Royally Lost

Gr 9 Up—Becca is not looking forward to a boring riverboat cruise through Europe with her family, but things take an exciting turn when she meets Nikolai, crown prince of Mondovia and heir to the throne. No more than a day or two elapses before Becca and Nikolai fall in love, and though Nikolai poses as a commoner, it does not take very long before the press catches up with him. The idea of a handsome prince gone AWOL from his kingdom will appeal to many readers, but those seeking a more credible portrait of a European royal may be disappointed to discover that this prince uses far too many American expressions and is a bit too picture-perfect. Becca, repeatedly gushing that she "can't believe" she is "dating a real prince" seems far more like a lovesick high school groupie than a young woman closer to adulthood. Snapshots of notable European landmarks are mentioned briefly and add little to the plot, though the main protagonists spend a great deal of time traveling on and off a riverboat. The predictable plot should appeal primarily to teens content with Harlequin novelettes and Walt Disney—style romances. Though Royally Lost is not a lost cause, meatier royal fare can be found in Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries (HarperCollins, 2000) or Scholastic's "Royal Diaries" series.—Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY