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Lost Princesses #1
Some Enchanted Evening
Some Enchanted Evening (Paperback) by Christina Dodd
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
103 people are currently reading
1657 people want to read
About the author
Christina Dodd
103 books5,910 followersUpcoming:
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
August 21, 2017
De esta autora sólo había leído su bilogía Medieval: Una luz en la ventana y Castillos en el aire, dos novelas que me gustaron bastante, pero que podría calificar dentro de las “normales” en el género: entretenidas, bien escritas y con buenos personajes.
Sin embargo, en Una noche encantada, que da inicio a la trilogía de Las Princesas Perdidas, Christina Dodd se supera con creces, tanto en la historia como en sus personajes, de una intensidad que abruman. Robert sube a otro nivel la palabra “arrogancia” y, a pesar de todo, logra encandilar por su sentido del honor, valor de la amistad y protección hacia su pueblo.
Una lectura adictiva, que fue un torbellino de pasiones y en que también se introducen a otros personajes que, se advierte, nos acompañarán durante toda una trilogía que sin duda continuaré.
Sin embargo, en Una noche encantada, que da inicio a la trilogía de Las Princesas Perdidas, Christina Dodd se supera con creces, tanto en la historia como en sus personajes, de una intensidad que abruman. Robert sube a otro nivel la palabra “arrogancia” y, a pesar de todo, logra encandilar por su sentido del honor, valor de la amistad y protección hacia su pueblo.
Una lectura adictiva, que fue un torbellino de pasiones y en que también se introducen a otros personajes que, se advierte, nos acompañarán durante toda una trilogía que sin duda continuaré.
May 15, 2018
1 Estrella, y hasta la fecha el peor libro que he leído este año. Me da mucha lástima decirlo, pues ya me habría gustado a mí que éste libro me gustara, y por eso lo elegí para leerlo, pero no ha sido así. Cuando abres un libro ilusionada, y pasas las páginas, y no consigue atraparte, si no que al revés, lo que te provoca es somnolencia, sólo puede definirse de una manera: aburrimiento.
Y seguro que el problema de que no lo haya disfrutado ha sido enteramente mío, no estoy pasando por mi mejor momento físico ni mental, y me afecta mucho el estado de ánimo cuando leo un libro. Cuando esto me pasa siempre pienso que debería dejarlo y darle una oportunidad más adelante, pero soy incapaz de dejar un libro a medias y siempre debo llegar hasta el final, aunque acabe aborreciendo al libro.
¿Qué tenía para aburrirme? Principalmente, pienso que una historia que no me enganchaba, y unos personajes que tampoco contribuían a captar mi atención. Claro que el problema de que me haya aburrido tanto ha impedido que me entere de muchas cosas que ocurren y que otras las he leído en diagonal, así que intentaré ir al grano y como mejor recuerde.
La novela transcurre en Escocia a principios del siglo XIX, el protagonista, Robert, es un conde escocés con dos hermanas a las que casar, y él mismo, guapo y soltero pero sin desear la misma dicha y supuestamente con sus propios demonios tras luchar en la Guerra de la Independencia española, y digo supuestamente porque en ningún momento he sentido empatía ni interés por su pasado del que prácticamente no se sabe nada en toda la novela.
Clarisa es una princesa de un reino ficticio de los Pirineos llamado Beaumontagne, del estilo de Andorra, podría decir. Años atrás dicho reino sufrió una revolución y el posterior asedio de Napoleón. Mientras que Clarisa y sus dos hermanas, Amy y Sorcha pudieron escapar, su abuela quedó recluida y prisionera de los revolucionarios hasta que las princesas pudieran volver y reclamar su herencia.
En la actualidad y tras varios años desaparecidas, Clarisa y Amy viajan por el norte de Inglaterra vendiendo potingues y remedios caseros para contribuir a la vanidad humana, pero cuando llegan al pueblo escocés de Freya Crags, algo las para; Robert, el conde de Hepburn no está muy convencido de las propiedades, supuestamente mágicas de sus potingues, y prefiere tener a Clarisa vigilada, aunque no será sólo eso sus motivos para invitarla a ir a su casa, si no que la necesita para un próximo baile que va a ofrecer, cuya ayuda podría ser indispensable para los fines de Robert.
Bueno, pues muchas de las cosas que suceden en este libro me han parecido inverosímiles, y no sé por qué ocurren, por mucho que la autora nos quiera decir que esto es así, a mí no me ha convencido. El motivo de Robert para llevarse a Clarisa a su hogar no me ha quedado demasiado claro, y luego me parece que todo queda en nada. La historia me ha parecido muy desaprovechada y tampoco he entendido en qué momento se enamoran, ni cómo empieza su romance, ni cuándo Robert comienza a creer a Clarisa. No me ha resultado nada convincente.
Ésta no es la primera novela que leo de Christina Dodd, sé que las tiene mejores y peores. Por suerte he leído algunas que me han gustado, pero esta me ha resultado catastrófica. Una historia mal contada, mal narrada (no sé si el traductor tendrá que ver mucho en ello), un romance que no me ha convencido. Resumiendo, que me ha parecido una novela mala y aburrida, y no creo que lea el resto de la serie.
Y seguro que el problema de que no lo haya disfrutado ha sido enteramente mío, no estoy pasando por mi mejor momento físico ni mental, y me afecta mucho el estado de ánimo cuando leo un libro. Cuando esto me pasa siempre pienso que debería dejarlo y darle una oportunidad más adelante, pero soy incapaz de dejar un libro a medias y siempre debo llegar hasta el final, aunque acabe aborreciendo al libro.
¿Qué tenía para aburrirme? Principalmente, pienso que una historia que no me enganchaba, y unos personajes que tampoco contribuían a captar mi atención. Claro que el problema de que me haya aburrido tanto ha impedido que me entere de muchas cosas que ocurren y que otras las he leído en diagonal, así que intentaré ir al grano y como mejor recuerde.
