The Reluctant Heiress
by Eva Ibbotson
Being an heiress in 1920's Austria with nothing but a broken-down castle to your
name and nary a penny in your purse could be frustrating for anyone but the
Princess Theresa-Marie of Paffenstein. Tessa, however, is thrilled with her
situation, as it allows her to concentrate on her love of the arts - and no one
in the Viennese opera company need know that their delightful and charming
under-wardrobe mistress is really a princess. But when the dashing self-made
millionaire Guy Farne arrives at the opera in search of suitable entertainment
for his high society guests, Tessa realizes that there may be more to life - and
love - than just music. And while the attraction between them is undeniable,
Guy's insufferable snob of a fiancée only solidifies Tessa's determination to
keep her true identity a secret. Yet, after a chance meeting with the handsome
Englishman, Tessa's reserve begins to melt, and she starts to wonder if it's to
late for a fairy-tale ending.
paperback pages 325 ages 12+
