The Runaway Princess: Princess #1 (The Princess Series)

Evangeline Scoffield of East Little Teignmouth, Cornwall, is a fraud. Rescued at a young age from an orphanage she had called home for most of her life, Evangeline goes to live with an eccentric and rich woman named Leona. When Leona disappears without a trace, Evangeline learns that she is the sole heir to the woman's fortune, and she wastes no time in packing a cache of cash and heading for Spain, posing as the refined lady she had always longed to be. To her shock, Prince Danior of Baminia appears and announces that he is her fiancé. He insists that she is the Princess Ethelinda and that they must return immediately to her kingdom where they are to be married. Evangeline's protests are cut short when someone lobs a bomb into her room and Danior pulls her to safety, explaining all the while that evil forces are determined to kill them both to prevent their marriage and the subsequent joining of their two kingdoms. The two set off on the long journey to Princess Ethelinda's kingdom, with Evangeline feeling as if she's tumbled down the rabbit hole. Not only does Danior stubbornly refuse to listen to her, but he's determined to consummate their betrothal. Evangeline's determination to set right this wrong is sadly undermined by her own growing attraction to the powerful, dark-haired prince. Still, Evangeline knows she must convince him of her humble beginnings, for a prince could never truly love a simple girl such as herself. Who is right, Evangeline or Danior? Is Evangeline the Princess Ethelinda or isn't she? And if not, how will Danior cope with the deep love he feels for her? The Runaway Princess has a dash of myth and magic, colorful secondary characters, and a wonderfully heroic hero and heroine. What more could a reader of romance ask for? --Lois Faye Dyer