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The death
of her Grandmamma devastated Princess Joelle Ducasse. Desperate to
escape the
weighing pressures on her and Melio – her family’s kingdom, Joelle
flees to New Orleans
for twelve
months before her perfectly planned life is no longer hers. In a year’s
time,
Joelle’s duty is to marry Prince Borgarde, a man she has never met. But
first
she needs the time to be free.
Eleven
months later, Joelle feels the pressure once again as in only one month
she is
to marry the Prince. As a singer in New Orleans, through her songs, she
can be herself and
feel free. It is there, after a night on stage that she meets Leonardo
Marciano
Fortino, an Italian gentleman who is too arrogant for his own good and
reminds
her of Melio that she escaped, yet he makes her pulse race all the
same. He
makes Joelle want to capture the night and learn about passion at his
hands. She
wants one night to last her a lifetime when she’s snared in a loveless
marriage. Unbeknownst to Joelle though, is that her one night with Leo
will
carry over into her marriage…in more ways than one!
A young
Princess looking for freedom, a handsome Italian Prince searching for
his
betrothed, a sexual chemistry that can’t be denied and secrets a
plenty---all
of this is found in The Italian’s
Virgin Princess by Jane Porter. Joelle and Leo are beautiful
characters
who have suffered so much in their lives.
Each of these characters hide their heart from the
world, hoping to only
live day by day while protecting themselves from more pain and loss. From their first meeting, neither can deny
their attraction and feel a connection on a deeper level, but one night
is all
they can have together.
Ms. Porter
has an exemplary ability to pen her characters with the deepest of
souls and
the most honest of hearts. Though
secrets do lie between Leo and Joelle, their hearts are in pain and
turmoil and
in the right place. Ms. Porter shows
that even though the physical chemistry is there, it’s not always
smooth
sailing to find the trust and love that Leo and Joelle are searching
for. Leo is sinfully appealing and in most
matters
very sure of himself. He meets his match
in Joelle though, and the tension is thick with feelings and connection. I like that Joelle found her strength to
stand toe to toe with Leo when the meet again.
She is a compelling and strong heroine who a reader
can identify with.
The Italian’s Virgin
Princess, book three of The Princess Brides Trilogy can stand-alone as the author
shares a
bit of back-history as well that readers would have read in book one
and
two. But this beautifully created
trilogy is the most amazing reading if enjoyed all together. Travel from New Orleans
to the beauty of the islands in Europe
as this
Prince and Princess try to find their own happily ever after as only
Jane
Porter can write it…with beauty, eloquence and heart-warming romance.
Reviewed by Tracey West
for The Road
to Romance
October 8th,
2004
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