Protected by the Prince

The Weight of the Crown #1

by Annie West

Prince Alaric of Ruvingia is as wild and untamed as the remote kingdom he rules. Women fight to warm his royal bed, but he ensures that none outstays her welcome. Then reserved, bespectacled archivist Tamsin Connors uncovers a shocking state secret....

Now Tamsin has Alaric's undivided attention--and he finds himself drawn to her burgeoning purity! Duty demands only a temporary arrangement...but soon their powerful passion is enough to fuel a lifetime's love....

Genres: Harlequin, Romance, Harlequin Presents, Contemporary Romance, Hqn, Novels, Fiction

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Hello! I love writing passionate, intense love stories about sexy alpha men and the women who are their perfect match. Look out for my books with Harlequin (Presents) or Mills & Boon (Modern/Sexy) and for my indie stories, full of passion and intense emotion with a touch of glamour. My latest stories are my Hot Italian Nights series including 'Bound to the Italian Boss' June '17, 'The Italian's Bold Reckoning' July '17, 'At the Italian's Bidding' August '17 and 'Falling for the Brooding Italian' September '17.
Yes, I do like a dark, handsome hero!

You can catch up with my news at www.annie-west.com (where you can also sign up for my exclusive reader newsletter with giveaways and behind the scenes info). I'm on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/anniewest.au... and I adore hearing from readers. You can also contact me at annie(at)annie-west(dot)com

I live with my family at beautiful Lake Macquarie on the east Coast of Australia and my favourite things when not writing are good food, good company, great books, getting outside in nature and travel.

Bookwise, I'm a multi USA Today bestselling author with millions of books sold, in English as well as in lots of other languages. I've won the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award and the Romantic Book of the Year (Romance Writers of Australia). One of my favourite review quotes is from Romantic Times which said in its review of The Sheikh's Ransomed Bride 'This is what a love story could be.'.

Reviews

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie West couldn't write a bad book if she tried. Because of that, I have high expectations. Also, I messed up. I read Prince of Scandal first, and I loved that so much. I am not big on the modern royalty theme, but she made me buy in hook, line and sinker with that book. So that's why I didn't like this one as much. I just didn't connect to Alaric as much as I did with his cousin Raul. Alaric seemed more, I don't know if callous is the word... I did feel sympathy for his journey and his losses, but I felt that he didn't show the sensitivity that Tamsin needed. At the end of the day, I felt that Tamsin was too good for him.

Maybe it's because Tamsin had some serious self-esteem issues, and she was sort of a
'babe in the woods'. I kind of felt like she was in over her head and he was manipulating her. That's what was off about this book.

Also, he's too much of a rich playboy type for me. I'm not saying he wouldn't make a good ruler. I just think that he has some character development he needs to do. Maybe Tamsin will be good for him, tempering out his tendency to be impulsive and wild in his emotions. I did like the proposal scene and the ending. That was quite romantic.

For a reader who likes the Cinderella theme, the normal heroine who gets swept off her feet by an experienced, wordly prince, this book will probably be very enjoyable. It's well-written, with good atmosphere, sexual tension and love scenes, a vulnerable, likable heroine, and a nice dose of angst. That's why I gave it four stars even though Alaric didn't quite catch me as a hero.

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protected by the Prince is a prequel to Prince of Scandal and it is also pretty decent. Prince Alaric was the second-child, always made to feel in-adequate and certain events that happened when he was in the army and his elder brother's death clinched it. He doesn't consider himself worthy. Tamsyn is scholarly and she is working on some research and also recovering from having her heart-broken by a man who used her intelligence to move forward in life. Tamsyn was born to older parents who never really had time for her and hence she found solace in books and work. Though she is young she dresses up primly. She comes to the palace to meet Prince Alaric with an explosive revelation, he may be the King and not his cousin. Alaric is alarmed and scared. He does not want to be the king but agrees a closer investigation is required. He also decides to keep a closer eye on her, like all typical HP's he's arrogant and tries to seduce Tamsyn, but the tables are turned on him and in the end he pays for his duplicity. I liked the book, the end was well done.

