Bear shifters are all the rage right now, and I’m not complaining.

Piper Evans is just your regular, boring twenty-something: elementary school teacher by day, romance blogger by night, caregiver to her mother throughout. And life is just peachy (kinda) on her tight-knit island home, at least, until the Duke and Duchess arrive and rent out the home right next to hers. Suddenly Piper is inundated by a wave of paparazzi and feelings for the royals’ hot but close-mouthed bodyguard, Harrison. Could her summer get even weirder?

I’m used to the dog-ate-my-homework excuses at work, and generally the more outlandish they are, the more they seem to be true. I mean, unless their homework was eaten by velociraptors or something.

The book starts off with a student vomiting into Piper’s purse (it was right by the trash bin), and her day just goes downhill from there.

At least, however, it goes up, as she has a meet-uncute with Harrison the personal protection officer, and then later meets Monica and Eddie, the British Duke and Duchess who are totally, 100% not at all stand-ins for another British royal couple who were hounded by the press with racist slurs, treated poorly by the rest of the royal family, said fuck it to royal life and all of the crap, and bunkered down in British Columbia for a hot minute while pregnant. (In case you are wondering, I am totally Team Meghan).

While there are some off-the-walls moments (security in trees, missing ids, etc.), I really enjoyed how this leaned into the quieter moments of fame and the harder aspects of mental illness and new relationships and fitting in.

Piper is viewed as an outsider because her ex is well connected throughout the town (his parents literally own everything) and she left him not-quite-at-the-altar after discovering he’d cheated on her (yet again) the night of his bachelor party. Being a small town and influential parents, guess who came out on top in that event? Not Piper.

Her relationship with her mother is one that I really enjoyed reading, and I really like the establishment of boundaries and real-talk at the end, where her mother tells her that while she might have dependent personality disorder and borderline personality disorder, Piper has been creating her into even more of a dependent, and that it’s time to let mom stand up on her own a bit. This was refreshing, because so often caregivers are treated to the oh look at me and my woes approach, while the people they are caring for are considered unworthy of more than pity, much less any sort of agency. So it was nice to see mom push back against Piper, and recognize (and call out) their codependent relationship.

Piper’s relationship with Harrison was solid if nothing spectacular, likewise with her relationship with Monica (Eddie is mostly off doing…who knows?). They were both people with baggage who needed to work through that and find a way to move on, and how that moving on looked.

Overall, it’s enjoyable, and it satisfied my gossipy sweet tooth and need for all things royal. Plus, there was a nice parallel between private and public expectations for behavior, both for royals and teachers of young children.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

The Royals Next Door releases August 31, 2021, from Berkley. My review will go live July 27.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒔, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒆.

This was a beautiful, complex love story that I absolutely devoured. I haven’t had a book that I was able to read in one day in a very long time, but this book was just too good to put down. I laid by the pool and got lost in the small town life, witty banter, and steamy romance (who knew doing laundry could be so sexy 😉). Next thing I knew I was finished…and I had a sunburn. The Royals Next Door is a refreshing romance with extremely relatable characters.

This isn’t a love story about the royals, but I will say that the royals who are in the book have some similarities to Prince Harry and Megan Markle. The royals are the main reason why our two main characters end up meeting. This is the love story of a small town schoolteacher and the royal bodyguard.

The characters are beyond outstanding. Piper is vulnerable and honest with her struggles of taking care of her mom who has mental illness, and with her own anxiety and C-PTSD (which I’ve learned a lot about lately and not just from this book). Piper and her mother have a complicated relationship but its also very truthful. Not many romance authors would want to tackle these big topics but in the author’s notes Karina talks about how this was extremely personal to her own struggles and I admire the hell out of that! This was super bold and the book is a big advocate for therapy and how you have to live to find your own growth, which I just loved. And then there is Harrison who is what Piper would call a cinnamon roll hero, a supportive, kind, and oh-so-sweet hero who is just too good for this world. He has his fair share of demons and talks about his struggle with drugs and alcohol and how he joined the Army to straighten himself out but has such a sweet and protective side. Both characters care deeply about their loved ones, their jobs, and they don’t just fit into one box. Piper has a truly phenomenal monologue about not fitting in and defending not only herself but outsiders, and not judging romance readers which made me heart swell and deserved a standing O.

