Fairy tales do come true-and so do tabloid scandals! Bestselling author Marquita Valentine kicks off a juicy contemporary romance series with a novel about a prince whose best-laid plans go deliciously awry when he marries the maid next door.
Forced to flee to the United States with his siblings after their parents' assassination, Crown Prince Colin Sinclair takes it upon himself to become the caretaker of his family while hiding out near Charlotte, North Carolina. But after a decade in hiding, the secret's out and Parliament demands that Colin wed a princess of their choosing. Unwilling to play their game, Colin decides to marry an American instead, and he has the perfect candidate in mind.
As a home-service professional, Della Hughes doesn't believe in storybook endings. But when her best friend and secret crush reveals that he's a flesh-and-blood prince, she doesn't know what to think. Still, she'll do anything for Colin, including becoming his wife-in name only, of course. But when their plans to stay purely platonic go by the wayside, their fake honeymoon turns all too real. After a week of white-hot nights, Della can no longer deny her feelings-not with a happily ever after so tantalizingly close.
Very entertaining!
Royal Scandal is the first book by Marquita Valentine that I read - and the first book in the Royals in Exile series. I love a good twist on a fairy tale, they can be so much fun!
In the second chapter we learn they were already in love - there's a 10 year jump from the first chapter. They just didn't have an excuse to do the deed yet. I didn't feel like there was a romance building, but the consolidation of a romantic relationship. I wish I could've seen the moment they realize they were falling in love with each other.
Colin was the perfect gentleman, kind and honorable. It's difficult not to fall in love with him. The chemistry between Colin and Della were off the charts! I was impressed by how hot the sex scenes were, and how both were dirty talkers!
The author kept an air of mystery, and while the conflict was very obvious from the start, she had a few surprises about what happened to their parents. All the characters were charming, and the lively bantering with each other was what made this family and this story special. I'm eagerly awaiting the Sinclair siblings' HEA, especially Theo's.
I voluntarily reviewed an eARC.