TO PLEASURE A PRINCE

Author: Sabrina Jeffries ISBN: 0743477715 3/2005 HISTORICAL Publisher: POCKET STAR
Time Period: Regency.

Beautiful Lady Regina Tremaine has turned down so many suitors that she’s called La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The truth: she won’t marry because she carries a dark secret. She sees no good reason, however, why her brother shouldn’t court the lovely Louisa North—even if Louisa’s half-brother, the notorious "Dragon Viscount," objects. Marcus North, Viscount Draker—bastard son of the Prin ce of Wales—is rumored to be a monster who holds women captive and has his way with them. He has been exiled from polite society for years. But when Lady Regina makes a plea on her brother’s behalf, Marcus strikes a deal. Her brother can court Louise so long as Marcus can court Regina. But can the beauty and the beast survive a proper courtship when the chemistry between them threatens to cause the scandal of the century?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

There's nothing new plot wise about emotionally scarred characters. In TO PLEASURE A PRINCE, Sabrina Jeffries takes that premise a bit further by giving us not only a brooding, wounded hero, but an "afflicted" heroine whose determination and ingenuity quickly earned my admiration and respect.

We all cope with hardships and our own imperfections in our own ways. Some people withdraw while letting self-pity and self-loathing overtake them, letting society dictate how they live out their lives. That aptly describes, Marcus, Viscount Drake aka The Dragon Viscount in the more polite circles of the ton. Others take action, grit their teeth, and work hard to adapt and overcome their problems, which is true in most part for the Lady Regina. She has adapted and become quite inventive hiding her affliction while growing up, protecting herself and family from the cold shoulder of society. Told she suffers from a malady she will never overcome, it is not until her relationship with Marcus and the misunderstanding that inevitably results, that she takes matters into her own hands and, more determined than ever, flies in the face of "experts" and struggles to overcome it.

I think Sabrina Jeffries has done a fine job with what could have been a same-o same-o storyline. More character and dialogue driven in content, TO PLEASURE A PRINCE is written in that easy flowing, rhythmic prose that makes for an all-night readathon. All the secondary characters seem to struggle with problems of their own, making the reader as concerned for their outcomes as much as for Marcus' and Regina's. It's sort of like having mini-plots dancing in and out of the main one, but without confusion or muddle. The connection between the brooding and rumpled Marcus (he reminds me of many a professor I've know) and the bright light that is Regina connects and sizzles, even amidst the insults and barbs that reign at the beginning of the story. The sex is hot, sensual and at times even fun between the two, as Regina proves to be a take-charge kind of girl in this area as well.

This is book two in Jeffries' The Royal Brotherhood Series. Unfortunately I've missed the first, IN THE PRINCES BED, but hope to rectify that situation shortly. You don't need to read it before you read this story, however, as enough background is included to keep the reader from feeling lost. TO PLEASURE A PRINCE is a solid 4 Rose Read Regency-era romance, showcasing once again why Sabrina Jeffries is one of the more popular writers of today's historical romances.

Nancy Davis