It was a slow and kind of forbidden romance that I was rooting for from the start because they’re just really good characters, and (spoiler) they get a sweet happily-ever-after ending! This is a definite must read and if you’re someone who doesn’t love romance maybe give this one a chance. Remember you can’t be afraid of change!

Piper Evans is many things: schoolteacher, romance novel lover, podcaster, caretaker to her mother (who is battling mental illness) and self-proclaimed hermit. When Prince Eddie and Duchess Monica (fictionalized Harry and Megan) decide to move into the mansion next door to Piper’s tiny home, she quickly finds her simple, quiet existence turned upside down. The arrival of the royals brings excitement, paparazzi and personal protection officers. With this shocking disruption in her carefully constructed, quiet life, Piper finds herself thrust out of her comfort zone, especially when she meets Harrison Cole. Harrison is the handsome, no nonsense head PPO who clashes with Piper from the start but also sparks an interest that she’s not quite sure what to do with.

I really enjoyed the development of the attraction and relationship between Piper and Harrison. I loved how even though Piper hated confrontation, there was something about Harrison that brought out the fire in her. Those initial confrontations, with the witty banter and jabs were perfect. Halle did such a great job building the slow burn that around the 60% mark I began to worry that they might never get together (or worse, there would be a “fade to black” scene when they finally did) Of course, I should never lose faith in Karina Halle. I’ve read enough of her novels to know that she can deliver the steam and this book was definitely no exception!

Apart from the romance, Halle did a great job showing Piper’s personal growth as well as the evolution of her relationship with her mom. There were some heavy topics introduced in this book regarding mental illness and they were handled with empathy and thoughtfulness. I really enjoyed this novel and had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommend.

This book has a little bit of everything -- starting with some very, very compelling chemistry between the two leads!!

The royal fervor that is often exhibited with Megan and Harry is used as a backdrop for the plot but it's also a nuanced look at the downsides of fame and royal fortune. I thought the author handled all of the characters with care and respect and really gives readers an inside peek of what life might be like on the other side.

Back to the main characters though -- Piper and Harrison are like oil and water that keep getting brought together by circumstances around them. Their reactions to each other felt genuine and well-thought out. I really enjoyed the complex relationship that Piper had with her mother and Piper's slow journey to self discovery was heart wrenching and heart warming all at once.

Overall, a fun, almost-fluffy, slow burn romance but with true emotional depth and understanding of real pain underneath.

The Royals Next Door was a really cute royal adjacent romance. It features a wonderfully gooey cinnamon roll personal protection officer hero who will certainly steal your heart. I loved the slow burn build up between Harrison and Piper. They get off to a rocky start, but they each know exactly how to push the others buttons and the snarky banter was excellent. There are things in their pasts and present weighing them down (please see CW), but I appreciated that they were honest with each other and worked through these obstacles in a mature and productive way. The epilogue left my heart happy and I look forward to reading more books by Karina Halle in the future.

As fun and sweet as this novel is, it also tackles some very serious issues as well. The discussions about mental health were especially insightful and the author’s note at the end really brought everything full circle. I thought basing the royal neighbors on Meghan and Harry was a fun touch and I felt their struggles with the media and paparazzi mirrored reality very well. I also really appreciated how the novel addressed the stigma and misconceptions surrounding the romance genre.

CW: anxiety, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, dependent personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, cheating ex, parental abandonment, military related injury and PTSD, invasion of privacy

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

I thought this was an interesting book. Not good, not bad, just.. interesting.

I liked the setting and the premise. We rarely ever hear about royals, even fictional ones, settling in Canada, much less a remote island off the coast. As someone who was molded by small town life herself, I can understand that isolated island feel. Everyone knows everyone, your neighbors respect your privacy, and we often don’t take too kindly to strangers in our midst.

To be quite frank, I wasn’t particularly fond of any of the characters, nor did I feel a connection to any of them. I found Piper to be a bit much. She was obsessive about Harrison from the beginning, even when he routinely acted like he wanted nothing to do with her. She used her mother and her mother’s personality disorders as a crutch to excuse her recluse behavior more than once, and it got old very fast.

Harrison was the type of male lead I usually go for: tall, broad, broody, tattooed. But something about him just felt off to me. I’m not entirely sure his emotional baggage translated well to the page.

In general, I didn’t love this and I didn’t hate it. It was very middle of the road for me.

