The Princess Plan by Julia London ~ a Review

by MK French

Eliza Tricklebank is sure that she's a spinster after cruel rumors from ten years ago, but she has a life taking care of her father, and working with her sister and friend on a fashion and gossip gazette. She is sure that meeting the prince of Alucia will be great gossip fodder, but that is soon eclipsed by the murder of his personal secretary. A clue is deposited at her home that she and her sister publishes, leading the Crown Prince Sebastian of Alucia to her doorstep. His secretary had been his friend, and he wants to find the murderer. Eliza frustrates him at every turn but is clever in ways he didn't expect, leading them to work together on what clues were available.

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November 2019; HQN; 978-1335041531
audio, ebook, print (400 pages); romance

We know that there has to be some kind of happily ever after for Sebastian and Eliza, though both realize from the outset that he can't marry a commoner. He's in England to secure a trade agreement and a noble bride, and Eliza doesn't have a title, fortune or robust connections that a small European country on the brink of war would want. In addition to the pressures of being in charge of his country's future, Sebastian is frustrated by the lack of concern for his friend's death. It's a question of etiquette, rumor, and hidden opportunities, and all the while there are the haunting questions of possible treason and treachery. She provides reasonable explanations for the puzzle pieces, without any ulterior motives. Throughout this tension, Eliza and Sebastian move from adversaries to friends to lovers.

Eliza is sure that her lack of social graces condemns the relationship from the start, and Sebastian knows he has to do his duty to his country before he can work for his own happiness. You can't help but root for them even before the inevitable moment of heartbreak as Sebastian has to pick a departure date to return to Alucia, and as the mystery of his friend's murder is concluded. The happily ever after is hard-won, but definitely earned.

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Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband and three young children.

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