I adore “The Improper Princesses” Series written by this author and love meeting some of my old favorite characters through this series. Even though the book starts with a good plot, I thought it became way too convoluted as the story went ahead. I was not a huge fan of either the hero, Nick, the Earl of Arnprior or the heroine, Victoria Knight but kept reading through the story to give them a chance and because I really liked some of the secondary characters in this story. Nick’s brothers are a raucous but interesting bunch and I cannot wait for their stories, especially Royal and Logan. I also didn’t like the fact that Victoria kept addressing Nick as “sir” rather than “my lord”. It was quite annoying. He is an earl so she should have either address him by his title, first name or just “my lord”. I had higher expectations out of this book due the author and wish the author had paid a little more attention to detail in this book.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

Vanessa Kelly makes this book one you won't want to miss. Nick and Victoria are such good characters, you cannot wait to turn the page to see what will happen next. This book has you laughing one moment and tears later on. Everything you want in a romance. I loved this book

I enjoyed this book by Vanessa Kelly; although, it did take some time to get into it. I found the beginning of the book to be confusing since I hadn’t read the prior book in the series. But this confusion only lasted a few pages and by the time the chapter ended, I was deeply involved in the story. There may be a illegitimate daughter of the Prince Regent involved, but this story says so much more about how women were treated during this time and the jobs they could take which would leave their reputations intact.
Victoria Knight was raised in an inn. Her father is the Prince Regent and she was born on the wrong side of the blanket. Although, she was cared for by a large family, Victoria was aware at a young age how important it was for her to have a stellar reputation. She has worked as a governess saving money to open her own school. Unfortunately, her last placement ended in an accidental death. Now she is being sent to Castle Kinglas in Scotland while her brother and her mentor try to figure out how to make the scandal go away.
Nick, Earl of Arnprior, loves his brothers, but he despairs about what to do with them. There are 5 younger brothers who live at home. They may be his half-brothers, but Nick still wants them to the best that they can. To help them, he decides to hire a governess. Her primary job will be to tutor his youngest brother, Kade, in music. Nick hopes that she will also help his other brothers; Royal, Graeme and Grant. Braden seems to have things in hand at the medical school he is attending in Glasgow.
When Victoria arrives, she sees the chaos that is going on in Castle Kinglas and doesn’t think that she can do anything to help. Adding to her stress is her attraction to Nick. When she realizes he may feel the same, Victoria doesn’t know what to do.
There is a lot going on in this book. From illegitimacy to murder charges, we are never sure what will happen on the next page. Nick’s younger brothers are a handful and definitely provide some amusing moments for the reader. I liked the pace of the story and the unpredictability of some of it. There were definitely moments that surprised me.

This was such a fun read that I finished in one night because I didn't want to put it down. It's book 3 in the series but I had no problem reading it as a standalone. I adored Victoria's character and admire her for standing her ground with Nick's brothers and uncle. She has spunk, determination and a good heart. It was hilarious watching her spar with Nick's uncle and slowly help reform Nick's brothers. I also loved Nick as a hero because you can see he is trying so hard to do right by all his brothers and they certainly do not make it easy on him.

I don't want to give away any spoilers but trust me this is a wonderful, fun read that you do not want to miss! I've read book 2 in the series and now have to go pick up book 1 because I love all the other characters we meet in this book. I'm hoping we will eventually get all of Nick's brothers' stories too.

Vanessa Kelly has written another fabulous historical romance. Superb plot. Loved it!

This is book three in The Improper Princesses Series but can be read as a stand-alone story that will delight and enchant you. I am a big fan of Vanessa's books and have all of her Historical Romances. Another great bonus of her books are they are full-length novels, this one is 423 pages long.

Victoria Knight is the illegitimate daughter of the Prince Regent and an Innkeeper. She is determined to earn her own way and make a life for herself. As a Governess, she can indulge her love of teaching. When she accidentally kills her employer's son while defending herself from his sexual advances she must make herself scarce, so that her cousin and his friends can ensure that she will not be charged with murder. Now she is on her way to Scottish Highlands to teach a pack of young wild highlander males.
When she arrives and sees what she will have to deal with she will not be just a governess but will be trying to teach manners and etiquette to the aforementioned men. The only saving grace of the job is that she will be mentoring a 14yr old prodigy in music. Oh, and she will have to fight her attraction to the head of the family, Nick the Earl of Arnprior, a big beautiful Highlander.

