to say the least. I wish I liked Luciana and Thane's story more but I didn't and was at time bored.
I have loved Victoria Parker's books in the past with each of them having a lot of emotional depth as well as characters that I really cared about and felt for and I really enjoyed her style in writing. It was bound happen that I can't like every book she has written and this just happened to be the one and the one that I didn't connect with or feel for emotionally. It happens, but that doesn't mean I don't think Victoria Parker isn't a winner and I think her book are really awesome and worth reading and I can't wait to read her next one, and hopefully I will connect with that book more than I did this one. So keep on Victoria Parker. Keep on writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2018
StMargaret's review helped me with this or I would have given it 2*'s or less. It is intense and Thane's back story was horrible. Neither ruler of their respective families is a decent human being. Thane's uncle is a despot of the worst type and his army includes boys who are severely "disciplined" for any wrong-doing, as happened to Thane when Thane refused to assassinate Luciana's father. However, Luciana's father pressures her to abort her baby and then has an agreement with her that she can keep her child for 5 years (in exile) and at the end of that time, she must return home and marry whomever her father wished.
Thane kidnaps Luciana without knowing about their son to force her to marry him before Christmas so his uncle has to abdicate in Thane's favor.
The main problem I had with this, besides the evil rulers, is that there *was* no solution to the abdication issue. The book ends with the wedding and the uncle still in power. I would have liked an epilogue, but maybe this is covered in another book?
Thane kidnaps Luciana without knowing about their son to force her to marry him before Christmas so his uncle has to abdicate in Thane's favor.
The main problem I had with this, besides the evil rulers, is that there *was* no solution to the abdication issue. The book ends with the wedding and the uncle still in power. I would have liked an epilogue, but maybe this is covered in another book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2017
For me, this was barely a so-so read. I found about half-way in it seemed to go a little bonkers and it threw me out of the story. Unfortunately, it never drew me back in all the way.
I'm sorry I cannot recommend it.
I'm sorry I cannot recommend it.
November 30, 2014
Princess Luciana of Arunthia is about to get engaged to a man of her father's choosing. A duty to be Queen has been drilled in to her, but she still has a duty to protect the love of her life.
Prince Thane of Galancia is waiting for time to pass so he can finally assume the throne and do what is needed for his people. He has been haunted for 5 years by knowing the love of his life has disappeared.
Thane discovers his 'Ana' is actually the daughter of his enemy, but she is also his heart. He needs to have her, to save himself, and his country. But to discover her love for another, and the secret she has kept from him, almost destroys their chance at happiness.
Luciana has had her father spout long about the dangers of Thane. The destructive lifestyle he has lead, but she is not seeing that in the man she is being held by. Having him set her free, tied her to him all the more.
Fast paced.
Prince Thane of Galancia is waiting for time to pass so he can finally assume the throne and do what is needed for his people. He has been haunted for 5 years by knowing the love of his life has disappeared.
Thane discovers his 'Ana' is actually the daughter of his enemy, but she is also his heart. He needs to have her, to save himself, and his country. But to discover her love for another, and the secret she has kept from him, almost destroys their chance at happiness.
Luciana has had her father spout long about the dangers of Thane. The destructive lifestyle he has lead, but she is not seeing that in the man she is being held by. Having him set her free, tied her to him all the more.
Fast paced.
November 7, 2014
I have adored every one of this authors books so I had no hesitation picking this one up despite the fact I am not a fan of the secret baby trope. And Parker did not let me down – she completely pulled it off and I absolutely loved this wonderful Christmas fairy tale. Thane is so gorgeous, so tortured, and so meant for Luciana. Luciana is strong even though she doesn’t always realise her own strength and so meant for Thane. I was rooting for both of them even as I couldn't see how they could overcome all the obstacles both external and internal. The growth of both characters is beautifully done, the setting is sublime, the writing is evocative and emotional - in short the book is unputdownable. As for the ending – it is superb. I can’t wait for Parkers next book…
November 10, 2014
Five years ago Princess Luciana of Arunthia decided to let go of her duties and be a normal woman for a while, experience life and just have fun.