Rating: 3.5

[Isa Centeno · Rating 3 out of 5]

El epílogo brilla por su ausencia

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

NOTE: If you are a fan of series romance in general, you and I probably have VERY different tastes in our leisure reading, and you subsequently probably won't like this review. Sorry. No offense intended.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I even tried to read this, but after enjoying the discussion of the novel on some of my favorite archivist blogs (e.g. here), I thought it would be fun, the way the theologian and historian in me finds Dan Brown novels fun.

And maybe it would have been, if I could have gotten past the painfully cliched style. But I just couldn't force myself to keep reading. I am having a difficult time describing how bad the writing was without resorting to profanity. Apparently there is a market for this kind of writing, but that fact, too, boggles the mind.

It's too bad, because I think I would have enjoyed joining in the mockery of the inept depiction of the archival profession and the ludicrous implausibility of the fictional principality, but it just wasn't worth enduring the purple prose to get there. Really, the fact that something this astonishingly bad managed to get published should be a source of hope (and/or possibly despair, depending on how you look at it) to aspiring writers everywhere.

For all that, this book has not failed to make a positive cultural contribution, for without it we might not have the perplexing phrase "burgeoning purity" in our descriptive lexicon, nor enjoy the lolcats version of the story.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm kind of flummoxed about exactly how to rate this. I didn't read it with any expectations other than its amusement factor (which is very high), but as an actual book it's your standard Harlequin-bad, what with the horrid grammar and the burgeoning purity.

Nothin' new here in the world of Archivist Tamsin and Prince Alric (of Ruvingia!). It's a lightning-fast read, and it racked up the following standard plot points:

- Both main characters are super-sensitive about bad stuff that happened in their pasts, to the point where it affects their current relationships. The guy's baggage I actually understand, but Tamsin's is kind of stupid, I thought.

- Tamsin is a dowdy archivist (or curator?) with horrible clothes and thick glasses (that she doesn't actually need, apparently) - but underneath those dreary duds, she's smokin' hot! Yes, there's a makeover scene in this book, them's the rules.

- Alric is super-experienced with the ladies, and Tamsin is a virgin (and then eventually an ex-virgin)! Luckily, she's just as annoyed with Alric as I was upon his "OMG I STOLE YOUR PURITY" freakout.

- SUPER SECRET DOCUMENTS! Tamsin is (I guess) an archivist, and those documents prove that the royal lineage has been majorly messed up since forever. Cue agonizing about marrying above/below one's station. Also, I totally thought that something was going to happen with the documents and Tamsin's slimy ex that would have affected the plot at some point, but no. This was entirely about turgid romantical encounters, manipulation, misunderstandings, and eventually love conquers all!

- KIDNAPPING. Only it's more like, I'm going to take you to my secret love shack and then not let you leave, because that's not creepy or manipulative at all. But all my ancestors were kidnappers, so it's cool, baby.

- Rocks fall, everyone dies. Okay, nobody dies. But there IS an epic avalanche deus ex machina for bonus hilarity points.

[Nas Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROTECTED BY THE PRINCE by author Annie West is a royal story with sleigh rides in snow. It's a Cinderella and Prince story with it's own unique twist!

Prince Alaric of Ruvingia is as wild and untamed as the remote kingdom he rules. Women fight to warm his royal bed, but he ensures that none outstays her welcome. Then reserved, bespectacled archivist Tamsin Connors uncovers a shocking state secret....

Now Tamsin has Alaric's undivided attention--and he finds himself drawn to her burgeoning purity! Duty demands only a temporary arrangement...but soon their powerful passion is enough to fuel a lifetime's love!

