Once Upon a Royal Summer by Teri Wilson from Hallmark Publishing was a delightful read that would be great at the beach or turned into a film. (I'd actually really love to see this on the Hallmark Channel!)

The concept is one we've seen before, but it works. Lacey is working as a princess character at an amusement park that isn't Disney (but only for copyright reasons, I'm sure), and a real-life prince and his daughter waltz into her character breakfast. What ensues from there is a romance that isn't quite a fairy tale but is much better.

Is this book predictable? Yes. Does that take away from the enjoyment factor? No.

It was a perfect audiobook for a Sunday afternoon.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Once Upon a Royal Summer is a deliciously sweet, feel good, ‘fairytales do come true’ romance. Light and fluffy with likable characters, this one left me with a smile on my face. 3.75 fun flirty stars from me for this charmingly sweet happily ever after.

Brittany Pressley’s narration was fantastic!


Thank you to NetGalley, Hallmark Publishing, Dreamscape Media and the Author for the opportunity an listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

✍️ One Sentence Synopsis: A princess always wears her crown, even in a bubble bath.

💭 Overall Thoughts:
This is the royal romance escape read I needed this summer. Light, witty, magical, with sweet romantic chemistry and a touch of heart.

This is definitely super Hallmark style, definitely predictable, definitely a bit cheesy, definitely unrealistic and complete fantasy— and I definitely loved all of it.

I’m a huge Disney fan, fan of royal romance/fairytales, and missing what used to be at least yearly (if not more often) trips to the Most Magical Place on earth and this adorable read filled that void for me.

I loved the connection between Lacey and Henry— and also between Lacey and Rose. I loved her realization of her current relationship being wrong for her and normalizing that being ok.

What I Liked:
👍 Sweet, lighthearted, witty, and magical romance.
👍 Prince Henry is a dreamboat.
👍 Lacey is just such a kind hearted role model for the little girl in the story— Rose.

What I Didn’t Like:
👎 What other people might not like is that it is super predictable and cheesy— but it’s just what I needed.

🎧 The narrator was easy to engage with and the perfect voice for a fairytale romance. I listened at 1.75


💞Read this if you liked: The Princess Diaries, Suddenly Royal

⚠️ Content Warnings: Cancer, loss of mother (both without a lot of detail but mentioned)

This is a solid 3 and 1/2 star book. I rounded up to four stars because because i really liked the interactions between Lacy and the Queen. It was a fun, light read and I enjoyed listening to it. If you are looking for a fun, contemporary, fairytale romance this may be the one for you!

Utterly charming and sappy sweet romance! This audiobook is a Hallmark movie in another format and a perfect beach read or listen. The narration helps it move along quickly, and although the story has no twists, turns, nor excitement, none is necessary. I don’t normally read or listen to romance books, but I’m a sucker for a princess story, especially a fairytale come true type and this was exactly that. My only criticisms would be that there really is no conflict, so the story falls a little flat. Even the “grumpy guy in the baseball hat” storyline was quickly and easily explained with no muss and no fuss. When the biggest drama comes from a small chocolate stain on furniture, you know you’ve got a little problem. . It’s all buttercream and spun sugar, leaving my sweet tooth aching a bit. Also, the convenient proposal at the end is a bit sudden. No “real” dates, no first kiss, just a “meet cute” and marriage. But, again, it was a quick listen and perfect for a long weekend drive.
As for my classroom, I suppose I could have it on the bookshelf for some of my high school romantics. It’s all good, clean love. (Like I mentioned earlier, not even a kiss!)

4 stars

Once Upon a Royal Summer is a modern day fairy tale that is as sweet as cotton candy.

Teri Wilson makes the most out of a concept that is absolutely ingenious, packing this book with everything that a fan of Hallmark or Disney could want. With any royal romance, I get a bit worried that an author will rely too heavily on making the commoner characters too quirky and the royal characters too stuffy. I appreciated that Wilson made a sincere effort to avoid that trap and I think that the book is better for it. The classic misunderstanding right before the happily ever after did make me groan a little, but I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in this delightful story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hallmark Publishing, and Dreamscape Media for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Absolutely delightful! Once Upon A Royal Summer is a Hallmark book that reminds all of us why as children (and some adults, yes, me…) still enjoy fairytales, princesses and a charming prince. You’re never too old to get swept away into real-life fairytale.

