The beautiful cover attracted me to this book. It is indeed a book about a commoner meeting a prince in a small kingdom while attending the wedding of her best (princess) friend. Although it is written well, it seemed a bit naive and formulaic. The crown prince falling in love, the meddling queen. There were no surprises at all. But if you are looking for that kind of story, you are set!

OMG I really loved this book. IT was very different than I expected but in such a great way. This is not your typical prince/commoner romance. This story begins at summer camp, and its more about a love/hate brother/bff romance than the whole prince/commoner story line.

The story starts when Sophia/Gill/Kat all meet one day at this summer camp they are all forced to attend. Kat is fishing and leaves a bait around and that ends up in Gills foot. She ends up helping take it out but since that night Gill has hated her and his sister well she found a BFF that night. So begins this story....

Then the story begins again and we see Kat all grown up as a Veternarian and who is on her way to her BFF's wedding, the thing is her BFF is a princess and its her first time visiting the country. Instead of staying in a hotel Sophia moves her into the castle and gosh I haven't read such a fun story in so long.

Gill has always hated Kat because he loves his sister tremendously and he felt after she met Kat that she didn't need him as a BFF again. Kat never hated Gill, she just always thought he hated her. Now grown up they are very attracted but Gill is very staid and rule following and Kat is full of fun and is rule breaker. So let the fun begin....

Yes there are two momzillas in this story as Sophia says but Sophia is so great and I loved Kat and Gill and watching them get to know each other again. I really loved this story and the author did a really great job with the story and characters.

Katrina “Kat” Parsons and Sophie von Strausser have been best friends since meeting at summer camp years ago. Of course at the time Kat had no idea that Sophie was a real live princess. Now Sophie is getting married during the holiday season and Kat will be spending Christmas in Alistonia, in a castle of all places. This vacation would be wonderful if it weren't for Sophie's brother Crown Prince Guillaume. For some reason he doesn't like or trust Kat. He's convinced she is on the prowl for a rich husband while she's at the castle and he won't let any scandal ruin his sisters wedding. So he plans to keep a very close eye on her. The more time he spends with Kat, the more he likes her though and soon fears he may just lose his own heart to the lovely Kat.

This is a fantastic story and a book I would recommend to everyone.

Christmas at the Castle is a fantasy come to life. Kat and Gill's story is a classic in the making. Ms. Mcclone presented these characters in a way that gave an almost ethereal quality to their romance. Kat was magic with her big heart and affinity for animals. Selflessness is an amazing quality to have and she exuded it perfectly. Gill was not a bad person but past hurts made him wary. He was a protector of those that mattered to him and he hid his heart behind mistrust and pain. Kat was his beacon in a storm. If only he would heed his heart and open his mind. Christmas at the Castle emits creativity in a way that allows the characters to come alive and welcome readers into a world of enchantment.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful veterinarian who would travel to a faraway land to be in her best friend's wedding. While there, she will kiss a frog (aka Prince Annoying) and make him into her very own Prince Charming.

A royal wedding. A meddlesome mother. And an unexpected union.

Katrina "Kat" and Princess Sophie have been best friends since they met as children and met at camp. So when Sophie asks Kat to be in her wedding, she doesn't think twice even if it means traveling at Christmas time half way around the globe to Alistonia to be there.

Crown Prince Guillaume "Gill" did not expect Kat to be there for Sophie's wedding. Sophie kept Kat's participation in the wedding a secret as she knew Gill would manage to intercept with her plans if he knew. Gill and his mother, the queen, are suspicious of Kat and keep a close eye on her. The queen thinks Kat is out to snag a royal. And Gill is her target. But as Gill gets to know who Kat really is, he starts to soften a bit around her. Will it be enough for Gill realize Kat really is a good person and possibly the right woman for him?

Christmas is a time of magic and miracles and what you least expect can happen in the blink of an eye.