What she found was more than just fun, it was heaven in the arms of a man whose every touch felt like paradise. But just as fast as he had rescued her, taken her to heaven and imprinted himself in her heart, it just as fast all went to hell.
She discovered his true identity, Prince Thane of Galancia, her kingdom's enemy, so naturally she took off running, only with her she took a piece of Thane he could never know about.
Now five years of solitude has passed and it's time for Luciana to pay her debt to her father, she will leave her secluded and very well protected home in China and travel back to Arunthia to take the crown, marry the man her father has chosen and live a life of well pure hell, for the sleazy excuse of a man she is to marry has a different woman in his bed every night and certainly makes her skin crawl, but she has no choice.
That is until Thane spies her again, and this time he has every intention of not letting her escape again, so he kidnaps her, seduces her all over again and is ready to walk her down the aisle and ensure that she does not need to marry anyone but him, the scene is set and it looks like this prince will finally have the perfect Christmas, that is until Luciana reveals her secret and just why she had to strike a bargain with her father. She has to return home and he has no choice but to let her go, again.
I have been a fan of this author's books from the very first time I picked up her debut Princess in the Iron Mask, and ever since no matter the type of character or the type of setting she continues to amaze me.
From hotter than hot race-car drivers to sexy kick ass bodyguards to delicious princes her characters steal my heart every time. She has the ability to take a ordinary every day sounding story and turn it into something so raw and so magical it simply leaves me breathless.
The character of Thane was so commanding it actually made him scary but in a very sexy kind of way. I loved his forcefulness to fight for what he believes in, to stand up and fight for those that cannot and for never giving up hope finding the woman he loves. Of course he had his flaws but then show me the man that is perfect!
The character of Luciana was a heartbreaking one, I really felt bad for this poor woman. It cannot be easy to be forced to hide secrets , hide out in a corner of the world till a allocated time and then take a on a crown and responsibilities you never wanted, and in the process lose more of yourself because what you truly crave will simply never be.
The author took these two characters on a simply remarkable journey of discovery, love, compassion and built an incredible bond. I am taking away a message of the past only binds us if we allow it to, when you know it's right, fight with all your might for the ones you love.
I highly recommend this read for all fans of romance, it was sensational, passionate, compelling and a pure romantic masterpiece, and I will happily spend the rest of my days inside the pages of any story this author dreams up, she delivers with a bang each and every time.
5/5 star review
" Fire and Ice come together to set off the explosion of a lifetime"
November 6, 2014
This was like Romeo and Juliet on crack. Just fabulous. The romantic in me swooned at the shattered heart of Prince Thane and the lengths he went to for Luciana. There was a strong sense of fate in this book and it was so cleverly done that the story didn't feel far fetched as I think it could have. No, it felt beautifully romantic to me.
Another keeper from an author who is an autobuy for me. She hits me every time with her flawless evocative writing and the way she draws me in to her world. Brilliant characters. Brilliant love story.
Another keeper from an author who is an autobuy for me. She hits me every time with her flawless evocative writing and the way she draws me in to her world. Brilliant characters. Brilliant love story.
November 6, 2014
4.5* Loved the over the top alpha hero with a possessive streak a mile wide., he was hot. The reunion story itself was captivating and that says a lot considering secret babies are not generally my thing. I guess it comes down to the author and she certainly reeled me in. The ending had a nice twist that I didn't see coming either. Overall a great Christmassy fairytale of a love story.
January 30, 2015
too short! i really enjoyed it but the ending felt too rushed
May 1, 2015
A little confusing in places the way it was flipping between past and present. At times I would have to re read a few paragraphs as a result.
November 1, 2021
A good story. The characters were a Prince and Princess from different, feuding countries. They had met 5 years earlier and without him knowing, they had a son. Eventually be finds her and they end up happy ever after.
November 10, 2017
Eh pretty boring to be honest.
Not my idea of a good read from M&B
Not my idea of a good read from M&B
July 31, 2018
4.5 stars. So much angst and raw emotion.
