The Wild Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria's Defiant Daughter

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The Wild Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria's Defiant Daughter

by Mary Hart Perry (Goodreads Author)

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 193 ratings · 72 reviews

Four of the five daughters of England's Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were regal, genteel, and everything a princess should be. But one was rebellious, scandalous, and untamed.

This is her story. . . .

To the court and subjects of Queen Victoria, young Princess Louise—later the Duchess of Argyll—was the "Wild One." Proud and impetuous, she fought the constraints placed on...more

Paperback, 414 pages

Published July 31st 2012 by William Morrow Paperbacks

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Jul 09, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debuts, romantic-historical-fiction

Queen Victoria and husband Prince Albert had nine children - four sons and five daughters. Princess Louise, born in 1848 was the fourth daughter, and was considered a beauty. In 1871, at twenty-three she married John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, and was the first child of a monarch in over 300 years to marry outside royalty. She was a sculptress and painter, had no children and died in 1939, aged 91 years.

The Wild Princess is the first in a planned series of the five daughters of Queen Victoria....more

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Jun 29, 2012 Anagha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: posted

4.5 stars

"She knew all about love—that beautiful, exquisitely painful but precious journey."

Let me just say that The Wild Princess was one of those books that's really hard to rate - it's not amazing enough to earn that elusive 5 stars but it really doesn't have any negative points to fall back into the 4 star trap, know what I mean? Overall, I'd say The Wild Princess is a wonderfully entertaining quick read and I definitely recommend it to every reader out there!

Plot: The novel is a fairly slo...more 4.5 stars

"She knew all about love—that beautiful, exquisitely painful but precious journey."

Let me just say that The Wild Princess was one of those books that's really hard to rate - it's not amazing enough to earn that elusive 5 stars but it really doesn't have any negative points to fall back into the 4 star trap, know what I mean? Overall, I'd say The Wild Princess is a wonderfully entertaining quick read and I definitely recommend it to every reader out there!

Plot: The novel is a fairly slow-paced one, but it makes sense since much of it is romance. The pace speeds up as needed though; some parts (especially the end) are quick and really fun to read. Princess Louise has had some indiscretions as a young girl which now makes her ineligible for a high marriage like her sisters. She is married to a Lorne who turns out to be gay and has married her only to protect himself from the wrath of people who think men like him should be tortured and executed. Louise is crestfallen - she had been looking forward to having children with a loving husband, nevertheless, she agrees to keep his secret. Starved for affection, she meets the handsome, dangerous-looking secret agent the Queen has just employed from America and the story begins. There are two main plots at once - the romance between her and Stephen, as well as the numerous attacks being made on the Queen's family to get Ireland's independence. There is one very unexpected twist in the story that you just have to read and enjoy.

Characters: The superb characterization is what really drives this novel. Even the minor characters are given 3 dimensions - they each have their own personalities and understandable motivations for their actions, whether good or bad. Louise is everything you could want in a historical fiction protagonist - beautiful, headstrong, flawed - a rebel against the system. Following the legend of Princess Louise's wild nature and the rumors of the circumstances around her marriage, Mary Hart Perry created this amazing character haunted by her past and stifled in the constraints of being royalty. Her romantic interest, Stephen Byrne is super hot but also very intelligent and caring - so awesome! Lorne seemed to be the only one-dimensional character - every time he's mentioned, he talks about his fear of going to prison and so warns Louise off other men. Come on!

Narration/Tone: The story is told through alternating POVs, most often from Louise and Stephen's point of view. The author really used that to her advantage to fully elaborate on their feelings for each other when they're together and show what's happening with each while they're apart. The vivid descriptions let you easily get lost in whatever's happening - tension between Stephen and Louise, fights, or just another day at Louise's women's store. Hard to believe this is Mary Hart Perry's debut novel, it's just so good!

World: Since this is historical fiction, a review would be incomplete without describing the setting and customs of the time. Princess Louise's personality is so unique at that time because she refuses conform to society's rules. She isn't necessarily as wild as...curious. And determined. Most females were not spoken of in such terms during that period and that is what intrigued Stephen about her because he was an outsider too. He was American and he refused to wear a gentleman's clothes or act gentlemanly since that wasn't who he was.
Wow, I'm rambling aren't I? This book just brings that out in me. Another reason why you should read this book!

