Review: The Princess Plan
The Princess Plan by Julia LondonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
My dear Ms. London, it has been too long. How could I have neglected reading you for the past few years? I confess I was enticed away with kinky shenanigans and the drudgery of a day job. This time away only makes the heart grow fonder. Starting this new series is a breath of fresh air. A definite page turner for me, I kept trying to guess the ending. Fair warning, this ending is a bit of a strength. Not quite a deus ex machina but a bit close.
Set in the London high society, Eliza Tricklebank is a bit of a bluestocking. Her father is gainfully employed as a respectable judge. However, his health is failing as he ages. Still he does the best he can as a single father of two rather rascally daughters. Eliza and her sister work on a gossip rag, a precursor to "The Enquirer". Eliza is completely socially awkward. Not one to understand nor appreciate the societal niceties, she blunders through parties like a proverbial bull in a China shop. In one of her adventures, she is able to meet Prince Sebastian of Alucia, not once but twice. This allows her and her sister to provide some tasty morsels for their newsletter.
Sebastian is a man with many responsibilities. He's trying to save his kingdom and bring it into the current times with advantageous trade agreements. Coming to London to find a wife as his father presses is the last thing he is interested in. I like Sebastian even if he sometimes expected to be treated with more reverence. This is expected, because he is heir apparent. When he encounters the completely irreverent Eliza, he is shocked and doesn't know how to respond. In fact, his responses and interactions with Eliza are humourous and balance the seriousness of his murdered friend and confidante.
Eliza is best described as quirky. She is logical and does not care about too much of the niceties for proper social interaction. At times it is cringing to witness because as an adult, she should know better. And yet at the same time, it feels liberating because she's only saying and doing what the rest of the sheeple want to say and do. This does cause for a lack of suitability to be part of royalty. Basically, she comes across uncouth even if she is educated and sharp of wit. Luckily, she hits it off with Sebastian.
This story is more than just a princess romance. There is a bit of a whodunnit feel as Eliza feels she can be an amateur sleuth. Her delusions make me feel sympathy for her father as it is amazing she isn't dead yet. The fact that she accidentally uncovers information and is able to assist Sebastian requires a suspense of disbelief. She's cute. The mystery/suspense of this tale helps makes this story more interesting.
This historical romance is recommended to readers who love happily ever afters.
*provided by NetGalley
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