La novela transcurre en Escocia a principios del siglo XIX, el protagonista, Robert, es un conde escocés con dos hermanas a las que casar, y él mismo, guapo y soltero pero sin desear la misma dicha y supuestamente con sus propios demonios tras luchar en la Guerra de la Independencia española, y digo supuestamente porque en ningún momento he sentido empatía ni interés por su pasado del que prácticamente no se sabe nada en toda la novela.
Clarisa es una princesa de un reino ficticio de los Pirineos llamado Beaumontagne, del estilo de Andorra, podría decir. Años atrás dicho reino sufrió una revolución y el posterior asedio de Napoleón. Mientras que Clarisa y sus dos hermanas, Amy y Sorcha pudieron escapar, su abuela quedó recluida y prisionera de los revolucionarios hasta que las princesas pudieran volver y reclamar su herencia.
En la actualidad y tras varios años desaparecidas, Clarisa y Amy viajan por el norte de Inglaterra vendiendo potingues y remedios caseros para contribuir a la vanidad humana, pero cuando llegan al pueblo escocés de Freya Crags, algo las para; Robert, el conde de Hepburn no está muy convencido de las propiedades, supuestamente mágicas de sus potingues, y prefiere tener a Clarisa vigilada, aunque no será sólo eso sus motivos para invitarla a ir a su casa, si no que la necesita para un próximo baile que va a ofrecer, cuya ayuda podría ser indispensable para los fines de Robert.
Bueno, pues muchas de las cosas que suceden en este libro me han parecido inverosímiles, y no sé por qué ocurren, por mucho que la autora nos quiera decir que esto es así, a mí no me ha convencido. El motivo de Robert para llevarse a Clarisa a su hogar no me ha quedado demasiado claro, y luego me parece que todo queda en nada. La historia me ha parecido muy desaprovechada y tampoco he entendido en qué momento se enamoran, ni cómo empieza su romance, ni cuándo Robert comienza a creer a Clarisa. No me ha resultado nada convincente.
Ésta no es la primera novela que leo de Christina Dodd, sé que las tiene mejores y peores. Por suerte he leído algunas que me han gustado, pero esta me ha resultado catastrófica. Una historia mal contada, mal narrada (no sé si el traductor tendrá que ver mucho en ello), un romance que no me ha convencido. Resumiendo, que me ha parecido una novela mala y aburrida, y no creo que lea el resto de la serie.
August 29, 2021
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Some Enchanted Evening is the first book in The Lost Princesses series. A series in which three princesses from some far off land were scattered when their country was taken over by a rebellion and have been living in hiding for years. This was a bit of stretch and had some strange things happening in a historical romance.
Our first princess is Clarice and she has spent her life peddling cosmetics to survive. She is a bit of a grifter in that she promises much more than the creams can provide. Once she has worn out her welcome in town, she moves on to another. She did not expect a Scottish lord to see her and decide she will work well in his revenge.
Clarice has been a charlatan most of her life after being left on her own. She has taken care of one sister the best she can, while her eldest sister is someplace not known to her. The last thing she wanted was to be hooked into someone else's schemes. Lord Robert MacKenzie is dashing, sometimes charming and the biggest catch all the ladies are after. He is only interested in one thing though, getting his revenge and he will get Claire to help him by force or coercion. Claire doesn't want to be swayed by this man, she has a country to return to and claim but something about him calls to her.
I did like most of this story. Robert's past, why he wanted revenge and what it would accomplish was teased out well and was actually my favorite part of the story. I also loved his eldest sister and how Clarice brought them closer together. It is a little strange with the cosmetics saleswoman side of it but Claire is hardworking and very likeable. I will warn you though with a story originally written in 2006 just come to audio, which means this was written before the me too movement and as such has one questionable beginning to a sex scene. Nothing too bad, it is clear Claire wants Robert but the man is not taking no for an answer. It is very minor and this is just an fyi.
Narration:
Heather Wilds does a great Scottish brogue and made the characters fun. She did well with the cast of characters and made them all come to life for me. This isn't surprising she is a very seasoned narrator. I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/brilliance-aud...
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
Some Enchanted Evening is the first book in The Lost Princesses series. A series in which three princesses from some far off land were scattered when their country was taken over by a rebellion and have been living in hiding for years. This was a bit of stretch and had some strange things happening in a historical romance.
Our first princess is Clarice and she has spent her life peddling cosmetics to survive. She is a bit of a grifter in that she promises much more than the creams can provide. Once she has worn out her welcome in town, she moves on to another. She did not expect a Scottish lord to see her and decide she will work well in his revenge.
Clarice has been a charlatan most of her life after being left on her own. She has taken care of one sister the best she can, while her eldest sister is someplace not known to her. The last thing she wanted was to be hooked into someone else's schemes. Lord Robert MacKenzie is dashing, sometimes charming and the biggest catch all the ladies are after. He is only interested in one thing though, getting his revenge and he will get Claire to help him by force or coercion. Claire doesn't want to be swayed by this man, she has a country to return to and claim but something about him calls to her.
I did like most of this story. Robert's past, why he wanted revenge and what it would accomplish was teased out well and was actually my favorite part of the story. I also loved his eldest sister and how Clarice brought them closer together. It is a little strange with the cosmetics saleswoman side of it but Claire is hardworking and very likeable. I will warn you though with a story originally written in 2006 just come to audio, which means this was written before the me too movement and as such has one questionable beginning to a sex scene. Nothing too bad, it is clear Claire wants Robert but the man is not taking no for an answer. It is very minor and this is just an fyi.
Narration:
Heather Wilds does a great Scottish brogue and made the characters fun. She did well with the cast of characters and made them all come to life for me. This isn't surprising she is a very seasoned narrator. I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/brilliance-aud...
July 15, 2017
Primera de la serie princesas perdidas y única que me gustó. Me encantó.
Lo único que pasé por encima fueron los recuerdos del pasado de la protagonista.
Tenemos una princesa, Clarisa, que ha escapado de un pequeño reino peninsular, quizá vecino a Andorra, de una revolución en la que corría peligro su vida. Y se gana la vida recorriendo los pueblos de Escocia vendiendo unas pociones de belleza que ella misma prepara. Hace ventas callejeras en los mercados, utilizando a su hermana menor, Amy, como cómplice (hace un poco la escena del antes y después de usar las cremas).
