Jove Historical Romance (Paperback), ISBN 0-515-13250-0
You wouldn't call George a typical chambermaid. The people of Saxe-Wallerstein-Karolya call her "Her Royal Highness Georgianna Victoria Elizabeth May," or "Princess Giana."

When anarchists allegedly murder Princess Giana's parents to gain control of the Saxe-Wallerstein-Karolya's natural resources, survival forces her into hiding. Along with her trusted staff and royal advisor, Giana finds safety in an abandoned hunting lodge in Scotland. Unfortunately, Larchmont Lodge becomes the prize in a poker match. With visions of a golf resort created for the rich and famous, new owner Adam McKendrick (a.k.a. "The Bountiful Baron") arrives on the scene. Desperate to maintain secrecy and her life, Giana and her royal support staff pose as domestic help.

Giana's regal stature and awkward serving skills soon raise Adam McKendrick's suspicions as to her qualifications and background. Not to mention the fact that he never gets the chance to keep current with world news -- the newspaper always winds up burned, shredded or otherwise unreadable.

Hiding a diamond and eclipsing its brilliance proves a difficult task. Soon, Giana's light attracts not only McKendrick but the monster who murdered her parents. Only time will tell which one will capture her first, and whether he will take her life or her heart.

Rebecca Hagan Lee executes this princess story with style and grace. Ever engaging and delightful, Ever Princess qualifies as a royal treat. The attempted overthrow of the Saxe-Wallerstein-Karolya monarchy provides both tension and mystery to the story. Royalty masquerading as domestic help adds irony and humor. The introduction of a charismatic and otherwise "bountiful" baron (complete with his own skeletons and mysteries) adds fire to an already captivating tale before a fairy-tale kiss seals the fate of this successful romance novel.

One of the best things about this "ever after" story is that it's neither the beginning nor the end. Those who wish to partake of more of Hagan Lee's regal romance can discover Once A Mistress, the first in the Templeston's Heirs series or Almost A Gentlemen, the next book.

Lynne Remick

Lynne Marie Pisano is a freelance writer, poet, book reviewer, SCBWI Metro New York LI Critique Group Coordinator and Co-Chair of the Long Island Children's Writers and Illustrators. She lives in New York with her husband Michael, her son Kevin and a daughter named Kayla, and Dante, a Schipperke.

Click here to share your views.