Category: Part of a Series

Claiming the Princess by Charis Michaels

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Claiming the Princess (Hidden Royals #3)Claiming the Princess by Charis Michaels

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Hidden Royals, #3

Release Date: October 28, 2025

After saving Viscount Fernsby, the Prince Regent’s cousin and being named a war hero, Captain Lucas Bannock is offered a reward by the crown. He only wants one thing, the release of Linus Welty, his surrogate father from Vincent Surcouf, Comte d’ Moulac, the French military officer that took him prisoner before killing the rest of Lucas’ crew, to achieve that, he needs to marry Princess Danielle Allard d’Orleans, the exiled French princess that the Comte wants to marry. He is granted her hand in marriage and an estate in Kent, it seems like everything is going according to his plan – that is until he meets her and realizes she has no idea she is a princess, or French or why the Prince Regent would be interested in her or that he would be so attracted to her.

Adopted as a baby by retiring retainers for the King and Queen of England, Danielle “Dani” Allard has been raised with no knowledge of her title or heritage. She lives a modest life in Kent and has strong ties to the community, so she is stunned when her parents tell her that she has been betrothed to Captain Bannock by the Prince Regent. She askes why the prince would be concerned with her but gets no answers and before she can press them for more information, Lucas arrives. Can love grow in a bed of lies and secret agendas or is she doomed to a life of heartache?

This was a well written, interesting story with wonderful characters and lots of emotion. Dani and Lucas share a strange bond, they were both raised by surrogates for vastly different reasons, yet they both have a strong love for their foster parents. My heart broke for Lucas, he is consumed with guilt about the loss of his crew and his foster father and believes he would do anything to save Linus, only to feel more guilt upon meeting Dani. This book was filled with secrets, lies, deception, shocking revelations, a heart of gold hero bent on revenge, found family, surprise reunions, a heroine who can hold her own, lots of cats and finally a hard-won HEA. Overall, I liked this story, Dani and Lucas are easy to root for, but I felt disappointed that there was no epilogue, especially since the siblings were finally reunited. This is the final book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone title, I would recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

A Rogue In Rome by Linda Rae Sande

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

A Rogue in Rome (The Grand Tours of the Aristocracy Book 4)Barbara’s rating: 3.8 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Grand Tours of the Aristocracy #4
Publication Date: 10/24/25
Period: 1841 – Rome
Number of Pages: 329

With this author, we always get two wonderful romances and HEAs in each book. She also usually references something from a long-ago book – something that helped the hero win the heroine. In this book, it is shoes. If you read that earlier book, it will make you smile as you remember, and if you didn’t read it, you’ll think ‘how cute’ and move on. In this series, we follow a group of family members embarking on a Grand Tour – with Rome as their final destination. During the tour, all of the unattached males have found their HEAs – except David, Viscount Penton.

David has always behaved as a gentleman should. He’s respectful, thoughtful, kind, caring, protective, and amiable. Everybody loves David – well, almost everybody. He cannot believe the young lady he just tried to rescue thinks he is as bad a rake as the man from whom he attempted to rescue her. Humpf! Of course, he has to admire the fact that she had actually already rescued herself.

Lady Vittoria has been excessively sheltered by her overprotective father all of her life. She’s never really traveled nor mixed in society – but she has been raised to think all men are rakes, and she acts accordingly. So, when one rake tries to take advantage of her, she believes the one who comes behind him is a rake as well.

Our second romance is between American Patrick McAdams and Dona Armenia D’Avalos, who is Lady Vittoria’s great aunt. Patrick is a widower with an adult son, and has come to Rome to expand their textile business. Armenia has never married and is thankful for that. She thinks Patrick is a fortune-hunting lothario who is after Vittoria.

The sparks fly quickly between each couple, and it was a delight to see David and Patrick pursue and win Vittoria and Armenia.

This was a fun read filled with lovely characters and delightful romances. This author is well-traveled, and you’ll also pick up lots of the history of Rome – along with descriptions that will make you feel as if you are walking right along beside them.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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