Review of The Backup Princess (Royally Kissed #1) by Kate O'Keeffe

 

When a Texas gal punches a prince instead of curtsying, you know this isn't your grandmother's fairy tale.

Taking the bull by the horns is child's play compared to ruling Malveaux. Yet here I am, a Texas girl turned princess, swapping tacos for a tiara.

Then I meet Europe’s most eligible bachelor, the irritatingly handsome Prince Alexander, and accidentally deck him instead of curtsying.

Oops.

I’d feel bad if he wasn’t such a self-satisfied jerk.

Now, I'm racing against a royal clock that ticks with the urgency of a preening peacock, trying not to let down my newfound country or my own wild heart. Alexander? He's a walking contradiction, with a smirk that heats my blood and eyes that tell tales of a depth I didn't expect.

Decisions aren't exactly my rodeo, but this time, my choice could cost me my new crown—or lead to a love story that rewrites my happily ever after.

Will this Texas girl rise to the royal challenge, or is this one fairytale destined to end with the slipper never found?



MEDAL WINNER AT THE READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK AWARDS



The Princess Diaries meets The Hating Game in this in this dizzyingly romantic modern royal romcom for grown-ups, where an American girl's unexpected ascent to royalty collides with a fiery romance with a hot neighboring prince. The Backup Princess is a closed-door romance with all the sizzle but without the spice, and a guaranteed happily ever after. It’s Book 1 in the brand new series, Royally Kissed.

If you enjoyed "The Selection" by Kiera Cass, the "Modern Royals" series by Aven Ellis, or Emma St. Clair's "Sweet Royal Romcom" series you'll love this modern royal romance.

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Check out the entire Royally Kissed series!

**My thoughts**

I can always count on Kate O'Keeffe to pen a unique take on a common trope that keeps me completely engaged and wanting more. I'm madly in love with this series, which hooked me from that opening line in the book description. I loved the nod to The Princess Diaries when Maddie discovers her royal heritage and has to decide whether or not to take the crown when it is her time. (And there are also some other little moments that fellow Princess Diaries book fans will pick up on.) I felt nods to the real royal family saga with abdication and untrue gossip and stereotypes of the hottie princes. And yet, Maddie and Alex are their own characters with their own story. 

It's a classic enemies-to-lovers trope as well, because Maddie can't stand Alex when she meets him. And while their nations are friendly, they are also in competition. They even admit that they are attracted to each other, but aren't sold on getting together at first. And then the attraction takes over.

I also love Alex's sisters, though Amelia can be a bit uptight. You know there are plenty of stories to come. This new chapter in the histories of Ledonia and Malveaux are just getting started, and I'm here for the ride!