Llegan al pueblo de Robert, conde de Hepburn, un ex-soldado traumado por las vivencias que sufrió en las guerras de España. Él la ve y sospecha que hay algo más en su historia y la invita a su mansión donde se llevará a cabo el baile de presentación de su hermana menor (la del conde) para ayudar. Hay un pequeño misterio con unos bandidos que asolan la región y un viejo enemigo de Robert que aparece. Además de alguien del pasado de Clarisa.
Y buen, es la historia de su acercamiento, de descubrir sus secretos mutuos, los conflictos del pasado que deben resolver, etc.
A pesar de los traumas y secretos me pareció una historia muy tierna y amorosa. Robert, a pesar de sus traumas, es un sol.
El escenario es un poco distinto a otras históricas porque es un pequeño pueblo, con personajes particulares y queribles que se codean con el conde casi como iguales. Y que él defiende con uñas y dientes.
Dos escenas sensuales muy lindas.
Lo único que pasé por encima fueron los recuerdos del pasado de la protagonista.
Tenemos una princesa, Clarisa, que ha escapado de un pequeño reino peninsular, quizá vecino a Andorra, de una revolución en la que corría peligro su vida. Y se gana la vida recorriendo los pueblos de Escocia vendiendo unas pociones de belleza que ella misma prepara. Hace ventas callejeras en los mercados, utilizando a su hermana menor, Amy, como cómplice (hace un poco la escena del antes y después de usar las cremas).
Llegan al pueblo de Robert, conde de Hepburn, un ex-soldado traumado por las vivencias que sufrió en las guerras de España. Él la ve y sospecha que hay algo más en su historia y la invita a su mansión donde se llevará a cabo el baile de presentación de su hermana menor (la del conde) para ayudar. Hay un pequeño misterio con unos bandidos que asolan la región y un viejo enemigo de Robert que aparece. Además de alguien del pasado de Clarisa.
Y buen, es la historia de su acercamiento, de descubrir sus secretos mutuos, los conflictos del pasado que deben resolver, etc.
A pesar de los traumas y secretos me pareció una historia muy tierna y amorosa. Robert, a pesar de sus traumas, es un sol.
El escenario es un poco distinto a otras históricas porque es un pequeño pueblo, con personajes particulares y queribles que se codean con el conde casi como iguales. Y que él defiende con uñas y dientes.
Dos escenas sensuales muy lindas.
September 3, 2018
Of all the bonkers romance novel plots, this was the bonkerest.
A princess from some made-up country is hiding in the United Kingdom and makes her living by peddling cosmetics. And then she is drawn into a masquerade where she pretends she is someone else by putting on make up that is supposed to make her look like that other person, and somehow it works. I mean, YouTube make-up stars barely pull that off in 2D but sure.
The sex scene went on and on or maybe it felt like it because I was listening to audiobook and was doing interval cardio training during it and it really felt like forever.
A princess from some made-up country is hiding in the United Kingdom and makes her living by peddling cosmetics. And then she is drawn into a masquerade where she pretends she is someone else by putting on make up that is supposed to make her look like that other person, and somehow it works. I mean, YouTube make-up stars barely pull that off in 2D but sure.
The sex scene went on and on or maybe it felt like it because I was listening to audiobook and was doing interval cardio training during it and it really felt like forever.
January 24, 2023
2stelline e mezzo
A volte ti imbatti in vecchi libri che ti fanno pensare che, in quel momento, l'autrice avesse più che altro bisogno di pagare le bollette, motivo peraltro del tutto giustificabile, però bastava davvero un piccolo sforzo per rendere il canovaccio, quanto meno, credibile.
Purtroppo, l'intera vicenda risulta imbastita in modo superficiale e quasi di malavoglia.
Non ho particolari pregiudizi contro la creazione di regni immaginari, anche se, trattandosi di uno storico, non si capisce perché non limitarsi a prendere materiale dalla realtà senza scorrazzare a bordo fantasy. Ci sono tre principesse in fuga (sin da bambine) da un regno minuscolo dei Pirenei, insieme a un principe di un ulteriore regno immaginario, anche lui esiliato. A casa è rimasta una nonna non proprio simpatica che resiste per riprendere il potere, ma intanto il gruppo si è perso di vista e ritroviamo due ragazze in Scozia.
Poiché non hanno di che vivere (ma sinora come hanno fatto?), una di esse, Clarice, s'inventa venditrice ambulante di creme e pozioni, che hanno effetti miracolosi e istantanei sulla pelle consunta dei villici scozzesi. E già qui si resta basiti.
Clarice, che dovrebbe vivere in incognito, si presenta a tutti come "io sono la principessa Clarice" o "la principessa del regno perduto", e nel romanzo lo ripeterà decine di volte. Il risultato è che sembra una ciarlatana che vende illusioni e per di più matta forte.
Il colpo di grazia giunge quando viene notata dal signorotto del luogo, il quale pensa bene di sfruttarla come esca per i nemici. E se ancora il lettore non ha la mascella completamente crollata, aggiungo che la cara Clarice, lungi dal sentirsi usata, dopo tempo tre secondi ne è profondamente innamorata, esempio fulgente di vittima inconsapevole di relazione tossica e non certo romantica.
Mentre tutti, senza fare una piega, accettano in società la presenza di questa ex-stracciona che non è solo aristocratica, ma addirittura principessa (anche se il suo regno non c'è più).
Evito di infierire ancora e lascio i coraggiosi alla lettura, però i due non resteranno nel mio firmamento di coppie amate.
PS. Penso di proseguire la serie non per farmi del male, ma perché le recensioni sul secondo volume sono nettamente migliori, quindi voglio dare una possibilità.
A volte ti imbatti in vecchi libri che ti fanno pensare che, in quel momento, l'autrice avesse più che altro bisogno di pagare le bollette, motivo peraltro del tutto giustificabile, però bastava davvero un piccolo sforzo per rendere il canovaccio, quanto meno, credibile.
Purtroppo, l'intera vicenda risulta imbastita in modo superficiale e quasi di malavoglia.
