Natalie Stenzel - Forget Prince Charming

Dear Reader,

Did you ever have a girl pal who was smart and pretty, but so incredibly blind that she chased shallow studs who barely gave her the time of day? Oh, boy, I did. A few of them, actually. I’d bully and beg, but, oh no. She’d insist he was the one, and heartbreak here she comes. And meanwhile, there was this sweet guy who worshiped the ground she walked on.

Then I thought, hmm. What if she really did take my advice? Suppose—just as a matter of principle and a way to change her life for the better—a girl like my friend decided to ignore those bad boys in favor of the sweet but nondescript type? And then, what if, with all good intentions, she took it to extremes…?

And thus began Haley’s search for the prince of frogs. This was, beyond anything I’ve ever written, the book of my heart. I hope you enjoy Rick and Haley’s story as much as I did.

Wishing you romance and laughter,

Natalie Stenzel

She stared at her best friend as though Jen had suddenly grown a second head. “What are you saying? Have you forgotten my vow not to date princes? Rick is a total prince.”

“I think you should reconsider. Your face lights up when you talk about him.”

“Sure, he’s hot. He’s even fun to hang out with. But that’s as far as I go. He’s too good-looking.”

Jen rolled her eyes.

“No, seriously, Jen, I’m through with good-looking men. I lose my head when they turn on the charm. And Rick is smooth. Lethally smooth.”

“Maybe. I’ve only seen the guy once.” Jen sounded entirely too doubtful for Haley’s liking. “Hey, why don’t you arrange for me to meet him again?”

“Forget it, Jen. There’s no reason for you to check him out, because I’m not dating him. He’s my neighbor and a platonic friend. End of story.” And maybe if Haley repeated that often enough, she’d believe it, too.

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This one’s for Steve, with all my love, for all the hours you invested in my dream, and for believing in me, long before I ever did. You’re one in a million.

Natalie Stenzel was a girl who just couldn’t keep her nose out of (gasp!) a romance novel. Still, she denied her dreamy inclinations long enough to earn respectable degrees in English literature and magazine journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She even flirted with business writing and freelancing for a while, considered going back to school for another respectable degree…only to return to her one true love: romance. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Natalie now resides in lovely Virginia with her husband and two children, happy to live a dream (or several) come true.

Dear Reader,

When you’re stressed out with the holidays and looking forward to stealing a little time for yourself, we’ve got the perfect solution! Pick up the latest Harlequin Flipside novel and take a well-deserved break. Our fun, witty and exciting romantic comedies will be sure to chase away the blues. Of course, if you’re the type who loves the hustle and bustle, then the burst of energy you’ll get from the book will make your day, too!

This month we’re featuring Do-Over by Dorien Kelly. Have you ever hidden your true potential just to attract a guy? This heroine did it once, just once, and has regretted it ever since. She’s always wanted to go back and do it differently. Looks as if she’s getting her chance, because guess who’s back in town….

We also have brand-new author Natalie Stenzel with Forget Prince Charming. Our heroine has discovered—the hard way—that those good-looking princes aren’t always the best dates. So she’s determined to find herself a “frog.” But she can’t catch any frogs if she can’t see past her gorgeous neighbor!

These Harlequin Flipside books blend romance with a good dose of wit and cleverness and are sure to bring a smile to your face. Be sure to check us out online at www.harlequinflipside.com.

Enjoy!

Wanda Ottewell

Editor

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Executive Editor

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Epilogue

“TO HELL WITH PRINCE CHARMING. I’ll take the frog.”

Haley Watson slammed into The Toy Boxx, sending the jingle bell above the door into a violent clanking. She tossed her purse under the sales counter and grabbed a broom. Soon she was swishing it back and forth with enough energy to send bits of straw flying in both directions.

Still muttering under her breath, Haley glanced over her shoulder to see Jennifer Grayson, her business partner, watching her. She’d been attending to a customer when Haley made her violent entry. Jen turned back to the tall man at her side, spoke a few words and gestured smilingly at a mountain of stuffed animals. Thus excusing herself, she approached Haley, giving the wildly swinging broom a wide berth.

“Trouble in fairy-tale land?” Jen murmured casually.

“You could say that.” Swipe, swish.

Jen glanced at the blond man sorting through stuffed animals, then moved to discreetly block Haley from his view. “What happened?”

“Same old thing.” Swish, swish. “You date a decent guy. He tells you he’s in love.” Swish, slash. “Then he ends up boffing his secretary behind your back anyway.” She punctuated her words with a violent smack of the broom. “Jerk.” At the last imprecation, their customer glanced back at them. Blue eyes studied them in open curiosity.

Smiling reassurance at the man, Jen plucked the broom from Haley’s hands and set it aside. She led Haley by the elbow to a coloring table on the other side of the store.

“Sit.”

Haley dropped into a child-size chair. The fit was perfect, as Haley wasn’t much larger than a child herself. Her shoulders slumped and she twined her fingers together in a big, white-knuckled fist.

“Okay. Now give.” Jen’s voice was a soft command.

Haley blinked furiously at her tears, glancing at Jen and then away. “I wanted to surprise Peter. So I dropped by his office after lunch. I found him at his desk. With his secretary. And I don’t think they were discussing business.”

Jen’s eyes widened. “Peter? Your boyfriend?”

“The guy who wanted me to spend the weekend on the lake with him? The guy who claims to love me? Yeah, that’s the one. I walked in on them. Having sex on his desk.”

Jen’s lips tightened in sympathy. “Oh, Haley.”

“He didn’t even look up when I opened the door.”

“He doesn’t know you saw him with her?”

“Oh, he knows.” Haley’s voice grew stronger. “I got on his secretary’s intercom and announced an emergency meeting in his office. ASAP. That got his attention.”

“You didn’t!”

“I did. And he all but shoved his new girlfriend off the desk trying to find his pants.”

Jen tossed her head back, laughing. “Oh, that’s good. I should have known you wouldn’t just slink off quietly.”