Nick, the Earl of Arnprior can't believe his eyes, this beautiful young lady will never last a week in this house with his family. He needs someone who can whip his brothers into shape and also teach his sensitive younger brother. His household has been in a state of chaos for so long.

They both have secrets they want to keep and Nick is still grieving for the son he lost. There is a banished brother and a grandfather who wants nothing to do with Sassenachs. Nick cannot seem to help himself, she is an amazing woman and he wants her with a passion that he has never experienced before. Can they overcome all the problems and obstacles that will try to pull them apart?

I enjoyed this book immensely. I love the originality and intelligence that makes Vanessa's stories a must read. I love her characters too. They are not perfect but they complete each other. You also have lots of adventures and a really bad villain. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for the next one in the series.

Victoria isn't really a princess. Her father is Prince Regent and her mother was a barmaid. Victoria works as governess and she's very good at what she does. But while working her employers brother tried to force himself on Victoria and no one was home, there was tussle and he fell to his death. Victoria is rescued by some relatives and now has another position helping some rambunctious Scottish boys become fit for society, in a drafty old castle.

Nicholas, The Earl of Arnprior, is shocked at the transformation Victoria has done on his younger siblings. He's just a surprised that his grandfather has come to respect and like Victoria (he hates the English). Nicholas has lived and endured a lot in his life and just wants a peaceful existence but finds that there is something about Victoria that draws him but yet he knows that she is hiding some secrets.

The two try and deflect their attraction as well as fighting the growing feelings that they have for each other. Nicholas has his own set of secrets. Of course the truth of Victoria's dilemma and the accusations come out and now Nicholas has to fight for her and their future.

I found both characters to be okay/average but not real likable or memorable. The situations with the the younger boys and grandpa were cute and funny at times and all the castle escapades as well. The pacing was a little slow for me and found it did drag at times. There are some sensitive issues and are dealt with in a tasteful and respectful manner.

An okay read to pass the time.

For some reason this story did not "click' for me. The story fell flat and did not give the escape I enjoy when reading historical romance. I felt I was "just reading".

I am enthralled with this story! Absolutely mad about the Earl, Nic! I like Victoria, she is kind, loving, loyal, hardworking, never complains, and oh, she committed murder! Hum! I love the Earl's brothers, trouble makers, rude, constant worry for Nick, and I adore them all! This is now my Number One Book for 2017! I now have 16 out of 20!
I highly recommend this book Today! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee 👒

The Highlander's Princess Bride is both a charming Regency romp and a searing indictment of male attitudes towards women's rights in the period, and I absolutely loved every word of it. It has everything you might want from a Highlander romance; a sexy, brooding Scotsman - in fact, a whole family of seven brothers - a clan laird, a castle, and more kilts than you could shake a skean dhu at.

Where things get interesting with this novel is with the princess in question, because Victoria isn't really a princess. She is, in fact, an illegitimate daughter of the Prince Regent and a Brighton barmaid, and being of such dubious background, she knows very well that she will spend her whole life fighting an uphill battle to gain any kind of respectability.

Nevertheless, Victoria is absolutely no quitter. She's a professional governess and she's very, very good at what she does. When her employer's rakish brother tries to force himself on her, she has no compunctions about defending herself.

She really didn't intend for him to end up dead. Now, accused of murder, she turns for help to some of her powerful relations, who promptly find her another position safely out of the way while things quiet down. Beggars can't be choosers, though, and instead of two or three nice young ladies to teach piano and French to, she's shipped off to a drafty Scottish castle to try and educate a whole gang of barbarian Scots to fit into polite society.

Nicholas Kendrick, Earl of Arnprior, has too much tragedy and disaster in his background to want any more trouble on his doorstep. When Victoria manages against all the odds to not only tame his brothers, but win the respect of his Sassenach-hating grandfather, he finds himself hopelessly in love with her even though he knows she's keeping secrets. He's the most wonderful hero I've ever read in a Regency romance; there's an amazing line where he tells her that he knows she has her secrets (right after he just confessed all of his) but that it's all fine. He doesn't need to know all her secrets to love her, and maybe one day she'll trust him enough to share.

