The Princess Plan

A Royal Wedding #1

by Julia London

Princes have pomp and glory—not crushes on commoners

Nothing gets the tongues of London’s high society wagging like a good scandal. And when the personal secretary of the visiting Prince Sebastian of Alucia is found murdered, it’s all anyone can talk about, including Eliza Tricklebank. Her unapologetic gossip gazette has benefited from an anonymous tip about the crime, prompting Sebastian to take an interest in playing detective—and an even greater interest in Eliza.

With a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a noble bride, there’s nothing more salacious than a prince dallying with a commoner. Sebastian finds Eliza’s contrary manner as frustrating as it is seductive, but they’ll have to work together if they’re going to catch the culprit. And when things heat up behind closed doors, it’s the prince who’ll have to decide what comes first—his country or his heart.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Adult

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2019

About the author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ A Sweet Romance with a dash of Mystery and Intrigue.

The Princess Plan is a wonderful sweet romance with a dash of mystery and intrigue.

Prince Sebastian meets Eliza when he is investigating the murder of one of Prince Sebastian's close friend.

Eliza is a Spinster, Daughter to a Judge and in reality is not a suitable Princess but Sebastian is very much taken aback by her.

Eliza is a Strong, Independent Women who knows what she wants, and takes pleasure in making sure Sebastian knows his place.
I loved the sarcasm between them and how the more Sebastian gets closer to Eliza the more he is endeared by her.
But can she steal his heart and become the bride he needs or will he put his position as Prince first.

I really liked that this wasn't solely an historical romance, the murder mystery element that brings the two together made a refreshing change and added a new dynamics. One thing that I wanted to point out was if you like rich in history and authenticity then this book may not hit the spot. Which to be honest didn't really bother me too much as i enjoyed the overall story.

The romance aspect is not as steamy or passionate as I come to love with mills and boon books, but it was more of a slower paced feel which fitted the story.

Overall an enjoyable romance that I would recommend reading if you want a slower paced romance mystery.
Oh and I have to say the cover for The Princess Plan is stunning!

Thank you to Mills and Boon Insiders for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.


My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince Sebastian is searching for a bride. Eliza is a spinster, caring for her blind father (a distinguished judge) after a failed courtship. When they cross paths at a ball and sparks fly, Eliza is just impressed she can cross meeting a prince off her bucket list. But something terrible occurred the night of the ball, and Eliza may hold the key to solving it. I’ve been reading lots of historical romances lately and I really enjoyed this one. Lovely, lavish descriptions. Slow burn romance with steamy scenes. A nice political/mystery side plot, and great side characters (I’m looking forward to seeing the sisters find romance in the next two books.)

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and flirty royal romance with a splash of Mystery. I’ve read a couple books lately about Royals and I’m thinking I’m just fine being a commoner! I certainly wouldn’t want all these rules and restrictions, although they seem to have loosened up a little as of late. But I also wouldn’t want people all up in my business either. This was the story of Eliza A smart and sassy 20 something year old, and the daughter of a judge. Eliza was thrilled as can be just to meet a prince and was willing to go out of her way to do so when she was invited to a royal event. Sebastion is the prince of a made up nation and first in line to the throne of said nation. He is in England to meet a wife and cement a treaty agreement. This book was about two people who are unsuited for one another meeting and trying to ignore their strong attraction.

I was thoroughly entertained by the story. Eliza was such a great character there was something about her that was so refreshing. Sebastion wasn’t too bad, and he definitely grew on me over the course of the book. Their connection was very sweet, there was some steam, but for the most part this was pretty closed door. The Mystery added another layer to this engaging story. The one thing I could see people being a little disappointed in is this is a historical romance and I don’t think the historical part was emphasize. I mean they wore corsets and drove in buggy’s, but other than that this probably could’ve been set in present day. Didn’t bother me, but I could see it not working for other people.

This book in emojis 👑 🏰 📰 ✒️

*** Big thanks to HQN for my copy of this book ***

[Esther · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly this book was a DNF. About 60 percent in and couldn't continue. I did skim the rest with hope of possible improvement, sadly no.

The romance was sadly lacking and the characters were flatline and one demential. And the historical prospective in this book felt more like a modern romance trying to be a historical.

Eliza and Sebastian just were not very likable or believable with some of their actions and decision making as well.

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 3 out of 5]

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#1 The Princess Plan - ★★★
#2 A Royal Kiss and Tell - TBR



I received The Princess Plan by Julia London from the amazing team at Mills & Boon. This is the first book in the series A Royal Wedding.

Historical romances are a hit or miss for me, and this one didn’t really hit the mark like I wanted it to. Prince Sebastian of Alucia is on his visit in London, when his personal secretary is murdered.

And a murder such as this one creates a very big buzz in London’s high society. When a scandal like this occurs, it’s all anyone talks about, including Eliza Trickelbank, who happens to own a gossip gazette.

