Her memory had made him smaller, duller. It had muted the sheer force of him, making her forget how commanding he was, how his uncompromising masculinity and irrefutable power seemed to radiate from him, making everyone in his vicinity both step back and stare.
It also made her profoundly sad. She swallowed and tried to shake the melancholy away. It could not possibly help her here. His long, tall, exquisitely hewn body, was all rangy muscle and sensual male grace, moving through the crowd with a kind of liquid ease.
His cheekbones were high and pronounced—noticeable from across a large room. He carried himself as if he were a king or a god. His mouth, even in its current flat, disapproving line, hinted at the shattering sensuality she knew far too well he could and would use as his most devastating weapon against her.
His rich, thick, dark-brown hair was cut to suit perfectly the ruthless, focused magnate she knew him to be—whatever else he might be. Everything he wore, even the way he held himself, broadcasted his wealth, his power, and that dark, sexual magnetism that was uniquely his. It was as much a part of him as his olive skin, his corded muscles and his earthy, woodsy scent—which she must be remembering, she told herself, frowning, for she was certainly not close enough to him to smell his skin.
Nor would she be ever again, she vowed. For he was no fairy tale prince, as she had once so innocently imagined. Bethany had to bite back a hollow laugh. There were no swelling, happy songs, no happily-ever-afters—not with Leo Di Marco, Principe di Felici. Bethany had learned that the hardest, most painful way possible. His was an ancient and revered title, with ancient responsibilities and immutable duties, and Leo was its steward.
First, foremost, always, he was the title. She watched his dark eyes flick through the crowd with ruthless impatience. He looked annoyed. She sucked in a shaky breath. Then, inevitably, he found her. She felt the kick of his gaze like a punch to her gut and had to breathe through the sudden light-headedness. She had wanted this, she reminded herself. She had to see this through now, finally, or she did not know what might become of her. Bethany had to force herself to stand up straight, to simply wait there as he bore down on her.
She crossed her arms, held on tight to her elbows and tried to look unmoved by his approach even as she quaked with that inevitable, unfair reaction to his presence that had always ruined her attempts to stand up to him before.
Meanwhile memories she refused to delve into haunted her still, flickering across her mind too quickly, leaving the same old scars behind. Leo dismissed his bodyguards with the barest flick of a finger, his dark gaze fused to hers, his long legs eating up the distance between them. He looked overpowering and overwhelming, as he always had, as he always would—as if he alone could block out the rest of the world. Worst of all, she knew he could. And would. And did. She had the overwhelming urge to turn away, to run, but she knew he would only follow.
More than that, it would defeat her purpose. This would not be like the last time. Three years had passed since that night, and still, thinking of the things he had said and the way it had all exploded into that devastating, unwanted and uncontainable passion, that still shamed her to remember—. Already she felt that terrible, familiar yearning swell within her, urging her to move closer, to bury herself in the heat of him, to lose herself in him as she nearly had before.
But she was different now. The girl with no boundaries and no ability to stand up for herself. She would never be that girl again. She had worked too hard three years ago to leave her behind. To grow into the woman she should have been all along. Leo merely stared at her, his dark, coffee-colored eyes narrowing slightly, as bitter and black as she remembered. He would have looked indolent, almost bored, were it not for the faintest hint of grim tension in his lean jaw and the sense of carefully leashed power that hummed just beneath his skin.
Her name in his cruel mouth felt …intimate. It mocked her with the memories she refused to acknowledge, yet still seemed to affect her breathing, her skin, her heartbeat.
She could not let him cow her; she could not let him shake her. Bethany knew it was now or never. She clenched her hands tighter around her elbows, digging her fingers deep into her own flesh. She had planned and practiced those words for so long in her mirror, in her head, in every spare moment, that she knew she sounded just as she wished to sound: calm, cool, resolute. She had worked too hard three years ago to leave her behind.
To grow into the woman she should have been all along. Leo merely stared at her, his dark, coffee-colored eyes narrowing slightly, as bitter and black as she remembered.
He would have looked indolent, almost bored, were it not for the faintest hint of grim tension in his lean jaw and the sense of carefully leashed power that hummed just beneath his skin. Her name in his cruel mouth felt…intimate. It mocked her with the memories she refused to acknowledge, yet still seemed to affect her breathing, her skin, her heartbeat.
Bethany knew it was now or never. She clenched her hands tighter around her elbows, digging her fingers deep into her own flesh. She had planned and practiced those words for so long in her mirror, in her head, in every spare moment, that she knew she sounded just as she wished to sound: calm, cool, resolute.
There was no hint at all of the turmoil that rolled inside of her. The words seemed to hang there in the space between their bodies. Bethany kept her gaze trained on Leo's, ignoring the hectic color she could feel scratching at her neck and pretending she was not at all affected by the way he seemed to go very still as he looked at her with narro Would they get a second chance? I loved how author Caitlin Crews depicted her "princess" from an angry young woman who had felt neglected to a now mature woman with a mind of her own.
Three years later after leaving her husband Prince Leo, Bethany was summoned back to Italy because she wanted a divorce and Leo insisted she return home to Italy. However, her husband was not going to have any of it! A lot of blame, accusations, name calling and on top of that sexual tension that neither could deny was like a ping pong match between them and then some. So, would they end their marriage or see it for what is was? Their childhoods, how they were raised, their losses, hurts all played a heavy part in this royal romance.
There were a ton of arguments, tension that coiled between them; royal duties that stood in the way and Bethany wanting it to all go away. While reading this I thought about the royal wedding coming up and the "duty bound" prince and how could this possibly affect his upcoming marriage?
The "forgotten princess" about summed it up as far as Bethany was concerned. Will it be that way for Kate Middleton? Because that was what caused Bethany to flee home to Toronto because if she had not left, she would have withered away. Leo, at one time had swept her off her feet when they met quite by chance in Hawaii. When he should have married a more suitable "princess", he had married her and she had been so very young and immature. However, he was not without blame. Groomed for the crown by an unemotional father, a mother with problems and his being swept into his duties and family.
Well, the last chapters were certainly interesting, with a ton of tension and passion, accusations and hope, yes hope because Leo couldn't imagine why now of all things, Bethany would want to walk away and divorce him. In the end, she had to realize she had never let go, that she loved him. As for Prince Leo, he had hope that they could build something together, forget the past, and move forward.
Yes, the princess and and prince did, in the end, get their Cinderella happy ending! He has no plans to divorce her but doesn't tell her. Instead he tries to seduce her but heroine fights their strong sexual chemistry. This was an emotionally-laden book about a failing marriage between two people who are so hot for each other.
There was lots of hinting about their past but nothing clear yet about exactly what happened. The only thing that held them together was their fiery sexual chemistry. He has some major "a-ha" moments after their discussions and we see him finally understand her. Crews did a fine job showing how these 2 resolved their complicated issues in a span of less than pages.
The hero and heroine were faithful to each other through the 3 years separation. It was never a question or thought for either of them to have sex with someone else.
I loved that. Also the editor did a good job. I did not see any grammar problems and the story flowed well. However, there were things that bothered me as well. The couple spent more time apart then they did together. They were married around 18 months but then apart 3 years. It seemed like the time they were apart they were just in limbo, passing time. He continued to work and perform his royal duties. While she did finish college she never worked in the psychology field but rather worked at a job that did not require her to use her degree.
She continued to live in their house in the United States while he lived in Italy and waited for him to come to her. He didn't until she asked him to 3 years later, when she decided to get a divorce. She never tried to leave their house and get her own place and no mention was made of her attempting to get friends or working in the psychology field. He seemed content to not be with her for 3 years.
Also I felt like the readers were listening to marriage counseling sessions where the therapist's voice was absent. There was a lot of arguing and hurt feelings. It was emotional and tiring. At one point I thought it would be better for all parties if they just got a divorce like the heroine initially thought that she wanted.
This is an odd response for me because with certain exceptions, I am generally not in favor of people getting divorce unless they have tried to save their marriage first.
At not point did this feel like a romance. Also I did not believe the HEA ending. At the end of the story she had finally said that she loved him and decided to live with him again and work on their marriage together.
However, it seemed like it would be very difficult for him to change his behavior and not that much easier for her either. He would still leave her for long periods of time for this work and royal duties. It you don't like dark, steer clear. If you do, then this one is for you. Was reading this last night. Was crying my heart out. When I woke up this morning, which is almost noon to be exact, my eyes were still swollen.
Heart-wrenching, overwhelming, full of naked feelings. That final scene is a tearjerker. I spent the entire book wanting to push the hero off a cliff, but I enjoyed the whole drama.
May 23, Saintlyjuliet rated it liked it. I think Caitlin Crews is a great writer for these emotional reads. The few books that I have read of hers, including this one, are intriguing. They have the H and h in focus and nobody else.
