A Fun Fairytale Romance

This book pleasantly surprised me after some initial hesitation! I'm not much of a fan of the sexual education trope where the naïve young woman is taught the ways of pleasure by the incredibly skillful and experienced man. But fortunately, by around the 1/3 mark, the plot grew in complexity and fun, and wound up having more going for it than simply the girl-who-needs-to-learn-how-to-be-a-mistress trope and lots of steam. The Athawackian culture with all of its folk dancing and less proper social mores was an enjoyable spin on Regency fantasy romance taken to the extreme, and the royal family cast of characters charmed me despite my initial qualms (and in spite of my not having read any of the earlier books).

Priscilla is a very easy-to-empathize with heroine, given, as she is, a terrible family, complete with evil stepmother. It's an especially nice twist that her evil stepmother is only two years older than she is! Prince Remi's family seems mostly too good to be true, except for his extremely cantankerous brother the king, but eventually the queen, her secretary, and the king himself prove a winning family dynamic and the perfect contrast for Priscilla's terrible one.

I didn't find Remi's sisters anything but interchangeable though I'm sure they are unique characters in their own tales, but the book did a good job of interesting me in King Grantham (perhaps a nod to the Earl of Grantham who takes duty equally seriously?) and the whole political unrest storyline which is going on in the background. Grantham and Ophelia should be an amusing enemies to lovers pair, and their story promises to include lots of dangerous intrigue!

He's a rake and a spare....

Which is not very interesting. Remington "Remi" has slept with numerous women, so I did not feel like he was a good match for the way too naive Priscilla. Look, the imbalance of sexual knowledge is never a good starting point and yes, this is the steamiest book so far.
I did think that they needed to work on the relationship more. But if you just want some historical steam (nothing wrong with that) this book is for you.

This is the third book in this series but it can be read as a standalone. Remi is the spare to the throne and is the wild child of the family. Priscilla is trying to take control of her future and to do so, wants to marry Remi’s brother, the King. She turns to Remi for help on how to catch his brother’s eye and ends up falling for Remi. Will they be together or will she stick to her original plan? Fast-paced read with loads of drama, suspense and sizzling chemistry. Great characters with lots of depth and one hot regency romance read. I loved it.

Intended matches thwarted by unexpected kismet switcheroos

Synopsis:

In a fictional world where England was satisfied leaving an unconquered, neighboring island nation, Athawick, alone, when it was just there, ripe for the colonizing-

A royal wedding of the Princess of Athawick draws a host of who's who of English nobility to the event, forming part of this mass migration is Miss Priscilla Linfield. Reserved, self described as bookish and into history, she has tagged along with her friend Lady Ophelia.

Priscilla has more in mind than rubbing elbows with royals for a fun weekend, she is desperate to find an out of her increasingly insupportable home life. Her father has remarried a harpy only two years older than herself, and has taken to be abusive towards Priscilla about not having managed to bag a good match.

Priscilla knows she can not return, and as such sees only two options available to her:
1. Marriage. Which she has failed at securing for the last seven years.
2. Become a mistress.
Now I know what you're thinking, aren't there steps she can take before that? Become a companion or governess?

Priscilla has considered this but she doesn't have a resume or references, and since no one would hire a gently bred, self professed bluestocking, and lying on a resume is illegal, duh, she obviously is only fit for a mistress. And that is bulletproof logic, folks. No resumes required in the oldest profession.

Seeing how on the brink of desperation Priscilla is, it might surprise you to learn who her marital target is: The fricken King of Athawick!

She is on the cusps of becoming a mistress unless she can pull a rabbit out of a hat quickie marriage to escape a desperate situation, and yet the king may be feasible to snag. You gotta give her props, she reaches for the stars.

It is not the King's eye, but his brothers, Prince Remi's who she catches. Remi is instantly drawn in by Priscilla's beauty. However, the playboy prince is not in the market for a bride, he is a laissez faire, hedonist and doubts his heart can ever be engaged.

See, the late King did a number on his kids, and so Remi, all his siblings, and Priscilla are all united under the blanketing trauma of daddy issues.

