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The Princess by Wendy Holden – a Review

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The Princess by Wendy Holden – a Review

 

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Description:
Britain, 1961: A bouncing blond baby is born to Viscount Althorp, heir to the Spencer earldom, and his wife Frances. Diana grows up amid the fallout of her parents’ messy divorce. She struggles at school. Moving to London, she takes menial jobs as a cleaner and nanny. Her refuge throughout is romantic novels. She dreams of falling in love and being rescued by a handsome prince.

In royal circles, there is concern about the Prince of Wales. Nearly 30, Charles remains unmarried; the right girl needs to be found, and fast. She must be young, aristocratic and come to the royal family without any past liaisons.

The eighteen-year-old Diana Spencer is just about the only candidate. Her desperation to be loved dovetails perfectly with royal desperation for a bride. But as the ruthless Palace machine starts up, there are challenges for Diana to face plus mysteries she can’t fathom, from the strangeness of life within the palace walls to a certain Mrs. Parker Bowles. Can her romantic dream survive the forces that shape her into a global icon?

 

 

Review:

The Princess by Wendy Holden is the 3rd book in her Royal Outsiders series.  I have not read the previous two books, but wanted to read about Princess Diana during her early years until she married Prince Charles. This was a very good historical fiction of Diana Spencer’s life at a private school, being lonely, and a lover of romance novels; which will eventually lead as she gets older, to being recruited to become the wife of Prince Charles.

We meet Diana who attends a boarding school, and connects with Sandy, a quiet and underprivileged girl, who has no friends. In a short time, Diana and Sandy will become best friends, and Diana brings Sandy (who is an orphan) to her home during the holidays.  With her parents being divorced, Diana is lonely, and it is Sandy (early on), as well as other friends at a private school, who she makes feel important. Her older friends tease her, as she is totally a romantic, always dreaming of falling in love with a handsome prince.

The Royal family is determined for Prince Charles to marry soon, as he as now 30 years old, and they need to find the right girl for him; the girl has to be young, aristocratic, with no previous liaisons. Charles is not interested in anyone, other than Camilla Parker Bowles (his mistress), but the royal family wants a sweet innocent young lady.  The Queen Mother and Prince Phillip, with help from Stephen Barry (Charles Valet) to work together to arrange Diana Spencer (18 years old), who comes across as a perfect candidate.

Once Diana met Charles, she immediately fell in love with him, since she always believed in love.  But, on occasion, she will be invited to events and fall all over Charles, who was really not interested; especially since he was 30, and Diana was only 18. Though Diana spends time with the royal family, especially the Queen Mother, she still felt her love for Charles; ignoring his constant travelling and being away a lot, not to mention his indifference, and eventually his relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles.

In 1992, years after her marriage to Prince Charles, Diana sees her old friend Sandy, and together she discusses her life as the Princess of Wales; and how the royal family was truly behind pushing Charles to marry Diana, and how her life was not what she thought it would be.

The Princess was very well written by Wendy Holden, giving us historical look at how Diana came to be The Princess of Wales.  This was destined to be an ill-fated marriage, filled with our knowledge, sadness and sympathy for Diana.  Early on, Diana was very naïve, as she always dreamed of a fairy tale with a Prince.  Holden gave us a beautiful and sympathetic portrait of everyone’s memory of the People’s Princess. I really enjoyed this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Princess by M.A. Abraham – Review & Anniversary Celebration Giveaways

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The Princess by M.A. Abraham – Review & Anniversary Celebration Giveaways

 

 

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Description:
Serena has escaped from her father’s control. She will not be held captive, not by a father who would mate her to one of his prime Dragon shifters, not even if the man is an Elven Prince.

Thieron returns to his home from a mission, only to find out that he has to go out again. This is not what he had planned, and he is not happy about having to change those plans. Not for a spoiled Elven Princess who won’t listen to reason.

They are both surprised, when they meet face to face to find that they are life mates, but it is never that simple with a Light Elven maiden

 

 

 

Review:

The Princess by M.A. Abraham is the 2nd book in her Guardians of the Empire series. The Princess is set in the same world as Abraham’s wonderful Elven Chronicles series, with this taking place long after the finale, and with a different set of characters.  When that series ended, all surviving humans were granted a land called The Valley, where they were able to live prosperous and in peace.   Over the years, these humans did not remember the Elves, who were hidden and unseen in their portal.  In the first book, we met the Guardians of the Empire, with Chania and Daeron as our heroine/hero. 

The Princess begins with Thieron, the right hand man of King Gerolth being sent to find the King’s daughter, Serena, Chania’s sister and our heroine in this book. When Thieron goes to the Valley, he is stymied by the young and older elves, who are protecting the whereabouts of Serena.  Serena and Chania are having fun and neither wants to go home. When he finally finds Serena, to his shock, he sees she is his lifemate.  From there on in, Thieron will follow Serena to protect her, as will his brother Daeron (who follows Chania), as they return to the Valley with King Gerolth, who is looking at caves that can fit all of these huge Dragon shifters.    But soon they will meet with the Valley King, Britallia, and others to prepare for another possible attack on the Valley.

Another side story surrounds the enemy from the first book, who plan another attack.  Evart, one of the princes, helps his sister, Sonja escape.  She has been kept hidden from his father and brothers, as woman are looked down on and easily killed.  When she reaches the Valley, she will reveal all the secrets, especially the new threat of war.  This will bring together all who fought in the previous books, such great characters, as Gabriella, Britallia, Chania and all of the Guardians of the Empire, many of whom are looking at the women who may be their lifemates.

What follows is a fun, humorous and interesting story , where we will follow these wonderful women, great warriors/dragons as they prepare once again for a major battle for survival.   

This is a difficult review, as much of the story revolves around Serena and Chania with their lifemates, King Gerolth meeting the people from the Valley, and then bringing in High Lord General (Gabriella) as well as the Guardians as they start preparations that will continue in the next book.  The Princess was an entertaining, fun, and serious story line, with a wonderfuj cast of characters.  I for one I cannot wait to see what comes next.  I suggest you start with The Goddess, and then follow-up with The Princess.  Once again M.A. Abraham entertains us with another promising series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: All giveaways require a comment to qualify

M.A. Abraham is graciously offering a signed copy of THE PRINCESS & THE GODDESS  (US/CANADA only) and an ebook copy of The Princess (International) for today’s giveaway

ONE (1) commenter (US/Canada only) will receive signed copies of THE PRINCESS & THE GODDESS, and 1 commenter (international) will receive an ebook copy of The Princess

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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9. Paper book giveaway open to USA/Canada only: ebook giveaway open INTERNATIONALLY

19. Giveaway runs until February 23-28, 2019

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