Hey guys. I hope things are going well, summer's not too hot, you've gone on a quick adventure, and life is good. I also hope that if you pick up His True Queen, the second in the Smoke and Mirrors duet, that you are ready. Are you ready for it? Here's a handy dandy list of things you'll probably want at the ready while you're reading:

1. Yoga classes--you're going to need to really be able to breathe deeply through some of these parts because OHMYGOD.
2. Along those lines, you'll probably want those paddle thingies that they use to restart you're heart because I think I died a few times while reading.
3. Also important? A case to protect your reading device because you may want to throw it a few times.
4. Probably some ibuprofen because between the swooning, sweating, and ovary explosions, you might be a little out of sorts.
5. A friend who's also reading this so you can have someone to text angsty swoony things to.
6. A crown for JEM because she's officially the QUEEN of angsty reads!

Y'all. I swear this duet was the most fun way to begin and end my summer (I go back to work next week). His True Queen had my heart racing, my brain concocting theories at every turn, and my fingers constantly tempted to go to the last page to see how it ends (and I really never do that because I'm usually so good at self control!). Adelaide and Josh's journey to their HEA was intense and insane and I really had no desire to put my Kindle down until I got to the end (sleep and laundry be damned!). The twists and turns and scandal and heartache were great and hard and horrible which made the ending that much more meaningful (and has me hoping for a book for Eddie!).

If you're looking for an angsty, steamy, fun and funny duet, do not look further because these books have it all.

This was a wonderful series!! Love this author! Loved the book!! The characters were so well defined and made you love them. The plot took a turn I did not expect but loved!!! The entire series was, like all her books ...wonderful!! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Holy moly was this good! I hated how Adeline was treated in book one. She wasn't royal enough, meaning she wasn't an obedient robot. Because of this she was treated as if she was beneath everyones shoes. Sadly, most of her family were the culprits. To the people, she was the most real and the most loved.

As much as Adeline didn't want to become Queen, she excelled at it. I loved that she didn't bow down. She fought for what she believed even if she had to fight over and over. Her relationship with Josh was even more impossible and yet she still fought. I enjoyed how when she put a few of those judgmental people in their places.

I loved Josh. For how much he was restricted, he still came off as the alpha male he was. He fought just enough if not more for him and Adeline. I loved it.

Once again, the ending was not at all what I thought would happen but it was a beautiful ending all the same.

His True Queen is book 2 in the Smoke & Mirrors Duet and it starts right where book 1 finished with Princess Adeline finding out she is next in line for the throne as the new Queen of England which means she must choose between her country and family or the love of her life Josh.
Josh will not walk away from the woman who has stolen his heart and Adeline is finding it hard to put her feelings for him behind her so she starts looking into her family’s history and that’s when secrets start emerging and she starts believing maybe she can really have it all......
This book is full of secrets and intrigue and please make sure you have time to sit down and read this mega book it will keep you guessing right up to the end and you won’t want to put it down. As with all of JEM books there is normally a few lines that will stay with you forever and for me in this book it’s “To the world you are the Queen of England, but to me you are everything “
Another brilliant duet that takes us on yet another amazing journey from the very talented Jodi Ellen Malpas, I wonder what she has in store for us next.

5 “Thumbs up” Stars!

Oh wow what a fantastic conclusion! What a story! It had me feeling all kinds of the feels, especially the ending. Gah that ending! I wanted to stand up and slow clap. Josh and Adeline are made for each other.

“To the world you are the Queen of England.”
“But to me, you are everything.”

I honestly can say I was shocked on how everything finally went down. I thought it was going to go one way but it went another. Adeline was such a badass. Girl power! Josh is still amazing and ilovehimsomuch! This is such a great duet, I enjoyed it so much!

Such a good book, it was full of drama and angst. I loved every word of it. The characters were amazing and all the stuff they had to go through just broke my heart and then it was mended by the end. I can't wait to read more of this author's work.

His True Queen is the second part in the Smoke & Mirrors duet. I highly recommend you read The Controversial Princess before reading His True Queen. I'm not going to dive too much into what this novel is about because this is a continuation novel, I would hate to give spoilers away to those who are waiting to binge this series...

About His True Queen:

Adeline is now the reigning Queen of England, and with being Queen comes harsh responsibility and being forced into walking a straight line. But Adeline is unlike most rulers, She leads with her heart and not with her head. When she's told she must give up the one person who makes her complete, all bets are off. This Queen is not about to let the monarchy control her happiness....

