3/5 stars

I really liked the story and I plan on continuing the series to see what happens in the next book, however the intense feelings and steam I generally expect from a romance novel were both missing. I did enjoy Eliza and Sebastian as the main characters. The most interesting parts of the story occurred when Eliza and Sebastian finally teamed up to figure out who could have killed the prince's secretary. I really liked reading their interactions together.

Overall I liked this start to a new historical fiction romance series. I'm interested to see Sebastian's country play a bigger part in the next books and I would love to see some of the side characters get their own story! 

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin for allowing me the opportunity to read this free digital ARC.

Great mystery tucked into this romance! It's clearly a romance, though, because the mystery was resolved initially off page so the protagonist heard about it second or third hand. I would have loved to see it resolved like a mystery - right there on the page - but I understand the author's choice. The focus stays on the romantic relationship this way.

The romance is fairly typical for this sort of story - a royal with marriage obligations falls for a commoner. The mystery helped keep this fresh and engaging. Looking forward to reading book 2 in the series. (Sex)

Eliza is on the shelf due to an unfortunate event when she was younger. She is happy to assist her father, a judge. Her sister Holly publishes a gossip paper. Prince Sebastian is in town to finalize a trade deal with England and find a wife.  When one of his staff is murdered he reluctantly enlists the help of Eliza as her sister seems to have more information than the police. As they spend time together their attraction grows, but because of her position things can't progress.  Will Sebastian follow his heart or duty?  A good beginning to a new series.

I usually love this author's books, but for some reason this one just wasn't working for me. I'm sad but will try future Julia London books. Thanks for allowing me to try this!

Prince Sebastian and Eliza story begins when he goes to London for a trade deal and finds himself looking for a wife, but one of the Alucians is murdered and the investigation is not going as it should, so he takes it upon himself to find out the truth and that leads him to question Eliza about what she witnessed that night. Good start for the series hope author kicks it up a notch for the next one.

While this read had the potentially to turn out incredibly cheesy, it instead was incredibly fun.The story revolves around a Eliza, a woman who declared herself a “spinster” after the man who had promised to marry publicly announced he was marrying someone else. Now, a prince from another country is visiting London with the intent to find his next bride. Eliza ends up becoming entangled with the prince while trying to find the criminal behind his friend’s murder. From secret tunnels to murder plots, this novel ended up having all of the elements you would need to turn this romance novel from straight romance into a fun murder mystery. I especially enjoyed how Eliza’s sister’s printing press with “womanly advice” and gossip was woven into the plot’s narrative for hilarious commentary. While the murder mystery could have also seemed extraneous, it instead made the novel even more enjoyable. I don’t know if I would reread this novel, but I certainly plan on reading thenext one.

Julia London has written several of my all-time favorite romances, so it truly pains me to rate one of her books as anything less than 5 stars.  Unfortunately, I did not enjoy "The Princess Plan" as much as some of her previous works.

One of my main issues with this book is that I did not like Sebastian, the hero, very much, especially at first.  I suppose his arrogant, demanding behavior could be considered pretty typical for a prince, but what really bothered me was the fact that he didn't seem to be even remotely interested in the heroine, Eliza, at first.  He even slept with another woman after meeting Eliza (and very much enjoyed it!) just because he needed to "scratch an itch."  That said, Sebastian did seem to be a good leader who took a genuine interest in the welfare of his people, and he had some good ideas on how to modernize his country.  When he finally did fall for Eliza, he fell hard, even though their relationship seemed hopeless.  I had a hard time getting over his earlier behavior, though.

By contrast, Eliza was a very interesting and likeable heroine. She was obviously very smart and independent, but when she, her sister, and their friend Caroline put their heads together, they came up with some pretty silly (albeit entertaining) schemes.  I particularly loved that Eliza always spoke her mind and didn't easily bend to Sebastian's will.  Also, Sebastian and Eliza's conversations were pretty funny.  Sometimes it seemed like they were speaking two different languages, especially when they first met.  It took a while for them to begin to understand each other's way of thinking.  

Besides Sebastian himself, my other big issue with this book was the way in which Sebastian attempted to remove the biggest obstacle standing in the way of his marrying Eliza, which was the fact that she wasn't a "lady."  His solution was to pull some strings with the English government to have Eliza's father elevated to the rank of baron so that she would then become "Lady Eliza Tricklebank."  I would have said that this was a clever solution IF it actually could have worked the way it was explained in the book.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the case because the daughters of English barons and viscounts are not granted the courtesy title of Lady, so Eliza would have been known as "the Honorable Miss Tricklebank" instead.  Eliza's father would have had to be at least an earl for her to be addressed as Lady Eliza.   

