To Love a Prince by Rachel Hauck Series: True Blue Royal #1
on August 11, 2020
Genres: Christian Fiction/Romance/Royalty, Fiction / Christian / Contemporary, Fiction / Christian / Romance / General
Pages: 350
Format: Paperback
Amazon|Barnes&Noble|Goodreads
An enchanting new royal romance from NYT bestselling author Rachel Hauck.
Daffodil Caron is not a princess, even though she once dreamed of being one. After all, she grew up as a playmate to royal princes, running through the halls of Perrigwynn Palace in the North Sea’s Lauchtenland. But the day she stumbled upon a royal secret, everything changed.
Flash forward eighteen years, and Daffy’s living a sweet, non-royal life. A skilled art curator for the Royal Trust, she has friends, a flat in the heart of the capital city, and a handsome, successful boyfriend. The last person on her mind is Gus, the prince she once called her best mate.
HRH Prince Augustus is no longer “Prince Pudgy,” as caricatured by the press—he’s charming and gorgeous, possessing a world-famous smile. But after he’s jilted at the altar, then dumped by his second fianceé, the spare heir to Lauchtenland’s ancient House of Blue finds solace on a Florida beach.
A year as a regular bloke allows him to rethink his purpose. He’s half decided his calling is to pour pints at a tiki bar rather than serve his country and the Family.
But a wild Frisbee toss down the beach changes his destiny.
Despite his long hair and beard, Daffy recognizes her prince. She reminds Gus of his heritage and assures him that he’s needed in Lauchtenland.
When Daffy and Gus find themselves on assignment at Hadsby Castle in preparation for his brother’s wedding ball, their friendship blooms into affection.
Then secrets are exposed, and Gus must choose between his past hurts and his future hope. And Daffy must trust her heart to forever love a prince.
“To Love a Prince is breathtaking and enchanting! Rachel Hauck is the queen of inspirational royal romance.” – Teri Wilson, bestselling author of Unleashing Mr. Darcy and Christmas Charms
Ya’ll know I’m doing the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge this year. And while technically it’s just one book a month, curated by the authors running the challenge. But we also know that if it’s part of a series, I’m reading every. single. one. of those books. It’s just who I am. Standalone? Great, don’t care, give me the books. But we also know that I have a cold black heart, and romance for the sake of romance tends to not be a genre I gravitate to or even love. So when I started pulling the books for the June challenge, my black heart felt ugh, another romance. But then my gray heart was like, “I love Rachel Hauck like legit; she is one of my favorite authors.” The Writing Desk solidified her place in that lineup. And then I read page one and remembered all the reasons I have loved her writing all these years, and why I’ve forgiven her for writing romance 😀
To Love a Prince is everything a romance reader wants in a romance, with a bit of a twist. Old friends coming back together and falling in love? Check. Mind you, one old friend is an actual Prince. And that Prince . . . hiding away from home and the public after a couple of devastating romantic situations that blew up on the world stage. She, on the other hand, settles into a relationship that’s not sunshine and roses, but they are compatible and safe. That’s what you want, right? Something you can count on? A few family secrets, some questionable friendships, and a touch of Insta. Add in personal growth (even for the grown-up grownups), a bit of tension, and the required happy ending. It’s a romance reader’s dream. And I honestly loved every minute of it.
While a romance, there’s a subtle faith thread throughout. A bit supernatural in (not creepy) ways, but so subtle that it feels authentic and, in some ways, like a hug when you need it. The only part that felt more contrived to deliver a message was when The Prince meets up with a former romantic disaster. It had been hinted at prior, and in both instances, it didn’t feel as authentic as it was intended to be. There just wasn’t enough built in over time for it to feel like it belonged, but more felt like it was a ‘I need to get something strong in here, so here we go’ moment. It didn’t detract for me at all, but it also didn’t feel natural to the rest of the story. Overall, though, I loved the story of Daffy and Gus with all the chaos and insta. And I can’t wait for the next book in the series because . . . no matter what she writes, Rachel Hauck gets me every. single. time.
About Rachel Hauck
New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Rachel Hauck writes from sunny central Florida.
A RITA finalist and winner of Romantic Times Inspirational Novel of the Year, and Career Achievement Award, she writes vivid characters dealing with real life issues.
Her book, Once Upon A Prince, was made into an original Hallmark movie. Her novel, The Wedding Dress, has been optioned for film by Brain Power Studio
She loves to hear from readers. She also loves to encourage new writers and sits on the Executive Board of American Christian Fiction Writers..
A graduate of Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism, Rachel is an avid OSU football fan. She hopes to one day stand on the sidelines in the Shoe with Ryan Day.
Visit her web site to find out more and click on the icons to follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Join her NEWSLETTER for exclusive monthly content.
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