For the most part, I really liked this book. I enjoyed that there was lots of tension between the characters, that they didn't simply fall into one another like so many characters in romance novels do. I liked Ian especially, how he stuck to his guns and didn't simply let his dick guide him everywhere.

The part I didn't like was the ending. It seemed very unnecessarily roundabout. She pushes him into popping her cherry, and then they have this awkward forced wedding. Eventually he decides he doesn't hate her guts and hey, maybe actually loves her a little. Then in the end, he gives up the career he loves so he can, what, sit around the house all day playing the good husband? It just seemed very contrary to the rest of the book.

But still, it was a fun read. ( )

I liked this one, too. Not as much as the previous one, though. And I am getting a little tired of steamy scenes in a carriage. :D ( )

She's No Princess left me feeling good after finishing it, though I was honestly on tenterhooks while in the midst of the book. Even though I really liked the hero and heroine individually, and I was rooting for them the whole time, I had my reservations about them as a couple, concerns that weren't really appeased until the last few pages. Lucia Valenti is the bastard child of a courtesan and a prince of Italy, and even though she seemed stereotypical in terms of her fiery Italian temperament, the author was able to bring her spirit and personality to life so well that I accepted the depiction without complaint. She's such a fun character, a breath of fresh air really. She's aware of her feminine charms, has no scruples about using them, and enjoys herself while she's at it. Being illegitimate, she's never been officially recognized by her father, who's a stranger to her and has shunted her from school to school, to convents across Europe in an effort to keep her out of trouble and prevent (unsuccessfully) her numerous acts of rebellion. I really liked the prologue, which put me in mind of Roman Holiday with a bit of a twist - it shows Lucia sneaking out to a carnival only to have her younger, legitimate half-sister interrupt her in the act of escape and beg to come along. The sisters' interaction gave Lucia a lot more depth and so my interest in her story was snagged instantly.

In reaction to this latest scandal, her father gives her his last name and demands that she marry a British peer to get her off his hands. Sir Ian Moore, a successful British diplomat, is assigned the job of making this marriage happen, though he's less than thrilled to be taken away from negotiating peace treaties in Greece. Lucia, for her part, balks at the very idea of being forced into marriage. Ian is Lucia's opposite in every way. Most romance heroes are control freaks, but Ian has them all beat. He has very clear notions of his duty, his honor, and he sticks to these exacting standards, even when he really really doesn't want to. Though he hides his struggles very well, the author lets us glimpse how human he really is. His icy demeanor and prolonged resistance to Lucia create a ton of chemistry and tension between them, and when he finally can't help himself, things heat up considerably. Lucia's demand to marry for love (and only love!!!) can be a tedious refrain, but her interactions with Ian are still interesting, fun, and heartfelt.

Even though Ian's loss of control was much anticipated, I can't say, however, that I was all that pleased with the direction the book chose to go once Ian gives in to his passion for Lucia. After certain events transpire that shall remain undisclosed (don't want to spoil anything) I was upset that Lucia was made to feel guilty, that she was so undermined and powerless in the face of British society, her father's demands, and Ian's implacable resolve. But at the same time I didn't hate Ian for the way he was either. And one can easily argue, from another perspective, that he was wronged by her. Whichever way you look at it, he couldn't get beyond himself, his duty, and what he considered his failure of that lofty ideal, while she gave up too much of herself in loving him more than he seemed to love her. For a long while it seemed that Ian and Lucia were just too different from each other, and both were suffering from it. The less than jovial circumstances that finally bring them together seemed like the only way that Ian could be extracted from a lifestyle that kept him busy but in no way happy. Unfortunately, these circumstances create a significant rift between the hero and heroine, if there wasn’t enough between them already. I hope I’m not giving anything away when I say it all works out for them in the end, though. Call me complacent, but I was relieved and more than happy to accept their happily ever after when it was finally handed to me on a silver platter. For Ian and Lucia I'm willing to suspend my disbelief. ( )

Lucia was a very interesting character but I just wasn't convinced of happily ever after. This book could have used an epilogue. ( )