Christian is definitely a very modern version of a Disney prince. He is funny, extremely handsome, loyal, dedicated to the people of his country, and extremely hardworking. Mallory is everything that should make a good princess - smart, beautiful, caring, generous, loyal, extremely hardworking - except that she is American. The pull between Christian and Mallory has been almost gravitational in nature. Its been apparent in every book so far - so it isn't surprising when they come together so quickly. Both, however, are very aware of the unwritten requirement for Christian to pick someone with a "noble" lineage and inborn princess potential. They love each other deeply - but feel like they need to sacrifice that love for the requirements of the country. Luckily this is romance - so we know that isn't going to happen in the end!

There are a lot of other complications going on in this book as well - the mental health issues of King Julian and Mallory's health issues following being shot in the first book. This all adds to a ton of external tension between the them. I am glad that their feelings for each other are really never in doubt - the main question is whether they can move past the external stressors to be together.

I really enjoyed this book - I think more than either of the first two. My only regret is that we didn't get to see an epilogue a little further into the future. It is clear that all three siblings and their chosen partners are headed for happily ever after - but I would have loved a glimpse into that future.

I'd also like to offer a content warning for <spoiler> infertility and anxiety/agoraphobia.</spoiler>

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

With little help from their family!

Mallory Wishner knew that nothing would ever come of her crush on Prince Christian of Moncriano but when they ended up at the same bar, things started to change a little when she hustled him playing darts. Mallory just wanted to have a fling with Prince Christian without anybody knowing about it because she knew it would end because he was expected to marry another royal. She didn’t want to be around when he fell in love with someone else, but they finally figure out they are in love with a little help from their family!

I loved Tempting the Prince and all the books in the Sexy Misadventures of Royals because none of the royal took themselves very seriously except for Grand Duchess Mathilde and you will find out why when you read the series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fun romance book. It was definitely a fast read. The characters were entertaining. I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series, but it looks like I will be trying to locate them. If you’re looking for a light read, and want an escape from reality, I would say check this one out. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Christi Barth's Royals series continues with Mallory and Christian's story.

I have really enjoyed each book, but have been especially looking forward to Christian's. He is under immense pressure to lead the country and find someone proper to marry. That person cannot be Mallory, but that doesn't the spark between them from growing. There are so many obstacles for them to overcome and it is not easy, but their HEA is definitely worth it.

I love a good commoner and royalty story and this fit the bill perfectly! If you have read the other books in the series too, you will love getting to see the two other couples and other familiar characters!

This book centers around Mallory, sister to Kelsey, who found out she was a princess in the previous book; and Christian, the crown prince of Villani, who finds himself with increasingly kingly responsibilities. It definitely had some cute and funny moments, and while I don't want to spoil the main conflict of why the MCs can't be together, it's more realistic than "she's a commoner/American." I'm giving a lower rating because there were a few things that annoyed me, and they were pretty consistent throughout the book.

The first thing was the rehashing of the plot of the previous books in the series. At first, this was helpful, since I hadn't read them, but Mallory seems to constantly pause and reflect on how much her life has changed, how different this is, etc. Certainly this is realistic--once in a while when I'm in the grocery store, I look around and think, wow, everyone's wearing masks, crazy that I just haven't seen a stranger's nose in months. However, I don't do this every day, or even every few days. Mostly, I'm just wondering if the tomatoes are too soft. This constant reflecting, not only on the sisters' past but on whatever the characters were thinking about in general, got old after a while, and made me start skimming.

The other thing that annoyed me, occasionally, was the banter/pop culture references. A lot of the time, it was cute, but occasionally it didn't make sense. I want to give an example, since I'm probably pickier than the average reader:
"I feel like I'm in an old Bing Crosby movie."
Was that good or bad? Christian didn't know. He stalled with a followup. "Which one?"
"The one--or ten--where the undeservedly down-on-their-luck hero and his sidekick buddy hide from the bad guys in a swanky nightclub behind a potted palm."