The Prince soon catches wind of Priscilla having set her cap on his brother, and unable to resist getting to know her better, offers her flirting lessons. When that harebrained scheme fails, he offers bedroom lessons, you know for her future in the mistress business. Which I thought the reason she was doing that in the first place was because she wouldn't need any experience? With all the courses Remi offers, it's too bad governess lessons wasn't in his repertoire, or at least forging a resume.

Going on in the back-background, political unrest and a brewing civil war loom. The crown is in question, and there may be a traitor in their midst... but again don't get too excited for this intrigue, as it's really like below a morsel of a sub plot of relevance, at least in this book. I'm sure in King Granthams story it will be a solid sub plot.

The Breakdown

I am not one who frequents corset rippers, not because I am a prude, but I find these tend to be lacking in story & substance and the romance & characters suffer as a result. What caught my eye about this work was that it was set in the Regency, the previous two of the series had glowing reviews, the premiss sounded fun, and the heat level disclaimer from the author I found funny. So I cast my predilections to the wind and sighed up for this. Unfortunately I have to say, if a fan had come with my arc copy, it would have gone unused.

Setting/ Premiss:
The Regency setting minimally colored the story, a shame as the atmosphere can make or break a yarn. I will grant no expense was spared accurately describing the era appropriate clothes of that time- as they were being thrown on the floor- so I'll give it its due there.

The premiss of an island nation that is like England, except that it is more liberal in its attitudes and strictures, especially concerning women, is an enticing one. Were more of this to paint the pages, or the background unrest, it would have fleshed out an enticing backdrop to set our stage. Creating an amalgamation of Regency and enlightened attitudes could have been delightful, but this is all off handily mentioned and more used as an explanation for why Prince Remi would be a respectful women seductor.

Another thing that has made me avoid these corset rippers is that the logic is often brushed over, and unfortunately this was the situation here. Priscilla's whole leap to mistress hood was contrived to the wazoo.
The motives for both main characters are hard to cash, and as someone who needs things to make sense, it hurt my brain.

The Romance:
A lot could've be forgiven if presented with an organic & compelling romance, but Remi instantly lusts after Priscilla. I was left to wonder what exactly caught his attention as she sure didn't catch mine, and neither did he. The chemistry between the leads is stated and not felt, again due to the lack of foundation & built up. The 'sexy scenes' relied on a lot of mechanical descriptions and foul language, which might work for others. IMO this was not a tantalizing romantic sexy story, but more like a porn with some vague fluff plot and interchangeable actors.

The Characters:
Personalities, dialogue, & sob backstories were all boiler plate. Even the so called bold characters e.g. Lady Ophelia and Remi seemed pretty ehh. They are declared witty & funny, but I don't think my face ever so much as twitched from anything they said or did. In instances such as these, were I find the H/h mediocre, I sometimes find solace in an endearing, scene stealing, supporting character- but nah. Everyone was just kinda there, with all the charm of a lamp.

I don't think the characters were tested beyond how willing they were to enter into an affair, nor did they do much. In terms of events there are some balls, and weekend wedding activities, but really minimal outside factors or intruding action.

The resolution hinged chiefly on a change of stance of a protagonist. With the support of his family, her having nothing to loose, and marriage being her plan A, there wasn't anything keeping them apart the whole story except Remi's rake image of himself.

In Short:
All in all, it is well edited and the characters, while unremarkable, were not annoying. If you don't read with much attention to setting and just for the steamy, this book is for you.

I think I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque as they say. With books tis always a gamble. Sometimes you win and find a perfect fit, and this is a case where I did not.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Princes Are Wild by Jess Michaels
Regency Royals #3

Sensational, Scintillating, Swoon-worthy Story ~ Couldn’t put this book down ~ Totally Swept Away!

