Title: The Prince Who Loved Me
Series: The Oxenburg Princes
Author: Karen Hawkins
Genre: Historical Romance
A handsome, rakish prince who doesn’t believe in true love meets a stubborn lass who will settle for nothing less…
In a lighthearted retelling of a classic fairy tale, bestselling author Karen Hawkins gives Cinderella a Scottish twist!
Prince Alexsey Romanovin enjoys his carefree life, flirting—and more—with every lovely lady who crosses his path. But when the interfering Grand Duchess Natasha decides it’s time for her grandson to wed, Alexsey finds himself in Scotland, determined to foil her plans. Brainy, bookish, and bespectacled, Bronwyn Murdoch seems the perfect answer—she isn’t at all to the duchess’ taste.
Living at the beck and call of her ambitious stepmother and social butterfly stepsisters, Bronwyn has little time for a handsome flirt—no matter how intoxicating his kisses are. After all, no spoiled, arrogant prince would be seriously interested in a firm-minded female like herself. So . . . wouldn’t it be fun to turn his “game” upside down and prove that an ordinary woman can bring a prince to his knees?
Blurb: Who loves fairy tales? I know I do and I watch them all the time with me niece and they are great. But what’s even better than a fairy tale is a book about one. The Prince Who Loved Me by +Karen Hawkins is about probably the most famous fairy tale of them all, Cinderella.
Bronwyn Murdoch was sitting in her spot. Under a tree in a clearing surrounded by her two dogs, enthralled by the book in her hands. So compelling was Roland, the male character in the book, that when her dogs gave a bark of warning, she raised her head and thought that Roland has stepped outside of his book into the real world.
In order for Prince Aleksey Romanovin to claim his birthright, he must follow the rules of his grandmother, Grand Duchess Natasha. To win his birthright, he must go to Scotland with his grandmother and find a proper bride for a Prince.
Not one who likes to do as he’s told (he’s a Prince, what did she expect), Aleksey is determined to foil her plans by pursuing someone that the Duchess would never approve of. The person who fits the bill for his plan is plain, bookish, bespectacled but independent Bronwyn.
Bronwyn, living the life out of fairy tales, a step-mother and two step sisters, but with a twist, everyone is nice to each other. (Freaky, I know) But that does not stop Bronwyn from having a magical adventure. Upon meeting the Prince, he brought out feelings she only read about in books. Experiencing the real thing compared to books was a giant shock to her system and had Bronwyn doing things that she would never have done normally, like kissing a perfect stranger beneath a tree for instance.
Not liking what the Prince brings out in her, Bronwyn tries to flee, but once Aleksey has something he wants in his sights, he never lets it go.
Never have Aleksey experienced feelings like the ones that his dear Roza (his cute pet name for her) brings out in him. He wants to be a free man to do as he please but there is something about his Roza that makes him want to learn more about her. The meddling from his grandmother and her step-mother does not help things and makes everything complicated,
Can Aleksey go through with his plan to use Roza for his own benefit or would he be caught in the very thing he tries to avoid the most?
I was so excited when I heard that this book was a retelling of the story Cinderella. +Karen Hawkins had me laughing and crying and getting angry at crazy, foolish men who think up RIDCulous ideas in their heads.
If you think this is a classic Cinderella story, you’d be wrong. Their were no fairy god mother’s to help the poor weeping girl to the ball. There was only………….damn, I can’t tell you, I’ll ruin the book for you and I would not want to do that to you my darling readers.
The only problem I have with this books is that Aleksey said that he was going to publicly court Bronwyn, yet for some strange reason, the book never got around to that part.
The shocking installment coming to the end got me. I really did not see that coming. I knew they liked each other, but tho actually have the guts too, hmmmmmmmmm. That really knocked my socks off and no, I’m not talking about the Prince!
The ending was tasteful and even though it had all the I love you’s and the kissing, I was not grossed out by it, I read it over and over again and each time I had tears in my eyes. Bravo!
I loved this book and can’t wait for the next installment in The Oxenburg Princes. The other two brothers are sure going to be fun. One is next in line for the throne (the oldest) and the other is a military man (the second oldest). So since it started with the youngest and went on the the second youngest, I’m guessing the second oldest is next?
Then again, I could be wrong, I just have to wait and find out. YEAH!
Thoughts: THIS WAS EPIC
Grade: A+
