Blog Tour: Review of Seducing the Princess by Mary Hart Perry

by Carmen Shaw 5:06 AM 2 comments

Mary Hart Perry’s acclaimed series of romantic Victorian thrillers continues with Seducing the Princess, inspired by the life of Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter Beatrice. Painfully shy and lonely, convinced she is unattractive and unloved, the dutiful Princess Beatrice finally accepts that she will never marry and vows to devote herself to the queen in Victoria's waning years. In fact, her mother has secretly discouraged suitors for Beatrice’s hand. Just when she has all but given up on love and happiness, she meets Henry Battenberg, a dashing nobleman from the Continent who matches wits with the aging Victoria and risks his life and liberty to woo Bea.

But Henry isn't the only man interested in being welcomed into Beatrice's bed. The timid princess has become the target of a cruel plot hatched by her nephew, the madman destined to become the last Emperor of Germany. Wilhelm II sends a ruthless agent, a charming Scot, to seduce the naive princess and spy on the queen. How can the sheltered princess hope to fend off a man capable of murder, and perhaps worse, to get what he wants? But Beatrice is not without her own allies--her older sister Louise and Louise's American soldier-of-fortune and lover, Stephen Byrne. Will Beatrice discover which of the two men pursuing her she can trust, before it's too late? Drama, romance and peril chase the royal family from Buckingham Palace to a storm besieged castle on the Isle of Wight.

Overall Thoughts:
Such a beautifully developed and well thought-out story! The characters and plot will encapsulate you until you're fully immersed in its world.

Seducing the Princess is about the Queen of England's youngest daughter, 27-year-old Beatrice. She's spent the entirety of her life, servicing to her mother's every need and command - never venturing out into the world on her own and pursuing her dreams of her own life, loves, and freedom. As the story begins, readers meet young Beatrice at a point in her life where she has accepted her destiny/role as an "old maid" - never to be married and with a family like she once hoped for.

Then, while visiting Germany for her niece's wedding, she stumbles across the path of a certain blue-eyed, dark-haired man who takes her by complete surprise by showing an extreme interest in her. The gentleman goes by the name of Henry Battenberg, who was also a close childhood playmate to her when she was younger. Through lovely horseback rides in the meadow and evening walks in the garden between the pair, Beatrice finally starts to feel that passion and fire that's been missing from her life for as long as she can remember... she's finally starting to understand the meaning of falling in love.

But what happens when Gregory, a Scottish spy, has been sent to infiltrate the Queen's kingdom, in the hopes of seducing the youngest princess, Beatrice, into marrying him so that he may get close to the Queen herself?

What I liked about this book:
Like I said before, the plot is so well-developed and planned out that every aspect and detail was believable and completely understood. This novel is set in the late 19th century, which could be a total turn-off to some people because terminology and language can be... fickle, to say the least. But, fortunately, this novel provides you with the completely realistic illusion of being inside 19th century England without confusing you with the from-that-time-and-age slang.

Also, even though I couldn't directly relate to Beatrice's situation, I did feel and understand her shy and bashful personality. I found a lot of myself in Beatrice, which was nice. We wallflowers gotta stick together!

What I disliked about this book:
If historical fiction isn't your preference then I wouldn't recommend this book for you because it did have a blend of fiction as well as actual historical facts. But seeing as I like HF, I liked this book as well.

Verdict:
This is not the first book that I've read by Mary Hart Perry, and it certainly won't be the last!

Also, if you haven't read The Wild Princess yet, then you should! It centers around Beatrice's rebellious older sister, Louise. Highly recommend it! (Review) 

4 1/2 TARGETS!

About the Author:

Kathryn Johnson lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and two feline writing partners, Tempest and Miranda. The author of over 40 novels, she's written under her own name and a variety of pen names, including Mary Hart Perry, Kathryn Jensen, KM Kimball and Nicole Davidson. She also teaches fiction-writing workshops for the renowned Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. And, in 2008, she founded Write by You (www.WriteByYou.com), to coach other writers interested in reaching publication. She has been nominated for the prestigious Agatha Christy Award, and won the Heart of Excellence and Bookseller's Best Awards (sponsored by the Romance Writers of America) in 2011.

Her works in progress include a series of Victorian thrillers inspired by the lives of Queen Victoria's five daughters. The first novel, The Wild Princess, focuses on Princess Louise, who desperately wanted an education as a professional artist, at a time when women were not admitted into art schools. Her personal life becomes complicated when she uncovers a secret about her husband and must help protect her mother from an assassination attempt. The second book of the series,Seducing the Princess, launches April 2, 2013, and features Victoria’s youngest daughter Beatrice. Painfully shy and lonely, the dutiful Princess has promised never to marry and to devote herself to the queen in Victoria's waning years. Just when she has all but given up on love and happiness, she meets Henry Battenberg, a dashing nobleman from the Continent who risks his life and liberty to woo Bea and save both his beloved and the queen from a cruel plot. A third novel, to be published later in 2013, will star Crown Princess Vicky.

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