HOW TO MASTER YOUR MARQUIS - Juliana Gray
The Princess in Hiding Romances , Book 2
Berkley Sensation
ISBN-10: 0425265676
ISBN-13: 978-0425265673
January 2014
Historical Romance

England, 1890

The story begins with James Lambert, the Marquis of Hatherfield, in court accused of murdering his stepmother, the Duchess of Southam. James despised her, but only he knows how loathsome the duchess was. Circumstantial evidence against him mounts, but James is more interested in ogling the young law clerk helping his lawyer. For some time before his hated stepmother's death, James's life had become entangled with that same law clerk.

The murder of their father by anarchist assassins forced the three princesses of the German principality Holstein-Schweinwalk-Huhnof into hiding. Their uncle, the Duke of Olympia, brought them to England and helped keep them safe by finding them disguises and positions…as men. Princess Stefanie Victoria Augusta became the law clerk, Mr. Stephen Thomas, working for Olympia's friend and barrister Sir Jon Worthington, a man known for his formidable dedication to the law.

While in disguise, Stefanie lives with Worthington and his ward, Lady Charlotte. This lady schemes to lure Worthington's good friend Hatherfield into marriage. Indeed, he is a prize of manhood whom Stefanie compares to an archangel in his handsome beauty. Hatherfield spends more time visiting Worthington than he does his father and stepmother—for good reason. While uninterested in the Lady Charlotte, James Lambert finds much to admire in his good friend's new law clerk, someone he recognizes as female from the start, but whose disguise will serve his own purpose. Unfortunately, his trial and imprisonment mean James cannot protect Stefanie when she needs it most.

This situational romance mixes teasing and sexy love, today's social concerns and danger in an entertaining story. While the premise of this unique series offers many humorous situations, the princesses are convincing in their independent demeanors, and the heroes earn compassion from their troubled pasts. In this volume, Stefanie's self-assurance and impudence is plausible because she is indeed a princess, but she will charm modern readers, and they will certainly identify with her liberated attitude.

Robin Lee