(So far, I have to say, I was loving this. Old movie reference that ALSO brings me into the setting? Check check! Self five! Gimme more!)

But then:
He shook his head. "That's more of a Some Like it Hot vibe. Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe."

It took a while for me to piece together why this line annoyed me SO MUCH. One, Christian doesn't understand what "I feel like I'm in a Bing Crosby movie" means, which means he's not that familiar with them. So why does he DISMISS the fact that the setting resembles one? (Also, when I looked it up, because that's how petty I am, I discovered that Bing Crosby was in over seventy films, so even if you've seen a few, you can't definitively say what they're not like.) Why not just say "OR Some Like it Hot"? Also, SLIH is arguably more widely known today than any Bing Crosby movie, so it feels incredibly condescending to inform someone who's seen TEN of them who the stars of SLIH are. (And to leave out Jack Lemmon, but I digress.)

Then it gets worse:
In an exaggerated motion, Mallory clasped her hands to her heart. "You know classic American movies?"

So he corrects her on something that does not need correcting and then gets credit for it? Blech.

(Other than this one passage, neither the book nor Christian struck me as misogynistic.)

Or this part when (minor plot spoiler) Christian is afraid that if he takes on too many of his father's responsibilities, he will seem power-hungry:
"What if he thinks I'm tired of waiting, like the Prince of Wales? It's not true, but hell, what if?"
"Ugh." After a big eyeroll, she continued. "That old guy should not be your role model. He cheated on his wife. I know it's a massive sidebar, but come on, have some integrity."

Do I mind a "massive sidebar" about English royalty? No. I spend my whole life trying to work them into conversation. However, why is she telling him not to make Prince Charles her role model when he literally just said he was afraid of being compared to him? (Also, Diana cheated too. Just saying.)

Again, it may be that I'm picky. (And possibly too opinionated about old movies and the royal family.) But these little wait-this-makes-no-sense moments happen consistently, including once where Lord of the Rings is labeled "historical fiction," which made me stop and go back several times because I thought I'd read it wrong.

Other times, the banter and inner dialogue was cute and enjoyable. Barth can clearly write both things well, it's just a question of trying to do them too often. The relationship between Kelsey and Mallory was sweet and supportive, the worldbuilding for Moncriano was detailed without being boring, and I thought the conflict was realistic and well-done. If the issues I mentioned don't bother you, I encourage you to give it a read.

4.5⭐

Royal romances are always a little hit-and-miss for me. But Christi Barth's Tempting the Prince sounded like a fabulous premise. So, I jumped at the offer of an eARC when it became available and I'm really happy that I did. Although, I must say it did take me a couple of chapters to get into, only because this isn't quite the standalone story I expected, and there is a lot of interconnection to the previous books with certain characters and event's playing a big part in what happens, and that took time to understand. But once I was familiar with everything, I found this to be a really well written, flowing story. That had plenty of sexy times, great characters and moments that reminded me of Downton Abbey, and I loved that! And it certainly combined to make Tempting the Prince a genuine hit for me. Plus, it intrigued and entertained me, enough to want to read the two books I've missed out on.

Would happily recommend.

Loved this series and this book was the best of all of them. Waited so long for Mallory and Christian's story and it was a fun, emotional and fast paced.

