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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Sequel novel following the stories of Pet and Mattias. The storyline is predictably cute with enough laughs and fun to keep you intrigued.
In Codename Charming, Lucy Parker pens another unputdownable witty and deeply romantic modern fairy tale.
Battle Royal (Palace Insiders #1), introduced Pet DeVere just as she disrupted her long estranged brother’s life. Though Pet was a secondary character, she proved an integral part of her brother’s emotional journey from closed off ice prince to the man ready to fall hopelessly in love and form emotional attachments again.
There were clues throughout that first series installment that Pet was a complex woman, not just a quirky little sister nipping at her famous brother’s heels. In Codename Charming, Pet has almost come into her own career-wise, but still is missing a partner who sees the heart of her and adores her for it.
Enter Matthius Vaughn.
Matthius is a bodyguard to the royal adorable mess Johnny. Pet is Johnny’s Personal Assistant and works closely with his protection detail…often to disastrous ends. The grumpy sunshine vibe is strong at the start, but it becomes clear quickly that Matthius is not a cranky cardboard cutout meathead. Under his suits, muscles, inexorable vibe, and scars he is a gentle giant with huge feelings. He just has no idea what to do with those feelings or knows a safe place to let them out.
Where many stories like these take a darker turn and the hero is cruel or dismissive toward the heroine, punishing her for his hangups, Matthius works hard to open himself up to Pet. In turn, Pet sees very quickly that she cannot let her abandonment issues rule the day. She returns Matthius’ kindness and fumbled attempts at connection with more of the same.
In a scene in Battle Royal, Matthius gave a little clue to his inner world in the form of a gift to Pet. When that talisman returns in Codename Charming it turns what could have been a very basic scene into something truly moving. The “beast” of a man on the outside is a beautiful soul inside.
Also, it doesn’t hurt that these two characters are so hot for each other it practically melts the page. Perhaps the most romantic part of their connection isn’t the physical scenes though. When Pet refuses to let anyone speak poorly about Matthius she demonstrates that their love goes far beyond the external and their happily ever after is soul deep.
Codename Charming has plenty of humor and swoon worthy scenes for readers of Tessa Bailey, Christina Lauren, and Kate Clayborn
_________________
Tropes: Grumpy Sunshine, Celebrity Romance, Fake Relationship, Royal Romance (adjacent), Modern Fairy Tale, Brits in Love
Spice Level: 2/5, open door
__________
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date Aug 15th, 2023.
Battle Royal (Palace Insiders #1), introduced Pet DeVere just as she disrupted her long estranged brother’s life. Though Pet was a secondary character, she proved an integral part of her brother’s emotional journey from closed off ice prince to the man ready to fall hopelessly in love and form emotional attachments again.
There were clues throughout that first series installment that Pet was a complex woman, not just a quirky little sister nipping at her famous brother’s heels. In Codename Charming, Pet has almost come into her own career-wise, but still is missing a partner who sees the heart of her and adores her for it.
Enter Matthius Vaughn.
Matthius is a bodyguard to the royal adorable mess Johnny. Pet is Johnny’s Personal Assistant and works closely with his protection detail…often to disastrous ends. The grumpy sunshine vibe is strong at the start, but it becomes clear quickly that Matthius is not a cranky cardboard cutout meathead. Under his suits, muscles, inexorable vibe, and scars he is a gentle giant with huge feelings. He just has no idea what to do with those feelings or knows a safe place to let them out.
Where many stories like these take a darker turn and the hero is cruel or dismissive toward the heroine, punishing her for his hangups, Matthius works hard to open himself up to Pet. In turn, Pet sees very quickly that she cannot let her abandonment issues rule the day. She returns Matthius’ kindness and fumbled attempts at connection with more of the same.
In a scene in Battle Royal, Matthius gave a little clue to his inner world in the form of a gift to Pet. When that talisman returns in Codename Charming it turns what could have been a very basic scene into something truly moving. The “beast” of a man on the outside is a beautiful soul inside.
Also, it doesn’t hurt that these two characters are so hot for each other it practically melts the page. Perhaps the most romantic part of their connection isn’t the physical scenes though. When Pet refuses to let anyone speak poorly about Matthius she demonstrates that their love goes far beyond the external and their happily ever after is soul deep.
Codename Charming has plenty of humor and swoon worthy scenes for readers of Tessa Bailey, Christina Lauren, and Kate Clayborn
_________________
Tropes: Grumpy Sunshine, Celebrity Romance, Fake Relationship, Royal Romance (adjacent), Modern Fairy Tale, Brits in Love
Spice Level: 2/5, open door
__________
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date Aug 15th, 2023.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Highly enjoyable. I really enjoyed the setting, it was fun to have a romance set in a royal setting where is wasn't the royals love story. I liked the underlying theme of found family.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.75/5☆
pet and matthias >>> omg they were so so cute and i loved their buildup so much and the way they both grew protective of each other in their own ways (the wands scene was one of my favs actually). their fake dating was top tier bc it was so fun how basically everyone besides them knew they weren’t faking a thing the whole time. and loved that their angst was similar but different and also loved all the other characters, johnny and rosie are >>
pet and matthias >>> omg they were so so cute and i loved their buildup so much and the way they both grew protective of each other in their own ways (the wands scene was one of my favs actually). their fake dating was top tier bc it was so fun how basically everyone besides them knew they weren’t faking a thing the whole time. and loved that their angst was similar but different and also loved all the other characters, johnny and rosie are >>