Review by Booklist Review
Alexandra Prince promised her brother and sister that she would refrain from any more impulsive actions while they were away hunting antiquities. However, Allie can't not act after overhearing a trio of men plotting to steal the Crown Jewels. When Allie brings this to the attention of Scotland Yard in the person of Detective Inspector Benedict Drake, who already has his hands full trying to track down a criminal mastermind behind a royal blackmail scheme, she finds that he is less than receptive. This leaves Allie with no choice but to find a way to make Benedict take her seriously. For the launch of her new Victorian Princes of London series, Carlyle serves up a cleverly conceived romance that seamlessly blends a danger-infused plot with an engaging cast of characters that includes a charming heroine with a penchant for historical female pirates, a smolderingly sexy, career-driven hero, and a villain who could double for Moriarty.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A plot to steal the Crown Jewels animates this rip-roaring Princes of London series launch from Carlyle (the Love on Holiday series). In 1896 London, Allie Prince holds down the fort at her family's antique shop while her treasure-hunting relatives take off for an archaeological expedition in America. She's disappointed to be stuck with this boring task and sure she's missing out on all the adventure, until she overhears a group of thieves discussing their ambitious plans. She reports the conversation to Scotland Yard Det. Insp. Ben Drake, who's skeptical of her claims but agrees to look into it. His investigation leads him to the dangerous underbelly of the city, where Allie turns up, determined to assist him. As they work together, their mutual attraction becomes impossible to ignore, but Ben fears that his sordid family history will prevent him from ever marrying. Carlyle makes her progressive leads perfectly matched: dogged detective Ben values Allie as his intellectual equal, and plucky bluestocking Allie loosens him up a bit. This is a promising start. Agent: Jill Marsal at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Carlyle ("Wanton Widows Club") starts a new Victorian-set romance-adventure series about Detective Inspector Benedict Drake, an ambitious, determined police officer, and Alexandra Prince, the smart, equally determined aspiring adventurer and proprietor of her family's antique shop. Left at home once again while her siblings go on a treasure hunt, Alexandra believes she overhears a plot to steal the crown jewels. Trusting herself, she reports it to the police and meets Ben, a man who actually listens to her. Together they become partners in a tricky, twisted game run by a master of disguise and fear, who sweeps them from one false clue to the next. But Ben and Alexandra, both together and apart, are more than a match for the villain, and as they race to foil the plot, become perfect matches for one another. Carlyle creates a vivid sense of the danger the two face while at the same time crafting a deep bond between them--plus an extended cast that will well support the unfurling series. VERDICT Carlyle's fans will be delighted, and those who enjoy historicals but also want adventure romances will be happy to find this series launch.--Neal Wyatt
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Sparks fly at Scotland Yard. Once again, Miss Allie Prince has been left behind. Her adventurous siblings are off on a quest, leaving her to run their antiquities shop, Princes of London. Just as she accepts that she's in for a few boring and lonely weeks, however, life takes an exciting turn when she pops across the street to the coffeehouse and overhears what sounds like a plot to steal the Crown Jewels. She's so convinced that something is wrong that she heads to Scotland Yard, where she's met by DI Benedict Drake, who is "distractingly appealing" and seems to take her somewhat seriously, which is a welcome change. Unbeknownst to her, Drake is in the midst of a chilling cat-and-mouse game with a dangerous criminal, and he dismisses her without agreeing to look into the matter further. Despite his heavy workload, though, he finds he can't stop thinking about either Allie or the potential criminal conspiracy she's reported. It's not long before he heads to the coffeehouse in question to set up some minor surveillance, just in case, and they meet again. Despite Drake's attempts to keep her from getting involved, Allie's instincts keep leading her into the middle of the fray, and as the case gets more intense, so does their connection. Historical romance fans who like a healthy amount of suspense with their stories will enjoy the first volume in Carlyle's new Princes of London series, especially because, despite the title, this is an outside-the-ton story with no need for society drama to liven it up. Both Allie and Drake are well-drawn characters, and though they fall for each other perhaps too quickly, their mutual respect is beautifully portrayed. The conclusion of the mystery isn't terribly satisfying, but the happy ending more than makes up for it. A fast-paced Victorian romance packed with as much criminality as chemistry. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
