How to Tame a King – Juliette Hyland (HR #4906 – June 2024)

Series: Royals in the Headlines (Book 2)
 
A QUEEN BY CHANCE!
 
When Breanna steps in for her twin to become the king's convenient bride, she's confident of her plan to escape their arrangement. But her attraction to dutiful, guarded Sebastian throws a wrench into the works! Sebastian's only priority is to his people, but stunning Breanna challenges him to be both -- a man and a king. Can she tame single-minded Sebastian, and show him there could be more to their royal marriage…?
 
Good marriage-of-convenience story. Sebastian needs a wife, and his one attempt ended badly when he realized the woman he cared for was more interested in his crown than in him. Rather than try for a love match, he plans to pick someone who wants to be a queen from the leftovers of his brother's bride lottery and treat it as a professional relationship. So he picks a name from a hat and heads off to propose.
 
Breanna and her twin sister, Anastasia, are the daughters of wealthy and very controlling parents. The women have plans for their lives outside the advantageous marriages their parents want for them. Though Breanna is the younger of the two, she has the steel will and a plan to get them out from under their parents' thumbs. Those plans derail when Sebastian arrives with his proposal to marry Anastasia. Breanna, who is very protective of her sister, offers herself instead since the sisters are interchangeable according to their parents. This will enable Breanna to help Anastasia escape and pursue her dreams.
 
The first meeting between Sebastian and Breanna is a little awkward. Sebastian knows nothing about the woman he picked, and Breanna knows it. She is determined to save her sister and does a great job of making her point that she is an easy substitute for Anna. She believes that the length of a typical royal engagement will give her time to find a way out of the marriage so she can pursue her dreams. Imagine her shock when Sebastian states that their wedding will occur in three days!
 
Sebastian has a preconceived idea of what Breanna expects from their marriage and has no idea that all of his knowledge comes from her parents. The beginning of their married life is awkward because of it until they begin to get to know each other. Breanna is surprised to learn that Sebastian has been in training for his position since he was ten years old. She's horrified by how his father taught him that his life belongs to the country and that he doesn't rate a personal life. I enjoyed seeing her attempts to break him free of his self-imposed restraints. I liked Sebastian's protectiveness toward Breanna. He does a lovely job of standing up for her against her parents on their wedding day, shocking Breanna. She never felt like she mattered to anyone before that point.
 
I liked seeing Sebastian and Breanna get to know each other. Neither expected the sparks of attraction that flared between them, and each discovered that they wanted more from their marriage than just a royal partner. I laughed out loud when Breanna put her foot down and cleared Sebastian's schedule so he would have a vacation. I loved it when he overheard her talking to her sister about her dream honeymoon and immediately changed his plans to make hers a reality. The time they spent away gave them the chance they needed to explore their growing feelings.
 
They hit a bump in their road when Sebastian makes a boneheaded mistake regarding her hobby. His intentions were good, but the results were not what he had hoped. It takes honest conversation and looking at things from the other person's perspective to get past the hurt and anger. I loved his big moment at the end. It was emotional and sweet. The epilogue was good and showed Sebastian and Breanna a year later. I loved seeing the difference in their lives.
 
I detested Breanna's parents and their attitude towards their daughters. I hope they got exactly what they had coming to them. 

 

Beauty and the Playboy Prince - Justine Lewis (HR #4890 - Feb 2024)

Series: If the Fairy Tale Fits (Book 4)

SOMETHING THERE THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE?

Simone's quiet life in her Parisian bookshop is upended when best friend, Prince Edouard, arrives on her doorstep to hide from a royal scandal! Despite her embarrassing teenage crush on the playboy prince, she's always seen the man beneath his facade. Trapped together until the storm blows over, their friendship unexpectedly gives way to indescribable passion! Simone knows it's only temporary, but can't help dreaming of a happy-ever-after...
 
This was a nice friends-to-lovers story with the added twist that one of them is royalty. Simone and Edouard grew up together in the tiny kingdom of Florena as the only two children in the palace. Edouard is a prince and the heir to the throne, while Simone is the daughter of the palace chef. They were inseparable as children, but they rarely see each other as adults. Edouard is busy with his royal duties, and Simone moved to Paris, where she runs a bookstore.
 
Simone is shocked when Edouard appears on her doorstep, looking for a place to hide from a family scandal. Simone thought she was long past her teenage crush on him until the forced proximity brought those feelings back to life. Meanwhile, Edouard notices that his best buddy has grown into a beautiful woman, and spending time with her raises feelings he doesn't want after watching his parents' marriage. But when he suddenly becomes king, Edouard desperately wants Simone to return to Florena with him. She's the only one who sees the real him behind the royal façade.
 
