Her Highness, My Wife [Hardcover]

Victoria Alexander (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 362 pages
• Publisher: Avon (2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739427903
• ISBN-13: 978-0739427903
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,122,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.

Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written twenty-four full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife--originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008--hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.

Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON'T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.

During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She's interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor's helicopter. She's covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II's historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter's school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She's never looked back.

Victoria is a former president of the Omaha Press Club and in 2009 was named an OPC Face on the Barroom Floor. A caricature portrait of her joined previous faces including presidents, sports figures and politicians in a tradition that began in 1971.

Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.

Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband, a son in college and a daughter working in film.

Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam, the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie has now taken on the position of loyal companion and is doing a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!

They live in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal--she has to.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You'll either love it or hate it. No middle ground., July 30, 2002

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Her Highness, My Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

While in Paris Lord Matthew "Matt" Weston met and married the woman of his dreams. Yet only a few hours later she left him, leaving behind a letter that she would deal with the legalities. He had not known her REAL name or title. He only knew how much he loved her. After fifteen months, she walked back into his life.

She was Princess Tatianna Marguerite Nadia Pruzinsky of the Kingdom of Greater Avalonia, and she needed his help. Tat still loved Matt. However, she felt she HAD to leave him so she could finish fulfilling her royal duties. She planned to return to him someday, if he would still have her, once her duties were completed. For now, she needed him to escort her around London as his wife. As Lady Matthew she could retrace the steps of Aunt Sophia. Tat told him that she was writing the history of the royal family. It was obvious he did not believe her. As his wife, doors would be open for her to speak with those who knew Sophia, decades ago. The truth of what Tat was up to was kept secret. Tat was searching for something that she felt MUST be found before she could return to Matt forever.

*** I found this story to be complicated. Several sub-plots ran simultaneously, such as, the Princess Valentina being in England, some history of ballooning (aerostats), and some jewels. That was only a few of them. About half into the book, however, things began to come together. I, as the reader, got a clearer picture of what was REALLY going on. Romance between the two main characters seemed stilted until this point.

The second half of the book was filled with perils and romance! I could not pull myself away from it all. Everything seemed to speed up and I simply HAD to know what was going to happen in the next chapter! I admit that much of the information that the first half of the book was needed for the reader to fully understand the seriousness of the plot. Yet I feel many readers will not be able to wait so long for all the pieces to come together.

As a reviewer, I must say that I feel the first half of this book seemed to drag. The second half was non-stop. Somehow I believe reviews will be mixed on this tale. This story you will either love or hate. No middle ground. ***

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging historical romance, August 4, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Her Highness, My Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1819, Princess Tatiana Pruzinsky must find the Heavens of Avalonia, jewels that will legitimize her claim to the throne of the Kingdom of Greater Avalonia. In 1767, her great-aunt Sophia smuggled the jewels to England during dangerous times. Tatiana plans to visit the homes of the descendants of the three ladies (Hutchins, Helmsley, and Cranston) who graciously helped Sophia upon her arrival in England. Tatiana pretends she is writing a biography of her great-aunt. To further disguise her mission, Sophia asks the lord she deserted after only one week of marriage, Matthew Weston to pretend to be her spouse.

Matt remains angry with his wife. After she left, he learned about her royal blood. Still, needing money, Matt accepts Tatiana's offer to pay him to be her husband though his hidden motive for agreeing is to know why she left. As they pretend to be what they really are, both want to forget the other, but love flourishes making regret the end state.

The story line is exciting and the lead male character is a likable individual trying to recover from love lost. However, Tatiana is an unpleasant person as she is a phobic liar who fabricates even when there is no reason to do so. This makes it very difficult for readers to empathize with her plight leading to the question of whether she has the moral fortitude to ascend to the throne. Still the tale furnishes readers with an engaging historical tale, as fans will wonder if Matt will stick around long enough to learn the truth.

Harriet Klausner

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You will either love it or hate it. No middle ground., March 4, 2004

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Her Highness, My Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

While in Paris Lord Matthew "Matt" Weston met and married the woman of his dreams. Yet only a few hours later she left him, leaving behind a letter that she would deal with the legalities. He had not known her REAL name or title. He only knew how much he loved her. After fifteen months, she walked back into his life.

She was Princess Tatianna Marguerite Nadia Pruzinsky of the Kingdom of Greater Avalonia, and she needed his help. Tat still loved Matt. However, she felt she HAD to leave him so she could finish fulfilling her royal duties. She planned to return to him someday, if he would still have her, once her duties were completed. For now, she needed him to escort her around London as his wife. As Lady Matthew she could retrace the steps of Aunt Sophia. Tat told him that she was writing the history of the royal family. It was obvious he did not believe her. As his wife, doors would be open for her to speak with those who knew Sophia, decades ago. The truth of what Tat was up to was kept secret. Tat was searching for something that she felt MUST be found before she could return to Matt forever.

*** I found this story to be complicated. Several sub-plots ran simultaneously, such as, the Princess Valentina being in England, some history of ballooning (aerostats), and some jewels. That was only a few of them. About half into the book, however, things began to come together. I, as the reader, got a clearer picture of what was REALLY going on. Romance between the two main characters seemed stilted until this point.

The second half of the book was filled with perils and romance! I could not pull myself away from it all. Everything seemed to speed up and I simply HAD to know what was going to happen in the next chapter! I admit that much of the information that the first half of the book was needed for the reader to fully understand the seriousness of the plot. Yet I feel many readers will not be able to wait so long for all the pieces to come together.

As a reviewer, I must say that I feel the first half of this book seemed to drag. The second half was non-stop. Somehow I believe reviews will be mixed on this tale. This story you will either love or hate. No middle ground. ***

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.