Non ho particolari pregiudizi contro la creazione di regni immaginari, anche se, trattandosi di uno storico, non si capisce perché non limitarsi a prendere materiale dalla realtà senza scorrazzare a bordo fantasy. Ci sono tre principesse in fuga (sin da bambine) da un regno minuscolo dei Pirenei, insieme a un principe di un ulteriore regno immaginario, anche lui esiliato. A casa è rimasta una nonna non proprio simpatica che resiste per riprendere il potere, ma intanto il gruppo si è perso di vista e ritroviamo due ragazze in Scozia.
Poiché non hanno di che vivere (ma sinora come hanno fatto?), una di esse, Clarice, s'inventa venditrice ambulante di creme e pozioni, che hanno effetti miracolosi e istantanei sulla pelle consunta dei villici scozzesi. E già qui si resta basiti.
Clarice, che dovrebbe vivere in incognito, si presenta a tutti come "io sono la principessa Clarice" o "la principessa del regno perduto", e nel romanzo lo ripeterà decine di volte. Il risultato è che sembra una ciarlatana che vende illusioni e per di più matta forte.
Il colpo di grazia giunge quando viene notata dal signorotto del luogo, il quale pensa bene di sfruttarla come esca per i nemici. E se ancora il lettore non ha la mascella completamente crollata, aggiungo che la cara Clarice, lungi dal sentirsi usata, dopo tempo tre secondi ne è profondamente innamorata, esempio fulgente di vittima inconsapevole di relazione tossica e non certo romantica.
Mentre tutti, senza fare una piega, accettano in società la presenza di questa ex-stracciona che non è solo aristocratica, ma addirittura principessa (anche se il suo regno non c'è più).
Evito di infierire ancora e lascio i coraggiosi alla lettura, però i due non resteranno nel mio firmamento di coppie amate.
PS. Penso di proseguire la serie non per farmi del male, ma perché le recensioni sul secondo volume sono nettamente migliori, quindi voglio dare una possibilità.
February 11, 2016
The first book in the Lost Princesses series by Christina Dodd. Apparently, there once was a small kingdom with three princesses. Revolutionaries caused the princesses to be sent to England for safety. Now it is time for them to return. Princess Clarice is in Scotland, selling beauty products when she comes to Freya Crags and meets Robert MacKenzie, Earl of Hepburn. Robert has returned home from the war a changed man. Brooding and moody, he certainly doesn't believe the charlatan is a real princess. Nevertheless, he is intrigued and attracted.
I had a hard time getting into this book. The whole idea that a princess in hiding is out selling beauty products and telling everyone who she is, didn't sit right with me. I almost quit reading it a few times but since this was a group read I felt I needed to stick it out. It got better and I did make it to the end. But it didn't make enough of an impression to make me finish the series. I did notice that I had tried reading the third book and stopped a short while back.
I had a hard time getting into this book. The whole idea that a princess in hiding is out selling beauty products and telling everyone who she is, didn't sit right with me. I almost quit reading it a few times but since this was a group read I felt I needed to stick it out. It got better and I did make it to the end. But it didn't make enough of an impression to make me finish the series. I did notice that I had tried reading the third book and stopped a short while back.
August 26, 2015
I wanted to give this book only 2 stars, really. The story itself offers little.
But Christina Dodd's writing made the book an easy read. I did not struggle to stay focused so I just quickly went through the story. I like both lead characters, Clarice and Robert. Clarice the princess is definitely better portrayed than Robert. Robert, other than his brooding war veteran image, has no shape. I feel like I don't know him even at the end of the book.
The plotline is simple. Princess in exile meets Scottish war veteran Lord. Seriously Robert could have been English or Chinese, it would not have made any difference. It is definitely not a Scottish/highland romance. Robert blackmailed Clarice into doing something for him so that he could take revenge on an despicable man who was his commanding officer (or something like that) in the war. In the process they had sex and somehow fell in love. But Clairce had to return to her country, duty calls. Robert let her go only to find Clarice return later, because true love conquers all.
I do not have problems with the fairy tale storyline. It is silly, but once in a while I do not mind a fairy tale. But I had trouble understanding why they behaved the way they did. I don't know why Robert decided to seduce Clarice. I don't know why Clarice let him have sex with her. I don't know what Robert thought having Clarice pretend to be the Spanish woman would achieve. I don't know why Clarice decided to be Robert's lover for as long as it was possible. There was literally no relationship development. We were told they were attracted to each other then they had sex. Love and possessiveness, we were also told. None of which I was convinced of.
Because I like Christina Dodd's writing I am going 3 generous stars. If it was any lesser writer this book would have been 2 stars.
But Christina Dodd's writing made the book an easy read. I did not struggle to stay focused so I just quickly went through the story. I like both lead characters, Clarice and Robert. Clarice the princess is definitely better portrayed than Robert. Robert, other than his brooding war veteran image, has no shape. I feel like I don't know him even at the end of the book.
The plotline is simple. Princess in exile meets Scottish war veteran Lord. Seriously Robert could have been English or Chinese, it would not have made any difference. It is definitely not a Scottish/highland romance. Robert blackmailed Clarice into doing something for him so that he could take revenge on an despicable man who was his commanding officer (or something like that) in the war. In the process they had sex and somehow fell in love. But Clairce had to return to her country, duty calls. Robert let her go only to find Clarice return later, because true love conquers all.
I do not have problems with the fairy tale storyline. It is silly, but once in a while I do not mind a fairy tale. But I had trouble understanding why they behaved the way they did. I don't know why Robert decided to seduce Clarice. I don't know why Clarice let him have sex with her. I don't know what Robert thought having Clarice pretend to be the Spanish woman would achieve. I don't know why Clarice decided to be Robert's lover for as long as it was possible. There was literally no relationship development. We were told they were attracted to each other then they had sex. Love and possessiveness, we were also told. None of which I was convinced of.
Because I like Christina Dodd's writing I am going 3 generous stars. If it was any lesser writer this book would have been 2 stars.
