TLDR: In a smart, contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, a taciturn hulk rescues the sweet lady colleague he can't stop thinking about, then she wins over his heart.

A follow up novel in the same universe as Battle Royal, this grumpy-meets-sunshine love story between a prince's assistant and a burly royal bodyguard is as sweet and sharp as its predecessor.

Verdict: well-worn yet well-done tropes, as whipsmart as usual for Lucy Parker, featuring glimpses of familiar faces and some very likeable leads who fall just short of flat-out lovable.

Full length review to be posted by the start of January 2024 on my blog, warm fuzzies only: https://warmfuzziesonly.wordpress.com/2023/12/30/advance-review-codename-charming-by-lucy-parker/ (link will be live first week of Jan)

Apologies for the monthslong delay in reviewing! I read the novel right away, but it took some time for me to get the blog post up. Sorry again, and thank you for the ARC; I've read all of Lucy Parker's novels and thoroughly enjoyed this one as I did the rest.

Let us praise romance novels that don't throw in an unnecessary complication at 75% in. Lucy Parker's writing is, as always, fun and snappy and compulsively readable. Pet and Matthias make a fine pair.

This book was simply adorable. I really enjoyed the combination of Pet and Matthias, who just really sparked together. I also thought Parker did a good job bringing nuance to the challenging parts of the story (family difficulties, trauma, and loss) while still keeping things light/fun overall. I’m curious if we’ll get a third book and very much looking forward to what Parker does next!

Very cute, very charming, it was the perfect level of romance and easy read. Nothing exactly new, a story somewhat told but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I adore Lucy Parker and was so excited to dive back into her Palace Insiders series. Codename Charming is a bodyguard romance featuring two characters that were introduced in book 1, Pet and Matthias. Lucy Parker is the master of the sunshine/grump trope, and she does some great work in this bodyguard romance. Add in royal drama and a splash of fake dating, and it all adds up to a delightfully charming read!

Loved this even more than Battle Royal. I just love Pet to pieces!!

The slow burn (no third act break up!), fake dating romance was absolute perfection. I loved the clumsy Johnny and sweet Rosie’s reappearance too.

My heart felt so incredibly full the whole time I read. The parrot scene btw??? GOLD

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

A cute story from the author of Battle Royal. - this time featuring the sister of that books lead hero. The callbacks to that first book were fun to see. Some fun behind the scenes of the royal family and those who keep things running. The fake relationship trope really works in this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre/tropes: romance, fake dating, workplace romance
CW/TW: violent death of a friend (recollection), attempted mugging

Petunia’s an assistant to Johnny Marchmont, sweetheart who married into the royal family, but he’s an awkward, bumbling, accident-prone individual, who’s unfortunately a public figure now. The paparazzi have taken it upon themselves to pair him and Petunia as lovers, painting Johnny as the cheating husband, and she the home wrecker. Couldn’t be further from the truth. So ‘Codename Charming’ is devised to serve as a distraction, and give the paps something else to fawn over. Petunia (nickname: Pet; sorry, I couldn’t get used to that) will fake date Matthias, the quiet, serious, and intimidating bodyguard. Intimidating to everyone but Petunia. He always there to rescue her from Johnny’s public fumbles, so why not this as well?

This is slow burn, which is normally fine. However, I felt it was missing something. After discussing it with another reader and fan, we decided it was Parker’s trademark banter. But then I discussed it with another reader who countered that it makes sense that there’s not the usual banter I’m used to because the MMC is the quiet, man-of-few-words type. It was a totally valid point and made me rethink my initial stance. (I love book discussions!) There were also some interesting subplots that explored their complicated family dynamics.

In the end, I felt this was okay, and though not my favorite of Parker’s books, it doesn’t take away from the fact that she’s brilliant with words, and conveying emotions. I know it will delight other readers.

Thanks to @netgalley & @avonbooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Codename Charming is a delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy novel by Lucy Parker. It is the second book in the Palace Insiders series, but it can be read as a standalone.

The story follows Petunia "Pet" Ravenscroft, a royal press officer who is tasked with helping Prince Charming clean up his image. Prince Charming, also known as Matthias, is a bit of a wild card. He is known for his partying and his love of women. Pet is initially reluctant to take on the job, but she eventually agrees.

As Pet and Matthias spend more time together, they begin to develop a genuine attraction for each other. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that they are from different worlds and by the fact that Pet is supposed to be managing Matthias's image, not falling in love with him.

