This novella is nicely timed to match a royal engagement in Britain. But for the Crown Prince of Marazur, life is not going so well. He tries to enjoy his first official party since the death of his wife in a car accident. A widowed father in his thirties, Raoul Navarro is suddenly eligible again but has no need to marry.

THE CROWN PRINCE'S BRIDE takes a sympathetic look behind the scenes of families who are always on show, always meeting diplomats. We gather that Marazur is a Mediterranean state. The party's hardworking organiser, Stephani Savalas, is from a Greek fishing village, a less wealthy cousin of Raoul's late wife. Unknown to him she is in love with him but never expects anything to come of it. What's more, Stephani starts to realise that working twelve hours a day with diplomats, caterers and security is no way to make a family life of her own. She has no time to meet anyone and is now in her thirties, so the old double standard of a man continuing to work while his wife has children is very much operating against her. Maybe it's time to change job. Or at least take a vacation while she considers change.

Raoul has taken the support of all his dedicated staff for granted. He's needed help to get through the terrible year. Now he starts to see calm Stephani in a new light and suggests they go on a business trip with some days for relaxation. And maybe she should engage an assistant. He was born to the Navarro family and has to take all the responsibilities; that's not the case with Stephani. But any time he talks to her she insists on not blurring the lines between their roles.

I really like that the couple are shown to be longstanding friends and not rushing into anything; on the other hand they are mature people and it is to be expected that romance will lead to the bedroom. As with others of Donna Alward books, these characters do feel like real people with pride, anxiety and tenderness. The side characters are pretty much stereotypical -- the other royals, the faithful retainers. A family is involved, having a wedding in the course of the tale, which is promoted at the end for us to buy their story -- overtly a commercial insertion of characters who don't have an active subplot and who just create scenery. THE CROWN PRINCE'S BRIDE shows us some of the problems faced by those in the public eye and asks if they deserve love just as much as anyone. Diehard romantics will enjoy this lively adult romance by reliable author Canadian Donna Alward.