The Princess & the Pea

I usually enjoy this authors work, but this not so much. Maybe it’s a much earlier work but it’s rather disjointed and the humor is lacking. The plot premise started with possibilities but then meandered around and lacked focus. Disappointing.

I admit I'm a fairly recent participant to "romance" genre...having been a literature snob in my younger years. In recent years health issues have caused a 'sea-change' in my attitudes and I find romantic interludes, character discovery and relationships much more satisfying to explore than the classics or spy/thriller genres that add to my life-tensions. SO, all that self-description aside, I use it to intoduce what I found so strong in this story-line. I loved the idea of a turn-of-the-century woman, somewhat spoiled, who is put to 'tests' of suitability by the mother of the man she is coming to love. There would be enough tension simply in developing the primary love relationship without adding the "peas under the matress". But, that is after all the name of the story! I recommend this one. Younger readers may feel somewhat irritated at the perceived interference~we older folks will probably have a chuckle or two along the way.

THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA is a bit hard to find, as it is out of print, but it is worth the search. It's an entertaining version of the princess and the pea fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. Set in 1895, the "princess" is Cece, an America heiress in her early twenties whose family thinks it time for her to be married. The "prince" is the Earl of Greystone (hey, wasn't that Tarzan's title?), who desperately needs to marry an heiress to repair his family estates and fortune. The two fall in love at first sight, both unaware of the other's true identity and circumstances. The Earl then dumps Cece, as he must marry for money. When he discovers she's an heiress, he thinks all turned out perfectly. Cece soon sets him straight, and he must earn his way back into her good graces. The Earl's mother sets many tests for Cece to pass before true long conquers all. Cece is a strong heroine, well able to deal with stuffy peers and meddling mothers-in-law. A delightful and entertaining story. Be sure to find this one!

Fans of Arnette Lamb, Nora Roberts, and Marsha Canham will enjoy the wit and pace of Alexander's books. The dialogue is natural and the writing refreshing for those tired of books written at a junior-high reading level. This book in particular was very entertaining; I learned many things about that period and Alexander even made the emerging automobile industry a fun read - much more interesting than it sounds (in England, drivers had to have someone walking in front of the car waving a red flag).

Ms. Alexander is a really good writer, and she just gets better with every book! It is very hard to portray humor and passion in the same book and do it well, but she excels at this Herculean task. I highly recommend this book!