It is all about their past, their present and their future which depends upon them sharing and understanding where the other is coming from.
This book is like that. The h is emotional and naive. She does not know how to handle the prince she has married after a short but intense romance in Hawaii. Her insecur I think Caitlin Crews is a great writer for these emotional reads.
Her insecurities and unhappiness are expressed through raging tantrums and fits which the H can never take seriously. The H is a calm and even minded guy who thinks he is the one who is right and that the h is just looking for excuses to blame him.
He stands on a moral high ground which frustrates the h because she is unable to express her valid points about his behaviour and when she does he brushes them away. This was in the past. After a three year separation, the h learns to control her temper and tries to get across to the H in a calm and rational manner which disarms him. He is just waiting for her to break vases and shriek like a banshee so he can dismiss her. She has given up on the marriage and he has not.
The rest of the book is their attempt to understand each other and work through their problems, all the while avoiding sex. I think I wasn't able to get into the story much because there was nothing concrete to hold onto.
Without proper background and explanation it just seemed like his word against hers and I didn't see a proper resolution in the end. So while I am convinced they love each other and want to make it work, I don't know how they are going to go about it. But they did seem determined in the end so good luck to them!
Oct 13, Dina Bushrod rated it really liked it Shelves: recommended. Can a young women overcome empty feelings of love from marriage with an arrogant Prince whose use to having what he wants, October 13, By Dina Bushrod This review is from: Princess From the Past Kindle Edition Powerful physical attraction throw in a cold, unemotional man and a young girl with no experience.
We have two people here, marrying without real knowledge of what that might mean to both of them. Threw years of absence and then together again, one to end the empty marriage the othe Can a young women overcome empty feelings of love from marriage with an arrogant Prince whose use to having what he wants, October 13, By Dina Bushrod This review is from: Princess From the Past Kindle Edition Powerful physical attraction throw in a cold, unemotional man and a young girl with no experience.
Threw years of absence and then together again, one to end the empty marriage the other to get back what he sees as his; turns into a rollercoaster of held in feelings screaming to get out. A strong book of emotions seen from both sides; learning what is truth. The emotions brought forth in this book made me feel their fears, hopelessness, sensual attraction, discovery of what is now and brought me to tears during the last chapter.
The author makes you feel their thoughts and desires through her words. I'm trying not to give you too much as you really need to read their story to really feel the power of their emotions. I highly recommend this book. I won this book with no conditions attached and I am giving a review based on the feelings this story has left me with. I can't wait to read more of Ms Crews novels; hoping they are as powerful as "Princess from the Past" Bethany and Leo married quickly and rashly.
When Bethany has regrets of their marriage, she runs, hoping Leo will hunt her down. Leo doesn't hunt her down and they remain separated for three long year. Leo is finally expected to make some heirs, so he hunts down Bethany and gets her to come back to Italy by telling her that she is needed there for a divorce. Leo decides he won't and cannot give her up, so it becomes a fight to keep her. The book was just okay for me, no sparks really and I had is Bethany and Leo married quickly and rashly.
The book was just okay for me, no sparks really and I had issues relating to the characters fully. I just felt there was no real depth to them, it all seemed completely faked out. Jun 12, Naomi Nair rated it it was ok. Rich, Handsome Italian Prince bound by duty neglects his meek, timid wife who, having decided that she's suffered enough, leaves the Palace one fine morning and makes herself a life and career what exactly is not revealed!
Now, all goes well until she decides to face the Prince to ask for a divorce from him and that's where our story begins. For me, this book was more like a "Picked that, read that" experience!
Not great but not bad either! Boy I don't rate 1 star very often, but this book was simply depressing. All internal dialogue -- angst and what doesn't work in the relationship. Very little dialogue. No other characters -- just the married couple who had been separated for three years and were psuedo-trying to reconcile. The HEA was lukewarm and not terribly hopeful. After several hours watching on netflix one February weekend, I thought it was time to do something more productive.
Onwards to finish my shelf of borrowed books! I liked that the ending is more of a beginning for this couple. It was a refreshing take. Normally HP ends with the couple madly in love after working through their problems.
Princess from the Past ends with the couple deciding to try again, which is refreshing and different. Young, sheltered wife finds out that marriage to an Italian prince is not what she expected and escapes to her hometown of Toronto.
Quite angsty and heart renching at times.
0コメント