The First Princess of Wales

Arrived on time Good book

An unsual story of enduring love in historical fiction would seem very rare in those times and even today. It has my hearty recommendation.

This book holds you tight for an emotional rollercoaster ride as you look inside the lives of Joan of Kent and Edward, Prince of Wales. Their story is one that at times makes you want to cry and at other times it sweeps you away with its whilwind romance. This book has challenged me emotionally but is much loved and close to my heart.

I've recently found myself enjoying many historical fiction and non fiction novels, so I decided to give this one a try. Before reading this I was a bit murky on the history of Edward III time, but after reading it I read up some more to figure it all out. Admittedly this book did not stay strict with the history of it's time, but I didn't find Harper's twists and turns outlandish either. At the heart of this story though, and what kept me reading it from page one to the very last (without many breaks between) was the love story of Joan and Edward. At times I found both to be completely frustrating, but from their first meeting to their wedding in the end I was enthralled by their love for each other. It was not always easy (truly it never was) but I felt their struggle throughout and was definitely happy when they got their ending. I've found with many of the other historical fictions I've found, they've been very intriguing but they lacked the heart I found in this book. If you can ignore some historical inaccuracy and enjoy a good love story, this is the book for you.

I recieved this book as a birthday gift, and was quite amazed that it turned out to be a book I would have picked myself! Aside from one war scene that was a bit boring for me, the rest of the book was really intruiging, and kept me reading on. There are some parts in the book, that as a women makes you cringe...but unlike the previous reviews, I don't think that it was all intended to be romantic. I had no idea it was even listed under romance. It more came across to me as being a historical fiction, and along with that also comes how women were treated during that time..which wasn't always the best. I would definitely recommend this book, but be prepared for some harsh parts.

Harper has an incredible nac for writing and her words flow smoothly throughout the book. She is well researched, her plot is well planned and put together, her characters are well made and dynamic, the sexual tension is off the charts, and she manages to grab hold of the reader's emotions. I literally could not put the book down, so wonderful it was. It is definitely among my top five books of all time, and I have absolutely NO bad thing to say about the writing. Many times I felt like crying for the heroine or hero and the action never stops, moving the reader from page after page to see what happens next. I am sure that I will enjoy this book many, many times more. Absolutely GREAT reading... not your regular run-of-the-mill, sappy love story... the sweetness of their love is made more sweet by the bitterness of the trials and tribulations they must endure for years before they are finally united in holy matrimony. READ IT!