Customer Reviews

Tempting the Prince

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I recently bought and read this book and thought the book was alright. It was easy to read and did not require any deep thought. I found that it WAS quite predictable. You were able to guess exactly what was going to happen and you KNEW that there was going to be a happy ending no matter what.

I think that a little more conflict or more to the plot would have made this book a bit more of a challenge and a little bit more entertaining. I enjoy books where the main characters have more spunk. However, it was a fairly decent book that managed to keep my attention.

In 1821 the seven Flambeau sisters each possess a different "gift". Belle, for instance, is blessed with the ability to heal people by touching them. She is contented with her lot as she loves gardening, enjoys helping people and looks forward to her upcoming marriage. Everything changes when Belle is the victim of an ugly assault most likely by the serial killing Society Slasher that though she survives leaves her face scarred and her fiancé dumping her.

Unable to cope the once happy healer hides in her garden, her last place she has any enjoyment. Meanwhile Prince Mikhail "Mick" Kazanov and his daughter Bess want a wife and mother. She suggests he try shopping at the "mummy stores" for a spouse who can tell her fairy tales and loves gardening. Mike knows he found a wife that he and his daughter could love, but Belle rejects his efforts to court her so he works a deal with her father the duke, her siblings, and his daughter to assist his plan to marry the woman he loves.

The latest Flambeau sister and Kazanov brother Regency romance (see PLEASURING THE PRINCE and SEDUCING THE PRINCE) is a delightful tale. The story line is action-packed from the onset with the Slasher doing his horrific deeds while Mick and Bess court Belle. Fans of this princely series will enjoy this fine entry as Belle is one of the most fascinating characters amongst a horde of interesting players especially the Flambeau felines.

Harriet Klausner

You must buy this book! Ms. Grasso writes another spell binding Flambeau Sister Story mixed in with another tantalizing Kazanov Brother.

You are immediately drawn into Belle's gentle world when tragedy strikes. You feel Belle's soul deep courage and her ache to overcome all the challenges life has thrown in her path and the despair she faces believing no one will love her scarred imperfection. Enter Prince Mikhail who believes, as all arrogant males, he can make her love him. But in the end it is he, Prince Mikhail Kazanov, who is humbled by true love.

The Prince learns that love isn't his to command. In that risking love he must trust that love will return to him. Not an easy challenge while dealing with "The Society Slasher" who threatens the very thing he loves. Ms. Grasso has so artfully crafted an intriguing plot around the strength of her characters that you find yourself turning the pages faster and faster to visit all the charming and intriguing characters from her previous books.

Pleasantly surprising are several subplots that are as intriguing as the main plot. I cannot wait to read the story of Raven Flambeau and Alexander Blake, but first there is the teaser for "Enticing the Prince."

Belle Flambeau and her six sisters each have a special "gift". Belle's is a healing touch. Belle's passion for gardening has made her famous in certain circles. Belle is happy with her lot in life and is about to marry. But it all changes when a vicious attack leaves her with an ugly scar on her face. Belle's fiancée dumps her and Belle retreats from society.

The Flambeau Sisters do not know who their father is (except for Fancy, who is not telling). They only know he is a duke and he always provides well for them. But after Belle's attack, their father comes forward to acknowledge them. Worried for the safety of his daughters, the duke and his wife convince the girls to move in with them. This is not as awkward as you would think. The duke has always cared for his six daughters and the duchess, "Roxie", greets them with open arms. In fact, Roxie treats the six sisters as if they were her own daughters, offering love and words of wisdom. Belle is the only daughter Roxie cannot convince to go out into society again. Belle wants only to be left alone to tend the gardens.

Prince Mikhail "Mick" Kazanov wants a loving, nurturing wife, not one of the shallow fortune hunters that are constantly vying for his attention. His young daughter, Bess, is eager for a new mother as well. Bess insists that Mick search through all the "mummy stores" and get one who knows a lot of stories, loves laughing, plays in the garden, helps with tea parties, and bakes happiness cakes. And upon sighting Belle, Mick knows he has found the perfect woman to be his wife. Problem is that Belle's scar would keep her from allowing anyone to meet her, much less court and marry her. Thus Mick, the duke, and a select few others get together and begin scheming.

Meanwhile, London is being plagued by a murderer dubbed "The Society Slasher". The Slasher's victims are female. He slashes his victim's throat, leaves a gold sovereign in her hand, and takes some of her hair for a souvenir. And Belle just may be next.

