Tuesday, February 09, 2010

PURE PRINCESS, BARTERED BRIDE – Caitlin Crews (Bride on Approval)



Author: Caitlin Crews
Line: Harlequin Presents/Mills and Boon Modern
Release month: North America: Feb 2010/UK: Jan 2010
The S-Factor: Sensual

Back-Blurb:

As quiet and dangerous as a jungle cat, achieving the impossible is one of Luc Garnier's defining characteristics.

Princess Gabrielle is invaluable—a pearl beyond price. Yet Luc has defied the odds, and a contract for marriage is drawn up. This will be a union on paper first, and in the bedroom later….

Except Gabrielle is just the same in private as in public—well-bred, well behaved and a credit to her country. Luc is determined to find the wanton within and leave his pure princess in total disarray!

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

For Luke Garnier it was all about a proper marriage, a marriage without scandal like his parents, a marriage where he was in control, a royal marriage with the perfect princess, one of breeding.  In fact, to make sure his future wife would cause no scandals nor find herself in the tabloids he personally followed her to make sure she would be worthy of becoming his wife. Now as he watches her walk down the isle, she takes his breath away and he’s absolutely positive he’s made the right choice. She’s regal, elegant and beautiful, the perfect bride.

Gabrielle, the Princess of Miravakia lost her mother at an early age and always first and foremost tried to please her father. She spent years trying to earn his love, was the King’s perfect hostess and still there was no acceptance from him. Now on behalf of his daughter he’s signed a contract for an arranged marriage unbeknown to her. She marries Luc Garnier, because her father demands it. However, she panics immediately after the wedding reception and feels the urgent need to get away from this man who affects in physical ways she can’t explain….he’s so powerful, stern, handsome and the emotions he stirs in her confuse her and what he expects of her, she’s frightened. In spite of Luc and her father, she flees.

Luc was a handsome, hard, fierce and a ruthless business man. However, under all of that hardness one senses while reading this particular story he’s protecting his heart because of what he suffered during his youth. It becomes evident when he chases his new wife to California because she ran out on him, causing them to be splashed all over the tabloids. His perfect princess has made a fool of him just like his mother did to his father and he’s not going to stand for it. His wife will do as he says and she will be his wife in every sense of the word. What this handsome, successful billionaire didn’t realize was the attractions he would feel towards her and how much he would want her. Luc was magic to Gabrielle and she was afraid that he would hurt her and in the end she would loose herself.

For a debut romance, Caitlin Crews has written a brilliant royal romance, a roller coaster romance with extremely intense emotions oozing from both Luc and Gabrielle. I enjoyed reading Pure Princess, Bartered Bride, loved reading about them becoming comfortable with each other. Luc and Gabrielle were both intense characters because of their scared pasts but in the end, it was so moving when Gabrielle realizes she loves her husband and the lengths she goes to protect him. And for Luc, scandal and betrayal were always at the back of his mind. So when he feels betrayed he lashes out and let me tell Luc’s rage was very hard to read.

As with all love stories, Luc and Gabrielle’s was one I shall long remember. In the ending scenes as Ms. Crews states, Gabrielle says “she spent her whole life loving someone who could not love her in return.” She said, “I think love is feeling free. Not hidden away, not afraid. But finally whole – together.”

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥
USA Today Best Seller
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the Book and Author’s Call Story

Caitlin’s website:

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