THE WINTER PRINCE

Author: Cheryl Sawyer ISBN: 0451220447 4/2007 HISTORICAL FICTION Publisher: SIGNET ECLIPSE
Time Period: 1642-1644

Mary Villiers, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, is a ravishing beauty raised as the adopted daughter of Charles I of England. In 1642 she is shocked to find herself opposed to her king when he decides to declare war on Parliament—and therefore on his own people. Mary embarks on a dangerous quest to help save the throne of England for its rightful monarch, but first she must deal with the king's charismatic nephew, Prince Rupert of Bohemia.... Possessed of the same fiery intellect as Mary, Rupert is handsome, fearless, and a natural leader. At first it seems they can never form an alliance, but a hidden, illicit passion draws them together in the midst of war. Then catastrophe threatens when Parliament brands them as lovers—if all Mary's secrets come out, she and Rupert may face execution for treason.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Historical fiction/romance—that is, accurate historical fiction/romance—has to be one of the hardest genres to write. Creating that perfect blending of fact, fiction and romance that appeals to readers of all different topics, whether it be historical fiction, straight history or stories of romance, would seem like an almost impossible task. Cheryl Sawyer almost reached that perfection in CODE OF LOVE, her previous release that I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. But with her fictional account of the supposed love affair between Mary Villiers, Duchess of Richmond and Prince Rupert of Bohemia in THE WINTER PRINCE, Sawyer has pretty much mastered it.

THE WINTER PRINCE is lush, lavish and boldly told, set amidst the intrigue and decadence of the court of Charles I during the early years of England's Civil War period. It is within this framework that Sawyer becomes a master painter—reading about these characters is like standing in front of a portrait, staring deep into the subject's eyes and realizing that the artist has captured their very soul. That's exactly what Sawyer has done here. She has created living, breathing, three-dimensional characters brought forth into flesh by the simple stroke of her pen. Not only does she create that emotional attachment from character to reader, but she brings the vivid sights, smells, sounds and events of a fascinating and dangerous era leaping to life as well.

I loved this book. I absolutely loved it. It is set in a historical period that I don't often get to read about, and it is written so well both in prose and historical detail, that I just couldn't put it down (even though this story broke my heart in the end). Splendidly written, romantic and sensual, with just enough battle action, court suspense and intrigue for any reader to savor, THE WINTER PRINCE by Cheryl Sawyer is one book that you really shouldn't miss!

Nancy Davis