Extra Thoughts that don't Deserve a Separate Category: The Wild Princess is an engaging, quick read that has a strong main character and an imaginative plot. It is based very loosely on the rumors of the real Louise's marriage and childhood indiscretions, but overall it's a fictional account as the author herself points out. The historical aspects combined with the mystery, romance and suspense Perry has created makes for a very entertaining read. It reminded me a lot of Their Eyes Were Watching God because it is about a woman way ahead of time, looking for love who finds three men, the third of whom is absolutely perfect for her. This is the first of a planned series of 5 books each involving one of 5 daughter Queen Victoria had. The second will be called The Bashful Princess and will be about Louise's younger sister, Beatrice.

Here is Perry says about her next novel (which I am already excited about):
For more royal intrigue and Victorian romance, look for Princess Louise and Stephen Byrne when they return for guest roles in The Bashful Princess, by Mary Hart Perry, the next novel in the “Novels of Queen Victoria’s Daughters” series. Youngest of all of Victoria’s children, Beatrice is destined to remain forever her mother’s companion in her declining years, and if the queen gets her way, Bea will remain “pure” and never marry. But attending a royal wedding on the Continent exposes shy Beatrice to temptation in the form of not one but two charming suitors—Prince Henry of Battenberg (one of four famously handsome brothers) and a charismatic Highlander who claims to be the nephew of the recently deceased John Brown, favorite of the queen. Will Beatrice remain meekly loyal to her mother, or fall in love and into a political trap meant to draw England into war?(less)

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Jun 28, 2012 Mary Loesch rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love historical fiction, especially when they are done well. I admit that I have a secret passion for historical romance that I don't often indulge in. Why? Who knows! It just isn't something that I actively seek out for some reason, but I’m so glad that I had a chance to review The Wild Princess by Mary Hart Perry.

Here's the synopsis on Goodreads:

The astronomical success of the historical novels of Phillipa Gregory and Christine Trent prove that readers simply can't get enough of the British...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Kayla Beck rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release, historical-fiction, romance, review-tour, 2012-read, mature

Review Originally Posted at Bibliophilia, Please

When I first discovered that Innovative Online Book Tours was doing a review tour for The Wild Princess, I jumped at the opportunity. Historical fiction is one of my favorite alternatives to science fiction/fantasy. Philippa Gregory is one of my absolute favorite authors, so I could not get my hands on the book quickly enough.

The Wild Princess does not release until July 31st, so the copy I was provided with was an eARC. That being said, there were...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Franjessca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: july-blog-tour, blog-tour, historical-fiction, romance, books-read-in-2012, arc