August 3, 2019
I got this for free at a writer's conference and let it sit on my TBR shelf for several years, always hesitating to pick it up. In a fit of trying to clear away some hardback books, I bit the bullet. Not terrible, but long until the rushed ending. I wanted to like Robert, but when a woman says "No," a gentleman ought to stop. In today's climate, what he does is force Clarice even though she later says she knew he "needed her," so she acquiesced--after it was too late. It was hard for me to rate the book any higher after that. The bright spots are the 5 old gents in the village and Millicent. The rest, not so much.
August 5, 2019
"Some Enchanted Evening" is the story of Clarice and Robert.
This series focuses on three siblings, who are "Lost Princesses" from the small kingdom of Beaumontagne, sent fleeing for their lives to England by their grandmother for their safety. Now separated, yet in search for a sign to return, we meet the middle child Clarice, who earns her living as a peddler selling beauty ointments, yet openly declaring her royalty to the masses.
Upon entering the town of Freya Cragsas, and while trying to ensnare the people, she meets Robert MacKenzie, earl of Hepburn and traumatized war hero. He soon declares her his house-guest, and plans to use her disguising skills in a revenge plot. As attempts are made on their life, passions ignite and Clarice and Robert become lovers. But with Clarice wanting to return to reclaim her lost throne, will Robert and his newfound love be able to make Clarice stay?
Likable but stubborn and single minded heroine, brooding hero, super hot lovemaking, drama, romance, some action leading to a HEA. My favorite part definitely was how Clarice made Robert's ignored sister Millicent recognize her self worth, and I'm glad she did let go in the end.
Good in parts.
Safe
3/5
This series focuses on three siblings, who are "Lost Princesses" from the small kingdom of Beaumontagne, sent fleeing for their lives to England by their grandmother for their safety. Now separated, yet in search for a sign to return, we meet the middle child Clarice, who earns her living as a peddler selling beauty ointments, yet openly declaring her royalty to the masses.
Upon entering the town of Freya Cragsas, and while trying to ensnare the people, she meets Robert MacKenzie, earl of Hepburn and traumatized war hero. He soon declares her his house-guest, and plans to use her disguising skills in a revenge plot. As attempts are made on their life, passions ignite and Clarice and Robert become lovers. But with Clarice wanting to return to reclaim her lost throne, will Robert and his newfound love be able to make Clarice stay?
Likable but stubborn and single minded heroine, brooding hero, super hot lovemaking, drama, romance, some action leading to a HEA. My favorite part definitely was how Clarice made Robert's ignored sister Millicent recognize her self worth, and I'm glad she did let go in the end.
Good in parts.
Safe
3/5
March 6, 2025
This was sooo good! Sometimes you just need a good quick fix of a historical romance
May 23, 2010
If Ms. Dodd has any feeling for the manners and mores of the times she is writing about, she frequently sacrifices it to meet her plot's demands. This book is no exception. You have a heroine who thinks she could effectively knee a man while wearing the typical long dresses with petticoats of the day. You have a heroine who travels untouched and unchaperoned through the countryside in a time when no woman could safely travel unescorted. You have a heroine who is touting cosmetics in an age when cosmetics were used only by courtesans and sometimes the elderly. You have a heroine who jumps into bed with the hero and doesn't worry about getting pregnant. Perhaps Ms. Dodd should stick to writing modern romances since her heroines always seem to have modern morals and behaviors anyway.
September 10, 2018
This was a fun quick read. I haven't been reading many historical romances in the last few years and had forgotten how fun they can be...and quirky...and over-the-top...along with a bit of cheesy dialogue...lol. Christina Dodd is always a fun read.
This this the first in the trilogy "The Lost Princesses". When revolution comes to their country following the revolt in France, the three young princesses are bundled off to England for safety. Over time, circumstances change and their whereabouts become unknown. Now that the country is safely back under the family's control, the Dowager Queen wants to bring the princesses home.
Rating: 3.5
This this the first in the trilogy "The Lost Princesses". When revolution comes to their country following the revolt in France, the three young princesses are bundled off to England for safety. Over time, circumstances change and their whereabouts become unknown. Now that the country is safely back under the family's control, the Dowager Queen wants to bring the princesses home.
Rating: 3.5
June 13, 2017
3 stars.
This is an abridged audio version that surprisingly made sense. Which begs the question of whether the full book would be quite draggy. But overall, a pleasant listen. Will be following the adventures of the other sibling princesses.
This is an abridged audio version that surprisingly made sense. Which begs the question of whether the full book would be quite draggy. But overall, a pleasant listen. Will be following the adventures of the other sibling princesses.
January 8, 2014
3.5 Stars!This was picked for me as my December Pick-It-For-Me book over in Western and Medieval Romance Lovers. I forgot to read it in December... whoops. Catching up a few days late, but I got it done! I read book two of the series last year, and liked it pretty well. It had left me curious about the other two sisters. I don't know why I put off reading this one for so long. Christina Dodd used to be an auto-buy author for me back in the day, but I haven't read as much of her stuff in the last few years as I used to. I still enjoy it, though I can't seem to remember her writing style being so... humorous before. Maybe it was, and my bad memory just doesn't recall. Either way, this book had me giggling in a couple places, especially when the five old men who hang out outside the tavern were in the scene. They cracked me up, and I could totally see them, all naughty ol' men just like some I know. Clarice took a little while longer for me to like though. At first, she seemed... I don't know. Too arrogant maybe or something. I did like the glimpse of Amy and her circumstances prior to her story in book two, even though that book isn't exactly fresh in my mind. Robert... hmmm. I liked him, he had that whole dark, brooding power thing going on, but he wasn't really an ass too much. I liked him. The plot though, about the princesses having to be in hiding... I didn't really think it was smart of Clarice to go around announcing to all that she was an exiled princess, even if she didn't tell people what kingdom she was from. Didn't she worry about all the spies/assassins/etc that were supposedly searching all over for her and her sisters? I was surprised that when the danger came, it was for something different. I was glad that there was some danger though. For awhile I was wondering if the only conflict was going to be whether or not Robert could convince her to stay in Scotland instead of returning to her kingdom. I woulda liked to see some more of Robert kicking some bad-guy ass though, lol.
