Member Reviews
Thank you for the Advanced Copy.
Wonderful characters who meet during the Christmas season. The heroine is not a big fan of Christmas, The hero's mother and child love to celebrate Christmas. This was written by an author who wrote one of my favorite Hallmark movies.
Highly recommended for fans of Hallmark movies.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale by Karen Schaler is the quintessential Hallmark/Netflix movie tale, full of Christmas tradition, family and over used tropes. I found the story to be drawn out, the characters somewhat bland, except for the queen who was amusing (what queen opens the castle front door to guests? She has people for that!) and too much time spent describing the family crest of swans making a heart with their necks, the Christmas tree decorations and the trees by the water, which Kaylie obsessed over.
However, the one thing that drove me absolutely crazy in this novel, (and it's a little thing, granted), is that it's repeated several times that the dog is named Blixen after the reindeer. However, the reindeer's name was Blitzen and it would have taken a simple Google search to find the correct name, rather than assuming that Blixen was correct. All in all I found the novel slow, tedious and boring with some very pretty descriptions.
Thank you to the author, HawkTale Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. #ARoyalChristmasFairyTaleKarenSchaler #NetGalley
Must love Christmas.
This was a fast read, very much in the vein of a Hallmark Christmas movie, or in this case, Netflix.
Kaylie, who just lost her job in NY, is off to Tolvania, to do a fluff piece. She's the bit of a grinch (not much, she just doesn't notice things) fish out of water when she meets the royal family.
Alexander is the prince who is mistrustful of reporters and Kaylie. He's protective of his daughter.
I did like the queen, his matchmaking, savvy mother, Isabella (think Julie Andrews).
Overall, a light read, a plethora of Christmas-themes and low drama. That's what we want in a holiday book.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale, was a wonderdful Christmas story. I enjoyed the characters and the concept of the storyline. When Kaylie loses her job right before Christmas, her Boss finds her a temporary job without telling her all the details of the job. What follows is a entertaining tale as she encounters a Royal family with some amazing traditions. I laughed outloud at times reading this book, and at others times it made me almost want to cry. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and HawkTale Publishing, and this is my honest review of this book.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale by Karen Schaler is a holiday feel-good, Hallmark kind of story. The fairytale is one that is to be written which causes the angst and drama in this story. It is also the cause of encounters with a young princess’s father which leads t more. You have to think that the Queen had more of a fairytale in store for reporter Kaylie Karlyle and Prince Alexander then just a new fairytale to be written. Perhaps more of a real life one.
As the two main characters experience the holiday traditions there is a transformation within them. Two characters who are not open to the Christmas celebration change to embrace the season and the love that can be found. Sweet story with little conflict.
The cover is enticing drawing you into reading the story. Recipes at the end are a bonus along with a Christmas activity.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Kaylie Karlyle loses her job as an investigative reporter right before Christmas, she takes a freelance assignment in Europe with little knowledge about what it entails. She arrives in beautiful Tolvania, at a castle straight out of a storybook. But Kaylie was slightly misled by the assignment. The queen wanted to hire her to write a Christmas fairy tale for her granddaughter, Princess Anna. Kaylie has never written a fairy tale and quickly says no, she is the wrong person for the role. But the queen convinces her to stay and consider it. Kaylie finds herself completely charmed by Tolvania, and in particular, the queen’s son, Prince Alexander.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is such a sweet Christmas story! I loved hearing about all the Tolvanian Christmas traditions, especially the upside-down Christmas trees. I also loved all the delightful-sounding holiday foods that were mentioned throughout. They made my mouth water! The descriptions of the castle and all the Christmas decor are fantastic.
I loved all the characters. Kaylie is a bit of a grinch. But through her time in Tolvania learning about their Christmas traditions, she suddenly finds herself nostalgic for her own family’s traditions. Blixen, the Vizsla, was my favorite character. I loved how attached at the hip he was to the princess.
Tolvania captures the essence of what Christmas is all about: family and togetherness. This book will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit!
Thank you to TLC Book Tours, Karen Schaler, HawkTale Publishing, and Netgalley for the review copy! All opinions are my own.
Such an amazing Christmas story just like all of Karen's amazing books! This one I must say is one of my favourites and Karen has definitely earned her title of Christmas Karen!
Not only is this a gorgeously festive book but it also includes extra bonus Christmas content such as recipes and activities, including a recipe for Royal Christmas gingerbread pancakes. I felt this was a lovely extra touch
I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
I would firstly like to say a big thank you to NetGalley for very kindly forwarding me an arc copy of this book, for my Kindle, in return for my honest review.
This was a wonderful, uplifting, festive story and definitely gave me all the Christmas vibes.
It was a light, easy read and urged me to keep turning the pages and reading more and more.
The Christmas references were wonderful and I felt like I was living in a Hallmark Christmas movie!!
