Title : The Runaway Princess
Author : Hester Browne
Publication date : 2nd October 2012
Publisher : Gallery Books
Source : Sent by the publisher for review, massive thank you!
If Amy Wilde’s new boyfriend, Leo, treats her like a queen, that’s because he’s secretly a prince himself: Leopold William Victor Wolfsburg of Nirona, the ninth most eligible royal bachelor in the world. Amy soon discovers that dating an heir to a throne has many charms—intimate alfresco dinners, glittering galas, and, for a girl who lives in jeans and wellies, a dazzling new wardrobe with tiaras to match.
But there are also drawbacks: imagine the anxiety of meeting your boyfriend’s parents multiplied by a factor of “riding in a private jet,” “staying in a castle,” and “discussing the line of succession over lunch.” Not to mention the sudden press interest in your very un-royal family. When an unexpected turn of events pushes Leo closer to the throne, the Wolfsburgs decide to step up Amy’s transformation from down-to-earth gardener to perfectly polished princess-in-waiting.
Amy would do anything for Leo, but is finding her Prince Charming worth the price of losing herself?
Confession: I never got the chance to read Hester's previous books, mainly because her Little Lady books were popular back when I was 11, so you have to understand, what did I know about chick lit back then? Well, I was longing to read Hester Browne's The Finishing Touches since last year but never seem to get a hold of it. So I decided that The Runaway Princess would be my first and hopefully not the last by Hester who is an ah-may-zing writer.
But first and foremost, I would like thank Jean Anne Rose from Gallery Books for a copy. I can't thank you enough, you lovely lady - Hester said you were the "dream publicist" and now I know why! I was so glad the DHL man came over to my house on Thursday to deliver a package from NYC, containing The Runaway Princess. Well, perfect timing it was, as I was finishing with my exams the next day. So parfait for reading!
The Runaway Princess is a fun, delicious slice of chick lit you'll devour for its lovable, adorable and wonderful heroine, Amy and her prince charming, Leo. Top it off with Hester's flair for words and her unique writing style. I loved every page of it - pure escapism for me, to be absorbed into the glamorous life of Amy and Leo, their whirlwind romance and the fairytale ending every girl deserves. Now, why do I say so? I'm sure plenty will beg to differ, that there are much better, satisfying and sinful chick lit out there, but rest assured, The Runaway Princess is one of a kind and it rocked me.
What I loved most about The Runaway Princess? Well, the one thing that sparked my love for this book has to be: Amy Wilde. She's your average, country girl with a big heart and ambition and is determined to succeed at things she's really passionate about - gardening. She's a real sweetheart, adorable at times, sometimes a nervous wreck, hilarious with her clever, witty banter, but that only makes her more likeable. What I love about her was her down-to-earth personality, she likes doing things normally, nothing over the top and enjoys the simple things in life, well except her prince fiancé! Standing tall, handsome with the lushest blond hair, Leopold William Victor Wolfsburg of Nirona, the perfect hero, the dashing Prince Charming every girl dreams of getting married to. I never doubted Leo for his big, caring heart and love for Amy. If I could nominated Best Hero for the Chick Litter Awards, you know who I'd pick!
The romantic chemistry between Amy and Leo was undeniably real, deep and passionate. They hit it off after their first date and I knew it was true love - the spark that ignited between them. The romance between the two of them, wow! And as for Leo, I must say, he's a perfect gentleman, soft-spoken, respectful and charming. By reading this light slice of heavenly chick lit, I got a glimpse of dating a proper royalty! Isn't it every girl's dream to marry her Prince Charming?
Everything about the book worked for me, from the flow of the story to my favourite scenes - Leo taking Amy out to dates and beware of the mother of all proposals. I loved the proposal, it was perfect, (how many times have I mentioned "perfect"?) well-planned and thoughtful, not a bit of corny, just downright romantic and heartwarming. The characters in the book were a thrill to read about, I loved Jo, Amy's best friend. She's funny, crazy and supportive and knows the right thing to do all the time. I'd love to have her as my best friend! Alongside Becky Bloomwood, Scarlett O'Brien and Angela Clark. Hester really had her work planned out ahead as the characters and plot were cleverly woven together to form such a fabulous, divine book.
The Runaway Princess left me with that warm, gooey feeling in my heart, now I know what Lucy-Anne Holmes meant. I hope Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge would trade her tiara for a chance to read The Runaway Princess, all because it's worth reading and enjoying and I know I would. For UK readers, don't fret, The Runaway Princess will be out in the UK next spring/summer, so keep a look out for news on the book release on here.
Hester Browne's lovely new book, The Runaway Princess is perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella. Period. And those who enjoyed The Princess Diaries, only The Runaway Princess is much better, with a darling heroine and a divine prince and not to forget, the almost-human dog, Badger!
Rating : 5/5
Perfect score! (Sorry, using it for the last time!)
Comments
Post a Comment