Reviews

Tempting the Prince by Christi Barth

readwithanna's review against another edition

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

This book started out very strong, but that tension did fade as the plot went along. 
I liked Mallory and Christian's chemistry and their banter. They seem like they are friends. 
But I didn't like how quickly they fell in love. It happens within a month. I know I'm a cynic, but I don't believe it. 

There's also something like a subplot about Mallory being barren. They even use that word. She keeps bringing up that she can't have kids (because of being shot in a pervious instalment) but there's never any reason for why she's bringing it up except to bring it up so that later when she and Christian start dating we realise that they can't be together because the future queen has to be able to procreate. 
The way I see it there are three options: 
1. Mallory never thought about having kids and now faced with being unable to do something she hadn't given that much thought it making her feel strange. 
2. Mallory always wanted kids and the fact that she can't now, biologically, is painful and she doesn't know how to handle that pain. 
3. Mallory never wanted kids and there are no hard feelings over the fact that she can't, biologically. 
The book doesn't do either. It tries to do the second but, in my opinion, it fails. I don't know why Mallory cares about her reproductive status. The book only makes it abundantly clear that she has to if she wants to be with Christian. It's even introduced that Mallory's doctor told a politician about her "situation" because he thought it was in the best interest of the country that Christian knew about it. We never see the doctor being reprimanded or, better yet, fired and have his medical licence removed and thrown into prison. 

ALSO: this isn't ye oldendays. The country will be unstable without a a biological heir? You've lost me, book. 

theeuphoriczat's review against another edition

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3.0

Thanks to #Netgalley for making this book available to me.
I am so sad that I didn't read all the books in the series (although this is just a companion novel, I can't wait to read the first two books)
Here we follow the crown prince or really the king, as he has been acting the part of the King since his father decided to lock himself in his room and live him seclusion (we get to know that his father his depressed but I can really comprehend why because I didn't read the first two books, but other than that the story is perfection). Christian is just the perfect prince and he is insanely attracted to Mallory is sister's sister, Mallory. Okay might be strange but you have to read it to get the full gist.
Mallory is also attracted to Christian and one drunk night at a bar results in them doing the devil's tango the bathroom. Their relationship continues to build but she is dealing with something that would definitely not allow her to become his queen
I enjoyed it but there was no real peak in this book.

bookcaseandcoffee's review against another edition

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4.0

Christi Barth's Royals series continues with Mallory and Christian's story.

This is the only book of the series that I have read. It was very easy to pick up and not have read the previous stories.
Mallory- adoptive sister and best friend to newly returned Princess of Moncriano, Kelsey. Mallory has put her life on hold in the States in order to help Kelsey with her transition to royal life. Mallory has not had an easy time being in Moncriano. She is happy for her sister but isn’t sure she belongs in the palace and apart of the royal world.
Christian- Kelsey biological brother. Crowned Prince of Moncriano. He is covering his father’s duties as his father has had a hard time processing the return of Kelsey and the attempt on her life. Christian begrudgingly takes on these duties however he is not complete settled in his role as heir.

Tempting the Prince is a very typical Royal/Commoner theme to it. However there was a great issue that was keeping them apart. I love a good commoner and royalty story. This is a very well written and well done example of this trope. Christian and Mallory have a chemistry together. There wasn’t as much angst as I would have liked. I wish Mallory had fought back a little more with Christians plan to date for four weeks. She put a lot on the line with heart to take his tempting offer. Time and storyline movement at times felt rushed. But overall this was a really good read. It was a 4/5 read for me. If you like a royal/commoner trope you should give this one a try.

pavi_fictionalworm's review against another edition

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3.0


Disclaimer: An eARC was provided via the Publisher and The Author in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.

A hilarious rom - com about a common all - American woman faking for the Crown Prince of a small European country! And yes it does give me all Prince William and Kate Middleton vibes

theeuphoriczat's review against another edition

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3.0

Thanks to #Netgalley for making this book available to me.
I am so sad that I didn't read all the books in the series (although this is just a companion novel, I can't wait to read the first two books)
Here we follow the crown prince or really the king, as he has been acting the part of the King since his father decided to lock himself in his room and live him seclusion (we get to know that his father his depressed but I can really comprehend why because I didn't read the first two books, but other than that the story is perfection). Christian is just the perfect prince and he is insanely attracted to Mallory is sister's sister, Mallory. Okay might be strange but you have to read it to get the full gist.
Mallory is also attracted to Christian and one drunk night at a bar results in them doing the devil's tango the bathroom. Their relationship continues to build but she is dealing with something that would definitely not allow her to become his queen
I enjoyed it but there was no real peak in this book.

nbiblioholic's review against another edition

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4.0

Ever read a book that you know would make an amazing movie? TEMPTING THE PRINCE was a hilarious romcom I couldn't put down!

