Stevie‘s review of The Princess Deception (Princess Affair, Book 3) by Nell Stark
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 15 May 18
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night has spawned a lot of pastiches and reinterpretations, but I’m always happy to read, or watch, more. Especially, as in this case, when the author manages to put a different slant on the story. The book takes one of the central premises of the play, the heroine who masquerades as her twin brother, and brings it thoroughly up to date by making her a success in her own right and who takes on the disguise to protect her family, rather than to allow herself more freedom. In fact, this Viola finds the role of Sebastian far more restrictive than the life she has been living as herself; however, she is prepared to make the sacrifice for the good of not just her immediate, royal relatives, but also her native country and its closest neighbour.
Her Royal Highness Princess Viola of Belgium is an award-winning photographer, who is preparing for her latest exhibition when she is summoned back to the palace by her parents. Fearing an imminent terrorist attack, she is even more concerned to discover that her twin brother is seriously ill in hospital following a heroin overdose. Feeling a degree of guilt for not spotting her brother’s drug problems, Viola also worries about the wider impact that might be felt when her brother’s condition becomes widely known. Belgium and the Netherlands are jointly bidding to host football’s (‘soccer’s’ to you in the US) World Cup and Sebastian was to have represented his country’s Royal Family at the upcoming month-long gala to open the bid. Aided by her and her brother’s closest staff, Viola decides to take her twin’s place, not even telling her parents until the game is afoot.
One of the reporters covering the gala’s events is former US and International footballer, Missy Duke, generally known only by her last name. Following a career-ending injury, Duke has found a way to stay close to the football action, helped by a friend’s brother who is also a sports journalist covering the same event. While carrying out some background research into the prominent members of the bid team, Duke is intrigued to lean that the sister of the Belgian royal representative is a lesbian. And when she sees ‘him’ at the first event of the gala, Duke finds herself strangely attracted to the androgynous man before her. As Duke continues to cover the events, she becomes more and more intrigued by ‘Sebastian’ until the similarities and differences between the two twins’ appearances and mannerisms in past news videos, and the current ‘Sebastian,’ lead Duke to the realisation that ‘he’ is in fact ‘she.’
Duke determines to uncover the reasons behind the deception, but in doing so finds herself growing ever closer to Viola. Meanwhile, Viola is conducting an investigation of her own into who supplied Sebastian with the drugs that led to his overdose, before then abandoning him to be left alone at the nearest hospital. As the pair make discoveries about each other and those around them, it seems that they may be destined to form a closer bond; however, Duke’s investigations may lead to Viola’s exposure, and subsequently disaster, for all concerned.
I liked this book a lot, although at times the size of the cast felt a little unwieldy. There were appearances by the characters from previous books in the series, which I would probably have enjoyed more if I’d read the first book. All that said, this is a fun series, and I really must find time to go back and read the story that kicked it all off.
Grade: B
Summary:
When Sebastian, the Crown Prince of Belgium, overdoses on heroin shortly before he is set to launch Belgium’s campaign to host the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, his family manages to hush up the scandal. While the royals are debating how to proceed, Sebastian’s twin sister, Viola, decides to impersonate him to keep Belgium’s bid hopes alive.
Missy Duke is a freelance reporter covering Belgium’s World Cup bid. A former women’s soccer player whose career was sidelined by injury, she is now trying to break into the male-dominated sportscasting world. While in Belgium, she meets the imposter Sebastian and soon realizes that he is actually Viola. Sensing a big story in the making, Duke feigns ignorance and plays along with the charade.
Real sparks develop between the two women, but will the double deception doom this fairy-tale romance?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
