What to Read In Quarantine

 What to Read in Quarantine

Are you sick and self-isolating or keeping your distance from others (please?!)? I have just the book to take you on an escape from the crazy world we live in. Another gem from Regina Scott! 

Never Pursue a Prince by Regina Scott-- Traditional Regency Romance 

Thank you to Regina Scott for the advanced copy of the e-book. All opinions expressed in this review are all my own and not affected by the giveaway.

Lady Larissa Dreyden, eldest daughter of the Duke of Wey, her little sisters Lady Calantha and Lady Belle and their friend Petunia Bateman have made a vow to marry before the fall harvest. After a delayed comeout and three Seasons, Larissa is no closer to finding the prince she insisted she would marry. It was a silly vow, made when she was younger but her sisters and friend won't let it go. Hence the reason they are attending a reception to meet the King of Batavaria and unmarried sons, Crown Prince Otto and Frederic Archambault. As she waits in line to meet the foreign royals, Larissa meets a charming, handsome Batavarian guardsman. He entertains Larissa with an anecdote about the king but then his behavior changes and he whisks Larissa into a dark corner! The guardsman insists there was danger afoot and sends Larissa for help. When she finally meets the king and his son, Crown Prince Otto, she's dismayed to see her guardsman lied to her. He's actually the crown prince. She's furious and cold to the prince. Crown Prince Otto Leopold Augustus, Leo to his friends, has his reasons for the deception. His brother, Fitz, the actual Captain of the Guards, fears for Leo's safety and feels he can better handle a threat by switching places. Leo relishes the chance to do something worthwhile for a change. He's captivated by the lovely Lady Larissa and refuses to believe his brother's suspicions that the Duke of Wey's family may be enemies of the Batavarian court. He'll just have to call on the ladies to get to know them better to make sure... Soon the threat to the Batavarian crown becomes all too real and Leo must trust Larissa and her sisters to help him figure out who is behind the threats. As they work together, they come to know one another better but what will she do when she finds out he lied? What does he have to offer without a country, a home, an income? First he must uncover the dangerous enemy and win back his family's land before he can think of marriage. However, if he is successful in earning the sympathy of King George and regains his country, he will have to do his duty and marry according to his station. What is he going to do about his feelings for Larissa when and if it comes to that?

This is another winner from Regina Scott! I loved her early Regencies, I really liked her Fortune's Brides series and was eager to stay with the characters and see what happens to the young girls as they grow up. The plot has everything worthy of a Hallmark mystery movie. There is intrigue and romance aplenty to please any traditional Regency romance lover. It's not at the level of Georgette Heyer of course but if you like the old school style of Regency romance Heyer's copycats in the 70s-early 2000s published by the dozens under Signet and Zebra's Regency romance lines then you will enjoy this one too. The romance is naturally predictable but that's not why we read them is it? We read them for the journey and this journey was what I needed at the moment. I loved the intrigue and just when it was time to shut down my computer for the night, it got exciting. I was good and shut down until the next day. I was dismayed by the ending and can't wait for the next one!

When I read Never Doubt a Duke I did not care for the 10-year-old Larissa. She was haughty, snooty and rude to Jane. Now she's a young adult she's better able to express her thoughts and the reader gets to know her better. She's far more empathetic at 23 than 10. At 10 she merely echoed what she had been taught by her mother and grandmother. At 23 she's old enough to think for herself. She's confused because she feels she must live up to the expectations her mother and grandmother had for her, especially since they're both gone. As the daughter of a Duke, Larissa's mother married a Duke and nothing less than that would do for her daughter. When Jane arrived, she brought a different way of thinking and brought the love and light into their lives. (a la Maria Von Trapp-cue "Edleweiss") Wirh adulthood and the age of reason, Larissa is torn between duty and a longing for happiness. Can both be accomplished if she marries a prince? So far, the answer is no. She also feels pressure to look after her little sisters, especially Callie. That's a lot of weight on her shoulders and I completely understand how it feels to be the oldest and have all the expectations placed on your shoulders. Larissa grows and matures as the story goes on. She gains self-confidence and learns when and how to use her father's title as a weapon. She uses it to deflect unwanted attention and to gain attention. I liked watching her change personalities when she needed to but she's not a good actress! If she's going to stay involved in intrigue she better learn some new skills.