Overall, it’s a sweet contemporary romance that will make you laugh and leave a smile on your face. Teri Wilson did a wonderful job of setting reality/real-life apart from pretend and weaving in how it’s not always black and white.

The audio book narrator, Brittany Pressley did a phenomenal job, I would listen to anything she reads. I listened to in in one work day!

This is exactly what you would expect from Hallmark and I loved it!

Handsome prince - check
Cute daughter (who's a real princess) - check
Castles & fairy tales - check
BFFs (I need more of Ava & Ian) - check
Lacey (sweet & likeable main character who deserves a prince) - check

I listened to this on audio and the narrator was fantastic. It's a delightful quick read/listen that is perfect for all the summer feels!

A cute feel good romance that hits the mark. This isn't my normal kind of read or listen so I wasn't sure what to expect but I found myself enjoying the book. The narration is on point and I'll definitely being checking out more of Wilson's work.

This is a feel good story, that will captivate you.
We feel the joy of a little girl as she experiences the freedom to enjoy an amusement park, I could just picture sweet Princess Rose, yes, she is a real princess, and enjoying being in Florida and seeing Princess Sweet Pea, as she celebrates her birthday.
We meet and get to know Lacey Pope, a.k.a Princess Sweet Pea, and follow her and her job as she plays her Princess part, and gives the kids the rules to follow!
Then we meet Princess Rose’s father Prince Henry, and he is dreamy, and our Sweet Pea has noticed, but can a theme park princess be with a real prince?
This is a sweet fairy tale that meets reality, and you get to enjoy!
I would love to know what happened to Ian and Ava?
I received this book through Net Galley and the Hallmark Publishing/Dreamscape Media, and was not required to give a positive review.

What happens when a royal prince and his daughter travel to an American theme park and meet a fairy tale princess? They learn what it truly means to care for others and overcome their biggest fears. Teri Wilson takes you on a light journey of mishaps and triumphs that is the perfect summer beach read. If you are a fan of Hallmark love stories, Once Upon A Royal Summer is for you.

I had the honor of listening and review the audio book to Once Upon a Royal Summer!
This was a really good, charming, adorable book!
The story that is told is amazing and I really enjoyed it all!
From the narrator, characters, story, writing!
The audio was about a Six hour book!
Perfect summer books

Thank you so much NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this awesome audio book

This is an adorable sweet light read. Lacey gets heart broken by her very pompous fiancé. Or does she? When her tells her that a prince on a white steed isn’t going to come to rescue her he has no idea how very wrong he is! Lacey is a sweet woman who believes in love and happily ever after. She is working as a Princess at an amusement park (think Disney!) Who would imagine she would meet a sweet little girl and her Prince of a dad and fall in love? So adorable, light and smile inducing!
The big question is…when does the Hallmark movie come out? This story has been told before and yet this was a lovely sweet listen. Wonderful narration added to the experience.

Lacey, Henry and Rose make for a fun take on the Cinderella story. A fairy tale theme park princess meets her real Prince Charming in Once Upon a Royal Summer, a perfect summer treat of a book. It’s exactly what you expect from a Teri Wilson royal book. A fun escape with a fun heroine to cheer for plus a whole lot of scrumptious make believe.

Once Upon a Royal Summer
A delightful royal romance from Hallmark Publishing
by Teri Wilson, Hallmark Publishing
Narrated by Brittany Pressley

I listened to this arc audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the second Teri Wester book I have read. The other book I read was Unleashing Mr. Darcy. A very fun Pride and Prejudice homage for any Jane Austen fans out there. I also enjoyed the Hallmark Movie version of that book although like many avid readers I felt the book was better. I very much hope this will also be a Hallmark movie and will eagerly look forward to a girls night with my sister to view it.

This is a combo single dad / Royal + commoner romance with a twist that the heroine is also professionally a pretend princess but more importantly that she embodies the character and heart of what should make a true princess. I enjoyed the parallels of her playing the princess and the pea who’s princessness must be tested before marrying the prince. This is a delightful cotton candy sweet and clean romance. I enjoyed the length of the book. Sometimes you just need a 6.5 hour fun romp of fictional wonderment.

The sound quality was exceptional and the narrator was perfection. I was in awe of her ability to convincingly portray so many characters of different genders, ages and nationalities that pulled you deep into the magic of the story. I was genuinely struck by some of the descriptive language utilized to paint such an exact picture intoning the perfect ambience to make the reader truly visualize the feel and atmosphere of each scene.

5/5 would listen (and/read) again.

Oh how I love a good fairy tale. Once upon a royal summer is happily ever after romance read. Teri Wilson had me after the first chapter at the amusement park. I love the daughter is included in the romance. I listen to it all the way through..

Once Upon A Royal Summer was such a fun and touching story.

Lacy works as a Princess Sweet Pea, a theme park princess bringing smiles to people's faces and helping make their dreams come true even if just for one day -- a job that is near and dear to her heart. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend didn't see it as an acceptably career choice. One day during her Royal Tea Party she spots a grumpy dad with his little girl and does what she always does, tries to make them smile. Little does she know the grumpy dad is Henry, the crown prince of Bella-Moritz, who is at the theme park trying to give his daughter a "normal", happy 7th birthday after she lost her mother (and Henry's wife) four years before. Between the loss, and the pressures of the palace, all Henry wants for his daughter, Rose, is an escape and some time to be a kid. Lacy is tasked to help show them the park and help with this task, but when Henry and Lacy get to know each other, they both find more than they bargained for.

This story was fun and sweet and oh so charming. I love Henry and his desire to protect his daughter and give his a sense of normalcy in his crazy world. You could tell the loss of his wife and his daughter's mother had caused him to close off and he was trying to open himself back up. Then there was Lacy who just wanted to bring joy and light to people the way someone gave it to her when she needed it most.

My biggest critique of the book was the way it ended. While I am all for suspending relief, and believing in fairy tales, I felt this one went a little too far. I won't spoil but I felt the ending was too over the top and rushed for my tastes. But overall I liked the characters and the story.

The narration by Brittany Pressley was excellent. She handled the transitions between the British accents and Lacy very well. I thought she did a great job on the narration. I would definitely listen to other books from her.

This is the quintessential love story Hallmark is so well known for. Lacey is fulfilling her dreams of living the fairytale life through her employment as Princess Pea at a Florida theme park. Anxiously awaiting her own happily-ever-after, she realizes her unofficial fiancé is not the one for her. She’s on a dating hiatus when she, as Princess Pea, meets Prince Henry and his little girl, spending Rosie’s 7th birthday enjoying her childhood instead of maintaining the Royal life according to societal views. Henry, incognito, finds the theme park theatrics depicting royalty comical and Lacey calls him on it, challenging him to dance with her at the tea party. I think you see where this is going...
It’s not without its conflict and will they-won’t they. You can easily envision the book-to-film unfold as you read this. My 5yo also enjoyed listening along. It’s a quick read and very enjoyable.
#onceuponaroyalsummer #netgalley

I am a sap for Hallmark movies. No matter how cheesy and predictable they are; I cannot pass one up. Once Upon a Royal Summer is just that! A sweet, utterly predictable, but so enjoyable novel about a girl who works as a princess at a theme park, whose run in with an actual prince turns in to a whirlwind romance – what they know each other a few days (maybe a week or two) before he proposes? I guess when you know, you know.

This book is hard to put a star to because of the expectation vs. execution. I expected it to be cheesy without much character development. Lacey had a hard upbringing, with her mother dying when she was young and princesses bringing her happiness at the hospital. Then realizing her boyfriend didn’t really like her chosen lifestyle of a full-time princess. It was all stated, with a few little winks at it – Lacey wanting to go talk to a little girl at the park when she felt obligated to be Henry and Rose’s personal guide. It didn’t have a lot of feeling behind it. Also, the insta-love; I know, I know, it’s a Hallmark-ish novel, what can I expect? But inviting Lacey to your palace after knowing her for 5 days and her agreeing.

In regards to the audio, overall the narrator was good. The only criticism I have is that it was hard to differentiate between the queen’s voice and Henry’s voice at times. It seems like everyone with an accent sounded the same.

Other than that, an enjoyable read/listen. I wish there was a little more to the characters and their growing relationship, but a nice quick, clean, and charming “happily ever after” romance novel.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC. I woud give it a 3.5 star, but will bump it up to a 4.

OMG This is such a fun story! I listened to the audiobook and refused to take out my EarPods until it was finished!!! A really clever take on The Princess and the Pea and Cinderella, this Hallmark presentation does not disappoint. You will enjoy the characters that are sweet, wholesome and original. Such a wonderful feel-good book that even though you may know the story, has a fresh appeal. This made me wish for my Prince Charming and believe that goodness is still a great thing!! #OnceuponaRoyalSummer#NetGalley