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Princess Brides #3
The Italian's Virgin Princess
Joelle has only one week before she must enter into an arranged marriage. She spends one steamy night with a gorgeous stranger, not knowing that he is her future husband. Furious at his future wife's behavior, he demands that she be punished . . . by marriage!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
52 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Jane Porter
627 books2,052 followersBorn in Visalia, California, I'm a small town girl at heart. I love central California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of farmland. In my mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.
As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).
I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.
After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.
I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.
As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).
I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.
After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.
I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 21, 2018
This is the last book in the series of the three princesses. H/h have signed agreements to marry, but have never met each other. They will rule the two island nation after the heroine's grandfather dies. Heroine is sad after her grandmother dies and runs away for a year to New Orleans to be a lounge singer. Her mother was from the area and heroine wants to know that branch of the family.
A year - the heir to the throne - and she's singing in bars and waitressing. Sure.
Hero tracks her down and discovers they have instant attraction. Heroine is due back to her kingdom the next day and decides she wants to give her virginity to a man of her choice, not to the arranged marriage guy. Hero tells her his name, but she doesn't recognize the name of her intended.
She doesn't recognize his name. She never googled him to see what he looked like. Okay.
The hero is angry his intended is an obvious slut and decides to seduce her because he's angry and he's attracted to her. He's going to call off the engagement because she wasn't faithful.
She's not faithful, but he entrapped her - so they're even?
He's happy/not happy she's a virgin - in his mind the marriage is back on because the sex was good, he likes the island country, and he managed to get the magical hymen for himself. But he can't trust her now, though.
*sigh*
And from here it gets weirder. At her grandfather's 90th birthday the heroine realizes her intended is the one night stand guy. She has several tantrums and runs away the next morning. Hero catches up with her, spanks her, locks her in her room, and then when they go out to dinner clasps a tracking device bracelet on her wrist.
So -
Whiny heroine
Angry, controlling hero who spanked her
I had a problem with both of those characters, but they each had an arc and the author kinda sorta redeemed them.
What I really had a problem with was the heroine slumming it for two years when her other sisters were in all kinds of dangers, etc. . . That didn't fit the rest of the series and was unbelievable plot device.
But the glorification of working two jobs and living in a crappy, unsafe neighborhood was ridiculous. Talk about privilege. People have to live that way because they have no choice. Heroine had all kinds of choice, knew her poverty was going to be short-lived, but this made her noble or something. Poor isn't noble - it's just poor and it sucks.
A year - the heir to the throne - and she's singing in bars and waitressing. Sure.
Hero tracks her down and discovers they have instant attraction. Heroine is due back to her kingdom the next day and decides she wants to give her virginity to a man of her choice, not to the arranged marriage guy. Hero tells her his name, but she doesn't recognize the name of her intended.
She doesn't recognize his name. She never googled him to see what he looked like. Okay.
The hero is angry his intended is an obvious slut and decides to seduce her because he's angry and he's attracted to her. He's going to call off the engagement because she wasn't faithful.
She's not faithful, but he entrapped her - so they're even?
He's happy/not happy she's a virgin - in his mind the marriage is back on because the sex was good, he likes the island country, and he managed to get the magical hymen for himself. But he can't trust her now, though.
*sigh*
And from here it gets weirder. At her grandfather's 90th birthday the heroine realizes her intended is the one night stand guy. She has several tantrums and runs away the next morning. Hero catches up with her, spanks her, locks her in her room, and then when they go out to dinner clasps a tracking device bracelet on her wrist.
So -
Whiny heroine
Angry, controlling hero who spanked her
I had a problem with both of those characters, but they each had an arc and the author kinda sorta redeemed them.
What I really had a problem with was the heroine slumming it for two years when her other sisters were in all kinds of dangers, etc. . . That didn't fit the rest of the series and was unbelievable plot device.
But the glorification of working two jobs and living in a crappy, unsafe neighborhood was ridiculous. Talk about privilege. People have to live that way because they have no choice. Heroine had all kinds of choice, knew her poverty was going to be short-lived, but this made her noble or something. Poor isn't noble - it's just poor and it sucks.
March 21, 2018
The heroine was so annoying and horrible to the hero I wanted to actually slap her. What an awful heroine! He deserved so much better poor guy!