Our heroine, Mallory, was like a fish out of water. After finding out her sister isn't really her sister but in fact the missing princess of Moncriano, she drops everything to support her sister in her new home. She didn't intend to be shot by an assassin, but these things happen. Unfortunately, that bullet changed her life in more ways than one. Her life in America was basically a wash so she's trying to find her way in her new home. As her sister's lady-in-waiting, she's exploring ways to find her niche and Christian's arms isn't such a bad place to land.

Our hero, Christian, was the crown prince of Moncriano. He loved his country, his people, and his family. A bit of a playboy, he's had to buckle down and step in as acting king because his father is holed up in his room. When his sister's 'sister' becomes the one person he can turn to for comfort, the person he leans on the most, he thinks he's willing to buck the oldest traditions to fulfill his heart's desire. But will Mallory, his family, or his people let him?

"Mallory. You enchant me. You soothe me. You delight me. You make me feel like a man, and not a figurehead. You're fun. I don't say that to pressure you. But know that I will take everything you're willing to give me."


I enjoyed this story so much! From the main characters, the side characters, the drama, the banter, the fun, and everything in between, this story was an amazing introduction to this author's writing and an entertaining read. With tons of laughs and plenty of heart, TEMPTING THE PRINCE is an easy book recommendation to make!

cakt1991's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Tempting the Prince is my first book by Christi Barth, and it definitely won’t be my last. While it doesn’t work as well as a stand-alone as the typical romance, as I felt I was missing some context from the first book about some of the backstory, the character relationships as they pertain to this story are filled in well enough, and I do hope to go back at some point to get the fuller picture of what I missed.

The characters are incredibly charming. I liked the juxtaposition of Mallory and her adoptive sister, Kelsey, experiencing royal life for the first time, along with Mallory’s burgeoning romance with Kelsey’s “blood” brother, Prince Christian. Given the relationships they each share with Kelsey, I kind of wanted the weirdness of it all to be explored, instead of the focus being on how he needed a “proper” wife and she wasn’t seen as good enough. It’s touched on, but I feel like it was brushed aside a bit too quickly.

This is a lighthearted, humorous book, and I appreciate that, while it is a little predictable, it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you love modern (fictional) royal romance, then I think you’ll adore this book.

thebookwytch's review against another edition

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3.0

I love a royal romance. Lemme say again for the people in the back, I LOVE A ROYAL ROMANCE. So it’s no wonder that I’ve read Christi Barth’s Sexy Misadventures of Royals series.

The series is set in the country of Moncriano introduced in the first book of the series, The Princess Problem where the long lost princess is discovered to be Kelsey Wishner, an average girl from Michigan. The vibe is very Princess Diaries ala normal girl becomes a princess.

This book, the third installment, focuses on Crown Prince Christian and surprise (just kidding we all saw it coming) Mallory Wishner, Kelsey’s “sister”. Christian and Mallory are separated by the classic cannot-marry-a-commoner dilemma with a dash of a have-to-marry-by-30 conundrum.

Similar to the other books in the series, Tempting the Prince is almost good. The plot and the characters have everything going for them but the reading experiences falls short on the execution. The dialogue is cringy at times as if the characters are trying too hard to sound like they’re in their 20s. Overall this book is a quick read filled with palaces and balls, hits the points you want in a royal romance, and nicely ends the series.

ARC provided by NetGalley. Thank you!

lk93's review against another edition

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4.0

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun and light-hearted read, perfect for any fans of royalty. It wasn't afraid to poke fun at itself and at the usual tropes seen in similar novels. I found this book to be a great pick me up and a welcome distractions from the stresses of the modern world.
The characters are amusing with good heart, allowing the reader to join the world of the book, feeling amongst friends. I had not read the previous books in the trilogy and this book did contain some spoilers from the previous books, however, it contained its own stand alone story. I liked the connections between past MC's and this book and I would enjoy reading the previous stories in the series.
I really liked Mallory and Christian as characters in their own right as well as a couple. This book has plenty of steamy moments alongside sweet ones and a fair share of funny moments.
I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of royal romances or just anyone looking for a sweet romance pick me up. Happy reading!

lauramags's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a fun read. Christi Barth's writing is accessible and I mean that as a compliment. This book is easily digestible and also captivating. There are a lot of things I really enjoyed about this book. The characters were well developed and whilst I hadn't read the other books in the series I felt like I knew enough about them to understand their motivations and quirks. As the series is supposed to work as standalones I think the author really nailed with providing enough information for me to be informed without boring a reader who had read the other books. The commitment phobe side of me did find myself shouting "you've only been together a month" a few times but to be cliche you know when you know. As for why I didn't score this book higher I don't know if I can give definitive answer there was just a little something missing for me and I can't pin point what it is.

I was given a NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review.