The Princess Wore Plaid by Karen Hawkins

The Princess Wore Plaid by Karen Hawkins

This is book 2.5 in the Orenburg Princes series.
When royal princess, Tatiana Romanovin's carriage is held up by ruffians, she becomes disorientated and is separated from her group. When she finally finds help, she has no way of identifying herself and must find a way to support herself until she con contact her cousin. A sympathetic innkeeper and his wife take her in and she works off her room and board.
Lord Buchan was left a broken man after the war and he only ventures out once a week to have a meal at the local inn. When he meets Tatiana he is instantly intrigued and knows there is something more to her than meets the eye. He soon finds that he can't stop thinking about the comely maid.
What happens when Buchan learns that the woman he is smitten with, truly is a princess?
I enjoyed this story, but not as much as the rest of the series. My guess is because of it's length. It just didn't draw me into it like, Hawkin's stories normally do.  Usually when I read her stories, I don't want to put the book down until I'm done. This one just didn't hold my attention like the others.
If you are looking for a quick, enjoyable read, then this is the book for you.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Mad for the Plaid, which stars Nik!!

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Thanks go out to Pocket Books via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

What Happens Under the Mistletoes by Jeffries, Hawkins, Camp and Duran

***The Heiress and the Hotheat by Sabrina Jeffries - book 1.5 in the Sinful Suitors series***
Amanda Keane is visiting England to see her brother as well as learning more about the textile mills that are more profitable than the one she is running in America. She didn't count on falling in love.
Lord Stephen Corry, a writer and crusader against the unjust treatment of mill workers, doesn't know what to think about the woman that her mistakenly kissed under the mistletoe. As a mill owner, she represents everything he is against.
Can these foes get past their differences to find their HEA?
A quick read with some of my favorites from last and current series by Jeffries.  Foes that turn into lovers are always a favorite of mine.
***Twelve Kisses to Midnight by Karen Hawkins - loosely tied to the Oxenburg Princes series ***
Marcus Sutherland, the Duke of Rothesay sees his mistress standing under the mistletoe and sweeps in for a kiss. As soon as his lips touch hers, he knows it is not his mistress. It's his former fiancee, Lady Kenna Montrose. Scandal ensues and Kenna leaves the house party to get her father to "fix" things. Of course, Marcus follows her and he gets injured. Kenna luckily finds shelter, but they are forced to stay for several days while a winter storm passes. 
Will their close proximity rekindle the love they once held for each other?
A wonderful, quick read! I always love a reunion story and Hawkins hit it out of the park.  It also helped that Grand Duchess Natasha Nikolaevna was there to meddle!!
***By Any Other Name by Candace Camp***
Rylla Campbell is desperate to find her brother before Christmas, so much so that she dresses as a man and huts for him in the gaming hells. Leaving the hells, she is attacked and Gregory Rose steps in to help. He soon learns she is a girl which is a relief since he couldn't imagine why he was feeling an attraction to the young man he rescued. Not wanting to let her go, Gregory agrees to help her find her brother. Spending every evening together brings them closer than either anticipated. 
Another great read by one of my favorite authors. Mystery and romance...a perfect combination!
***Sweetest Regret by Meredith Duran***
Left in charge of her father's house party, Georgie Trent is left to entertain her father's guests. If that weren't bad enough, her father has sent for Lucas Godwin to find some letters that were stolen. Georgie has no desire to see Lucas again after he broke her heart two years ago, but what is she to do? Seeing Lucas again makes her realize that she never got over him. Can they get passed their previous hurt to work together and find the love that they lost?
Another wonderful reunion story that had me wishing it was a full length novel!

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | IndieBound | iBooks | Google Play | Simon & Schuster

The Prince and I by Karen Hawkins

The Prince and I by Karen Hawkins
This is book 2 in the Oxenburg Princes series.
Gregori "Max" Romanovin and his grandmother are stopped by highwaymen on their way to a house party. Max knows that there is something "off" about the highwaymen and is determined to figure out what it is. He soon learns that the leader of the thieves is a young widow named Murian.
Lady Murian was kicked out of her home after her husband's death. With no where else to go, she and her retainers made a life for themselves in the forest. She and the others steal from the guests of the man who stole her home just to survive. When Max finds out that she is the one that robbed him, they find that they have a common enemy. Max and his men begin helping Murian and her people fix up their village while trying to figure out a plan to solve both their problems.
Neither one is looking for anything permanent, but after spending so much time together they are drawn to each other. Can they vanquish their enemy and find a love they didn't know they wanted?
I've read other Robin Hood re-makes, but I don't think any of them have had a woman as "Robin." Hawkins did an awesome job reversing the rolls with her latest book.
I loved, loved, loved Max!!!  He is definitely the type of guy to make a lady swoon!! Who wouldn't love a guy that sees something that needs fixed and rolls up his sleeves and gets busy doing it. The fact that he was a royal prince and didn't see anything wrong with it, made it that much better.
Max's grandmother, Grand Duchess Natasha Nikolaevna, is just as feisty as ever. She is up to her old tricks too. Love that woman!!
Murian is also a character I really liked. She is kicked out of her home and has no where to go. She and her friends make the best of a horrible situation. Most women of her station would have not known what to do. Murian took charge and helped her people survive.
Definitely one of my favorite books by Hawkins and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | Kobo | iBooks

Thanks go out to Pocket Books via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

The Prince Who Loved Me by Karen Hawkins

The Prince Who Loved Me by Karen Hawkins.
This is book one in the Oxenburg Princes series.
Bronwyn Murdock, a bookish spinster, is surprised by a small dog coming out of the nearby forest interrupting her quiet time reading by her favorite tree. A woodsman soon follows and and Bronwyn is intrigued like never before, especially when he kisses her before leaving.
Bronyn soon learns that her woodsman is really Prince Aleksey Romanovin from Oxenburg. When she overhears him talking to a friend about using her to get his grandmother to stop wife hunting for him, Bronyn decides to turn the tables on him. She will make him fall for her and then let him know that she knew of his plan.
But what happens when the feelings become all too real for both of them?
As always, Karen Hawkins has done a masterful job of storytelling. In her latest book, a twist on the Cinderella story, she introduced us to a whole new set of characters that you will fall in love with.
Even though Aleksey was a prince, I thought he was pretty down to earth. Grand Duchess Natasha, Aleksey's grandmother, loved her!!  Being a bookworm myself, I totally related to Bronwyn. She had the best attitude! She finds out that that the prince is using her and she turns the tables on him, LOL!  
I loved Aleksey and Bronwyn together and hope that we see more of them in the rest of the series.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | iBooks 

Thanks go out to Pocket Books for a copy of the book for an honest review.