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Elise Marion
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The Rogue Prince: A Historical Fantasy Romance (Royals of Cardenas Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Elise Marion (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,733 ratings

A scandalous prince. A forbidden love. A fate neither of them expected.

Prince Damien Rothchester lives only for pleasure. As the king’s third son, the crown is not his burden—leaving him free to chase vice and avoid responsibility. But on the night of his twenty-fifth birthday, everything changes when a fiery dancer steps into the palace and sets his world ablaze.

Esmeralda Amador performs for royalty, but never expects to catch the eye of a prince—especially not one who looks at her like she’s the only woman in the room. She knows better than to fall for someone so far above her station… but the connection between them is undeniable. Passionate. All-consuming. Dangerous.

As their stolen moments turn into something deeper, forces beyond their control begin to stir—whispers of betrayal, danger at court, and a destiny neither of them could have foreseen.

When duty and desire collide, Damien must make an impossible choice between the life he knows… and the woman he cannot live without.

The Rogue Prince is the spellbinding first book in The Royals of Cardenas—a lush, romantic historical/fantasy series where passion defies class, fate tests hearts, and love may yet rewrite the stars.

Previous published as The Third Son. Re-released in 2019 with all-new edits, content, cover, and title
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  1. Book 1 of 5
    Royals of Cardenas
  2. Print length
    384 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    January 15, 2019
  5. File size
    3.3 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"What a great book by a new-to-me author! I love invented historical worlds, and the one Elise Marion has created is awesome. And what terrible, fun villains! I was turning pages from beginning to end." --Award Winning Author, Merry Farmer***"Great world-building and a sexy, captivating love story!" --Award Winning Author, Tracy Summer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07JK2G2FF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Marion Press (January 15, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 15, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,733 ratings

About the author

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Elise Marion

Elise Marion

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I first picked up a pen with with dreams of writing at the age of 12. Sitting at a little desk in front of my bedroom window, I wrote (by hand with pencil and paper) my first novel. It wasn’t very good, but I’d never been more proud of anything in my life. I’ve been writing ever since, and have found a love of romantic stories both sweet and sensual.

When I’m not wrangling my three rambunctious kids, or spending time with my retired Army husband, I’m stretching the imagination with stories of people from all walks of life (and worlds) falling in love.

I love coffee, chocolate, music (listening and singing), shoes, jewelry, and food! I am always in the kitchen whipping up something new or watching the pros do it on TV. You can often find my characters eating or cooking something delish and sucking down mass quantities of coffee.

*3-Time In'Dtale Magazine Rone Award Finalist*

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,733 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging with surprising twists and intriguing deceptions that keep readers interested. The romance is well-developed, with one customer noting it's not a typical Cinderella and rich prince story, and they appreciate the beautiful gypsy dancer character. The writing style receives mixed feedback, with some praising it while others point out grammatical errors and serious editing needs. The pace is also mixed, with some customers appreciating the good pace while others mention a slow start.

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62 customers mention "Story quality"51 positive11 negative

Customers find the book's story engaging with a good developing plot and surprising twists that maintain interest through intrigue and deceptions. One customer notes it's not just another Cinderella and rich prince story.

"...Mystery, suspense, and intrigue combined with swoony romance, steam, and betrayal (just to name a few) make this story a historical romance lover’s..." Read more

"...I enjoyed this story, the plot was interesting with just enough twists and switchbacks that the reader is captured from the very beginning, and will..." Read more

"...The plot was what I expected and I was pleased with everyone of the characters as well as the conflict-resolution part and the epilogue leading to..." Read more

"...Needless! The author had a perfect ending until she went off the deep end by allowing the main characters to marry other people before bringing them..." Read more

58 customers mention "Readability"58 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a fantastic and entertaining read from a great author.

"...and Damien really have to work for and earn their HEA, but it’s so worth the ride...." Read more

"It's a while since I picked a romance novel. This boy was a joy to read and it might have rekindled my love for the genre...." Read more

"Good read in the beginning...." Read more

"...I don't want to give anything away but this is a book you need to read. A great story that would make a great movie." Read more

20 customers mention "Romance"20 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romantic elements of the book, particularly the detailed portrayal of love and the fantasy historical romance genre, with one customer highlighting the love story between Damien and Esmeralda.

"...Mystery, suspense, and intrigue combined with swoony romance, steam, and betrayal (just to name a few) make this story a historical romance lover’s..." Read more

"...I enjoyed it so long as you remember that it is a fantasy historical romance, and thus a good deal of the story is going to be fantasy...." Read more

"Love, hope, tragedy and tainted rainbows is how would describe this tale...." Read more

"...This story has a little of everything love, murder and mystery (even though I figured who the killer was before it was revealed)...." Read more

19 customers mention "Character development"15 positive4 negative

Customers love the characters in the book.

