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cloudsgirl27's review against another edition
2.0
I liked the first book enough to finish out the duology. But this one was painful to get through. I was skipping parts left and right. I didn’t like how Josh spoke to Adeline at times. Yes, you’re American but no respect for the Queen at all irked me. I saw the plot twist (why and how Adeline breaks it off with Josh after seeing him in bed with another woman) a mile away. I said to myself ‘they drugged him’... like 40% of nonsense later we find out that is true. I didn’t guess the ending twist but it was also kinda dumb.
I like JEM and will read more of her books, but this one didn’t sit well with me. #beinghonest
I like JEM and will read more of her books, but this one didn’t sit well with me. #beinghonest
laotranati's review against another edition
3.0
Valoré que no trataran de alargarlo y hacerlo una trilogía (que es como lo típico), aunque al final sólo quería saber cuál era el twist final y me salté algunas escenas para saberlo. Ups?
muskrat's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
doris1310's review
5.0
Perfect ending for an awesome story! 💕
If you love a hot, dirty talking actor, a sassy strong-willed princess and a sexy, fast-paced story this one's for you. One of my favorites of 2018.
If you love a hot, dirty talking actor, a sassy strong-willed princess and a sexy, fast-paced story this one's for you. One of my favorites of 2018.
shell74's review
5.0
See the full review at HarlequinJunkie.com - A HJ Top Pick!!
His True Queen was nothing short of spectacular. The second book in the Smoke & Mirrors duet took this reader down a winding, uncertain but ultimately victorious road where, as Malpas wrote: Love always wins. And I thoroughly enjoyed every steamy, drama-filled, passion-laced scene.
“I bow to no one,” I whisper, blinking slowly, feeling intoxicated and dizzy from the sparks colliding between us. “Except you.”
There is so much I want to discuss here…but I can’t or I’ll give away key plot points, which I certainly won’t do to you. It’s important to find out with this particular story how things unfold as you read both books. But wow did a lot happen in this conclusion of Malpas’ epic duology. Was there family and personal drama? Oh, yes. Was there angst? You betcha. Were there misunderstandings and miscommunication? Sadly, lots. But was there still a sweeping sexy romance with a fairy tale ending? That would be a resounding yes. Read More
His True Queen was nothing short of spectacular. The second book in the Smoke & Mirrors duet took this reader down a winding, uncertain but ultimately victorious road where, as Malpas wrote: Love always wins. And I thoroughly enjoyed every steamy, drama-filled, passion-laced scene.
“I bow to no one,” I whisper, blinking slowly, feeling intoxicated and dizzy from the sparks colliding between us. “Except you.”
There is so much I want to discuss here…but I can’t or I’ll give away key plot points, which I certainly won’t do to you. It’s important to find out with this particular story how things unfold as you read both books. But wow did a lot happen in this conclusion of Malpas’ epic duology. Was there family and personal drama? Oh, yes. Was there angst? You betcha. Were there misunderstandings and miscommunication? Sadly, lots. But was there still a sweeping sexy romance with a fairy tale ending? That would be a resounding yes. Read More
lauraanne9's review
5.0
***ARC Provided by the Author via NetGalley***
This is not a standalone. If you are reading reviews in order to see if you want to read the first book, stop. The plot of the entire second book is a giant spoiler of what happens in the first. The second title picks up days after the events at the end of the first, so there are no spoilers of the second book in this review...but there are spoilers of the first one.
Josh and Adeline. At the end of the first book, Adeline's entire world is shaken and something she never believed would be possible all of a sudden...is.
Adeline is the Queen of England. And, she doesn't want to be. She wants her life, she wants to be so far down the line of succession that no one will ever expect her to rule...and she wants the man she loves. The man who is acceptable enough to date a princess, but not to date a queen.
This book is all about a woman who knows what she wants, and who is willing to try to change what she wants for what she believes is good. It's about a woman who is strong enough to bend, who is strong enough to deny herself for the good of her country, or to atone for a wrong she feels she has done.
Josh, however, isn't all that interested in the decisions that she is making that make it impossible for them to be together, and he isn't particularly worried about the protocol and the expectations of Adeline and her new royal life.
So, the forbidden relationship commences. And, there were places where it felt a little over the top...but, it worked. This is a story about the Queen of England...so, if things feel a little wild, or a little more than normal, it's because she is the queen.
The end of the book is satisfying. The happily ever after is what you want, and it is charmingly on Adeline's terms. She gets what she wants, and she knows it is what she wants. And, as she gets what she wants, so does Josh.
The romance in this book is scorching. The attraction is believable. I believed that Josh would risk all to be with Adeline and that she would be willing to thwart convention for what was in her heart.
I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it.
This is not a standalone. If you are reading reviews in order to see if you want to read the first book, stop. The plot of the entire second book is a giant spoiler of what happens in the first. The second title picks up days after the events at the end of the first, so there are no spoilers of the second book in this review...but there are spoilers of the first one.
Josh and Adeline. At the end of the first book, Adeline's entire world is shaken and something she never believed would be possible all of a sudden...is.
Adeline is the Queen of England. And, she doesn't want to be. She wants her life, she wants to be so far down the line of succession that no one will ever expect her to rule...and she wants the man she loves. The man who is acceptable enough to date a princess, but not to date a queen.
This book is all about a woman who knows what she wants, and who is willing to try to change what she wants for what she believes is good. It's about a woman who is strong enough to bend, who is strong enough to deny herself for the good of her country, or to atone for a wrong she feels she has done.
Josh, however, isn't all that interested in the decisions that she is making that make it impossible for them to be together, and he isn't particularly worried about the protocol and the expectations of Adeline and her new royal life.
So, the forbidden relationship commences. And, there were places where it felt a little over the top...but, it worked. This is a story about the Queen of England...so, if things feel a little wild, or a little more than normal, it's because she is the queen.
The end of the book is satisfying. The happily ever after is what you want, and it is charmingly on Adeline's terms. She gets what she wants, and she knows it is what she wants. And, as she gets what she wants, so does Josh.
The romance in this book is scorching. The attraction is believable. I believed that Josh would risk all to be with Adeline and that she would be willing to thwart convention for what was in her heart.
I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it.
amb3reads's review
4.0
4 out of 5 Stars
His True Queen is book 2 in The Smoke and Mirrors Duology. I enjoyed His True Queen and can't wait to read more by Jodi Ellen Malpas. I loved Adeline and Josh.
His True Queen is book 2 in The Smoke and Mirrors Duology. I enjoyed His True Queen and can't wait to read more by Jodi Ellen Malpas. I loved Adeline and Josh.
iamivan91tx's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This is the sequel and final novel of the Smoke and Mirrors duology. It’s a royal drama/romance set in contemporary England. The protagonist is Princess Adeline Catherine Lockhart. Or I should say, Queen Adeline Lockhart I. The Controversial Princess ended with a stunning development. Adeline’s father, King Alfred, and his first-born son John, died in a helicopter accident. With them gone, the next in line would have been the Lockhart middle child, Edward. A big family secret meant that the crown bypassed Edward and landed on Adeline’s head. It was the last thing she wanted. Adeline had recently fallen for Josh Jameson, a famous American actor she met at her 30th birthday party.
If there was no way Josh and Adeline could be together when she was a princess, it will be all but impossible now that she’s the Queen. Even though Adeline dreaded ascending to the throne, she’s not one to shirk her duty. To add to her mourning, the new queen is also suffering from guilt. Adeline believes her father scrambled into the helicopter to get to her and Josh and stop them from being together. A few of the royals think so as well. Before the accident, Adeline confessed her feelings for Josh to her father and some of his inner circle. As expected, they definitely didn’t approve.
At the end of The Controversial Princess, it seemed that the news of Adeline’s ascension crushed Josh’s hopes of being with her. He’s not giving up so easily, though. Josh never wanted Adeline because she’s a princess or a queen. He fell in love with the person that she is. Josh’s refusal to let go of the love of his life impressed me. He is going against incredibly overwhelming odds with such confidence. Josh and Adeline keep seeing each other despite the situation. When Adeline moves to the Monarch’s residence, it comes with an unexpected perk. This lets her see Josh more easily, without much risk of anyone finding out.
So much happens in His True Queen that you won’t want to stop turning pages. Most of it is good, though there is one drawback I noticed. Adeline has a best friend within the royals, Matilda the Duchess of Kent. They are close not just in age, but also in personality. Matilda also resents the royalty’s need to keep up appearances, though not as much as Adeline. Matilda shows up less in this book than she did in The Controversial Princess. I wish there had been more scenes with Adeline and the few friends she has. If her attention isn’t drawn by Josh or her royal advisors, it’s drawn by Prince Edward. The previous book’s ending also revealed stunning truths about him. Eddie, as Adeline calls him, took none of it well. He is going on a downward spiral that even the new Queen may not be able to save him from.
As for Adeline’s fate, I liked the way it was handled. The author could have had the new Queen take the easy route: say to hell with her duties. Adeline takes her new position as Queen of England seriously. Even when it drives her to despair, Adeline never neglects her tasks or anything. The Queen is a responsible woman, and that makes me admire her more. Adeline’s new position does have silver linings. She makes new friendships that could make her life better. I particularly liked the interaction between Queen Adeline and the President of the United States. They make good friends. And despite Adeline's transition to Sovereign, some of her key staff remains with her. The most important of these is Damon, her head of security. He's incredibly loyal and seems to love Adeline like a daughter. Damon never gets tired of her schemes to sneak off and see Josh.
While this duology doesn't really have a main antagonist, Adeline and Josh still face opposition. The late King Alfred's inner circle vehemently oppose their relationship. They go to such extreme lengths to keep Josh and Adeline apart. The new Queen has to constantly stay on her toes to thwart their plots. But they didn't get to their positions for nothing. The most dogged of this group is Sir Don, chief advisor to the Sovereign. His (and his group's) last bid to break Josh and Adeline up involves the man they want for her, Haydon Sampson. He's been a part of Adeline's life forever and absolutely believes she'll fall in love with him if they marry. Adeline tolerates him, but even he drives her mad when he goes too far at one point. I gotta say, Queen Adeline's wrath is something to behold.
His True Queen was a fitting end to Adeline and Josh’s story. This is also one of the best duologies I’ve read. Usually, I like to read standalone novels or series with three or more entries. But Smoke & Mirrors shows that duologies can be just as great. Two books were enough to tell the romance of Adeline and Josh. A third entry would likely have been a disservice. All in all, these are books I would definitely re-read. They have excellent characters, a compelling story, and a great setting. The Smoke & Mirrors duology also have steamy scenes, so it’s only for 18+ readers.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!