*The Royals Upstairs* was a fun and engaging read. The tension between James and Laila, two characters with a complicated past, was electric right from the start. I enjoyed how Karina Halle balanced the light-hearted banter between the two with moments of real emotional depth. As the royal bodyguard, James is tasked with protecting Prince Magnus while managing his messy feelings; he is an excellent mix of challenging and vulnerable. On the other hand, Laila is not just a nanny in this story—she's strong, witty, and stands her ground despite the turmoil James brings into her life.

The setting of the royal estate added a layer of charm to the story, but it also made the stakes feel higher, with all the meddling from staff and royal responsibilities. I appreciated how Halle slowly unravelled their shared history, making it easy to root for them as they navigated their unresolved feelings. There's undeniable chemistry between the two, and it's clear from the start that their attraction is more than physical.

I particularly liked how the story wasn't just about their romance but also touched on the challenges of their lives, from Laila's connection to her grandmother to James's duty to the crown. The stakes felt real, and the tension kept me flipping through the pages to see how they would find their way back to each other.

If you're looking for a second-chance romance set against royal duties, this one delivers.

A royal bodyguard, a royal nanny mixed in with to lovers/second chance lovers and I’m sold! I just really enjoy her writing and this complicated relationship!

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This book was okay, but I felt a lack of emotional chemistry and connection between our two main characters.

Thank you to @berkleypub @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for sharing an ebook arc and audiobook ALC with me! #berkley #berkleypartner #berkleyromance #blogtour #berkleyblogtour #prhaudioinfluencer

So excited to share this new release! The Royals Upstairs by @authorhalle is a delightful enemies (exes) to lovers rom-com with a royal twist. You will be rooting for Laila and James and are sure to fall head over heels for their characters. This book is kind of like Nicholas Sparks meets the Princess Diaries. While it’s not a regency romance, I would also recommend this book to fans of Bridgerton. Fans out Outlander may enjoy this book as well
The audiobook is narrated by Alex C Stewart and Cassandra York. I thought they were a great duo to narrate this book and their voices complimented each other well.

First they were “Next Door”
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to pull the curtain back and see how the royals live? Karina Halle gives readers a slice of fictional royal life in “The Royals Upstairs”. Readers will experience royal life through the eyes of the nanny and the bodyguard in this second-chance-romance novel.

This is the second book in a same-world stand alone series based on royal families and their posse. Karina Halle’s first book in the Royals series, “The Royals Next Door”, was reviewed by Litbuzz Bee Jes back in August 2021. You can find her review here.

“What are you reading?”
“Something you’d probably like,” he says, getting to his feet. “Wife threw her husband off a moving train… or did she?” He adds with a mock suspicious squint.
I can’t help but smile. “Got to love a damaged heroine.”
“They are my favorite,” he says affectionately.
“The Royals Upstairs” by Karina Halle
A Change in Dynamics

Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash
Second chance romance trope calls for a certain emotional reaction. It’s sort of understood that there will be lingering feelings, hurts, and emotional bruising that our characters must work through. There’s expected to be character development, personal growth and maturity, and acceptance.

Halle flips the script on some reader expectations right from the beginning.

The most prominent thing that I noticed is that some character and gender stereotypes are flipped in this novel.

James, wanting a change of scenery after a major change in his personal life, starts working as a bodyguard for the Crown Prince of Norway.

James is the newcomer. Laila has seniority, clout and respect already with the family she works for.

It’s refreshing to see that the man is the one entering the picture with tentative steps and hesitation. Too often it’s the woman forced to start over, uncomfortable, trying to find necessary footing in a world they don’t have a history with. Bravo to the author for breathing some refreshing air into a very typical situation.

Final Thoughts
James and Laila come across more like real people in this story than fictional characters. Laila struggles with her place in the world, her dwindling family, and the thoughts that she is more than her job – even a good job working for a royal family. James realizes that his job has gotten in the way of his relationships and he has to work through self-flagellation and, from this reader’s eyes, depression. It’s not all sunshine and roses, but luckily each has found a counterpart that sees them through the tough times.

