I have been thirsting for this book since last July, when Johan made his splashy appearance in A Duke by Default as Tav's royalty mentor. Portia called him a "f***boy with a heart of gold" and I fell in love.
The teaser alone checked all my boxes: A sharp-witted rake who plays dumber and flightier than he really is falling for a shy wallflower who's decided she's done fading into the background? Opposites attracting opposites while carrying on a fake relationship? A ROYAL WEDDING? Sign. Me. Up.
My expectations for this book were higher than Snoop Dogg at Coachella. And, y'all ... It met them. It exceeded them. I love this book so much. I love this ENTIRE SERIES so much. While reading, I kept thinking to myself "Is Alyssa Cole my official Favorite Author now?" She is. I stan this romance writing queen. Let me try and break down how this book killed me without giving anything away.
I love Johan. I love how much he cares for his friends, family and kingdom. I love how much he worries over Lukas. I love how he speaks in a mashup of French and German (I love that I know he'd be offended by that description). I love how often Alyssa Cole describes his hair.
I love Nya SO MUCH. I love how she was working so hard to be her own woman. I love how much stronger and surer of herself she became over the course of the book. I love how she took risks, even though she knew she could get hurt in the end. I love that I know exactly which Dream Daddy she'd go for if she existed in our universe. (Damien. Duh.)
And guys, the romance! Johan was so tender with Nya. Nya was so understanding of the defenses Johan built to protect himself. They were so sweet and supportive of each other. Every time the two of them were alone together, I melted. Nya and Johan have differing levels of expertise. But, it's never awkward or creepy when they come together. It's swoony and sweet and they take such good care of each other. (Okay, so they are a bit awkward at times; but they're also cute, so I forgive them.)
At the end, everything — the love story, the whole referendum B-plot, the family drama — wraps up nicely. In fact, this book has the strongest ending of the series. (I still wish Portia's parents had gotten the comeuppance they deserved in the second book, but who knows what Reggie's novella will bring.)
I'm so enamored with the universe Alyssa Cole has created and I'm sad that the series has come to an end. Five stars. Automatic addition to my "favorites" shelf. Definitely worth the wait.
- Series: Reluctant Royals (Book 3)
- Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Avon (April 30, 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0062685589
- ISBN-13: 978-0062685582
- Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.6 inches
- Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
- Customer Reviews: 112 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#342,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4957 in Multicultural Romances
- #36595 in Contemporary Romance (Books)
- #14246 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
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