Coming off my last read, a book by Stephanie Laurens, I couldn't help but note the difference in the historical feel. Whereas that one had me feeling firmly entrenched in the historical setting, this one had a definite fairy-tale feel to it. Minus the magic/mythical creatures stuff, there was nothing like that. But it had more of a Princess Bride type feel rather than a truly accurate historical feel. I enjoyed it though. It was light and fun, but with enough serious moments to keep it from being too silly. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between the characters, how he went from simple lust to actually getting to know and admire her, and how she went from fearing him to needing him. I also really liked the hero's sister, Millicent, and her growth from timid mouse to someone with confidence. And her realization that the guy she'd longed for forever was truly not worth it once she had his attention, that she had built him up into someone perfect in her mind, only to realize once he opened his mouth that he was rather unexciting. Made me laugh. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Millicent again.
I'm glad I finally knocked this off the TBR. I'll for sure not be waiting so long to get to book three. I'm intrigued by this Prince Rainger (who I totally envision as a sexy Aragorn sort, lol), and interested in getting to meet Sorcha as herself, and not just the glimpses I've had of her in the other sisters' flashbacks. Plus, I'm curious to see if we finally get back to Beaumontagne! 3.5 Stars
Coming off my last read, a book by Stephanie Laurens, I couldn't help but note the difference in the historical feel. Whereas that one had me feeling firmly entrenched in the historical setting, this one had a definite fairy-tale feel to it. Minus the magic/mythical creatures stuff, there was nothing like that. But it had more of a Princess Bride type feel rather than a truly accurate historical feel. I enjoyed it though. It was light and fun, but with enough serious moments to keep it from being too silly. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between the characters, how he went from simple lust to actually getting to know and admire her, and how she went from fearing him to needing him. I also really liked the hero's sister, Millicent, and her growth from timid mouse to someone with confidence. And her realization that the guy she'd longed for forever was truly not worth it once she had his attention, that she had built him up into someone perfect in her mind, only to realize once he opened his mouth that he was rather unexciting. Made me laugh. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing Millicent again.
I'm glad I finally knocked this off the TBR. I'll for sure not be waiting so long to get to book three. I'm intrigued by this Prince Rainger (who I totally envision as a sexy Aragorn sort, lol), and interested in getting to meet Sorcha as herself, and not just the glimpses I've had of her in the other sisters' flashbacks. Plus, I'm curious to see if we finally get back to Beaumontagne! 3.5 Stars
March 26, 2012
A sweet story of a Princess, one of three sisters actually, who escapes with her youngest sister from their war-torn, tiny kingdom after the death of the King, their father and the disappearance of their grandmother. Because of the deceit of a close advisor, the sisters are left to fend for themselves in a foreign country, and Clarice becomes the mastermind behind a scheme to peddle their royal, family secrets to the beauty achieved by Princesses. During her attempts to sell these unique beauty creams, she runs into the dangerous and mysterious Robert MacKenzie, Earl of Hepburn. She resistingly becomes a guest of MacKenzie Manor and is pressured into becoming a most key figure in Lord Hepburn's plans for revenge on an old enemy from his days in the military. Their time spent together works on the resisting hearts of both Clarice and Robert who have been ruled all their lives not by their hearts but by their duty, responsibilities, and honor. To their ultimate surprise, love blooms and breaks through the cold walls of duty and honor that have surrounded both hearts. But does it happen too late for either Clarice or Robert to claim this love?
While the story was enjoyable, the love scenes between Robert and Clarice were lacking and left the reader wanting more. The feelings of lust and love were described as "burning" and "intense," but were rather quickly over without really describing the intense depths of this passion. To say it is so is one thing, but to feel it is quite another. Therefore, none of these types of scenes in this story will linger in my mind. This is one of those books that had the potential to go from good to great with a little more description and depth. The ending was a little too quickly and neatly wrapped up also. Without giving too much away, let me just say that the reunion of the hero and heroine seemed a little to "fairy-tale" to be interesting, i.e. "....and everyone lives happily everafter." Ultimately, this story earns only an average rating from me.
While the story was enjoyable, the love scenes between Robert and Clarice were lacking and left the reader wanting more. The feelings of lust and love were described as "burning" and "intense," but were rather quickly over without really describing the intense depths of this passion. To say it is so is one thing, but to feel it is quite another. Therefore, none of these types of scenes in this story will linger in my mind. This is one of those books that had the potential to go from good to great with a little more description and depth. The ending was a little too quickly and neatly wrapped up also. Without giving too much away, let me just say that the reunion of the hero and heroine seemed a little to "fairy-tale" to be interesting, i.e. "....and everyone lives happily everafter." Ultimately, this story earns only an average rating from me.
February 3, 2016
I loved the story, but was a little unhappy with the way the central characters, Princess Clarice and Lord Robert, were not very well developed. The three Princesses of Beaumontagne, Sorcha, Clarice and Amy, have been disbursed in England in a attempt to keep them safe from the revolution that is taking place in their country. For a few years, all is well. Then the flow of money stops and Clarice and Amy are now on their own. They have no idea where Sorcha is or what the situation is at home. They are forced to make their own way by Amy sewing and Sorcha selling royal beauty cream and confidence to the women of the villages.
Amy takes a seamstress job in Freya Crags in Scotland and Clarice appears three weeks later as a down on her luck Princess Clarice selling her transforming creams. Lord Robert Mackenzie takes notice of her and decides to use her in a little plot of revenge he is brewing. What ends up brewing is love for the Princess and the Earl.
Amy takes a seamstress job in Freya Crags in Scotland and Clarice appears three weeks later as a down on her luck Princess Clarice selling her transforming creams. Lord Robert Mackenzie takes notice of her and decides to use her in a little plot of revenge he is brewing. What ends up brewing is love for the Princess and the Earl.
February 16, 2024
¿Novela romántica donde el protagonista es hermoso pero arrogante? SÍ
¿Novela romántica donde él se impone en el primer encuentro sexual sin contemplar los deseos de ella pero todo se perdona en nombre del amor y porque él tiene un pasado que lo atormenta? DOBLE SÍ
¿Novela romántica donde sabes el final exacto desde la página 1? TRIPLE SÍ
No se gasten en leerla. Es un bodrio. Si les gusta el género, hay buenas novelas románticas de sobra.