"...I loved all the characters, even the ones we’re supposed to hate. The different POVs made it even more interesting, but still easy to follow...." Read more

"...The plot was what I expected and I was pleased with everyone of the characters as well as the conflict-resolution part and the epilogue leading to..." Read more

"...The country is so real that I want to look for it on a map. The characters are rich and I became emotionally attached to them..." Read more

"...Main characters were murdered, the lovers were separated and were married to other people through lies. It did wind up with a happy ending...." Read more

15 customers mention "Emotional content"15 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, which takes readers through various experiences including sorrows, trials, and tragic moments.

"...The best part of this book? The angst level!! I loved it. Just enough to really pull at my heartstrings...." Read more

"...all the secondary players in this book, were built with depth and rich emotion...." Read more

"Good read in the beginning. I was enthralled and emotional vested in the story until the author inexplicable dragged on the despair of the main..." Read more

"...I highly recommend this book. Lots of tragedy, but HEA." Read more

13 customers mention "Beauty"13 positive0 negative

Customers love the beauty of the book, particularly appreciating the gypsy dancer character and Elise Marion's world-building, with one customer noting how it rekindled their love for the genre.

"...I was struck, in this book, by how wonderfully Elise Marion built the world that Prince Damien lives in...." Read more

"...This boy was a joy to read and it might have rekindled my love for the genre...." Read more

"...I loved, loved, loved Damien, and Esmeralda was wonderful also! This story took you through many trials as well as emotions...." Read more

"...The prince meets the beautiful Gypsy woman when she performs at the birthday party for him and his twin brother...." Read more

15 customers mention "Writing style"9 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some finding it well written while others point out grammatical errors and serious editing needs.

"...The story is well written in the beginning and middle, and moves along quite well; however, to bring the story to a HEA the ending was abrupt in the..." Read more

"...The series so far, to me, reads like like a fairytale. Grimm. I am thoroughly enjoying and looking forward to the next book in the series. Enjoy." Read more

"...It is definitely a 5-Star, but because it needs quite a bit more editing, it dropped a star. This was my first book by Elise Marion...." Read more

"...The descriptions of the scenes were lush and full so that I could really see their world...." Read more

9 customers mention "Pace"3 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it good while others mention a slow start.

"This book took a while to really start kicking, but when it did, it did...." Read more

"It starts out slow but builds until it makes you cry. Make sure to have tissues near by...." Read more

"A bit slow to start, but slowly bloomed into take of value...." Read more

"...It felt more like a soap opera and dragged out getting to the HEA. I don’t think I liked any of the characters by the time I finished." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Courtney | Bookish Beach Babe
    5.0 out of 5 stars A complete story!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I absolutely love, love, loved this story. This book has everything you could possibly want in a historical romance and more you didn’t even know you wanted!! Mystery, suspense, and intrigue combined with swoony romance, steam, and betrayal (just to name a few) make this story a historical romance lover’s dream come true. I loved all the characters, even the ones we’re supposed to hate. The different POVs made it even more interesting, but still easy to follow. The best part of this book? The angst level!! I loved it. Just enough to really pull at my heartstrings. Esmeralda and Damien really have to work for and earn their HEA, but it’s so worth the ride. The second book was perfectly set up and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the royals of Cardenas.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • myyorkies1994
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good fantasy read but requires severe editing and fact-checking
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is my first book by this author. I enjoyed it so long as you remember that it is a fantasy historical romance, and thus a good deal of the story is going to be fantasy. This book is in serious need of proper editing. It's not possible to get a good flow to the read when you have to keep going back to understand what you just read. The story is well written in the beginning and middle, and moves along quite well; however, to bring the story to a HEA the ending was abrupt in the final 10% of the book.

    The writing style of the author is well developed; however, she needs to fact-check her information. She's clearly not aware of proper forms of royal address, as kings and queens are 'your magesty' and princes are 'your highness' or 'your royal highness', even in the dark ages in Scandinavia. 'Your grace' is used to refer to dukes/duchesses. Azaleas do not bloom at the same time of year as roses and gardenias. Why would anyone fight with a sword, in a fight to the death, when guns are available? A human cannot survive a year in a coma without modern medicine. Serge should have died a few weeks after his injuries. While the story takes place in a fictional country, that I could never pinpoint as to where in the world it may be located, references of moving to other areas by the characters made this quite confusing. They reference going to Europe, but by all indications, the country is in Europe. The author's choice of character names doesn't lend itself to answer this either: the king's name, Adare, origin is Irish, Alexandra is Greek, Lionus is Greek, Serge is Russian, and Damien is Greek. There was no forethought in assigning these names. There are just too many issues for this book to be anything but fantasy.