Of course, finding out she's accused of murder is a rather large secret, and he has a brief moment of shock, but to his credit he gets over himself within moments, knowing very well that she's not capable of what she's accused of. The loyalty he and his brothers show Victoria is utterly wonderful; I find myself hoping that Vanessa Kelly starts a whole new series of 7 Brides for the Kendrick Brothers, because believe me, they all deserved them.

There was a large cast of characters in this book, some of them who have obviously featured in previous novels. It wasn't necessary to be familiar with them, though, as everyone got their own neat little introduction. Fans of Ms. Kelly's prior works will enjoy revisiting with former favorites, and those new to her work will, as I was, be inspired to go and hunt down all her other books!

This is a fabulous book and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, but 5 will have to do.

I would rate this book a solid four stars! This book reminds me of the 50s movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. This story had all the elements needed in a good romance novel. ... Romance, humour and a bit of suspense to tie it all together. I enjoyed Ms. Kelly's style of writing... there was a nice flow to her her work. I would definitely look for more of her books in the future. I would like to thank the author, the publicist and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review

This is the story of Laird Nicholas and his prim governess Victoria. It is a stand alone book in a wonderful series, and this book was just terrific! Victoria has a few secrets, not small ones, but some real whoppers. Nick has a few of his own as well, he's not had it easy in life. Victoria's siblings assist her in evading a potential negative situation by recommending her for a position as a governess for a Scottish laird. It will remove her from London, putting her out in the Scottish highlands during a long snowy winter, and may result in her receiving a character reference in the future for the girls school she dreams of starting some day.
What Victoria doesn't know is that Nick has a problem. He does have a young brother who needs a tutor, but he has several brothers older than the first who need some "refinement", and a grandfather who is a bit on the odd side. Nick needs a "lady" like Victoria to help him whip his brothers into shape- well good luck with that!
The characters are colorful and heartwarming, the plot was interesting and held intrigue for everyone, and there was humor and heat between these two that made this tale a thoroughly entertaining ride.
I highly recommend this book, and the entire series as well, to romance readers everywhere.

She was only defending herself from the attack of a sexual abuser when Victoria had thrown her employer’s only brother down the stairs, a fall so bad that it caused his death. Quickly, the young governess went to her own brother by blood seeking advice and protection and then the head of her strange family set things to rights… but the young man’s family wants her hanged for his murder. Until gossip died down in London both her brother and Sir Dominic send her to a new position in Scotland, after making her promise that she won’t tell anyone what had happened in London and who she really is. Because Victoria Knight is one of the prince Regent’s natural children.

That is how Victoria gets to meet the Kendrick family, a rather chaotic family of Highland men who live in a castle a day or so away from Glasgow. There are seven of them. Nick, the laird of the Kendrick lands, Logan, the estranged brother who’s just back from Canada, and their step-brothers, Royal, the twins and mischief-makers Grant and Graeme, Braden the good student who wants to be a doctor, and young Kade, the sweetest of them all, not yet sixteen. And of course there’s grumpy Grandpa Macdonald… and his bagpipes in the middle of the night... Soon enough Victoria will find that it will take a great deal of strength and stubbornness to handle these rascals and make decent gentlemen out of them. But she will find herself a new family that will protect her, love her, and give their lives for her if needed be. And Victoria will help them heal these wounds and make amends if not peace, that would be too much to ask.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of this family that stick together despite the many sadness and tragedies that happened in the past, despite the fights that happened between them and to them. I loved all the men in the Kendrick family, their personalities are so well described that even if they have similarities, as all brothers and sisters do, they are completely different entities, even the twins. And their personalities are so loveable, because even the one who seems the most hateful (that would be grandpa Angus) has something good inside, they’re not totally mean and each of them end up a little bit in love with the heroine, she conquers them all, one step at a time, because she sees good in them as does the reader.