From the beginning of the book you get the feel for Kat and how hard working she is when she is awakened by a co-worker after falling asleep in the barn. She doesn't take time off for much of anything, especially dating. She is down to earth and a good girl who will do anything for animals and her friends. I enjoyed the glitz and glamour, along with the drama, of the wedding planning and seeing Kat and Gill become friends and eventually have their first life changing kiss. I had a laugh when Jamie, Sophie's future brother-in-law, was making passes at Kat and Gill would start to get jealous. The scene at the museum and the way Kat handled them both was priceless. The puppy part of the story was a sweet addition too. I really enjoyed the festive feel of this book. I'm putting it down as my favorite Christmas book so far this year. It's a story that I could easily visualize while reading it. It would make a perfect Hallmark TV movie one day too if the Hallmark people ever got word of it.

Combine a fairy tale-ish country, a few wicked folks, a mistrustful, arrogant brother who just happens to be a prince add one innocent woman who is exactly as she appears and you have the makings of a modern day fairy tale.

Kat hasn’t had an easy life, still she’s upbeat and devoted to the animals she cares for. Close to drowning in college debt and tied to a contract that ensures that she won’t get out from under that pile of owed money for the foreseeable future, Kat is determined to make the most of the joys she does have. One of those joys has been saving the money to be able to attend her childhood friend’s wedding. Sophie is a real life princess, and while Kat may feel like a fish out of water during this vacation, she’s also determined to enjoy every moment of it in spite of Sophie’s brother being an absolute arrogant jerk around her.

Gill intends to watch his sister’s friend like a hawk. Nothing will spoil this day for Sophie, not even a “friend” who is obviously on the lookout for a rich husband among the wedding guests. After all, she is under a pile of debt, what other possible reason could there be for her to be so nice and adorable around everyone. She has to have a hidden agenda, and Gill is going to be right at her side to deny her any possible prize or potential scandal.

But what if he’s wrong? What if Kat truly is a kind, caring woman who wants nothing from this trip but to help celebrate her friend’s wedding? What if he’s been putting roadblocks in his own happy ever after?

Christmas At The Castle is a charming, Christmas fantasy come true. I enjoyed Kat and Gill’s romance very much, even when it was quite rocky because of one man’s past. Sometimes what you see on the surface goes all the way to a person’s core, and Gill had to discover that truth about Kat before he could allow himself to admit that she was the one for him. Delightful, entertaining with an implied happy ever after but one that I was convinced was happening – this is a fun, thoughtful love story that any Romance reader would enjoy.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this novel. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this story.*

I read a book a day and I rarely say that I want to give books more than 5 stars but this book deserves more than 5 stars. It is incredible. Hands down the best book I have read this month. I could see this book as a movie on the Hallmark Channel.
Kat met Gill and Sophie at summer camp year ago. Sophie and Kat become BFFs and maintain a long distance relationship that involves Sophie coming to the states a lot because Kat isn’t super rich. Having lost her Mom and Dad and living with her Grandparents, Kat has always felt that she wasn’t good enough for her parents to love.
Melissa McClone brings us a book of a girl with no expectations and a family that thinks she wants something. It is really sad that the Princess Sophie wants to be normal and her family is making it hard for her and she uses her camp friend from America as an escape goat. So when she arrives in time for the Royal Wedding the family look upon her badly.
Now all grown up and a veterinarian she has finally saved enough money to travel to Sophie’s wedding. But will her friend’s yearning to break free have cause a massive rift between Kat and the family?
Will Gill become the over protective brother and try to remove the threat? Will he ever see her for who she really is?
I loved this book. Great character development along with a well written story that moves at a nice pace. I hope that we get to hear more about these characters because I am sure there is more meddling to be had.

Usually I don’t comment on the covers of a book, but this time I must. I loved the cover for Christmas at the Castle (Ever After Series, Book 3) by Melissa McClone. As for the story, it is an uplifting, sweet romance that is just right for the holidays.

I found Kat and her friend to be lovely characters even if one is a true life, fictional princess. The Prince, however, was not always so charming. Gill did not have cause to be so wary of Kat. As his view of Kat changed so did mine about him.

