Rating: Summary: Very disappointing! Review: I was VERY disappointed in this book. The story line was trite and childish. I am used to more interesting storylines from Christina and am very disappointed. I used to be able to pick up one of her books and just know I would enjoy it. With this disappointment that is no longer true. There was nothing particularly interesting about either of the main characters. Her ability to develop sexual tension is generally very good. But not here, nope, not at all. Dull! No character development on the Prince...who is this guy and why would we care about him? What is exciting or itnersting here? He is about as interesting as a piece of paper. The Princess...come on! She sounds like a child. No maturity, nothing interesting about her other than her desire to have a fling before settling into her life...and that was modestly interesting as it was entirely unsupported by any information on who the heck she was. I got the feeling that Christina started this book, lost interest, and filled it in with froth. Sheesh. Very very disappointing.
Rating: Summary: DISAPPOINTED! Review: If this is the first Christina Dodd book you have read please don't give up. I have read so many of her books and this is not up to her standards. Please read "Candle in the Window" or "Move Heaven and Earth" and especially my favorite "A Well Favored Gentleman" before you judge her writing.
Rating: Summary: A Cinderella story! Review: If you have a love for fairy tales then you will love this book.Evangeline is an orphan who has never had a chance to be her own woman. Suddenly she has the opportunity to travel and spend, so what if the money isn't legally hers? After one little taste of the good life, she will start a new, more quiet existence for herself. She doesn't count on all the gossip that she attracts. Prince Danior is searching for his Princess Evangeline. Together only they can fulfill the prophecy to unite their two countries. His Princess has gotten a bit gunshy as the date that they must be joined together swiftly approaches. She has written him a letter telling him she can't do her duty. He is sure he can make her come around and see that they have to be married for the good of all their people. If only he could find her. When Danior hears about the mysterious stranger staying at an inn, he is convinced she is his princess. He hasn't seen her since she was a child, but she has the coloring and features of her people. This story has adventure. Danior must get his princess back to their country to start their rule. This is not easy because of the rebels who would rather not have the prophecy fulfilled.Also because of Evangeline herself, who knows that Danior has the wrong girl. While there are some discrepencies and there is a supernatural edge to it, this a romantic tale about a girl who has nothing but the dream of a quiet, isolated life. What she winds up with and how she gets it is truly more than she could have ever hoped for. Oh, yes, you will also laugh!
Rating: Summary: A Cinderella story! Review: If you have a love for fairy tales then you will love this book. Evangeline is an orphan who has never had a chance to be her own woman. Suddenly she has the opportunity to travel and spend, so what if the money isn't legally hers? After one little taste of the good life, she will start a new, more quiet existence for herself. She doesn't count on all the gossip that she attracts. Prince Danior is searching for his Princess Evangeline. Together only they can fulfill the prophecy to unite their two countries. His Princess has gotten a bit gunshy as the date that they must be joined together swiftly approaches. She has written him a letter telling him she can't do her duty. He is sure he can make her come around and see that they have to be married for the good of all their people. If only he could find her. When Danior hears about the mysterious stranger staying at an inn, he is convinced she is his princess. He hasn't seen her since she was a child, but she has the coloring and features of her people. This story has adventure. Danior must get his princess back to their country to start their rule. This is not easy because of the rebels who would rather not have the prophecy fulfilled.Also because of Evangeline herself, who knows that Danior has the wrong girl. While there are some discrepencies and there is a supernatural edge to it, this a romantic tale about a girl who has nothing but the dream of a quiet, isolated life. What she winds up with and how she gets it is truly more than she could have ever hoped for. Oh, yes, you will also laugh!
Rating: Summary: Not a bad read, just about average.... Review: If you want a good review, read Mrs. Giggle's review below (Many times I seem to agree with what she says). For a thin, on the surface, quick read, this book is just the ticket. We have a spunky yet intellegent heroine, and a...well...hero. Ms. Dodd's characters seemed a little flat to me. Don't dig too deep into these characters, you might come out the other side. Evangaline grew up as an orphan and was miraculously "found", (unknown to her of course) and taught everything she needed to know about being a princess (not knowning she was being groomed for the role). That's her character, all of it... Our hero on the other hand is a self centered, conceited, neanderthal. Everything he does is for the good of his country. I think he even convinces himself that falling in love is for it TOO!!!! Every part of this story glosses the surface. For example, what about the revolutionaries? Their beliefs, their motives, the organization? We are told that they ravage the countryside but are never shown it. Too much passive voice, telling; not enough active voice, showing. I just wish that there was some more depth to this story, I really wanted to love it, not just like it.
