I love historical fiction, especially when they are done
well. I admit that I have a secret passion for historical romance that I don't
often indulge in. Why? Who knows! It just isn't something that I actively seek
out for some reason, but I’m so glad that I had a chance to review The Wild
Princess by Mary Hart Perry.
Here's the synopsis on Goodreads:
The astronomical success of the historical novels of Phillipa Gregory
and Christine Trent prove that readers simply can't get enough of the British
royals--and now Mary Hart Perry enters the fray with an exciting, deliciously
sensual novel of Queen Victoria's "wild child" daughter, the Princess
Louise. The Wild Princess transports us back to Victorian England and plunges
us into the intrigues of the royal court, where the impetuous Louise brazenly
followed no one's rules but her own--even marrying a commoner, which no one of
royal blood had done in the previous three centuries. Filled with rich period
deal, The Wild Princess is an exciting, enthralling read. The Tudors have
gotten the lion's share of attention in historical fiction; it's high time
Queen Victoria and her family got their due.
Now the only thing I would contradict about this synopsis is
the title of historical fiction. I think they need to include the word romance
in there somewhere because if you are a reader thinking you are going to just
read a straight story about Queen Victoria, you'll be upset. This is really a
historical romance and one that is very well done!
Based on the life of Princess Louise, The Wild Princess
reveals a sweet character that has already seen more than her fair share of
trouble. After surviving a terrible scandal, Louise longs for a happy marriage
in the arms of her new husband, Lorne. He's a handsome man and fits into her
mother's idea of the perfect match. Oh, did I forget to mention that her mom is
the formidable, no nonsense Queen Victoria? The problem is that even though
Lorne is a good looking man with money of his own, he isn't exactly known for
his relationships with women. In fact, he doesn't have any romantic relationships with women. Why? Let's just say
that he's a big supporter of Oscar Wilde!
So what's a girl to do when she discovers that her husband
would rather be hanging out with the guys at his club? Princess Louise throws
herself into charity work and causes that support women's rights. That is until
she meets Stephen Byrne, a rugged American from Texas who is supposed to be
helping track assassination attempts on her mother. When she meets him, the
sparks fly and we discover exactly why Louise has the title of "the wild
princess."
I liked the story a great deal. The characters were fun and
well developed, and the plot flowed so easily that it was hard to put the book
down. I loved the character of Louise
and the mix of history in the story. This is such an interesting time period,
and the author really captured the look and feel of it. There are some fun, if
predictable plot twists, but to me, some of the best scenes were the ones where
the two main characters got to consummate their passion. Here's why: typically,
sex scenes in romances like this one are graphic and drawn out. These scenes
were intimate and detailed, but not over the top with a bunch of erotic mumbo
jumbo. I also kept wondering how the author would resolve the love story in the
end. After all, this is Victorian England! Royals can get divorced all they
want now (thank you, Charles and Di), but back in the day, it was pretty taboo.
Unless, of course, you were Henry VIII and then all bets are off! In short, the
ending was satisfying and I felt like the story was complete.
Check out The Wild Princess! It's a great summer read! Here are the buy links and more info about the author.
Amazon code for The Wild Princess:
Mary Hart Perry Online:
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