The Princess Diaries meets Runaway Bride in this wonderful novel about a London career girl who embarks on a whirlwind romance with a mysterious man—only to discover that he’s a prince.
If Amy Wilde’s new boyfriend, Leo, treats her like a queen, that’s because he’s secretly a prince himself: Leopold William Victor Wolfsburg of Nirona, the ninth most eligible royal bachelor in the world. Amy soon discovers that dating an heir to a throne has many charms—intimate alfresco dinners, glittering galas, and, for a girl who lives in jeans and wellies, a dazzling new wardrobe with tiaras to match. But there are also drawbacks: imagine the anxiety of meeting your boyfriend’s parents multiplied by a factor of “riding in a private jet,” “staying in a castle,” and “discussing the line of succession over lunch.” Not to mention the sudden press interest in your very un-royal family. When an unexpected turn of events pushes Leo closer to the throne, the Wolfsburgs decide to step up Amy’s transformation from down-to-earth gardener to perfectly polished princess-in-waiting. Amy would do anything for Leo, but is finding her Prince Charming worth the price of losing herself?
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Shelf Awareness - Jessica Howard
"Hester Browne's The Runaway Princess is a fun, frothy book that explores love in many facets: Amy and Leo's sweet love, her snarky but fantastic friendship with Jo and her complicated relationship with her family. Browne manages to make all of these relationships completely believable, and downright funny sometimes, in spite of the farfetched fairytale plot. Amy's anguished internal monologue as she tries to find her own happily-ever-after will keep the reader chuckling."
Romantic Times
"Browne gives us a peek into royalty and proves, with or without a crown, we are all just people at the end of the day with regular emotions. The characters are thoroughly developed, and each of the 448 pages is necessary to craft this tale into the page-turner that it is. A delightful story from start to finish!"
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst
"The Runaway Princess is a runaway hit...simply charming."
Jill Mansell
"The Runaway Princess has an adorable heroine, divine hero and gorgeous writing - basically, it's just perfect. You'll LOVE this book, I promise!"
New York Timesand USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst
"The Runaway Princess is a runaway hit...simply charming."
From the Publisher
"The Runaway Princess has an adorable heroine, divine hero and gorgeous writing - basically, it's just perfect. You'll LOVE this book, I promise! ""The Runaway Princess is a runaway hit...simply charming."
"Browne gives us a peek into royalty and proves, with or without a crown, we are all just people at the end of the day with regular emotions. The characters are thoroughly developed, and each of the 448 pages is necessary to craft this tale into the page-turner that it is. A delightful story from start to finish!"
"An in-depth fairy tale by a master of the genre, delivering old-fashioned satisfaction with some up-to-date sparkle."
"Will delight readers...With characters who are vulnerable but not weak and situations that are extraordinary but believable, this novel is everything readers want a Browne (Swept Off Her Feet) book to be. Fans of Sophie Kinsella, Wendy Holden, and Meg Cabot will want to read this next."
"Hester Browne's The Runaway Princess is a fun, frothy book that explores love in many facets: Amy and Leo's sweet love, her snarky but fantastic friendship with Jo and her complicated relationship with her family. Browne manages to make all of these relationships completely believable, and downright funny sometimes, in spite of the farfetched fairytale plot. Amy's anguished internal monologue as she tries to find her own happily-ever-after will keep the reader chuckling."
Shelf Awareness
Hester Browne's The Runaway Princess is a fun, frothy book that explores love in many facets: Amy and Leo's sweet love, her snarky but fantastic friendship with Jo and her complicated relationship with her family. Browne manages to make all of these relationships completely believable, and downright funny sometimes, in spite of the farfetched fairytale plot. Amy's anguished internal monologue as she tries to find her own happily-ever-after will keep the reader chuckling.
Jessica Howard
Library Journal
Leaving Yorkshire for London made Amy Wilde, a gardener, feel like a daisy in a rose garden. Finding a home in a converted mansion near Buckingham Palace was lucky, but Amy discovered its best feature was her flatmate and new best friend, social butterfly Jo. During one of Jo's many theme parties, Amy's evening—and seedlings—are rescued from destruction by a handsome stranger, Prince Leopold of Nirona. The connection between Amy and Leo is instant and undeniable, but can it stand the test of time? A pleasant mix of banter among friends, dreamy looks to and from an honest-to-gosh prince, and interesting tidbits about apiary-friendly landscaping in a bustling city will delight readers. Thoughtful exploration of issues such as honesty and trust, the discrepancy between the way men and women are judged by physical appearance, and how money can change people add substance. VERDICT With characters who are vulnerable but not weak and situations that are extraordinary but believable, this novel is everything readers want a Browne (Swept Off Her Feet) book to be. Fans of Sophie Kinsella, Wendy Holden, and Meg Cabot will want to read this next.—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH
Kirkus Reviews
When a good-hearted gardener finds love with a royal, romance may sprout thorns. Amy Wilde is more comfortable with a spade in her hand than a tiara on her head. When she meets the dashing Leo Wolfsburg, who fancies more than her roses, that's a plus. And when the charming banker is revealed to be the millionaire Prince Leopold, the world's ninth most eligible royal, Amy finds she can deal with the supermodel mom and the sprawling familial castle. Amy, better known for her prize marrow than her beauty or poise, can even manage the idea of Leo landing his helicopter on the local cricket pitch, a plus when he not only wins over her hard-luck parents, but also gets their permission to propose. In fact, all seems, well, rosy, until a family scandal catapults Leo into the position of heir to the throne of Nirona--and Amy's family troubles and her own unthinking missteps threaten to derail not only his father's coronation, but their wedding. Amy, a "stroppy Yorkshire" girl, finds herself wondering, "I loved Leo, but was I really going to be able to do this?" Not to worry. Of course she is, although Browne (Swept Off Her Feet, 2011, etc.) throws in more than the usual obstacles along the way. She also plumps out this straightforward girl-meets-boy, girl-loses-boy, girl-gets-boy romance with enough detail--about London, European society, even gardening--to dissuade some looking for a quicker read. But her breezy writing and likable characters--even Leo's ne'er-do-well brother Rolf is sympathetic--will keep the right kind of reader engaged. Traditional in outlook, despite the very contemporary fashion references, this thick novel delivers a solid, almost believable fantasy with just enough glitz and glamour to catch the eye of chick-lit fans. An in-depth fairy tale by a master of the genre, delivering old-fashioned satisfaction with some up-to-date sparkle.
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