I am a fan of Karina’s books, she is an author with a very diverse backlist that will engage a lot of different readers. This book was certainly no disappointment from Karina and I found it fun and swoony. The character development was incredible, Karina gave great depth and detail to both Piper and Harrison. It’s different than your typical ‘royal’ romance, and I immediately found myself wondering what I would do if I was suddenly neighbors with Meg Markle and Prince Harry. I think this is an excellent read and will please many different readers!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-arc of this title!
What I was expecting: a royals escaping the family fan-fiction. A focus on the royals as neighbors - they're probably annoying? A scandal!?

What happened: I laughed. I audibly snorted in some of my favorite parts. Sexnotized anyone? Piper lovingly refers to her car as The Garbage Pail, through the entire book! There was less scandal than I was expecting. And the royals really were supporting characters more than main characters. They were also pretty darn lovely and cute. Not to mention, I spent the first about 65% of the book saying, "this is fun and quite PG." At around the 65% point I did gasp out "that is definitely not PG." Piper's mom, and her mental illness, were not just used as a plot point but given space and time to grow as a character alongside Piper and Harrison.

Final review: I loved this title. I adore romance books that include banter between main characters and Piper and Harrison deliver. This title also made me snort and laugh out loud. Reading it left a smile on my face. Definitely a feel good, fun romance to wrap up the summer! I have already recommended that my library purchase a copy.

This book is like the cinnamon roll that Piper regularly enjoys; hot, sweet and a gooey center. Perfect for the summer reading lists of royal watchers and romance enthusiasts.

Let’s just say, I love a good royals book. I’ve been in love with Prince Harry since I knew who he was so I knew I would love this book!

What I Loved?
👑: this was a bodyguard and forced proximity story. I feel like FP brings so much fun banter and this one has that! And I haven’t read many bodyguard books so I liked that aspect.
👑 Harrison was what we all think of a bodyguard- always serious and tough. But Piper was that little sunshine that he needed in his life!
👑 Piper’s romance podcast. I loved it!
👑: The Meghan and Harry comparisons. I mean, if you know anything about them, it was the perfect comparison.
👑: The laundry room scene. IYKYK.
👑: The topic of mental health with Piper’s mom. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that talked about mental health like this one but I really though Halle did a great job with the topic.

What an adorable enemies to lovers romance! Piper Evans is a school teacher on a quiet island. When some British royals decide to make her island home a getaway, it throws her entire world upside down when the move next door. She’s not dealing with paparazzi on her driveway, signing non-disclosure agreements, and contentious interactions with Harrison Cole, their brooding bodyguard. Piper is such a quirky and likable character as a school teacher, tic tac addict, and romance reader with an anonymous podcast. Her tendency to ramble makes her discussions with Harrison hilarious. His stoic personality seems like the perfect balance once they can get past their annoyance with one another. Their relationship progressed well and I loved their chemistry.

I appreciated that while the royals living next door was an interesting part of the story, it was not what this book revolved around. It took a closer look not only at Piper and Harrison’s relationship but also Piper’s relationship with her mother. While much of this book is funny and light, it also touches on mental disorders and the stigmas often associated with them. I thought that was handled very well and really appreciated that message being included as a large part of the story.

Piper is a schoolteacher who reads historical romances and has a podcast called Romancing the Podcast. I feel like I could stop there and have said enough to make it clear how much I love this premise. I can't think of a more awesome character description, and there's discussion of romance novels and rebuttal of the stigma against reading them.

The royals in the title of this story are clearly modeled after Harry and Megan. And they move next door to Piper with their bodyguard, Harrison. Officially, her house is the guest cottage for their mansion. That leads to really interesting issues of privacy and hiding.

Additionally, Piper is dealing with a lot. Her mother has dependence personality disorder and borderline personality disorder, and Piper is her primary caregiver. From her childhood, Piper has complex PTSD. The discussion of therapy is great, and I love seeing the mental health representation.

I would have really enjoyed having Harrison's POV as well. I understand why the story worked best from Piper's perspective only, but it was not always fully clear to me why he was interested in Piper or where he was coming from.