Overall, I did enjoy this book in spite of the issues outlined above.  It was remarkably funny and upbeat considering how much of the plot revolved around a murder and potential revolution in Sebastian's homeland of Alucia.  Also, the secondary characters were a lot of fun, and I would enjoy learning more about them in future books.  I plan to continue with the series.  

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book grew to be one of my favorites!  It’s such an atypical Prince looking for a bride story that it still makes me smile.  A lawyers daughter, having been duped by a suitor and firmly giving up on the thought of love and marriage, meets a foreign prince on the quest for a bride.  Yet when he barges into her home demanding to meet with her father, she is less than impressed.  And, that is all I’m going to say except, go read it.  I loved it and highly recommend this book.

A delightful Cinderella retelling!

I adored Eliza, she was a fun and spunky heroine, and Sebastian made the perfect Prince. Anyone who loves Cinderella with a bit of spice, needs to check out this book!

Full review on my YouTube channel.

This book had a bit of slow start for me, however I was immediately drawn to the characters, particularly Eliza’s feistiness and friendship with her sister, Hollis, and their friend ,Caro. I enjoyed the sort of Cinderella-esque story of a prince falling for a commoner, but more importantly I love that London flipped the script and had Sebastian fall for Eliza’s intelligence and forthrightness rather than merely her beauty. Additionally, I appreciate that London get class and gender in mind with this book

I’m not sure the mystery aspect completely worked for me. At times it seemed like an odd mix of mystery and romance when I really just wanted to get to the romance. I think this also speaks to the pacing and why it felt like a slow start to me. However, the mystery does bring the two together more so it is important to the plotline, it just wasn’t my favorite aspect of the book.

Despite some qualms about the mystery and pacing, overall, I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend this if you are looking for a historical romance not set in the regency era, has a prince-falls-for-real-girl or sort of fairy tale come to life aspect, as well as some fun things like a ladies gazette and a mystery.

This book has everything - Romance, Mystery, Balls, Strong characters and even a prince!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I especially loved Eliza. The plot kept you reading right until the end. I highly recommend this fun and intriguing book.

Nothing gets the tongues of London’s high society wagging like a good scandal. And when the personal secretary of the visiting Prince Sebastian of Alucia is found murdered, it’s all anyone can talk about, including Eliza Trickelbank. 

Her unapologetic gossip gazette has benefited from an anonymous tip about the crime, prompting Sebastian to take an interest in playing detective- and an even greater interest in Eliza. But with a trade deal on the line and mounting pressure to secure a nobe bride, there is nothing more salacious than a prince dallying with a commoner.”

I don’t read many Historical Romance but this is a genre quickly moving up in my TBR. Eliza was witty, funny, and outspoken. Which is deemed a bad quality for the time era. I love a good strong female character who speaks her mind and is true to herself. Eliza was all of those things. The first meeting of Eliza and the Prince is not what you expect. Sometimes romances can be predictable, but not this one! I was happily surprised! I was kept on my toes with the mystery/romance and finished this book in one sitting! Sebastian is the typical, stuck up Prince, who expected everything to be handed to him, but Eliza challenged him. I started to warm up to Sebastian and ended up really liking his character, and him as a lead for Eliza. And don’t even get me started on their first kiss.. If you like Historical Romance you should definitely give this one a try!!

(This review was commissioned by Harper Collins.)
Historical romances are not usually my jam; they are a bit too formal and stuffy for my taste and reflect a bygone time of judgment and views that are best left in the patriarchal past.
That being said this was enjoyable in a way that those other stories often aren't; a heroine with strong female friendships (Eliza and her relationship with her sister Hollis is refreshingly pure and supportive and strong) and an even stronger and refreshingly forthright personality, not a character whose ultimate end game is happily ever after and who is flat in every other way during that pursuit.
A fun, fluffy ride for those who enjoy a romantic blast into the past.

I don’t normally read stories about foreign royalty but I really enjoyed this one. I think I enjoyed the close connection between Eliza, her sibling, Hollis and their friend, Caroline. The way they told each other everything, even though they didn’t mean to! Also the way they teased Caroline’s brother. I would love for him to have his story. I did wonder if they would be giggling about things at their age but then I thought back to how I am with my friends and thought, yes, they would. Eliza was quite outspoken and honest about her views, which was to be admired at this time, when women were expected to stay in the background. The connection between Eliza and Sebastian had some very heartfelt moments and I did wonder how this would be resolved. It also emphasised how restricted life was for Sebastian. This was a captivating read with engaging characters. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was given the chance to read Julia London’s latest novel, The Princess Plan early and I devoured it. Immediately. An out of the norm female heroine too modern for her time clashing with a foreign prince trope? Sign me up! This was a slow burn romance with court intrigue, an unexpected murder mystery and featured a gazette run exclusively by women that possessed a certain gossip girl tone. 