There was a wonderful cast of characters including some lovely supporting characters and I loved getting to know them all.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale was a feel good Christmas book and I loved everything about it…..
A royal Christmas is a lot like the hallmark movies you see around Christmas time, just in book form. The storyline is lighthearted and entertaining enough. I really like the way Christmas traditions were the center of everything.
The downside of this story is that it was very predictable and its a lot like the prince meets reporter themed story I've seen done a lot. I wish it was a little less predictable. It is enjoyable though in its own cute way.
There isn't a large character base for the story and it felt like more was going to happen with the side characters introduced so I felt like that may have made it more interesting. But the main characters were pretty likeable.
Overall this is just a typical Christmas story which is great if your wanting something light, fast and fun for the holiday season. Definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a quicker read during the busy season but wanting all the Christmas charm.
The latest Christmas has arrived and it's got Princess Diaries at Christmas vibes. While I don't think this year's book is as good as previous years offerings have been, you will still want to crawl into the story. If not just to live amongst Tolvania during Christmas, you'll love the characters.
Kaylie Karlyle's career looked like it was going in the direction of a major promotion- until it doesn't and she gets let go instead. With his hands tied, her boss, Bob, informs her of a freelance assignment she could take while she looks for another permanent job. With no other prospects, Kaylie agrees to write do a feature on a family's Christmas traditions. However, there were a few things he left out: the family is a royal family and the feature is more of a fairy tale the Queen wants written for her Granddaughter. But those details come to light once she lands at a remote area of Eastern Europe.
Kaylie's holiday is about to take a turn she couldn't possibly see coming when she meets said royal family and quickly likes them. Although, the Queen's son may have gotten the wrong impression when Kaylie fell into his lap. (It was an accidental falling when the wind pushed her into the wrong car. I swear.) As things get to a bumpy start everyone learns more about each other as the Queen has said Prince Alexander walk Kaylie through a list of family Christmas traditions.
I loved the characters more than the story. I have to say, I wasn't a big fan of Prince Alexander. Queen Isabella was my favorite. She was so sharp, discerning and loving all in one. The Prince's daughter, Anna was adorable, too. I loved reading the descriptions of Tolvania! I just wanted to climb into the book every time they went around the town. I wanted to be there with the characters.
Like I said, this wasn't my favorite of Karen's Christmas books, but i enjoyed it. She has a gift with creating a Christmas scene! She makes the Christmas season come to life on the pages of whatever story she's created.
Kaylie Karlyle is an investigate reporter. She tends to go after people that scam or hurt everyday people. She was riding high, thinking she was getting her dream job. A change of management and she is out. She becomes even more of a Scrooge/Grinch. With help from her boss, she is offered a job. Only no one is telling her anything. This is where the fun starts. She believes the castle and royalty are a joke. She believes she has been duped into writing a cover story. A freak snow storm, spotty cell phone/internet service and a princess that melts your heart, will start a change of heart. The only one who is not embracing her change of heart is Prince Alexander. He hates all press writers. Queen Isabelle is in the miracle worker business, She wants her family home and happy. With the help of the Christmas Crown all is right with the world.
As I read this book I could see it like a movie in my mind. This is a fun Christmas romance. Prince Alexander is in need of some levity in his life. Kaylie comes barreling in to his life with her New York sass. The Queen and Princess Anna are both delightful characters that really fill out the story. Blixen is downright adorable in his role as the Royal dog. I would definitely encourage reading this story that brings the magic of Christmas and the importance of family to light.
4.5 Rounded up. This was the perfect Christmas romance. It was enemies to lovers (my favorite trope!), it had royals (sexy prince!) and lots of Christmas traditions so now I can't wait to get out my tree and decorate and turn on my Christmas music!
This book was entirely predictable but still so enjoyable. It's the story of Kaylie, an investigative reporter, who is fired right before Christmas. She takes a fluff piece assignment to tide her over until she can get another real job. However, she doesn't know who the fluff piece is about. She takes a flight to a small country called Tolvania and thinks she will cover a random family's Christmas traditions. But instead, she is covering the royal family!
This was the perfect set up for a Hallmark Christmas movie. It reminded me of some of my favorites (Crown for Christmas or A Princess for Christmas) and I hope they make this into a movie because it would be perfect.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.
#BookReview: A ROYAL CHRISTMAS FAIRY TALE by Karen Schaler
Do you enjoy reading fairy tales? I do. Fairy tales never get old and setting it at Christmas time brings magic to the story.
Kaylie Karlyle, an investigative reporter, unknowingly finds herself in the picturesque country of Tolvania. Tolvania is described beautifully. I feel like I’m looking at a wonderfully created snow globe.
