Patricia Grasso, Pleasuring the Prince

Pleasuring the Prince

Patricia Grasso

Zebra, Apr 2006, $5.99

ISBN: 0821777114

In 1821 Fancy Flambeau debuts at London's Royal Opera House when Prince Stepan Kasanov asks to see her afterward. She wants to decline because she hates the aristocracy having been deserted by her upper crust sire, but they meet anyway. He also meets her six younger sisters and escorts them home, as it is dangerous with the Rose Petal killer preying on performers, for women to walk unescorted.

Stepan begins seeing Fancy while also being kind to her sisters. At a ball hosted by Stepan's relatives the Duke and Duchess of Inverary, Fancy sings, but is nasty to the Duke who is her father. She tells him she waited by the window anytime it rained for years hoping he would visit, but he never did. He regrets his actions and invites her and his other daughters to live safely with him. Fancy agrees to allow her siblings to stay with the duke, but not her. As Stepan and Fancy fall in love, he worries that the Rose Petal killer targets her, so he risks all to keep his beloved safe, but the serial killer proves quite clever.

Readers will enjoy the strong likable lead characters, and find fascinating the unique paranormal skills of each of the Flambeau sisters, though Fancy's constant shrill about the aristocracy can become tiresome. The Rose Petal serial killer provides an interesting subplot that will have the audience wondering who he is. Fans of Regency paranormal romantic suspense will gain immense pleasure from Patricia Grasso's fine work, and look forward to future tales starring the siblings.