The Princess Plan marks my second official blog tour with HARLEQUIN and Harpercollins for Women’s Literature and Romance. This is the absolute perfect novel for any fans of historical fiction with opinionated women as the heroine and for anyone who loves the movies, The Christmas Prince and The Prince and Me. 

“She snorted a laugh. The ridiculous confidence of men who believed that if a woman came near, they wanted to be seduced!”

I loved Eliza Tricklebank’s character almost immediately. She’s introduced as an eight and twenty spinster who has essentially given up on the societal norms that her world has to offer. She had one bad reaction to a courtship (which was definitely reasonable to any rational woman) and had been marked ever since. All she has is her role as caretaker to her blind father and what little she can offer to her sister’s gazette which she’s content with. I admired her first for her resilience to make the best of what she had to work with but then she impressed me with her sheer stubbornness with Prince Sebastian. She never let him have the upper hand and his questionable manners and lack of English etiquette allowed her to take the lead despite his Princely status. The divide in their relationship was never one based on gender and in a world less favourable to women that’s an unexpected twist to this romance. They were rather divided by class which was questionable also given that his status extended not in England but instead in his country of Alucia. I adored how he could identify Eliza’s presence in a room through her laugh. The way he would act when he heard her was incredibly adorable! 
“And will you put down the sandwich? A gentleman will not be inclined to consider a lady for a dance partner, much less a potential wife, if he fears he must feed her as much as his livestock.”

I laughed so hard when Eliza’s friend, Caroline said this to her at the opening masquerade ball. It was both original to the time frame and definitely what a young lady in the search for potential suitors would say in a friend dynamic. It was great! But you know what I liked even more? Eliza’s quick wit response.

“Eliza put down her sandwich. ‘If a gentleman considers me for a potential wife, he must also consider that I eat. This may come as a quite a shock to you, Caro, but I did not come to this ball in search of a husband.”

It left me thinking a little bit of Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s banter in P&P. Their clash in opinions easily match this classic duo and their banter is quality material. 
____________

“Oh dear. Did I mistakenly ask your permission? I assure you, that was not my intent.’ She smiled again, her eyes sparkling with delight.

‘You must be the most irreverent, disobedient person I have ever met in all my years,’ he said with exasperation. 

‘Really! In all your years? Perhaps you ought to go abroad more often, sir. I am disobedient because I am not your subject.”
____________

There is no doubt in my mind that Eliza was a force to be reckoned with and Prince Sebastian was too stunned by her stern manners to do anything but get to know her because of her unique personality. She was a worthy adversary to the Prince and it was that attraction that made him addicted to her. He was attracted to all of her qualities and couldn’t fault her once. The most important thing was how he appreciated her for who she was rather than who he was supposed to pursue. 

This was an amazing book that was well-written and had many strong opinionated women throughout, Eliza being the most. I cannot wait for the next one! I hope we get to see more of Caroline's brother, Beck because he was hilarious! 

Thank you again to Netgalley and the publishers at Harlequin and Harpercollins for this opportunity!

Eliza Tricklebank is sure that she's a spinster after cruel rumors from ten years ago, but she has a life taking care of her father, and working with her sister and friend on a fashion and gossip gazette. She is sure that meeting the prince of Alucia will be great gossip fodder, but that is soon eclipsed by the murder of his personal secretary. A clue is deposited at her home that she and her sister publishes, leading the Crown Prince Sebastian of Alucia to her doorstep. His secretary had been his friend, and he wants to find the murderer. Eliza frustrates him at every turn but is clever in ways he didn't expect, leading them to work together on what clues were available.

We know that there has to be some kind of happily ever after for Sebastian and Eliza, though both realize from the outset that he can't marry a commoner. He's in England to secure a trade agreement and a noble bride, and Eliza doesn't have a title, fortune or robust connections that a small European country on the brink of war would want. In addition to the pressures of being in charge of his country's future, Sebastian is frustrated by the lack of concern for his friend's death. It's a question of etiquette, rumor, and hidden opportunities, and all the while there are the haunting questions of possible treason and treachery. She provides reasonable explanations for the puzzle pieces, without any ulterior motives. Throughout this tension, Eliza and Sebastian move from adversaries to friends to lovers.