Review also posted on Book Lovin Mamas
I received a copy of "The Wild Princess" from the publisher for the blog tour of the book on Innovative Online Book Tours for my honest review.
I've always been a fan of the Victorian Era and of course historical fiction. Let me just say the minute I finished reading "The Wild Princess", I was upset to find out that Stephen Byrne who I will explain about a little later in my review...was not real...but was the imagination of the author. =( *sigh* You'll unde...more Review also posted on Book Lovin Mamas
I received a copy of "The Wild Princess" from the publisher for the blog tour of the book on Innovative Online Book Tours for my honest review.
I've always been a fan of the Victorian Era and of course historical fiction. Let me just say the minute I finished reading "The Wild Princess", I was upset to find out that Stephen Byrne who I will explain about a little later in my review...was not real...but was the imagination of the author. =( *sigh* You'll understand why I'm upset...once I read my review.
Princess Louise has been deemed the "The Wild One" of Queen Victoria's children. She's forced to marry a man, she really doesn't love and on their wedding night...she finds out even something scandalous about her husband. She has to promise to keep it hidden and she believes her mother the Queen did the arrange marriage on purpose. Princess Louise just wanted to become an artist and help women out...but unfortunately her mother had other plans for her.
The Queen is getting threats and it's becoming dangerous even for her family and friends to be in the palace. In comes Stephen Bryne who is the Queen's elite Secret Service. He came from America to get away from what was going on there and also get over what happened to the last person he was to protect. He's been blaming himself for what happened so he wants to redeem himself some way. His job to keep the royal family safe from the Irish radicals who want to kidnap them or even kill them. He knows the Irish radicals have something serious planned and he thinks someone in the palace is keeping them informed on what is going on with the royal family. He must protect the Queen and her children...but in the mean time, he has become head over heels for Princess Louise who he can never be with since she's a married woman.
Unfortunately, though he can't avoid her because he has to protect her also.
Princess Louise asked for Stephen Byrne's help on a matter that happened back when she was attending art school. Stephen actually finds out some things on the Princess and he's starting to see why Queen Victoria and Princess Louise are always butting heads. He's also starting to realize there's another side to Louise..a side, he can't help, but adore.
My thoughts on "The Wild Princess" are that I had a hard time putting down this book once it really started picking up in the middle. I had a hard time getting interested in the beginning at first, except for the one part what Louise found out something about her husband. I felt terrible for her. The whole entire time I read the book, I was mad at Queen Victoria and what she did to Princess Louise. I got even more mad when I found out something else about Louise. I just wanted to go into the book and scream at Queen Victoria for her. How dare she? (but I remembered...its just a fictional book...or parts of it are anyways). Princess Louise went through so much and that one part in the story had me in tears because I felt terrible for what she had to do.
I love how Mary Hart Perry created a happy story for Princess Louise and...well... I fell in love with Stephen when he was introduced of course. His manners and just his style captured my heart. How he didn't really judge the Princess. Instead, he helped her get over her demons and come to closure. He was such an amazing character in the book...and when I found out he was just fictional...I actually got upset. I believe the Princess should have had a happy life in real life. She deserved it for what the Queen put her through. I'm definitely glad I was not born a Princess...because I probably would've been just like Princess Louise..."The Wild Princess" who just wanted some freedom away from the walls of the palace and of course away from her mother so she could enjoy her youth.
I'm so happy though that Mary made it where the Princess in the story got some happily ever after. =)
If you're a fan of historical fiction, you will enjoy this book.
I will be picking up the second novel of Queen Victoria's daughter's whenever it is published and I also plan on reading many more books from Mary Hart Perry. =)
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Jun 28, 2012 Redheaded Bookworm rated it 3 of 5 stars

First let me say, Historical Romance is not my preferred genre. But after reading the synopsis for this book, I was intrigued. I mean, who doesn't love a good scandal? The descriptions in this book are very vivid. You feel like you are walking through the scenes in this book. The main character is a strong woman who stands for what she believes. I am really glad I gave this book a chance!

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Aug 16, 2012 Elvie Doll rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, dead-tree-books

Check out my review at Paperback Dolls!

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Feb 19, 2013 SELCO rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Wild Princess is the story of Princess Louise, the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. We meet Louise on her Weeding day. Full of hope for the future she is quickly crushed to discover she has once again been manipulated by her all powerful mother the Queen. Through a series of flashback chapters we learn that Louise exasperates her mother and insists on venturing out of the palaces to attend art school in London. She mingles with commoners, and finds her fir...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read my full review at http://forfunreadinglist.blogspot.com...

Maybe it's because I've always had an interest in historical fiction, or because I've been reading a ton of non-fiction, but this book was the perfect read leading up to the holiday weekend (I finished it before Thanksgiving).

Now in all fairness, there are many points that probably aren't historically accurate, but in my mind that is why it is a piece of fiction. But if you are one of those people who wants your historical fiction to...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Chelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story is based on the life of a real life princess and daughter of Queen Victoria and King Albert. Louise is the fourth of five daughters and is also the most rebellious of any of them. Louise’s story tells about her journey through life and how she received the reputation of being “difficult” by her mother. Louise is filled with so much passion and a real love for art. Her mother saw her as wild and carefree after Louise expressed her desire to attend art school. A princess should not sit...more This story is based on the life of a real life princess and daughter of Queen Victoria and King Albert. Louise is the fourth of five daughters and is also the most rebellious of any of them. Louise’s story tells about her journey through life and how she received the reputation of being “difficult” by her mother. Louise is filled with so much passion and a real love for art. Her mother saw her as wild and carefree after Louise expressed her desire to attend art school. A princess should not sit in a classroom and paint naked bodies all day! But that is why Louise is so great because she chose to bend the rules a little and follow her heart!

After reading the story I really got the idea that Louise did not want to be treated like a delicate princess at all, but rather a normal person just like you and me. She hated to be treated as if she were vulnerable or prized property. My most favorite thing about Louise was her friendship with the scullery maid named Amanda. The Queen did not believe in socializing with commoners because she believed them to be unworthy of her time and space, but Louise was so different. Louise’s friendship with Amanda was very enlightening and showed her humble and compassionate character. Amanda tells her of all the struggles that she has been through in her young life and Louise always sympathizes with her. Louise even says, “Meeting Amanda opened up a whole new world to her.”