My Thoughts:

What an enticing and heart stopping way to conclude this duet. The Smoke & Mirrors duet is an addiction! An addiction that easily claimed my entire day. I literally did nothing but sit outside on my swing and read. I couldn't put this book down.

When I finished The Controversial Princess I had no clue what to think or even what my thought process was on. I was completely speechless. If you read my review on The Controversial Princess you may have seen that was my first Jodi Ellen Malpas novel. Usually when I'm familiar with an author I can easily pick up on which way the author is going to go with their series. With His True Queen I had no clue what I was in for, all I knew was I wanted and needed more.

I still adore Adeline and the fire that lives within her. Her strength is something to be admired. I loved her tenacity to be herself even when others pushed and tried to force her into the role of how they view a queen should be.

There was a twist around every freaking corner, talk about emotional whiplash.

Overall, I loved His True Queen. It was the perfect way to end an excellent duet. I cannot wait to read more from Jodi Ellen Malpas in the near future!

This book....just wow!
Unpredictable and yet, the perfect ending for a tumultuous rule. His True Queen is anything but ordinary. After the crazy, heart stopping mic drop that was The Controversial Princess, Jodi Ellen Malpas pulls no punches. Whether you are blindsided by a right hook or have taken your eyes off the opponent, you are going to go down. The seamless manipulation will have you lost in the mire. Believe me, there is plenty of mire. Everyone is crawling through dirt in this one.

Smoke and Mirrors aren't a figure of speech- they are an existence. They are a method of survival. A form of control.

What is a Queen without control...
Everything you thought you knew about the monarchy...
Everything you thought you knew about a certain American Boy...

Nothing makes a person feel more out of control than lies. And His True Queen has no idea the amount of lies involved. God Save The Queen!

****4.5 stars****

The blinkers are off and the drama, glorious drama, presses on!Adeline is really pushed to the limit but proves that she can rise to the occasion. Her grit and determination carry her through, and I am impressed. Josh is constant and larger than life, as usual.

The pace of the story doesn’t falter as Adeline finds new allies, and retains old ones. And can we talk about Damon? WOW. He is the most outstanding secondary character although at times, I feel that he should be right up there with Adeline and Josh. His exemplary efforts, razor-sharp instincts and kindheartedness make him memorable.

Suspense and steam go hand in hand in His True Queen and you will be far from bored.

*ARC reviewed~ publisher provided through NetGalley

5 “Do you want to get into trouble with me?” Stars!!! A top summer read! Twist and turns with scorching hot chemistry! Definitely a page turner. Hooked until the very end. I highly recommend this duet! Josh is EVERYTHING!!!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title compliments of NetGalley and the publisher.**

His True Queen was one of those books that I was eagerly awaiting and it did not disappoint! When I finished The Controversial Princess, all I wanted was to see how this story was going to end. Jody Ellen Malpas did an amazing job with this duet and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time as this gripping story unfolded.

I was drawn in by the complexity of the story, the twists and turns, the deception and the strong attraction between Adeline and Josh. The struggle that Adeline had with her newly acquired role, the her duty to her family and country, and trying to balance those things with her blossoming romance with movie star, Josh was nothing short of captivating.

I went through every emotion as I read this book; from anger, to hope, to joy, to sorrow with some angst thrown in as well. Josh and Adeline face every obstacle possible and they continued to fight for one another as they both knew that they were one another's destiny; their one true love. I was blown away by the twists and turns this book took and all that was revealed by the end. Many things I did not see coming which made the enjoyment of this book so much more profound. Smoke and Mirrors was a perfect name for this duet and I would highly recommend picking it up. You will not be sorry!!

You must read The Controversial Princess first. I only say that because His True Queen starts off where The Controversial Princess left off. So many secrets and lies come out. Just wow with this one. I simply loved every minute of His True Queen. I love the fight in Josh as he keeps fighting for Adeline. Even though Adeline never wanted to be Queen, she handled what she was given the best she could. She may have been fighting her love for Josh and what is deemed right as a royal, but she did it her way. All the back and fourth and twists you never expected will make you love Adeline and Josh more and more. Nothing can stop what they have not even those trying to take down the monarchy. His True Queen is a beautiful ending to this duet and a must read for all you royal lovers out there.

