Prince Charming Mass Market Paperback – February 1, 1995

Loved this book, it was fun to read about their adventure and the way Taylor maneuver Lucas…she was smart and witty. It had its sad moments but also funny moments.

This book was all right. There were a lot of inner thoughts from both Taylor & Lucas. It’s not something I enjoy. I prefer more action & less thinking. Lol I actually decided to stop reading it around 30% into the book. But I found myself thinking about it & wondering what will happen. I picked it back up & skipped through the inner dialogue parts.The plot was very interesting and I guess it kept me wondering enough to finish it. There were lots of moving parts. How will she survive? Will she get the kids? Can she evade the cruel uncle? Will Lucas stick around to help out?Taylor is a very capable, compassionate & intelligent woman. She’s got lots on her plate but up for the challenge. Lucas is gruff but takes good care of her. They have good chemistry.

I originally discovered Julie Garwood more than a decade ago when I read her book "Saving Grace" which remains one of my all-time favorite novels. I've since devoured all but one of her historical romances and can honestly say I just love her style. This was my second time reading PRINCE CHARMING, with the first time being more than ten years ago. And while it is a pretty long story, never once did it fail to keep and hold my attention like most books I read anymore do. Also, if I thought for even one second that it couldn't be as good as I remembered, I would be wrong. It was actually even better...The story starts off in England, then moves to Boston and then west on toward Montana Territory. With a marriage, all the traveling, finding missing children, and dealing with the unpredictable wilds of America, there was always something interesting going on. Lucas and Taylor as well as Hunter and Victoria and the three children were all absolutely wonderful. None are perfect but each were exceptionally endearing individuals and their flaws only made them all the more real to me. Lucas and Hunter were both handsome, strong, and honorable men and Taylor was absolutely adorable. The banter between she and Lucas was just delightfully funny and charming too.From the very first chapter When Taylor and and Lucas meet in an England ballroom I was captivated. I honestly think I must have smiled and laughed throughout the majority of this tale. It's simply a sweet and enchanting romance between two kind and entirely lovable souls. Lucas finds a love he never expected, wanted, nor knew existed and Taylor finds the prince charming she's always dreamed about. And although it does contain some serious subject matter, Garwood keeps it on the lighter side with her humor and wit. In the end it was a wonderfully written and touching story that was a true joy to read. A beautiful and unforgettable historical romance and a definite keeper =)Pages & Kindle Locations: The story itself contained 533 pages and ended at 94% and location 7304.

My only caveat here is that this book gets 5 stars from be because of how it compares to competitors in its historical romance genre.Yes the heroine Taylor has that silly, bumbling quality of a Julie Gardwood character right down to the freckles across the bridge of her nose. Some people hate the silly and sweet heroines because they find them stupid. Taylor is anything but stupid. She's naive which leads her to misunderstandings, but she's also supremely loyal and brave, as well as proficient with a gun.And yes the last 50-100 pages rambles a bit as Julie Garwood tries to find her way to an end. It could do with a bit of editing and trimming from the moment they leave St. Louis until they get to Montana.But what makes this novel a keeper is the hero. Ross is a true "prince charming" in an age of male dominance. Having just read another arranged marriage novel I appreciate Ross' behavior even more.Ross agrees to marry an aging Countess' granddaughter so he has the money to free his half brothers and return to Montana. (We never do get to meet the half brothers or see their stories. Maybe one day Garwood will turn to them.) The marriage is just a ruse to allow Taylor to escape her abusive uncle and go to Boston to claim and raise her sister's orphans. Once they cross the Atlantic, Ross and Taylor will get an annulment or divorce parting with an exchange of funds. The hero does his job of renting one cabin for them on the steamship across the Atlantic and keeping a watchful eye on her, but he demands no liberties. Consummating the marriage would not allow them to get an annulment.On the ship Taylor acquires a new friend (an abandoned pregnant lady who was about to commit suicide by jumping overboard). It's sweet to learn how Ross, in keeping his watchful eye and sleeping up on deck, was about to save the suicide girl before Taylor did.By the time they reach Boston, Taylor and Ross are wildly attracted to one another. Steamy looks and acts of jealousy abound. It's sweet to see how she gets to him and he gets to her. They fight their attraction while seducing you into clamoring for a kiss.Then in one emotionally charged scene, the first real love scene of the story, Ross notices his bride is crying. Not out of fear or timidity but because she'd learned her grandmother died. Though his hormones rage for her his hero conscience demands he act the gentleman. He knows her desire is fueled by loneliness and grief. He makes it clear that he wants her but when he does make love to her he will be the only one she is thinking about and she won't be grieving anyone.It's clear that Ross is one of those keeper's. A man with a good heart. You love to see how the heroine vexes him just as you melt when he shows just how compassionate and honorable a man can be.Unfortunately there are few heroes in today's novels that compare.

I read Prince Charming when it was originally published. I had checked this book out of the library and read it a few times before it’s due date. Over the years since I’ve thought about this story a few times but didn’t ever look for it as a Kindle book. And then I saw a post that it was sale!Taylor is an unpredictable character. You go in thinking you may have her type figured out and she proves that wrong time and time again. One of my favorite heroines ever. Lucas is a good man but doesn’t realize that. Lucas is the complete package as a Hero (tall, dark, handsome, a bit growly, but with a heart of gold). There are several surprises in this story that really make this book interesting. It’s not an entirely predictable story. There are several other great characters that really add to this story.One of my favorite books by a very talented author.

'Prince Charming is a romance with a capital R. In an arranged marriage a handsome American rescues an English heiress from her incredibly vile relatives. In return for payment a manly rescuer (Lucas) takes a suffering heroine (Taylor) away to safety in another country. It's just a business arrangement, but when the time comes for Lucas to part from his 'wife' in America, he is reluctant to leave her.On top of the classic romance are touches of realism. I liked that the heroine has some great self defence skills and is not 100% victim. The hero belittles her survival skills, just like a macho guy. As in most of Julie Garwood's books there are enchanting child characters that add heart to the story.The book has a strong theme of child sexual abuse. Because of this it may not be for all readers. I think the author deals with it well. It is not too confronting nor was it unrealistic. Yet at times I felt that my emotions were being manipulated ...did the heroine really need to be abused on so many fronts? Less is more and I would have enjoyed this book more if it had less dramatic villainy.

A sweet charming tale that was an enjoyable read - the children were a nice addition. However, I would have liked to have also seen a more definite conclusion to the relationship between the two secondary characters, Victoria and Hunter.

although it is your typical historical novel Garwood does justice and makes you smile and want just one more chapter. The main characters are very likeable along with the secondary love story. This is a story which touches you and makes you smile and be happy.

A very enjoyable story and the main characters had personality. One could feel their emotions.

well drawn characters who stayed true to tipe-Historicaly believable.I enjoyed the depth of minor players and the vivid descriptions of settings