The Wrong Prince
by Veronica Crowe

Cassandra has a childhood crush on Richard one of her brothers . When Richard returns ten years later with his betrothed she is devastated. Whilst at a ball Cassandra embarrasses Desiree Jeremy another of her brothers best friends helps her save face. Will Cassandra learn the person meant for you as not who you seem to think it is. Ok read.

The Wrong Prince is a light romp that requires the ability to overlook a lot of improbable events but there was enough to entertain that the silly plot points didn't ruin the pleasure for me and I liked the book enough to finish it in a couple of days.

In a playful opening scene, eight-year-old Cassie gets "married" to her brother Allayne's friend Richard, who is the heir of a duke. Their union is blessed by their friend "Reverend" Jeremy, who is later to be known as the Marquess of Waterford as well as a rake and philanderer. Cassie's childhood crush on Richard lasts for a decade although they never see each other during that time. It comes as quite a shock for Cassie when Richard finally comes home with his betrothed in tow and doesn't even recognize Cassie. Disappointed, Cassie goes to London to find other suitors. Jeremy's attentions help make her a success. Richard is ambivalent about his engagement and when he sees Cassie he is enchanted (he still does not recognize her at first). Encountering Richard's fiancee Desiree at an event, Cassie gets into an unladylike quarrel, and is in danger of being shunned socially. Jeremy thinks on his feet and diverts attention by announcing his engagement to Cassie. Cassie is not overjoyed but she agrees to pretend to be engaged to Jeremy for a while. All this leads to a love quadrangle that takes a while to sort out.

What I liked: The color contrast in the cover is what attracted me to the book originally (yes, I'm that shallow) but it's not just a pretty book, the writing flows pretty well and it's nicely edited. The beginning chapter is so funny, especially Jeremy's banter. I like Jeremy's sense of humor throughout the book, as well as his protective instincts. Despite his titled origins, he has had it rough as a child, and as an adult he has a dark side. Richard is a rather wishy-washy character but some of his indecision is understandable in the circumstances as his engagement was mostly his dad's idea. Desiree starts out as the cardboard female opponent but I liked that she got more sides to her character when everyone learns to know her better. The story kept my attention and I had to keep reading to make sure Cassie ends up with the right guy. I thought it was obvious in the first chapter but Cassie doesn't always see the things that seem obvious to me.

The trouble with Cassie is that the childhood infatuation the entire story hangs upon feels like a plot hole. I like clever heroines but Cassie is rather clueless. Richard was away for ten years but during all that time she never figured out that a fake childhood ceremony doesn't necessarily mean he made a lasting commitment. Cassie's favorite memory is the mornings she and Richard spent watching the sunrise on the beach - but really, she was allowed to ride out at dawn alone with a 15-year old boy when she was only eight? Richard has been engaged for three years while Cassie met with his father regularly, but somehow the duke just never happened to mention his son's engagement in her hearing. Although it is common knowledge that she has an infantile crush on an engaged man that she hasn't seen in ten years nobody else attempts to give her a hint either. Richard still sends Cassie dolls when Cassie is 18 even though one would assume the education of a future duke included enough basic math to figure out that Cassie is not a child any longer. The last angry fit Cassie gets into near the end of the book also feels a little poorly motivated given what she had figured out about her feelings previously but I liked her father in that scene. If I was editing this book I would have shortened Richard's absences giving Cassie more realistic reasons to like him during her teen years, and cut some of Jeremy's sexual history because less would have sufficed to make the point that he was a troubled soul.

Regency purists need to suspend their propriety expectations because Cassie's parents are utterly useless chaperones throughout this book and Cassie worries about gossip in a strangely selective manner. She fears that getting into a catfight with Richard's fiancee will permanently destroy her reputation and render her unmarriageable but willingly gets into several potentially compromising situations with both Richard and Jeremy without heeding the danger of scandal. There is one odd dinner scene in which Cassie, Richard, Jeremy and Desiree sit close enough to touch the same plate of candy yet the ladies don't seem to hear the provoking things the men are saying to each other.

Maturity level: innuendo, ogling, kissing, a couple of more descriptive touchy-feely scenes without intercourse, as well as brief offhand mentions of cheating, liaisons for money and suicide.

I would read this author again, even if it's just the fake wedding scene. I would have given five stars to Reverend Jeremy. It could have been a much worse book and still well worth it just for the hilarious first chapter.

