Lindsay Emory invites readers to the country of Drieden where Princess Theodora Isabella Victoria's world is rocked when she's left at the altar. After four months in isolation after the disaster it's time to get back to work. An encounter with a mysterious man, who turns out to be not only a spy but her erstwhile fiancee's 'dead' brother, sends Thea off on a mission to find the truth. Why did Christian decide to not show up for their wedding? Was it planned or did something terrible happen to him?

The Royal Runaway is a romantic comedy with a mix of danger and mystery. Princess Thea teams up with British spy, Nick, in order to find the truth about Christian's disappearance. While at first seeming more hindrance than help, Thea learns to look beyond the humiliation of her thwarted wedding. The future of the monarchy is in danger as one determined politician calls for democracy. Thea has to choose between her duty to reassure the people that the monarchy is still going strong, or giving it all up for the chance to be a normal person without the pressure of ruling a kingdom.

Thea's character didn't really solidify into a strong voice until the end. I like that she gets her act together and starts looking at the big picture, but it seems like she should've been prepared to rule in case of her grandmother's or father's death since she's so close to the top of the line of succession. Her switch from gullible and floundering to confident 'I've got this' was quite sudden and obviously for the sake of the story's conclusion.

Overall, I do like that finding her voice and making solid plans for the future of her people gave Thea confidence to act on her own. I would've been mad if the novel ended any other way than it did! The Royal Runaway is definitely for fans of Sophie Kinsella or Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

After being jilted at the alter by her fiance in the most public way imaginable (a royal wedding), Thea returns from four months of seclusion determined to get her life back on track. But when taking an unapproved jaunt into town to burn off steam, she meets the sultry, crude Nick Cameron, who quickly embroils her in an adventure of running from her guards, creative financing, hacking and the idea that her missing fiance might have had a nasty demise after all...

Parts of this I absolutely adored. I liked Thea, even though her "I'm a princess and must be perfect at all times" attitude was a little annoying (well, that is how she was raised), and I got super annoyed at how Miss Intelligent couldn't put two and two together to figure out what the hell was going on until it was actually happening. And she decides—inexplicably, illogically—to trust Nick, the man who blackmailed her, above everyone else. But she does rally and gather up her courage and strength at the end of the story to turn things to rights, even if I was mildly disappointed by how she handled it.

I had a love-hate relationship with Nick. He maybe have been a handsome Scot, but he was handsy, rude and a downright asshole, and this doesn't really change throughout the entire book. Even when he decides he has feelings for her (they have an insta-lust thing going on), he's still a dick. It's just that Christian is an even bigger asshole, so I suppose Thea didn't have too many options to begin with.

So let's focus on what I loved. I absolutely loved the made-up country of Drieden. I loved all of its pretty extensive history and how it was laid out and wrapped into the storyline, and how Thea loved her family and her people's pasts and tried to use them to guide her. I wanted to visit it, particularly the cold and sea-lashed island-convent of Perpetua where Thea was exiled.

I wouldn't exactly call this similar to The Royal We, since that book was unabashedly a Kate Middleton fanfic (with two adorable and very real characters in Bex and Nic), although it was kinda like The Princess Diaries. I'd call it more like most romance novels venturing into the thriller aspect of things.

It's a quick, fun read. Just don't start analyzing the details or asking too many questions about the plotline, because you'll get a headache.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I am trash for royal romances and this book was no exception! These characters and story drew me in and left me feeling happy and satisfied. The banter was great and I was surprised with the mystery part of this story, but pleasantly so. This book was a great escape and at a time when real life isn't always so much fun, this book let my brain take a vacation from the stress in my every day life and allowed me to get swept away. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy plots about modern day royals and quick fluffy reads.

Overall I enjoyed this book! It was a fun escape that reminded me a bit of Chasing Liberty and The Princess Diaries. Thea was a good mix of entitled and rebellious, and ended up being a strong character. I loved Nick, he was sarcastic, dreamy, and rough around the edges. I enjoyed the middle of the book quite a bit when they were running from their hunters and looking for clues, the parts at the palace were a bit less interesting to me. Their chemistry was pretty on point. In the end I didn't quite know where the story would go, which was a good surprise! I felt like there were a lot of layers to the "mystery" and it got a little convoluted, but that may be just me. I liked the ending quite a bit, perhaps could have used an epilogue.. but maybe not... can't decide! I recommend if you are looking for a fun and fluffy read!

Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review

A little bit funny. A little bit sad. A little bit of intrigue. This book had a little bit of it all.

I was expecting this book to be little bit more lighthearted than what we got - that's not a bad thing, though. I did enjoy Thea and Nick's story.

However, I didn't feel the connection between Thea and Nick. Other than the "he's my ex-fiance's-brother-and-he's-hot", I just didn't feel it. And I definitely did not feel anything about them falling in love - but this could just be me.

Everything is a little far fetched (though that's why we read fiction, isn't it) and you really did need to just go with the flow with the whole Royal meets Bond kind of thing.

Whilst I didn't love this book, I did like it and it filled a fun couple of hours for me.

The Royal Runaway is my first read by Lindsay Emory, and I will read more in the future.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for approving me for a copy of this book!

I've said it before and I'll say it again; royal fiction is one of my absolute favorite subgenres! When I saw this on NetGalley I immediately requested it, anything with a sassy Princess is right up my alley. While I really enjoyed this book, I didn't love it.

Let's start with the cast of characters introduced in this stand-alone. Thea, regardless of being a Princess, was a character I found myself easily able to relate to. I mean, family drama and expectations are something we can all understand, regardless of official titles. She was witty, sassy, and fun to follow throughout the book. Nick was dangerous, mysterious, and had an accent that would drive any woman crazy. They were a perfect duo for this romance/spy mash-up. All the smaller characters like Sophie, Big Gran, Lucy, and even Max were enjoyable to read about and added to the story in a good way by driving the plot.

This story is sold as a Princess Diaries and Jason Bourne mash-up, and it was a big mix of genres, so I went into this expecting a certain amount of thriller/mystery vibes. Good news; it delivered! There was a lot of danger, murder, hidden bank records and general international scandal. It was interesting, to say the least, and left me guessing right up until the end. This definitely delivered on plot, that's for sure! On top of all that, there's Thea and her royal duties, Nick and his brooding search for answers, and their budding romance throughout. I would have liked a touch more romance, especially since the steamy scenes were few and far between, but I liked it nonetheless. On Goodreads this book is listed primarily under romance, but I'm going to classify it as Fiction because I think it fits better in general fiction. The romance elements here were subtle and definitely not the point of this plot.

While this book dealt with heavier elements like international espionage and disappearing dukes, the writing style was light and airy. There was a fair amount of banter, sweet romance scenes, and royal functions beautifully described. I thought the author crafted a well-rounded and compelling story surrounding this fictional kingdom and it's feisty princess. If this were a real romance story I think this would have read more like a rom-com, and it did have some funny moments and a very airy feel, but this wasn't a rom-com.

I really enjoyed this book and had fun while reading it. I thought Thea was a great main character, I thought Nick was a dreamy bad ass, and I liked learning about the fictional history of this fictional kingdom. So I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It was good but didn't speak to my soul like some of the other royal fiction I've read.

3.5 stars

This book was put on my radar by a good friend who loved it and after reading the synopsis, I was all over it.

I liked Thea and Nick. She’s struggling, but loves her family and the history of the monarchy. He’s gruff and gruff and just so very gruff. Together they bicker and have some sweet moments and flashes of chemistry. There are several other characters, but this story is all Thea.

Plot wise, it did lag a bit for me. Even with the secrets and spies thread, I was expecting things to fall more on the clandestine rendezvous side of things...not the constant searching for papers and detailed recounts of oil pipelines. I was looking for banter and kissing with a side of spies and it was the opposite.

Overall, it was a fun read. And while I enjoyed the characters {and the epilogue}, I was never really captivated by the story.

**Huge thanks to Gallery Books for providing the arc free of charge**

From the very first page, The Royal Runaway, gave me instant Princess Diaries vibes. It feels very grown-up version (of one of my favorite series) with a lot more sass. The story follows Thea who is the princess of Drieden (European-esque country?) Who gets left at the altar by her fiance. The story starts as she is still getting back to her royal duties and still tries to pick up the pieces. She meets the mysterious, charming Scot Nick who keep asking where her ex-fiance Christian is. What really happened during the wedding?

I felt like this book is entertaining due to the mixture of romance, action, and suspense elements. From the cover it gives off a definite contemporary vibe, but between the pages this story is so much more that. Some the spy terms and technology reminded me of scenes right out of James Bond element. Through the descriptive writing, I could picture the fights and thrilling chase scenes. There is also the added excitement of mystery and many questions swirled in my head as I tried figure out whodunit. This book has the reader on edge and it added to the whole reading experience.