When her gazette receives an anonymous tip off about this crime, Prince Sebastian has no choice, but to work with her in order to solve the mystery of his friend’s murder.

With a trade deal on the line and a pressure to find a noble bride, there is nothing more dangerous than a prince socialising with a commoner. They can’t seem to agree on anything, and find each other frustrating, but the temptation between them becomes harder and harder to be ignored.

My Thoughts:

I loved the Cinderella vibe around this book, and the trope of prince meets commoner. I also enjoyed the trope of enemies becoming lovers. Even though, in this case, it was more of a forbidden temptation meets annoyance that turns into affection.

I liked Sebastian as much as I disliked Eliza. Everything that annoyed me about her, he somehow managed to compensate for. She was trying very hard to be independent, but instead, she gave up a vibe that was almost unbearable and very insecure. With Sebastian I loved the dilemma between country vs heart, which I assume many nobles, especially during that time in England felt. I am sure that many of them sacrificed their love just to do right by their country.

I found the gazette excerpts quite funny at times, and very enlightening. They take you into a whole new world, where you feel as if you’re there, getting ready for a ball, or reading about the latest gossip of the nobles. The writing style matches the time setting perfectly. I think Julia London did an amazing job when it comes to that. Here is an excerpt that really made me giggle:

“New information suggests that if a lady wishes to enjoy a romp without consequence, trotting a horse briskly the day after the romp should remove said consequence.”

To conclude, I enjoyed The Princess Plan, but it wasn’t a favorite. The writing was beautiful and I am sure this will be a favorite for people that love historical romances. The only reason I didn’t love it is because of Eliza’s character and the tropes that I have already seen before.

["Avonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

THE PRINCESS PLAN (A Royal Wedding #1) by Julia London is the first book in a new historical romance series. A Cinderella styled romance with a mystery subplot.

Prince Sebastian of Alucia is in London to officially close a trade deal with England as well as secure a noble bride. The morning after a masked ball, the personal secretary and most trusted friend of the Prince is found murdered in his bed.

Every tongue in London is wagging, but no one seems to know who is responsible. Prince Sebastian is told that a ladies’ gossip and fashion gazette has printed a rumor implicating a member of his entourage. He and his brother seek out the author.

Eliza Tricklebank is a spinster firmly on the shelf after a scandal in her youth. She lives with and assists her blind father who is a judge on the Queen’s bench. With her widowed sister, Hollis and their best friend, Carolyn, the three produce the gazette the princes seek.

Prince Sebastian does not know what to make of this commoner who has no regard to his status, but he is also intrigued. Sebastian finds Eliza frustrating, but also helpful in his quest. As they work together to uncover a killer, their attraction grows. As everything comes to a head, Sebastian will have to choose between his country or his heart.

I enjoyed Sebastian and Eliza and their banter. I also enjoyed Eliza with her sister and friend as the three always supported each other. I did feel that this story had some problems with being in the historical genre and would have been better suited in a more modern setting. No matter how enlightened, I had to suspend historical belief on the way Eliza dealt with the Prince, also at a ball when Eliza ran into the man who caused her young scandal because he was with his pregnant wife, which in no way would happen; women stayed at home when pregnant.

This is a fun, fluffy and fast read, but not my favorite by this author.

[Caz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've given this a D at AAR.

I’ve read and enjoyed a number of Julia London’s books in the past, so I thought I’d give her latest title a try.  The Princess Plan is billed as a mixture of mystery and romance, in which a visiting prince teams up with a lively spinster to solve a murder and falls in love along the way.  It seemed as though it might be an enjoyable romp, but sadly wasn’t.  The mystery wasn’t mysterious, the romantic development was non-existent, it wasn’t fun and it wasn’t a romp.  Unless you define a romp as pages of inane chatter and un-funny attempts at banter that seem to exist only as a way of padding out the page count.

Miss Eliza Tricklebank is twenty-eight years of age, and a spinster who keeps house for her father, a Justice of the Queen’s Bench (who has recently lost his sight) and mends clocks to earn a little something on the side.  Her sister Hollis is a widow who inherited a publishing business from her late husband and now publishes Honeycutt’s Gazette of Fashion and Domesticity for Ladies, and her best friend Lady Caroline Hawke is a debutante (well, she’s described as such, but if she’s the same age as Hollis or Eliza then she’s quite an elderly debutante!), and together the three of them spend lots of time chattering about nothing in particular while also deciding what to put in the next edition of the Gazette.  Under discussion when the book opens, is the visit to London by a delegation from the small (fictional) country of Alucia, in London in order to negotiate a new trade agreement at the behest of its crown prince, who is rumoured to be in search of a bride.

Caroline – who, we’re told, knows everybody in London - is able to secure invitations to the masked ball held in honour of the visit for herself and her friends, and it’s here that Eliza, quietly getting tipsy on the rum punch, makes the acquaintance of a gentleman she later realises is none other than Crown Prince Sebastian.