So much for my opinion about the book itself. Now onwards to a publishing pet peeve:

The Goodreads blurb lacks this information but there is an easily overlooked note on Amazon to say; "The Wrong Prince was formerly published as The Promise by VJ Dunraven and has updated content." I wish authors would choose a pen name and a book title they can live with so all the further editions of the same book are titled the same. If your book is both Harry Potter by J.K Rowling and Made in Wizardland by Holly Hogwarts, how is a buyer to know if they already purchased this book? And how are they to know it's not a plagiarist recycling someone else's work if the book doesn't disclose the origins? The author bio at the back of my ebook does mention that Veronica Crowe published a couple of other books in another series under the name VJ Dunraven but it says she has "recently finished" this book that came out in 2021, as well another upcoming book from the Heirs of Cornwall series (Allayne's story). "Recently" is a relative term for sure but I would not have taken it to mean that both of these books were previously published in 2013 and 2014 (as per Amazon) under another pen name. If the first incarnation of the book sold very few copies the risk of anyone accidentally buying the same book twice may be minimal but even then the information about the previous publication should be visible everywhere that the book is sold or promoted, including in the book cover, in my opinion. Also, if you update the content of your book, please tell us whether you made minor typo and grammar corrections, a more extensive rewrite, or substantial plot changes.

I received a free review copy from Netgalley and I'm leaving a honest, voluntary review.

Allayne, Richard and Jeremy were three best friends since childhood. Allayne's sister Cassandra idolized Richard since she knew him and wanted to marry him ever since. When Richard retuned to the country with a betrothed, Desiree. Cassie was heartbroken. She decided to finally have her season. When she officially met Richard and Desiree in a party, she insulted Desiree in front of everyone. But Jeremy came to her rescue and said he and Cassie were betrothed to save her face. They decided to pretend for awhile and broke things off. Cassie tried to win Richard who was at first fascinated by her but came to his senses soon when Desiree seduced him. He fell for Desiree soon. Jeremy was the one who helped Desiree. Cassie discovered her feelings for Jeremy and after some struggling and misunderstandings, they finally ended up together.
Clearly, I didn't like it. I guess I was expecting too much. But I learned my lesson though.

Cassandra Carlyle grew up with her brother's best friends, Richard and Jeremy. But Richard is who she fantasized about and instantly fell in love with. She was absolutely heartbroken when at 15 they left for school, her 8 year old self couldn't cope and even made her brother marry her to Richard before they left in a pretend ceremony. She has waited 10 years to see him again and her love for him has only grown. She has never allowed herself to imagine anyone else as her husband. To the point of not even having a season because he would not be there. Which makes her completely shocked when her first meeting with him is him introducing his fiancée. With this new development, she agrees to have her season. All while hoping that Richard will see her as the diamond of the season and marry her instead. But when she has her season she starts to see Jeremy in a different light. But can she put her childhood feelings to rest and have a happily ever after without Richard? The love triangle is beautifully written and will keep you guessing. This book is an absolute gem!

Cassandra Carlyle had a girlhood crush for a childhood friend of her brother’s. Allayne, her brother, Richard and Jeremy were all 15 years old and grew up together on neighborhood estates and she was only 8 years old. Richard was the light of her life and losing him seemed like the end of her world. If fact, she made her brother marry her to Richard in a pretend marriage service, before they could leave for Oxford. She held the memories in her heart, desperately in love with him, but he never came back. Christmas was spent watching and waiting for his carriage to arrive; but it never did. Cassandra even gave up her first seasons in London. However, when Richard finally came home, he also brought the woman he was going to marry. Dejected and brokenhearted, Cassandra decided it was time to go and have her season. Would Richard finally realize that she was indeed a beautiful, a toast of society, and come and rescue her? What wonderful story line, the characters are realistic, and you will understand the feelings Cassandra shares for the wrong prince.

Delightful, Witty, and Entertaining Historical Romance

Cassandra had one purpose in her life—to ensnare her childhood love. Could her obsession stop her from seeing what was right in front of her eyes? Was she looking for love in the wrong place? What will it take for her to see the truth that is staring her in the face? This romance was a delight to read. It was my first book by this author, and I absolutely loved it. It had wit, romance, and just the right amount of angst. If you like historical romance that will get you to laugh aloud, you might enjoy this story. A word of warning: Do not read this while someone is sleeping next to you because some of the passages might cause you to burst with laughter and wake up your partner. Cassie and Jeremy’s antics will have you in stiches. I look forward to reading more by this author.

A childhood crush and a pretend marriage bring this story to life with humor and antics that keep you turning the pages!

Cassandra had grown up, at least until she was eight, with her older brother Allyne and his two friends, Richard and Jeremy. When the boys were fifteen they went off to school and she was devastated because she "loved Richard" and wanted to marry him so they conducted a pretend ceremony.

Ten years later Cassie finally sees Richard again, but he is announcing his betrothal to another woman. Heartbroken, Jeremy comes to her aid to try to protect her.

A fun romance where the one you want, may not always be the one you end up with!