The final book in Christi Barth's Sexy Misadventures of Royals series is a fun and fast-paced love story. The only thing that readers really need to know from the past books is that the character Kelsey (the heroine of the first book in the series) has settled into life as a royal after it was revealed she was actually a long lost (all right, kidnapped) princess. This book follows Kelsey's adoptive sister Mallory, who has taken a job as her lady in waiting, and Christian (Kelsey's biological brother and next in line to the throne). They have a fateful meet-cute and realize they might like to spend more time together. Their path to a relationship is less than smooth, yet the story admirably doesn't shy away from the complexities that lay ahead. All relationships are difficult, and while there is the matter of royal succession, the characters are surprisingly relatable and fun. There are some elements that certainly echo Meg Cabot's "The Princess Diaries," in a way that fans will appreciate without feeling like they've seen it before. It's a solid conclusion to an entertaining series

Trigger warning: childbirth, PTSD

This was good, not a drama free story but instead it has a ton of problems, challenges, and growth. The characters had depth and back story problems. I enjoyed the different POV to keep the story moving and give us other thoughts.
My only problem was the main drama goes back around to her reproductive organs for the whole book. It got old and repetitive and people who have trouble getting pregnant may not enjoy this book at all.

This was a super cute read and I absolutely loved the characters and writing style. I love romantic comedy books, so I knew prior to reading it that I would probably get pulled in and be unable to put it down. Boy was I right! The banter between the main characters absolutely killed me (in a good way)! It felt natural and not forced, which I appreciated as sometimes it can come off in a cringe worthy way.

I also really enjoyed that you got to see both sides of the main characters point of view. I normally am not a fan of that, but the author did a really good job of transitioning and making it feel more natural. By doing this, we really got to see the more negative side to being a royal which was enlightening as I feel like many authors tend to focus on the perks and not how difficult of a task it would be to rule a country.

My only negative is that this wasn't really showcased as a third installment of a series but rather a stand alone. Having not read the prior two books, I can definitely say that it would be beneficial to read those as there were times where I felt like I was missing some background and world building which may have been covered in the first two.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I will definitely be picking up the other two as I am curious to know more about the other characters those focus on and to see the full picture.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity!

What a fun, engrossing read. Made the mistake of starting this yesterday then stayed up until 1am to finish it. I so enjoyed this group of characters and was glad the Mal and Christian finally got together. So sorry to see the series end. I need to read more of Barth's work!!

SO UPSET THIS IS THE LAST BOOK IN THIS SERIES! This was my first series from Christi and I became absolutely obsessed! This book focuses on the final sibling, Christian, and him finding love in Mallory (Kelsey’s sister). While they are both attracted to each other, the situation between the pair are messy until they meet on neutral ground in a bar and the chemistry is through the roof. We see how individually they both struggle and how the other is able to pick them up and help with those struggles. They feed off each other and it’s great to read. Christian is being pushed into the role of king sooner than ever anticipated, and Mallory is respecting the traditions and rules that follow that, knowing they could never work because of complications post shooting. It seemed that Mallory constantly fought the relationship even though it’s what she truly wanted, and it didn’t help with others around them fed off that and pushed the envelope. Thankfully, their love triumphs over everything and between Christian’s father getting the help he needs and recognizing his issues, as well as Kelsey and Genevieve getting involved with keeping Mallory in the country. At the end of the day, this couple is perfect for each other and I couldn’t get enough of them and their love! I was so sad to find out this was the last from this series – I would love at least a follow-up book to show where the three couples end up especially with all the open-ended aspects of the storylines!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Tempting the Prince is a lovely conclusion for the Misadventures of Royals series.

It's a fun and light read, resembling the fairy (or princess) tales of old where ultimately, love concurs everything.
Sure, there are ups and downs along the road, and hurdles to get through, you might need to change your frame of mind or buck tradition, but love is ultimately the strongest, most important thing.
Add in some American bluntness and sibling sass in a more strict and decorum oriented environment and you get a great and highly entertaining story. Quite frankly, I'm a little sad to see this series end.

5 stars and a persimmon cookie

Tempting the Prince by Christi Barth a frolicking filled fun five-star read. This is number three in the Sexy Misadventures of Royals series and the whole series has made me smile, I have loved visiting Moncriano and meeting all of the characters, Mallory in particular has always had a special place in my heart as she has always felt a little like an outsider, being dragged along with Kelsey and showing her the ways of her new home and doing a better job of it in some ways. There are some crazy funny moments in this story and some that will break your heart, at times it may be a little overly long and descriptive in places but overall it is just such a lovely story that you get swept up and feel so much emotion coming off the pages you can’t put it down.