June 20, 2022
Jane Porter is a great writer and I have really liked a lot of her books. This trilogy has been mixed. I enjoyed Nic and Malik’s story despite not particularly liking Nic; and Chantal’s was enjoyable despite being utterly over the top and unbelievable.
This one - really disappointed me.
Joelle was the most self centred, selfish, self indulgent and insensitive of heroines that I have come across. Her year off (sorry - 2 years off) made no sense. Her lack of concern, interest, sense of duty was really uncomfortable. Huge contrast to,her 2 sisters. I did actually wonder at one point whether this was written by the same author since the disconnect between Nic’s and Chantal’s stories and Joelle’s timeline seems strange.
I actually liked the hero much more than her. Disappointing end to the trio: I would have liked a proper epilogue showing how the three sisters were happy in their different lives.As it was I wished Leo had found someone else who’d deserve his concern and passion, and left Jo to be a self centred waste of space.
This one - really disappointed me.
Joelle was the most self centred, selfish, self indulgent and insensitive of heroines that I have come across. Her year off (sorry - 2 years off) made no sense. Her lack of concern, interest, sense of duty was really uncomfortable. Huge contrast to,her 2 sisters. I did actually wonder at one point whether this was written by the same author since the disconnect between Nic’s and Chantal’s stories and Joelle’s timeline seems strange.
I actually liked the hero much more than her. Disappointing end to the trio: I would have liked a proper epilogue showing how the three sisters were happy in their different lives.As it was I wished Leo had found someone else who’d deserve his concern and passion, and left Jo to be a self centred waste of space.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2012
Really liked the H/h. He was not a total yerk. I loved the way Jane Porter wrote him. She always writes great heroes.
October 13, 2018
Leído en Enero 2013
2.75 ESTRELLAS
2.75 ESTRELLAS
May 6, 2011
I liked the last edition in the Princess Bride series. It was fun quick read and I quite liked the heroine. But the hero, Leo, kind of got on my nerves. He seemed very controlling and although he changed in the latter part of the story, I didn't like him much through the first part. But the epilogue was satisfying ^_^
November 3, 2015
رواية (همسات الندم) من روايات احلام
لم تعجبني كثيرا شخصية جويل وجدتها ممله قليلا
لم تعجبني كثيرا شخصية جويل وجدتها ممله قليلا
August 3, 2018
Sometimes the set-ups of category romances are so Byzantine as to be virtually incomprehensible. In this case our heroine is a princess, engaged to be married to an Italian prince whom she's never met and about whom she knows nothing; she heads off to New Orleans for a year to Find Herself before she comes back to Do Her Duty and marry this rando. She wants to have a one-night stand before she marries a man she's never met, so when a hot dude shows up in New Orleans and goes after her, she goes for it. Of course, he is secretly Fiance Prince, and goes forward with seducing her because he's really annoyed that she's not the virginal princess he's been promised; his plan is to sleep with her to confirm this and then, the morning after, call her grandfather and his dad and tell them the marriage is off because she's a ho. Only in the morning he discovers that she was a virgin, so it's all okay and he's still willing to marry her. WTF? Anyway, the heroine goes home, where she meets the "hero," realizes what he pulled, and tells him she won't marry him, and he basically tells her that her grandfather will probably have another heart attack and die if she refuses to marry the hero. Oh, and by the way, the heroine's family all love the hero and think he's the best guy ever.
I can't. I just can't. Part of the problem is that I just read Lucy Monroe's Scorsini Marriage Bargain, which does a much better job of making believable royals, and this doesn't even come close: the heroine just jaunts off to New Orleans without any security for a year and abandons any royal duties - and that's fine by everyone? She doesn't seem to have any sense of responsibility, which is annoying; but at the same time, the hero is just gross. He wants to marry her and take over running her country, but he didn't feel compelled to meet her during their lengthy engagement, and he's planning on dumping her because she's not a virgin. There isn't a good reason for that except that he feels entitled to a pristine, shy royal bride like he was promised - and, while he apparently has no compunctions about upsetting her grandfather's health by announcing that he's not going to marry the heroine because she's a ho, he's perfectly happy to use the granddad's health to bully the heroine into continuing their engagement. It's just gross. It's just really gross. The author kind of knows it's gross, I think, because the heroine points out that she can't trust the hero after what he pulled - but it's a level of gross that I can't really forgive no matter what shenanigans the author pulls or how much groveling the hero does, not that I saw any signs he was going to do any. A thirty-four-year-old man who feels entitled to a twenty-three-year-old virgin bride and feels no shame about doing whatever he wants to get that is really just disgusting. Anyway, I read for long enough to learn that the hero has mommy issues, which I guess we're supposed to find an excuse for his behavior, and then skimmed ahead to where he spanks the heroine (in a disciplinary way - did I mention he keeps calling her "bambina"? - not a sexy way), and there is no reason for me to inflict this on myself.
