Rating: 
Summary: Bliss.
Review: Ms. Foley hits the mark again! and while Pirate Prince was excellent, this book seems to up the ante a little bit. The characters from Pirate Prince are well used in this story. Serafina is a somewhat spoiled and willful character -- but you find that when you step back and look at the things that she is adamant about....you don't hold it against her because they are not selfish in nature. As a matter of a fact, you find yourself routing for her! She is an extremely clever and intelligent character that was totally enjoyable to read about. Darius, our hero, is also wonderful. He is honorable and upstanding and would go to the ends of the world to protect the woman that he secretly loves. His struggle in the story is to believe that he deserves the princess who adores him.
Rating: 
Summary: Lack of Personality Continuity from Pirate Prince
Review: First, I would like to note that The Duke, Lord of Fire and Lord of Ice are wonderful books and I can't wait until I see the next in the series. In addition, I thought The Pirate Prince was a fantastic book! Lazar was a tortured hero with a heart of gold and Allegra was a strong heroine who believed in love and herself. Darius was an enigmatic little boy who was smart and self assured and only needed love. What happened to these loving, passionate personalities in Princess?
Lazar and Allegra have turned into wooden cutouts of their former selves, uncaring, self absorbed and lacking the ability to see passion in their children - apparently not becoming the parents they so hoped to be. I thought that while Ms. Foley's writing was wonderful, her need to use these two characters to drive weak plot points reeked of uncreativity. And why do they not seem to care about their children? I realize that to a king and queen having a first born daughter won't help with the family line - but this is FICTION, and a ROMANCE NOVEL, is it not?
Darius has turned from a brave daring boy into an insecure, self absorbed (are we seeing a pattern here?) and foolish man who rushes head on into danger because he believes glory will bring him love. Didn't Lazar adopt him and bring him up as his own ward? Where did the love in this family go? It seems that once Lazar and Allegra moved into the Castle Belfort they assumed different personalities, and Darius grew up into a brooding man whose adoption made absolutely no impact on his personality!
Finally, Serafina is everything you'd expect a spoilt princess to be - but not what I expected from the child of Lazar and Allegra! Where was Allegra's charity and Lazar's fearlessness? She should have inhereited at least a few of her parent's characteristics.
I think that the creation of Ascencion is fantastic and Ms. Foley's ability to believably weave it into the history of the times is admirable. However, I do wish she'd paid as careful attention to the development of the characters in this book. I am hoping for redemption in Prince Charming.
Rating:
Summary: another foley great!
Review: The Princess is the tale of a jaded, lost hero who rediscovers the joy of love with the princess of his dreams. Darius Santiago has been in love with Princess Serafina, his protectee, since she blossomed into a beautiful, young woman. But he knows that King Lazar (who adopted him as ward) would never approve of such a match, especially since Serafina is engaged to the mighty Prince Anatole in order to save Ascencion from Napolean's attack. Serafina has always been in love with the darkly handsome Santiago. But having been rejected once, she believes that his recent attraction to her is only because she is forbidden fruit. Darius risks death in order to keep Serafina in her protective, little bubble world, uncovering dangerous evidence against her fiance and her failed kidnappers. But as he finally succumbs to his feelings, he realizes that only by unveiling his darkest secrets to her can he hope to keep her forever as his bride. This is a fantastic sequel to the Pirate Prince and even though some reviewers seem to think that Lazar and Allegra aren't stellar parents, I can only see their love for Serafina and Rafael. Lazar dotes on her constantly, wrapped around her little finger. As always, Foley's books are filled with interesting plot twists and devious villains that I've come to enjoy as part of her romance book experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Ah, Forbidden Love...