His True Queen was one of my most highly anticipated sequels of this year and OOOOH MY GOD did it blow all of my expectations to smithereens. This follow up was everything I never could've possibly predicted, a sequel full of sweet romance, royally delicious drama, jaw dropping scandal, and heart wrenching impossibility. And it's all illustrated so vividly through what, I swear, is Jodi Ellen Malpas' most stunning writing to date. 

This is not a book you can easily devour in one sitting. This is a loooooong sequel that I curled up with all weekend long. But don't mistake me. There's no lulls in this royal romance. Malpas guarantees that every single page of this book is jam packed with mouthwatering sensuality, stunning revelations and heart stopping romance. I was just as captivated by Adeline Lockhart's struggle with acclimating into her new role as I was by her romance with Josh Jamieson. This is truly a forbidden romance of royal proportions. The scheming and plotting and the deception these characters must commit as they feed their need to be together in secret is just... I have no words. It's delicious. It's sinful. It's often sacrilegious which also makes it rife with humor. But this is more than just a love story, it's one of tradition and obligation, one of duty and servitude. It's a story of family secrets and deceit, a story filled with betrayal and pulse pounding twists. This intoxicating duet follows an impossibly forbidden romance between a lowly American actor and his true queen but it's filled with unrelenting drama and seemingly insurmountable obstacles at every turn and it all makes for an absolutely unputdownable, unforgettable read.

I never saw this book coming. As completely blown away as I was by The Controversial Princess, as hungry as I was for this sequel, my expectations didn't hold a candle to what Jodi Ellen Malpas had in store with His True Queen. This duet is extraordinary. It's completely unpredictable. It's angsty and funny, heartbreaking and infuriating. In the moments where I was forced to step away from it, my stomach was left in knots. I was completely consumed with Josh and Adeline story and I couldn't wait to dive right back in just to see what would happen next.

Jodi Ellen Malpas' meticulous crafting of this story has left my chin on the floor. When I think back on all of it, on where Josh and Adeline began versus where they end up, when I consider the character development and the world building and the brilliance of this fierce attraction set against the backdrop of the British monarchy, I am left STUNNED. I'm still sitting here shaking my head over all that I went through in this series. Decades of smoke and mirrors come crashing down at the hands of a fiery princess who refuses to follow tradition in the face of love and what transpires, what Jodi Ellen Malpas creates with her brilliant storytelling and lush writing on these pages,  is nothing short of BREATHTAKING.

4 Stars
* * * *
This was the perfect ending to this duet. Ms. Malpas knew exactly what she was doing in creating these characters. She gave us all the flavor of The Crown and a dash Of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Having our princess become the Queen and live the royal life required while trying to hold onto true love was something to experience.

I just spent 16 + hours in the Smoke & Mirrors world that Jodi Ellen Malpas created!! W-O-W!! I am having such major book hangover!!

I have been trying to think through how best to describe this book… I feel like this was the best written book that takes place in England that I have read in a long time. Because JEM is from England, her very best came out with this duet.

I would describe this book as Megan Markle meets the royal family with a twist. FYI, Megan Markle is really Joshua Jameson in the book. And Josh will steal your heart for sure!

*** WARNING ***
His true Queen is NOT a standalone. You have to read The Controversial Princess. And know in advance the JEM writes LONG books!! When I say long, I mean long! Each book is over 8 hours long!!!!

His True Queen picks up right where The Controversial Princess leaves off. And yes, we were left with a cliffy.

“Josh Jameson is not a suitable man for me to date, to see, to screw, to even kiss. Which makes me want to do all those things all the more. Temptation to defy the rules is almost too much to resist.”
~ The Controversial Princess (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

Josh Jameson is an American actor that happens to catch the eye of Princess Adeline of England. Okay, I shouldn’t even word it that way. He more like bulldozes his way into her life. He was exactly what she needs.

Princess Adeline’s hand has been promised to Haydon Sampson.

“You will marry Haydon Sampson. That is not a request.”
~ The Controversial Princess (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

But she is not having it!

Then Josh walks into her life

“When I’m done with you, Your Highness, you’re going to be questioning who your true king is.”
~ The Controversial Princess (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

Josh and Adeline have to keep their relationship secret from the palace.

“I want us, Adeline. I love being your freedom. I want to be your freedom.”
~ The Controversial Princess (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

This isn’t the only secret that is hiding in the royal family… I am going to leave it at that. But know that because of these secrets, Josh & Adeline are torn apart…

“I needed to be held and told everything is going to be okay. Never before have I wished so hard for a man’s arm to take me in them and hide me from the cruelty of this world. But only one man’s arms are what I want. And I can’t have him.”
~ His True Queen (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

Do you think that all of this would stop Josh?!?! Hell no!! I LOVED THAT!! He was Adeline’s complete equal. He was her light in the smoke and mirrors around her.