I can't. I just can't. Part of the problem is that I just read Lucy Monroe's Scorsini Marriage Bargain, which does a much better job of making believable royals, and this doesn't even come close: the heroine just jaunts off to New Orleans without any security for a year and abandons any royal duties - and that's fine by everyone? She doesn't seem to have any sense of responsibility, which is annoying; but at the same time, the hero is just gross. He wants to marry her and take over running her country, but he didn't feel compelled to meet her during their lengthy engagement, and he's planning on dumping her because she's not a virgin. There isn't a good reason for that except that he feels entitled to a pristine, shy royal bride like he was promised - and, while he apparently has no compunctions about upsetting her grandfather's health by announcing that he's not going to marry the heroine because she's a ho, he's perfectly happy to use the granddad's health to bully the heroine into continuing their engagement. It's just gross. It's just really gross. The author kind of knows it's gross, I think, because the heroine points out that she can't trust the hero after what he pulled - but it's a level of gross that I can't really forgive no matter what shenanigans the author pulls or how much groveling the hero does, not that I saw any signs he was going to do any. A thirty-four-year-old man who feels entitled to a twenty-three-year-old virgin bride and feels no shame about doing whatever he wants to get that is really just disgusting. Anyway, I read for long enough to learn that the hero has mommy issues, which I guess we're supposed to find an excuse for his behavior, and then skimmed ahead to where he spanks the heroine (in a disciplinary way - did I mention he keeps calling her "bambina"? - not a sexy way), and there is no reason for me to inflict this on myself.
September 23, 2020
I read this without reading previous books in tbe series. I don't know about the whole narrative of the series, so this review is based on this book alone.
First and foremost, I have problems with liking each of the main characters as well as liking them as couple. To me, the heroine came up as too selfish even with all that background. And the hero - duh - he was a mess. When the hero decided to sort of "letting go" of the heroine, I was like "Run, girl, run!"
First and foremost, I have problems with liking each of the main characters as well as liking them as couple. To me, the heroine came up as too selfish even with all that background. And the hero - duh - he was a mess. When the hero decided to sort of "letting go" of the heroine, I was like "Run, girl, run!"
December 17, 2019
4 stars
Wow.. I this this is the most intense HP book that I've ever read. I was annoyed at the H at first and okay with the h then I was annoyed at both of them.. then I was annoyed at the h and okay with the H. What a roller coaster this was. I didn't understand the H but I sympathized with him. The h was quite unbearable but I pushed through and somewhat saw the reason behind her attitude. Well.. kinda like the ending but need more from it.
Wow.. I this this is the most intense HP book that I've ever read. I was annoyed at the H at first and okay with the h then I was annoyed at both of them.. then I was annoyed at the h and okay with the H. What a roller coaster this was. I didn't understand the H but I sympathized with him. The h was quite unbearable but I pushed through and somewhat saw the reason behind her attitude. Well.. kinda like the ending but need more from it.
August 8, 2019
Started good but fell totally flat after the heroine went home. And the hero was just babbling about his backstory not giving a shit that the heroine couldn't cope with her life as a royal. The beginning was promising and then the couple had the same fight about 7 times and was patched together at the end. Skip.
October 4, 2025
This was weird that she didn't even tell him she was a virgin and then he didn't even realize it either until he saw her underwear the next day. Why not just assume it was her period. Anyways - it was a cute read. New Orleans is dirty and gross so it wasn't very luxury of a location.
May 21, 2018
Sencillamente bella
Prendida de ella desde el principio hasta el final , recomiendo las dos anteriores son excelente y muy interesante es
Prendida de ella desde el principio hasta el final , recomiendo las dos anteriores son excelente y muy interesante es
January 15, 2020
Çeviriden mi nedir içine giremedim. Dalamadım. Kaybedemedim kendimi. Halbuki konu tam benlik yani. Bu sefer olmadı. Neyse.