Louise had a thirst for adventure and was a very independent woman. She finally talked her mother into letting her attend the school of art where she met her lover, Donovan. Donovan was the nude male model who posed for the class to sketch in order to earn some pocket change. Louise immediately fell in love with him, which of course is horrendous considering he is a commoner and she is the princess. Their relationship quickly escalated and Louise was left broken hearted when it was over. Donovan is one of the reasons that Louise earned the title of “wild one.” I loved it! She followed her heart and really felt the call of adventure. She is such a brave leading character.

For most of the story I felt bad for Louise because she is stuck in a marriage that is horrible and awful just to please her mother. She is denied true love and even the possibility of having any children. Louise is a beautiful bird who should not be caged behind bars, but her duty as a princess won’t allow much more. I say if you are a fan of historical fiction that you should pick up this book. It is quite a long book, but I was on page 200 before I even realized it. And please stay tune for my interview with the author, Mary Hart Perry, below!

***Thank you so much to the publishers at William Morrow for providing me with my very own copy of The Wild Princess for review purposes***
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Aug 12, 2012 Suzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, blog-tour-book, rrrc-s-book-challenge

Please forgive me if this review is a little off. I finished this book 2 weeks ago and just started the review this morning around 3:30 AM. I desperately need some sleep but have to be at work early in the morning. I just cannot find enough hours in the day to get everything completed. Please remember I will not go into a lot of detail about the book. If I did I would end up writing spoilers and they are not fun to write or read.

This historical romance novel is set in the Victorian period. Maybe...more Please forgive me if this review is a little off. I finished this book 2 weeks ago and just started the review this morning around 3:30 AM. I desperately need some sleep but have to be at work early in the morning. I just cannot find enough hours in the day to get everything completed. Please remember I will not go into a lot of detail about the book. If I did I would end up writing spoilers and they are not fun to write or read.

This historical romance novel is set in the Victorian period. Maybe it is me but I love all types of books set in historical England. During this time there was so much learning, women trying to be accepted that they have brains just like me. I am anything but an expert on history. I admit that history is very interesting. I remember a college professor telling the class one day to watch history it will repeat itself. That is so true.

This book is about the ‘wild child’ of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She was considered wild because she pushed the constraints of proper traditions/society. Well, who could blame her? She wanted to be an artist. Just imagine that you were growing up and wanted to be an artist, singer, author or anything else and were told that you cannot do that. I know how I would feel I would be mad. I would do what I wanted. Granted as teenagers we all push our parents to the limit. However, nowadays parents encourage their children in their dreams of whatever profession they want. Sadly, this is not something that happened 100 years ago.

I do not blame Princess Louise for her behavior in rebelling. Granted as she grew older she probably should have calmed down some but maybe she just did not know how or did not care. This book is based loosely on fact but has a lot of fiction. Ms. Perry has created a wonderful book where the reader can fantasize
about eating, being friends, or even hanging out with a royal family member.

This book was a quick read for me. Perfect for a day at the beach or anytime. I am amazed at how fast I read this book. The hardcopy of the book is amazing. If you have not gotten your copy yet head on out to your favorite book store and pick it up today.

Thanks for a great read Ms. Perry.(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love historical fiction and I'm a huge fan of Philippa Gregory's work, and now I am also a fan of Mary Hart Perry. I'm not so familiar with the history of Queen Victoria's children, but at the end of this story, I found Princess Louise to be a fascinating woman. Some of the events that occurred here are true, and of course some are fictional, but this story was well written, and the language was just perfect; the dialogue and description made me even more connected to the story, as if I was th...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Shae Carcar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:
Historical Romance is not a genre I normally tend to gravitate to, but this novel has definitely restore my faith in it!

The Wild Princess mainly centers around one 23-year-old woman named Princess Louise. She has four other sisters, but - out of them all - is considered to be the most daring and feisty. The novel begins with her being forced to marry the Marquess of Lorne, who is a very attractive and gentle man. Once the two are wedded, Louise discovers something about Lorne th...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Wild Princess is an intimate, although fictional, glimpse into the life of royalty. It occurs near the turn of the century during the Victorian era (Queen Victoria).