Simone is reluctant because she knows she needs to protect her heart, but she goes anyway. I liked seeing Simone give Edouard the support he needed but ached for her as her feelings for him grew stronger. She knows that the gap between them is too wide for anything to come of it. She also has a heartbreaking incident in her past that affects how she looks at life in the royal spotlight. I liked Edouard's appreciation for everything Simone does for him. He is oblivious to her feelings for him for most of the book. It isn't until his feelings for her change that he believes she cares for him, too. Both must face their fears before they can hope to find happiness together.

Secretly Married to a Prince - Ally Blake (HR #4899 - May 2024)

Series: One Year to Wed (Book 1)
 
THEIR REUNION WITH A ROYAL TWIST… 
 
To claim her inheritance, Matilda Waverly must be wed within the year. But Matilda has a secret: she's already married! She hasn't seen Henri since she fled their wedding night, so tracking him down is essential­ -- but exciting and terrifying in equal measure. Especially when she learns Henri is actually a prince! And the undeniable spark between them has never gone away…
 
Matilda and her three sisters get an unwelcome surprise when their father dies. To inherit his vast Australian estate, each daughter must be married within a year of his death; otherwise, it will go to their family rival. None of the women are currently involved in romantic relationships. Complicating matters, Matilda is technically already married, though she has no idea where her husband is.
 
The backstory of Matilda's marriage was interesting and a bit sad. She fell in love with a young man she met while traveling, and they married without sharing any real information about themselves. When she learned of her mother's illness, she rushed home, leaving Henri behind and hoping he'd follow. He never did, which broke her heart. She has since moved on with her life. But with this complication, she knows she must find him, and returning to where they met is her only option to begin her search.
 
Matilda didn't know that Henri was a prince in disguise, taking a summer off before beginning his duties. He fell for Matilda, her vivacity, and how she made him forget his troubles. When she left, he tried to put her out of his mind and moved on to take up his royal duties.
 
Their reunion was pure chance. Matilda was happy to see him again and explained her reason for seeking him out. She was shocked to find out who he was. Neither expected the sparks between them to be as strong as before. When Henri invites her to stay at the castle while they figure things out, Matilda agrees.
 
I liked Matilda. She is a mostly upbeat person with a fascinating career. She's up for the prospect of getting to know Henri. I could feel a little frustration from her at the lack of time she initially spent with him but she understood the press of his duties. I had a more challenging time with Henri. Thanks to his upbringing, he seems to be an odd combination of control freak and insecure.
 
As they spent time together, they discovered that their connection was still there. There were some sweet scenes of their activities and how Matilda fit into his life. However, Henri's issues with his past complicate his vision of Matilda becoming a permanent part of his life. He tended to project his fears onto what he thought she felt instead of talking to her about her feelings. Matilda wasn't much better about being honest about her feelings.
 
Things come to a head when they finally talk about their past. I never understood why neither went looking for the other sooner. Matilda's delay was somewhat logical because she knew so little about Henri. Henri did not have that excuse. For heaven's sake, he's a prince with plenty of resources that would make finding her reasonably straightforward, but he couldn't be bothered. The method of their separation ticked me off, but was redeemed in the end. I liked Matilda and Henri's "aha" moments, and his big moment at the end was well done. 

 

Part of His Royal World - Nina Singh (HR #4887 - Feb 2024)

Series: If the Fairy Tale Fits (Book 1)
 
A CONNECTION AS DEEP AS THE OCEAN…
 
When aspiring singer Arielle rescues a gorgeous man from a boat crash, she doesn't expect her life to be turned upside down -- because the man she's saved is Prince Eriko! In gratitude, she's whisked away to the palace, where their instantaneous chemistry soon becomes irresistible… But with Riko duty-bound to marry another royal, can Arielle ever truly be part of the prince's world?
 
Good book. I loved the tie-in to "The Little Mermaid," right down to their names and the title. It was a sweet story that kept me hooked from start to finish.
 
Arielle is an aspiring singer who left her overachieving family in Chicago to pursue her dream. Unfortunately, the band split up in Spain, leaving her stranded and jobless. She found a job at a local resort entertaining visiting children. As the story opens, the red-headed Arielle is dressed as a mermaid while reading to the children. When a storm pops up, she sees a man clinging to a float ring in the surf and rushes to his aid.
 
Prince Erikol is the heir to the throne of his small kingdom. He is under much pressure to marry, and his parents are pushing one particular princess at him. In a desperate attempt to escape for a while, he takes his sailboat out for a spin and some peace. When the sunny day suddenly turns stormy, Riko finds himself tossed overboard and in danger of drowning. He doesn't expect to be rescued by a beautiful mermaid.
 