February 17, 2015
I am starting my review with a huge “THANK YOOOOU!!” to Victoria Parker for this fabulous Christmas gift. Secret baby books and Christmas stories are two of my favorites. In this book Victoria Parker combined both into wonderful, smart, touching story with easily loveable hero and heroine. It’s was a perfect, “sit and have a couple glasses of wine and escape with me” Christmas gift!!
Princess Luciana ValentinaThyssen Verbault of Arunthia snuck off to Zurich, incognito, to escape her royal responsibilities and live like a normal girl for a little while. While at a rock concert, she was saved from attack by the gorgeous, darkly sexy, Thane. After a torrid month long affair she learns that her Thane is none other than Prince Thane of Galancia, her country’s enemy Number 1. She runs away in confusion and fear and tries to forget him.
Five years later, fate brings them back together. Thane, angry for her abandoning him five years earlier, kidnaps Luciana and takes her to his country. He has plans for her and their future and she has secrets that she cannot tell for fear of reprisal.
Watching Thane and Luciana navigate the distrust and secrets while fighting their obvious love for each other was gut-wrenching. I wanted them together. I wanted to see Luciana take away the pain that Thane has carried all his life. I needed to see them to heal each other’s hurts because I these two characters are amazing.
Luciana is full of life, smart, tender, so loving, and so very brave. She was one of the most well rounded heroine’s I have found in a Harlequin Romance. Thane is deep, brooding, has old school machismo (which I loved) and has been so emotionally scarred that he doesn’t believe that he is able to or worthy of love.
The dynamic between them is electric, even when they are at their worst with each other. I absolutely enjoyed reading their story and would encourage any fan of Harlequin/Mill & Boon to pick up this book as a Christmas gift to your self. It is definitely worth the read.
Princess Luciana ValentinaThyssen Verbault of Arunthia snuck off to Zurich, incognito, to escape her royal responsibilities and live like a normal girl for a little while. While at a rock concert, she was saved from attack by the gorgeous, darkly sexy, Thane. After a torrid month long affair she learns that her Thane is none other than Prince Thane of Galancia, her country’s enemy Number 1. She runs away in confusion and fear and tries to forget him.
Five years later, fate brings them back together. Thane, angry for her abandoning him five years earlier, kidnaps Luciana and takes her to his country. He has plans for her and their future and she has secrets that she cannot tell for fear of reprisal.
Watching Thane and Luciana navigate the distrust and secrets while fighting their obvious love for each other was gut-wrenching. I wanted them together. I wanted to see Luciana take away the pain that Thane has carried all his life. I needed to see them to heal each other’s hurts because I these two characters are amazing.
Luciana is full of life, smart, tender, so loving, and so very brave. She was one of the most well rounded heroine’s I have found in a Harlequin Romance. Thane is deep, brooding, has old school machismo (which I loved) and has been so emotionally scarred that he doesn’t believe that he is able to or worthy of love.
The dynamic between them is electric, even when they are at their worst with each other. I absolutely enjoyed reading their story and would encourage any fan of Harlequin/Mill & Boon to pick up this book as a Christmas gift to your self. It is definitely worth the read.
July 27, 2015
3.5
Loved the plot even though I was expecting drama with the H's uncle and the h's father (which didn't really happen). I usually shay away from reading romance with much conflicts with secondary characters so I was a bit worry about this one; however, there wasn't really any confrontations in the whole book...spoilers ahead!
I think the author might have found it difficult to write a conclusion for those situations as the story might get longer and deviate from a simple romance and become something like a Game of Thrones thing ;)
And the book could have used an Epilogue.
Loved the plot even though I was expecting drama with the H's uncle and the h's father (which didn't really happen). I usually shay away from reading romance with much conflicts with secondary characters so I was a bit worry about this one; however, there wasn't really any confrontations in the whole book...spoilers ahead!
I think the author might have found it difficult to write a conclusion for those situations as the story might get longer and deviate from a simple romance and become something like a Game of Thrones thing ;)
And the book could have used an Epilogue.
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