And at the beginning this story seemed the same, Prince Yukio was still mourning the loss of his beloved Kiyoshi, the simple gardener who was his lover and that an internal conspiracy killed. The threat is no more there, but the sadness is the same and Yukio is unable to let the ghost of his lover go. Until he meets Kisho, a rice farmer who resembles Kiyoshi; but that is only an appearance, Kisho is a total different man. Not used to the court and to men like Yukio, Kisho approaches the prince in a direct way, a way that leads directly to the prince’s heart.
It’s truly a cinderfella story, and as in that story, Kisho doesn’t question Yukio’s kindness; Yukio gives Kisho money and other gifts, allowing him to leave the simple life of farming he was conduction, but Kisho doesn’t see it like a “price” on him; in no way Kisho thinks to refuse Yukio’s kindness, and in no way he thinks Yukio is trying to buy him. Kisho accepts Yukio’s gifts like a lover would accept the gifts of his beloved, and at the same way he accepts Yukio’s offer to be with him. Again there is no question that Yukio has to fulfil his duty as heir to the Japan’s throne, and to do that, he will have to marry and produce an heir; Kisho can be only a concubine, a much beloved concubine. And Kisho again will accept that as an honoured role, never once questioning that Yukio’s love is less sincere or true since he has to accomplish his due to the throne. And I don't judge Kisho a lesser man to accept that, on the contrary this is the proof of his sincere love.
A Princely Gift is a good historical romance, since, as such, it respects the time and the custom, allowing those men to live their romance as it should be, in a discrete but intense way.
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Publisher: Romance Unbound Publishing (February 7, 2010)
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