Sandy M’s review of Enticing the Prince (Kazanov Series, Book 6) by Patricia Grasso
Historical Romance published by Zebra 1 Nov 08
This is my first book by Ms. Grasso. For the most part I liked the storyline. The characters only had their moments, though. I’m wondering if I had read any of the previous books in this series and had been introduced to these people earlier I would have liked them better before starting this book. Hard to say.
At times I liked the majority of the characters, but at other times a lot of them seemed stiff and awkward to me. I blame a lot of that on the dialogue. I was surprised at the way these characters spoke, especially knowing Ms. Grasso is a very seasoned author. During certain conversations I kept thinking the passages sounded like a debut author who still has some growing to do. It was just a little too simplistic for me.
Then I had to decide if I really cared all that much for the hero. Drako Kazanov is a very arrogant man. Now, usually that doesn’t bother me. I think the difference is that Drako tells himself he’s handsome and wealthy and any woman would be glad to have him, so the heroine, Katerina, should be a little more appreciative of his attention. That’s just not the same as a handsome hero just being good at what he does, exuding confidence and sexuality. But I have to admit that after a bit Drako did grow on me, despite my misgivings about him. He loves children, and though he’s a playboy, he does right by Katerina and others. And he can make love. That’s a huge plus.
Katerina is definitely the more interesting of the two. She’s come to London from Russia with her siblings and daughter to exact revenge on the man who destroyed her family when he killed her father, a sister, and a brother. With her sister’s last action as proof, Kat believes it is Prince Drako who is the culprit. Through her extraordinary ability at creating jewelry for the upper crust, she is allowed into circles most average folks don’t see. Thus, she’s able to entice the prince into loving her and then she’ll pounce. She never once thought she would develop feelings for the man, but that’s exactly what happens.
I did enjoy the secondary characters, although at first there were so many of them I couldn’t keep them straight. But once I was able to identify them in subsequent scenes, a few stood out. The Duchess of Inverary turned out to be a favorite, along with Douglas Gordon, the Marquis of Huntly.
All of the previous books in this series are in my TBR mountain and I have to say I’m curious enough now to learn more about this multi-faceted family that I’ll move them nearer the top when I come across them in the future.
Grade:B-
Summary:
The daughter of Moscow’s most celebrated jeweler, Katerina Pavlova has inherited a keen eye for gems. But when the whims of a wealthy prince bring tragedy to the Pavlovas, Katerina flees Russia with her family’s fortune. Once in London, the beguiling Katerina reinvents herself as the Contessa de Salerno, a beautiful, mysterious aristocrat with a talent for making dazzling jewelry. Soon, every lady in London desires one of her glittering creations—while every man desires the Countess herself…
Prince Drako Kazanov is one of the men who longs to seduce the Contessa. But Katerina is convinced that Drako is the man behind her family’s downfall and she’s determined to exact vengeance. When Drako learns Katerina’s true identity, he promises secrecy for a price—her complete surrender to their mutual attraction. Katerina has no choice but to become Drako’s mistress…a role she finds more pleasurable than she ever imagined. But when an unseen enemy tries to kill both her and Drako, Katerina must choose between her life—and her newfound love…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
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