Her Highness, My Wife [Mass Market Paperback]

Matt remains angry with his wife. After she left, he learned about her royal blood. Still, needing money, Matt accepts Tatiana's offer to pay him to be her husband though his hidden motive for agreeing is to know why she left. As they pretend to be what they really are, both want to forget the other, but love flourishes making regret the end state.

The story line is exciting and the lead male character is a likable individual trying to recover from love lost. However, Tatiana is an unpleasant person as she is a phobic liar who fabricates even when there is no reason to do so. This makes it very difficult for readers to empathize with her plight leading to the question of whether she has the moral fortitude to ascend to the throne. Still the tale furnishes readers with an engaging historical tale, as fans will wonder if Matt will stick around long enough to learn the truth.

Harriet Klausner

She was Princess Tatianna Marguerite Nadia Pruzinsky of the Kingdom of Greater Avalonia, and she needed his help. Tat still loved Matt. However, she felt she HAD to leave him so she could finish fulfilling her royal duties. She planned to return to him someday, if he would still have her, once her duties were completed. For now, she needed him to escort her around London as his wife. As Lady Matthew she could retrace the steps of Aunt Sophia. Tat told him that she was writing the history of the royal family. It was obvious he did not believe her. As his wife, doors would be open for her to speak with those who knew Sophia, decades ago. The truth of what Tat was up to was kept secret. Tat was searching for something that she felt MUST be found before she could return to Matt forever.

*** I found this story to be complicated. Several sub-plots ran simultaneously, such as, the Princess Valentina being in England, some history of ballooning (aerostats), and some jewels. That was only a few of them. About half into the book, however, things began to come together. I, as the reader, got a clearer picture of what was REALLY going on. Romance between the two main characters seemed stilted until this point.

The second half of the book was filled with perils and romance! I could not pull myself away from it all. Everything seemed to speed up and I simply HAD to know what was going to happen in the next chapter! I admit that much of the information that the first half of the book was needed for the reader to fully understand the seriousness of the plot. Yet I feel many readers will not be able to wait so long for all the pieces to come together.

As a reviewer, I must say that I feel the first half of this book seemed to drag. The second half was non-stop. Somehow I believe reviews will be mixed on this tale. This story you will either love or hate. No middle ground. ***

The story starts a bit slow but eventually picks up momentum. The hardest part of the book for me to take was the princess, who by all accounts is used to getting her way. But her apology for leaving her husband with little more then a note, in the middle of the night, leaves a lot to be desired. She even goes as far to demand to know why he didn't follow her. My thought, you walked out on him. HMMMM.

Our Heroine does eventually redeem herself and by the end is highly likable and to my thinking finally deserving of our hero. The story also has some interesting twists that keep the action rising, though the reader will figure most of it out quickly.

If you like Victoria Alexander then you will enjoy this one; if this is your first attempt with this Author I would start with one of her other works first.