Review: TRILOGY IN SEQUEL: The Pirate Prince.....The Princess......The Prince Charming In addition to the EDITORIAL REVIEWS above: I specially admired the way Gaelen Foley created a make-believe Island of Ascension and molding it with the facts of history. It makes the history of Napoleon's family and his conquest, The Russian Czar's, French Revolution, Spanish Colonies and etc. more of an interesting read. Although, this one was a bit slow and wordy in the beginning compared to the other two books in the series, it's still an entertaining read. Educational and fun at the same time. Darius Santiago: Definitely DARK and scarred hero. He was introduce to us in the first book of the series, The Pirate Prince. At that time, he was only 15 years old yet he's been through a lot of hardship. Abused and enslaved. However he was also characterized as a courageous and determined young man, who's also very loyal to King Lazar. I was intrigued by his darkness so I was looking forward to read his own book. Although, there was no detailed mention of what Darius went through during his slavery years in the hands of Malik (in The Pirate Prince), which I was looking forward to read, I was still not disappointed by this book at all. Oh, there's summary of his overall past, his tragedy years since childhood which made me feel for Darius. It made me even admire his resistance and his disciplined manner. He grew up quite, distant and secretive. He concentrated on himself. Worked hard on being the best in what he does. He achieved everything that he thought mattered to him except deep down he needed something more... he needed love and Serifina. Despite his darksides, he is still an honorable man in most ways, that is why he had loved Sarifina for so long in secret. He knows the Princess is off limit to him. The King had entrusted Serifina's safety over to him. He is to guard her and not to have her for his own... He meant to keep the King's trust. Meanwhile, The Princess Serifina: Beautiful, Rich, Royalty... not to mention KIND yet spoiled, carefree, impulsive, determined and a rebel with a cause... a very dangerous combination and a very irresistible one as well. There is no self pity here for Serifina. She knows what she wants then heads out to get it. She isn't like some Princess story you normally would read who has a "pity-me-poor-little-rich-princess" attitude. Nope, not Serifina. She knows she is a Princess and she knows her station and her rank in life. She would even use that valuable information to her advantage... and why not? Call it selfish at times but that is what makes her more realistic in my eyes. No martyrdom or overly good hearted Princess here either. Serifina is unique and quite admirable. I enjoyed her spunk, her witt and overall attitude. She knows she wants Darius... so by treachery, seduction or even an honest-to-goodness confession, she meant to have him and she will. Darius and Serifina's love story was truly an adventure. Pulse racing, heart stopping and heart warming all in one. The reason why I didn't rate this book a five stars is 'cuz of the slow, wordy and repetitive information's. Also, I would have prefer Lazar and Allegra to be more involved in their daughter's life. It is admirable how they trusted Darius to care for Serifina's safety but it would have been a loving read to see both parents spend some quality time with her daughter. Most specially a mother-daughter relationship scenes perhaps. For both to talk about personal things such as love. Considering Allegra was such a loving heroine in The Pirate Prince, who found true happiness and true love, I would have thought she would want the same for her daughter. Both Allegra and Lazar had so much love in them in THE P.P that I expected more of them as parents. For some reason their parenthood here became somewhat lacking. Oh well, despite that small self-preferences, this book is totally entertaining. It will capture not only your heart but your mind as well. It will also lure you to read the next book of the series, The PRINCE CHARMING. Don't wait, read the Ascension Trilogy and be 'awed' by this new Author.
Rating:
Summary: Ms. Foley can't write them fast enough for me!
Review: Gaelen Foley can write on heck of a romantic novel. Her love scenes are hot and steamy. Her heroines are strong and romantic, and the MEN. These men are just one of the reasons that I read romance novels. Powerful & protective, they totally mesmerize the reader. "The Princess" is no different. Darius Santiago made his first appearance in "The Pirate Prince". He was rescued, and brought to live with the royal family. He has always done his duty to this family and become their most valued protector. Naturally, he developed a relationship with the members of this family but most especially with Princess Serafina. He has fallen in love with her over the years, but feels unworthy. He must protect Serafina at all costs, especially from himself. Serafina of course does not want his protection in this area. She has been in love with Darius all of her life, and would like nothing better than to settle down and live happily-ever-after with him. Serafina is engaged to a disreputable prince. This arrangement has been made to insure the safety of her country in the event of war. Darius knows that this man has been chosen for Serafina, but how can he ever let her go? This is a terrific story of two people who have been in love forever, but have just a FEW things to straighten out before they can be together. The thing that I did not get, was how disconnected the royal family seemed to be. "The Pirate Prince" described a family that was attached and supportive. In this book, Lazar and Allegra seem to be self-absorbed and to have completely isolated their children. How else could they leave their daughter to sacrifice herself in a loveless marriage (especially after Lazar escaped from one in the previous book) or to let her waste away when she believes Darius has died. This disconnection is felt in "Prince Charming" as well. But, since this is Darius and Serafina's story, that can be overlooked.
Rating:
Summary: I Wish I could Give this more than 5 stars!