¿Novela romántica donde él se impone en el primer encuentro sexual sin contemplar los deseos de ella pero todo se perdona en nombre del amor y porque él tiene un pasado que lo atormenta? DOBLE SÍ
¿Novela romántica donde sabes el final exacto desde la página 1? TRIPLE SÍ
No se gasten en leerla. Es un bodrio. Si les gusta el género, hay buenas novelas románticas de sobra.
June 12, 2025
Stopped reading at page 100. Ong I am not stomaching a book where the MC is a Mary Sue, every male character seems to be on aphrodisiacs in her presence, the love interest is like a watered down Darcy but far more perverted, this girl leaves her TEEN SISTER alone in said village where every man is a pervert to go off with THIS DUDE she barely knows? Also the insta-love as well. This is why I hate reading romance. Especially in this one it is quite obvious that this woman wrote her personal fantasies.
June 30, 2019
3.75 rounded up to a 4. There were some historical inaccuracies that thoroughly got under my skin at times but overall I was very pleased with the story. There are two more books in the series and I am intrigued to see the perspective of the other two princesses.
December 30, 2018
Čitljiva
June 3, 2011
The three princesses of Beaumontagne have been lost for years. People are after them, wishing both harm and rescue, and they are trying to stay one step ahead. Clarice and Amy have been running a racket selling "royal secret" creams and unguents to make the less than fair townsfolk beautiful. But Clarice gets more than she bargains for when they ride into Freya Crags. The Earl of Hepburn is as handsome as he is tortured. Yeah, they're totally going to fall in love.
The main plot, as well as a couple of subplots involving a Colonel who tortured Hepburn while in his regiment and a magistrate Clarice is on run from, are compelling and suspenseful. The sexual tension between to two crackles, but when they actually get down to it, the descriptions are laughable. Seriously, I had to skip those parts as I would chuckle aloud, then my husband would ask what was funny and I'd read it to him, and neither of us could go back to reading soon because we were laughing too hard. However, besides that it was a delightful novel and I'm looking forward to Amy's story next.
The main plot, as well as a couple of subplots involving a Colonel who tortured Hepburn while in his regiment and a magistrate Clarice is on run from, are compelling and suspenseful. The sexual tension between to two crackles, but when they actually get down to it, the descriptions are laughable. Seriously, I had to skip those parts as I would chuckle aloud, then my husband would ask what was funny and I'd read it to him, and neither of us could go back to reading soon because we were laughing too hard. However, besides that it was a delightful novel and I'm looking forward to Amy's story next.
May 23, 2010
I just typed a long review and lost it. This time I'm making it short and sweet. I loved it!
I have a hardback copy that sat in my tbr for considerable time...and now I regret not reading it much sooner. However, since I want to read about the other two lost princesses...will I be able to buy them in paperback? One can hope.
I have a hardback copy that sat in my tbr for considerable time...and now I regret not reading it much sooner. However, since I want to read about the other two lost princesses...will I be able to buy them in paperback? One can hope.
June 1, 2013
This was absolutely delightful. Enough so that I went on my Nook and purchased the two sequels. Ms. Dodd provides a heroine you can root for and a hero you can totally fall in love with!
September 12, 2015
Sheer pleasure. Clarice is an adorable heroine, and her Brooding Hero is irresistible.
December 21, 2014
The plot was just ok. Too many sex scenes for my liking. I will not be reading the other books in this series.
Read
February 16, 2016DNF
November 10, 2016
Vale la pena leerlo .Muy buena historia y con ese final ..quiero leer el proximo
January 9, 2025
I have really hit or miss experiences with Christina Dodd's novels, and this one was such a major miss. I think I made it about 4 chapters in and just couldn't keep going with it. The whole thing was implausible but not even in a fun way, and I think that largely comes from feeling, personally, like their should have been an element of magic. It felt as though it was implied at points, especially with the business of 'royal beauty treatments' and even how they had somehow managed to stay in hiding, whilst moving around so much. I honestly thought there might even be some dark magic secret surrounding this dour, dreary Scottish town, that seems to be quite isolated - maybe there's a curse, or the magic needs to be kept hidden... SOMETHING!!! I kept thinking they'll reveal this book world has magic - magic exists, at least in royal families (kept secret from everyone else); I mean there's already a made up kingdom, throw in a bit of magic!
The writing felt very clumsy, and heavy on the exposition; in the third chapter the younger sister has a crack at Clarice our main princess of the novel, and says "we're sisters. princesses. in exile. this is all justified" (not quite word for word), which felt ridiculous to me, I've read the blurb, I know they're sisters, you don't have to spell everything out to me, reveal it! It was very Tell don't Show, which is such lazy writing.
I didn't care for Clarice at all, which is my one no-no for my main characters. I want to care, in some capacity, I want t0 root for them, or hope they come a cropper, I want to identify with them, or want to be their friend, or feel like I'm meeting someone totally new to me. SOMETHING. Clarice was a moron, and felt very weak, in the words of John Mulaney, "the backbone of a chocolate eclair". I haven't any idea how she survived all this time. Especially when she goes around waving a metaphorical flag and metaphorically blowing her trumpet that she's a PRINCESS! She's in HIDING! I mean, honestly. That ridiculousness was already off-putting, added then to the fact that she's behaving like a snake-oil salesman, which is fine, but heaven forbid she or little sister become a seamstress! She makes the ridiculous excuse that the little sister was too young to remember the glories and privileges of being a princess, so until they can get back to their palace, she at least shouldn't have to work. Give me a break. Not to mention all the maxims taught by the Grandmother (former Queen) - don't touch horses, don't smile, blah blah blah, especially when they are ignored at all points, which makes them feel pointless. We don't get much of an understanding as to the conditions they were raised in, if they were oppressively strict, and if they were, how do they still have the spirit to ignore their upbringing and rules? I'm not saying these character behaviors are illogical, but the way they are written makes them appear that way, and we don't get a deeper insight to the characters thinking.
Anyway, all that off my chest, the book is going in the donate pile for someone else to deal with. I'm not even going to put it in the op-shop because nobody should be charged money for it; it's going in a free street library!
