Hand Me Down Princess

"Nothing like being a hand-me-down Princess.

The words mocked Jessabelle over and over as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Hand-me-down.

Passed over.

Rejected.

Unwanted.

In less than an hour she would become Princess Jessabelle of Mevendia, wife of Prince Malachi, second in lie for the throne. Not because he wanted to marry her, but because Crown Prince William had rejected her.

Twice.

Prince Malachi only upheld his family's end of the marriage contract because her father had saved King Antonio's life when they were teens.

Under no circumstance would Prince Malachi ever had chosen plain, mousy Jessabelle on his own. It was probably just as well the Crown Prince refused to marry her. She wouldn't have wanted to be queen. Every little girl dreamed of being a princess, right? Most girls wouldn't be sitting in a bedroom in a house provide for her family by the groom wondering if she could climb out the window. Would anyone notice?  Guards had been posted on the grounds to protect the future princess, but she doubted anyone cared enough to sneak in and try to get pictures of her or kidnap her. No one even knew who she was. Would any of them care if she snuck out? Would anyone even realize it was her if it weren't for the wedding gown?" (pg1-2).

In the first novel of the Brides of Belles Montague Series, Carol Moncado has written such a wonderful story in Hand Me Down Princess. Even my 16-year-old daughter was immediately drawn to it when it arrived. I believe it conveys that age old struggle all women face, of doubting their own self worth in comparison to others. We never feel we measure up and in this case, Jessabelle, who has been promised to marry a man she has never even met or seen before as a way of paying back a debt between the two fathers of the wedding party, mostly to ensure that Jessabelle is provided for as her own father faces his own failing health.

Thankfully Prince Malachi has no intention of following in the royal footsteps of his father and committing the infidelity that has caused problems between his own parents but embarrassed the royal house as well with the affair. Even though he has never met Jessabelle, his own faith in God will help guide him in ensuring his fidelity to her despite the compromising and lacking wedding vows of old and he will spend his life making sure she feels as worthy as any princess should. He just hopes she will give him the chance to prove himself worthy in her eyes. The only problem is the friendship he has shared with Lizbeth who believed one day that they might be married.

I received Hand Me Down Princess by Carol Moncado compliments of CANDID Publications and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. This is such a great novel and I love how Carol took both of her characters, much like how Jesus romances us all to show us our own worthiness despite what the world has to offer. How could one not fall in love with these two! Jessabelle is flawed and struggling, but strong in her own right to do what is required even if she isn't the slightest bit comfortable being in the public eye and I love the patience and compassion that Malachi shows Jessabelle in waiting for her feelings to develop before pushing her for anything more. Now I can't wait for more in this series!!! For me, this one rates a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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Hand Me Down Princess by Carol Moncado

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