Review: Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck

Royal Wedding Series #2

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Regina Beswick never dreamed of faraway places. She’s happy with her life as a classic car mechanic and owner of a restoration shop. But an unexpected visitor and the discovery of a fairytale, drawn by her great-grandma, causes Regina to wonder if she might be destined for something more.

Tanner Burkhardt, Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg, must convince the strong-willed Southerner, Miss Beswick, that she is his country’s long-lost princess. Failure could destroy his reputation and change his nation forever.

As Regina and Tanner face the challenges before them, neither are prepared for love to invade their hearts and change every thing they believe about themselves.

However, when a royal opponent nearly destroys Regina’s future, she must lean into God and trust He has sovereignly brought her to her true and final destiny.

My source for book: Review Copy

My Thoughts:
For every little girl who dreamed of being a princess, but then grew up... this story is for you! The circumstances are realistic; it feels like something that could actually happen. No magic or spells required for this real world fairy tale, but that doesn't mean the story won't cast a spell on you!

Though the first part of the story stretched out a bit longer than I hoped, it's actually a large part of what gives the story its realism. Regina's reluctance and disbelief at the revelation of her foreign royal heritage no doubt mirrors what most women would feel in this situation. I loved how she openly admitted to being "scared" or "terrified" of her unknown future. She's strong and determined, but vulnerable in the fact that she hates change.

The sprinkling of politics throughout--a necessary evil in keeping with the realistic approach--was handled well, and though it wasn't my favorite part, I do admit that it was easy to understand without delving into boring matters. The political "villain" really got on my nerves, but hey, that's what a villain is supposed to do, right? Job well done. Now that I know the final outcome, thinking back on his over the top antics--one in particular--is actually rather amusing.

Something that I really liked was the fact that Regina had never been kissed or in a serious relationship. At the age of 29, that's pretty rare, but I thought it was awesome. When she finally did find her "prince", he gently pursued her even before she was certain of how she felt. It was enjoyable to watch the progress of their relationship (especially considering Regina's position as a royal), and the scene where they both admitted to having feelings was sweet and actually rather unique.

Overall, I enjoyed Princess Ever After. It's a great second installment for the "Royal Wedding" series and ties in nicely with the first book, Once Upon A Prince (but reading the first certainly isn't necessary to enjoy the second). The story satisfies the age-old "princess" fantasy while staying firmly rooted in the real world...no magic or spells to be found, except for some Divine intervention--which, you gotta admit, is way cooler than your average storybook magic! 

My Rating: 4 stars

Thanks to the publisher (Zondervan) for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley.