Review by Booklist Review
Justine Ivanosen, crown princess of Wesloria, has two reasons for being in London: to find a husband and to pick up some tips about ruling from Queen Victoria. Since time is of the essence, Justine is willing to accept assistance from anyone who can help her make the right match. However, when Lord William Douglas, the future Duke of Hamilton, offers to escort her around London and introduce her to his wide social circle, Justine's initial plan is to say thanks, but no thanks. That's because Justine still remembers William from their first encounter in London eight years earlier, and as far as she is concerned, a leopard, or a scoundrel, doesn't change its spots. With her usual panache, London (It Started with a Dog, 2021) launches her new Royal Match series, delivering an eminently appealing pair of protagonists, a winsome cast of secondary characters (including the redoubtable Queen Victoria herself), and an amusing plot enriched by an abundance of sharp wit and buoyed by romantic chemistry that is both sweet and sexy.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
London (A Princess by Christmas) delivers the goods in her Royal Match series launch, as a crown princess searches for her match in Victorian England. Princess Justine Ivanosen, heir to the throne of Wesloria, travels to London so that Queen Victoria can train her to be queen while matchmaker Lady Lila Aleksander of Denmark finds her the perfect husband. Justine is reluctant about the arrangement, skeptical that a suitable match will be found and fearful that her ill father may die before she's able to return home. And she's less than thrilled to learn that William Douglas of Scotland, future Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, will serve as her escort as she meets with prospective husbands. Justine and William met years ago when she first visited London, and neither has fond memories of their contentious interaction. But as they spend more time together, Justine discovers that William, more than any of her suitors, may be her perfect match. To be together, however, they'll have to overcome the rumors of his tarnished reputation. London's prolific talent for historical romance shines through in her witty, engaging characters who provide an insightful view into the intrigue and subterfuge involved in ensuring the survival of a monarchy. Readers will be thrilled. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency. (Feb.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A crown princess must find a worthy husband, but no candidate is as tantalizing as the man least suitable for the job. Crown Princess Justine of Wesloria is heartbroken: Not only is she recovering from an international scandal caused by a previous misalliance, but she's also forced to accept the prospect of losing her father, whose health is steadily deteriorating. She needs to get married and swiftly prepare herself to rule a small but prosperous nation. Prodded by Dante Robuchard, the Machiavellian prime minister of Wesloria, Justine sets sail to England to learn the royal ropes from Queen Victoria and wed an eligible British gentleman. Robuchard, who needs a finger in every pie, asks William, Lord Douglas, heir to the Scottish Duke of Hamilton, to tail the princess and send him regular updates on her progress. Cornered into accepting the mission by his cash-strapped father, who's made an unwise investment in the Weslorian coal industry, the notoriously rakish William does what he can to aid the princess. Justine and William have met before, and they have a history of getting on each other's nerves, but it appears that he's the only one who can offer her sound advice. As she begins to count on his support, Justine finds it harder to even think of a gentleman other than William, but William's past threatens to obscure every future prospect. London trots out several secondary characters from her previous books for the first installment of the Royal Match series, and each of them adds to the charm and sweetness of the central love story. While Justine is charming as a sharp princess who knows when she's being outmaneuvered but feels helpless to prevent it, she is absolutely fabulous as a powerful woman who learns to stand up for herself. William and Justine's interactions are consistently endearing and witty, but when the focus shifts to his past, the urgency of her present predicament falls by the wayside. A heartwarming and funny romance. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