I loved this story!
Cassie grew up following her brother Allayne and his two friends Richard and Jeremiah around everywhere. Richard always looked out for Cassie, took care of her and made sure she was okay. When she was 8, the boys were getting ready to leave for school and Cassie was devastated that Richard was leaving. She didn't think she would ever see him again. So that Cassie would stop crying Richard agreed to marry her that very day with Jeremiah performing the ceremony.
Ten years later Richard returns, but with a beautiful fiancee.
I am going to let you read this gem by Veronica Crowe without giving any more spoilers. The charm of this story is that you are not sure who Cassie is going to end up with at the end. Veronica does a fabulous job of leading you in one direction, only to rapidly pull you in another direction when you aren't expecting it. You will have to read for yourself to find out who gave Cassie her HEA!

Cassandra Carlyle had a girlhood infatuation with neighbor and friend Richard Radcliffe since they were 8 years old. Richard left for school and then abroad. Cassandra stayed home and awaited Richards return, but she was blindsided because Richard announced his engagement to another.
Cassandra decides to make her come out in London and she becomes the toast of the ton. Jeremy their close friend helps out and this could make Richard finally see Cassandra in a different light, but could being in London with all these suitors change Cassandras feelings?

This is a lighthearted and fun book. We recently lost power and this was a perfect read to keep your spirits and thoughts on something else that was funny and romantic!

I would recommend this book to a friend!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Miss Cassandra Carlyle has loved Richard Christopher Radcliffe, the Marquess of Sunderland her whole life. Her brother’s friends Richard and Jeremiah Devlin Huntington, Marquess of Waterford spent holidays and summers at her family’s estate and they’ve all become great friends. She’s vowed to only marry her friend and neighbor Richard the only ever loved. He’s returned home and Cassandra is surprised to see he’s brought home the lady he’s going to marry. Heartbroken she head to London to the marriage mart. Her best friend and cohort Jerimiah helps her navigate London’s society and her scheme to get Richard back. I love these characters as they become aware of each other, fall in love and decide what they thought was love along was just an infatuation. Will they realize too late they’re true love was always right there in front of them, by their side always? I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent book.

The Wrong Prince by Veronica Crowe was a thoroughly enjoyable Regency romance featuring Cassandra Carlyle and taking place primarily in Cornwall. Cassie had always followed her brother around. Allayne had two friends so they got followed as well: Richard and Jeremy. When it came time for the boys to leave for University, they were fifteen after all, Cassie was beside herself. It wasn't Allayne she would miss; it was Richard, her protector. Eight-year-old Cassie could not be comforted, until, to set aside her fears of never seeing him again, Richard agreed to marry her. So they did, indeed, marry that day. Now Richard was coming home. Would her remember her? It had been ten years. She had changed. So had he.

One of the most fun things abut this book is that the reader didn't really know who Cassie would end up with, not at all typical of a romance novel. Crower threw in so many red herrings; it became difficult to tell, which made it so very intriguing. Allayne played the protector so well, that the other men all believed it. Cassie was a brilliant young debutante, although she was confused as well. It was a charming story that you won't want to miss. The question is, whom will Cassie love?

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Wrong Prince by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #thewrongprince

Richard Christopher Radcliffe, the Marquis of Sunderland, the man Miss Cassandra Carlyle has loved since she was a little girl, has returned—with his betrothed in hand. Lady Desiree was the picture of grace, beauty and perfection, everything that the naive, unsophisticated, young Cassandra was not. Dejected and brokenhearted, Cassandra asked her family to take her to London for her first season. With the aid of her friend, Jeremiah Devlin Huntington, Marquis of Waterford, she soon found herself touted as the darling of the ton.
A new author & an interesting book, not the most historically accurate but I thoroughly enjoyed this light read. I liked the characters but didn't love them. I found Cassandra very immature but she did grow up throughout the book. I disliked Richard from start to finish & quite honestly couldn’t see what Cassandra saw in him! I did like Jeremy who was favourite character. A well written it was the humour, which I loved & kept me reading
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A light-hearted Regency romance, this novel has laugh out loud moments, but also crushing heartache. Cassandra is something of a strong-willed wild child, who has her brother and his friends tied up in knots with her antics. Determined at an early age to marry Richard, Marquess of Sunderland, she is devastated when he finally returns home with a fiancé in tow. The most horrifying aspect of Cassandra's discovery is that everyone knew that Richard was engaged and no-one had the courage to tell her, including her own parents. It is only Jeremy, Marquess of Waterford, who steps into the breach to protect her from the fall-out. When Richard later comes face to face with Cassandra, he does not recognise her and despite being engaged himself, is smitten by her. It is once again Jeremy who keeps her safe from her own impulsive actions. I enjoyed the first half of which book, although the second half became a bit obscure as Cassandra desperately tries to win Richard for herself. Despite his reputation as a rake, it is Jeremy who over and over again pulls her to safety. I found myself becoming a little impatient with Cassandra and her obsession but fell in love with Jeremy as he discovers his own heart. This romance does come to a good conclusion and I was glad that Cassandra finally came to her senses. I received a copy of this novel as a gift through Dragonblade and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I felt awful for the child Cassandra when the three boys went off to school, they were around fifteen.
She waited for Richard for ten years. He went to the continent and stayed as long as he could. Even worse he brings home a woman, his betrothed. Sorry, Richard does not deserve her. She kept her promises and he blew his off. Jeremy had not gone to the continent. His father died and he had to come home. His father left him deep in debt, but his mathematical mind helped him get stable within the first year or so. He ended up as rich as Croesus. Allyne stayed with Richard.
There were some pretty funny chapters in this tale. I really enjoyed the hearty laugh The characters were good. Jeremy was a rake, trickster, and all-around stinker. He protected her for the three years the other boys were gone. It must have been gorgeous country where they lived in the Cotswold. I did enjoy this book and hope everyone else does, too. Loved it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Cute, but predictable story. Ends a little abruptly, and it would have been nice to have an epilogue to wrap everything up.