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November 3, 2021Tell me nobody used a poor tree to print THIS!!!!! 😫
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February 27, 2025Great
June 11, 2025
the best ending
This was the best story and the best ending. The series of two sisters before were delightful but the ending story was brilliant.
This was the best story and the best ending. The series of two sisters before were delightful but the ending story was brilliant.
August 9, 2017
Joelle Ducasse's life is all planned out for her. She is to marry Prince Leo Borgarde. It didn't matter what she thought about it. The plan was to save her country and provide an heir to the throne. But, can she go through with it after the rush of emotions from losing her grandmother? She has to take time away to get ready for her future. She runs away to New Orleans for a year and becomes a singer like her mother once was and living the life or any ordinary young lady. On her last night she meets a man who she loses her virginity to. She doesn't want to marry having no experience at all with men. So, she chose him for her one night mission. After returning home, she meets the man she is to marry. And to her surprise, it's the same one she met on her last night in New Orleans. Now, all the confusion starts. Can she marry this man, even if it's out of duty? He wasn't honest with her about knowing who she was or who he was. Sure he told her his name, but she didn't recognize it because she didn't even know the correct name of the man she was to marry. Can she put the past and her feelings behind her and find love and marry to save her homeland? This was the last of the Princess Brides stories and all loose ends were wrapped up with the previous two stories. I enjoyed all three books.
March 2, 2013
Princess Joelle Ducasse is feeling smothered by the grief of her beloved grandmother's passing and the burdens of being a princess. She decides to be on her own to cope with all that she's feeling and to come back and marry the prince her grandfather the King has chosen for her. On her last night of freedom she meets a man she can't help but be drawn to. If you want to know what happens next, you're going to have to pick it up!
Who knew Harlequin's Presents not only had royalty but kink as well? I guess they're coming into the future. The chemistry between Joelle and Leo is intense and very hot. So is the pressure from being a royal. It's easy to admire royalty and all the perks they have but hard to understand the trials and tribulations they face, which is something Jane Porter emphasized.
Jane Porter has written many a Presents novel and always manages to include a small dose of reality along with giving her reader's a wonderful story to escape into.
Who knew Harlequin's Presents not only had royalty but kink as well? I guess they're coming into the future. The chemistry between Joelle and Leo is intense and very hot. So is the pressure from being a royal. It's easy to admire royalty and all the perks they have but hard to understand the trials and tribulations they face, which is something Jane Porter emphasized.
Jane Porter has written many a Presents novel and always manages to include a small dose of reality along with giving her reader's a wonderful story to escape into.
December 9, 2015
Interesting story
I liked the story and the premise, seriously how often is the hero the only one apologizing, but ugh Joelle, what a spoiled naive selfish bratling. She had no backbone, being stubborn in order to be selfish is not backbone it's selfishness, the hero was ultra domineering and if you like a masculine man who pushes and doesn't wilt when you push back, Leo's your man. In fact he seems the type who wouldn't be scared of a strong woman, and he deserved better than miss whiney pants, oh whoa is me I have to grieve in public, no kidding, so did I when my mom passed everyone who loses someone is on display, that's no excuse to run away from your responsibilities like a willful child. My last thought is she would make a horrible queen, oh look it's adversity watch me sneak out the back...
I liked the story and the premise, seriously how often is the hero the only one apologizing, but ugh Joelle, what a spoiled naive selfish bratling. She had no backbone, being stubborn in order to be selfish is not backbone it's selfishness, the hero was ultra domineering and if you like a masculine man who pushes and doesn't wilt when you push back, Leo's your man. In fact he seems the type who wouldn't be scared of a strong woman, and he deserved better than miss whiney pants, oh whoa is me I have to grieve in public, no kidding, so did I when my mom passed everyone who loses someone is on display, that's no excuse to run away from your responsibilities like a willful child. My last thought is she would make a horrible queen, oh look it's adversity watch me sneak out the back...
August 20, 2012
Crying. I am crying. I never cry when I read HP's. Never I tell you. Sometimes I cry over a Harlequin Classic Romance, but that doesn't happen often.
