Reluctantly Royal (Royal, #3)

by Nichole Chase

[Cocktails and Books]

I truly enjoy this series. There's just something about a royal family and discovering them to be so down to earth that really appeals to me. And as I started Max's story, I found that sometimes it really is good to throw that royal weight around.

Prince Maxwell hates the spotlight, unless it's for his art. Otherwise any limelight or drama due to his royal status he shies away from, leaving that up to his big brother. So it was interesting that he was willing to step up and use his royal status to protect Lady Meredith and her son Marty. He was willing to help entertain a six year old, when he was fairly certain he didn't want kids. And he most definitely could not imagine not being there for Meredith, when he had been adamant he didn't want any kinds of romantic entanglements. Max soon became the poster child of men who fall and fall hard when they meet "the one."
Meredith had a pretty horrible upbringing. Raised with an alcoholic father and left pregnant at seventeen, Meredith relied heavily on her grandfather to help her. So when he passes, her world is turned upside down. As recently seated royals, Meredith now finds herself giving up her dreams of the stage in order to keep the duchy of her grandfather's intact, despite the fact that her abusive and drunk father is the rightful heir. It's a heavy burden for Meredith, but she discovers that the burden is much easier when Max is there to support her. It's hard for her to let go of the control, but Max shows her that everything is easier if you have someone to lean on.

I love this royal family (the birthing scene at the end had me dying). The interaction between Adam, Sam, Max and Cathy often times had me laughing, because it's just not what I expect from a royal family. SUDDENLY ROYAL is still my favorite of the series, but Max comes in a close second as he follows his big brother's footsteps and manages to sweep his somewhat resistant heroine off her feet.