The Prince of Cups

I picked this book up on a whim in a used book store a few weeks ago; I thought (based on the cover) it was probably going to end up being just another cheesy, tasteless, 80s-era romance novel with hilarious sex scenes... Boy, was I wrong. From the moment I started reading, I was completely hooked. I read a lot of historical romance, but I've never come across a romance novel that is as well-written, original and just plain awesome as The Prince of Cups. The characters, even the secondary ones, are wonderful and I loved (and hated) the villain, who was a fascinating character. As for the hero and the heroine... Lots of chemistry, hot erotic scenes and they were both sympathetic and well developed as characters. I was definitely rooting for them to be together! Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance. I was very impressed, too, by the writing and world-building; the author really brings Renaissance Italy alive. All in all, this book has become a favorite of mine and if you're a fan of history and/or romance, you might want to give this book a try too.

Usually I steer clear of historical romance and romance in general because I hate the flat plotlines and overall silly, almost forced writing. I decided to give this book a shot though because I had just gotten into practicing Tarot, and the title of the book interested me. There is a little bit of tarot mixed up in here, the heroines grandmother practices it, and the Prince of Cups card follows every chapter. So that was kind of neat. Besides that I enjoyed the writing and the plotline, both were sophisicated enough to hold my attention, there were actually big words in this book, ha ha. And I also liked the fact that a few real-life historical figures showed up in the storyline, for instance the Borgia family (Lucrezia in particular) makes an appearance, as well as Niccolo Machiavelli. This is a quick read, it is fast paced and enjoyable, without being ridiculously goofy. I really recommend this book for anyone who proclaims to hate this genre!

In a time when most books seem like a copy of one another, this book stands out as completely different. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story of Antonio and Veronica. Renaissance Italy is such a fascinating place, and very few writters have tried to write about it. The philosophy, the art, the politics, they are were intertwined and Ms. Feyrer did a wonder job expressing this. Plots, and schemes, love and death, assassinations and greed, religion and politics, they are all there.My only criticism of this book was the abruptness with which some of the scenes changed. The changes between the chapters was done well, though sometimes took a few paragraphs to see where we were and with whom. It was within the chapters, when going between the various charaters and their thoughts, that I felt adrift sometimes. There was nothing wrong per se, it was sometimes just so abrupt that it took some time to catch back up. Especially in the beginning in the scenes with our hero and heroine, I had a hard time placing their relationship. Otherwise, this was a wonderful story and I HIGHLY reccommend it!

The Prince of Cups is that rare thing--a romance for intelligent romance readers. Its evocation of Renaissance Italy is vivid and deft, its characters have real substance, and its erotic scenes are superb! I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes their romance well spiced with tasteful sensuality