The typical princess in disguise seduced by her prince who's somewhat in disguise (he really isn't in disguise)is turned on its head in this book. Mostly because the prince is Leo, and he's complicated and dark and filled with pain and it takes him a really long time to rescue himself so that he can be with the princess honestly. He does though (sniffle)
I doubt this makes any sense at all, but I have been reduced to a weeping shell of a woman this afternoon. This is a REALLY good book.
(The entire Princess Brides trilogy is worth reading. It's just that this third book has really gotten me. Highly recommend all three.)
The typical princess in disguise seduced by her prince who's somewhat in disguise (he really isn't in disguise)is turned on its head in this book. Mostly because the prince is Leo, and he's complicated and dark and filled with pain and it takes him a really long time to rescue himself so that he can be with the princess honestly. He does though (sniffle)
I doubt this makes any sense at all, but I have been reduced to a weeping shell of a woman this afternoon. This is a REALLY good book.
(The entire Princess Brides trilogy is worth reading. It's just that this third book has really gotten me. Highly recommend all three.)
April 21, 2013
I was ready to call this book a disappointment about half way through it. The hero, Leo, was too arrogant and self-righteous while the heroine, Joelle, was too young and needy.
But then Ms. Porter redeemed Leo pretty successfully and Joelle started showing some strength and I was able to finish the book without hating it. There were times when I was absolutely appalled at Leo's behavior and I simply could not believe Joelle would allow him to get away with it for even a second, especially after it was established that she's supposed to be a strong and independent woman. Maybe that's why the twist that made both these characters tolerable was such a relief when it came.
Overall not a bad book but not something I would read again and again.
But then Ms. Porter redeemed Leo pretty successfully and Joelle started showing some strength and I was able to finish the book without hating it. There were times when I was absolutely appalled at Leo's behavior and I simply could not believe Joelle would allow him to get away with it for even a second, especially after it was established that she's supposed to be a strong and independent woman. Maybe that's why the twist that made both these characters tolerable was such a relief when it came.
Overall not a bad book but not something I would read again and again.
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August 26, 2014همسات الندم
جين بورتر
لم يتبق أمام الأميرة جويل دوكاس سوى أسبوع واحد من الحرية قبل أن تتزوج من الرجل الذي اختاروه لها . وهي تعرف تماما أنها تتزوج بدافع الواجب لا الحب .
ولكن ماذا عساها أن تفعل وقد وجدت نفسها تنجذب إلى رجل مجهول وتغرق في دوامة سحره حتى أذنيها ؟ الآن دقت ساعة الصفر ووجدت الأميرة نفسها في مواجهة الحقيقة القاسية بعدما عرفت هوية هذا المجهول في ليلة عرسها ؟
فمن سينقذها من انتقامه ؟
جين بورتر
لم يتبق أمام الأميرة جويل دوكاس سوى أسبوع واحد من الحرية قبل أن تتزوج من الرجل الذي اختاروه لها . وهي تعرف تماما أنها تتزوج بدافع الواجب لا الحب .
ولكن ماذا عساها أن تفعل وقد وجدت نفسها تنجذب إلى رجل مجهول وتغرق في دوامة سحره حتى أذنيها ؟ الآن دقت ساعة الصفر ووجدت الأميرة نفسها في مواجهة الحقيقة القاسية بعدما عرفت هوية هذا المجهول في ليلة عرسها ؟
فمن سينقذها من انتقامه ؟
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July 17, 2009Short, quick read. A princess named Joelle is engaged by proxy to a prince named Leo. She runs to New Orleans where she sings in a bar. He comes after her and spends the night with her. She does not realise who he is and he is furious that she behave like that....
June 4, 2021
Joelle has only one week before she must enter into an arranged marriage. She spends one steamy night with a gorgeous stranger, not knowing that he is her future husband. Furious at his future wife's behavior, he demands that she be punished . . . by marriage!
dnf
January 18, 2021https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/01/...
DNF barely into chapter 1 — I think I got to the description of the hero (which was something like cold, remote, basically a dick), and I was like “I’m out.” It’s never my fave, but I just couldn’t take another one.
DNF barely into chapter 1 — I think I got to the description of the hero (which was something like cold, remote, basically a dick), and I was like “I’m out.” It’s never my fave, but I just couldn’t take another one.
May 29, 2012
Utterly unputdownable.
February 9, 2014
mi favorito de la serie, es muy entretenido y romántico
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews