A romantic tale of two people trapped by fate…
previously Published
in the anthology
A midsummer night’s romance
A Prince in the Pantry
A Regency Novella
Prince Timour Mirza, an heir to the Persian throne, is visiting England on a diplomatic mission to choose a wife. Brought up in a world where his every move is dictated, Timour longs for one night of freedom.
Pearl Smith was raised amid London’s ton, but a reversal of fortune has left her father languishing in debtors' prison. Now, on the night of the grand ball, she has been reduced to working below stairs at the Whitwell House in London’s fashionable West End, the unwitting victim of a former friend’s venomous envy.
Curious about the life of everyday people, Timour trades his clothes and his position with a companion and escapes the masquerade ball. With the absence of his royal regalia, his darker skin and his beliefs draw unwanted attention.
Stunned and humiliated by women she thought were her friends, Pearl flees the mansion. But the last thing she expects is to become the champion of a tall, dark stranger.
And in the hours that follow, as a full moon bathes London in a May glow, Pearl and Timour will find that love can come when it’s least expected.
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“A Prince in the Pantry offers a rare Regency romance perspective that centers a Persian royal hero—Prince Timour Mirza—on a journey through England not only as a diplomat but as a man yearning for freedom beyond duty and expectation. His presence challenges the norms of Regency society and adds a multicultural lens to a genre often limited to British aristocracy.
Inspired in part by the Iranian heritage of one of the co-authors (Nikoo), this story weaves in authentic cultural nuance and emotional depth drawn from personal family history. Timour’s outsider status—his darker skin, foreign customs, and spiritual beliefs—positions him in a compelling dynamic with the heroine, Pearl, a working-class Englishwoman facing her own societal fall. Their story explores cross-cultural connection, resilience, and love in the face of systemic bias and rigid class structure.
This novella stands out as a diverse and inclusive historical romance that expands the traditional Regency landscape and reflects the global fabric of the time period—through characters readers rarely see in mainstream historical fiction.”
““May McGoldrick’s A Prince in the Pantry is a trading places story. The Crown Prince Timour Mirza of Persia is in London to make a treaty with the English. To seal the deal he must take home an English wife.... A delightful tale of a prince who wants a wife who will love him and help him rule, and a woman desperate to rescue her father. It is a wonderful Cinderella tale, and May got to write about her heritage.””
““Five Stars! A heartwarming story with a lovely twist at the end.””
““Five Stars! Marvelous romance involving an incognito Persian prince and a down-on-her-luck English lady. Wonderful story! You’ll smile.””
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