Once A Princess

Once A Princess By Johanna Lindsey

Publisher’s Description:

Once Upon A Time…

In a rustic Mississippi tavern, a beautiful exiled princess was forced to dance for the pleasure of others—unaware of her regal birthright…and infuriated by a magnificent golden-eyed devil who crossed an ocean to possess her.

From A Far Off Land…

A bold and brazen prince came to America to claim his promised bride.  But the spirited vixen spurned his affections while inflaming his royal blood with passion’s fire…impelling virile Stefan Barany to take in sensuous and searing conquest the love Tatiana vowed never to yield.

Ratings:

(1=unacceptable, 2=poor, 3=acceptable, 4=good, 5=excellent)

Continuity/Flow – 4

While the introduction of new characters to the story seems sudden at times, the overall flow of the book is well paced and keeps the reader interested throughout.  There are no divergences from the main storyline.

Sex – 4

The sex scenes in the book are kept discreet and without a great deal of over detailing that some authors tend to reach for in Historical Period Romance.  The only thing that keeps this from being a 5 is the number of sex scenes in the book, which does seem to be a high number.

Language – 2

As the heroine of the book was raised a tavern wench it is to be expected that she will use rough language.  However, she is not the main contributor to the use of foul language in this book.  That would be the “gently” raised hero and his friends, who cannot seem to make it through a chapter without using some filthy word or another.

Storyline – 4

With a hint of mystery, a hint of danger, and a great deal of humor, the storyline is refreshing and well plotted.  There are only a few instances where the reader wants to groan aloud when certain details are hashed and rehashed continually in order to advance the story.

Historical Accuracy – 5

The country of Cardinia is fictionalized, but the details surrounding the Russian/Prussian occupation of Poland, the Ottoman Empire’s control of the Black Sea, and the political balancing act that was Eastern Europe in the years after Napoleon’s defeat are verified and accurate.

Overall – 4

The book was enjoyable, accurate and well paced.  I could have done without the use of excessive language, but, as stated above, I understand the need to use some of it to display the heroine’s rough upbringing.  The sex scenes are used well to move the romance in the story along.  I would definitely recommend this book.

Rant:

My sole frustration with this book lay in the fact that the hero and the heroine were so wise when it came to seeing nuances and details everywhere but in each other.  Even the hero’s friends saw the truth about the heroine before he did.

Rave:

I absolutely, unequivocally loved the interplay between the hero and the various people in his life.  From the camaraderie between him and his friends, to the mutual respect that is evident between him and the Prime Minister, and right down to the devotion and love he clearly feels toward his father.  Even his dealings with his mistress show a man that feels deeply for all of those in his life.