The plot flow smoothly if predictable. I don’t mind being able to predict, in fact I want the Happily Ever After that the couple deserves. Christmas at the Castle does just that. Also the descriptive writing painted such a vivid image of Alistonia and the surrounding land. I want to go there for a visit, it seemed so real. Christmas at the Castle is an enjoyable read as we head into the holiday season. Still, the wedding makes it an anytime type of read.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

While a bit too sweet for me, this is a cute royal contemporary romance. Although the hero is a bit overbearing for my taste, the attraction between the leads is fun to follow. Perfect for someone who enjoys a less steamy read than others.

Christmas at the Castle is book three in the Ever After series by Melissa McClone.

Katrina “Kat” Parsons grew up knowing that she was not important to her parents. They dumped her off at her Grandparents house when she was a little girl in order to pursue their research in Africa where they eventually died. Her Grandparents loved her and provided her with a wonderful home but they still couldn’t fill the void left by her parents.

Kat first met her best friend, Sophie when they were just little girls at summer camp. They were fast friends and inseparable. She couldn’t say the same for Sophie’s older brother Gill. He seemed to dislike her from the start. As the years past, Kat and Sophie’s friendship grew stronger and it seemed Gill’s feelings towards her did the same. It took Sophie a very long time to finally admit to Kat that she and her brother were royalty. They lived in a country called Alistonia. Their parents were the King and Queen of Alistonia.

Now, fifteen years later, Kat has finally achieved her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She has mountains of student loans but loves what she is doing. Her grandparents have passed away and she is alone. Her best friend, Sophie, is getting married, and Kat is to be her bridesmaid. So she is traveling abroad for the first time to be the perfect bridesmaid to her friend.

Crown Prince Guillaume or Gill, always thought Kat was a bad influence on his sister. He can’t believe she will be here in the castle for two long weeks. He wonders what Kat’s end game really is. Maybe she is looking to snag herself a royal husband to pay off all those student loans. Well, it certainly wouldn’t be him. Gill is next in line to the throne. When he chooses a wife, his mother will retire and he will take the throne. His mother would have to approve his choice of a wife.

“Maybe there was more to Prince Annoying than she was giving him credit for. Dare she find out?”

As Gill and Kat spend time together, they finally begin to see each other as they really are and bonds begin to form. I small kiss under the mistletoe changes everything. But Gill’s mother is determined to keep these two apart. To say she is a meddling mother/queen would definitely be an understatement. Gill and Kat do still manage to find time to spend together, though, and feelings of respect and maybe even love develop.

I admit, I love a good royal romance. That girly girl in me that dreamed of prince charming and poufy ball gowns wakes up and smiles. This book definitely filled all those fantasies. This is just one of those books that takes you to your happy place and leaves you with a smile. Kat might have had a stethoscope instead of glass slippers but she got her Cinderella moment. You’ll have to read the book to see if she gets her prince charming.

I truly liked this book. You have to get passed the first few pages and then wow, hold on to your seat. However if that was my mom I would shoot myself. Thank goodness for cooler heads. Sweet love story

Kat is a vet and going to a bridesmaid in her BFF wedding who happened to be a royal in Europe. Kat had met Sophie fifteen years ago at camp
KooKoRomo when she had left her fishing pole on the grass and Sophie’s older brother Gill had gotten a hook in his ankle . Sophie had cried for help and Kat went to help her and did get the hook out of Gill’s ankle but Gill hadn’t liked Kat since. But Sophie and Kat became best friends immediately. Kat lived with her grandparents on a farm as her parents were in Africa doing research and that is where her parents passed away. Sophie was Kat’s first and only friend at the time of camp. Sophie was getting married at Christmas time. Sophie had a secret desire to see Kat married to her future brother-in-law Jamie her fiance’s older brother. Kat and Jamie became friends. Kat was learning another side of Gill. Gill also was starting to realize he had been wrong about Kat. Gill and his mother the queen had both believed she was coming to the wedding trying to find a royal that would marry her.
I absolutely loved this story, to see Gill change and actually care about Kat. This was a great fun read. The plot was also great. I also loved Gill’s dog Max he also added to the story. I loved all the characters they were just excellent in the way they were portrayed. I believe I have a new favorite book and will want to read moire from this author. I highly recommend.