I enjoyed the main character Thea thoroughly. She can be annoying at times, but she a has a good heart. She’s very inquisitive and curious about anything and wants to explore life outside of the monarch. She also shows a deep passion for her country and she that she is determined to get to the bottom of things in order to keep her family and countrymen safe. Nick acts a bit stand-offish and brusque on the surface, but he has a definite soft side. The reader is unsure of whether to trust his character, but I admired his tenacity to get the job done. Nick and Thea constantly butt heads and exchange witty banter which made me laugh. They tried to deny the attraction between them, but it’s too hard to resist.

The Royal Runaway was such a fun read!

I absolutely loved The Royal We, so I had to get my hands on The Royal Runaway after reading the blurb that pretty much said if you loved the one, then you'd be a fan of this book! Plus, I'm royal-obsessed anyway, whether it's a real-life royal or a made up one, so I'm all about a book with a Princess in it but when you add the word "British spy" to the synopsis, that makes my mind race to thoughts of James Bond, and I'm more than sold!

Princess Theodora of Drieden has just been left at the altar by her fiance, Christian Fraser-Campbell, the ninth Duke of Steading, right before they were supposed to walk down the aisle and say "'I do'." In front of the entire world who has been watching their courtship unfold and wedding festivities play out on television, social media, and magazines, and not to mention all the heads of states and royalty who are in Dreiden to attend her non-happening wedding! Now, that's not embarrassing at all, is it?

Instead of getting married, Thea, as she's known to her friends, is sent by her grandmother, Queen Aurelia, to the Island of Perpetua in the North Sea for four months to pull herself together, a place where all the women in her family have been sent if they "couldn’t be controlled." Apparently, Thea has spent a lot of time on this island because she likes to be rebellious and flout royal protocol by sneaking out of the palace quite frequently under her bodyguard's watchful eyes because she starts to feel stifled and restless if she's stuck in one place too long without any freedom to just BE. Since she's second in line for the throne, as you can imagine, she's very rarely given any time to be Thea but must be Princess Theadora most of the time and play the role she was born into.

It's no wonder that almost as soon as Thea's back from Perpetua, she's sneaking out of the castle and trying to hide in dark pubs. It's there she meets a dark, dangerous, sexy Scot named Nick who is searching for his kinsman, one who is presumed dead. They flirt, they kiss, wow do they kiss, and they have some serious chemistry! Then Nick blackmails her with pictures he paid someone to take of them kissing because he wants her help. It turns out the sexy Scot is actually her ex-fiancés brother and a British spy. He wants answers like yesterday about where the hell his brother is since no one has seen him since the night before the wedding, so things just went from bad to worse.

Actually, things get a WHOLE lot worse when Thea has to run away with Nick because it seems like one or more of her bodyguards might be trying to kill her, so the two end up on the run trying to stay ahead of the bad guys and figure out what happened to Christian and who are the bad guys! Really, it could be anyone!!

Even though the story was completely implausible in parts, I thoroughly enjoyed it and the characters (or most of them). Thea is one strong, tough as nails Princess! I loved reading about an empowering female character; sure, she fell apart at first when she was left at the altar, but she picked herself right up and then did what it took to protect her country and her people and learns to walk a line between her royal duties and having freedom for herself. And this is a romance!! But don't worry, it's not a very heavy romance so don't be turned off by the romance part! It was the perfect mix of romance, adventure, and everything in between.

The Royal Runaway left me with a smile on my face, and I found it a pleasure to read! If you're looking for a fun read, then this is the book for you! Be sure to look for The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory when it comes out on October 9, 2018!

**Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC to read in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. I found the writing style to be very immature. The story line required more suspension of belief than I was able to give it, so the plot was all just TOO much for me. The main character was extremely dramatic and the love interest was no better. I didn't buy into their chemistry and she kept making irrational and illogical decisions that I lost interest in reading about.

Oh my goodness - what a royally good time! :) I loved this story. It has a lot of mystery, a bit of romance, and great characters. The writing flows nicely and had me turn ing pages long after bedtime.

This was a fun book to read! Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc. I loved how unconventional and surprising this novel was, and I'm hoping to read more about these characters. If you're looking for a badass heroine, look no further than Princess Thea!

Seems cute, but not really my cup of tea after all. I started it but never finished, it wasn’t bad, just lost interest.

