A Princess for Christmas

by Jenny Holiday

[The Romantic Comedy Book Club]

There are numerous ways to describe a book like A Princess for Christmas: heartwarming, magical, and captivating are just a few that could come to mind. For me, the only one that fits is “cute”. To be more precise: “beyond cute”. Need a little more? If personified, this book is a Hallmark movie that decided to let loose, throwing inhibitions to the wind and had the time of its life! A Princess for Christmas takes the enchantment of a holiday romance and seasons it with the perfect mix of wit, emotional rawness, and unexpected cheek blushing dirty talk!

At first glance, the title and the cover would not have grabbed my attention. Even the summary gives way to more of a fairy tale rendition of a romantic comedy. The follow-up books in the series: Duke, Actually and So This is Christmas is what caused this book to jump onto my TBR list. Jenny Holiday intertwines Leo and Marie (as well as others characters) throughout the remaining two novels, creating a world of crossover introductions and backstories. Not realizing Duke, Actually was the second book in the series, I was already aware of how A Princess for Christmas ended; however, I was also introduced to Jenny’s writing style and couldn’t wait to go back and discover how it all began.

With a strong start, the reader is quickly introduced to Leo and the dilemma that he seems to face on a regular basis: being the sole guardian/sudo-parent of his eleven year old sister Gabby. Trying to find an acceptable mix of acting as a parent and still being a big brother, Leo takes Gabby to the United Nations for an impromptu architecture lesson, only to find himself, off duty mind you, picking up a Princess in dire need of help! Having been her unexpected knight in shining armor, Princess Marie offers Leo a small fortune to be her personal driver for the duration of visit. Building an unexpected friendship in a short amount of time, Princess Marie invites Leo and Gabby back to her country of Eldovia for the region's holiday celebration. Having lost so much, the smile and excitement in Gabby’s voice is enough to make Leo agree to this ridiculous, yet suspiciously enticing adventure.

The emotional significance of the story is what made it a page-turner. Jenny’s blended personality of Leo and Marie made them such relatable characters. Leo was down to earth, comfortable with who he was, and enjoyed the simple things in life; however, thrown into a situation well outside of his comfort zone, you witness the frantic mind of someone who feels the weight of the world on his shoulders and is terrified of letting those around him down. 

Marie is Princess (and future Queen of Eldovia) but her upbringing made her want to be more than her birthright. Entitled, yet humbled – Marie wants to make a difference and is determined to go beyond being a messenger of her father. Struggling to be taken seriously, Marie constantly fights her insecurities and relentless expectations of knowing her place and being seen, not heard. 

Together, Leo and Marie are from such separate backgrounds but even the valley of differences was filled with a plethora of similarities - trying to do the best they could with what they had, finding their place in the world, grief, loneliness, and sacrifice. Watching the two of them become closer and closer was so addicting and the more Leo learned about her, the more he fought how he was feeling, the more you wanted him to fall because you knew Marie would catch him.

On top of being a touching story, this book was downright hilarious! Outnumbered by the women in his life, Leo is a “sucker” for a damsel in distress and while the “prissiness” of the Princess was off putting, his counter to ruffle her feathers made for hilarious banter and very tender moments. 

While this book resembles the format of your typical Hallmark movie, the delicious twists and turns of the story, the heated exchanges, and the down right laugh out loud moments is what makes it a must read.