REVIEW: Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase + Giveaway

Today I’m excited to be a part of the Release Day Blitz for Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase, sponsored by Inkslinger PR. I was drawn to this one thanks to its charming synopsis, which reminded me of The Princess Diaries or The Prince and Me. I’ve been looking for some cute, fun reads, and this one definitely fit the bill!

Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase
Self-published, 2013
[Goodreads] [Amazon]

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.

Going in to Suddenly Royal, I was hoping for a quick, fun and entertaining read that would have me smiling a lot. I’m happy to report that those qualities are in abundance. Samantha is a quick-witted, sarcastic and sometimes infuriating character who I very much enjoyed reading, and Alex fully lives up to his nickname of Prince Yummy. I found this book extremely engaging, and very much enjoyed my time spent in its pages.

Anyone reading the summary is probably struck with some similarities to The Princess Diaries or The Prince & Me, and there definitely are things that that are the same between those titles and this one. However, I liked that the “princess” (she’s actually a duchess) in this book is an adult; she’s a Master’s student who’s had to deal with the death of her mother and her father’s struggle with cancer, so she’s already had to deal with some difficult experiences. This makes Samantha a character with a lot of depth, and an interesting back story that very much influences her actions, thoughts and feelings, not only toward Alex, but the whole idea of reclaiming her Lilarian title. I very much enjoyed reading about her personal journey as she struggled with her place in this new and unknown world.

Alex is described as a playboy in the summary, but that didn’t really come across so much in the book itself. I liked that he was thoughtful and caring, and willing to help Samantha through her struggles. I liked the way he slowly brought her around to the idea of a relationship, and very much liked that he didn’t push her and was willing to go at her pace and only move forward with her permission. This is so often not the case in books today that I couldn’t help but find the slow growth of their relationship all the more satisfying. If you’re tired of books where the guy and girl immediately fall into bed with each other, then this will be a refreshing change!

Suddenly Royal also had a lot of depth to it. The world of Lilaria, the customs the people follow, and the royalty who dominate the upper echelon of society were all well-crafted. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see this world through Sam’s eyes, particularly her smiles and gasps of astonishment as something new was revealed to her. The descriptions were first rate and really helped place the reader in the narrative. Some of my favorite parts were when Sam got to experience the city and surrounding countryside (and I am SO jealous of that bookstore!). I also liked that this wasn’t just a “cute” read. Sam goes through a lot, experiences a lot, and it really helped keep the book grounded. I liked the inside look at all that being a duchess entails, and everything Sam was going to be responsible for. In a “cute” read you don’t always get to see the struggles, and I very much liked that those were included here.

While the premise behind Suddenly Royal perhaps isn’t the most original, there is enough within the book’s pages to keep anyone engaged in the story. The two main characters are wonderfully drawn and constructed, and are surrounded by a fabulous supporting cast, all set in a unique world that’s described so perfectly you can see it in your mind. It looks like this is the first in a new series, and I’m really excited to see what’s next for Sam and Alex (no drama, please!). If you’re looking for a fun, summer read, do give this one a try!

A copy of this book was provided by Inkslinger PR for blog tour purposes.

Giveaway Opportunity

Enter to win a signed paperback copy of Suddenly Royal, along with some awesome swag, like a keychain, t-shirt, coffee mug, and signed bookmarks! Go HERE to enter via Rafflecopter. Open to US and Canada only. Good luck!

About the Author:

Nichole Chase is a daydreamer. No, really, just ask any of the math teachers that had the misfortune of seeing her name appear on their class schedule. For years she has had story lines and characters begging for attention, but she resolutely pushed them aside to focus on more normal (read, boring) jobs.

Well, no longer! She is currently heeding the voices in her head and frantically writing their stories. Ms. Chase is the author of the Dark Betrayal Trilogy, Flukes, and Suddenly Royal (including several short stories).

Nichole resides in South Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, dog, tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you may find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

You can connect with Nichole at the following links:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook