Prince of Dreams

I loved how this was a sequel from Midnight Angel. The characters were both headstrong. The hero had some dark issues he had to work through. Once he dealt with those he was able to show tender love and kindness to the heroine.

Judging from the reviews below, people seem to either love or hate the book. Personally, I loved it. Nikolas' character is Kleypas at her best, a tortured hero bent on destroying himself. Emma also has her lessons to learn. Through understanding the truth about themselves and those around them, these two come to see life differently and love each other deeply. I don't like time travel, but it's not really time travel anyway- it's more of a past life. Yes, it is a bit long, but the emotional journey is worth the length. An enthraling read!

Is it hot in here or is it just me? :-> I just finished reading Prince of Dreams, and it was wonderful. I'd say it's one of my three favorite romance novels. I normally don't care for the time travel theme, but I was so intrigued by the Emma and Nikolas characters in Midnight Angel that I had to read their love story in Prince of Dreams. I read an interview with Lisa Kleypas in which she (probably jokingly) recommended to other authors not to try Russian settings, as apparently these two books were not as well received as her others. That's a shame because this was a simply outstanding book. Both Emma's and Nikolas' characters were deftly drawn, and Kleypas managed to avoid all the possible pitfalls I could see coming in the story line. Mikolas remained a masterful and exciting character while he was becoming sensitive and romantic, and Emma developed and matured in a believable way. The love scenes were very sensual. I was not expecting to like the time travel (or dream) sequence but it fit perfectly with the story. In all, I thought it was one of Kleypas' best stories. I'm only sorry that I'm getting to the end of her back list, and will have to start waiting for each new one to come out!

I know that people read this genre for different reasons. One reason I read it is because it is light reading. But I can't seem to struggle through the stories that are extremely trivial. Like the those who have miscommunication as the main complication. I like real problems! Prince of Dreams is one with viable problems. And the hero doesn't simply, magically overcome everything because he has met the right woman. Nikolas has some serious issues. And I like that he is typically male. I want the men to act like men. Nikolas wants Emma regardless of his problems. He thinks he can have her and make her happy without facing his own problems and he thinks she should stay out of it. Isn't that male of him?What is great about this book is that it strikes emotions in you. When he comes home and smells like another woman and the fact that there isn't the slightest bit of remorse in him, I couldn't help but think Emma is more of a woman than I am.I also like the fact that Emma displays the predisposed attributes from her character in Midnight Angel. She was a spoiled brat in that one and she stays true to form in this one. Until she actually begins to grow up, she portrays the typical only child image. I think it could only have been Nikolas' self-indulgent character to force her to grow up.The out-of-time sequences were odd. But didn't detract at all from the story. It was a great!

Prince of Dreams was the first book by Lisa Kleypas that I read, and also the first time travel story as well. Although she freely incorporates fantasy into the plot, it is quite believable. I enjoyed the fact that Emma is portrayed as a strong, independent woman who is also not the stereotypical frail, helpless, perfect-looking heroine. Kleypas is wonderful in describing the opulent lifestyle of the Russian nobility. It is also wonderful to find that Nikolas, the antagonist in Midnight Angel, learns to love again by travelling to the past. The description on the back of the book is rather misleading and doesn't indicate clearly how enjoyable this book is.