“Every girl needs something bad for them now and then. I swallow and look to the bottom of the picture where he’s typed three simple words. Even the Queen.”
~ His True Queen (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

Throughout this series, it was great watching Adeline come into her own. It’s like she grew up right before our eyes! Through this growth, her love for Josh went from lust to a pure, genuine relationship.

“He’s the only light in my ever-darkening world. He’s the only thing that makes me feel peace.”
~ His True Queen (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

I have to tell you that I loved all of the side characters. They completed the story for sure. They were so well written that I got caught up in them and their stories as well. I LOVED DAMON!!! He was so well written. I was wanting more Damon. And I needed more Bates!! It would have been interesting to read this book from Damon & Bates POV…

I am going to leave you with this, JEM really pulled out the stops with this one. For me it was the perfect slow burn romance that took me on a journey. It was also fun to read REAL British language/ dialog. Josh Jameson’s reactions to some of the wording was my reaction as well, which was perfect!

If you are looking for a good royal romance, JEM’s Smoke & Mirrors duet is perfect for you. The twists and turns that you get will take you for an adventure.

“I’m your, Adeline. I was the moment you flashed that sultry smile my way.”
~ His True Queen (Smoke & Mirrors Duet #2) by Jody Ellen Malpas

#Smoke&Mirrors #MyAmericanBoy #ADirtyCheeseburger&DomPerigon #MyGirl #ToBeingBad #YourThroneAwaitsYourHeighness #MrHollywood #IOwnThatBeautifulRoyalAssOfYours #ImIn #HeLeadsIFollow #HeIsMyKing #HeRulesMe #IAmTheQueenOfEngland #NoThumbsDown #ThumbsUp #ThereWillOnlyEverBeRightNow #ImHisNothingButHis #IMakeYouWhoYouReallyAre #AintMisbehavin #DesperateMenDoDesperateThings #Woman #PinkHanky #YouAreMyThing #ICanWorkWithIf #JamesBondDamon #HerMajestyQueenAdelineOfEngland #TellTheWorld #ICouldntLetYouDoItAlone #MaybeIWantToViolateAPrincess #WantToGetIntoTroubleWithMe

Wow what a book it has made me feel so many emotions the twists and turns are brilliant I have shouted screamed laughed and cried whilst reading this book I can not give enough praise for this series I think this is the best that Jodi Ellen Malpas has written so far I was held so tightly in this story that I really do feel sad that it is over I fell very hounered to have read this before it is released

Ok I loved the controversial princess and all the twists and turns that entailed and it left with huge questions to be answered. His true queen answers them but a large portion in the middle of this book seemed to lack some action. The end 30% was amazing and it answers everything you need it to and there is a HEA but, in my opinion, there was something missing in this book. There were lots of twists and turns in this book which kept me reading and wanting to find out what happens with all the characters and the writing as always was impeccable because I had hate for certain characters and went through a range of emotions whilst reading. Overall I enjoyed this book and found it a fitting end to the duology.

Arc provided by netgalley for an honest review.

Wow, this conclusion did not disappoint! It was filled with passion, betrayal, lots of lies and so much more. If you are wondering wether to take the plunge just do it, read book 1 first of course but absolutely read this!! #HisTrueQueen #NetGalley

Wow, this book picks up right after the BOMB was dropped at the end of The Controversial Princess and held back no punches. I have to admit, I was on the fence during the first book, I was having a hard time connecting to the book and staying interested. The second book was a whole different ball game though, I COULDN'T TEAR MY EYES OFF OF MY KINDLE. It was a classic case of don't-blink-you-may-miss-something-just-read kind of scenarios. It was a big guessing game of who did it & who is lying, and just when I was certain I knew what was going to happen next, Jodi threw a curveball that left me scratching my head.

I highly suggest this enjoyable duet to anyone. The hero was drool-worthy and the heroine is a total badass - you will not be disappointed!

Jodi Ellen Malpas <3 anything she writes is always amazing. But this book was BEYOND what I expected. You will fall in love with this book so fast. You will feel everything they feel. Hold on to your seat because this ride is worth it all. Jodi you deserve 5 PLUS STARS!!!