Overall, the characters are likeable and relatable despite their dreamy circumstances. I like the queen. She gets things done, but with a loving touch. The princess is an extremely talented young artist. Kaylie and Prince Alexander’s moments together are amusing, their conversations enlightening. I was not in agreement with Kaylie’s actions at some point but I am glad she redeemed herself.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is a predictable but sweet and inspiring story about Christmas traditions and what it means to be a family. If you like Hallmark movies, you will definitely enjoy this book. 4 stars
Thank you #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Some good old fashioned cheese to bring the Christmas Cheer to your door!
The characters were lovable, the love story (though predictable) was charming, and it got me excited for Christmas.
I really appreciate the note at the end from the author, she wrote this during the height of the pandemic and you can tell. She writes about how family and togetherness is important and our lives cannot be just work.
I really enjoyed this and the only comment I have is the typical big drama that comes toward the end or a Romantic Comedy, for me, was not big enough.
But I enjoyed it and it filled me warmth and brought a smile to my face.
When investigative reporter Kaylie finds herself unexpectedly jobless, she takes an unusual last-minute Christmas assignment in Tolvania to interview a family about their Christmas traditions. Not much for the holidays, she takes the job because she needs work. When she falls into the lap, quite literally, of a prince, he is not amused. She discovers the family she's to interview is the royal family, and the prince is ready to send her back to America. But the queen intervenes, and throws them together in order for Kaylie to learn about the holidays in this small royal country.
Prince Alexander doesn't trust the media, with good reason, and doesn't want Kaylie there, especially in the castle, where his mother, the queen, expects him to host and entertain her, as well as teach her about their country's traditions and the family's customs. At first he resists, but Kaylie is eager to learn and changes his mind.
As they spend time together, with and without his princess daughter, Alexander warms to Kaylie while she learns to appreciate Christmas traditions like an upside-down tree, sleigh rides, and more. As their hearts open, there seems to be sparks between them, but a romance between a prince and a reporter can never be, can it? Kaylie weaves a wonderful fairy tale for the princess as a special gift for Christmas based on all she has learned. But, a startling discovery about a royal crown threatens to destroy everything. When all seems lost, and the holidays tarnished by secrets unearthed, the most amazing things seem to fall into place with surprises for all.
A charming modern royal Christmas fairy tale, this story satisfies with all the heartwarming wishes, romance, and Christmas magic to warm you like a cup of hot chocolate.
**received an ARC from netgalley**
Known for creating the script of The Christmas Prince on Netflix, best-selling author Karen Schaler knows how to deliver a feel-good romance novel. There are a lot of similarities with the streaming hit and the royal genre in general (cultural clash between Americans/Europeans, royalty/commoners, single dad widower, the little girl she has to create a bond with, etc.), but unlike other royal romances I read this year, it does have a bit more substance (the stakes are more interesting and the characters' personalities a bit more profound).
So, it does offer a lovely moment of escapism despite a few lengthy parts. If I had to pick favorites, my preference would go for Christmas Camp though.
Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
As the holiday season comes into bloom don’t we all wish about getting away to a beautiful snow covered fairy tale castle complete with a royal family? Ok maybe we do not go that into depth but doesn’t it sound great?
Kaylie is a journalist but loses her job and is invited to write a fairy tale about a royal family. While she doesn’t really fall into “holiday spirits” she figures “Why not?”. So off she goes.
This is a delightful read that really will put you into the holiday spirit. The description of the castle puts you right into the middle of the family home.
I love reading holiday/Christmas romance’s and when I read “will appeal to fans of Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and RaeAnne Thayne” I grabbed the title since all three are high on my fav authors list (Mallery being at the top) and I agree. This story really does beg you to pull up a cozy blanket, a cup of hot cocoa and a fireplace surrounded by twinkling lights lighting the pages.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale - Karen Schaler
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and HawkTale Publishing and I am leaving this review voluntarily
A charming Christmas village, a storybook castle, a royal ball, and a gorgeous prince are the last things New York City reporter Kaylie Karlyle expects to find on her holiday freelance assignment to Europe. But when the family she’s interviewing turns out to be the royal family of Tolvania, Kaylie has a meltdown when the quirky queen wants her to write a Christmas fairy tale for the spunky, young princess. Kaylie must battle the princess’s father, who doesn’t trust the media, and her own insecurities about writing anything beyond the news.
This is a feel-good Christmas book, similar to a story you would find in a Christmas film. It highlights the importance of Christmas traditions and how even the smallest thing can be used to build family memories.
A magical Christmas read that will easily get you in the mood for the holiday season. It's difficult to not give too much away about this beautiful story but I do feel the need to point out that at the end there is the added bonus of delightful recipes.
Rating 4/5
I'm not surprised that I absolutely loved this book, as I'm also a big fan of the Netflix A Christmas Prince movies. This book reminded me soooo much of those movies, in the best way possible! It's the perfect cozy Christmas read to get into that holiday spirit. It was a bit predictable, but I personally don't mind.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author, for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.