I loved watching Arielle's rescue of Riko. She is determined to save him and refuses to give up. Losing her job over it put her in the tough situation of possibly having to return home with her dream unfulfilled. I enjoyed seeing Riko show up to thank her for saving his life - her reaction was priceless. Riko was bemused by his desire to help her, and I liked how he found her a job as a nanny to his niece and nephew.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Riko and Arielle develop. The connection between them was instantaneous, making them comfortable with each other despite their differences. I liked how Riko behaved uncharacteristically by finding excuses to be with her. Arielle enjoys her time with Riko but tries to protect her heart, knowing they have no future. Matters become complicated when the princess arrives for a visit, and the pressure on Riko resumes. I ached for Riko, who, torn between duty to family and country and his love for Arielle, felt powerless to pursue his heart's desire, and for Arielle, who had already lost her heart to him.
 
I cheered for Arielle when she had the opportunity to make her dream come true, but I also ached for her as it took her away from Riko. I loved seeing Riko get timely advice from his twin brother, Manny, and its effect on him. I liked the solution Riko found to his issues with his parents. I loved the sweet and emotional reunion between Riko and Arielle. The epilogue was terrific, and I liked seeing where they stood two years later. I especially enjoyed the twist involving Arielle's music.
 
The secondary characters were great. My favorites were Riko's brother, Manny, and his family. I liked Manny's close relationship with Riko. Manny's wife was sweet, and I liked how quickly she became friends with Arielle while the two children were adorable. Riko's parents had their good and bad moments, but they turned out to be okay. Arielle's sisters were supportive. I especially enjoyed Maysie's reaction to Riko's arrival at the end. However, I really wanted to see Arielle's judgmental father's response to his daughter's future.

Claiming His Convenient Princess - Susan Meier (HR #4867 - Sept 2023)

Series: Scandal at the Palace (Book 3)
 
Could their arranged marriage…
be the perfect match?
 
When Prince Liam meets Demi Viglianco, his bride-to-be, she admits she'd rather not marry anyone! But their wedding is the only way to protect Demi from her father's schemes. After his ex left him heartbroken, Liam desires a completely convenient union. But as he helps Demi feel at home in his kingdom, their mutual arrangement is challenged by their sizzling attraction. Now Liam wants his princess-on-paper for real!
 
Good conclusion to the series. I've been looking forward to Liam's story. As the heir to the throne, Liam has a lot of responsibility and needs someone to share the load. He thought he had found someone, only to have her break things off and disappear from his life. Though he knows he needs to marry, Laim is no longer interested in finding a love match. He's content to accept an arranged match with a suitable woman picked out by his father.
 
Demi was also burned by love when the man she loved took her father's payoff rather than fight for her. She also has a poor example in her parents' marriage. She is not interested in marrying anyone, preferring to devote her time to charity work. She turns Liam down flat until he discovers her father has a backup match planned for her. Suddenly, Liam is the lesser of two evils!
 
I liked the honesty between Liam and Demi when they discussed the proposed match at their first meeting. Liam wasn't going to force anything, and they parted amicably. But an unexpected protectiveness was aroused when he discovered the alternative planned for her. I liked seeing him go to her and explain what he had found. The scene at the food bank gave Demi a different look at who he is and made it a little easier to choose him. Both are adamant that their match will be one of convenience and friendship and that love will never come into the picture.
 
I like how Liam swept Demi off to his island home. He's determined to make her feel comfortable in her new home. I loved the variety of activities that Liam used to introduce her to life on Prosperita, from casual dinners to royal appearances. Having grown up in a royal household, Demi adjusts well to those duties. But neither expects the sparks of attraction that flare between them complicating their emotionless pact. It was interesting to see how each deals with that problem. Liam focuses on their passion, believing it will suffice as the basis for their marriage and fighting against his growing feelings. Meanwhile, Demi attempts to keep an emotional distance between herself and Liam, afraid of ending up like her mother. But no matter how hard she tries, she falls for the man who swears he will never love again.
 
Liam and Demi have much to think about as the wedding rapidly approaches. I ached for both when the breaking point came. I loved how his brother Axel provided a much-needed wake-up call for Liam, opening his eyes to the truth. All he has to do is convince Demi. I liked the ending and seeing two people who were so right for each other finally admit their feelings in a very emotional scene.
 
The epilogue provided an update on the whole family two years later. I laughed out loud at Liam and Demi's surprise for King Jozef.