Once Upon a Princess by Harper Bliss and Clare Lydon is the ultimate rich girl/poor girl romance.
Olivia Charlton is a princess and fourth in line to the throne. She’s always dreamed she’d marry for love, but that doesn’t appear to be in the cards for her. Her mother, the Queen of England, has ordered Olivia to marry someone suitable, leaving her unhappily announcing an engagement to the world with one of her ex-girlfriends at her side. Needing a break from it all, she takes off to one of the family estates in Cornwall so she can hide out and decompress in the village of Otter Bay, giving out her old military nickname “Charlie” to the locals.
Rosie Perkins is too busy to think about love, even though that’s what her ex (and the only other gay in the village) wants from her. Between trying to figure out how to keep her family’s cafe afloat and finding the money to send her sister to university, it’s all Rosie can do to keep herself together.
When the handsome, quiet Charlie comes to town, Rosie can’t seem to stop the attraction that blooms between them. Charlie’s only in town for a couple of weeks. Surely her heart can’t be too much at risk…
The Characters
I really liked both Olivia and Rosie. They’re so damn sweet and likeable, and genuinely good people. I mean, it wasn’t great that Rosie didn’t know who Olivia was for so long (and deception isn’t the best foundation for a relationship, even if I understand why Olivia did what she did), but I still found them entirely adorable and well suited for each other.
The Writing Style
Bliss and Lydon are both pros when it comes to writing lesbian romances, and this was no exception. Once Upon a Princess was super easy to read and it had enough angst to keep things interesting.
The Pros
I’m a sucker for books where princesses fall in love with commoners, so I was thrilled to find another one! The tourism board in Cornwall should also send a gift basket to the authors because this book made me want to book a flight.
The Cons
Okay, this is kind of a spoiler, so skip to the conclusion if you don’t want to know.
No, for real.
Are you still with me?
As fun as it was, I found it implausible that a hairstyle change and a pair of glasses was enough to fool Rosie, even when she got within kissing distance. Did she seriously not wonder, even after someone else pointed out the strong resemblance? I mean, I enjoyed the book on a whole, but that was too unbelievable to me.
The Conclusion
I really enjoyed this book. If you like royal romances, romances based in the UK, or rich girl/poor girl pairings, I recommend it!
Excerpt from Once Upon a Princess by Harper Bliss and Clare Lydon
“You’re a worthy contender.”
Rosie refused to let her gaze wander while Charlie manoeuvred around the pool table. She kept her attention on the table alone.
“How about we make this a little more interesting?” Charlie asked. She came to stand right in front of Rosie. “I saw on the blackboard they’re having karaoke here later. The loser has to sing a song for the winner.” She plastered a huge grin on her face.
Poor Charlie. She had no idea that Rosie had won trophies for playing pool at uni. Granted, she was a bit rusty. But that earlier four-ball streak was just her warm up.
“Deal.” Rosie extended her hand. Charlie shook it. Her hand lingered a fraction too long, and the prolonged touch of skin was about to lessen Rosie’s focus again. She withdrew her hand. “You’re up, Miss London.”
“Just for your information, pool is still widely played in the capital,” Charlie said before she turned around and studied the table.
Rosie watched as she effortlessly sank the next three balls.
“Just keeping things exciting,” Charlie said after missing the next ball.
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Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9887801453
- Publisher: Ladylit Publishing
Harper Bliss Online
Clare Lydon Online
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