It was a very good escape to the Kingdom of Prince Alaric. Tension enhanced from page one. I enjoyed reading it because I love a tortured hero and Alaric is that. Tamsin is a Cinderella, who blossoms under Alaric's attention. This story was full of twists and turns and was a great!

It was a very good escape to the Kingdom of Prince Alaric. Tension enhanced from page one.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahem. Yes, it is true. I made my first (and possibly not last) foray into the hot, sweaty, how-many-different-euphemisms-can-I-fit-into-one-sentence world of a Harlequin romance novel. Why you may ask? Well, this novel in particular was all over my listservs and blogs....for archivists! The main heroine of this little ditty is an uptight, frumpy-frock wearing archivist who is seduced and romanced by a hottie-mc-hot prince. Yes, I know what you are thinking, "how true to life this tale must be" (please note sarcasm). While the plot line was much to be desired, and the general description of Tasmin's profession as an archivist was very disappointing and stereotypical, I enjoyed delving into this mindless teaser. It was definitely a nice Spring break distraction from the craziness and stress of my every day.

[Destiny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this while I was waiting in the doctor's office. I quite ignored the fact that I already had a book I was supposed to be reading. But then that's how I roll.

I liked the premise of the book. Plus the I quite liked the name Tasmin. Tasmin herself was pretty interesting and I found myself wanting to know more about her childhood because of a line. I liked Alaric, but his name though. Maybe it's because of recent events online, but the name just wasn't doing it for me. I liked him fine, but his name though. I cringed everytime I read it, but that's not the author's fault. Just personal taste on my part.

Some of the lines were a bit cheesy. Normally I can ignore this and if I'm being honest, I like certain cheesy lines. But these seemed like a bit much for me.

All in all I give the book 3 stars. I enjoyed it, but I thought it could have been better.

[Summerita Rhayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the story of Cinderella with a slightly damaged Prince. Anne West is impeccable in world building. Throughout it was an interesting reading. The end didn't quite cut it for me. I don't like it when authors make hints about next story in the series. That's because the build up takes the spotlight off that book's characters. All in all, it was an enjoyable, sensual romance with fairytale overtones.

[Mombo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I really hated the main characters names. Alaric? Tamsin? What the? As far as princes go, Alaric turned out to be one of the more likeable ones despite all the power he wields. Tamsin was just too naive for me especially when she thinks she can have a no-strings relationship. How many times have we heard that before? V.predictable ending but enjoyable nonetheless.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a tortured hero and Alric is just that and Tamsin is a real Cinderella. I loved this book so well written with twists and turns great story

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Heroine was so annoying, I wanted to slap her.

[Fabiola Chenet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Réédition

Héros très sympathiques et intéressants. Histoire très jolie. Belle HEA.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Women are not rehabilitation centers for broken men. This is the worst book I have ever read.

[F3t · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saat seorang wanita kutu buku menyodorkan kemungkinan baru mengenai sejarah dan rahasia kerajaan yang sangat penting, Pangeran Alaric membuatnya bekerja dalam pengawasan dan mempunyai alasan tersendiri untuk membuat wanita tersebut tidak bisa menjauh dari dirinya.
.
Tamsin Connor mempunyai rasa percaya diri yang rendah terhadap hubungan percintaan, menurutnya buku-buku lebih mudah menjadi tumpuan dan pegangan hidupnya. Jauh berbeda dengan Pangeran Alaric yang sudah terkenal piawai dalam hubungan tersebut. Namun, sebagaimana hal yang bisa ditebak, keduanya terikat dalam peran yang baru.
.
Seandainya buku lebih menambahkan segi politiknya pasti akan lebih menarik. Dengan 344 halaman, hampir setiap bab dari tengah hingga akhir merupakan pengulangan tentang kekaguman antara kedua tokoh utama. Akhir yang klise dan cepat pun membuat buku ini sangat mudah untuk dilupakan. Sisi romansa lebih ditonjolkan dan tidak terlalu banyak pemotongan adegan (yaaaa, kalian tahulah). Dari tengah cerita, penulis sudah mengisyaratkan tentang pilihan akhir sang tokoh utama, yang bila bisa ditangkap dengan mudah akan sangat mengganggu, karena tidak ada kejutan pada akhir cerita. Saya juga kurang suka dengan pemilihan kover buku, yang sebenarnya tidak sesuai deskripsi tokoh. Sayang sekali.

[Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leído el 01/12/2011

[Elgyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hrdina se „saténovou kůží“? No vida.

s. 7 zrušit.“ zlehka
s. 59 zapřísáhl ?
s. 136 se zlomenou klíčí kostí
ji/jí - s. 10, 73 (2x)

[Pauline Destinugrainy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ide ceritanya menarik. Tapi mungkin karena terjemahannya atau karena minim dialog jadinya agak membosankan.
Btw nama heroinenya unik. Tamsin Connors :)

[Fanny Roswita Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Termasuk buku yg tebel utk kategori HQ, tapi alurnya sangat dapat. Apalagi diawal2, cara interaksi hero dan heroine-nya sangat lucu. Lumayan lah

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. I liked the heroine’s job, it was very outside of the circle of normal royal romances. Hero was cool, if not a bit manipulative. Read it.

[Juwita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy it when I read this book. 3 🌟 because of the problem of the character is not solved until the end, so I don't get the point. Sorry 💔

[Ptiteaurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorsque je suis allée fin décembre sur Paris aux Harlequeen Days, j'ai eu l'immense plaisir d'avoir en cadeau ce vrai calendrier et j'avais donc hâte de découvrir quelles histoires et quels héros se cachaient derrière ce premier mois. Janvier commence donc très bien avec une romance Harlequin comme je les aime. Certains diront que les ficelles sont trop grosses et qu'on sait très bien où on va finir mais j'ai tout de même apprécié ce délicieux moment de lecture.

On découvre en premier lieu Tamsin Connors , une jeune femme de 25 ans qui vit sa passion en travaillant en tant que spécialiste de vieux livres. De ce fait, elle a fait une découverte d'un texte très important qui pourrait bien révolutionner le royaume de Maritz. Tout au long du roman, on voit à quelle point elle est impliquée dans son travail qui est un véritable refuge . Elle se cache derrière ses recherches, ses découvertes, ses traductions pour fuir un passé où elle a été profondément blessée. Sa confiance en elle a été réduite à néant et elle ne parvient pas à se reconstruire sentimentalement parlant. Ce que j'ai aimé dans ce personnage c'est son aspect bivalent : d'un côté , on voit en elle ce rat de bibliothèque, un peu coincé , peu féminine mais d'un autre côté , elle peut être passionnée et vivre pleinement des choses quand elle aime. J'ai donc aimé chez elle sa force et sa fragilité et sa rencontre avec le prince Alaric de Rovingie risque bien de chambouler son quotidien si rodé. Tamsin c'est un peu Cendrillon des temps modernes. Elle peut se transformer en un coup de baguette magique en superbe femme qui brille en société mais attention à quand sonnera minuit, le réveil pourrait être brutal. Parviendra t-elle à accomplir sa mission jusqu'au bout? Pourra t-elle obtenir la confiance d'Alaric? Saura t-elle ouvrir son coeur à nouveau au risque de le voir définitivement brisé?