This is a slow burn romance which tackles a lot of serious issues around neurodiversity, mental health, and privacy. I loved those aspects, but I would have liked to see some loose ends tied up a bit better.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

3.5/5 rounded up

This book was so fun and different! Eddie and Monica came across as VERY Harry and Meghan, which as an H+M fan I appreciated, but I loved that Piper and Harrison had their own lives and story separate from the royals. I love a good bodyguard romance, and Harrison was delightfully stern and starchy. Piper was a great foil to him in her peppy, quirky ways, and I felt that their chemistry was believable and their journey to falling for each other enjoyable. Their HEA was hard-earned, but without a super prolonged, upsetting dark period beforehand, which I also greatly appreciate in a rom-com. Definitely recommend this one for fans of the royals!

A wonderful example of the depths possible within the romance genre. Royals, a delicious love interest with an accent, and an exploration of mental health. This novel is a delightful romp that also helps expand readers understanding of neuro diversity.

Piper is just an average school teacher in a small town that doesn’t see much excitement. That is until she finds out that British royals will be renting the mansion next to her family home. Of course Pipers new neighbors attract hoards of on lookers and paparazzi, but luckily Harrison, the hot, tattooed and aloof personal protection officers to the royals is there to protect her!

I loved the concept of this story (especially since some of the side characters read as Meghan and Harry fanfic) however, I thought the characters and relationships felt hastily developed and unrealistic.

There were moments where the dialogue felt contrived thus making the character lack dimension.

I was also a little confused about the time frame in which Piper forms a friendship with her royal neighbors. I would assume that people who are that much in the public eye would be pretty distrustful or at least guarded when it comes to interacting with new people. So to me, it seemed unrealistic that such a fast friendship would form.

Furthermore there were some issues around mental health and the stories main conflict that sorted themselves out with a few pages and a few paragraphs of dialogue.

Lastly, the end of the story wrapped up in a way that was too much telling the reader rather than showing the reader how the character arcs finished.

Overall feeling a bit meh on this one. Not bad, but not something I would recommend to others.

This was super cute! It was obviously based on Megan and Harry but I love them, so this was adorable.

The main characters had great chemistry and I really loved their story!

The author also has a character with BPD and DPD and while I’m not overly familiar with either, she wrote them with respect and I think that’s hugely important. It’s nice to see more mental health in novels that’s portrayed realistically and not romantasized.

He laughs. He actually laughs.
I gawk at him. “What’s the date today?”
“It’s July 6,” he says. “Why?”
“Because I want to remember it as the day I made Harrison Cole laugh. I’ll celebrate it every year by making offerings to the Holy Saint of PPOs, leaving tidings of aviator sunglasses and stiff upper lips.”
He’s shaking his head at me. “And you said I wasn’t normal.”
“It takes one to know one.”

Karina Halle’s newest romance The Royals Next Door brings all the fun, sweetness, and snark you need to make your summer great. Following Piper Evans, an elementary school teacher living in a tight-knit island community that ousted her after she called off her wedding to the town’s revered fiancé, the romance-loving, podcast-making mess of a woman’s life is turned upside down when British royals rent the property next to hers. When Piper runs into their very stoic, unfortunately very sexy bodyguard Harrison Cole, a slow-burn hate-to-love romance commences and suddenly, the Royals aren’t the only ones that find themselves in the spotlight.

You had me at bodyguard and royals, honestly. Karina Halle knows how to pen a romance that will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book and this was no exception.

A lot of the elements concerning the royal couple Prince Eddie and Monica are clearly inspired by Meghan and Harry and I was hooked by the spin Halle put on that real-life story. We have Eddie and Monica who want to escape the press for the summer and spend some time away from the ruling thumb of the monarchy. And we have Harrison, the bodyguard who would gladly take a bullet for them.

Piper and Harrison’s slow-burn romance was well-paced and really drew me in from the get-go. Their witty banter and sweet moments made me swoon and most of that can be attributed to their expertly developed characters apart from their romance. Piper has a lot on her plate—her mother is living with her since she struggles with borderline personality disorder and dependent personality disorder and needs Piper’s help—and even though she is a quirky, upbeat character, we also get to see the darker parts of Piper, including her fears of not fitting in with the townspeople, her worries about her mother’s future, and her own mental health that suffers from the pressure she is under. Halle provides authentic mental illness representation that will make many readers nod their head because it is so realistic and doesn’t shy away from the not so pretty parts of it. Meanwhile, Harrison is a closed book at the beginning of the novel but slowly unravels his own traumatic past and why he is as loyal as he is. I loved how individually, both of these characters had a lot of baggage, but once they got together, they realised just how nice it can be to have someone who will help carry the load. And though this didn’t quite include the level of steam I’m used to from Halle’s books, there is enough chemistry between Piper and Harrison to make you fan yourself while reading.

