LynneC’s review of A Throne for the Taking by Kate Walker
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 21 May 13
A Throne For The Taking features a mythical, small country in Europe, a handsome prince, a beautiful princess—well, a Grand Duchess—and romance. In fact, a classic Mills and Boon romance.
Alexei was cheated out of the throne of Mecjoria (I kept thinking of Majorca!) by Ria’s conniving father, who hid the marriage lines of his parents, thus rendering him illegitimate in the eyes of the world. After her father’s downfall, Ria discovers the document and brings it to Alexei. Her country needs him—and so does she.
Ria has been hurt by him. Alexei had an affair with a woman that resulted in the cot death of the baby they made together. In the eyes of the world, he was a drunken and debauched wastrel, but, we, as Harlequin readers, know the truth. Alexei is misunderstood by everybody, even Ria, who has never stopped loving him.
The first five chapters of this book are one long scene, set in Alexei’s house, where Ria persuades him to take the throne and he says he’ll only do it with her at his side. The scene is described in detail, and goes in close, to their body language, their reactions to each other, but keeping secrets that the reader will want to carry on to discover. Walker never makes the mistake of trying to cram too much plot into the limited word count a Harlequin book provides and allows herself to expand her characters, which, after all, is what a Modern/Presents is all about.
It’s a clever strategy and one I can’t recall reading anywhere else, except in another Kate Walker. For all I know other writers use it, since I don’t read every book Harlequin puts out (having a few books of my own to write!), but Walker uses it effectively, both to hook the readers in and to describe the two central characters of her story effectively and thoroughly, trying to provide a full description of her protagonist to hook the reader, rather than breathless action.
Personally, I prefer that, because I read books primarily for the characters and not for the action. The simplicity of the action does limit other possibilities. For instance, we barely get to meet the other characters in the story. Ria’s father only appears later and doesn’t get any lines of his own, and neither does her mother or Alexei’s rival for the throne, the dissolute Ivan. It does create a gap, because there is no interaction outside the central relationship, and no way of knowing if Ria and Alexei’s assessment of them is true. The reader doesn’t get a chance to find out for themselves. In a way this concentrates the attention on the two main characters, but it also means that a certain dimensionality is lost, because the secondary characters don’t think and act for themselves on the stage.
I’m not a huge fan of royal stories, because I don’t think princes and princesses live interesting lives or are in control of their own fates. And there’s the “poor little rich girl” syndrome, but the characters here do bring the trope a bit closer towards reality. Ria is a suitable match for Alexei because she’s been brought up in royal circles and Alexei takes his duties seriously. It’s a bit frustrating later in the story that he sidelines Ria, not only personally, but publicly, so he doesn’t share the concerns of the country with her, only the ceremonial occasions. At least she doesn’t turn into a charity whore, doing a bunch of stuff for little children or the local hospital. While it’s worthy, that kind of saintly behaviour sometimes irritates me in the Modern/Presents line. I don’t always want good girls.
A Throne For the Taking is a worthy entrant in the long line of novels Kate Walker has written for Mills and Boon, showing her distinct, inimitable style and bearing a very individual tone and voice, so her fans can be sure of a good, solid, satisfying read.
Grade: B
Summary:
A kingdom’s safety…
Betrayed by those she loves, Honoria Escalona must now face the only man capable of bringing stability to the Mediterranean kingdom of Mecjoria. A cold, hard man who once called her his friend… Alexei Sarova—the true King of Mecjoria.In exchange for her happiness
But Alexei’s tortuous past has changed him into someone she hardly knows. He blames Ria’s family for his bitterness, and his help—when he offers it—comes with a price: he’ll take his rightful place as King with Ria as his wife, until she produces a true-blood heir…
Read an excerpt.
