MaryJanice Davidson, The Royal Pain

The Royal Pain

Mary Janice Davidson

Brava, Nov 2005, $14.00, 288 pp.

ISBN: 0758208065

In the Kingdom of Alaska, Princess Alexandra Baranov has problems sleeping, ever since family enemies tried to kill her father and abduct her youngest brother, though she tried to intercede (see THE ROYAL TREATMENT). Now her midnight wanderings have become tabloid fodder and worry her family, especially when she faints from a lack of sleep. In fact only her infant nephew enables her to sleep for a few hours, for she is always on vigil to stop intruders from harming her family since the Devon incident.

To get her out of the Sitka palace, the family ponders why not Minot, so they send Alexandra to North Dakota on the pretense of furthering American-Alaskan relations. She reluctantly visits the North Dakota Institute for Sea Life, where marine biologist Dr. Shel Rivers conducts research. Following a foot introduction, her Royal pain in the butt, demands he waits on her when all he wants is to be left alone to do his work, that is before he tries to shut her up with a kiss or two, which she returns. All he wants to do is to keep kissing her royal prettiness.

No one does humorous romantic fantasy better than Mary Janice Davidson does. The Baranov sequel is a fabulous gender battle, as Shel concludes that the royal pain is his bane. The opening intro summarizes the tale, as Harry from When Harry Met Sally, discusses having intimate relations with someone named Sheldon, and never slows down until the final kiss. Fans of zany alternate history tales will appreciate Ms. Davidson, who brings a wacky freshness to the sub-genre.