Rating: Summary: A good summer's day read Review: In 1816 English orphan Miss Evangeline Scoffield inherits a large sum of money and decides to have one perfect summer. She buys herself new clothes and goes away to france, where she enjoys herself, especially the food. While in France she meets Danior, the prince of Bamina. He claims that she is the princess of Seraphina, his betrothed. Unable to convince him she is not the princess, Evangeline is kidnapped by a determined Danior. On the road to their kingdoms, they are shot at by revolutionaries, Evangeline runs away many, many times and the two fall in love. Will Evangeline ever be able to convince Danior she is not the princess, will he still love her if he realizes she is common? I found this book to be, although a good story, rather predictable. I enjoyed That Scandalous Evening much better.
Rating: Summary: A beautiful adult fairy tale Review: In 1816, during one month Evangeline Scoffield spent half of the 6,000 pounds she inherited. Always poor, the orphaned English woman is currently vacationing in a Spanish resort. In spite of the money and her worry about the future, Evangeline relishes her role as wealthy traveler. Her idyllic days abruptly end when Crown Prince Danior of Bamina accuses her of being the RUNAWAY PRINCESS that he is to marry. Though he speaks to her in Baminian, she understands what he says. Danior begins to woo Evangeline whom he calls Ethelinda. She denies being the princess, but relishes the attention from the person she quickly falls in love with, one who reciprocates her feelings. However, an unknown assailant also believes she is the princess and plans to assassinate her at the first viable moment. Christina is a regular when it comes to scribing best selling historical romances. Her current tale, THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS, has all the makings of another runaway best seller. The story line is fast-paced, filled with intrigue, and loaded with entertainment. The lead protagonists are a regal couple who will charm the audience. The supporting characters bring relevancy and depth to a brilliant nineteenth century European romantic fairy tale. Harriet Klausner
Rating: Summary: The author as heroine Review: People always wonder if an author puts any of herself in a character. Evangeline is as close as I've ever come. Like her, I have huge amounts of useless knowledge stuffed in my head (never play Trivial Pursuit with me unless you've got the Sports Edition), and like Evangeline, I love to eat. Any kind of food, anywhere, any time. No one has ever offered me food as a bribe to become a princess, but if a wayward prince ever showed up at my door, he'd be on the right track if he suggested we go out to dinner. Just in case he's out there and wants to know ...
Rating: Summary: Fun Fairytale Read Review: She had come into a small inheritance and before settling down to become the proprietress of a small bookstore she wanted to have one great adventure. Evangeline Scoffield of East Little Teignmouth, Cornwall, is having fun posing as the refined lady she had always longed to be. Adventure not withstanding, Prince Danior of Baminia appears and announces that he is her fiancé. He insists that she is the Princess Ethelinda and that they must return immediately to her kingdom where they are to be married. Evangeline's protests are cut short when someone lobs a bomb into her room and Danior pulls her into the adventure of her life for the next three days - before - he says - they are to be married. Of course, he has yet to be REALLY introduced to Miss Evangline Scoffield - and she is not exactly who he thinks she is! That is the premise of this lovely fairytale come true story. It is both exciting and fun and written in the very tongue in cheek style of the wonderful wordsmith Christina Dodd. Fun read with just the right amount of sensual tension and romanticism that one comes to expect from Ms. Dodd.
Rating: Summary: Witty, enchanting, completely romantic! Review: The dialogue between the lovers was magnetic, quick-witted, and engaging -- it sucked me in so quickly, that I could not stop reading. I dreaded coming to the end of this clever adventure -- the whole setting, the lead characters, and the plot completely charmed me. It was the best romance I've read to date -- it made me want to run out and buy every book Dodd has written.
|