Cassie lives in the past, still loving the boy of her dreams. Ten years go by before he sees her again, but he doesn't recognize her! Meanwhile, Jeremiah has always been around! This is a sweet story of growing up and discovering what you really want!

Tropes/themes: Regency era, rake hero, virgin heroine, brother’s best friend, friends-to-lovers, childhood crush, fake engagement

What I liked: This was a goofy book. I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. It was simply silly with a lot of crazy antics. The first chapter had me genuinely laughing.

I enjoyed the angst that came from her childhood crush showing up with a beautiful fiancé and the hero’s desire to protect her from the hurt.

What didn’t work for me: Some of the situations were a little too silly for me. I also found that the characters sometimes behaved in ways that didn’t cotton with the era. That said, I chalked a lot of this up to this being more of a romantic historic comedy than a historic romance. In order to read and enjoy this one, you’ll need to throw out any notion of it being historically realistic in any sort of way.

The Heroine: A bit childish. Takes her awhile to see the writing on the wall. She makes an amusing child, though.

The Hero: Typical rake. Struggled with the damage his father did to his estate and, in typical HR fashion, he was smart enough to pull the estate back into the black. He’s amusing and obviously cares for the heroine. He won’t go into my book boyfriends menagerie, but as rakes go, he’s alright.

The Romance: The romance was odd for me. We spend a lot of time with the heroine going back and forth between the intended and the foil and I feel like the end result may have not been as strong as a result of it. She comes to the realization that the hero has been the one she’s loved all along quite suddenly near the end. There’s a bit of conflict near the end, but I feel like it would have held a stronger punch had she realized she loved him sooner.

The Sex: On this one, it wasn’t very steamy. If you’re not into big steam, this one may be more your speed. If you like longer and steamer, don’t go in expecting it here.

Overall: A comedy with some anachronisms here and there. Just don’t take it too seriously.

TW: mention of a past suicide (graphic)

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #TheWrongPrince #NetGalley

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋

Enjoyable read with likeable characters and storyline.

Although more on the youthful side our heroine did have a good way with her, I enjoyed her personality and the way she showed her love and emotional attachment to Richard. The fact she’s known him and had a crush on him so long was sweet.

Richard was a good character too but to me not as likeable, but that’s the way with stories, it makes them different and interesting.

The story overall I enjoyed and would read the rest of the series.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

Enchanting story. The book is well written the characters are engaging and you feel for all of them. It’s a story of growing up and seeing things as they really are. Loved it

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

When she was 8, Miss Cassandra Carlyle vowed that she would marry her friend and neighbour, Richard Christopher Radcliffe, the Marquess of Sunderland, and since then, she has refused to partake in a season, and stayed at home waiting for him. Ten years later, he's returned from school and the continent, and she can't wait for their reunion, but when it's revealed he's engaged to the daughter of a duke, a veritable paragon of society, she needs a change of plan. Asking best friend Jeremy, the Marquess of Waterford, to help, she soon finds herself as the darling of the ton, and being pursued by Richard himself. Will Cassie see the truth that's been in front of her the entire time, or will she pin all her hopes on a childhood fantasy?

This was a book that I liked, but so much of it was juvenile and over the top. Cassie was only 18, so I will allow her some childish antics, but the way she was so obsessed with Richard, and threw a paddy when he returned with Desiree was embarrassing, honestly. She matured over the course of the book, but still held on to this obsession that nearly caused her ruin, and the ruin of her friendships. Her and Jeremy had a lovely relationship, and the banter between them was so believable. I liked them together, but again, some moments were unbelievable. Richard was annoying and I couldn't like him, no matter what. All in all, a decent Regency read, but one I probably won't be in a rush to re-read.