Eliza is sure that her lack of social graces condemns the relationship from the start, and Sebastian knows he has to do his duty to his country before he can work for his own happiness. You can't help but root for them even before the inevitable moment of heartbreak as Sebastian has to pick a departure date to return to Alucia, and as the mystery of his friend's murder is concluded. The happily ever after is hard-won, but definitely earned.

I had to put the book down. I just wasn't as invested in the story as I wanted to be. It wasn't holding my interest at the time. I'm not putting it down for good, I'm just going to wait until I'm ready to come back to it. From what I read, I did enjoy the writing, but just wasn't in the mood for it at the time.

28 year old Eliza is a spinster who has come to terms with what she is. Spending her days helping care for her blind father, fixing clocks, and helping run a newspaper for ladies, she is content in her life and doesn't feel the need to follow society's rules so much anymore.  
"Why not?" Eliza demanded. " Because the prince doesn't like it? I am weary unto death of men who think I haven't a brain in my head, that I can"t understand complex matters." 
The Crown Prince Sebastian has lived his whole life with people fawning over him and carrying out his every whim. While visiting London for some trade business and possibly an engagement his close friend and assistant is found murdered in his sleep. With local law enforcement being absolutely no help he finds himself seeking assistance from the only source that has had any new information in regards to the murder- Honeycutts Gazette of Fashion and Domesticity for Ladies, AKA the magazine that is run by Eliza and her sister. A bit of investigating leads Sebastian to Eliza's front door and the two clash for sure. I loved it🤣🤷‍♀️ Sebastian was not expecting a woman to be the one running things and says so which does not go well.  Eliza is so outspoken and a force to be reckoned with. But soon the two find themselves working together to help figure out what exactly is going on.
"Miss Tricklebank was clever on her feet. And so very pretty, if he allowed himself to think about it. He particularly liked her smile, in spite of how many times she had used that lovely smile to laugh at him."
This was such a fun, entertaining read! I completely adored Eliza and Sebastian's banter! Their relationship was so fun to watch grow and I just loved the dynamic of it. The whole murder mystery thing was a fun addition to the story, but felt a bit forgotten at times considering it was a main part of the story. This started off a bit slow but kept a pretty steady pace once things got rolling. I really loved reading the little snippets of articles from the Gazette that were included at each chapter, it was a nice touch to the story and had interesting little anecdotes from the past (A DROP OF LEMON IN THE CORNER OF YOUR EYES TO MAKE THEM APPEAR MORE DOE EYED YIKES) Recommend for fans of murder mysteries, historical romances, and HEAS. I give this a 4 out of 5 stars and cant wait for the next book!


*e-ARC provided in exchange for honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Many thanks to Harlequinn for including me on the tour!

This book gets a 3-star rating because I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t do anything for me, either. It took me a long time to read because I was busy, but also because I got interested in other books. The characters’ inner monologues were very repetitive, and there really wasn’t anything about Eliza that made me think she was a great heroine. She spoke her mind and didn’t give proper deference to the prince because she was viewed as a spinster and didn’t feel as constricted by the rules of society, but that’s the only thing that made her special, and the main reason Sebastian fell for her. I didn’t feel connected to either of their characters, and the death of the man that brought them into each other’s paths was more of a background plot that was used just to make sure the two of them got to keep meeting. Hollis and Caro, Eliza’s sister and friend, were really annoying to me; they seemed shallow.
My favorite character was Eliza’s dad, the judge, so that says something about this unfortunately.

This was a fun and flirty royal romance with a splash of Mystery. I’ve read a couple books lately about Royals and I’m thinking I’m just fine being a commoner! I certainly wouldn’t want all these rules and restrictions, although they seem to have loosened up a little as of late. But I also wouldn’t want people all up in my business either. This was the story of Eliza A smart and sassy 20 something year old, and the daughter of a judge. Eliza was thrilled as can be just to meet a prince and was willing to go out of her way to do so when she was invited to a royal event. Sebastion is the prince of a made up nation and first in line to the throne of said nation. He is in England to meet a wife and cement a treaty agreement. This book was about two people who are unsuited for one another meeting and trying to ignore their strong attraction.

   I was thoroughly entertained by the story. Eliza was such a great character there was something about her that was so refreshing. Sebastion wasn’t too bad, and he definitely grew on me over the course of the book. Their connection was very sweet, there was some steam, but for the most part this was pretty closed door. The Mystery added another layer to this engaging story. The one thing I could see people being a little disappointed in is this is a historical romance and I don’t think the historical part was emphasize. I mean they wore corsets and drove in buggy’s, but other than that this probably could’ve been set in present day. Didn’t bother me, but I could see it not working for other people.

This book in emojis  👑 🏰 📰 ✒️

*** Big thanks to HQN for my copy of this book ***