The Wild Princess, Louise, is the queen’s fourth of five daughters — she’s the royal you love to love, with her heart and mind open to all. Although they weren’t born into royalty, she reminds me of the real-life Princess Diana and Sarah, Duchess of York (“Fergie”) in that respect. All three made themselves available to lowly com...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Karielle Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog

The Wild Princess by Mary Hart Perry
Release Date: July 31st, 2012
Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins)
Page Count: 414
Source: From the publisher, via Innovative Online Book Tours for review

Four of the five daughters of England's Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were regal, genteel, and everything a princess should be. But one was rebellious, scandalous, and untamed.

THIS IS HER STORY. . . .

To the court and subjects of Queen Victoria, young Princess Louise — later the Duchess of Argyll — was...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Lissette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Princess Louise, the fourth of Queen's Victoria's daughters, has always been the impetuous one. Willful and determined, she's intent on living life by her own set of rules. Yet protocol dictates that she do exactly as she's been told by the Queen herself.

Deep inside, Louise knows that going against her mother's wishes can be considered an act of treason. Yet she can't deny the fact that she yearns to live her life freely without the public scrutiny of both England and the royal household. She ca...more Princess Louise, the fourth of Queen's Victoria's daughters, has always been the impetuous one. Willful and determined, she's intent on living life by her own set of rules. Yet protocol dictates that she do exactly as she's been told by the Queen herself.

Deep inside, Louise knows that going against her mother's wishes can be considered an act of treason. Yet she can't deny the fact that she yearns to live her life freely without the public scrutiny of both England and the royal household. She can't help but argue with her mother whenever possible in order to demand more of her freedom. Every part of her yearns to be done with the injustices she feels are committed against her and she will do anything in her power to get exactly what she wants, when she wants it.

Her mother has been willing to forgive her for her past indiscretions. To some extent, anyway. Yet Louise knows that nothing she can ever do or say will erase the disappointment her mother feels on occasion whenever she looks her way. Part of her wishes she could erase what she's done, while another part of her knows that she never would have gained the freedom she has now if she hadn't taken a stand for what she believed in. Granted, she's not entirely free to do as she pleases, but what little freedom she does have is enough to keep her from acting out irrationally.

When the Queen decrees that she must marry John Lorne, the Duke of Argyll, Louise fancies herself happily married and surrounded by her own beloved children. She knows John's a commoner, yet she's willing to forget that little detail in hopes of making her marriage with him work as much as possible. In her mother's eyes, her husband-to-be is a kind man and would give her what no other ever has.

When her marriage turns out to be anything but ideal, Louise begins to wonder if she can actually make things work between them. Her husband's preferences are nothing what she imagined them to be and she'll have resign herself to that fact that she'll never truly have her happily-ever-after whether she wants to or not. Never-the-less, she's determined to hold up her end of the bargain in hopes of living a comfortable life with the man she's now married to.

From the moment he set eyes on her, Stephen Byrne realized that Princess Louise was a force to be reckoned with. Rash, independent, and quite determined to do things exactly as she wants to do them, he knows that protecting her to the best of his ability will prove to be a heavy burden. Yet it's one he's determined to fulfill, none-the-less. Repeated attempts on her life and that of the Queen's make him weary of trusting those around him. Yet if he can't trust those within the royal household, who can he trust?

Battling his attraction for the beautiful Louise, Stephen knows it's a matter of time before the two succumb to their own desires. A relationship between them is forbidden, but when matters of the heart exist between two willing souls, there's no stopping what will eventually rise to the surface. Even if it means that protocol must be broken in order to achieve as sense of normalcy that belies the turmoil roiling within the royal household.

As a lover of all things historical, most especially the history surrounding that of England and France, this was truly a very intriguing and thought-provoking read. Laced with a bit of truth, the story is, for the most, a fictional account of Princess Louise's life. I must say that it was a wonderful insight into what the author thought the Princess's royal life, and that of the entire royal household, back then was like.

From the moment I started reading, I was hooked to the story. So much so, that I didn't much else until I finished reading. It's that good, I assure you.

Mary did a wonderful job in instilling such emotions within the book's pages that the reader is able to immerse her/himself completely within the story. We're able to see Louise's pain and heartache as she tries to overcome the adversities she's plagued with throughout her entire life. We can feel her love and her hatred as she does her best to not lose control completely within any situation.