You’re shocked, I can tell.

Flirting and silliness ensure until Sebastian has to go to put in an appearance at the meet and greet portion of the evening, after which he finds himself a woman for the night.  This means Sebastian never does go to meet with his secretary and dear friend Matous, who had told him he needed to see him as a matter of urgency.

And who turns up dead the next morning, his throat cut.

Of course the proper authorities are informed, but Sebastian isn’t impressed with the way they seem to be handling things and decides to investigate the matter himself, much to the displeasure of his brother and the rest of his staff. And when, a day or so later, an accusation is levelled against a member of the delegation – printed in a lady’s gazette – Sebastian is furious and demands to speak with the author of such unsubstantiated rubbish.

Thus do Eliza and Sebastian find themselves investigating the murder, but the mystery – and I use the term very loosely – is so incredibly weak that it’s impossible to invest in, and the identity of the villain(s) is telegraphed early on, so it’s obvious to everyone – except Sebastian it seems, who thus comes across as really dim. And when the mystery is solved, the reader is not present when the full extent of the plot is revealed and is merely told about it afterwards.

The romantic relationship is equally lacklustre. There’s no emotional connection between Sebastian and Eliza, no build-up to their first kiss and absolutely no chemistry between them. The conflict in their romance is, of course, that Sebastian is royalty and Eliza is a commoner and thus ineligible to become his wife; plus he needs to marry a woman with pedigree and connections – and Eliza has neither. The solution to this dilemma is ridiculously convoluted and, unless corrections have been made to the ARC I read, doesn’t work. Sebastian’s solution is to find a way to make Eliza’s father a Baron, which will make her a Lady and thus an eligible bride. Er… no. The daughter of a Baron is not a Lady, she’s still a Miss (a Right Honourable). To be a Lady, Eliza’s father would have had to have been made an Earl at least. Seriously, this information is available widely on the internet and it took me ten seconds to find it.

Eliza is obviously meant to be one of those ‘breath of fresh air’, quirky heroines who doesn’t abide by the rules. She points out, for instance, that while other young ladies must be accompanied by a maid when they go out, she goes wherever she likes on her own; she stood in the middle of London without fanfare all the time. Conversely, Sebastian is hemmed in by all sorts of rules and restrictions that accompany his position – he frequently bemoans the fact that he cannot go out alone, that he has very little privacy and so on and so on… so I had to wonder why free-spirited Eliza – who sees first hand just how restricted Sebastian’s life is – would want to subject herself to the same constraints. And Sebastian is… well, I finished the book less than an hour ago, and I can’t remember much about him at all.

The Princess Plan doesn’t work as a mystery or a romance, and the plot –such as it is – is not substantial enough to fill a full-length novel. The characters are unmemorable, the pacing is sluggish and quite honestly, I was bored. As an alternative to The Princess Plan, might I suggest The Watching Paint Dry Plan, or The Watching Grass Grow Plan, either of which might afford a similar level of entertainment.

[Joanna Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Princess Plan pits a spinster mostly removed from society with a visiting Prince. It was an unlikely pairing, but for me, it rather worked. The reason their paths cross and tangle made sense. While it wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed the story and romance overall.

Sebastian is in England to hopefully secure a trade deal for his troubled fictional nation. He is also on the search for an British bride to further strengthen that connection. Eliza the daughter of a blind judge who helps with his correspondence. She experienced an youthful indiscretion based on false promises that was a bit of a scandal, so she leads a mostly quiet life, with close companions in her widowed sister and aristocratic cousins.

The Prince and Eliza meet anonymously at a masked ball. Eliza, who rarely attends such events, is having a “when in Rome” type of night — overindulging on rum punch and flirting with handsome strangers. Sebastian is having a more tedious night. His position means constant scrutiny and suspicion of most around him. When one of the few people that he trusts ends up murdered that night, his path crosses with Eliza’s again, when it turns out that she is unexpectedly well-situated to help investigate. Sebastian starts out as rather overbearing and self-centered, but I think that can be expected for a Prince who is heir to a throne. Eliza has a fair amount of freedom and does not feel the need to cater to a rude prince. They find common ground in their isolation and loneliness.

This story was a slower pace, which suited me. It had character growth, and didn’t make light of the obstacles between the two leads. They live in the moment with no real hope for a future and the solution to give them a future is cleverly done. I seem to be a bit of a lone wolf among my friends in liking this one, but nevertheless I did.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide an honest review.

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Julia London's books, however The Princess Plan was enjoyable but did not quite keep my attention as I anticipated. The narration by Justin Hill was nicely done.

[Elodie’s Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can a prince find in an unsuitable English woman the perfect bride he is looking for.