Christmas at the Castle charms you from the beginning in the way you meet Kat as she struggles with the choices her parents and grandparents have made for her. Quickly, you meet Sophie and Gill at summer camp a really long way from their home in Europe. As Kat and Sophie become great friends, Gill stands back and watches their friendship grow, not quite trusting Kat to be who she appears. He struggled with the fact that their introduction came from him getting caught in fishing gear Kat had left by the lake. He ended up with a hook in his leg, which Kat helped remove. She had a knife in her back pocket from having been raised on her grandparent’s farm and always being prepared for anything.

Fast forward years, Kat and Sophie are still friends having cemented that friendship through the years at camp as campers and later camp counselors. They stayed in touch even after their time at camp ended. Sophie continued to visit Kat in the US at Kat’s grandparent’s farm. Sophie is getting married to the love of her life. She has invited Kat to be a bridesmaid. It will be the first time Kat visits Sophie’s country. During the years Kat’s grandparents and parents have all died. She now has just herself to rely on, but has completed university and become a veterinarian.

As Kat is joining Sophie, she is also joining Gill, who still does not trust her. Sophie is controlled a great deal by her mother, Louisa, the Queen, and by the dictates of protocol of her country. Since Kat is another continent away, the two of them use Kat as Sophie’s excuse to make decisions, which does not help when Kat sees Gill again, nor when she meets his mother. They blame Kat for a lot of what they believe to be Sophie’s bad decisions.

As Gill and Kat spend more time together, Gill begins to see Kat is exactly as she appears. And, he begins to fall in love with her. But, Queen Louise is still a difficult one. Louise has other marriage plans for Gill. Her oldest son has already abdicated the throne to live his life by his own choices. She plans to keep a tighter rein on Gill.


Not only is this a charming romance in a charming castle and village, but you want to root for Kat to find her HEA. The secondary characters add a great deal to the charm of the story with their wit and with their acceptance of Kat at face value. In addition, the descriptions Melissa McClone writes takes you direct to the scene, especially the description of the village of Sophie’s home country. There is so much imagery; you feel you are there to see it yourself.

There was only one area, I struggled with accepting – that of the brief mention of Kat as not having time over the years to google Sophie and Gill, to not know they are as wealthy as they are, nor to expect them to not live in a castle – they are royalty. But, this is fiction and Ms. McClone can write it any way she wants. It was still a sweet, precious romance.

Thank you Net Galley for sharing this charming story with me for an honest review.

Kat travels over to her best friend"s country for her royal wedding and once again meets her friend"s older brother. These two must overcome past impressions, present opposition and roadblocks for a future together. Really enjoyed this tale with the characters and a difficult queen. Looking forward to more from this series.

Ebook from Netgalley and publishers. Opinions are my own.

This was such a great holiday book! I loved getting to know Kat, Sophie, Gill, and the rest of the royal family. The setting and descriptions were perfect as was the love story. Kat is taken out of her element from the beginning but still manages to enjoy every bit of this trip, well almost every bit. She could probably have done without the queen's meddling. All Kat wanted from this trip was an amazing wedding for her best friend and maybe a kiss under the mistletoe. What she got instead would change her life in so many ways.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy provided by NetGalley.

Christmas at the Castle by Melissa McClone

Let's face it, the cover of the book is what we judge the book. If it's plain, it just isn't noticed and I would pass it by unless the description is really good. Then the title. In this case everything got my attention. I am so glad it did.

Katrina Parsons "Kat" meets Sophie and her brother Gill at Camp KooKoRomo. Kat and Sophie become long-time BFF's. Kat is an American and Sophie is Princess Sophie Elizabeth Marie Louise von Strausser of Alistonia. Kat is now a Doctor, a Veterinarian. She had to work hard to get her schooling and is now working to pay off her loans. Saving were she could both her vacation days and money she can be in her BFF's wedding. If Sophie is a princess her brother must be a prince. Worse yet, he is Crown Prince Guillaume. A stuck up, know it all. But could their opinions of each other be wrong? Such a sweet story. I loved the watching the relationship grow between Kat and Gill. Both characters are so relatable. I was enthralled from start to finish.

