The Princess Plan
Series: A Royal Wedding #1
Author: Julia London
Published November 19th 2019 by Mills & Boon

Goodreads Synopsis
Passion. Intrigue. Love.

London’s high society loves nothing more than a 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 off about the crime, forcing Sebastian to ask for her help in his quest to find his friend’s killer.

With a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a noble bride, there’s nothing more dangerous than a prince socialising 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 soon, as temptation becomes harder to ignore, it’s the prince who’ll have to decide what comes first—his country or his heart.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Scandal and gossip have always been supreme in Victorian London, and being a member of a group publishing the only women's gazette in London has been perfect for Miss Eliza Tricklebank. When the Crown Prince of Alucia, Sebastian, arrives in England to find a bride and secure a lucrative trade deal, Eliza and sister Hollis, want to get invited to the royal ball, to find out the gossip for their gazette. Eliza and Sebastian meet, but as it's a masquerade, he doesn't recognise her when he later barges into her home, demanding to know where she got her 'evidence' relating to the death of his close friend, and secretary. Eliza is immediately on edge, and can't stand Sebastian's high handedness and arrogance, and quickly puts him in his place. Somewhat chastised, they form an unlikely partnership, to find the culprit, and uncover a plot to kidnap Sebastian. However, their chemistry becomes too much, and the fact that one is the heir to his throne, and the other a spinster commoner, daughter of a blind judge, is one that is hard to overcome.

When I was first approved for this book in November, I started it, but wasn't in the right mood. However, during lock down, historical romances have been what's kept me going, and I remembered about this one. The Princess Plan, quite honestly, was fantastic! I started it about 3 pm, and other than eating, I didn't put it down until I was done at 9. I just adored Eliza, and she was feisty, strong character I could've asked for. After believing she would be engaged years ago, and publicly embarrassed when it fell through, she's embraced her spinsterhood and relishes in helping her father with his work, and her sister with her gazette. Going to the palace for the masquerade ball was a nice bit of fun for Eliza, but she never had any thoughts that anything would come from it, and meeting the prince was a buzz. However, their second meeting at home, when he was rude and arrogant, fully removed any hint of rose tinted glasses, and she could truly be a friend to Sebastian as he struggled with his grief and his sense of duty. Sebastian, on his part, grew so much as a character throughout this book. Understandable, he was an arrogant so and so at first, but it was refreshing to be treated as a normal person by Eliza, and be seen for himself, and not for his title. His love for Eliza came on so gently, but it was heartbreaking to see Sebastian at war with himself over his sense of duty and his desire to be with Eliza.

The romance between the two main characters was phenomenal, and I was rooting for them from the moment Eliza kicked him out of her house. The chemistry was always there, but their mutual love and respect for each other, which came gradually and naturally, made it all so much more believable. I was actually feeling a bit teary as we got towards the end and I couldn't see how they could be together, and thought they would be heartbroken and separate, but I adored the ending, and seriously hope that we see more from the pair in book 2, A Royal Kiss and Tell.

May 14, 2020

Rating
5 Stars