This is my first read by Julia London.
I know, I so very know I have a lot of wonderful authors’ work to catch up, and I very slowly, too slowly try to eliminate the backlog but what I thought an easy task is getting harder and harder every passing day as each rise of the sun brings new writers to my knowledge.
I do also know I’m no major in history nor English language ( far from that as I’m a self taught reader ), but I do felt it is kind of my duty to share the pleasure these writers partake with their long and hard crafted work.
While reading The Princess Plan, I wondered at first what book I was reading, was it an historical romance as the country of the hero was created for the sole purpose of this book, but the more I avances in my reading, the more I decided it was a sleuth romance disguised in a historical.
And whatever, I loved it.
Just the first chapter, introducing the heroine and her friends through the “insight” of her blind father was like a delicacy, a taste of what was to come.
Eliza is such an amazing woman, while she was ruined by a too trustful personality as a young woman, she rose from the ash of what has become her life and swore to never again fall prey of another. She also morphed in a woman who knows what she wants and won’t accept any bullying from anyone.
I loved her boldness and straightforwardness, she speaks her mind and bends in front of nobody, even a crown prince.
Sebastian Chartier, the prince of Alucia is in London as he seeks for a trade agreement to improve his country’s economy and he accepted also to fulfill his duties to the crown and find an English wife.
What he didn’t expect was to be drawn by more unsuitable woman possible, she threw him out of her house, she told him no and she won’t accept his says simply because he is royalty, worst, she challenges him at every turn, she unsettled him and takes him out of his comfort range.
It was so entertaining and joyful to see them interact with the other, together they take action, they do not shy away nor let miscommunication get between them, they agree voluntarily to what they have to expect from their relationship until it will be not enough or too much.
The background plot was intriguing and the way they followed the leads was attractive and quite funny.
Why I can only recommend this book to anyone who loves a bit of mystery with a dashing hero and a strong and clever heroine.
A big 10 stars.
I was provided an advance copy thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher Harlequin, I purchased my own copy and here is my true and unbiased opinion.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?stor...

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Usually love JL books but couldn't get into this at all.

Sadly setting aside for now.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Princess Plan was an enjoyable read featuring a royalty romance and an intriguing mystery plotline.

Prince Sebastian of Alucia is hoping to spend as little time in London as possible. He simply wants to finish negotiating a trade deal for Alucia and secure a bride so he can return home. But when Sebastian’s personal secretary is murdered, he finds his priorities changed. Having little faith in England’s authorities to find the killer, Sebastian begins looking into the murder on his own leading him to Miss Eliza Tricklebank, a woman who runs a gossip gazette that received an anonymous tip about the murder. As Sebastian and Eliza work together to solve the crime, the attraction between the pair heats up until Sebastian will be forced to make a choice—his country or his heart.

Eliza and Sebastian’s relationship is very antagonistic at first as Eliza has information that Sebastian wants and he goes about getting it in a rude fashion. Actually Sebastian was a jerk overall when the story began and he definitely takes some time to warm up to. Eventually after they pair up to solve the murder there were some wonderful scenes between them. I enjoyed their romance the most when the two had time to just be with each other and not be constrained by society’s expectations. My biggest issue with their relationship was due to Sebastian sleeping with a woman who was not Eliza early on in the story. While I understand Sebastian and Eliza hadn’t interacted much at that point, I am just not a fan when part of the main couple sleeps with someone else in the story. As the scene happened within the first few chapters, it soured me on the romance for a while which led to my not enjoying the romance as much as I may have without that scene.

The murder of Sebastian’s secretary was an intriguing premise and I was curious how in a group with so much security (they are royals after all), someone would have the opportunity to kill the man. I picked out the culprit fairly on in the story, but I still thought the author did a good job building things up and getting the main characters to the right conclusion. I am a heavy reader of mysteries and thrillers so if those are not genres you typically read, then the identity of the killer may come as more of a surprise to you.

Overall while I had some issues with the romance, The Princess Plan was still an enjoyable read and I will be continuing on with the series.

**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic regency mystery and romance with a lovable heroine in Eliza Tricklebank. She is a practical and sassy like Lady Emily in Tasha Alexander's series. The mystery in this one seemed to stall a bit at times, but the resolution was very satisfying. Truly a fairy tale ending!

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

In The Princess Plan, which is the first book in this authors latest series "A Royal Wedding" is quite a unique story and one that I have to be honest I was so on the shelf about whether I would be reading this book. Not because I don't admire or appreciate the author, quite the opposite. BUT sometimes her books are so SLOW for me and I am already struggling picking up historical romances of late and I had NO idea what this book would deliver or if I would have to DNF because I couldn't get into it but I can safely and confidently pronounce this book was such a solid read *whew* thank goodness because I was holding my breath there but definitely worked for me in many ways.



Our story begins with Prince Sebastian of Alucia who is visiting England to build trade agreements with England and might be looking for a wife that would fit his fathers criteria. During a masqued ball Sebastian finds a woman in the hallway, drunk and the attraction is instantaneous between them but Sebastian remains a gentleman. Eliza Tricklebank is the daughter of a judge and when she ends up at a masqued ball she meets the infamous prince everyone seems to be raving about. But when his secretary and best friend is murdered, Eliza is drawn into the investigation and soon Eliza and Sebastian will work together and as they dig their way to discovering who is behind it all, their relationship builds into something vibrant and tender but Eliza has no place in Sebastian's future...or does she?



