Review: 4.5 STARS! Breathtaking story about taking a chance...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 14, 2014
What do you do when everyone you hold dear and everything you know is taken from you? How do you go on? This is what Amberlyn Reilly is facing after losing her both her parents. Does she stay in her family home and live with the memories, or does she pick up the pieces and start over. Her mother leaves her with an opportunity. Go and live in their home country, Ireland, with her aunt and uncle, start over and begin a new life. All she asks of Amberlyn is to accomplish three things this year: Take a risk, Do something drastic, Fall in love.Declan O’Callaghan, otherwise known as The Whiskey Prince of Ireland, is frustrated. He is the heir to his families’ famous whiskey distillery. It is his birth rite and all he has ever dreamed of doing; until his father adds a new stipulation. Be married before you turn 23 (which is in SIX MONTHS!) or his father will leave the company to his sister’s fiancé. Declan wants to marry for love, not pick a girl out of a hat.Lightning strikes when Declan and Amberlyn first see each other. Their chemistry is obvious to everyone around them, but there are roadblocks standing in their way. There is Declan’s “fame” and popularity and the many women trying to hook him to gain access to his fortune. There is Casey, the good looking, potential suitor for Amberlyn, who has a sketchy background. There are Declan’s parents, who want him to marry someone in the same social circles they run in. Despite the obstacles, Declan and Amberlyn take the time to get to know each other. They slowly build a friendship that turns into more.Amberlyn is a strong, solid heroine. She forms her own opinions and doesn’t let public opinion sway her. She is a survivor and couldn’t care less that Declan is famous or has access to a tremendous fortune. She is enjoying getting to know Declan for who is he…and what a guy he is. Declan is patient and kind. He respects Amberlyn, never taking her for granted. He loves his country and family’s legacy. He is determined to see what can become of his relationship with Amberlyn. He fights for her and protects her. I loved Declan!My only criticism for Whiskey Prince is, while I enjoyed the build-up of Declan and Amberlyn’s relationship, this story was a bit slow moving for me. Having read all of Toni Aleo’s other books, I think I went into this expecting something that it never intended to be, but I am glad for that and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the sweet, slow burn of finding and growing your first love. This is a story about discovering yourself and learning to live again, when you didn’t know it was possible. It’s about following your heart and your dreams, and finding that right person along the way to do it with. This is not a standalone, but does not end with a cliffhanger. I look forward to more of Declan and Amberlyn in Becoming a Whiskey Princess.4.5 STARS