What I liked:
* Priscilla: beautiful, curvaceous, esteem issues, friend of Ophelia, abused by father and stepmother, needs a plan for her future, I really liked her
* Remi: prince, spare to the heir, handsome, bright, more than a rake, kind, caring, loves his family, had an abusive father, felt immediate chemistry with Priscilla
* Ophelia: friend to and opposite of Priscilla, outgoing, lovely, competitive, outspoken, potential love interest for Grantham the King.
* Catching up with the Royal family, finding out how they are doing and thinking about who might be up next to find their own HEA
* The relationship that grew between Remi and Priscilla – communication is so important and these two did just that – on more than one level
* The lesson in flirtation
* That Remi was somewhat clueless about what he was feeling
* Wondering what position Remi might take in the future
* Thinking about the rebellion and who the instigator might be as well as how it will ultimately need to be handled
* That Priscilla’s father and stepmother might get a taste of the medicine they so freely handed out to Priscilla
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Remi’s father – cold, uncaring, heartless, despicable
* Priscilla’s father and stepmother – selfish, cruel, abusive, evil
* Blairford: head courtier and advisor to the king and I have a feeling he is conniving and evil, too
* Having to wait for the next book to come out!

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Passionate Pen LLC for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

It is not possible not to love a book that its MCs are called, Remi and Priscilla. You just can't help it.
I loved these two characters and I really love this series.
Since this series is based on a royal family from Athawick and not England, everything feels a bit lighter. The people are a bit more open-minded and more open in general.
That alone makes the characters irresistible.
Remi and Priscilla work so well together that I don't know how the next book can top that.
Their interactions start sweet and they escalate into such steaminess, that you go back and reread immediately. (no that didn't happen... well maybe it did).
I also liked Remi and Grantham's interactions and relationship. I cannot wait for Grantham's story. This is the book that needs to top that one... Let's see!

I absolutely adored Remi and Priscilla's story!! I love Remi in the previous stories in the series and was so excited for him to find his HEA. Michaels did not disappoint! I loved that Priscilla saw the person that Remi tried to hide behind is wild reputation. And Remi saw beyond Priscilla's wallflower image. They were perfect for one another!

I *adored* this book. Every page is amazing. I couldn't put it down. Prince Remington is my favorite royal. I am, obviously, a huge fan of Jess Michaels. This book is no different. It is excellent. 

This series is excellent. I am enjoying the family dynamics among the Athawick royals. If you've already been reading this series as it releases, than you need no further encouragement to read this one. However, if you are just seeing this, I have to recommend that you first read the rest of the series. It is delightful. 

Priscilla and Remington are amazing together. They are exactly what each other need. They kept me turning the pages with their witty banter and their little secrets. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any and everyone. It has sizzling heat, passion, friendship, and unforgettable family drama. Five stars!!

4.5 Stars
Prince Remington of Athawick is just the spare so his reaction has always been to go wild, giving him a reputation as a dissolute rake who is great for a little fun, but not exactly dependable. Priscilla Linfield is in Athawick for a royal wedding travelling with her best friend Lady Ophelia who's the sister of the Duke of Gilmore. Priscilla really wants is to save herself from a looming future she cannot control. What better way to fix all her problems than to marry Remi’s brother, King Grantham, who is perfectly matched with her, at least on paper? She needs help and turns to Remi to teach her how to catch a king’s eye. Except the only eye she seems to be catching is Remi’s and soon they’re caught up in much more desire and connection than either of them bargained for.
The third book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. The royal family have moved back to Athawick for Ilaria’s wedding. I loved both Remi & Pris, both were carrying baggage but trying to make the best of things, their chemistry was electric. I loved how they opened up to each other & how she was the perfect foil for Remi & drew out his protective nature. I also love Remi’s family & look forward to Grantham's story as I think he's met his match already! I thoroughly disliked Pris’ family & would have liked them to have really suffered. A very well written, very steamy read which I devoured in two sittings
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Maybe 3.5 stars

With things at home becoming unbearable, Miss Priscilla Linfield jumps at the chance to attend the Royal wedding on Athawick with her best friend Lady Ophelia, sister of the Duke of Gilmore. After several failed seasons Priscilla knows that this trip is likely her last chance to find a husband and if she doesn’t make a match, she has a backup plan, one that will guarantee that she is no longer welcome in polite society. When she shares her options with Ophelia, she suggests that Priscilla set her sights on King Grantham and offers to help. But it is actually his brother, Prince Remington “Remi” that catches her eye and who in turn offers to tutor Priscilla in flirtation.

