HOW TO PROPOSE TO A PRINCE

Author: Kathryn Caskie ISBN: 9780061124877 3/2008 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: Regency

If the tiara fits, wear it! And that is exactly what Elizabeth Royle intends to do. After all, if you can't be acknowledged as the daughter of a prince, the least you can do is marry one. When Elizabeth, youngest of the notorious Royle sisters, comes face-to-face with her future husband, a man she's seen onlv in her dreams, she nearly swoons—especially when she discovers he is a prince. But her ecstasy is short-lived as she quickly learns that the man she longs for is betrothed to someone else—a princess, no less. A lesser woman would give up, but Elizabeth is a Royle, after all. Refusing to surrender her dreams of a royal wedding, Elizabeth takes the position of lady-in-waiting to the fiancee, determined to get close to her perfect match. But the lover she desires is not who he seems ... and only once she discovers the true man behind the crown will she find the perfect love she's been longing for all her life.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I have to admit that I am a fan of this author. She writes with flair and ease that immediately draws me into every story she writes. Her novels are a blend of historical fact with glowing fiction, and bring the Regency period to life in a way that I find completely engaging.

HOW TO PROPOSE TO A PRINCE is Elizabeth and Sumner's love story. Elizabeth is the third of the Royle sisters. She first "sees" the man she will marry in her dreams, after she wraps a sliver of wedding cake and places it beneath her pillow. He is gorgeous, a prince, and she is convinced she will have a ring on her finger by summer's end. When she meets Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield, Elizabeth nearly faints. Then, she realizes Prince Leopold's affection is rumored to lie with the Princess of Wales. What woman would want the Princess of Wales as a rival?

Elizabeth's plan for getting close to Sumner is unconventional. The characters in this story are so believable, it is difficult to completely discount them as being at least in some measure based on real people. When I read Kathryn Caskie's work I feel as if I'm getting a true glimpse into history, one with all the grand trimmings and behind-the-scenes mystery.

I won't give away the very ending of HOW TO PROPOSE TO A PRINCE, but I will say that it is the splendid icing on a truly yummy cake! It is a fitting end to the story, and ties the whole thing into one very satisfying bundle.

Kay James