Larissa's relationship with her sisters and their friend Tuny is heartwarming. Callie and Belle were so young when their mother died they don't even remember her. To Callie and Belle Jane is their mother. They don't feel the weight of expectations Larissa feels which is a good thing because Callie is a shy introvert. She loves to read, hates large crowds of people, prefers staying home to going out, is a champion of animals and is very observant. I think we could be best friends since we're pretty much the same person. Callie is socially awkward and dreams more of books than romance. She still has the adorable habit of blurting out whatever comes into her head, usually when she's nervous. I can relate to that too LOL! Belle is now the awful sister. She's flirtatious and all she thinks about is marriage. She's young, 18, and hasn't yet had the benefit of more than one Season to give her wisdom. Tuny is more like a companion than a sister. No one pays any attention to her other than Larissa, Callie and Belle. She doesn't even go with them everywhere. She seems content with that and understands her place. She's a good friend and offers wise advice. How heartbreaking that she likes a man who doesn't return her regard. Tuny deserves happiness after all she's been through. I can't wait to find out what happened to her stepmother and how Tuny fared living with her brother and Charlotte and their daughters after Ivy married. I loved it when she threatened a prince with her brother! 

Meredith and Fortune are still around, chaperoning the Duke of Wey's daughters. Alaric and Jane are in the country with their eldest son who is sickly and trust Meredith with the girls. There are still some who don't accept Meredith but she is just as cool and haughty as ever. Fortune is getting older (how old IS she after 13 years? The Dowager Duchess of Wey has died but not the cat?) and still discerning. She's a little more fussy now she's old and doesn't have the patience for nonsense. In this novel we see her do something she's never done before! How shocking! Julian plays a larger role in this novel. He's less of a jerk since he ditched his boss and chose Meredith. He's tough like his old boss but not rude. Julian is willing to help the Batavarian royals because Fortune and Larissa want him to. Fortune's tail is law! Jane and Alaric show up towards the end. She's great! Watching her grill Larissa's suitor was so much fun! She's still not very ducal and admits she hasn't yet got the hang of being a Duchess but no one cares. She's refreshing and fun. Alaric is a loving father now and wants his girls to be happy just as he and Jane are. New to the family since we last saw them is Thal, eldest son of Jane and the Duke of Wey. He's a typical schoolboy and a good ally for his sisters. We haven't yet met Peter, the youngest child, who is only 8. Other characters from the Fortune's Brides series have cameos and those who aren't here are mentioned by name.

Newcomers to the series and to England are the Batavarian royals. King Frederick of Batavaria was the big loser at the Congress of Vienna. His kingdom was swallowed up by Würtemburg and he wants it back. Determined to gain the ear of King George, he will use any means within his power. He's arrogant and not a very good father. Only the eldest son can be named prince and therefore, the youngest must work for a living. Leo, the crown prince, is masquerading as the captain of the guard for his own safety. He's bored with diplomacy and talk, talk, talk all the time. He's eager for some action but gets more than he bargained for on this trip. He also meets an intriguing daughter of a duke who seems to take his brother into aversion! Leo is a sweetheart. He's devoted to his family and his kingdom. He truly wants to help the people and isn't motivated by power and prestige. He's kind and caring with Larissa and her sisters. Leo even treats Tuny well. I liked watching him investigate with Larissa. He respects her knowledge and allows her to take the lead role in their investigations because he knows she knows more about the social life of London than he does. He doesn't go all arrogant prince on her and insist on being in command. Nor does he feel like he has to fall on his sword for her. He grows and changes throughout the story as Larissa does. His only fault is ... he's lying and that I can't countenance. I hate stories based on deception even if it's for a noble cause. It's a good thing he's such a nice person otherwise or I wouldn't have enjoyed this story as much as I did. I would have liked more talking to Larissa about the problem and more fallout. Not drama, but just more discussion. Maybe off page? Fritz is the dark to Leo's light. Fritz, as a guard, is suspicious of everyone but seems especially suspicious of Larissa. Why is that? Could it be because she repeatedly snubs him? He's an arrogant jerk who thinks he's God's gift and Larissa sees right through it. He might even be behind some of the mysterious events happening around the Batavarian royals. Callie, usually so observant, seems to see a different side of him. He does support the RSPCA so maybe he's not so bad after all?

At the end there is a preview of Callie's story and I am dying to read it NOW! I highly recommend this new series to traditional Regency romance lovers.