There are a lot of elements of this story that I’m sure readers will adore, but one that warmed my ice-cold heart was the calling out of the stigma surrounding reading romance. Piper has a romance podcast which she does anonymously because she can imagine the backlash if someone were to find out an elementary school teacher discussed smutty scenes online. And when the secret inevitably comes out, Halle really doubles down and exposes the double standards for women, the ridicule and downright dismissal romance readers face. Piper holds her ground and fights for her right to read what she wants in private as long as she doesn’t let it interfere with her teaching—which it never has—but it was just so enlightening (and aggravating that it is a thing at all) to read a romance that actually articulates the stigma readers of that genre have faced in the past and are still facing. Who doesn’t remember dismissing a romance book as “guilty pleasure” when someone asked them about it? I loved how Halle called out the people who would shame someone for enjoying reading a romance— it’s 2021. If people still think romance isn’t one of the best genres out there, they’re not picking up the right books.

With characters that leap off the page, an enchanting royal couple to root for and a slow-burn romance to make you ache, The Royals Next Door is the perfect summer read that will keep you reading all night long.

I LOVED THIS ONE!!! This is perfect for fans of the royal family, pretty steamy relationships, and sexy bodyguards. Every single page of this book had me like *heart eye emoji here*. It was sexy, funny, and overall a really lovely book. I had such a grin on my face for this entire book. I loved that the main conflict of the book didn't involve the couple breaking up or going through something like that. I feel like I have read so many books like that and it is refreshing when the couple can go through something and grow together. I loved the end of this book and definitely shed a few happy tears. I loved the reunion scene and how happy everyone was. I also really liked the representation of mental health. All of the charcters had gone through so much and were so open about their struggles. Overall, this was such a great book and I want 85 more books about Harrison's bakery and just domestic scenes of both of them!!!

Very sweet with a relatable FMC. It's nice to see some neurodivergence and talk of taking care of those with mental illness. This may be my first romance set in Canada which is refreshing.

A muscular, hot bodyguard rocks Piper Evans' world in Karina Halle's new book, THE ROYALS NEXT DOOR. As Piper enters her neighborhood, she is stopped by a burly guard, Harrison Cole, bodyguard to a prince and princess. Piper lives in the neighborhood with her mom and is confused why Harrison insists on identification. Piper, an elementary school teacher, unfortunately had a child puke in her purse that morning, so she is currently without her drivers license. Turns out the mansion next to her house is being rented by British royalty. Piper and Harrison argue and give each other the stink eye. Harrison is intrigued by this beautiful blond babe!

Piper lives a quiet life, with her mom as her caregiver, because she has psychological problems. She loves to read romance stories and operates an anonymous podcast on the side. Regrettably, she has an ex who treats her miserably. Piper loves the relaxing island life and does her best to fit in, even though she is treated like a stranger. Now, she has royals living next door, with a guard who sees her as a threat. Maybe she's a threat to his hormones?

Piper and Harrison bump into each other often and each meeting leaves her sweating. Harrison has charisma in spades and melts her down to her toes. As she chats up Harrison, she learns he is a very tenderhearted guy. Harrison naturally falls for the foxy chick.

As word leaks out about the royals, Piper's life gets complicated. She deals with pesky paparazzi, a nosy mother, work issues, podcast problems, navigates a nervy ex, and Harrison's hot hands. Piper is exhausted but shocked, when she has an epiphany about life and love. Is their relationship the real deal?

THE ROYALS NEXT DOOR is totally way out fun and playfully romantic. We get the dish from Ms. Halle on living life as a celebrity and all the pitfalls that come with it. It isn't all bad as Piper finds out as she becomes friends with the royals. I loved the interaction between them as neighbors. Harrison is one hot dude who oozes charm and sex appeal. Totally my type of guy! Piper is totally cute, klutzy and I love how she sasses Harrison. This is a great romantic comedy with pizzazz! I was hooked from page one, it's so good! THE ROYALS NEXT DOOR is saucy and hilarious! Love, love, love it!