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.
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Since my high school days, I have loved Regency romances. In my quest to read as much Regency romances as possible, I went through Avon's list of authors like my life was ending. One of the fabulous jewels I discovered was Julia London. It's been some time since I've read her books and she has an impressive backlist that you should definitely check out here.
In this fairly new series, Julia combines princes and starcrossed lovers. Eliza Tricklebank is unlike other ladies in her social class. She's smart and enjoys her singlehood after a past mistake marks her as unsuitable for marriage. Chastened by her past experience, Eliza lives with her father, a Justice or Judge for Her Majesty's court. I really liked the judge. He was a refreshing character. Despite being blind, he is wise to the antics of his daughters. Compared to the other men of this era, he is quite a progressive Feminist, but also a rational man. The women of the Tricklebank family are well educated and outspoken with their opinions and forge their own paths in life, in spite of society's dictates. I love this sort of female lead the most. Back to the story, the plot overall was good but somewhat predictable.
After a chance encounter with Prince Sebastian at a masquerade ball, Eliza thought she'd never see the Prince again. Unfortunately, after his aide was found murdered, the Judge receives an anonymous note in the post about the murder and a potential suspect. Eliza and her sister, Hollis, who runs her late husband's gazette, publish a piece of speculation about the murder's identity. This catches the eye of Prince Sebastian. In an unorthodox move, the prince goes undercover to discover who the murderer is. The second (or was it third?) meeting with the Prince ended in spectacular fashion. Rather than dialing back his royal attitude, Prince Seb makes a jerk of himself and not in a good way. Realizing he'll get more results with honey than with vinegar, Prince Seb apologizes for his boarish behavior and Eliza offers him advice and a sympathetic ear. The pair grow closer, but the pressure of continuing the royal line and the success of the trade agreement rests on Prince Seb's shoulders. What does he do?
On another note, Eliza, Hollis, and Caroline are a hoot. I love the love and friendship between the ladies. I am curious to read the second book in the series, which is featuring Caroline and the Second Prince of Alucia.
4 stars
About the Author
Julia London is an NYT, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance. She is a six-time finalist for the RITA Award of excellence in romantic fiction and the recipient of RT Bookclub's Best Historical Novel.
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