Despite the cute animated cover and the premise of the story, “The Royals Upstairs” is layered with heavier topics that might take readers by surprise. This story has off page death of a loved one, family member with Alzheimer’s/Dementia, depression, and more. Please check potential trigger/content warnings if any of this makes you take pause.

You’ll be okay if you don’t read “The Royals Next Door” first, as I hadn’t, and I had no trouble following the plot or being introduced to any overlapping characters. You can definitely crack this baby open and enjoy from page one, and don’t be afraid to go back to “The Royals Next Door” afterward!

Karina Halle's Royals series is so much fun. Annoyingly hot attraction is my new favorite trope. Royal bodyguard James is the perfect grump to the charming royal nanny Laila. A delightful romance!

The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle presents a charming second-chance romance between a royal bodyguard and a nanny. Set against the backdrop of the Norwegian royal estate, the story captures the playful dynamics of caring for royal children while exploring the complicated history between the protagonists, Laila and James. While the chemistry is palpable, some readers may find the emotional depth lacking, leaving them wanting more development in their connection. Despite these shortcomings, Halle's engaging writing style and the heartwarming moments with Laila's grandmother add depth to this light and entertaining read​.

I absolutely adored this story about second chances. It intricately weaves the complexities of timing and love, illustrating how the right moment can change everything. The protective instincts of the characters added a rich layer of emotional depth, creating a safe haven amidst their passionate encounters.

The steamy moments were perfectly balanced with tender exchanges, showcasing the raw chemistry between them. It was evident that both characters needed the right circumstances to rediscover their connection, and their journey felt authentic and relatable.

This narrative resonated deeply with me, capturing the essence of love's transformative power. It left me both satisfied and introspective, reflecting on the beauty of second chances.

Karina Halle can literally write it all, and giving us a 'royal' romance by way of the nanny and the bodyguard is just further proof. The Royals Upstairs was such a fun second chance romance. The chemistry between James and Laila had the steam absolutely steaming, and I loved the tension of their past and present as coworkers. There were also some bonus call backs to characters we've met before which is always a fun nod to readers!

A spicy second chance romance that has:

✔ A Royal Bodyguard
✔ A Royal Nanny
✔ All the angst
✔ Winter Vibes
✔ Forced Proximity
✔ Neurodivergent Rept
✔ Northern Lights


What would you do if you found yourself working alongside the one person that still leaves you wondering what if?
For those who work in service it's difficult to settle down when your job requires your attention elsewhere.

What if you found someone who not only appreciated what your job entailed but embraced it.

Sometimes love is sweeter the second time around. For James and Laila they will need to work through their past and be able to find a way to communicate better. One thing is certain, the attraction between them is still burning hot and it's about to make their new job a whole lot sweeter.

A spicy and fun story that has lots of winter vibes, banter, and heart.

Thank you SO much to Berkley Romance for granting my request to receive a digital widget of The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle! I was so excited to read this one because I read and LOVED The Royals Upstairs. I have a *slight* fascination with all things royal family, especially the Windsors, Cambridges, and Sussexes, so these books are fun to imagine a little behind the scenes of life with the royal family. There were some things that I enjoyed about this book, and a couple of things that I didn't particularly care for. Like I just mentioned, it is fun to get a glimpse of how the royals are behind the scenes, as parents and as employers I love that this book featured a second-chance romance trope, which has always been one of my favorites. I thought that the relationship between Laila and her grandmother was sweet, and the antics of the kids were pretty funny because they were so normal (royals: they're just like us!). I love that James was grumpy and broody, and it was fun to see him let loose. We also got to catch up a bit with the characters from The Royals Next Door, which I liked. The main thing that I didn't like about this book, and it pains me to say, especially since I LOVED The Royals Next Door, is that I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of substance to James and Laila's relationship or entanglement. A good chunk of the story, especially in the middle, is the steamy bedroom scenes with James and Laila. I feel like if you were to cut those out, or at least eliminate a majority of them, you would be left with significantly less pages than the story had, which made a lot of that feel like "fluff." Don't get me wrong- I love my books like I like my coffee- steamy and hot, but it just all felt kind of...forced. Overall, I liked this book, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations because they were so high from the previous book in this series.