The story has as much drama as it has fun. It’s so engaging that once you start reading you can’t stop because there’s never a moment of dull in that castle, you just want to know what kind of mischief are Graeme, Grant and their grandpa Angus are up to, because they’re always up to something. You want young Kade’s health fully restored, you want Royal to get over his moods and win the heart of that lady he always fights with, you want everyone supporting Braden’s ambitions of being a physician in order to cure his little brother and you want Nick and Logan making amends. And of course if there is one who can give you what you want, or at least die trying, that’s Victoria. And only for that, you want her to have her happily ever after with Nick.

There was one thing that I didn’t like very much and that is the fact that in two occasions one of the brothers appears out of thin air to save the day. When all hope is lost he happened to be around as if by smelling trouble. The ‘Deus ex machina’ kind of narrative was never my cup of tea, but it might work well for someone else. Yet these two concrete scenes don’t spoil the novel at all as one of them is to no consequence (or so it seems in that moment) and the second brings something good… and that is not the fact that the character saves the day, but what happens after that.

This book was a good read its more serious than i thought and touches on so many things but none the less i enjoyed it and want to read the others in this series.

Ms. Kelly is one of my favorite historical romance authors and this book does not disappoint. The reader is plunged into a situation involving governess Victoria Knight that will change the course of her life and not for the better. When she is shipped off to the Highlands of Scotland to be a music teacher to a young Kendrick boy, she can't imagine accepting the post. His oldest brother, Nick Kendrick is a solemn and scowling Earl and there's nothing inviting about Castle Kinglas. Victoria has worked for difficult employers in the past, but nothing can prepare her for the rowdy household of so many undisciplined Kendrick brothers.

There were so many twists and turns in this book that propels the reader to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. There is plenty of mystery, witty dialogue and smoldering looks in this story. It was my favorite book of the series so far. I hope Ms. Kelly gives Royal Kendrick his own story. He's another Kendrick brother who is hiding so many secrets of his own!

I love historical romance as a genre and books like this are the reason why. Please make note that as I was reading this it became very clear that there are books that come before this one. However, with that being said this installment held its own and could be definitely read as a standalone.

The book did get off to a bit of a rocky start and I was not sure if I was going to complete the task of reading it. However, after I would say the first 20 pages or so it takes a much needed turn for the better and stays on that high road throughout. Victoria, Nick, and all of his brooding brothers were well created and I really REALLY hope the next installment focuses on Royal as the ending chapters seem to lead to. The characters are when you notice there had been previous books and where you are at a slight disadvantage. The supporting characters were vital but afterthoughts intern of construction however I think they were devolved in the previous books of which I have not yet read.


I am really looking forward to reading not only the installments that came before but all of those that come after.

Characters - 4.5 Angus really irked me. He was present as brash to the point of annoyance
Plot - 4.5 There is some predictability however when you read hundreads of highland / scottish romance novels it will eventually happen
Addictiveness - 5 hard HARD 5 I was supposed to be sleeping but I couldn't until I knew all of my fictional new friends had finished the story safely


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I read romance genre. But, not a really fan of it. Mainly because the heroine is always an irritating character.
But, this time, its quite different. Victoria is a very different character. She is already deep in trouble at the starting of the story. But, her family rallies around her.
And once she moves into the Kendrick Clan, the story started to get more interesting. All the members of the clan are delightful to read.
Hoping to see Royal and Lady Ainsley's story next...

Clearly a series with prior novels that I had not read, but that did not interfere with my enjoyment of the novel in the slightest! For me, this was a twist on 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, while the actual romantic arc felt somewhat insubstantial and rushed at times to me, the characterization of both main and supporting cast was delightful! An enjoyable read!

There's something about a guy with an accent that makes him swoon worthy. Add in the brooding attitude, scandalous behavior and a wildfire in the making and you get a hotblooded romance that wickedly entertains. The Highlander's Princess Bride is a journey into the past where titles are key and illegitimacy is a curse. Victoria is a source of courage to women from any age. She doesn't let the burden of her birth or the opinions of others take away her strength of character. She always stays true to herself, even in the worst of times. Vanessa Kelly continues to create courageous characters that tempt the imagination as they claw their way into the soul.

First time for this author. Very good story and characters. Love the Highlands!