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bitchie's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this one! Yes, I got a bit bogged down in the minutae of "coming out", in the first half of the story, but it really picked up for me in the second half.
I will say though, that the moments that touched me the most were those with the princess, Indigo, poor, broken thing.
But I did come to really love Ben, much as I found him cold in the first book, and, once they really got it together, I thought he and James went together quite beautifully. It helped that we saw them interacting outside of sexy times in this book!
I will say though, that the moments that touched me the most were those with the princess, Indigo, poor, broken thing.
But I did come to really love Ben, much as I found him cold in the first book, and, once they really got it together, I thought he and James went together quite beautifully. It helped that we saw them interacting outside of sexy times in this book!
caseroo7's review
4.0
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
His Royal Favorite is the second book in the His Royal Secret series by Lilah Pace. This book is not a standalone, and picks up after the events of His Royal Secret. If you haven't read that book yet, you will want to start there before proceeding. His Royal Secret ended with a HFN ending, though there was a cliffhanger. I was really looking forward to getting more of James and Ben and couldn't wait to see how things would play out for these two.
James, the Prince of Wales, has decided to let the world know about his relationship with Ben and come clean about being gay. Though Ben and James are in love and ready for the future, James and Ben both worry about how that will change both of their lives. But after the world finds out, things begin to implode as Ben's past is put on spotlight and James' sister's health begins to decline. Can Ben and James prove that love conquers all, or will there be too many things standing in their way despite the love they have found in each other?
I was so happy to see that James was going to come out and that Ben was there to stand beside him. Their love felt strong in the first book and yet neither of them had ever expected to be with each other in the long run. I knew they would have many difficulties ahead of them, and that was definitely true here. Part of that was both of them struggling with their new circumstances, with Ben's whole life altered drastically. I felt for him and all that he was going through, but I will admit that it was frustrating at times to see both of them questioning each other and their future. While their connection and chemistry were still very real, it felt like something was missing and that these two were going through the motions at times. I wanted to see them on solid ground and finding their footing together, but their relationship just felt off kilter through much of this book.
I also felt like this book suffered a bit like the first one did in that the pacing was a bit slow and had a tendency to drag at times. I think that again we got more of the mundane details than were needed, and after reading this book I really feel that this one would have been better off as a single novel rather than a duet. The overall story was good and I liked the characters, but I do think that this could have been a lot shorter and condensed for a much more solid story. I still think that these books are worth the read, especially if you are a fan of contemporary M/M romance. This series didn't have quite the same spark that Lilah's first series did though, so while I enjoyed it I didn't love it. James and Ben were great together though, and I was happy about how things turned out here.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
His Royal Favorite is the second book in the His Royal Secret series by Lilah Pace. This book is not a standalone, and picks up after the events of His Royal Secret. If you haven't read that book yet, you will want to start there before proceeding. His Royal Secret ended with a HFN ending, though there was a cliffhanger. I was really looking forward to getting more of James and Ben and couldn't wait to see how things would play out for these two.
James, the Prince of Wales, has decided to let the world know about his relationship with Ben and come clean about being gay. Though Ben and James are in love and ready for the future, James and Ben both worry about how that will change both of their lives. But after the world finds out, things begin to implode as Ben's past is put on spotlight and James' sister's health begins to decline. Can Ben and James prove that love conquers all, or will there be too many things standing in their way despite the love they have found in each other?
I was so happy to see that James was going to come out and that Ben was there to stand beside him. Their love felt strong in the first book and yet neither of them had ever expected to be with each other in the long run. I knew they would have many difficulties ahead of them, and that was definitely true here. Part of that was both of them struggling with their new circumstances, with Ben's whole life altered drastically. I felt for him and all that he was going through, but I will admit that it was frustrating at times to see both of them questioning each other and their future. While their connection and chemistry were still very real, it felt like something was missing and that these two were going through the motions at times. I wanted to see them on solid ground and finding their footing together, but their relationship just felt off kilter through much of this book.
