When his sister Hope announces that she is going to marry a prince, Max is taken aback to discover that the royal wedding will take place not in stylish San Michele, but at their run-down family home, Hasebury Hall. Now Max has to fix up the manor, let royal and security officials have the run of the place… and find a suitable woman to placate a Crown Princess with an obsession over protocol.

Chef Flora Deare, Hope’s friend, is in charge of catering the royal wedding and has quickly taken over Max’s kitchen – not to mention the rest of his life. As a bridesmaid, Flora will be going to the official announcement of the royal engagement in San Michele too. Max is single, she’s single: why don’t they go together and keep the Crown Princess off Hope’s back?

Max has too much Mr. Rochester about him for Flora’s tastes and she’ll be returning to London very soon to reboot her career. Still, what harm can a little pretense do if all it involves is a glamorous trip to San Michele and smiling together at the wedding itself? Apparently, a lot… Soon, it’s hard to remember what’s real and what’s not.