I loved this book and I cant wait to read more in the future by this author. I love castle and princes and princesses.

A European getaway during the Christmas holiday. Kat can’t wait to be a bridesmaid in her childhood friend’s royal wedding, but she wants to stay clear of her friends older brother,Prince Guillaume wants his younger sister’s wedding day to be perfect. He and his mother on are on the lookout for Kat.
Great read

Katrina “Kat” Parsons always worked hard at everything, remaining steadfast, loyal and dedicated to whatever had a hold of her affections. Possibly to fill the void that her parent's absence left behind. Though she grew up on a farm with her loving grandparents the sense of abandonment she felt as her parents continued to live and then passed away in Africa, never left her. And so she clung to the few people she loved, like her best friend Sophie who also happens to be a princess. And she doesn't mind being the fall guy for her either because that meant that Sophie got to fulfill her dreams. That is the unconditional love and support of being a BFF. And now that Sophie is going to marry the man of dreams, Kat has to be by her side and at the same time she's going to get a much-deserved vacation.

Crown Prince Guillaume or Gill as he is known to her has other plans. Unfortunately, he's suspicious of everything that involves Kat and has appointed her as the culprit for everything Sophie does that opposes the von Strausser way. So he's planning to keep a close eye on her. And I just love the way his plans backfire because even he's unaware of how deeply he's buried his true feelings for Kat.

Doctor Katrina Parsons grew up on her grandparents ranch, spending her summers at camp. It was at camp that she made friends with Sophia, little realising that Sophia's parents were the sovereigns and rulers of a small European country! The two became firm friends, keeping in touch over the years with Sophia coming to stay with Kat and her grandparents sometimes,too. Kat, however, has always declined invitations to visit Sophia - until now.

The big change now is that Sophia is getting married and wants her BFF to be one of her bridesmaids. The main drawback is the Sophia's family believe that Kat has been a disruptive and bad influence on Sophia, even though she hasn't really - Sophia just blamed her when she wanted to go against her family's wishes. Sophia's older brother, Gill, is now the Crown Prince and he's never really forgiven Kat for injuring him - accidentally - and for being so friendly with Sophia. With the Queen and her royal mother in law to be at loggerheads over the wedding,

Sophia is really anticipating Kat being a calming influence on the stubborn women. However, she's also planning on trying to act as matchmaker,, bringing together Kat and her brother in law to be, Jamie, since she's given up on trying to get Kat and Gill to be friends. There a some great characters, including Max, and some drama that may bring a tear to your eye - it did mine! As the Queen and Gill both think Kat is out to ensnare some rich Royal to marry her and Kat has no such pans, get ready for a right Royal romance and Christmas wedding is this delightful read that I have no hesitation in recommending!

I was gifted an ARC of this novel via NetGalley with no obligation or requirement to review it. This is my honest review after reading the ARC.

Kat Parsons is excited. She's going to a bridesmaid at her childhood friend's wedding. Sophie is a Royal Princess and Kat is going to spend Christmas at the castle. Everything would be wonderful if it weren't for Crown Prince Guillaume. He thinks she's looking for a titled husband. Kat is a spirited woman who cares for her friend and wants to be the best bridesmaid ever. Gill is a good man who has trust issues. He knows that you can't always believe others. Plus his interfering mother is a impediment to him finding love. I cheered when Gill took charge. I loved watching Kat and Gill get to know each other and take their first steps toward a HEA. The Palace and the beautiful Alistonia countryside are the perfect stage for this feel good romance. The characters draw you in with their warmth and their sparkling dialogue. Melissa McClone made me fall in love with love.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

