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tatyanavogt's review against another edition
4.0
So I am going to be honest, in the beginning and a few times throughout I was pretty sure this wasn't going to get a five stars from me but a few things were too big of a deal, in terms of good, for me to ignore. Once we got into things I really enjoyed the book and I simply loved how everything played out. It was a really good read that I would highly suggest.
Now I feel like I must warn you that there are many steamy moments in this book so keep that in mind if you're looking for a light romance vs a steamy one. This book has a nice balance of everything, but admittedly a good deal of steamy moments. lol
I should also mention that I listened to the audio book so that may have an effect on my positive review. I enjoyed the narrator for the main female character and was a little thrown off by her voice for the lead male although I got over it and enjoyed the book anyway.
Here are some of the main themes that made this a five star book for me:
1. The main female character is amazing. I love everything about her, she is strong, she is tender, she is down to earth, she has fears and insecurities but she is honest and open and it was SOOOOO refreshing to see that in a romance novel.
2. There is a lot of honesty and openness in the book that was a breath of fresh air. Often romance novels rely on misunderstandings and the withholding of important information as the foundation of the plot, and that tactic can get really frustrating sometimes. Having a story that had a plot that didn't rely on that trope was so enjoyable.
3. I enjoyed the actual plot that the majority of the story focused on between their budding romance. I loved the second half of the book so much. Specifically what we learn of the younger brother.
On to spoilery thoughts and perhaps some of my gripes:
Okay, I will say that they had fairly public sex a few times that made me really nervous because I was actually invested in the story and the characters and knew the risk (at least with the opera house one) so I couldn't really enjoy the moment as much. Will probably be better on a second read in the future.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED that they were so open. It's true that it was mostly her but he was, a bit, as well. And that honesty was just wonderful, I think honesty is the backbone of a relationship so it can be annoying seeing characters be divided because they held some really important piece of information from each other that eventually gets in-between them. They both knew that the engagement was fake, they both were open about their feelings as they were developing (again mostly her). She told him about the game when she realized the misunderstanding even though she was embarrassed of it (although I wish she had mentioned that she wasn't as interested in playing it anymore when she saw that he was upset). Just a lot of great communication, enough to be healthy.
I thought the dating sims and memes were a fun touch although not something I personally can relate much to, it was a nice modern spin on the story. And I LOVED the scene with her putting on makeup and giving the prince some so they could put some on too and the acceptance and love that came from that scene.
I think most of my issues were with the lead man, and the set up. There were just a lot of little things. Stuff that I'm not 100% sure of but that did give me pause. I enjoyed his devotion, his honesty despite being afraid of it. I loved that he didn't assume the worse of her when all evidence pointed at her sabotaging the family. And I loved that he admitted when he was being unfair or mean.
I dont know, I just really enjoyed it. More than I thought I would when I started reading it..
Now I feel like I must warn you that there are many steamy moments in this book so keep that in mind if you're looking for a light romance vs a steamy one. This book has a nice balance of everything, but admittedly a good deal of steamy moments. lol
I should also mention that I listened to the audio book so that may have an effect on my positive review. I enjoyed the narrator for the main female character and was a little thrown off by her voice for the lead male although I got over it and enjoyed the book anyway.
Here are some of the main themes that made this a five star book for me:
1. The main female character is amazing. I love everything about her, she is strong, she is tender, she is down to earth, she has fears and insecurities but she is honest and open and it was SOOOOO refreshing to see that in a romance novel.
2. There is a lot of honesty and openness in the book that was a breath of fresh air. Often romance novels rely on misunderstandings and the withholding of important information as the foundation of the plot, and that tactic can get really frustrating sometimes. Having a story that had a plot that didn't rely on that trope was so enjoyable.
3. I enjoyed the actual plot that the majority of the story focused on between their budding romance. I loved the second half of the book so much. Specifically what we learn of the younger brother.
Spoiler
Its really nice to see a non-binary character in a story and to have acceptance and love be a big part of their "coming out". Romances are often supposed to be feel good books and I want a world that is more accepting so seeing that in a book that acknowledges the fact that not everyone is okay with it but that the people who matter are is nice..On to spoilery thoughts and perhaps some of my gripes:
Spoiler
Okay, I will say that they had fairly public sex a few times that made me really nervous because I was actually invested in the story and the characters and knew the risk (at least with the opera house one) so I couldn't really enjoy the moment as much. Will probably be better on a second read in the future.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED that they were so open. It's true that it was mostly her but he was, a bit, as well. And that honesty was just wonderful, I think honesty is the backbone of a relationship so it can be annoying seeing characters be divided because they held some really important piece of information from each other that eventually gets in-between them. They both knew that the engagement was fake, they both were open about their feelings as they were developing (again mostly her). She told him about the game when she realized the misunderstanding even though she was embarrassed of it (although I wish she had mentioned that she wasn't as interested in playing it anymore when she saw that he was upset). Just a lot of great communication, enough to be healthy.
I thought the dating sims and memes were a fun touch although not something I personally can relate much to, it was a nice modern spin on the story. And I LOVED the scene with her putting on makeup and giving the prince some so they could put some on too and the acceptance and love that came from that scene.