    Since Serge was in a coma for a year his body would be greatly emaciated; however, on the cover of The Awakened Prince, Book 2 in this series, he's a strapping specimen of a man...very much fantasy, so I'll pass on reading any additional books in this and spin-off series.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kat Ryker
    5.0 out of 5 stars Damien is a sexy rakehell rogue prince, and you are going to love him.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This review is so late, there should be a penalty on ME, not the author. I read this book first (which, if you know me well, you'll know it is almost impossible to get me to read a series of books in the correct order - I have no idea why but it is so).

    I was struck, in this book, by how wonderfully Elise Marion built the world that Prince Damien lives in. And it wasn't just the surroundings or the description of a castle, it was the details. And I DO believe the devil is in the details. While the Kingdom of Cardenas has been built from the ground up by the author, for this series, I also noted that in many ways, she was able to borrow from real life places to make the book's location rich and varied.

    But it wasn't just the location in this historical that was rich, the characters of Damien, his brothers Serge and Lionus, Esmerelda of gypsy descent, and all the secondary players in this book, were built with depth and rich emotion.

    I know I said it in the last review I wrote today, Elise Marion is making me a believer in historical fiction (and please note this is pure fiction, and not based on real life events or people). I enjoyed this story, the plot was interesting with just enough twists and switchbacks that the reader is captured from the very beginning, and will NOT be disappointed in the ending.

    I would definitely recommend this to readers of historical fiction who want to unleash their inner damsel into a world where the Royal of Cardenas are sexy rakehells - oops, that's Prince Damien only, please. And Gypsies - and that's Esmerelda. Let me start over. If you are a reader who enjoys sensual steam combined with a wealth of emotion, based in a fictional land, then grab this book. You won't be disappointed.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful read
    Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    It's a while since I picked a romance novel. This boy was a joy to read and it might have rekindled my love for the genre. The plot was what I expected and I was pleased with everyone of the characters as well as the conflict-resolution part and the epilogue leading to the next book in the series.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Rita
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good Read, until...
    Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Good read in the beginning. I was enthralled and emotional vested in the story until the author inexplicable dragged on the despair of the main characters, having them marry different people. What happened in chapter 24 and onward gave me a headache and was unnecessary. Davina's deceit should've been found out before they were married. I don't understand why the author had Damien and Esmeralda suffer like that toward the end. Needless! The author had a perfect ending until she went off the deep end by allowing the main characters to marry other people before bringing them back together. She ruined a good story with the last parts of the novel.
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  • Sally Jo Mikush
    5.0 out of 5 stars A prince and a gypsy love story.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    It starts out slow but builds until it makes you cry. Make sure to have tissues near by. I don't want to give anything away but this is a book you need to read. A great story that would make a great movie.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • KichiKichi
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'm not usually compelled to review or read romance books, but this book has converted me
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I usually dismiss romance novels as trite and cringe (especially thanks to a certain grey series), and with a Gypsy girl called Esmeralda I thought "uhh like the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Oh here we go..." but, I'll be the cliche one and admit I shouldn't have judged a book by it's cover!

    Heartwarming, sensual (without overkill) and a gentle love story with delicious intrigue and action that kept me reading deep into the night. I gasped when secrets were revealed, characters clashed and I genuinely had the biggest smile on my face as I finished the book.

    But what I must especially praise is Elise Marions' choice of words and wow can she paint a scene, I was constantly looking up all these new and fascinating words on my Kindle wanting to learn them all so I could have as colourful a lexicon as hers.

    Haha the first hit was certainly free, I've now already purchased the trilogy as I adore this series so much, and I look forward to the 2nd book. Three Cheers for Elise Marion!!
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  • American Express
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rogue prince
    Reviewed in Canada on November 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Loved the story. Recommend to all persons who loves a good romance. Always a very good ending. Can’t wait to read others like it.
    Report
  • Christine Szmurlo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
    Reviewed in Australia on September 29, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    At the beginning, not so gripping.
    Then you get drawn into it.
    Plots, sub plots.
    Well thought out.
    Well written and captivating.
    A great read.
    Thank you.
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  • Mona Martel
    5.0 out of 5 stars very good book
    Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love it
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  • Grace W.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    A really lovely gentle read.

    If you like romance, great characters this is for you.

    Looking forward to the next book.

    Grace
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