The writing felt very clumsy, and heavy on the exposition; in the third chapter the younger sister has a crack at Clarice our main princess of the novel, and says "we're sisters. princesses. in exile. this is all justified" (not quite word for word), which felt ridiculous to me, I've read the blurb, I know they're sisters, you don't have to spell everything out to me, reveal it! It was very Tell don't Show, which is such lazy writing.
I didn't care for Clarice at all, which is my one no-no for my main characters. I want to care, in some capacity, I want t0 root for them, or hope they come a cropper, I want to identify with them, or want to be their friend, or feel like I'm meeting someone totally new to me. SOMETHING. Clarice was a moron, and felt very weak, in the words of John Mulaney, "the backbone of a chocolate eclair". I haven't any idea how she survived all this time. Especially when she goes around waving a metaphorical flag and metaphorically blowing her trumpet that she's a PRINCESS! She's in HIDING! I mean, honestly. That ridiculousness was already off-putting, added then to the fact that she's behaving like a snake-oil salesman, which is fine, but heaven forbid she or little sister become a seamstress! She makes the ridiculous excuse that the little sister was too young to remember the glories and privileges of being a princess, so until they can get back to their palace, she at least shouldn't have to work. Give me a break. Not to mention all the maxims taught by the Grandmother (former Queen) - don't touch horses, don't smile, blah blah blah, especially when they are ignored at all points, which makes them feel pointless. We don't get much of an understanding as to the conditions they were raised in, if they were oppressively strict, and if they were, how do they still have the spirit to ignore their upbringing and rules? I'm not saying these character behaviors are illogical, but the way they are written makes them appear that way, and we don't get a deeper insight to the characters thinking.
Anyway, all that off my chest, the book is going in the donate pile for someone else to deal with. I'm not even going to put it in the op-shop because nobody should be charged money for it; it's going in a free street library!
October 7, 2019
In the Lost Princesses trilogy, the French Revolution has swept Europe into turmoil. The king and the dowager queen of the small mountainous country of Beaumontagne have sent his three young daughters to England for safety.
In the neighboring little county of Richarte, a cruel usurper has seized the throne from the rightful prince. He’ll do anything to find and kill the princesses, for the eldest princess and the prince are destined to wed in order to unite the two countries.
In the first book, the middle princess, Clarise, and her younger sister Amy live the lives of peddlers and charlatans. They claim to be exiled princesses to sell face creams made with special “royal” ingredients. Though their scam often works, it’s attracted the attention of a nefarious English magistrate who wants to see Clarise hung. As they employ their skills in a little Scottish town, the local laird takes Clarise under his protection, but he doesn’t believe she’s a princess.
Robert MacKenzie, the earl of Hepburn, needs to rescue his friend from a vicious officer in the English Army and requires Clarise’s help. After seduction fails, he blackmails her into helping him.
Clarise is a kind, beautiful, compassionate woman who always tries to make other people feel good about themselves.
Robert is stubborn, determined, so single-minded in his objectives, and downright cold at times. Once you learn his back story, however, his calculated coldness makes a lot of sense and you see the honorable man underneath the dark veneer.
My favorite character is Lady Millicent, Robert’s older spinster sister. I loved the way she blossomed into her own woman, gained confidence, and finally started to live her life.
Though Robert got his revenge and I loved the way it happened, I wished the despicable Colonel Ogley would’ve been publicly humiliated and punished for his sins.
There are a few unanswered questions. The most important one, in my opinion, is that Clarise and her sisters went into hiding because people wanted to kill them. By the end of the story, Clarise is no longer “hiding” and it should be very easy for the bad guys to find her, but this isn’t mentioned as if she’s no longer in danger. Also, I found the timeline of the story confusing. The princesses have lived in England for several years, but there are discrepancies as to how long when you compare the number of years to their ages.
The pacing slowed in the middle. There were a few typos but nothing major. I love stories told in multiple POVs—more than just the H/h—but this one sometimes lacked scene breaks to denote the change, which led to confusion. Even so, I really enjoyed it, and I’m anxious to read the next book in the series.
4 Stars
In the neighboring little county of Richarte, a cruel usurper has seized the throne from the rightful prince. He’ll do anything to find and kill the princesses, for the eldest princess and the prince are destined to wed in order to unite the two countries.
In the first book, the middle princess, Clarise, and her younger sister Amy live the lives of peddlers and charlatans. They claim to be exiled princesses to sell face creams made with special “royal” ingredients. Though their scam often works, it’s attracted the attention of a nefarious English magistrate who wants to see Clarise hung. As they employ their skills in a little Scottish town, the local laird takes Clarise under his protection, but he doesn’t believe she’s a princess.
Robert MacKenzie, the earl of Hepburn, needs to rescue his friend from a vicious officer in the English Army and requires Clarise’s help. After seduction fails, he blackmails her into helping him.
Clarise is a kind, beautiful, compassionate woman who always tries to make other people feel good about themselves.
Robert is stubborn, determined, so single-minded in his objectives, and downright cold at times. Once you learn his back story, however, his calculated coldness makes a lot of sense and you see the honorable man underneath the dark veneer.
My favorite character is Lady Millicent, Robert’s older spinster sister. I loved the way she blossomed into her own woman, gained confidence, and finally started to live her life.
Though Robert got his revenge and I loved the way it happened, I wished the despicable Colonel Ogley would’ve been publicly humiliated and punished for his sins.
There are a few unanswered questions. The most important one, in my opinion, is that Clarise and her sisters went into hiding because people wanted to kill them. By the end of the story, Clarise is no longer “hiding” and it should be very easy for the bad guys to find her, but this isn’t mentioned as if she’s no longer in danger. Also, I found the timeline of the story confusing. The princesses have lived in England for several years, but there are discrepancies as to how long when you compare the number of years to their ages.
The pacing slowed in the middle. There were a few typos but nothing major. I love stories told in multiple POVs—more than just the H/h—but this one sometimes lacked scene breaks to denote the change, which led to confusion. Even so, I really enjoyed it, and I’m anxious to read the next book in the series.
4 Stars
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