Remi has been restless since returning from England and feels like a man without purpose, especially since his playboy lifestyle has begun to bore him. His family has always been his anchor and now that his sisters have found love, they will soon be heading back to England, and his relationship with his brother the king is strained, as Grantham is struggling with his duties and the ongoing unrest among his people, that just leaves his mother, the queen, but he doesn’t want her turning her matchmaking sites on him, so helping Priscilla land Grantham is perfect – as his mother will be able to direct her attention at Grantham and leave Remi in peace.

Remi won’t deny that he is attracted to Priscilla, but fights the draw until it is clear that Grantham is not the man for Priscilla. It is then that Priscilla shares her backup plan and asks Remi for lessons. Remi happily agrees but makes it clear that their affair will be temporary. Priscilla has developed feelings for Remi that go beyond the desire she can’t deny, but she knows there is no future for them. Or is there?

This book picks up shortly after the end of the previous book and all the siblings and the queen are featured in this story as well as the surprise addition of the Duke and Duchess of Gilmore and Lady Ophelia who were all part of the “Three Mrs” series. The book is well-written and is steamier than the other books in this series, but I felt like it lacked substance, the mystery, and intrigue from the first two books was missing in this installment, and the ending felt rushed and incomplete. This is the third book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone title with no problem. Despite my lackluster feelings for this book, I am looking forward to Grantham’s story.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Cute, quick read with a lot of romance. This story had an enjoyable plot line and characters. I liked to see the progression between the characters. The author did a good job with this book.

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I had a lot of mixed feelings about Princes Are Wild. On the one hand, I’m glad we’ve finally progressed beyond the timeframe of the previous two and the “forbidden love” concept, so it feels less like a retread.

I did find the characters a tad less interesting than those of the previous books, however. I’m just feeling a tad burned out by aristocratic rakes, and while Remi is charming enough, I don’t know that I felt there was enough to endear me to him.

Priscilla is a pretty great heroine, and I felt for her being in a pretty awful family situation she is desperate to escape.

There’d something fun about the “help me catch this other person’s attention” setup, as I love the way it feeds into sparks flying between the two working together, and even with my lack of interest in Remi as a character, I generally felt the building passion between him and Priscilla was well executed.

I did find the plot elements with the questions of her honor toward the end a bit rushed, and it felt a bit too hastily wrapped up.

Given I am dealing with the aftereffects of DNFing another book recently with a rakish hero (albeit, weirdly, a contemporary one, while still using the same term), and the fact that this series has been very uneven for me, I’m a not shocked I feel very middling about this one. I haven’t given up hope one of them will wow me, as I do love Jess Michaels’ writing general. I do think fans of the series/steamy historical romance will enjoy it more than I did.

Princes are Wild is an attention grabber. Remi and Priscilla make unpredictable, fearless and tempting into the perfect recipe for love. You can't walk away from the drama and your heart breaks from their pain. Michaels takes romance to adventurous new heights with captivating stories, irresistible characters and intriguing suspense. No one does suspense like Jess Michaels.

Princes Are Wild is the third book in the Regency Royals series by Jess Michaels. This is the steamiest of the lot so far. If you've read the two previous books, you know that's saying a lot! This romance stands alone; however, you will better understand the royal family's dynamics by reading the books in order.

Prince Remington of Athawick is just a spare in the royal family. He's got a reputation as a rake, and why not? No one expects anything else from him. His family's changing, however, and he isn't sure where he fits in anymore. Lady Priscilla is in Athawick for a royal wedding. She wants to escape her uncertain future and her family, so she decides her best hope is to marry King Grantham, Remi's brother. Problem is, the king doesn't seem particularly interested in her, so she asks Remi to teach her how to catch his brother's eye. That sounds like a good idea, but what happens when they cannot deny the attraction between them?