I found the background into what her life might have been like truly entertaining. At certain points in the story, I found myself wondering what it was like to live within that time period. I could feel Louise's pain as she tried to come to terms with that fact that while she was free to do as she pleased, she was still confined to the protocol dictated by her standing as one of the royal princesses. A delightfully fictional historical account of her life, I think The Wild Princess is a great read. One I truly recommend to others for reading.(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars

As all historical genre lovers know, there are many books being created about the British Royals, especially the Tudors and, most recently, the Windsor’s. That being said, it may actually come as a surprise that this book covering the fiction and fact of the life of Princess Louise - daughter of Queen Victoria - turned out to be a very unique read.

Louise was known as “The Wild Princess,” and she was one of those triumphant characters that seemed to act as if she was a woman living in the 21st Ce...more As all historical genre lovers know, there are many books being created about the British Royals, especially the Tudors and, most recently, the Windsor’s. That being said, it may actually come as a surprise that this book covering the fiction and fact of the life of Princess Louise - daughter of Queen Victoria - turned out to be a very unique read.

Louise was known as “The Wild Princess,” and she was one of those triumphant characters that seemed to act as if she was a woman living in the 21st Century. She definitely had a mind of her own and was not afraid to use it.

Going back to Louise’s wedding day in Victorian England where she’s about to marry a commoner, the Duke of Argyll, John Lorne, the story takes off at a fast and entertaining pace. The Queen had just about given up the hope of ever being able to marry Louise off; she only wanted her children to marry royalty from one country or another, but Louise fought back. She wanted a life of her own where she could study art (which was her true passion) and live and love the man SHE wanted, not what the Queen gave to her to choose from.

The Queen finally relented and decided that she could marry John Lorne. Even though he was not in the privileged circle, he was a kind man and the Queen believed he would take very good care of Louise. As with anything, however, when it comes to the twisted world of English royalty, there was a much larger secret in play that the Queen had no inkling of…or, did she? The fact was that the kind, loving, sweet John had a few tricks up his own sleeve that very well could blow the roof off the Palace and perhaps even the monarchy.

A fascinating book with a lot of Court intrigue, the fact that in real life Louise was a conundrum to her people is expertly told. No one ever really knew if Louise married for love, or to cover up a scandal of monumental proportions. The author has inserted her own ‘idea’ of what really went on so long ago and she has made her characters fun (i.e. they are not as stuffy as some.) From forbidden love to Irish radicals to plenty of romance, Mary Hart Perry gives fans a truly ‘cool’ story. Louise was an interesting Princess who had dreams that she wanted to fulfill, which makes for a very enjoyable tale.(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 4 of 5 stars

Watching and reading about the Royals is like indulging in chocolate. It's decadent. Most little girls dream of being a princess and growing up to meet, fall in love and marry their prince. For Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, she got one out of the three.

A independent, headstrong young woman, Princess Louise was the wild child of the bunch and her mother was determined to curb her ways. She married her off to a British subject, the Marquee of Lorne. Did Louise love him? No, no...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

How many of us have ever dreamed of being a part of the Royal Family? I know I have. How many hearts were broken when William married Kate last year and are still holding out hope for younger brother Harry. Well this book is for all the admirers of the royal family. The book chronicles the life of her husband Lorne. Princess Louise was the daughter of Queen Victoria. Although this book is about a real character the story that unfolds is one of pure fiction. The book, called The Wild Princess is...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Teressa Morris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Victorian times are normally considered particularly prudish, a setback in the more relaxed morals of the Age of Enlightenment. But in The Wild Princess, Mary Hart Perry shows us the romantic, passionate side of the Victorian Era, in Princess Louise, Victoria's fourth child. Louise is headstrong and independent, both traits that were not popular in female royalty at the time. Victoria tries to tame her "wild" daughter by marrying her to the Marques of Lorne, the first time since 1515 that a roya...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Patricia O'Sullivan rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Wild Princess by Mary Hart Perry is not just a novel about court intrigue. While it features Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's daughter, it provides a wider social context. Perry writes about Louise's involvement in the London art scene and women's suffrage. She also includes in the narrative the constant threat Victoria's family was under by Irish nationalists. What might be especially interesting to the American reader is the story's connection to the American Civil War. I especially enjoy...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Andrea Guy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, innovativebooktours, regencyvictorianreadingchallenge, royals, historical-fiction

I've never read any historical fiction about Victoria or her daughters, so I had to give this book a shot, and I have to say, this is a must read. Princess Louise is a historical figure that there is much speculation about.

