Review: She belonged to everyone but him...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 5, 2013
Evil Prince Daemon of Thuringia has been warring with King Aldric of Chalons for seven long years and finally defeats the King.  Prince Daemon demands the hand of the Kings daughter - - Princess Ciara as part of the terms of peace.  The King is in no position to bargain.  If Princess Ciara refuses his proposal of marriage, Prince Daemon would unleash his wrath upon what's left of Chalons.Princess Ciara has been prepped to rule her whole life.  She's been sheltered and has never been outside the Castles' walls (for her own protection).  She's a good and kind person.  She's regal, ravishing and grace personified.  She's every bit a Princess.  But she's also naive and inexperienced of life, passion and desire.  She feels inadequate and useless...and because of those feelings, she accepts her duty to marry the evil Prince Daemon to unite the two royal houses of Chalons and Thuringia.Royce Saint-Michels used to be a Knight.  He used to own lands and a Castle - - he had a title.  But all of his wealth, title, lands and even his name of Ferrano was stripped from him four years earlier out of anger by King Aldric of Chalons as punishment for a disobedient act.  Now, after not speaking for four years.. King Aldric needs Royce to escort his daughter, Princess Ciara, safely to her betrothed, evil Prince Daemon.  Even though Royce is no longer a Knight, he is still honorable and noble...and he accepts King Aldric's request providing all that he formerly lost would be reinstated to him.I absolutely loved Royce Saint-Michels' character...and the dilemma he finds himself in is hilarious!  Satan himself could not have planned a more painful torture for Royce with him being forced as escort to Princess Ciara...because he is attracted to her in ways he's never been attracted to anyone before.  And he has vowed to see her safely and untouched to her betrothed.  But hells-bells...how he wants her!  He's condemned to serve this duty from hell...always in her company and forbidden to touch her.This story was sweet in all it's predictability and unoriginal plot.  It's a story that has been told a hundred times...that is, two people who seem so right for each other (but are promised to another), who share a very strong attraction to each other, and fall in love on their long journey to an unhappy end.  A journey neither of them wants to end.  It's a story of new love and a sheltered princess experiencing life and the real world for the first time in her 19 years.This story had a nice balance of narrative and dialogue.  There were no holes or loose threads.  It's a nice, easy and entertaining story...but probably not something I'll be re-reading again anytime soon.