I was really looking forward to this book because I absolutely loved Remi in the previous volumes. Here he did not disappoint! I really liked his interactions with his family members, but I was sad on his behalf because he felt the loss of friendship with Grantham when his brother became king. Remi was thought to be a rake, and he did have physical relations with numerous women; however, he always treated them with respect, and it was apparent he had the heart of a knight in shining armor. Priscilla was a sweet young woman with a horrible father and stepmother, and I warn you there was some emotional and physical abuse. I liked her, but I found her to be a bit naive at her age about her own body when it came to physical pleasure. But she was the perfect heroine to bring out Remi's protective instincts. This book was unbelievably steamy; beware of your e-reader melting into a puddle of goo! Priscilla's family members are people you will love to hate. I so enjoyed Remi's family, and I'm looking forward to King Grantham's story; I'm pretty sure we are introduced to his future love in this book!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Remi and Priscilla story. Just loved it from start to finish. Both were very loveable characters and the chemistry was definitely there, sizzling HOT. This is a big step up from the last book. To read 100%.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. The opinions expressed here are all mine.

We know Remi as the “playboy” prince with not a care in the world. But it is not as it seems. Jess just could not let him be carefree, she had to throw a huge wrench into his background and I LOVE IT! Let’s not forget Priscilla who is not carefree and she has some baggage (aka her father) that she is trying to get away from. This story, guys, it is so wonderfully written and sensual and loving and I could go on and on. These two characters are perfect for each other. The defining moment for me is when Remi is reminiscing about his last moments with his father. Very poignant. Jess knows how to tell a story that is both heartwarming and fun. My favorite in this series so far.

Oh, and Grantham in right behind with his grumpy self and the woman who loathes him.

Priscilla attends the wedding of Remi’s sister. She is hoping to catch his brother’s (the King’s) eye. Priscilla is desperate not to have to return to her abusive home. When she fails to get the King’s attention, she decides her only option is to become someone’s mistress so she will be protected from her family. Remi, a bachelor and rake, is immediately attracted to her, but is shocked when she asks him for lessons. They both get more than they planned for. I look forward to the next book in this series. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Passionate Pen for my honest review.

Prince Remington of Athawick has known one thing his entire life: he is just the spare. His reaction has always been to go wild, giving him a reputation as a dissolute rake who is great for a little fun, but not exactly dependable. Only now, as his family is changing, his role is beginning to grate and he isn’t sure what to do next.
Lady Priscilla is in Athawick for a royal wedding, but what she really wants is to save herself from a looming future she cannot control. What better way to fix all her problems than to marry Remi’s brother, King Grantham, who is perfectly matched with her, at least on paper?
She needs help and turns to Remi to teach her how to catch a king’s eye. Except the only eye she seems to be catching is Remi’s and soon they’re caught up in much more desire and connection than either of them bargained for. Can a wallflower tame a wild prince? Or will they keep themselves from what could be their happy ever after?
This is an awesome title!
Priscilla and Remi are so good together. The king never looks at her as more than a friend.
I adore Jess Michaels books!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Prince Remington of Athawick has known one thing his entire life: he is just the spare. Miss Priscilla Linfield is visiting Athawick for a royal wedding, but she's looking for any escape from her life back in England. If she could catch the attention of the King, all her problems would be solved. Instead, she finds herself catching the eye of Prince Remi.

This is the third book in the Regency Royals series. Remi's sisters were the heroines of the first two books and there is a set up for King Grantham's story next. There is also a crossover from The Three Mrs series: Priscilla is traveling with book three's Duke and Duchess of Gilmore.

Jess Michaels' writing is really easy to connect with, and this story was no different. I have been waiting for Remi's book and it did not disappoint. He's developed a reputation for being wild and carefree, that's really covering up a lack of purpose. His sisters have married, and his brother has taken the throne...now he's not sure what to do with his life. In England, Priscilla has been sabotaged by her evil stepmother and is considered an almost-spinster wallflower despite her family connections. She'll do anything to escape them, but her only options seem to be marriage or mistress.

I loved that Remi was attracted to Priscilla from the start and didn't understand why she wasn't sought after back home. They quickly explored not only a physical connection, but a trusting relationship. I liked how believable and vulnerable they were. I would have liked a little more time for the ending to play out, but I expect there will be more explanation in the next book as Grantham's story will probably take place during a similar timeline.

Tropes: Royalty, Lessons, Reform-a-Rake (sort of), Wallflower

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #PrincesAreWild #NetGalley

Loved this story. Remi has so many layers. Pris is awesome and I love that she wants to take control of her own life.