Parker does a masterful job of developing her characters and building tension between them. Pet is a strong and independent woman who is not afraid to stand up to Matthias. Matthias is a complex character who is both charming and dangerous. The chemistry between the two characters is undeniable, and their romance is both passionate and heartwarming.

In addition to the romance, Codename Charming also features a humorous and engaging plot. Parker keeps the reader guessing with her unexpected twists and turns. She also includes some hilarious moments in the story, which helps to balance out the more serious moments.

Overall, Codename Charming is a well-written and entertaining romantic comedy novel. It is sure to please fans of the genre, as well as readers who enjoy a good laugh.

Wow! This book is so good! Whenever I picked up "Codename Charming", I was whisked away with this fake romance to something more (slow-burn romance!) novel!

Lucy Parker is a phenomenal writer! Her storytelling jumps right off of the page, her characters feel like such real people, and I could envision each moment.

(Possible Spoilers!)
Matthias and Pet both work for the Royal Family! Both are, understandably, protective and guarded in many ways due to their pasts. Watching their fake romance become a real one was really special. They truly understand one another on a deep level, bring out the best in each other, and are truly perfect together!

I look forward to going back to read the first book in this series, and I hope this series continues as well!

If you enjoy Contemporary Romance, I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading what the author writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Codename Charming by Lucy Parker is full of undeniable tension, chemistry, and romance, as well as a cast of lovable yet meddlesome characters. The intimacy between the Pet and Matthias was worked towards so gradually that it felt so natural and special to follow along with. While the romance was particularly emotionally intimate, Parker has a knack for putting her characters into elaborately wacky scenarios that kept throwing them together. I laughed out loud while loving every minute.. I will be returning to Lucy Parker’s work!

Even though this book contained plenty of sweet and precious moments, the story overall felt a little stiff and I wish there were more tender moments with Pet and Matthias. This book also felt much longer than it needed to be.

Codename Charming by Lucy Parker is a wonderful romance that includes Parker's trademark humour and heart. Readers met Pet and Matthias in the previous book, Battle Royale. Their book was worth the wait. I liked that the hero is so handsome and attractive to the heroine but not necessarily to others who find him intimidating. The fake dating storyline works well for them as their are both attracted and in denial about it (fear of rejection, fear of complications, etc). Ultimately a sweet romance about two wounded people who open up to each other and trust in each other. Another winning contemporary title from Lucy Parker.

This was super cute! However I did struggle with the writing, but very cute, great execution and I recommend you try it out!

I really like the first quarter of the book. After that there was too much baggage dumped on the reader. I didn't like the characters enough to care about a too long backstory.
I loved the baking book, but this falls very flat for me.

I'm not sure what it was, but something about this book made it super easy to put down. I'd read a handful of pages and then my mind would wander off, and that would happen every time I picked it up. The third person POV certainly didn't help, as that seems dated in the current contemporary romance landscape. I do generally like Parker as an author, but this heavily relies on the book before it and yet doesn't hold its weight. I tried to get into it on several different occasions, but ended up leaving the book unfinished.

It's a lovely, funny, and a tender romance, but at the same time packed with the vibrancy, fun, witty banter and sexual tension. Also I loved how the author portrayed some of the heavy topics really well too.

Quick Summary: A charming BBC-esque gen-fic story

My Review: Codename Charming by Lucy Parker is book 2 in the Palace Insiders series.

About the Book: What do you get when you pair up a woman with a sunny disposition and a penchant for getting into trouble with a royal bodyguard who comes across as a bit of a grump and a protective nature towards his charges?

My Final Say: Essentially, this book was about two people with difficult pasts. Their experiences with struggle and loss largely shaped who they became. In the end, it was their differences, their similarities, and their unique qualities that helped them to understand and support each other.

About the Narration: I was granted the opportunity to read the e-ARC of this book, as well as the chance to listen to the audio version of this title. The audiobook narration made the story that much more entertaining.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes (This could be read as a standalone. I was able to follow the storyline without any problems.)
Status/Level: 💬

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager), and to NetGalley, who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own thoughts and opinions and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.

Royals need a lot of support from personal assistants to bodyguards. Johnny Marchmont, sweet and well meaning husband to a princess is not the most coordinated guy in the world so an untimely stumble caught in pictures puts him in an unfavorable light, looking like he is carrying on with Pet, his personal assistant. Big bodyguard Matthias will do whatever it takes to keep his charge and those around him safe. When rumors fly about Johnny and Pet, Matthias and Pet are asked to fake a relationship and love ensues. Humor, joy, and love make this a fun and happy read.