WAKING THE PRINCESS

Author: Susan King ISBN: 0451208838 9/2003 HISTORICAL Publisher: SIGNET
Time Period: Scotland 1858

An antiquarian for the National Museum, Christina Blackburn has her reasons for disguising her smoldering beauty with a pair of prim spectacles and an icy facade. She posed for a painting that scandalized the Victorian art world--"The Briar Maiden of Dundrennan"--and it nearly ruined her life. Ever since, she vowed to suppress her passionate nature and keep her identity a secret. But when the museum sends her on a trip across Scotland, Christina discovers the same notorious painting--and its dangerously handsome owner. Sir Aedan Arthur MacBride knows the local legend about the sleeping maiden, of course, but he refuses to believed in its curse over the lairds of Dundrennan. Then he gazes upon this very real maiden's face, and he knows he is utterly doomed...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

WAKING THE PRINCESS is to me everything that the first book to the series, TAMING THE HEIRESS, was not. Though I enjoyed the first book, this one kept me reading because it continually weaves the past and the historical present together throughout the story.

An antiquarian, bookish Christina Blackburn hides her passionate manner in an attempt to put her slightly scandalous past behind her. However, she finds that she cannot so easily hide her reaction to Sir Aedan MacBride. Christina must work with Aedan in order to study the importance of an ancient wall discovered on his property. Her work puts her in close contact with the handsome MacBride, and she soon finds herself in love with him. Aedan, however, will never marry due to a curse that says the laird of Dundrennan cannot marry for true love.

Aedan is smitten with Christina, but due to the curse of the Sleeping Princess, he is determined not to fall in love with her. He also has a job to do, and the wall Christina is studying is in the middle of the road he is building for the Queen. There are also renovations to oversee at his home, and the sinister museum owner who has designs on his home and the fair Christina.

Despite everything, Aedan and Christina attempt a courtship with the help of her brother and passionate meetings in a secret stairwell. Do they overcome the curse, or will the current laird have the same luck as his ancestors? You will have to get into this wonderful book to find out.

Shannon Johnson