Seducing
the Princess by Mary
Hart Perry
Mary Hart Perry’s acclaimed series of romantic Victorian thrillers continues
with Seducing the Princess, inspired by the life of Queen
Victoria’s youngest daughter Beatrice. Painfully shy and lonely, convinced
she is unattractive and unloved, the dutiful Princess Beatrice finally accepts
that she will never marry and vows to devote herself to the queen in Victoria's
waning years. In fact, her mother has secretly discouraged suitors for
Beatrice’s hand. Just when Beatrice has all but given up on love and happiness,
she meets Henry Battenberg, a dashing nobleman from the Continent who matches
wits with the aging Victoria and risks his life and liberty to woo Bea.
But Henry isn't the only man interested in being welcomed into Beatrice's
bed. The timid princess has become the target of a cruel plot hatched by
her nephew, the madman destined to become the last Emperor of Germany. Wilhelm
II sends a ruthless agent, a charming Scot, to seduce the naive princess and
spy on the queen. How can the sheltered princess hope to fend off a man capable
of murder, and perhaps worse, to get what he wants? But Beatrice is not without
her own allies--her older sister Louise and Louise's American
soldier-of-fortune and lover, Stephen Byrne. Will Beatrice discover which of
the two men pursuing her she can trust, before it's too late? Drama, romance
and peril chase the royal family from Buckingham Palace to a storm besieged
castle on the Isle of Wight.
Beatrice aka Baby is her youngest and she's the daughter that seems to be most like to stay unwed at her mother's side.
You couldn't help but feel sorry for her, as all of her other siblings have grown to have lives of their own and relationships be they good or bad. And when she does find love her mother forbids her from seeing him.
Geeze!
Poor Beatrice!
What I love about these books are how well researched they are. When I read any historical novel, I find myself googling things and in the case of these books, I find a lot of accuracy when it comes to the lives of Victoria and her royal children. I'm surprised there isn't more historical fiction about Victoria and her children are really intriguing people and Mary Hart Perry really brings them to life for her readers. I loved Louise in the first book, and I still loved her in this one. She's spunky and full of life which seems like a total contrast to Beatrice.
It was nice to see how the author imagined Beatrice falling in love with Henry and when you realize what this princess must have dealt with to be able to finally walk down the aisle, you're so happy for her, even if she must stay in England with her mother.
I love how she weaved the fictional part of the story in, and how well it fit with the times. Go on, google her Grandchild Wilheim.
The added villainy of Victoria's grandchild and the plot he hatches really make this a great read. I can't wait to read Crown Princess Vicky's story
Rating: 5 flowers
BIO:
Kathryn Johnson lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and two
feline writing partners, Tempest and Miranda. The author of over 40 novels,
she's written under her own name and a variety of pen names, including Mary
Hart Perry, Kathryn Jensen, KM Kimball and Nicole Davidson. She also teaches
fiction-writing workshops for the renowned Writer's Center in Bethesda,
Maryland. And, in 2008, she founded Write by You (www.WriteByYou.com), to coach other writers interested in reaching
publication. She has been nominated for the prestigious Agatha Christy Award,
and won the Heart of Excellence and Bookseller's Best Awards (sponsored by the
Romance Writers of America) in 2011.
Her works in progress include a series of Victorian thrillers inspired by the
lives of Queen Victoria's five daughters. The first novel, The
Wild Princess, focuses on Princess Louise, who desperately wanted an
education as a professional artist, at a time when women were not admitted into
art schools. Her personal life becomes complicated when she uncovers a secret
about her husband and must help protect her mother from an assassination
attempt. The second book of the series,Seducing the Princess, launches
April 2, 2013, and features Victoria’s youngest daughter
Beatrice. Painfully shy and lonely, the dutiful
Princess has promised never to marry and to devote herself to the queen in Victoria's
waning years. Just when she has all but given up on love and happiness, she
meets Henry Battenberg, a dashing nobleman from the Continent who risks his
life and liberty to woo Bea and save both his beloved and the queen from a
cruel plot. A third novel, to be published later in 2013, will star Crown
Princess Vicky.
ONLINE LINKS:
Facebook:
Twitter: @Mary_Hart_Perry
and @KathrynKJohnson
Goodreads: Come find me as Mary Hart Perry
