How do I even begin to describe how amazing Almost a Princess is? Well, I have been wracking my brain for the last few minutes, and I have come to the conclusion that nothing short of "sheer perfection" can do this book justice. Granted, Ms. Elizabeth Thornton's writing may not be as eloquent as Madeline Hunter's or Lisa Kleypas', but that minor flaw seems inconsequential in light of all its allures, which I will proceed to describe in the succeeding paragraphs.The best feature of Almost a Princess is its characters. At a glance, Case and Jane may not seem very special. Indeed, one might even think, "What's so great about a notorious rake who falls in love with a strong-willed chit who, in turn, harbours a dark secret of her own? It's been written hundreds of times before!" Yes, I would have to admit that's exactly how I felt when I picked up this book; I didn't have such high expectations of it. But I was wrong. Case and Jane brought life to this novel. While I was reading it, I couldn't think of them as fictional characters, because in my mind they were so much more--they lived, they breathed, they loved. They were so beautifully written, each of them deep and complex, that they seemed alive.Jane may come across as a haughty man-hater at first (some may even think she was too hostile at times), but as the story progresses, you will learn that deep inside lives a frightened and scarred woman who just want to protect herself and the people she loves. I won't give out too many details, but everything she did made sense in the end. She had good, justifiable reasons why she acted the way she did. She's tenacious and stubborn without being unreasonable; while she gave Case a hard time, she didn't refuse to see reason when she saw the futility of her situation. I love the fact that she was so realistic, and I wouldn't have done things differently had I been in her situation.Case is an equally amazing character. While he may start out as a normal, stubborn alpha who didn't give a damn about other people's affairs (like the cause of his aunt and the Lady's Society), he grows into an understanding man who would do anything to protect the love of his life. What I appreciate most about him is his humility. At a crucial moment, during the oh-so-dreaded Big Misunderstanding, he could have prolonged the conflict by clinging on to his bruised pride and jealousy, but he didn't. Instead, he felt ashamed for even doubting her, and humbly begged for her forgiveness. He believed her, without her her uttering a single promise or rebuttal to the accusations laid against her. That was how strong his faith was in Jane. And I've never encountered a hero who displayed that much trust in the heroine until now. Just wow.Both characters displayed a great degree of maturity throughout the novel. They should be applauded with how gracefully they handled the Big Misunderstanding, along with all the other crises that came along their way. I also feel compelled to mention that another remarkable aspect about Case and Jane's love was the fact that it wasn't based on lust or physical attraction, but on a deeper connection between the two. He didn't lustfully rip off her bodice after checking her out--no, he really grew to love her because of, well, her. And vice versa. The physical awareness came after--something that is very hard to find in HR novels, since it's usually the other way around. I don't know, but for me, this made Case and Jane's attraction more meaningful and natural, and I really believe that they were really made for each other. In fact, I can't think of a pair more perfect and well suited.Needless to say, I really recommend this.
What do You think about Almost A Princess (2004)?
Weak 3*The book started out with some promise, but lost ground at the end. The writing was serviceable, if uninspired, and the suspense plot was interesting. The romance was flat, and while the main characters were likeable enough, they were too generic to really capture the reader's heart. The best part of the book was the suspense plot, which I was enjoying until the last couple of chapters. At the end, it feels as though the author didn't know what to do with herself or the story, so she tied up every loose end as quickly, and implausibly, as possible. Characters suddenly broke character. Hell, even the dog acted out of character at the end. How did the dog even know the Duke and why was he suddenly so attached to him? Then, after winding up the suspense plot abruptly, the author adds a last chapter that is really just a sappy epilogue in disguise.This is not an author I'm interested in returning to. The 3* rating is only because the first 3/4 of the book had my interest due to the suspense plot.
—Carrie
