Annette K. Larsen

I was expecting light and fluffy--something I could read in just a few sittings--and I got that. But I ended up wishing for more substance, less swooning, and more guts and intelligence from the main character, Ariella. Though a kind girl with a fiery spirit, sometimes it became so obvious as to what she needed to do, and I wanted to slug her in the arm(gently of course) when she didn't do it.

The story was engaging, but mainly consisted of the romance. So, if you don't like the genre, run along. This book isn't for you.

But I admit, I'm a softie! I loved seeing Ariella and Gavin's relationship develop(even when they were being pinheads).

This was a cute, fun read. I liked it, though it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I don't think I'll revisit it, but I think I'll continue with the series.… (más)

LOVED. LOVED...... LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.

I grew up with the Disney classics of Cinderella and Snow White; and I dreamed of the day that I would be the princess standing next to my knight in shining armor looking to live happily ever after.

Books like this keep that dream alive!

They inspire me to reach for the best and know that within me is a royal princess.

They also help me relax as I simply enjoy a REALLY GREAT STORY!

Princess Lylin finds herself in a very precarious position.

She is hiding in a stable after being hurt and chased hoping to just wait out the storm.

Lord Rhys Fallon is a recluse by choice and is surprised when he finds a young woman seeking shelter in his stable.

Not knowing if she can trust him with her true identity Lylin tells Rhys that her name is Lily and leaves out the fact that she is from the royal family.

As they wait for the roads to become passable they find themselves becoming great friends.

But when Lily finds out that Rhys is betrothed to another she flees without saying goodbye.

Knowing that was not the "proper" thing that a princess should do...she sets out to write a letter explaining....

GREAT TWIST AND TURNS AWAIT FOR YOU IN THIS STORY... :)
SUCH AN ENJOYABLE TALE!
Please read this book...you will be SO GLAD you did!… (más)

Princess Ariella is tired of palace life. She doesn't feel she gets to do what she desires, only what others expect of her. Her only refuge is the maze on the palace grounds, a wonderful place where she can escape from it all. One day while in the maze, she meets the young gardener Gavin. Gavin and Ella form a strong bond as they teach each other about their very different worlds. Ella soon finds herself drawn to Gavin, but this is strongly frowned upon as Ella is expected to marry another noble. Ella is about to find out that the path to true love is much more twisted that she could have ever imagined.

I really enjoyed this book. Ella was able to walk the fine line between being sympathetic and being too much of a whiner very well. I thought the author did a great job of helping you see that being noble or common both had their ups and downs. Ella's friendship with Gavin felt very natural and never forced. This is really important for me when reading a book like that, because I find it much more believable. Of course, every good romance needs a villain, and this book delivered a great bad one. He was easy to dislike, and he managed to provide a path to happiness for more than one person.

This book is a quick, fun read. I found it to be a good balance of good story and general romance fluffiness. You need both of those in a romance novel to keep it interesting I think. The book also has a bit of a fairytale feel to it which I really like as well. The awesome thing about this book is that while it is romantic, it's super clean and anyone from 12-90 would probably enjoy it. If you like fun, romance, and the feel of a fairytale, this is a great book to check out!

Book provided for review.… (más)

I'm sure the girls in middle school will love this book. It has a heroine who has a mind of her own and tries to live her life the way she thinks is right, but still shows respect and deference to her family; it has a hero who helps our heroine to become a better person and is always there to protect her; it has a repulsive prince. The perfect formula for a fairy tale/princess type of story. I liked that the story spanned a couple of years so we could see the growth in the characters and their relationship. I LOVED that there was no bad language or inappropriate situations.

Areas of concern: Mild violence during a kidnapping; some kissing… (más)