I wanted this to be the most swoony second-chance romance between a royal bodyguard and a royal nanny. It had everything set in place to be one of the romance books you can never quit reading and find yourself wholly obsessed with. Unfortunately, it just didn't meet my expectations. It seemed like the relationship was formed from the attraction between Laila and James and I wanted there to be more emotional connection between them.

This is a continuation from The Royals Next Door and the Nordic Royals series. Love a connected series with characters you get to see again!
This was a second chance for James the bodyguard and Laila the nanny who happen to be working with the same royal family again.
There was drama and spicy scenes. They can’t stay away from each other even though he has commitment issues. He is scared to lose her but also doesn’t want her to leave.
Also, there is loss of a close loved one.

Well, in The Royals Upstairs, instead of being about the royals, the story is about their staff. Their nanny and bodyguard. In a sort of Downton Abbey way. It is second chance romance with close proximity when former flings get reunited in their newest jobs. This one gets hot and heavy but it is also just a cute, heartwarming look at forgiveness, growing up, finding love and moving forward. And the backdrop of life as staff for a royal family was just fun to read.

Karina Halle never disappoints with her writing, and The Royals Upstairs is no exception. This second chance romance between a royal bodyguard and a royal nanny brings Halle's trademark compelling style to life, though I had some mixed feelings about the story itself.

The highlight for me was Laila’s relationship with her grandmother, which added real heart and depth to the book. The scenes with the royal children were also fun and entertaining, providing lighter moments in the story.

However, when it came to the romance between Laila and James, I struggled to understand why they were drawn to each other beyond their physical chemistry. While their attraction is undeniable, I would have loved to see more development in their emotional connection, especially given their complicated history.

Overall, I’m glad I picked this one up, and as always, I appreciate Karina Halle's ability to create engaging royal romances. I just wished for a bit more in the relationship department.

The Royals Upstairs is a steamy workplace romance that is oh-so delicious to read.

I will admit it took me a few chapters to get into this book. I'm not sure why things just weren't clicking for me at the beginning, but once the story started to pick up, I became more engrossed with what was unfolding on the pages. I love a good bodyguard, second chance, and force proximity romance, and this delivers that in spades. The story itself has everything a romance bookworm could want; there is plenty of angry, lusty tension, funny moments, and moments that are just going to have you in tears. Fans of Karina's books will be delighted to know that characters from her past books appear in this story. This is my first Karina book, and I gotta say that I fell head over heels in love with the charismatic and hilarious Prince Magnus and from the moment this man appeared on the page, I knew I needed more of him. I was so delighted to see that Magnus and Ella have their own book called Wild Heir, which I will be reading asap.

If you are looking for a winter romance but don't want all the Christmas hoopla that often comes with that winter setting, then this book is for you. The winter setting was utterly perfect for this story, and it helped create this sense of isolation that made this book feel more intimate. The story itself moves at a pretty steady pace. Karina has included some time-slipping (flashbacks), and I thought she did a great job using this story element to show readers what happened between Laila and James prior to the beginning of this book.

I absolutely adored all the secondary characters in this book. They added warmth, charm, and laughter to the story. Laila's relationship with her grandmother really stood out for me. Anyone who has had a close relationship with a grandparent will understand Laila's strong bond with her grandmother. It was so touching watching them interact with each other. I felt honored to get a small glimpse into their relationship. It was their relationship that both warmed and broke my heart.

Laila and James were good MCs. Laila is a different kind of heroine. She is not necessarily prickly, but she has a lot of walls built up around her. She is a loner, and as a reader, it's hard to understand who she really is. We have to work on peeling back those layers to see the more vulnerable side of Laila. James is this interesting blend of cooky ladies' man with some pretty heavy emotional baggage. He's utterly terrified of the idea of being in any sort of romantic relationship, and his fear leads Laila and James to the ugly part the first time they get together. It was interesting watching James grapple with his past and learn to heal with the help of a devious Prince.

