No Ordinary Princess

June 2, 1997
Bestselling historical romance author Morsi (The Love Charm) is known for her heartwarming stories. Here, she's spun out of control with a narrative that strains credulity to the breaking point. Plain, big-boned Princess Calhoun, daughter of filthy-rich Oklahoma oilman King Calhoun, is pursued and quickly maneuvered into wedlock by handsome, part-Indian Tom Walker, a penniless orphan and former Rough Rider seeking his fortune. He smoothly persuades Princess that he's Gerald Crane, a wealthy, Yale-educated eastern gentleman--an unlikely scenario given both the size of the town and the fact that he's living (as Walker) with a friend of the Calhoun family. The plan disintegrates when a fire breaks out in the oilfields and Tom's heroic nature leads to his unmasking as a liar. The denouement, however, is much too long in the making, and Tom's implausible deception leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.