Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase Series: Suddenly #1
Published by Avon on April 23, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased
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Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.
Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.
While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.
Liezel’s Thoughts:
“Nothing is ever as good or bad as you think it will be. It’s what you make of it.”
I had my eyes on this book for months but was putting it off because I thought that it leaned towards the YA crowd. The book cover sure did fool me because the heroine of this story is not as young as it appears. She is a daughter, a friend, a wildlife biologist and a grad student that was living a normal life up until she met with the Duchess Rose and Prince Yummy – Alex.
They were the bearer of some pretty surprising news… that she is a royal descendant. Of course she thought all of it was a farce. How was it possible that she was an heiress of a large estate in Lilaria? Wouldn’t her mother have said something about it after all those years? She had her hesitations but she didn’t want to pass up on this one of a lifetime experience. She sets out to Lilaria and claims what is rightfully hers.
As expected not everything comes easy for Samantha but given her amazing personality she is able to adjust and adapt well to her surroundings. It helps that she has made a “friend” in Alex. Their chemistry is undeniable but given all the changes going on in Sam’s life she isn’t quite ready to open herself up to a new relationship. Alex was ever so understanding yet exuded the perfect amount of persistence at the same time. His patience finally pays off leading them into a relationship that could last forever.
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I adored this book and can’t believe I put this one off for so long. You know that almost every little girl growing up has that fantasy that she is a long-lost princess (me included) and I found that this is the one of the reasons why this story captured my heart.
Another reason is the superb character building especially in the case of Samantha. I thought she was simply amazing. She was thrown through a loop time and time again but she exhibited so much strength and integrity which I found quite admirable. She knew that things would not come easy but she kept an open mind and was willing to adapt when needed. Even when she found out that she was royalty she never let it go to her head. She remained down to earth ’til the very end.
Since Alex was born into a life of privilege you would expect him to be a spoiled egotistical jerk right? Not so much, he was just as down to earth as Samantha. He had his little displays of arrogance but they were always done in private and in such a flirtatious manner. He took his life seriously and always knew where his priorities lie – his family.
Samantha and her prince were very much compatible. It was if she was made for him. I was glad that despite the intense attraction they waited long enough to get to know each other and became friends before jumping into bed together. I found their playfulness heart warming and delightful. The chemistry and the passion they shared was also outstanding. When they finally did get to that point…Oh my! As one of the chapter titles stated…”A Prince on the Streets, a Freak in the Sheets”.
The story just doesn’t center on the main couple’s relationship. It also tackled on some emotional aspects and even controversial issues that any society may have. Those issues weren’t too in-depth, taking away from the main story but I do hope that it gets addressed in the next book. Let’s just say that Sam’s assistant deserves his HEA too.
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I have to say that it will not be the last. I was impressed with the writing and I am very excited to see what happens next in this series.
The Verdict:
” A Suddenly Royal Sweepstakes”
is happening right now @
AvonRomance.com or NicholeChase.com