Like any good work of historical fiction, it made me want to learn more about the lady in question. She she was a royal ahead of her time. She worked for women's causes and fraternized with the common folk, something that simply wasn't done. She was a royal that was totally un...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Dalene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, kindle

I chose to read this book as I love a well written historical romance. I loved the authors note at the end of the book where she says this is her story of who she thought should be the princess’ hero.

Princess Louise was the “wild child” daughter of Queen Victoria. Although she had her wild moments, I really enjoyed the princess’ character. She had a good heart and wanted to be more than just a royal daughter. I loved how she convinced people to let her do things that normally women did not get t...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Ashlee Hollowell rated it 3 of 5 stars

I adored the premise of this book, and time to time I found myself really liking the book as well. However, on that note there were many moments I felt bored and like I needed something more. I loved the idea of taking a historical figure, like princess Louise, and giving it the fictional notes it needed to become a story. My biggest bone to pick about this book would have to be the few chapters that were from the point of view of Tyne bomb makers. I felt it was not necessary and gave me no insi...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Josilyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a fresh, exhilarating, and thrilling look into the life of one of England's lesser-known royals! It's really astounding that nobody has written more about the children of Queen Victoria, probably because the Crown did its job well and built up the image as perfect and unsullied. This story will tell you otherwise. A perfect mix of romance, adventure, and suspense, this book drew me in from the very start, and I loved Louise's character development. It's refreshing to learn about this "wild...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Jessica(WonderlandReviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

It is really hard for me to come up with a rating for this book, every little girl dreams of being a princess, fantasizes about the balls, the gowns and the white knight that will one day swoop down and carry her away.

What we forget about is that most marriages where not made from love back then, in this book we are taken back in life and follow the life of the Wild Child that is Princess Louise a daughter of Queen Victoria who is given to a marriage of duty.

It is obvious that alot of thought...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, pulp, kindle

This was a surprisingly fun read. With a title like "The Wild Princess," I was expecting the depiction of Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria, to be over-the-top; that she'd come across more like a scrappy modern teenager than a member of the British royal family from the 19th century. But I was pleasantly surprised, and very entertained.

Yes, this is very much a romance, and very much a pulpy adventure novel. But it's a good one. Plucky princesses and saintly commoners, Really Evil Villains, dash...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Kelsey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Princess Louise is considered the wild princess due to her tendency to want to only do what she wants. Her mother, Queen Victoria, tries many different ways to tame her wild offspring but instead pushes her daughter further and further away. Now that Princess Louise is an adult, Queen Victoria feels it is time for her to marry and settle down. Her mother’s choice of a husband pales in comparison to the love she had with her collage boyfriend who mysteriously disappeared. The two learn to tolerat...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dream-reader-dreamer2229-blo

This was a fascinating look at England during the reign of Queen Victoria. I think Louise is my favorite of the children because she always seemed to do what she wanted in an era when women had little freedom. This book gives one supposition for the reason she had that extra freedom, as well as why she had no children.

I loved the twists that developed throughout the story. The writing was excellent and the characters leapt to life in the theatre of my mind. The writing was smooth and an easy p...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Annabelle Marie Veronica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, e-books, historical-fiction, romance, favorites

****FINAL RATING: 4.50 STARS****

CATCHALL
I don't read a whole lot of adult novels, because I just…don't. It's not like I have anything against them, I just choose to spend most of my time reading and reviewing young adult. However, when I saw the premise of this novel I knew I wouldn't be able to resist. And there aren't quite enough words to describe how happy I am that I decided to pick this up. Not only was it a beautiful love story; it was also so much more than that. There was legit danger...more

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Historical Fiction

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European Literature > British Literature

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Romance

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Young Adult

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Novels

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Literature > 19th Century

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About Mary Hart Perry

Mary Hart Perry is a penname for Kathryn Kimball Johnson. So far, her novels have been romantic Victorian thrillers. Mary loves 19th-century clothing, jewelry, London, royalty, castles and disappearing into that distant era whenever possible through her stories. Mary/Kathryn currently lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and two feline writing partners.

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