I think most of my issues were with the lead man, and the set up. There were just a lot of little things. Stuff that I'm not 100% sure of but that did give me pause. I enjoyed his devotion, his honesty despite being afraid of it. I loved that he didn't assume the worse of her when all evidence pointed at her sabotaging the family. And I loved that he admitted when he was being unfair or mean.
I dont know, I just really enjoyed it. More than I thought I would when I started reading it..
mkoehn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this one! It's my favorite in the main series so far, but that probably has nothing at all to do with the fact that both I and the main character both play dating sims.
ell_jay_em7's review against another edition
5.0
Damn I loved this book.
At first I was worried I wouldn't be as into it as I was into Cole's other books, but I was DEAD WRONG. I was SUPER into it. This book has a lot going for it. The chemistry between the leads is delicious. They are both very interesting people with compelling issues. They've both experienced trauma and work together to recover in a very sweet way. Nya is inexperienced sexually, and Cole wrote some sex scenes that I haven't seen often in romance: ones where the characters take it slow and learn about each other's likes and dislikes. There is queerness (YEAH!!!!). The plot is great. It's super romantic. I also loved that the customary "oh no it's all falling apart" section was less protracted than in many romance novels; it was shorter, softer, and more self-aware. And the book advocates therapy! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?!
At first I was worried I wouldn't be as into it as I was into Cole's other books, but I was DEAD WRONG. I was SUPER into it. This book has a lot going for it. The chemistry between the leads is delicious. They are both very interesting people with compelling issues. They've both experienced trauma and work together to recover in a very sweet way. Nya is inexperienced sexually, and Cole wrote some sex scenes that I haven't seen often in romance: ones where the characters take it slow and learn about each other's likes and dislikes. There is queerness (YEAH!!!!). The plot is great. It's super romantic. I also loved that the customary "oh no it's all falling apart" section was less protracted than in many romance novels; it was shorter, softer, and more self-aware. And the book advocates therapy! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?!
heyitsife's review against another edition
5.0
Rating: 5
First thing, I think readers will enjoy the book more if it’s experienced through the audiobook, especially with the use of a language that is part German part French. That can be a little bit complicated if they’re just reading that instead of hearing it. It would force the reader to be more focused on the pronunciation of the words than just experiencing the story.
The beginning was a little slow for me. I kept starting and stopping for the first third of the book. But when it started to ramp up, the romance aspect of the novel, I really enjoyed it. I loved how the main character was African and the voice actor had an African accent. The way Nya’s character was represented I think truly impacted the way I experienced the book. I think often times with romance novels I feel kind of a anxious waiting for the other shoe to drop or for something incredibly pointless to destroy the relationship. I feel like with this novel that anxiety isn’t as high. That comes down to the honesty of Nya’s character. She is honest with herself and with Johan which doesn’t force the reader to read about unnecessary conflict to push the plot.
The way Alyssa expressed Lukas‘s identity was so simple and I really enjoyed that. It was great to see the way their family fully accepted who they were as a person without the need to argue with them about it. Johan’s character has to be in my opinion the most annoying character throughout the novel because his need to protect himself stunted the growth of his relationship with Nya and ultimately caused the largest conflict in their relationship. It was a noticeable contrast between the way Nya was willing to be vulnerable but Johan wasn’t. I don’t think it was a bad thing because the contrast was necessary and realistic. If he wasn’t that way the book would’ve ended in five chapters.
The incorporation of the folktale at the end was the icing on the cake. Only at the end does the reader really understand her nickname for him, Phokojoe, and what it’s meant for her to have been calling him that since the beginning of the story.
I really love the book. I was able to really resonate with the female protagonist and her background. The more and more I think about all the different things that this book has the more I realize how much I loved it. There was just so much to the book, the father-son relationship between Johan and his stepfather, the relationship between Lukas and Johan, the relationship between Nya and her father and her realizing her independence and power away from him. The one thing I will say that was annoying was the fact that Johan gave Nya the benefit of the doubt for so many things except the one thing that caused conflict in the relationship. I thought that was unfair to her especially with the way she was so honest with him about her feelings and what she wanted from him when he wasn’t willing to do the same for her. Overall, I think this book had everything and more, and did a good job in having all these different facets to the novel.
First thing, I think readers will enjoy the book more if it’s experienced through the audiobook, especially with the use of a language that is part German part French. That can be a little bit complicated if they’re just reading that instead of hearing it. It would force the reader to be more focused on the pronunciation of the words than just experiencing the story.
The beginning was a little slow for me. I kept starting and stopping for the first third of the book. But when it started to ramp up, the romance aspect of the novel, I really enjoyed it. I loved how the main character was African and the voice actor had an African accent. The way Nya’s character was represented I think truly impacted the way I experienced the book. I think often times with romance novels I feel kind of a anxious waiting for the other shoe to drop or for something incredibly pointless to destroy the relationship. I feel like with this novel that anxiety isn’t as high. That comes down to the honesty of Nya’s character. She is honest with herself and with Johan which doesn’t force the reader to read about unnecessary conflict to push the plot.
