"Lively Entertaining Historical"

Deciding to attack the closed carriage traveling along the road near Glen Abbey Ian MacEwen was not aware of how that decision would alter his life. Inside the coach he would find a near replica of himself who obviously had to be his brother. He quickly decided to take his place, switching clothes and continue travel to London to discover answers to the obvious secrets of his heritage. There he would discover some very important facts. One, he was hailed as the 'errant prince' returned home and opening up the question of "why" his brother had run away in the first place. Secondly he would discover his personal destiny in the form of the fearless taciturn but beautiful, green- eyed Lady Claire Wentworth.

Lady Claire was not impressed with the stranger who had nearly run her down on the streets of London. Well, actually she was impressed but certainly didn't need the distraction he posed as she was desperately trying to raise needed funds to ransom her brother from kidnappers before they made good on their promise to kill him if she did not comply. At the time she did not know she was in the company of an 'impostor prince'. For that matter, and at the time, even Ian didn't know that he'd assumed the life of Merrick, the Royal Crown Prince of Meridian. Neither would realize at the time how fortuitous their meeting would prove to be for both of them.

*** This was a very engaging light hearted and adventuresome novel. Ian had grown up alone with mother at Glen Abbey, once a prosperous village now teetered on the brink of ruin with the tenants trying to eke out a living. He'd turned to thievery in order to buy the food and the barest necessities they desperately needed to survive. Discovering what had to be his brother, living such a lavishly full life filled with so much privilege and waste when his people were dying drove him to make a quick decision to discover the truth of his lineage and confront the man who must be his father.

Claire turned out to be the perfect foil to fall into place in Ian/Merrick's plans. When summoned by his 'father' and informed that he must choose a bride, Ian posing as Merrick, convinced Claire to help him by pretending to be his loving betrothed and promising her the funds he knew she was in desperate need of thereby giving him the time he needed to ferret out the truth behind the cover-up of his life.

Utilizing a lively pace and dialogs along with a well developed parallel plot of Claire's brother's kidnapping will keep the reader more than adequately entertained. Having not read the prequel to this (published three years earlier) it is with reservations to say the book can stand alone as I felt the ending was wrapped up rather quickly and introducing characters from the prequel that I'd no knowledge of up to that point. Aside from that, you're in for a treat of delightful scenes to savor with the sensuality, the sweet love story, along with the 'treasured gift' Ian gave Claire when in his 'cups'. For those looking for a light entertaining love story with a tad of intrigue than this is surely the book for you.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
Posted February 21, 2007