Prince Voronov's Virgin [Kindle Edition]

PRINCE VORONOV'S VIRGIN / BEHIND THE PALACE WALLS (US) - Lynn Raye Harris

I can certainly see why Prince Voronov's Virgin was chosen as the Book of the Month by Mills and Boon. Lynn Raye Harris has again, out done herself with this ruthless Russian hero, Prince Alexei.

Alexei and Paige met in a most interesting way as Paige was roaming Red Square looking for her sister. He heard a scream, then foot steps and found a woman frightened and alone. When he learned some men were after Paige, Alexei came up with a quick plan......."Kiss me,' he growled... `And make it believable." He had decided they wouldn't be bothered if they acted like lovers, so he hauled her into an embrace. Nothing like that had ever happened to Paige. Later on after their hot kiss, Alexei found out why Paige was in Russia, she worked for Russell Tech and his American cousin.

What a coincidence; the very same Russell family he hated and wanted to destroy. Years earlier after his father died, he, his mother and terminally ill sister needed help. Alexei went to his uncle for financial assistance and was denied it. That's when they lost their family home and everything including his sister. Revenge was what he wanted now, he wanted them to suffer as his family once had. He'd restored his fortune, gained back the family palace but in the end the only thing that mattered was taking down Russell Tech. When he found out Paige worked there, he decided to use her.

All of her life Paige always thought of others first, especially her sister Emma, the very same sister she had to raise when their mother died. Now the man she had a crush on, her boss was having an affair with Emma and wanted to marry her. Broken hearted, Paige took a chance and let the handsome Russian prince take her to dinner at his palace. He was so handsome and the palace was incredible. But still she felt she was betraying her boss by seeing him. Then something she didn't expect happened. She slept with him. However, on the way back to her hotel she found out Alexei had won the bid and Russell Tech had been destroyed. She was furious with Alexei, felt used and returned home to Texas.

Talk about a shock when Paige found out weeks later that she was pregnant! On top of that, who should arrive at her door step and witness her with morning sickness? You guessed it, Alexei! He was determined to take her home to Russia, marry and take care of them. However, he would never love, never care again because he had failed his mother and sister. She saw things in Alexi, things that no one else had and that made him vulnerable. It was easier not to need nor love anyone and so he left her alone again. He wouldn't take that chance again and so he made a decision. He would leave her at the palace, only returning occasionally to check on her. What a lonely life and existence for Paige and she was miserable.

The ending chapters of Prince Voronov's Virgin were difficult to read. Paige told her husband she loved him. However, Alexei was too afraid to tell her he felt the same. Because love meant loss to him. He was a coward because he didn't want to face his feelings and his fears. However, Paige was determined and she followed him to Moscow and everything came crashing down upon them. He was afraid he would loose his wife and/or baby, just like he had lost his sister, Katrina. Paige wanted it all and I couldn't blame her. Even though she loved him, it wouldn't be enough unless he loved her back. It was time for the people in her life to put her first! Sometimes in life, it takes a near tragedy as a wake up call. Well the Prince got his and in the end, gave his Princess his love and all of her dreams came true!

Book Description:

Kiss me,' he growled... `And make it believable.'

Alone and scared on the dark streets of Moscow, staid, bespectacled Paige Barnes has no choice but to comply with the handsome stranger's command...

Little does Paige know she's been rescued by Alexei Voronov--a Russian prince and her boss's deadliest rival. Now he has Paige unexpectedly in his sights, Alexei is prepared to play emotional Russian roulette to keep her close and discover her true motives. But in his splendid gilded palace his game of chance spins out of control and passion takes over...

It's only when she's back home that Paige realises she's pregnant with the Prince's baby...

When Paige Barnes finds herself scared and alone on the dark streets of Moscow she is more than surprised to find herself rescued by the intriguing and mysterious Alexei Voronov - a Russian prince and her boss's arch rival.

Although she knows she should stay away, once Alexei sets his sights on shy, bespectacled Paige neither can anticipate the passion that flares between them. But what are his true motives and how will their relationship develop when he discovers she is carrying his royal heir?

As soon as I started reading this book I began to enjoy it. Unlike other Modern books I have read, Alexei is the perfect blend of arrogance and kindness. You can understand why he acts as he does and he comes across as the perfect, brooding hero. Paige, too, is a good heroine and although shy, she isn't as insipid or weak as other heroines I have read even if I did want her to be a little bit bolder when it came to her sister. Together they have good chemistry and a relationship you can root for.

The story was interesting and kept you wanting to read and turn the pages. The storyline is quite simple but that's not necessarily a bad thing, especially since there isn't any annoying secondary romance to distract from the main love story.

If you're not a fan of romance novels or don't enjoy Mills and Boon novels then perhaps this isn't the book for you! However, if you do like a good romantic story that will allow you to escape for a couple of hours then I can definitely recommend this book. It's got good characters who work well together and a storyline that's interesting and keeps you wanting to turn the pages. I enjoyed it a lot. 4 stars.

Bespectacled secretary Paige Barnes, looking for her younger sister in Moscow, is rescued by a handsome stranger who turns out to be a Russian Prince - and her bosses deadliest business rival. Caught between the two men, Paige finds herself falling for Voronov, but it seems that he has been playing her for a fool. Back home in the US, she finds herself pregnant and struggles to go it alone, until Voronov appears on her doorstep... if you want to know more, read the book! A nice little romp of its' kind - obviously Russians are this seasons romance fashion, virgins are never unfashionable, as the title shows, and there are just enough Russian phrases scattered throughout to add a dash of exoticism - just the thing to while away an hour with your feet up. One complaint I do have is that M&B really needs get its cover art right - the heroine of the story is clearly a brunette, but the cover picture shows a blonde. Also, the male model on the front, shades and all, bears a resemblance to a young Bono - which kills the romance stone dead! A little more care wouldn't hurt.