The way Alyssa expressed Lukas‘s identity was so simple and I really enjoyed that. It was great to see the way their family fully accepted who they were as a person without the need to argue with them about it. Johan’s character has to be in my opinion the most annoying character throughout the novel because his need to protect himself stunted the growth of his relationship with Nya and ultimately caused the largest conflict in their relationship. It was a noticeable contrast between the way Nya was willing to be vulnerable but Johan wasn’t. I don’t think it was a bad thing because the contrast was necessary and realistic. If he wasn’t that way the book would’ve ended in five chapters.
The incorporation of the folktale at the end was the icing on the cake. Only at the end does the reader really understand her nickname for him, Phokojoe, and what it’s meant for her to have been calling him that since the beginning of the story.
I really love the book. I was able to really resonate with the female protagonist and her background. The more and more I think about all the different things that this book has the more I realize how much I loved it. There was just so much to the book, the father-son relationship between Johan and his stepfather, the relationship between Lukas and Johan, the relationship between Nya and her father and her realizing her independence and power away from him. The one thing I will say that was annoying was the fact that Johan gave Nya the benefit of the doubt for so many things except the one thing that caused conflict in the relationship. I thought that was unfair to her especially with the way she was so honest with him about her feelings and what she wanted from him when he wasn’t willing to do the same for her. Overall, I think this book had everything and more, and did a good job in having all these different facets to the novel.
kirstyreadsblog's review against another edition
5.0
The final book in Cole’s Reluctant Royals series is an absolute flyer. I liked every novel I read from this series prior to this one, but none of them had that favourite feeling. This one did.
Content warnings: sex, abusive parents, mentions of death
Nya had to leave Thesolo after escaping from the clutches of her abusive father. She now lives in New York but she has to return to Thesolo for the wedding of her best friend. On the flight over she accidentally ends up in the same bed as playboy John who is the prince of a tiny European country. He is also one of Nya’s least favourite people. Johan’s family are in some political strife so Nya agrees to fake an engagement to him to help him have a better public image.
Yes, you read that right: FAKE ENGAGEMENT! Ugh it was so good. Nya and Johan were so fiery together, from the arguments to the romance portion.
Continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.com/2019/11/26/double-romance-review-talia-hibbert-alyssa-cole/
Content warnings: sex, abusive parents, mentions of death
Nya had to leave Thesolo after escaping from the clutches of her abusive father. She now lives in New York but she has to return to Thesolo for the wedding of her best friend. On the flight over she accidentally ends up in the same bed as playboy John who is the prince of a tiny European country. He is also one of Nya’s least favourite people. Johan’s family are in some political strife so Nya agrees to fake an engagement to him to help him have a better public image.
Yes, you read that right: FAKE ENGAGEMENT! Ugh it was so good. Nya and Johan were so fiery together, from the arguments to the romance portion.
Continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.com/2019/11/26/double-romance-review-talia-hibbert-alyssa-cole/
samgould's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
laura_cs's review against another edition
5.0
And they all lived happily ever after....
A wonderful, beautiful, emotional ending to a wonderful series! I loved Nya and Johan's story, just as much as I loved Ledi and Thasbio, Portia and Tav, Kotsi and Fab, and Reggie and Gustave! It's so sad to see the ending of this amazing series, but at the same time so happy to see all of these amazing characters get the happily ever afters they deserve is wonderful!
A wonderful, beautiful, emotional ending to a wonderful series! I loved Nya and Johan's story, just as much as I loved Ledi and Thasbio, Portia and Tav, Kotsi and Fab, and Reggie and Gustave! It's so sad to see the ending of this amazing series, but at the same time so happy to see all of these amazing characters get the happily ever afters they deserve is wonderful!
mylastromancenovel's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5
Reading Order: Interconnected standalones. You can read in any order, though previous characters do make appearances.
General Thoughts: I haven't read the accompanying novellas, but of the main books in the series, this one has been by far my favorite. Nya and Johan were great characters. I loved the depth she gave them, the struggles they had to work through, their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses, and I loved them together and separately.
Alyssa Cole is always a hilarious and entertaining writer who always has me laughing out loud. This one was no different. If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted read, this one is a great one. I also love the multicultural aspect of this one (and every book of hers I've read so far.)
I can't wait to read more by her.
Spice Meter: ❤️🔥❤️🔥 It was there.
Romantic Tropes
-fake engagement
-multicultural romance
-dual POV
-royal romance
You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.
Reading Order: Interconnected standalones. You can read in any order, though previous characters do make appearances.
General Thoughts: I haven't read the accompanying novellas, but of the main books in the series, this one has been by far my favorite. Nya and Johan were great characters. I loved the depth she gave them, the struggles they had to work through, their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses, and I loved them together and separately.
Alyssa Cole is always a hilarious and entertaining writer who always has me laughing out loud. This one was no different. If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted read, this one is a great one. I also love the multicultural aspect of this one (and every book of hers I've read so far.)
I can't wait to read more by her.
Spice Meter: ❤️🔥❤️🔥 It was there.
Romantic Tropes
-fake engagement
-multicultural romance
-dual POV
-royal romance
You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.
princesspaige's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5