***** I found this enchanting story to be a subtle twist on the "Beauty & the Beast" tale. The book caught my attention with the very first line, the Slasher stalking his latest prey. There is so much more going on than my synopsis reveals. Author Patricia Grasso has many secondary characters throughout the entire book; however, I never found myself confused by them all or distracted from the main plot by rambling. There is no "filler" within the pages to deal with. Everybody mentioned is relevant to the story. I became so enthralled by everyone and everything that I felt as though I were actually there. I came to know each character's quirk and attitude. I could guess how each would react to news. And let us not forget the villains that readers all love to hate. This story has quite a few of them for me to despise!

This is part of a series, but I did not have to read the previous novels to enjoy it at all. Yet after reading this book, I intend to search the book store for "To Charm a Prince", "To Love a Princess", "Seducing the Prince", and "Pleasuring the Prince". If they are even half as good as THIS title, I'm in for a treat. Patricia Grasso, you have a new fan in me! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

What a dissapointment. Too many characters and unbelievable plot lines. Not at all entertaining. You expect some fantasy but this was way out there with all the sisters having "unusual talents". They were all thrown at you, and at the story to the point where you could care less about any of them.

Patricia Grasso has two love stories contained in her novel and neither one work.

The first involves Belle Flambeau. She is the illegitimate daughter of a duke. She has been attacked by a man and now bears the mark of a scar across her cheek. She feels she can never marry as she is disfigured and, of course, has nothing to offer a man but her beauty. She has the gift of healing plants. Yes, plants, not people or animals which would have made a much more interesting story. It is so very hard to feel real empathy for a wilting pansy. I am even a gardener and found it highly ridiculous that this woman casts little plant spells and spends her life commiserating over a blighted rosebush.

Her hero is Prince Mikhail. He loves her despite her scarred cheek and sets out to win her affection by feigning temporary blindness and amnesia. She is unaware of who he is but falls for him in a matter of days.

When he reveals himself to her, she is dismayed to discover he is a prince as she cannot show her face into proper society.

The second story involves Belle's sister Raven. She has psychic abilities which reveal themselves in her petty ability to break dishes when she is angry. Her love interest, a police official, is investigating the grisly murders of prostitutes in London. For a woman who has psychic abilities she never really uses them to any advantage. She knows the killer yet never "sees" that he is the one committing these heinous crimes. How accurate can her powers be. When she does get visions, they are so predictable that anyone reading a London newspaper account of the Slasher could figure out the same things.

The writing here is trite and both women act like juveniles. Their feelings are hurt constantly and their dialogue tends to be one sentence long. They both rush out into danger and are incredibly naïve.

I did enjoy when Patricia Grasso wrote the internal dialogue of the Slasher. It was evenly paced, sounded adult, and worked well with her short sentence structures. I wish all the dialogue could have been this well written.

Belle has kept herself isolated since a vicious attack left her with a scar on her face. She's sure that no man will want her because of it. However, Prince Mikhail Kazanov believes that Belle would be the perfect wife for him! Already having suffered with a social butterfly for a wife, he believes that Belle is exactly what he is looking for in a wife for him and a mother for his daughter. He connives with her family to trick Belle into marriage, but as he falls in love with his wife, he fears what will happen if she ever discovers the truth.

Patricia Grasso delivers historical romance with a twist of humor! Tempting The Prince is yet another great story of the Kazanov Princes! Belle and Mikhail had me laughing on one page and engrossed in hunt for Belle's attacker on another. Sexy and fun with a dash of mystery, Tempting The Prince is exactly what the historical romance reader is looking for!

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I love books were the two main characters fall in love without a lot of conflict and fighting. I prefer all the conflict and details to be in the story taking place around the hero and heroine. If you like a lot of details and conflict this will not be an enjoyable read for you.

Yes some of it a little unbelievable but this is fiction. I loved the Hero he was so supportive and tender with Belle. He helped her realize that she was worthy of love even though she had a scar on her face.

If you like light, romantic romps you will enjoy this book. I loved it!!!

loved the story. but the herione was a little debbie downer about her looks at times. otherwise it was a very goo read

It was a good read. The characters were lovable, especialy Elizabeth, Rudolph Casanov's daugther, she was quiut. Overall the storry is starting to guet interesting. Lets see what happens.