It's been a while since I last read one of Melissa McGlone's stories, but I've always enjoyed her writing style and Christmas At The Castle rings true. This is a bit of a Cinderella story involving Crown Prince Guillaume of Alistonia and his little sister Sophie's best friend Dr Kat Parsons. Alistonia is a tiny European country that reminded me a lit of the Alsace region of France. Think picturesque villages, skiing, and snowcapped mountains and you'll get the idea.
Gill has known Kat for fifteen years and has always regarded her as a troublemaker, so when she turns up on the castle doorstep as Sophie's bridesmaid he suspects she's on the hunt for a royal happy ever after of her own. Kat has always covered for Sophie knowing that she could comfortably carry the blame for things which might have made Sophie's life difficult.
When she and Gill meet at the castle both are surprised by their attraction to each other and as the wedding approaches that attraction turns into something more, but Kat knows nothing can come of it - the queen hates her.
This is a sweet Christmas story told well. There are dogs, puppies, tiaras and Christmas carols. Perfect for curling up with on a beach or in front of a roaring fire with a hot cocoa.

This book was awesome! Can't wait to read the others in the series.

a good interesting story. LIked the romance. Thank!

**My thanks to NetGalley and Tule Publishing, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

Kat has only gone away as her friend of fifteen years is getting married, her friend however happens to be a princess that she met at camp along with her brother, a brother who has never seemed to liked her.

Gill has never trusted Kat. He has always thought she set her sister astray and believes her to be coming to the wedding only in order to bag herself a royal partner for her very own. With Kat at the castle, Gill takes it upon himself to oversee that Kat does not have the chance.

But what Gill see's in Kat is not what he expected and he learns a few things along the way that very much changes his opinion of her.

With a meddlesome mother in the way Kat shows them what she is made of and sticks by her friend whatever happens and.

Its a lovely holiday romance that will help put the holiday in good cheer.

Katrina “Kat” Parsons and Sophie von Strausser have been best friends since meeting at summer camp years ago. Kat was unaware that Sophie and her brother, who called himself Giles were both princess and prince. Fast forward several years, and Sophie is getting married close to Christmas and Kat is to be her bridesmaid. The wedding will be help in the family castle in Alistonia. However, Sophie's brother is now Crown Prince (Guillaume). He is still mistrusting of Kat, thinking she is after a rich husband during her stay. Consequently, he has vowed to stay close to prevent a scandal but finds himself, falling in love with her despite his beliefs.

A well-written sequel to The Cinderella Princess. Kat travels to a faraway land to be a bridesmaid in her childhood friend's wedding. She always knew her friend was a royal but didn't quite grasp just what that meant. The glitz and glamour is a bit overwhelming but not as much as her friend's older brother, Crown Prince Guillaume. Gill is sure that Kat is there to ruin his sister's wedding and he'll do whatever it takes to keep her away even if it means spending as much time with Kat as possible. Of course sparks fly. I thought the tension between Gil and Kat was so exciting. I also loved the Christmasy feel to the story. This book didn't feel too cheesy or drag on for longer than was necessary. A perfect holiday read.

4.5 stars!!!
This story had everything I love in a romance. Royalty, love/hate relationships, tension, and Christmas. I couldn't put it down from the minute I opened it up. I wanted to know all about how Kat was going to get along with Gill, and how she was going to get the Queen to stop being such a witch. Beautiful writing and an even more beautiful story.

Katrina Parsons grew up attending a summer camp which is where she met her best friend in life, Sophie and Sophie’s annoying brother Gill. Even though the girls led completely different lives away from the camp they kept in touch during the times they weren’t together growing up and now as adults Sophie wants her best friend to attend her wedding.

Kat never realized that Sophie and Gill actually came from real royalty in the country that they are from. Heading to what she thought would be a hotel Kat finds herself staying in the castle of Sophie’s family and not exactly getting a warm welcome from Sophie’s mother the queen or from Gill who is now the crown prince. They believe Kat has been the bad American influence on Sophie and has her own agenda for attending, to snag her own prince to wed. But as Gill gets to know Kat he finds himself falling for her after all the years of her just being his sister’s annoying friend.

Christmas at the Castle is the third book in the Ever After series but it can easily be read as a standalone novel. The story is a really nice fairy tale romance with a regular woman finding herself swept away by the handsome prince with all the obstacles for the couple to overcome as they find themselves falling for one another.