The Princess Plan was such a fabulous beginning to a series I am definitely looking forward to picking up more. I was so drawn to the heroine especially in this book. Eliza is dealing with a new venture of a running a gossip gazette and her father is blind and dealing with the lashback of that especially in how society views her and her father. I really loved her spirit and her attitude, she takes things in gently and perseveres and doesn't let much get her down. She has such vibrancy within her character you are instantly drawn into it. Sebastian is a delightful hero. He does come off as a "playboy" or rake at times, especially in the beginning. But he is true to his friends and bound by his duty and tries to do right by his expectations. Seeing him drawn to Eliza was beautiful in many ways, we see a new energy breathed within him and seeing Eliza and Sebastian figure their way our towards their happy ever after was breathtaking in the journey of it. And that ENDING...*sight* swoonworthy fairy tale type ending that will curl your toes and leave you aching for more of it.



Overall I found The Princess Plan to be a outstanding addition to Julia London's works, its a story of drive, mystery, and never giving up on love

[K.S. Marsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

When his secretary and best friend is murdered, the Crown Prince of Alucia has to team up with the most unlikely ally.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Prince Sebastian is in London to officially close a trade deal; and to unofficially find a wife amongst the eligible English ladies. The first part is his passion; the second is with greatest reluctance.
Everything is thrown amiss when one of the Alucians is murdered.
Not satisfied with the progress of the official investigation, Sebastian takes it upon himself to follow a lead that everyone else dismissed - a comment in a gossip gazette.

Eliza is content with her life. She has embraced being a spinster, and the freedom it brings her. She looks after her blind father, and helps with his legal cases; fixes clocks as a hobby, and helps to run the gossip gazette that her sister owns.
Everything is running smoothly, until an arrogant prince turns up and demands information on what she might have seen on the night his friend died.

There were some enjoyable parts to this story. The relationship Eliza has with her sister, her best friend Caroline, and the house-staff is quite lovely. There is a lot of open banter and laughter amongst them.
It was fun to watch Eliza give the same treatment to the Crown Prince who, naturally has never been spoken to in such a manner, and spends a lot of his time around Eliza completely flummoxed.
I liked how the relationship between Eliza and Sebastian developed, they both know their friendship can't last and they are always telling themselves that they will have to say goodbye and that the prince will have to marry someone else. It made a nice change that this was accepted, and wasn't a cause for spite or arguments.

The not-so-good...
I didn't like our main characters.
Eliza is supposed to be an independent, forward-thinking young woman, who has developed her own confidence after being ruined by scandal. I found her rude, blind to others, crude and inconsiderate. I got the feeling she was supposed to be a strong character, but she came across as very shallow.
Sebastian is supposed to be an arrogant prince who always gets his way, and the author captures that beautifully. The problem is, he never improves, and I could not like him.

The story wasn't too heavy on the romance, which I found quite a nice touch; but the background of the gossip gazette, the trade deal and the murder mystery were just that - a background.
There were no details, beyond which were convenient for moving the plot forward. Eliza didn't seem like a gossip, and she was often lacking in society knowledge, so it was often jarring that she was involved in the gazette (and we never saw her working on it, or any information on what she contributed).
The ending was a little underwhelming. The truth behind the murder is a decent enough plot, but it rattles along quickly, and is dismissed so they can break out the "Princess Plan". This felt tacked on at the end.

Overall, it was kinda light and fun, but I'm in no rush to read the rest of the series.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Miss Eliza Tricklebank lives a quiet life as a spinster, she fixes clocks, cares for her father who is blind and a justice for the Queen and she helps her sister with her woman’s gazette. It may not be the life she had dreamed of, but she is happy. When the opportunity arises to join her sister and their dear friend Lady Caroline Hawkes at a masquerade ball for the visiting crown prince of Alucia, she jumps at the chance.

Sebastian Charles Chartier, the Crowned Prince of Alucia is in England for two reasons, one to work out a trade deal that will help his countries economy in the event of a war with the neighboring country of Wesloria and to secure a noble English bride. But tonight, Sebastian is enjoying his anonymity and hopefully a tryst with a willing matron. He shares some rum punch in a passageway with a partygoer and then endures introductions, before finally slipping away for his tryst, on his way out his secretary Matous asks for a moment of his time, he asks it can wait and promises to meet with him in a few hours, a promise he doesn’t keep. When he returns to his rooms in the morning, he calls for Matous and learns the horrifying truth – Matous was murdered the night before. Guilt drives Sebastian to investigate the crime himself – much to his staff and his brother Leopold’s displeasure. When a story about the murder makes to the pages of the Honeycutt Gazette – nothing will stop Sebastian from tracking down the owner of the paper.

