Review: The Rogue's Princess - Eve Edwards

The Rogue's Princess by Eve Edwards, published by Penguin Razorbill on 7th July 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
1586 – London, England. Sixteen-year-old Mercy Hart is the daughter of one of London’s richest – and strictest – cloth merchants. Kit Turner is an actor and the illegitimate son of the late Earl of Dorset. A chance encounter finds Kit falling for the beautiful Mercy’s charms, but their love is forbidden. A merchant’s daughter and a vagabond – it simply cannot be. If Mercy chooses Kit she must renounce her family name and leave her home. Will she favour duty over true love, or will she give Kit his heart’s desire?

Review:
This series about the Lacey brothers is one of my absolute favourites!  The books may be set in the past but they feature wonderful characters and stories that literally pulse with life.

'The Rogue's Princess' follows the Laceys' illigitimate half-brother Kit Turner, a player in the theatre.  Some what flamboyant and a bit of a loveable rogue with an eye for the ladies, Kit becomes a reformed man when he meets the pure and innocent Mercy Hart, the daughter of a rich cloth merchant.  However, Kit has not had the same start in life and all the priviliges that go with it as his brothers, so he must first try to win over Mercy's Puritan father before he can claim her hand in marriage.

I love books which feature romances which make my heart flutter and skip a beat and this one certainly did!  In fact, all of the books in the series have incredible romances at the root of their stories.  I enjoyed seeing the way in which Kit woos Mercy and makes her fall in love with him.  Their courtship is pure but also full of longing looks, gentle kises and unswerving devotion. 

Many familiar faces are featured throughout, including Will and Jamie Lacey, plus Milly and her new husband Diego.  The youngest Lacey brother Tobias also has a signiciant part to play in the plot and I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that there wll be a fourth book based around Tobias finally meeting a nice girl of his own.

As the story is set in 1586, there are also glimpses of some real life historical figures such as the playwright from Statford, William Shakespeare.  I love the way so many historical details and touches from the past have been interwoven, such as the plot to remove Elizabeth from the throne and reinstate Mary.  Eve Edwards has done so much research to make sure that all the details of ther period are accurate and true.

I have to also briefly mention the beautiful cover art for this book too which really stands out from other YA historical fiction series.  It's absolutely gorgeous and a treat to have on my bookshelves. 

Let yourself by swept away by 'The Rogue's Princess' and surrender to the past as Eve Edwards works her magical storytelling skills on you!