This one is definitely a lovely romance story with characters that had a background to build upon. Kat was a strong female with all that she had gone through in her life which is always a favorite of mine. Gill while starting off suspicious grew into a very likable character as he grows into his own position of being the crown prince and dealing with finding his way with what that entailed. Great story with a great setting, would definitely recommend this lovely holiday romance.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

So cute! I love that the characters had a history and backstory where we weren't just to believe they met and fell in love in like 2 days. Sophie, Jamie, and the Queen were good secondary characters to Gill and Kat. I enjoyed the proposal quite a bit and loved that Gill knew exactly what she would need to say yes.

Christmas at the Castle was a great read. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A person is really blessed if they have at least one life-long friend. Kat and Sophie met at Summer camp and developed a friendship that most would envy, however, Sophie's brother was there and seemed to take an immense disliking to Kat which appears to exist 15 years later. Kat is a veterinarian and loves her job and despite having a ton of student loans she is pretty happy. Sophie, it turns out is a princess and her brother Gill is a Prince and Sophie is getting married. Although she visited Kat over the years and met Kat's family, Kat has never met Sophie's family and it also turns out that they think Kat has had too much influence over Sophie and do not care for Kat.

When Kat arrives at the small country where Sophie's family is the monarch, her mother the queen, she has a pretty chilly reception from two of the family members. Kat is a pretty strong character and for the most part it rolls right off of her, however, Gill starts to think something is different about Kat and wonders if he had her wrong all along. Christmas at the Castle does a great job of allowing Gill and Kat to both to slowly learn more about each other and they become friends and more. The reader is treated to the slow build-up of a clean romance and if you like modern royal romances this book fits in very nicely. Review can also be seen at LadyTechie's Book Musings http://ladytechiesbookmusings.blogspot.com/ .

Every summer, Katrina Parson would spend her days at summer camp, which is where she met her best friend Sophie and her annoying brother Gill. Since Sophie was from another country, the girls weren't able to see each other the rest of the year, but still kept in touch and shared everything about their lives with each other. And, after Sophie tells Kat her secret, she finds it really hard to believe it at first, since Sophie is a princess from a faraway land that Kat knows nothing about.

But being a princess isn't really all rainbows and butterflies, Sophie has a hard time being able to live her life the way she wants to, so she and Kat made a deal: every time the princess wanted to go against her family's wishes, she could blame it all on her American friend, Kat.

Now, several years after they met at summer camp, the princess is getting married and wishes for her best friend to be her bridesmaid, so Kat gets on a plane and leaves her country for the first time, to attend a royal wedding, nonetheless.

Already there, Kat struggles trying to find a way to make Gill and his mother, the Queen, like her, and she finds it really hard to do so, since Sophie has always blamed her crazy ideas on her and nobody but them knew the truth.

I really liked Sophie's and Kat's friendship, they were adorable and always stood up for each other, well, if we forget about the whole thing about Sophie blaming everything on Kat, that really got me all worried and made me want to slap Gill and the Queen, because they were incredibly rude. And I know, I know they didn't know the truth, but even so, being rude like that is not nice behavior, just saying.

Something I loved about this book is that it tells the story from both Kat's and Gill's POV, that way we also get to know what's going on in Gill's head.

And now let's just talk about this guy...

I'm not sure how I feel about him, I mean, I already said I felt like smacking him at first for being so rude, but then all those times he mentions his American ex-girlfriend being awful and how he can't trust Kat, because she's obviously awful as well. Come on...

It also made me worried to see him do every little thing his mother said. I know she's the Queen and all, but seriously, have some personality, Gill.

Even so, things between him and Kat end up great and it's all really sweet, although I think it all happened way too fast, they should relax a little bit, it's the 21st century after all, no need to rush things and think about marriage just yet, even if he needs to get married to rule, it'll happen eventually, you know.

And oh God, his dog was adorable! Definitely a great touch to it all, I loved reading about little Max.

A very cute book to curl up with during Christmas time :)

I love Melissa's books, but I just couldn't get into this one. I have another one of her which I loved and will review soon. I will also but in books/ review them in the future as she is a great author.