Review: I read the other reviews and do agree that Foley should have written a bit more about Darius being kept as a slave like King Lazar had. Also I do agree that Lazar and Allegra were not at all how I expected them to be as parents and found that a bit disapointing, but I believe they needed to be that way to push the main characters into acting the way they did. As for Serifina and Darius - Wow - what a great story. I could not put it down and read it in one day. I was so sad when it was coming to an end and I really do hope that in Prince charming she does not make them meaningless secondary characters like she did with Lazar and Allegra. I just finished the book and the characters seem so fresh in my mind I do not want to let them go yet. I found there love for each other and insecurities so real. Even when Serafina was acting selfish and foolish it was realistic I remember how I acted at 20 when I was first in love and the foolish things you would do to try to keep the man. All I can say is that this is one of my favorite books and Gaelen Foley is fast becoming one of my favorite authors and if you haven't read her other books, the duke, lord of fire, lord of ice and the pirate prince, you are missing out on such great stories and characters.
Rating:
Summary: PRINCESS has it all!
Review: I've also read Ms. Foley's The Pirate Prince, and whileI did enjoy it, I enjoyed the blurb in the back of the bookadvertising the upcoming sequel Princess more and I was waiting with breathless anticipation for this book to come out... and I was not disappointed. If you are the kind of romance reader who loves those cheesy heroes and heroines that far more resemble cardboard cutouts than fully-fleshed, rounded characters, then this book is not for you. The hero, Darius, is the right hand man to the king of Ascension and bodyguard to the Princess Serafina as well as the victim of childhood sexual abuse, as we learned in The Pirate Prince. His forbidden love for Serafina and his struggle to overcome his tragic past are riveting and emotional. As for saying that Seraphina acted like a four year old, I disagree there as well. The heroine, who is twenty years old, and was raised as royalty AND in the eighteen hundreds, acts exactly as one would expect her to act. She is a little spoiled, true, but possesses a kind of sweetness that I couldn't help but like. AND she FIGHTS for her man. The gal has spunk. If you want a hot, sweet, touching, emotional read with depth then pick up a copy of Princess immediately.
Rating:
Summary: Without a doubt, the BEST book I have ever read!!!!!
Review: I have read A LOT of Romance novels (and I mean a lot), but this is the BEST one I have ever read. I never thought anything would top 'Honor's Spendor' by Julie Garwood, but this one did it!!! I loved the book so much I wrote to Ms. Foley and thanked her for writting it (and I've never done that before). I have never read such passion, devotion, and fierce love between two characters as I did in 'Princess.' Darius loves Sariphina so much it hurts. And likewise, she always knew she belonged to him. This book was everything I have ever looked for in a love story. I mean, you could feel every emotion they felt as you were reading. I cannot say enough about how great this book is. You have to give it a try. I read the book before this, 'The Pirate Prince' and though that was an enjoyable read, this book surpasses it a billion times over in my opinion. Read them both for yourself and see if you agree with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you Ms. Foley for writting the best book I have ever read!!!! Oh, if you want another good book by Galen Foley, you will LOVE Lady of Desire as well! She is such an intense and gifted new writer and she knows exactly what women want!
Rating:
Summary: Princess
Review: What an incredible match those two made! I never would have thought a world weary warroir would fall for a little spoiled princess but the effect was charming! I guess Darius needed relief from the world he was living in - the cold heart-less world of whores and danger - and so he turned to the delightful little Serafina. Admittedly Serafina annoyed at the beginning she seemed like a baby and I couldn't figure out why Darius would fall fo her. But then you get to know her character and what a good person she is and how much Darius needs her. How much Darius needs to unburden his soul to her - I mean the book is a work of art: you fall in love with both these characters eventually and for different reasons. Perhaps I would have prefered the book if Serafina wasn't soooooo beautiful, it would have meant that Darius wouldn't seem like a man running after an innocent young girl. Although truth be told, his resisting her charms shows that he was trying to save her from him so I suppose you could say that he wasn't really running after her. I found it SOOOOOO romantic when Darius finally gave into desire. He was such a gentleman all the way through the book! I fell in love with him from the start! Serafina was brilliant too! She seemed like a child at first but later on in the book you realise that she is smart and behind those beautiful eyes there is some wisdom. By the end of the book you really do appreciate all the effort she puts into saving Santiago's soul. You recognise her as a mature young women by the end of the book and Santiago as a sensitive warrior not a brutal one! What a romance! What a love! RECOMENDED - A TRULLY, TRULLY ROMANTIC BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME
Review: Darius is the King's most trusted spy and master assassin. As a royal ward, an adopted son of King Lazar and the captain of the Royal Guard, he lives in the world of treachery, political intrigues, and espionage. With a dark and tortured past, he is ruthless in his pursuit of perfection. Quiet but fearless, always on guard with his emotions, his emptiness and desperation mirror his need to prove himself worthy in the eyes of one stunningly beautiful royal protectee, Princess Serafina, the only woman he loves beyond reason but will never possess. Serafina is betrothed to a Russian prince to ensure the safety of the kingdom from Napoleonic conquest. As head of the palace security, Darius acts as her personal bodyguard, protecting her from men at all cost even from himself. He is aware of the feelings of adoration and devotion Serafina has always harbored towards him but he fiercely masks his smoldering attraction in favor of gratitude, honor, loyalty and love for King Lazar and the royal family. Gaelen Foley weaves a tale of the inner battles of Darius to resist the irresistible Serafina whose caresses promise ecstasy beyond his wildest dreams. She pursues and he flees in this fiery dance of passion. Gaelen Foley sets in motion a sequence of events that will challenge the strength of their deep and unconditional love. Aside from the sizzling erotic moments, she also packs exciting fast-paced actions, from the violent rescue of the princess by Darius, his suicidal mission in Milan, and his final encounter with Prince Tyurinov. Gaelen Foley has created the character of beautiful Serafina as a pampered and spoiled princess who can have "any man in the planet" but who worships only her dark, brooding protector. Intelligent and beautiful, kind but willful, Princess Serafina knows what she wants and that is the love of only one man, Darius. She will pursue him at all cost even in treachery and seduction for she vows no man will ever rule her heart. She seduces him in their secluded hideaway. In the end, to finally claim her man, she pulls out a scheme this time, in FLAGRANTE DELICTO! Even her daring a la "femme fatale" rescue of Darius from the hands Anatole proves her deep love and absolute loyalty to her man. The story begins with the rescue of Princess Serafina by Darius in the garden maze on the night of her engagement party from French spies out to kidnap her to avoid the alliance of Russia with Ascension. The wounded Darius leads the panic stricken princess back to the palace through a secret passage leading directly to her bedchamber. As head of the palace security, Darius is the only man privy to the secret door to the bedchamber of the princess. Although he has never violated her privacy in the past, his access to the secret door will later seal his claim to Serafina but will destroy the trust of the King and face the wrath of her fiance, Prince Tyurinov. Inside her bedchamber there are so many tender and poignant moments that will reveal how deeply they feel for each other. He discovers that she keeps a portrait of him on the mantel. While tending to his wound, Serafina finds out that he still wears the medal she has given him on her twelfth birthday when he took the bullet meant for the King. When security demands that she be whisked away to a secluded hideaway alone and unchaperoned, she manuevered the King to have Darius as her protector. She senses that Darius needs to learn how to love and heal the wounds of his past and she is the only person who can handle him. He tries to resist Serafina but the smoldering passion is a force to reckon with. What follows is the battle of wills... I like Serafina's relentless determination, gentle persuasion even brazen maneuverings to get her man. You will feel the inner turmoil Darius suffers in trying to ignore her romantic advances and sweet seduction. Her gentle yet not too innocent declaration, "You can take anything from me", when he takes the white bow she ties around her head for keepsake when he leaves for Milan in a suicidal mission is utterly provocative and seductive. Imagine what Darius feels! I love their verbal sparring and I admire her spunk in one incident, which I quote: Studying him intently, she rested one juicy hip against his desk, her slim arms folded under her breasts, "You're very handsome when you scowl".
He gave him a dirty look. Laughing softly, she reached out and gently smoothed his hair out of his eyes. "You need to learn to relax-".
He grabbed her wrist and forced her hand away. "Stop touching me, for God's sake! Why are you always touching me? What are you trying to do to me?" Poor Darius, can he ever resist such a temptation from the virginal princess who is off-limits? Secluded in a villa, passion explodes. While she remains intact and technically a virgin, he shows her all the wondrous ways a man can physically and sexually love a woman. Their physical intimacies in the secluded villa, the taking of her maidenhead in her bedchamber on the eve of her wedding and later the incredible bout of afternoon sexual delights in the pink room in the same villa days after their wedding are so sensual and graphic and yet poignant and romantic you will appreciate Galen Foley's talent to satisfy the romantic and sensual fantasies of her readers. This is a beautiful and satisfying sequel to Pirate Prince. Read the book and get carried away in this forbidden love by Gaelen Foley. She knows how to deliver a story with a strong plot, well defined characters, and scorchingly sensual love scenes that capture the readers' imagination. This blazing tale of seductive desire and passion is simply AWESOME!
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