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A review by jackiehorne
The Ex-Princess by Fiona West
2.0
I picked this up after it was named a best romance of 2019 by Publishers Weekly, and was expecting a light contemporary romance, given its photo-realistic cover. Weirdly, it proved to be a fantasy novel, although a fantasy set in a very strange world. Or, actually, NOT strange; it actually sounds a lot like our current world, technologically: cell phones, the Internet, computer games, NSAIDs and other current medicines, etc. But airships instead of airplanes? And countries on the same continent that have wildly different attitudes towards gender? And skin color that varies widely from country to country? And a "Veil" under which some of the countries live, for no reason really explained? And romance novels?? This entire world left me scratching my head.
And the romance did not compensate for the lack of thoughtful world-building, alas. Our couple are two royals: Abelia Olivia Jayne Venenza Ribaldi Porchenzii, princess of Brevspor, who has abdicated her title and run away to Gardenia; and Edward Kenneth Francis Benson Broward, Prince of Orangiers, who is currently engaged in a war with his older brother, who tried to stab their father and take over the throne before his allotted time. The two were friends as children, and were betrothed to each other when they were twelve, before Abbie's older sisters died, leaving her as Brevspor heir. But Abbie has a chronic health condition that she believes makes her unfit for the role, hence her abdication and running away. But for some reason I never really understood (will it make his own heirdom more secure?), he needs Abbie to return and live up to their marriage contract. So he sends two trusted agents to retrieve her from her self-imposed exile, while he pursues his errant brother.
But others are on the hunt for Abbie, too, and the story turns into a road trip adventure. Weirdly, mid-story, Edward suddenly decides to join Abbie on her flight back home to see her dying father (if he could reach them with such ease, why couldn't they reach him??). And the two rekindle their romantic feelings (although not in an overtly sexual way, although there's lots of innuendo; apparently this is a "clean" fantasy, "sweet with a little heat").
It was interesting to think about a story featuring a princess with a disability. But this read more like a middle grade adventure novel than a romance for adults. Don't think I'll be picking up the sequel...
And the romance did not compensate for the lack of thoughtful world-building, alas. Our couple are two royals: Abelia Olivia Jayne Venenza Ribaldi Porchenzii, princess of Brevspor, who has abdicated her title and run away to Gardenia; and Edward Kenneth Francis Benson Broward, Prince of Orangiers, who is currently engaged in a war with his older brother, who tried to stab their father and take over the throne before his allotted time. The two were friends as children, and were betrothed to each other when they were twelve, before Abbie's older sisters died, leaving her as Brevspor heir. But Abbie has a chronic health condition that she believes makes her unfit for the role, hence her abdication and running away. But for some reason I never really understood (will it make his own heirdom more secure?), he needs Abbie to return and live up to their marriage contract. So he sends two trusted agents to retrieve her from her self-imposed exile, while he pursues his errant brother.
But others are on the hunt for Abbie, too, and the story turns into a road trip adventure. Weirdly, mid-story, Edward suddenly decides to join Abbie on her flight back home to see her dying father (if he could reach them with such ease, why couldn't they reach him??). And the two rekindle their romantic feelings (although not in an overtly sexual way, although there's lots of innuendo; apparently this is a "clean" fantasy, "sweet with a little heat").
It was interesting to think about a story featuring a princess with a disability. But this read more like a middle grade adventure novel than a romance for adults. Don't think I'll be picking up the sequel...