A fascinating dual biography proves that controversial Royal Family members are not necessarily only a feature of late 20th- or 21st-century lifeEdward VII (1841-1910) and his grandson Edward VIII (1894-1972) were born in different eras, but it is illuminating to compare the early and middle years of the two Princes of Wales as kings in waiting and discover how their youth informed their years on the British throne. The privileges of rank aside, they were heirs to an unenviable role, and this study presents a unique portrait of strained apprenticeships for which there was no satisfactory precedent. Theirs was an upbringing dictated by dogmatic prescription and the heavy weight of obligation. As they pursued their lives according to their distinct personalities, they were never relieved of parental strictures, especially with regard to Queen Victoria and her eldest son, who filled the void with shallow interests, a profligate style of living, and the delights of Parisian nightlife. Inevitably the two princes were consigned to filling much of their time with insubstantial engagements not best suited to their characters and which reveal a common vulnerability. In the case of the future Edward VIII, he took a jaundiced view of matters of state and preferred dance floors, riding to hounds, and the ministrations of lovers. This book is the story of the heirs' progress that provides often unexpected perspectives on two public figures better known through the history of their respective reigns. For readers in this era, the similar position of Prince Charles ensures that this survey is a timely as well as a surprisingly entertaining read.

She's my last chance. Those four words echo in Violet Spencer's mind, tugging at her curiosity even as rage builds within her.Arbon Academy was supposed to be a bright new start. An opportunity for greatness, and something an orphan girl could only dream of. For a while there, it seemed to be exactly that. But Violet's bright future is suddenly looking dim. Arbon Academy and Prince Alex are nothing but a facade. A trap.In a sinister world of ballgowns and backstabbing, of perfumes and politics, of indulgent parties and illegal sword fights, Violet now faces the biggest challenge of all. Recovering her shattered heart from the prince who crushed it. Supported by her new friends, Violet wants to make Alex feel the pain of his betrayal. Prince Rafe wants nothing more than to help make that happen, but things aren't always so straightforward. Don't break tradition.Don't let them know you know. Don't lose your heart... again.These rules will keep Violet alive. But at what cost?

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND THE BOSTON GLOBE This richly entertaining biography chronicles the eventful life of Queen Victoria’s firstborn son, the quintessential black sheep of Buckingham Palace, who matured into as wise and effective a monarch as Britain has ever seen. Granted unprecedented access to the royal archives, noted scholar Jane Ridley draws on numerous primary sources to paint a vivid portrait of the man and the age to which he gave his name. Born Prince Albert Edward, and known to familiars as “Bertie,” the future King Edward VII had a well-earned reputation for debauchery. A notorious gambler, glutton, and womanizer, he preferred the company of wastrels and courtesans to the dreary life of the Victorian court. His own mother considered him a lazy halfwit, temperamentally unfit to succeed her. When he ascended to the throne in 1901, at age fifty-nine, expectations were low. Yet by the time he died nine years later, he had proven himself a deft diplomat, hardworking head of state, and the architect of Britain’s modern constitutional monarchy. Jane Ridley’s colorful biography rescues the man once derided as “Edward the Caresser” from the clutches of his historical detractors. Excerpts from letters and diaries shed new light on Bertie’s long power struggle with Queen Victoria, illuminating one of the most emotionally fraught mother-son relationships in history. Considerable attention is paid to King Edward’s campaign of personal diplomacy abroad and his valiant efforts to reform the political system at home. Separating truth from legend, Ridley also explores Bertie’s relationships with the women in his life. Their ranks comprised his wife, the stunning Danish princess Alexandra, along with some of the great beauties of the era: the actress Lillie Langtry, longtime “royal mistress” Alice Keppel (the great-grandmother of Camilla Parker Bowles), and Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston. Edward VII waited nearly six decades for his chance to rule, then did so with considerable panache and aplomb. A magnificent life of an unexpectedly impressive king, The Heir Apparent documents the remarkable transformation of a man—and a monarchy—at the dawn of a new century. Praise for The Heir Apparent “If [The Heir Apparent] isn’t the definitive life story of this fascinating figure of British history, then nothing ever will be.”—The Christian Science Monitor “The Heir Apparent is smart, it’s fascinating, it’s sometimes funny, it’s well-documented and it reads like a novel, with Bertie so vivid he nearly leaps from the page, cigars and all.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “I closed The Heir Apparent with admiration and a kind of wry exhilaration.”—The Wall Street Journal “Ridley is a serious scholar and historian, who keeps Bertie’s flaws and virtues in a fine balance.”—The Boston Globe “Brilliantly entertaining . . . a landmark royal biography.”—The Sunday Telegraph “Superb.”—The New York Times Book Review

I may be a prince, but my life’s no fairy tale—I’ve been banned from over a dozen countries thanks to my wild lifestyle. Jet-setting the globe in search of trouble has done nothing to fill the hole in my heart… until I end up in Chicago, stumble into a dive bar, and meet a woman like no other. Erika is the beautiful bartender I never knew I was looking for. She takes me on an impromptu tour of her city, intent on making me fall in love with the place… but I can’t take my eyes off of the enchanting tour guide herself. At the very moment I realize that I don’t want our weekend fling to end, my past catches up with me in the worst possible way, and I’m arrested and deported back to my home country, thousands of miles away! They tell me I’m barred from entering the United States again, but when all that’s waiting for me at home is the looming threat of a marriage to a woman I’ve never met, a little thing like the law isn’t going to stop me from seeing my Erika. So I make the journey to see her in secret, risking it all. And what I find awaiting me blows me away. She’s pregnant. With our royal baby…

Prince Mychale has come to his mountain château to get away from the world. Instead, the royal bachelor finds himself playing host to runaway Abby and her adorable baby! Mychale's duty-bound to marry someone of the royal family's choosing. Abby's far from suitable, but to his surprise she makes him feel happy for the first time in years. Abby Donair has taken her sister's baby to her heart with no hesitation, but can she expect a royal prince to do the same…?