I also felt like this book suffered a bit like the first one did in that the pacing was a bit slow and had a tendency to drag at times. I think that again we got more of the mundane details than were needed, and after reading this book I really feel that this one would have been better off as a single novel rather than a duet. The overall story was good and I liked the characters, but I do think that this could have been a lot shorter and condensed for a much more solid story. I still think that these books are worth the read, especially if you are a fan of contemporary M/M romance. This series didn't have quite the same spark that Lilah's first series did though, so while I enjoyed it I didn't love it. James and Ben were great together though, and I was happy about how things turned out here.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
ocinovel's review
4.0
Premise: Continuation of the first book where the prince falls for a reporter. This book is the aftermath of the prince coming out as gay and telling everyone the reporter is his lover. The focus is on the real life implications of this reveal, both for the prince and for the reporter.
What I liked about it:
+ How supportive the prince was in all this; how he’s not willing to give up on their relationship but also ready to let go if the reporter is extremely unhappy.
+ How much the reporter tries to make himself a part of the prince’s life and how much he’s willing to compromise in order to have their happy ending.
+ How realistic the aftermath of the reveal is and how the author shows us how the media and the public would react to a reveal like this.
+ How supportive the leads are of the young princess with the mental problem. I also like how she also got her happy ending with her Prince Charming.
+ How willing the reporter is to fight for this happy ending even when it felt like the whole world was against them.
+ How supportive the parents were of this relationship (comparatively).
+ How real their love is (instead of making everything a fairytale).
What I didn’t like about it:
- The writing and pacing sometimes feel a little off.
Conclusion: A very nice follow-up to the first book that’s definitely worth a read.
What I liked about it:
+ How supportive the prince was in all this; how he’s not willing to give up on their relationship but also ready to let go if the reporter is extremely unhappy.
+ How much the reporter tries to make himself a part of the prince’s life and how much he’s willing to compromise in order to have their happy ending.
+ How realistic the aftermath of the reveal is and how the author shows us how the media and the public would react to a reveal like this.
+ How supportive the leads are of the young princess with the mental problem. I also like how she also got her happy ending with her Prince Charming.
+ How willing the reporter is to fight for this happy ending even when it felt like the whole world was against them.
+ How supportive the parents were of this relationship (comparatively).
+ How real their love is (instead of making everything a fairytale).
What I didn’t like about it:
- The writing and pacing sometimes feel a little off.
Conclusion: A very nice follow-up to the first book that’s definitely worth a read.
cornfieldchase's review
4.0
3.5⭐️
Skipped the smut
Stayed for the PR stuff
Came for a conclusion to book 1 and it delivered
Skipped the smut
Stayed for the PR stuff
Came for a conclusion to book 1 and it delivered
oliviak_31's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
robazizo's review
4.0
A very different book than the first one. I really liked the seriousness of the consequences of royal life (both for James and Ben and for Indigo) and the honesty between the two men. They really went through their struggles together, without any of the dreaded miscommunication so often seen in romance novels. Ben's choice in the end felt solid and the process leading up to it made me have faith in their enduring relationship. I loved the snapshots of their lives in the epilogue.
hamalee's review
2.0
Ben is a petulant brat.
These definitely could have been edited down to one book.
These definitely could have been edited down to one book.
brittaniethekid's review
3.0
This was a bit disappointing after I liked the first one so much. This book focuses, in my opinion, way too much on Princess Amelia/Indigo's problems. On top of that, James and Ben hardly spend quality time with each other the entire novel which is really the whole reason I'm reading in the first place so it seemed pointless. To add to that frustration, they go back and forth on how they feel about their lives and relationship so many times they should probably just commit themselves along with Indigo.
I still really like both James and Ben even with their problems so that kept me reading. People interested in royalty politics might be even more engaged since the book spends more time on that than the last book.
Overall, this reads like a second book in a trilogy rather than the conclusion to a duology - which is problem when there's nowhere to go from here. It's worth it to read if you've already read the first one but it really left me disenchanted with the story as a whole.
I still really like both James and Ben even with their problems so that kept me reading. People interested in royalty politics might be even more engaged since the book spends more time on that than the last book.
Overall, this reads like a second book in a trilogy rather than the conclusion to a duology - which is problem when there's nowhere to go from here. It's worth it to read if you've already read the first one but it really left me disenchanted with the story as a whole.
sarful's review
5.0
4.5 A lot more angst as they navigate their future together, finding out if they have a future. I loved it.
orangeandmilk's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content