Customer Reviews

Waking the Princess

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an "adult" romance in all the best ways -- intense, intelligent, and wonderfully written. While Ms. King is best known for her Scottish medievals, she brings a fresh voice to a Victorian setting that brings this lush, romantic era to glowing life. Her characters are memorable, their love intense on many levels, culminating in a marvelous, unforgettable ending. If you're tired of the same-old, same-old frothy regency-era books that are flooding the market, give WAKING THE PRINCESS a try -- you won't be disappointed.

I absolutely love Susan King's writing style, and I have loved each of her books so far--they are always exquisitely crafted, with a warmth at the heart of each story that is irresistible and unforgettable. In a genre of quick reads that just don't stick with the reader for very long, here is a writer who delivers quality and satisfaction for readers who love romance, yet often find themselves hungry for substance in a story.

WAKING THE PRINCESS is another beautifully rendered story by a truly gifted storyteller. THis is a book to savor for its wonderful characters, its unusual and compelling story--pay attention, and you will be immensely rewarded. If you are used to fast, lite reads, you may not "get it" but that may be your loss. This is a sensitively crafted story written with a lyrical tone. Aedan and Christina are compelling, sympathetic, very real characters, deeply challenged by their pasts and their emotions, and forced to deal with their own private fears in order to grab at the chance for true love at last. The whole story, the setting, the characters, the plot, are convincingly created and lavishly constructed. The reader is drawn into the story completely--the whole world went away while I read, and that is something that is difficult to achieve in any genre.

I am a high school English teacher, not that it makes me an expert, but it definitely gives me an appreciation for good, even great, writing, and for solid story structure. I love historical romance, but find myself often disappointed by current trends. Susan King is always the exception for me--and she is an exceptional writer, a very talented novelist. The beautiful, complex artistry in WAKING THE PRINCESS transcends much of the genre. It reads like a much bigger book, like a hardback novel. Her books are always fresh, different, and beautiful. If you love an intelligent story and romance that will sweep you off your feet, if you long for something different and really fresh, try any one of Susan King's books.

Although I didn't like this one as well as Taming the Heiress, I am always impressed with King's meticulous research. This novel provided an interesting dilemma, but it was almost too involved, too convoluted. The ending was well done, but something about the romance seemed lacking. The characters, especially Aedan, were not as strong as in the previous novel.

This was a refreshing tale of true love, and all the problems that go with it. I thought the love scenes between Aedan & Christina, while not exactly the norm for most romances, were well done, romantic and certainly occurred because these two were falling in love. Nothing insulting about it, in my opinion.

Such intense dialogue, and obvious true love between Aedan and Christina puts this book at the top of the list as an all-time favorite of mine. Yes, it dragged in places and that wasn't good, but overall this book was well worth reading; it leaves you with a smile on your face. There wasn't an uncool bone in Aedan's body! He was the best; he kind of reminded me of some of Madeline Hunter's heros, another great author.

This was an excellent, excellent story, my first book by this author. Aedan was definitely all-man; sexy, handsome, smart, gentle, and yes, ruthless, when needed. Christina was lovely, just so perfect for Aedan. Edgar was a perfectly done villian. He was a prig, yet slightly evil at the same time.
This book had the kind of dialogue I love - very intense, deep, and emotional. The author just entrances the reader when Aedan & Christina are together, especially intimately. And there were witty parts, most notably when Aedan & Christina were sitting on his horse in the pouring rain and Edgar arrived. But...there were a few boring spots I found tedious. However, after a while, they faded altogether and the book became a real page turner.

In 1858 Edinburgh, though museum antiquarian expert Christina Blackburn wants to acquire the Dundrennan collection, she prefers to avoid traveling there. Christina knows that the MacBrides who reside at Dundrennan own the scandalous painting that she posed for in her youth and hides from it ever since in garbs to bury her beauty. No one else with the skills is available so a reluctant Christina agrees to go, but hopes that her frumpy wardrobe hides the fact that she was the model.

Upon arriving at the home of Sir Aedan Arthur MacBride, Christina sees her notorious portrait on display. He feels that if he links her to the picture, her credibility will be destroyed. Aedan finds himself quite attracted to his guest and wonders if the legend of the painting could be true that he is the handsome man WAKING THE PRINCESS with love.

Susan King's Victorian romantic rendition of Sleeping Beauty is a charming winner that will provide readers with quite an entertaining time. The story line is clever and witty as the lead couple struggles to avoid what seems obvious to everyone else is their kismet, fulfilling the legend. If a reader can only choose only one historical over the summer, WAKING THE PRINCESS is a strong choice though released late ins season in time for the Labor Weekend.

Harriet Klausner

Years ago, Christina Blackburn posed for a scandalous painting for her half mad husband. Shamed by it's eroticism, she, now widowed, has retreated into the guise of a staid, plain museum worker. She is blown away when an assignment for the museum brings her face to face with her past. Sir Aedan, the paintings current owner needs her help in learning the truth of a legend. He has already begun to fall in love with her without even meeting her, from the painting. Inevitably, he begins to be drawn to the real woman, despite the curse that looms over them. They are drawn to one another to such an extent, that when Christina's brother arrives to paint a less sensual sequel to the first portrait, he casts them in the role of star crossed lovers to make the new painting come alive.

*** While your children watch the newly reissued Sleeping Beauty, you can delight in this sweetly spiced fairy tale for adults. Weaving the magic of Camelot with the enchantment of true love, Ms. King delivers the type of fantasy that her readers have come to relish over the years. It might be interesting to note that there is a very similiar true story about a Spanish princess, though I do not know if the author was aware of this. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

The book just didn't have a plot that would keep the 2 main characters apart. Even the book jacket didn't really tell you what the story was about. I kept waiting for the story to start and I was well into the middle of the book by then.
Also, I'm so unimpressed with these trilogies that authors keep putting out. Aedan didn't impress me in Taming the Heiress and Dougal and Meg were just forced onto the pages of Waking the Princess. What's wrong with starting over with all new characters nowadays??? Everyone seems to be doing it and it's nothing but a distraction to me.
Sorry to say that Ms. King let me down a little this time, although her writing is still far superior than so many others out there.

My main gripe with this novel is the reason the two lovers could not be together. In Taming the Heiress, there was a bit of folklore and superstition that caused real world problems and how the characters felt about what happened was complex and engaging. I was looking forward to the next in this series but was profoundly disappointed. I skipped a lot because the plot line seems forced and the secondary characters were uninteresting. It was almost like there was a different writer (or editor?) working on this book. The lovers' first physical encounter was insulting - and in this era, hard to believe - he was no gentleman, that's for sure.