once a princess by johanna lindsey

Title: Once A Princess
Author: Johanna Lindsey

Pages: 432
Series: Cardinia's Royal Family #1
Published: September, 2010
Rating: 3/5
Source: Own
Get your copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Summary (Goodreads):

A bold and brazen prince came to America to claim his promised bride. But the spirited vixen spurned his affections while inflaming his royal blood with passion's fire, impelling virile Stefan Barany to take in sensuous and searing conquest the love Tatiana vowed never to yield. Born a princess in a politically unstable eastern Europe, Tatiana is wisked away to America for her own safety, where years later, the prince to whom she was betrothed as a babe finds her working as a servant in a Mississippi tavern.

My Two Cents:

A story of Tanya, a girl who never knows that she's a princess or her true name, Tatiana until a barbaric guy came to rescue her from an abusive tavern-owner, whom she believed her father and her family. As the King Sandor's men came to take Tanya, is finally able to gain control of her life where she was barely better than a slave will soon be hers. Tanya learned that she is betrothed to the King's son, Vasili as told by Stefan without knowing that Stefan is actually the king's son. He has no desire to marry a woman he never met or even worse, a beautiful woman. Unlike most heroes we met, Stefan's face is disfigured, scarred physically and emotionally, but still, I think he's handsome even though with scars. The story mostly took place with their journey to Europe and it's really not that all interesting when they mostly quarrel and having lots of misunderstandings, sometime with annoying conversations. The misunderstandings were quite dragging too. Although I have to admit that I like Tanya's attitude; witty, brave and strong, and independent, as well as Stefan's character; quite okay but sometimes I can't figure him and lost. The book actually has a very good storyline, but I found it lost its spiciness, and the ending was wrapped up too quickly. I feel no empathy and affection towards this book. I loved Johanna Lindsey's other books, but this one did just okay for me.