When she’s not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband, four kids, and a dog who weighs less than most hard cover books. She prefers watching NCIS to just about anything, except maybe watching Castle, or Girl Meets World with her kids. She believes peanut butter M&Ms are the perfect food and Dr. Pepper should come in an IV. When not watching her kids – and the dog – race around her big backyard in Southwest Missouri, she’s teaching American Government at a local community college. She’s a founding member and President of MozArks ACFW, category coordinator for First Impressions, blogger at InspyRomance, and represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Prince Malachi Van Renssalaer of Mevendia is getting married. The problem? He’s never even met his bride. His father arranged everything, right down to the marriage contract. Malachi swears to himself that he will be nothing like his father in the ways that count – including his fidelity to his wife.
Jessabelle Keller would happily spend her entire life in obscurity, but her father once saved the life of a future king. Before he dies, her father is committed to seeing that king make good on his promise to have one of his sons marry her so she would be taken care of for life.
No sooner than Prince Malachi and Jessabelle return from their honeymoon, they find themselves dealing with both private trauma and the very public drama of groundless accusations from the press. Just as they begin to weave their fragile trust back together, a ghost from the king’s past arrives and threatens everything they’ve ever held dear.
Secrets have a funny way of coming out and this one could rip the faith of the country in their leaders to shreds. Malachi is determined to protect Jessabelle no matter what it takes, but will it ever be enough for her to not feel like a Hand-Me-Down Princess?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Hand Me Down Princess, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Hand Me Down Princess is a fantastical tale of a young woman who considers herself an ugly duckling who finds herself in an arranged marriage to a prince. Fortunately Jessabelle’s new husband has a strong faith and wants his marriage to succeed. Under his patient and tender care, Jessabelle is slowly transformed into a confidant and beautiful princess whose caring heart wins over even those who were first against her.
This book was a bit of a surprise to me. Expecting the usual royal romance, I soon found that there was much more to Hand Me Down Princess. Life as a royal was depicted with its downside as well as the glamour involved. And then there was mystery, danger, intrigue, and suspense. Prince Malichi and Jessabelle’s story line wrapped up quite nicely but there were a couple of unresolved situations that I am hoping will be continued in a future book.
