She's No Princess (Guilty Series, 4)

She's No Princess left me feeling good after finishing it, though I was honestly on tenterhooks while in the midst of the book. Even though I really liked the hero and heroine individually, and I was rooting for them the whole time, I had my reservations about them as a couple, concerns that weren't really appeased until the last few pages. Lucia Valenti is the bastard child of a courtesan and a prince of Italy, and even though she seemed stereotypical in terms of her fiery Italian temperament, the author was able to bring her spirit and personality to life so well that I accepted the depiction without complaint. She's such a fun character, a breath of fresh air really. She's aware of her feminine charms, has no scruples about using them, and enjoys herself while she's at it. Being illegitimate, she's never been officially recognized by her father, who's a stranger to her and has shunted her from school to school, to convents across Europe in an effort to keep her out of trouble and prevent (unsuccessfully) her numerous acts of rebellion. I really liked the prologue, which put me in mind of Roman Holliday with a bit of a twist - it shows Lucia sneaking out to a carnival only to have her younger, legitimate half-sister interrupt her in the act of escape and beg to come along. The sisters' interaction gave Lucia a lot more depth and so my interest in her story was snagged instantly. In reaction to this latest scandal, her father gives her his last name and demands that she marry a British peer to get her off his hands. Sir Ian Moore, a successful British diplomat, is assigned the job of making this marriage happen, though he's less than thrilled to be taken away from negotiating peace treaties in Greece. Lucia, for her part, balks at the very idea of being forced into marriage. Ian is Lucia's opposite in every way. Most romance heroes are control freaks, but Ian has them all beat. He has very clear notions of his duty, his honor, and he sticks to these exacting standards, even when he really really doesn't want to. Though he hides his struggles very well, the author lets us glimpse how human he really is. His icy demeanor and prolonged resistance to Lucia create a ton of chemistry and tension between them, and when he finally can't help himself, things heat up considerably. Lucia's demand to marry for love (and only love!!!) can be a tedious refrain, but her interactions with Ian are still interesting, fun, and heartfelt. Even though Ian's loss of control was much anticipated, I can't say, however, that I was all that pleased with the direction the book chose to go once Ian gives in to his passion for Lucia. After certain events transpire that shall remain undisclosed (don't want to spoil anything) I was upset that Lucia was made to feel guilty, that she was so undermined and powerless in the face of British society, her father's demands, and Ian's implacable resolve. But at the same time I didn't hate Ian for the way he w

I read tons of novels (guilty as charged), so I'm quite jaded by overused plots and such, but I found this novel quite refreshing with an emotional Italian heroine, handsome strong hero, and quite a bit of humor throughout. I loved the contrast of wild passionate unrestrained heroine vs. stuffy uptight Englishman who try to outwit each other and watching the sparks fly. The characters were very well developed and Laura Guhrke is an excellent writer. I'm sold on her from now on! (I've since picked up the rest of the series). But I think this one is my favorite. Although the heroine is quite spoiled and arguably overly indulged/pampered, her driving the uptight diplomat crazy is quite hilarious. And her willingness to sacrifice all in the end, is the stuff of romance. I think that is what ultimately I enjoyed most about the novel, how romantic it is (read: romantic not cheesy). A lot writers today have overdone plots with the requisite love scenes, but not enough romance. This novel really feels like you've spent an afternoon eating bon bons, treated yourself to brand new perfume, lying on a featherbed. I found it sumptuous and utterly delightful. Enjoy.

Lucia, the illegitimate daughter of an Italian prince, thrives on astonishing and irritating her father. The last straw is when she sneaks out of her father's palace with her legitimate younger sister for a secret night at a carnival. Guards from the palace find them and Lucia is banished from the palace to live with obscure cousins. Not liking that, she escapes and goes to London to live with her courtesan mother. Lucia's father hears of this and in order to keep his younger daughter's engagement to an upstanding family intact, Lucia must be married off and quickly without scandal. Trusting very few, the prince calls on the one man that he trusts in England to help him arrange a not so royal wedding, Sir Ian Moore. Ian Moore can't believe his ears. What is the prince of Bolgheri thinking? He is a diplomat, not a matchmaker! He has negotiated treaties and ended skirmishes with his diplomacy and now he is being reduced to babysitter. Ian reluctantly agrees to the assignment with the hope that he can see Lucia married in six weeks. The plan is noble, until he meets her. Instantly upon making her acquaintance, Ian fights his attraction because he knows that it is not proper. Now he just has to tell his heart. Lucia fights the man that her father has chosen to find her a groom. She gives nothing and makes life difficult at best. That is, until she gets to know him and then she finds him honorable, attractive, and things get complicated. Lucia has six weeks. Six weeks to make him love her because if he doesn't, then she will have to marry someone else. She's No Princess by Laura Lee Guhrke is a remarkable read. I laughed, cried, and became heartsick at the emotions it invoked. While Ian's intentions were honorable, I could sense his pain and in turn, She's No Princess became difficult to read. Not because the story wasn't well written, it was. I was amazed at the emotions it dragged out of me while reading it. I thought it a most wonderful story and would recommend this book to anyone! Talia Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I read this book in one sitting. The coupling of the stuffy, straight laced Ian and the fiery, passionate Lucia was brilliant. I loved how Lucia flirted with him to crack his perfect exterior and his inner turmoil to remain immune to her charms. "She's No Princess" is packed with hot tension, hero jealousy, strong emotions, and hilarious banter. This one is a definite keeper. I loved it.

I'm always looking for books that are well written and that have something out of the ordinary to offer. When I find one, quite often it's written by Laura Lee Guhrke. This is just such a one. Lucia is the passionate, unruly and illegitimate daughter of an Italian Ruler. Sir Ian Moore, the brother of Dylan, who we met in His Every Kiss, is the diplomat who is assigned to marry her off to a British peer who meets all her father's stipulations, none of which Sir Ian qualifies for. She wants to marry for love, he just wants her married so he can go back to his regular duties. Thus begins the battle of wills. Ms. Guhrke is an excellant writer. The plot, while not being completely new, is not exactly run of the mill, but either way it doesn't matter because it's the characters that make the book. I was extremely happy to see Dylan Moore and his wife Grace again and Isabel is growing up to be a handful. But Lucia is the one to watch for. I wasn't sure I'd like her right at the beginning, but she is fascinating to watch and learn about. A truly different type of heroine. Very Italian, passionate, practical, manipulating, headstrong, loving, caring, all these things are Lucia and more. You really can't put her in a box. We met Sir Ian in His Every Kiss and he is still the stuffy, upright, uptight, oh so perfect diplomat that he's always been. It's a lot of fun to see him drawing closer and closer to a meltdown as Lucia and he engage in a battle of wits. I might have wished that he'd broken down a little sooner, but the way it's played out is so very realistic that I can't really wish for any of it to be played differently. I really can see Lucia driving him mad for the rest of his life... and him loving every minute of it. A truly great book that had me going back to read it again as soon as I had finished it. That says it all.