She's No Princess (Avon Romantic Treasure) [Mass Market Paperback]

Laura Lee Guhrke (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 30, 2006 | Series: Avon Romantic Treasure

A Royal Pain...

The illegitimate daughter of a prince and a notorious courtesan, Lucia has been confined to schools and convents for most of her life. But that hasn't stopped her from causing one scandal after another. Exasperated, her royal father decides that his exquisite hellion of a daughter must be married immediately. And Sir Ian Moore, Britain's most proper diplomat, is the perfect man to choose her a groom.

Diplomacy, not matchmaker, is Ian's forte, but he vows to get Lucia married off as soon as possible so that he may return to his real duties. Yet, despite an abundance of very eager, worthwhile candidates, none is a match for Lucia's spirit and fire. And the more time Ian spends with the infuriating beauty, the more reluctant he is to marry her off. Could it be that he has already found Lucia the perfect husband...and it is Ian himself?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laura Lee Guhrke spent seven years in advertising, had a successful catering business, and managed a construction company before she decided writing novels was more fun. The New York Times bestselling author of sixteen historical romances, Laura has received many literary awards, including romance fiction's highest honor, the RITA^® Award, and her books routinely appear on the USA Today Bestseller list. When she's not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura spends her time relearning how to ski, mastering the wakeboard grab, and trying to actually hit a golf ball, much to the amusement of her friends.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060774746
• ISBN-13: 978-0060774745
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #676,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke spent seven years in advertising, had a successful catering business, and managed a construction company before she decided writing novels was more fun. The author of many historical romances, Laura has received many literary awards, including romance fiction's highest honor, the Rita Award. When she's not writing, Laura spends her time skiing down the slopes and wakeboarding across the lakes of her beautiful home state of Idaho. She loves hearing from readers, and you may write to her by visiting her website: www.lauraleeguhrke.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Keeper! May 30, 2006

By C. Cox

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I'm always looking for books that are well written and that have something out of the ordinary to offer. When I find one, quite often it's written by Laura Lee Guhrke. This is just such a one.

Lucia is the passionate, unruly and illegitimate daughter of an Italian Ruler. Sir Ian Moore, the brother of Dylan, who we met in His Every Kiss, is the diplomat who is assigned to marry her off to a British peer who meets all her father's stipulations, none of which Sir Ian qualifies for. She wants to marry for love, he just wants her married so he can go back to his regular duties. Thus begins the battle of wills.

Ms. Guhrke is an excellant writer. The plot, while not being completely new, is not exactly run of the mill, but either way it doesn't matter because it's the characters that make the book. I was extremely happy to see Dylan Moore and his wife Grace again and Isabel is growing up to be a handful. But Lucia is the one to watch for. I wasn't sure I'd like her right at the beginning, but she is fascinating to watch and learn about. A truly different type of heroine. Very Italian, passionate, practical, manipulating, headstrong, loving, caring, all these things are Lucia and more. You really can't put her in a box. We met Sir Ian in His Every Kiss and he is still the stuffy, upright, uptight, oh so perfect diplomat that he's always been. It's a lot of fun to see him drawing closer and closer to a meltdown as Lucia and he engage in a battle of wits. I might have wished that he'd broken down a little sooner, but the way it's played out is so very realistic that I can't really wish for any of it to be played differently. I really can see Lucia driving him mad for the rest of his life... and him loving every minute of it....

A truly great book that had me going back to read it again as soon as I had finished it. That says it all. Read more ›

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars She's No Princess October 30, 2006

By M. Nix

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Lucia, the illegitimate daughter of an Italian prince, thrives on astonishing and irritating her father. The last straw is when she sneaks out of her father's palace with her legitimate younger sister for a secret night at a carnival. Guards from the palace find them and Lucia is banished from the palace to live with obscure cousins. Not liking that, she escapes and goes to London to live with her courtesan mother. Lucia's father hears of this and in order to keep his younger daughter's engagement to an upstanding family intact, Lucia must be married off and quickly without scandal. Trusting very few, the prince calls on the one man that he trusts in England to help him arrange a not so royal wedding, Sir Ian Moore.

Ian Moore can't believe his ears. What is the prince of Bolgheri thinking? He is a diplomat, not a matchmaker! He has negotiated treaties and ended skirmishes with his diplomacy and now he is being reduced to babysitter. Ian reluctantly agrees to the assignment with the hope that he can see Lucia married in six weeks. The plan is noble, until he meets her. Instantly upon making her acquaintance, Ian fights his attraction because he knows that it is not proper. Now he just has to tell his heart.

Lucia fights the man that her father has chosen to find her a groom. She gives nothing and makes life difficult at best. That is, until she gets to know him and then she finds him honorable, attractive, and things get complicated. Lucia has six weeks. Six weeks to make him love her because if he doesn't, then she will have to marry someone else.

She's No Princess by Laura Lee Guhrke is a remarkable read. I laughed, cried, and became heartsick at the emotions it invoked.... While Ian's intentions were honorable, I could sense his pain and in turn, She's No Princess became difficult to read. Not because the story wasn't well written, it was. I was amazed at the emotions it dragged out of me while reading it. I thought it a most wonderful story and would recommend this book to anyone!

Talia

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed Read more ›

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars because Guhrke can't write a bad book February 16, 2007

By M. DETWILER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I gave this book 3 stars because of the writing. She's No Princess had the kind of heroine I dislike most--the spoiled little girl who wants her way and won't take no for an answer. I waited a long time to read this book, picked it up at a used book store, and will return it to said store. It was okay--only because Laura G. can't write a bad book. But, the attitude of the heroine kept this from being a keeper.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Slightly annoying heroine and weak story ending June 15, 2007

By Emily in GA

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This is my first book by Ms. Guhrke, but I always like trying out new romance novelists. This plot line consists of a wild, head-strong illegitimate daughter of an Italian prince needing a husband as her father is tired of her misbehavior. A British Diplomat must find a British Peer for her to wed. She doesn't like any of her choices, and yes, this diplomat, Ian, turns out to be just the man for her.

I couldn't get too involved with this novel for several reasons. First, Lucia, the illegitimate daughter, is irritating (as has been mentioned in prior reviews). She is whiney and not terribly likable. I never got why Ian was attracted to her, other than the fact that she is beautiful. Second, the built up to the story climax is very subtle and somewhat tedious. The climax is also very mild, making for a rather flat story. For me, there was too much fluff at the beginning about finding a husband, and not enough focus on developing their relationship. Then when they get together, I was left feeling somewhat cheated. My last complaint was rather minor. This story is theoretically set in the early 19th century, but there was very little focus on developing the story within the historical and cultural context.

So, I've outlined the parts that bugged me, but it is a fair story, and a quick read. It would not make my all-time favorite romance novel list, but I don't regret having read it or bought it.