This continues a series of books that I haven’t read, but the premise is that a royal baby from an imaginary Monaco-like kingdom. She was raised in Michigan and in one of the previous books she was, apparently, found and returned to her original family to take up her role as a princess. And with her went the sister she was raised believing was her older sister, Mallory. This is Mallory’s story. She is serving as her younger sister’s lady-in-waiting and trying to resist her attraction to the crown prince, Christian.

Christian is suffering under a lot of burdens as he has had to become the acting king. And he’s under severe pressure to find an appropriate aristocratic woman to marry. But the only comfort he has are the playful and sexy times he shares with Mallory. But she’s totally inappropriate as a future queen. She’s an American nobody who was raised as his real sister’s sister. And, though he doesn’t know it, she was injured so badly in an assassination attempt on her sister that she cannot have a baby.

So they share some lovely times together but Mallory knows it’s doomed. And Christian is determined to find a way to make it more than a short-term time of happiness followed my a lifetime of a loveless marriage.

I’m not quite sure if it’s believable that a country would be united against an American bride, but let’s just accept that. I liked the interactions between Mallory and Christian and could see why they would fall in love with each other.

This book made me feel sorry for royal families. I’m not really a fan of the romance-novel trope of an imaginary kingdom in which the average American woman falls for a prince. It always seems like a rotten life. But if you enjoy that sort of romance, you’ll enjoy this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Loved this book! The premise of the series is that the long lost princess (Kelsey) was found and returned to her family. Mallory had always thought she was her actual sister. When the princess thing happened, Mallory traveled to Kelsey's home country with her. Amidst all the chaos, Mallory developed a crush on Kelsey's brother, the crown prince. When she finds out her interest is returned, her life becomes even crazier than it was before.

I loved the characters and charm of their story. I found myself transported to their world and felt invested in them and wanted them to get a HEA ending. While this is a stand alone novel, its so good that you really owe it to yourself to read them all. I've loved this series and am so sorry that it ends with this book. I can't wait to see what the author creates next - she's on my must read authors' list.

This was super fun and everything I needed. I loved this whole story and I appreciated the humor that could be found in the pages within.

This was a fitting conclusion to this series, although I think I enjoyed the first two books better. I would have liked a more “into the future” epilogue, because I’m sad we didn’t get to see the outcome of the royal weddings and some conclusion with king Julian. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

Tempting the Prince is headlined as a standalone, however this seemingly-Anastasia (the missing Russian princess)- story did not read like one to me. I did not know that this was a book from a series, and because of that I kept on feeling like I was playing catch-up with the information that was from the books prior to this one in the series.
While the dialogue and writing were very easy to read, I found it hard to fully vibe with the culture of this made-up society and found the Royal trope cliché and archaic— especially in this present-day socially conscious time where our society is focusing on history’s erasure and the impact it has on present/future humanity. A more diverse cast of characters would have been a nice switch up from the same-old same-old hum drum fare, and made it more realistic as well.
I also found it very confusing why Maddison, the main character, kept referring to her ‘sister’ as the ‘sister of her emotions’. You’ve been sisters for 24 years, ain’t nothing going to change that, especially as they have been very close throughout that whole shared life.
So. If you are in the mood for annoying, dated fairytale stories, with easy writing and a simple resolve that leads to a happy-ever-after, go for it. If you more of a woke romance with buildup and tension, hold off. Either way, this book will suit somebodies ideal, however it did not suit mine.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Not realizing that this is the third in a series, there was some background that I had to piece together before I could get caught up, but once I did it was a fun modern-day romance with a hint of Anastasia. I can’t say it’s a book I’m going to remember and it didn’t do much to sway me either way, but those who love the royals and world-building will find something to love.