Alaric de Rovingie a tout du play boy de pacotille. Lorsqu'on lit les premières lignes de ce roman, on s'imagine un homme à femmes qui passe de conquêtes en conquêtes . Mais Alaric est loin d'être un personnage creux et insipide. On sent dès le début chez lui un passé aux lourdes conséquences. Il y a chez lui un côté très sombre et une noirceur qui devient très vite évidente. Au fil de notre lecture, on constate qu'Alaric supporte sur ses frêles épaules une pression familiale incroyable. La culpabilité de ses actes passés, la peur d'un futur à honorer chamboule complétement le jeune homme. Alors oui il aime jouer de ses charmes avec les femmes mais telle n'est pas sa surprise quand il fait face à une femme pas comme les autres en la personne de Tamsin. Elle n'est pas insensible à son charme mais contrairement aux autres, elle ne recherche ni sa gloire, ni sa fortune , ni son statut. Elle est elle même tout simplement mais peut il pour autant lui faire confiance? Il va donc se lancer dans un jeu dont il n'est plus la maître et les conséquences pourraient être désastreuses sur bien des points. Le Prince Alaric va t-il monter sur son cheval blanc pour sauver sa propre princesse? Va t-il sortir de sa tour d'ivoire et affronter ses démons?

Bref Annie West a su créer un univers féérique digne des contes de fées. Le prince est à tomber, la princesse est à sauver . Les scènes nous font au fur et à mesure succomber aux charmes de cette jolie romance.

[Angelana Jolicoeur · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting

[Brigitte Alouqua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je dois avouer que je suis un peu en retard sur le calendrier lol nous ne sommes plus vraiment en Janvier, mais rien n'empêche de lire cette aventure du Prince Alaric un autre mois de l'année, n'est-ce pas ?

Tamsin est archiviste, et au cours de ses recherches, elle va faire une découverte qui risque de tout changer pour le beau Prince Alaric.

Mais notre beau Prince, lui, ne veut pas monter sur le trône en tant que roi, son statut lui convient et il ne veux pas se sentir obligé d'assumer la sécurité de tout un peuple.

Alaric va aller jusqu'à faire mener une enquête sur Tamsin, il va également mettre les bouchées double pour que ces documents ne soient pas divulgués, ils vont être enfermés et seule une autorisation du Prince permettra à quiconque de les consulter.

Au fil des jour, des semaines, un sentiment troublant va grandir, que ce soit pour Tamsin ou pour le Prince, ils se sentent attirés l'un par l'autre. Tamsin qui a eu une mauvaise expérience, ne veut plus se permettre d'aimer, Alaric est "allergique" à l'amour.

Quel secret cache le beau Prince ? Quelle chose (horrible ?) de son passé le fait encore souffrir aujourd'hui ? Pourquoi cette méfiance et cette réticence à monter sur le trône ?

Nos deux âmes en peines réussiront-elles à surmonter leurs souffrances ?

Une jolie romance sur fond de royauté, de souffrance, mais que j'ai aimé lire et qui m'a fait passer un très bon moment.

[Laura Boon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed USA Today best selling author Annie West's deliciously naughty and extremely nice romance PROTECTED BY THE PRINCE. A contemporary European prince clashes with a smart, modern and independent Australian women. Annie West draws a wonderful portrait of two wounded but independent souls getting to know each other and discovering that passion – and love – can not only exist but flourish with the person you were least likely to pick as compatible.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean...this wasn't a great story I was personally hoping for but it had the right elements. The angst and the dialogue shared between the characters stirred something inside my chest. I felt horrible when Tamsin was insecure about how she looked but Prince Alaric did a great job at reassuring her. Who knows??? Read this book if you're looking for a virgin romance and a Prince who likes girls are super smart and who likes wearing baggy clothes.

[RomLibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prince Alaric of Ruvingia is as wild and untamed as the remote kingdom he rules. Women fight to warm his royal bed, but he ensures that none outstays her welcome. Then reserved, bespectacled archivist Tamsin Connors uncovers a shocking state secret....Now Tamsin has Alaric's undivided attention--and he finds himself drawn to her burgeoning purity! Duty demands only a temporary arrangement...but soon their powerful passion is enough to fuel a lifetime's love.

[Apricity · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought Tamsin would have spunk like Luisa from Prince of Scandal but honestly she was just a simpering chit.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: The Weight of the Crown

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: The Weight of the Crown