No planned princess here!

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The Princess Plan (A Royal Wedding #1) by Julia London        
I really enjoyed the Tricklebank household. The maid who sits and has tea with her mistress. The mistress who mends clocks, the father who knits, the houseman Ben who is definately not the butler--much to the shock of both the Princes when he refuses to take their hats. No wonder the Prince Sebastian is confused, what with the daughter of the house, Eliza, who is a somewhat outspoken spinster (I could just imagine the scene when she discovered years early at a dinner party that the rogue who'd been paying his addresses to her had become engaged to someone else), the widowed daughter Hollis, who has turned her husband's political paper into a gossip and advice rag, and Judge Tricklebank  who's blind and obviously supports his daughters independence, mostly!
So we have the very precious Prince Sebastian seeking trade alliances (and casting around for an English wife to sweeten the pot), a possible looming war, his murdered secretary and really a host of other happenings. Sebastian is a Prince of Consequence who is initially shocked by the outspoken Eliza.
I must admit that sometimes the various tropes seem to crowd each other out. Is this a part Cinderella story combined with a murder mystery, along with a political thriller?
Occasionally my thoughts flashed onto The Mouse that Roared when I thought of the Kingdom of Alucia surrounded by powerful nations. Although given the times and what is going on politically for the tiny Kingdom, I'm way off the mark and Alucia might be more akin to The Mouse that Sqeaked.
One might have to suspend belief over various background details. Let's face it, this is romantic fiction with an emphasis on 'fiction', that puts together Victorian times, political maneuvering, murder and romance, with a generous dash of humor. Do all that and you have an enjoyable read.

 A Harlequin ARC via NetGalley

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