Well this was a delightful book. Super fun. Spies, royalty, secrets, long lost family members and so much more. It was a really fun read.

I thought this was going to be a silly romance novel, but I was pleasantly surprised! There is a romance component but it’s also a mystery and spy novel all in one! I loved Thea, our heroine, who is smart and brave! Super entertaining, it’s a fun weekend read. Perfect to cozy up on the couch with, you can finish in a day or two.

The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory is a standalone fun royal romance mystery. Princess Theodora Isabella Victoria of Drieden of the Royal House Laurent, our heroine, is back from 4 months in seclusion getting over being jilted on her wedding day. Mainly she was sent there to allow time to let the publicity die down. Thea is the heir apparent to the throne, and must once again do what is expected of her; press conferences, appearances, galas, etc. But she also has a reputation among the family and staff, of slipping out at night in disguise to have fun.

In a short time after arriving home, she sneaks out and goes to a bar in town, and meets handsome stranger, Nick, our hero, who sees through Thea’s disguise. Turns out that Nick, who she learns is a spy for the Brithis, is her ex fiancee’s brother, who has not been seen in 4 months since he jilted Thea. Nick is trying to find his brother, but he has ulterior motives, which he will blackmail Thea to help him.

What follows is an engaging adventure with Nick and Thea investigating the truth about her ex’s disappearance, and the political ramifications involved. The mystery unravels, revealing betrayals, intrigue and treason that threatens the monarchy and Thea future. In the midst, a slow burn romance develops between Nick and Thea, but remains in the background for the most part, until nearer to the end. As they get closer to the truth, with some surprise twists, the danger escalates and Thea will find herself in a life threatening situation. Will Nick be there to save her?

I really like Thea, as she was fun, witty and as the truths begin to unveil, she rises up to prove her worth as a future Queen. I liked Nick, but he was more annoying early on, but that changed later on. The banter between them was great. The Royal Runaway was a sweet fun entertaining story line, with some great characters, and well written by Emory. If you enjoy a royal themed background, a bit of mystery, and a budding romance, then I suggest you read The Royal Runaway.

The drama surrounding Harry and Meghan's royal wedding has nothing on Princess Thea's. After being jilted at the altar by her fiance, she's just returning to royal life when she meets a handsome stranger at a bar who changes everything she thought she knew about her ill-fated nuptials and her family's legacy. With at ticking clock--and a growing attraction to her new partner--Thea must uncover the mysteries surrounding her life while also coming to terms with her duty to the crown.

Part heart-pounding romance, part spy thriller, I stayed up half the night turning the pages as quickly as I could to find out what was in store for Thea and Nick in this fast-paced story. This was a fresh and welcome take on the royal trope, and I enjoyed every moment.

Also posted to Instagram on @myreaderliving

Once The Royal Runaway hooks you, don’t intend on putting it down! This was such a surprising, terrific read.

When Princess Thea is stood up by her fiancé, Christian, on her wedding day she is sent away for a few months to get over her heartbreak. But once back with her royal family, Thea can’t stay still at the palace and sneaks out one night to a local bar where she meets a stranger named Nick. Nick isn’t just a handsome stranger, he is a British spy who just so happens to be the brother of Christian who hasn’t been seen for months. Thea and Nick team up to try to unravel the mystery of what happened to Christian and along the way, they uncover secrets of the monarchy.

This book is the perfect combination of mystery, adventure and romance all rolled into one. It is a fast paced read that I couldn’t put down. This was the first book I have read by Lindsay Emory and now I’m eager to read more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book.

A fun beach read for those that love all things royal, perhaps for adults who were fans of the Princess Diaries when they were teens. It's got its slow parts and there were segments that made me roll my eyes from the ridiculousness (really? You'll marry someone you know so little about? Even if your'e royalty?)
3.5 Stars.
I received a copy of this title from netgalley for an honest review.

If you grew up loving The Princess Diaries then boy do I have a book for you! This book, The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory is such a great read.

Theodora is the princess of Drieden and is set to marry Christian but when he doesn’t show up to the wedding and leaves Thea at the alter, everything changes. Four months later, Thea meets Nick a sexy Scottish man, who just so happens to be a British Spy OH and her ex-fiance's brother.
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Theodora isn’t your typical princess. She’s a very strong women, trying to decide what’s best for herself and her country. The book comes out officially on October 9, go check it out!
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Thanks Netgalley for my free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.