ABDUCTED BY A PRINCE – Olivia Drake
The Cinderella Sisterhood, Book 3
St. Martin's
ISBN: 978-1-250-00210-5
May 2014
Historical Romance

London, England, and an island in Scotland, 1849
 
Ellie Stratham lives her life as a governess slash servant in her uncle's house.  After her father died, her uncle, the Earl of Pennington, graciously allowed Ellie to work off her father's enormous gambling debts as an unpaid governess to her younger cousins, Cedric and Beatrice.  As soon as Beatrice is launched into society, Ellie plans to make her escape.  She is secretly writing a children's book that she hopes to sell so she can earn a living.

Now, Beatrice is just seventeen and Ellie is twenty-six, and it's Ellie's job to accompany her cousin as she goes about the business of readying for her debut.  Beatrice is headstrong and determined to marry a man of her choosing, so, on one of their outings, Beatrice takes it into her head to drop in unannounced to visit Lady Milford, who has a reputation as a matchmaker.  The lady ignores Beatrice, and instead gifts Ellie with a pair of jeweled red slippers.  Ellie cannot imagine where she'll be able to wear such a pair of costly slippers, but she accepts them.

Damien Burke does not know who his ancestors are.  Raised by a kindly woman named Mimsy, Damien attended Eton on a scholarship, at the expense of the torments he suffered from titled students who teased him for being a charity case.  One of these boys, Walt Stratham, older brother of Ellie's charges, stole Damien's most precious possession, a tiny key that's the only link Damien has to his unknown family.  Today, as owner of Damien's Den, one of the best gaming establishments in London, Damien has Walt Stratham at his mercy.  Walt lost big at the tables and owes Damien more than he can pay.  But Damien offers Walt a deal: if Walt returns the key he stole, Damien will forgive his debt.  If Walt refuses, Damien threatens to ruin his sister's reputation before her debut.

Walt refuses to pay the debt.  Damien kidnaps the woman he believes is Walt's sister Beatrice as she leaves the dress shop.  He stows her aboard his ship, locked in a cabin and drugged, until the ship drops anchor on a remote island in Scotland.  There he has to deal with an angry and spiteful Ellie, who finally persuades Damien that she is not Walt's sister, but his poor impoverished cousin.

What is more romantic than an island castle, a handsome man said to be a prince, a beautiful young woman, and a spark of attraction?  ABDUCTED BY A PRINCE is an exciting story.  As circumstances keep Damien and Ellie from leaving the island, they develop a friendship and begin to trust one another.  Lots of secrets and subplots are expertly woven into the plot of ABDUCTED BY A PRINCE.  We meet a plethora of secondary characters:  Mr. and Mrs. McNab, who attend to Damien's needs; Damien's daughter Lily; the famous Lady Milford; and Ellie's family, Beatrice, Walt, her aunt, uncle and grandmother, and her aunt's sister, Lady Anne.

ABDUCTED BY A PRINCE is the third novel in The Cinderella Sisterhood Series, following IF THE SLIPPER FITS (June 2012), and STROKE OF MIDNIGHT (June 2013).  Every one of these Cinderella stories is a guaranteed winner!  And playing a recurring role are both Lady Milford and the red slippers, destined for the third Cinderella, Ellie Stratham and her Prince, Damien.

ABDUCTED BY A PRINCE is total romance and magic, passionate and full of mystery.  Don't miss this wonderful story!

Diana Risso