Title:  My Fair Princess
Series:  The Improper Princesses  #1
Author:  Vanessa Kelly
Genre:  Regency Romance, Historical Romance
Published:  August 30, 2016
Publisher:  Kensington Books – Zebra
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

Despite being the illegitimate daughter of a prince, Gillian Dryden is happily ignorant of all social graces. After growing up wild in Italy, Gillian has been ordered home to England to find a suitable husband. And Charles Valentine Penley, the excessively proper, distractingly handsome Duke of Leverton, has agreed to help transform her from a willful tomboy to a blushing debutante.

Powerful and sophisticated, Charles can make or break reputations with a well-placed word. But his new protegee, with her habit of hunting bandits and punching earls, is a walking scandal. The ton is aghast . . . but Charles is thoroughly intrigued. Tasked with taking the hoyden in hand, he longs to take her in his arms instead. Can such an outrageous attraction possibly lead to a fairy-tale ending?

Titles in this series include:  My Fair Princess (so far)

I happen to adore any Historical Romance heroine who is everything but conventional.  Gillian is probably one of my top favorite heroines who are as unconventional as you could possibly find.  Being the daughter of a prince, even if she was born on “the wrong side of the blanket” hasn’t affected Gillian much as far as society goes.  She is spoiled, but not in a she’s an nasty piece of work way, more spoiled by those who love her and want to take care of her – but she is also stubborn, willful, feisty and unworldly in many ways.  She does as she pleases, and she certainly isn’t afraid to go after those who have harmed her loved ones.

Unafraid, Gillian has exacted revenge on those who killed her beloved step-father.  Now her family wants her to go to London and take her proper position in society – and find a husband who can handle this miss.  Trouble is – proper London society is certainly not ready for Gillian’s forthright personality – and she is not ready for the ton.  The solution?  Enter Charles, Duke of Leverton.  This totally proper gentleman (or seemingly on the surface) has agreed to tutor Gillian on proper behavior as she makes her London debut.

It’s been said that there is a very fine line between love and hate.  And Charles and Gillian will proved that old saying very true indeed.  At first they cannot stand each other and even though they set sparks off each other, they are not inclined to listen to each other at all.

Watching the journey of this couple moving from intense dislike to cautious friendship to devoted lovers was a fascinating and enjoyable experience.

Sometimes you’ll come across a story that touches the emotions on all the right levels.  A few chuckles, a bit of despair, definitely some frustration and sadness… but overall is a sense of Charles and Gillian being right for the other.  They fill up the empty spaces and make each other better than they ever expected.  That they have a smoking hot attraction to each other certainly helps as well.

If you love an unconventional miss taking life by storm and on her own terms, then I believe you wold enjoy My Fair Princess.  I would recommend this one for any Historical or Regency Romance readers who enjoy a good, solid love story with some rocky times tossed in for amusement.  I’m looking forward to the next story in this series.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this novel. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this story.*

Available for the Kindle and other formats