When Mellana needs money for her dowry so that she can marry Jack Mallory, a troubadour with a rebec but little money, she turns to her youngest sister with a plan. After all, Finnula is a skilled archer, a woman who wears leather braies and goes about the countryside tapping deer and foxes. With Finnula's huntress skills in mind, Mellana sways her sister to capture the richest man and ransom him to pay for her dowry. Finnula herself is not intent on marriage for herself, having been married for a day and then accused of her husband's murder but how can she not help her sister, especially knowing their brother Robert is likely to kill Jack if he discovers Mellana's condition before a marriage can be arranged. Hugo Fitzstephen, accompanied by his squire Peter, returns battle weary from the Crusades. With the strange death of his father, the Earl of Stephensgate, he can now enjoy his new title. He catches a glimpse of a modest naked bathing beauty but when he confronts her, she slaps him in the face. To his later surprise, he finds himself captured by this maiden! Despite Finnula's odd ways, Hugo can't help but feel a growing attraction for her. Can he tame the one woman not intent on marriage? As Finnula's ransom plan unravels, can their love survive? Can Hugo survive period?

In her debut medieval romance, Mia Thermopolis, the Princess of Genovia, straight from the fame of THE PRINCESS DIARIES, has achieved her secret dream of becoming a published author. With the chronicle help of Meg Cabot, Princess Mia's romance is finally here for both PRINCESS DIARY and romance readers! RANSOM MY HEART has all the classic components historical romance lovers cherish --- and then some. Some characters and events are wonderfully reminiscent of details of Mia's own life while others add a new twist to Mia's imagination and romance itself. Romance readers will enjoy this tongue-in-cheek romance both for its close attention to the genre and period as well as for the humorous, exaggerated look into the genre's most classic scenes.

Finnula is a delightful heroine from her obsession with her leather braies to her determination to preserve her independence, from her care for the peasants and her poaching skills to her ability to love her sister despite Mellana's quirks. Despite her oddities and miller father, she is a princess at heart, a woman whose innocence and natural empathy for others ennobles all around her. Her captive Hugo Fitzstephen is one of a kind ---- the one man who can inspire and challenge Finnula. He is the one man who sees the woman in her. As romance draws Finnula and Hugo closer and closer together, unexpected dangers pull them apart. Light fairy tale suspense abounds as plots against the two emerge and their pasts come back to haunt them. Only together can Finnula and Hugo save each other and the Stephansgate from the cast of evil villains and their devious plans. One new plot wrinkle after another leads the reader down an exciting path until the author reveals the last shocking clue.

Hugo's practicality and common sense provides the reader with a hilarious running commentary on the world of medieval romance. Having been away from the estate for 10 years, this medieval man finds his world upturned, a world where women hunt ribbons and men. Part classic medieval romance hero and part outsider to this strange new world, Hugo leads the reader on a journey of laughter from start to finish as he both conforms to and unveils the romance tradition. Hugo is both very medieval and modern in his vision of the new romance world around him. Even in the midst of the gentle satire, by the end of romance, the reader cannot help but be moved by these delightful characters and their romance. RANSOM MY HEART incorporates classic scenarios of the traditional medieval romance from the classic captive/captor theme to the issues of marriage and land inheritance. Combining historical detail authenticity with humorous look into the medieval romance genre conventions, RANSOM MY HEART provides one insider's laugh after another. Above all, RANSOM MY HEART is just a great story full or romance, adventure and characters whose antics, values and personalities will steal your heart and make you laugh. However, for romance readers in particular, RANSOM MY HEART will make you fall in love with the genre all over again. Meg Cabot's RANSOM MY HEART is a romance that will make you smile at the characters, the genre and mostly at yourself.

Mellana, Fiona's sister has spent her whole dowry on trinkets. So now it's up to Fiona to come up with lots of money quick. Fiona comes up with the perfect plan. She kidnaps a knight by the name of Sir Hugo Fitzstephen. Hugo is now Fiona's prisoner and the only way he will be free is if he pays the ransom. Fiona successfully kidnapped Hugo but unfortunately she has a problem on her hands. Hugo feels an instant attraction to Fiona and enjoys being her prisoner. He knows Fiona feels the same way about him. Hugo will get her to admit it one way or another.

Ransom My Heart is the last book in author, Meg Cabot's famous Princess Diaries series. This book is Fiona and Hugo's story. Hugo and Fiona will win your hearts over with their story. Fiona may look like a lady but she is just as good with a sword as any man. Hugo is a dashing knight with a killer smile. When you think of a knight in shining armor, you need only imagine Hugo. If you are looking for the next best historical romance novel than look no farther then Ransom My Heart. This book features some wonderful characters, love, adventure, and even some comedy. I look forward to Meg Cabot's next release. I am sure it will be good.

In England in the year 1291, Finulla Crass, the adventurous daughter of the village miller, is determined to help her older sister, Mellana, who is pregnant out of wedlock and needs a substantial dowry in order to find a husband who will marry her despite her condition. The sisters come up with a rather unconventional plan - Finnula will find a wealthy man, kidnap him, and hold him for ransom in order to obtain the money Mellana needs. Finnula decides her captive will be a young earl, Hugo Fitzstephan, who has returned from the Crusades with quite a large fortune.

Hugo Fitzstephan is nothing like Finnula expected, however. The young knight is disturbingly handsome, and Finnula, who prefers hunting and riding to household tasks and is determined to never marry again after her first husband died before their wedding night, finds herself fighting her attraction for Hugo. Meanwhile, Hugo could escape at any time, but plays along as Finnula's "hostage" because he is curious about - and rather fascinated by - this unconventional young woman.

Ransom My Heart is an enjoyable and lighthearted Medieval romance with an entertaining relationship between the main characters. It's not super heavy on historical detail, but I loved that it was different from most romances set in this time period, in that it had a unique storyline and featured a heroine who was a commoner rather than the typical sheltered young noblewoman. This book does have a bit more mature content than Meg Cabot's young adult books, however, so I wouldn't really recommend it to her younger fans. Historical romance readers as well as older teen and adult fans of the author are sure to enjoy this book, and I highly recommend it to them.