Eliza enjoyed her time at the masked ball, she danced, drank too much rum punch and met the prince – twice – once in the passageway and then again when she moved in front of him and he stepped on her foot. She also noticed his secretary Matous and wonders what upset the man so much. She was saddened to learn of his death and shocked when a note is delivered to her father stating the killer is Alucian! But the real shock comes days later when Sebastian and his brother Leopold visit and demand to see her father. Eliza doesn’t care who they are, she will not wake her dad or tolerate his rude behavior and she kicks them out of her house.

Sebastian is fuming about Eliza but knows that he needs to talk to her father, so he returns to her house and apologizes, Eliza tells him what she knows and they begin a friendship of sorts. She learns more information about the note that was sent and helps him meet the last man she say Matous talking to.

Sebastian knows he has to choose a bride and that as a commoner, Eliza is not a possibility, but how he wishes she was! Things have escalated between them and he is in love, but they both know their time together is waning and heartbreak is unavoidable or is it?

I really enjoyed this story, the writing is good, the story never drags, the characters are interesting and for the most part likable, the love scenes are warmish, there are laugh out loud moments, a bit of angst, a very well done mystery and a HEA. Almost perfect, but not quite. The hero engages in a tryst with a married woman after he means the heroine – I can’t like that, just about every single title in this book is wrong – the daughter of a Baron does not have the honorific of “Lady” and incorrect use of titles and formal address are my biggest pet peeve in historical romance and finally the solution for their HEA defies credibility and because of the incorrect assumption that a Baron’s daughter has a title, isn’t even a viable solution. But overall, I really liked the story and would happily recommend the book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Prince Sebastian of Alucia is beside himself when his secretary is murdered. When Sebastian discovers that the woman behind a gossip gazette, Eliza Tricklebank, has reported what he thinks is false information about the murder, he decides to investigate things himself.

Before he knows it, they are working alongside one another. What's more is that they previously met at a masked ball, and a connection between the pair was made, no matter how impossible that would e for Sebastian and Eliza.

As far as to why Sebastian is in England, it is to further trade agreements with his country. Furthermore, he is hoping to find a bride, one that will be a good match, thus cementing agreements that will benefit both countries. The murder has definitely thrown a wrench into these plans.

The pair spend time together when it comes to trying to find the murderer, but it should come to no surprise that they will be forced to face their growing feelings for one another. However, with Eliza being the relatively poor spinster daughter of a blind judge, she is hardly marriage material.

The Princess Plan is the delightful first story in the A Royal Wedding series. What a delight! Quite naturally, Eliza and Sebastian are perfect for one another, and it was great fun watching them seek to identify the murderer, all while stealing moments together. This enjoyable story had a delightful conclusion and I am excited for the next book in the series. A Royal Kiss and Tell, coming in May.

Many thanks to HQN Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at around 50%. I hate giving up on books, especially this far in, but I’ve reached my limit with these characters. Someone with a greater patience level may enjoy the story (hence the 2 stars instead of 1), but you will need to suspend all disbelief to do so.

The story has a promising beginning with a masquerade ball at which Eliza, a contented spinster, inadvertently runs into Prince Sebastian (of a fictitious European nation) while trying to escape an overzealous hostess. However, any chemistry the two had in their initial meeting disappears by the next scene and still hadn’t recovered up to the halfway mark where I gave up. The prince also brushes off Eliza when she meets him again at the ball and leaves to go sleep with a random woman that he’s lusting after, which is a major narrative strike. Eliza and Sebastian feel like completely different (and incredibly annoying) characters once the murder mystery is underway, and their actions and dialogue feel untethered from the time period. Sadly, the supporting characters didn’t save my interest, though there are some hints of future pairings that could be interesting.

Review based on an ARC provided by the publisher at Book Con.

[Shoshana G · Rating 2 out of 5]

This did not work for me. I like historical fiction for similar reasons as fantasy - both let me get immersed in another world. However, I didn't like the ways this skirted the boundaries of historical fiction and went fantastical. I didn't like the made up country (which I have liked in other contexts, most notably A Brief History of Montmaray) and I didn't find the romance believable or compelling. Eliza's backstory was good, but the meet cute fell flat for me and I never bought any of the subsequent chemistry. All the characters felt more like archetypes than fully fleshed out people, and the mystery was dull and unsurprising.

[Renaissance Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read that provided an interesting blend of historical romance and murder mystery. Some parts were overly silly, while others were deadly serious, making the tone of the story difficult to nail down. Julia London also created a couple fictional countries for plot purposes, and the worldbuilding wasn't as strong as it could've been to make them believable . However, I loved some of the character dynamics, especially the friendship between Eliza, Caro, and Hollis. The murderer was easy to guess early on, but hey, I was mostly in it for the romance.

[Completely Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this 3.5. It's a historical romance, and though that is not a genre that I usually like, I did enjoy this one.

[midnightfaerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. I love the historical romance fictions, but I haven’t read one about a princess in a while. Any girl can relate to the plain, 28-year-old spinster Eliza, who doesn’t expect much for herself, but wants a little excitement in her life. I know I’ve read Julia London before, but I don’t remember liking her books this much. Sometimes the romances blend together, but I liked this one so much. I’m definitely going to look up some more of hers. Perfect for my vacation. Easy, light, and a definite feel good. Highly recommended.

[Bookread2day · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review on my website www.bookread2daywordpress.com

What a beautiful new historical romance A Royal Wedding series, that has been inspired by the very real fairy tale with Meghan Markle married Prince Harry.

The story of The Princess Plan is a romantic fantasy set in London in the Victorian era with a handsome prince that meets Eliza Tricklebank. The plot has a contemporary twist where the women are strong and outspoken, that perhaps women of today can relate too.

The story is beautifully planned as Eliza didn’t go looking for a prince. But after a murder , with gossip and snooping around a prince came looking for her.

In London 1845 all of London want to get glimpse of Crown Prince Sebastian of Alucia during his highly anticipated visit.

Eliza has the help of housemaid Poppy, who was more like part of the family than a servant.

Eliza helped her sister prepare her gazette each week. Excitement filled Eliza as she had received an invitation to the Duke of Marlbrough’s masquerade ball in honour of the crown prince of Alucia.

Kensington Palace was the place of a masquerade ball held in honour of the Alucian Court. Eliza couldn’t tell who was who as all men wore black and identical plain black masks just like the one she had. I could imagine the scene at the ball with glittering crystal chandeliers.

And then Eliza found herself in a line to meet a prince. What more happens I would not like to be the one who spill the passion of love.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Eliza Tricklebank may be a spinster but she's content with her life caring for her blind father, a court justice, and helping her sister with the ladies' gazette she publishes. But when a foreign prince visits London and Eliza has the opportunity to attend a royal masquerade ball, she jumps at the chance. When the personal secretary, and close friend, of Prince Sebastian turns up murdered the next morning, Eliza and her father wind up in possession of an anonymous tip, which she and her sister surreptitiously publish in the gazette.

Prince Sebastian is under pressure to secure trade agreements for his country and find a noble English bride, but he finds himself quite taken with the outspoken publisher of the gazette. Sebastian is intrigued by the fact that Eliza is not the least bit cowed by him and comes to value her advice and counsel about the murder he's determined to solve. When his friendship with Eliza begins to heat into something more serious, Sebastian must decide if he will continue to forsake his heart for the sake of his country.

Warning! Spoilers ahead. This book has some issues for me. Firstly, the hero has a love scene, albeit off page, with another lady at the beginning of the book, and seeing the hero or heroine with someone else just doesn't typically work for me.
Secondly, the plot was rather slow, especially the mystery part, and the culprit seemed obvious and like the characters should've realized this sooner if they were as intelligent as we're lead to believe they are. Also, the solution of making Eliza a lady by creating her father as a baron doesn't work because it would've made Eliza a mere miss. I can normally overlook issues with forms of address, though it is a pet peeve of mine, but this was a glaring issue in the plot. This also contributed to making the book feel more modern than historical; if there weren't references to Queen Victoria and carriage transport, it could've almost been a contemporary.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and found the declarations of love to be quite romantic, though I didn't much care for the main characters and despite the rather slow pacing.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Prince Sebastian of Alucia is in London to develop a trade deal and to also find an English bride who will be an advantage to his country. Eliza Tricklebank was betrayed by her lover years ago and has therefore become a spinster, writing a gossip column, fixing clocks, and caring for her blind judge father. The two characters are given only a superficial back story. I never came to care about either one. It's a stretch how the Prince and the spinster come together to solve the murder of his secretary. With no other suspects, it's not hard for the reader to figure out the culprit. I admired Eliza for becoming a stronger person after being hurt in the past. At one point she observed how proud she was to be able to wander the shops and markets without a chaperone like other women must. Why then did she so want a life of complete restriction and no privacy with the Prince? He told her and she observed he was always under watch and never could expect privacy. In fact, he couldn't eat or drink until a guard sampled it first. The Prince finally invents a ridiculous way for Eliza to become acceptable enough for him to marry. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This synopsis + Julia London = no way I was going to miss out on reading it.

I really liked Eliza and Sebastian. She’s used to doing whatever she wants because she’s a spinster. He’s used to doing what’s expected of him because he’s the prince. Together they have open conversations and decent banter. I loved Eliza’s sister and their BFF and I’m sincerely hoping each of them will get a story.

Plot wise, it was okay. The murder thread of the story didn’t really add much and in parts it felt like an afterthought. Even though Eliza and Sebastian were together a lot, it still seemed like they didn’t know much about each other. I didn’t quite get the jump from intrigue to lust to love.

Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read with characters who were easy to root for. I’ll definitely be reading the next book in the series.

**Huge thanks to HQN Books for providing the arc free of charge**

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fun read. I really enjoyed the character Eliza Tricklebank and seeing how she as a 'spinster' interacted with the prince and how it was completely differently than how everyone else interacted with him.

It was fun to see the relationship grow and change between Eliza and Sebastian.

Most historical romances I've read the main female character was actively trying to find a husband. This one was different since Eliza seemed quite content being a spinster, repairing clocks and taking care of her blind father. I had a hard time putting this book down. I look forward to reading more books in this series when they come out.

#ThePrincessPlan #NetGalley

[Sara Archibald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a great story line that will keep readers on their toes wanting to figure out who killed the secretary and wanting to know if Sebastian follow his heart and do everything in his power to make Eliza his or will he walk away. This is definitely a pager turner!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Scandal and gossip have always been supreme in Victorian London, and being a member of a group publishing the only women's gazette in London has been perfect for Miss Eliza Tricklebank. When the Crown Prince of Alucia, Sebastian, arrives in England to find a bride and secure a lucrative trade deal, Eliza and sister Hollis, want to get invited to the royal ball, to find out the gossip for their gazette. Eliza and Sebastian meet, but as it's a masquerade, he doesn't recognise her when he later barges into her home, demanding to know where she got her 'evidence' relating to the death of his close friend, and secretary. Eliza is immediately on edge, and can't stand Sebastian's high handedness and arrogance, and quickly puts him in his place. Somewhat chastised, they form an unlikely partnership, to find the culprit, and uncover a plot to kidnap Sebastian. However, their chemistry becomes too much, and the fact that one is the heir to his throne, and the other a spinster commoner, daughter of a blind judge, is one that is hard to overcome.

When I was first approved for this book in November, I started it, but wasn't in the right mood. However, during lock down, historical romances have been what's kept me going, and I remembered about this one. The Princess Plan, quite honestly, was fantastic! I started it about 3 pm, and other than eating, I didn't put it down until I was done at 9. I just adored Eliza, and she was feisty, strong character I could've asked for. After believing she would be engaged years ago, and publicly embarrassed when it fell through, she's embraced her spinsterhood and relishes in helping her father with his work, and her sister with her gazette. Going to the palace for the masquerade ball was a nice bit of fun for Eliza, but she never had any thoughts that anything would come from it, and meeting the prince was a buzz. However, their second meeting at home, when he was rude and arrogant, fully removed any hint of rose tinted glasses, and she could truly be a friend to Sebastian as he struggled with his grief and his sense of duty. Sebastian, on his part, grew so much as a character throughout this book. Understandable, he was an arrogant so and so at first, but it was refreshing to be treated as a normal person by Eliza, and be seen for himself, and not for his title. His love for Eliza came on so gently, but it was heartbreaking to see Sebastian at war with himself over his sense of duty and his desire to be with Eliza.

The romance between the two main characters was phenomenal, and I was rooting for them from the moment Eliza kicked him out of her house. The chemistry was always there, but their mutual love and respect for each other, which came gradually and naturally, made it all so much more believable. I was actually feeling a bit teary as we got towards the end and I couldn't see how they could be together, and thought they would be heartbroken and separate, but I adored the ending, and seriously hope that we see more from the pair in book 2, A Royal Kiss and Tell.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

No planned princess here!

I really enjoyed the Tricklebank household. The maid who sits and has tea with her mistress. The mistress who mends clocks, the father who knits, the houseman Ben who is definately not the butler--much to the shock of both the Princes when he refuses to take their hats. No wonder the Prince Sebastian is confused, what with the daughter of the house, Eliza, who is a somewhat outspoken spinster (I could just imagine the scene when she discovered years early at a dinner party that the rogue who'd been paying his addresses to her had become engaged to someone else), the widowed daughter Hollis, who has turned her husband's political paper into a gossip and advice rag, and Judge Tricklebank who's blind and obviously supports his daughters independence, mostly!
So we have the very precious Prince Sebastian seeking trade alliances (and casting around for an English wife to sweeten the pot), a possible looming war, his murdered secretary and really a host of other happenings. Sebastian is a Prince of Consequence who is initially shocked by the outspoken Eliza.
I must admit that sometimes the various tropes seem to crowd each other out. Is this a part Cinderella story combined with a murder mystery, along with a political thriller?
Occasionally my thoughts flashed onto The Mouse that Roared when I thought of the Kingdom of Alucia surrounded by powerful nations. Although given the times and what is going on politically for the tiny Kingdom, I'm way off the mark and Alucia might be more akin to The Mouse that Sqeaked.
One might have to suspend belief over various background details. Let's face it, this is romantic fiction with an emphasis on 'fiction', that puts together Victorian times, political maneuvering, murder and romance, with a generous dash of humor. Do all that and you have an enjoyable read.

A Harlequin ARC via NetGalley