This is a steamy romance. If you like a romance that bangs, you will enjoy Laila and James's lusty relationship. There are plenty of sex scenes, and surprisingly, a lot of them take place in public places. Laila and James' relationship is mostly physical. There are a few quiet moments between these two, but their strong connection is more on the physical side. Snarky, angry banter is pure catnip for me, and there is plenty of that in this book because Laila and James are forced to be together because they work in the same house. Both charges have some pretty heavy emotional baggage that they have to deal with in this book. That baggage is the main hurdle that they have to overcome if they ever want to be together. You are going to love this story if you like: forced proximity, workplace romance, one bed, forbidden romance, bodyguard, second chance, a grand gesture, and insta lust.

The Royals Upstairs is a steamy banger romance perfect for any bookworm who loves a bodyguard story.

I freaking loved Karina Halle's Nordic Royals series so I was really excited when I realized she had written another series with royals. I received an ARC copy from Berkley and Netgalley.

It was so good to reconnect with Magnus and Ella from new point of views but unfortunately they're all I wanted to focus on. The FMC (the nanny) and the MMC (the bodyguard) felt like boring side characters instead of the ones who were in the spotlight. My mind kept straying back to the Wild Heir and thinking about Magnus and Ella.

Second chance romances are not normally my favorite so there has to be a ton of groveling for me and this one just fell flat. I did like that Laila (the FMC) didn't immediately take the MMC back every time he turned on the charm. The plot felt non-existent and I unfortunately just to push myself through this one. I felt like Laila's character was well fleshed out but James (the MMC) could have been replaced with any other leading book man. He had a very interesting back story but I feel like it wasn't highlighted enough to make him interesting.

I love Karina Halle so I'm thinking this series was not for me.

The Royal Upstairs caught my attention with its promise of a second-chance romance between a royal bodyguard and a nanny, and I’m a huge fan of second-chance romances because of the tension and angst that usually come with them. However, this one didn’t quite deliver that emotional depth for me.

James and Laila’s reunion had potential, but I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them. While their history should have brought a lot of tension, the connection between them seemed to be more about physical attraction than a deeper emotional bond. I was hoping for more of that push-and-pull dynamic, but it just didn’t come through the way I expected.

That said, the royal setting and the playful kids added a fun, lighthearted touch to the story. I also really enjoyed the moments with Laila’s grandmother, which were heartfelt and sweet. The royal household backdrop gave the story an interesting setting, which made it enjoyable to read even if the romance didn’t fully hit the mark.

While this wasn’t my favorite second-chance romance, it’s still a fun and easy read if you’re looking for something light.

3.5 rounded up.

- Second chance romance
- Forced proximity
- Royal Family
- Dual timeline
- Workplace romance
- Lovers to enemies to lovers
- Found family

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance between a personal protection officer and a nanny. Their past relationship hadn’t worked out, and the unexpected twist of finding themselves employed by the same royal family brought an exciting tension to their already undeniable chemistry. The Norwegian Royal Family had a fantastic ensemble of characters, and I loved the more laid-back atmosphere in their world. By the end, the way they all formed a found family was heartwarming and touching.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Karina Halle for the ARC!

The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle is a surprisingly emotional second chance romance between a royal bodyguard & a royal nanny. This was so much more than I could’ve imagined. I was not prepared for the emotional depth & the heart wrenching moments but I did like how it was balanced with the adventures & intrigue from being near the royals

I do recommend checking content warnings as this deals with some sensitive topics.

The Royals Upstairs is great for fans of…
❤️ Second Chance Romance
❤️ Bodyguard x Nanny
❤️ Forced Proximity
❤️ Royal Romance

After reading the author’s acknowledgments, I could feel their emotion poured into this book. This is a heartfelt royal romance sure to enchant royal romance fans.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

3.5 stars