Susan Meier

Good conclusion to the series. I've been looking forward to Liam's story. As the heir to the throne, Liam has a lot of responsibility and needs someone to share the load. He thought he had found someone, only to have her break things off and disappear from his life. Though he knows he needs to marry, Laim is no longer interested in finding a love match. He's content to accept an arranged match with a suitable woman picked out by his father.

Demi was also burned by love when the man she loved took her father's payoff rather than fight for her. She also has a poor example in her parents' marriage. She is not interested in marrying anyone, preferring to devote her time to charity work. She turns Liam down flat until he discovers her father has a backup match planned for her. Suddenly, Liam is the lesser of two evils!

I liked the honesty between Liam and Demi when they discussed the proposed match at their first meeting. Liam wasn't going to force anything, and they parted amicably. But an unexpected protectiveness was aroused when he discovered the alternative planned for her. I liked seeing him go to her and explain what he had found. The scene at the food bank gave Demi a different look at who he is and made it a little easier to choose him. Both are adamant that their match will be one of convenience and friendship and that love will never come into the picture.

I like how Liam swept Demi off to his island home. He's determined to make her feel comfortable in her new home. I loved the variety of activities that Liam used to introduce her to life on Prosperita, from casual dinners to royal appearances. Having grown up in a royal household, Demi adjusts well to those duties. But neither expects the sparks of attraction that flare between them complicating their emotionless pact. It was interesting to see how each deals with that problem. Liam focuses on their passion, believing it will suffice as the basis for their marriage and fighting against his growing feelings. Meanwhile, Demi attempts to keep an emotional distance between herself and Liam, afraid of ending up like her mother. But no matter how hard she tries, she falls for the man who swears he will never love again.

Liam and Demi have much to think about as the wedding rapidly approaches. I ached for both when the breaking point came. I loved how his brother Axel provided a much-needed wake-up call for Liam, opening his eyes to the truth. All he has to do is convince Demi. I liked the ending and seeing two people who were so right for each other finally admit their feelings in a very emotional scene.

The epilogue provided an update on the whole family two years later. I laughed out loud at Liam and Demi's surprise for King Jozef.… (meer)

Axel is the second son of King Josef, so he doesn't have the stress of being the heir. In his younger days, Axel did his best to live down to the press's expectations with his playboy ways. When that lifestyle wore thin, Axel looked for something he could do that would make a difference, eventually settling on the job of Castle Administrator after noting its inefficiency. Unfortunately for him, he's done such a great job, and everything runs so smoothly that no one realizes how much work he puts into it. The book opens with a meeting between the king, Axel, and his brother Liam that left him feeling unappreciated. He decides he needs a night off and sneaks out of the palace in disguise to spend the evening being a "normal" person. He doesn't expect to be spotted and followed by one of the palace guards.

Heather is off-duty when she spots Axel sneaking out and follows him, feeling she must watch over him. When things go sideways, she does her job and gets him out of danger, but not before he's recognized. Axel is furious that she ruined his night out but can't deny his attraction to her. But she works for him, so she is off-limits.

The repercussions of Axel's night out first result in Heather being assigned to his personal detail. Her experience (five brothers!) made her adept at recognizing incipient shenanigans. Her constant presence does nothing to lessen Axel's attraction to her, and their interactions are fun. When Axel receives a death threat, Heather becomes his 24/7 bodyguard by posing as his girlfriend.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Axel and Heather. Axel got his playboy reputation because he never dated anyone for long. The reason was heartbreaking, and brought to mind the lives of Princes William and Harry after their mother's death. Axel protects the women by not being with anyone long enough for the paparazzi to be interested in digging into their private lives, so everything is very superficial. With Heather posing as his girlfriend, he finds himself getting to know her and liking what he sees.

Heather has some rough spots in her past that have made her the strong and independent woman she is. But she can't deny that the more time she spends with Axel, the more she likes him. She tries to convince herself that it's just attraction, but that doesn't last long.

I loved watching them together and seeing how right they were for each other. There are great scenes between them, from Axel attempting to cook for her to Heather attending family functions with him. There's a terrific part where he opens up to her about his frustration over finding his place in the world. Her understanding and support are something he isn't accustomed to. It is clear to everyone around them they are falling for each other, but Alex's fears won't let him give in to his feelings. When the danger has passed, Alex must decide whether to risk his heart or watch Heather walk away. I loved the ending.… (meer)

I enjoyed this book. Since the death of his wife five years earlier, King Jozef has steadily turned over most of his public duties to his two grown sons. Though their marriage began as an arrangement between friends, they grew to love each other very much. But Jozef's withdrawal worries his people, so his sons and the castle administration collude to bring him out of his self-imposed exile. To that end, they hire Rowan, an American PR expert, to reform his image.

Rowan suffered a terrible humiliation when her fiancé eloped with her best friend a week before the wedding. Rowan left her hometown, going first to New York, then to Paris, where she was in high demand for her ability to repair images. She's almost ready to set up her own business, and a successful outcome here will be a feather in her cap. She has no room for distractions in her plans.

I loved the first meeting between Jozef and Rowan. Jozef was "encouraged" to attend the opera with his sons as a way to appear before his people. But Liam and Alex sent Rowan instead - without informing Jozef. He was blindsided by the arrival of the beautiful young woman and did not react well. His immediate attraction to her sent him running from the theater before the show started - and reinvigorated rumors that he was in ill health. Jozef was furious and planned to speak with his sons and staff the next day, only to find out that the team who had hired her refused to fire her. Their worries about him gave them the courage to stand up to him and make him see the effects on his subjects. Jozef isn't happy but agrees to go along with the plan.

I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Jozef and Rowan. Jozef is only forty-five and a fit and handsome man, and Rowan finds him immensely appealing and can't deny her attraction to him. Part of the plan is to set him up on dates with three suitable and high-profile women. It is easy to see Jozef's frustration with having his social life micromanaged, but he handles himself well, and you can see him begin to accept that he must make changes. The problem is that he is more interested in Rowan!

I enjoyed the time that Jozef and Rowan spent together. She is very forthright and understanding of the pressure he is under. Jozef finds it very easy to relax and be himself when he is with her. The sparks between them don't take long to burst into flame. Both know that nothing can come of their time together, so they agree to a no-strings fling with an expiration date of the end of the "project." There are some terrific scenes of them together, and I loved seeing how happy they were when they could be themselves. Though their feelings for each other grow deeper, each sees obstacles keeping them apart. Rowan sees that he's a king and she's a commoner with some ugliness in her past. Jozef mainly focuses on their age difference - he's forty-five, and she's thirty, and that's too much. He also doesn't want to put her through the media frenzy that would happen if they took their relationship public.

But Rowan allowed herself to dream, and when she tells Jozef of her feelings, she doesn't get the reaction she'd hoped for. Heartbroken, she leaves, and Jozef is left to figure out how to go on without her. I loved seeing him work his way through his misery until that "aha!" moment that opened his eyes to the possibilities of the future. I loved the ending and the shock that Rowan received. Jozef's surprise was terrific, and the epilogue was outstanding.

I enjoyed meeting Jozef's sons, Liam and Alex. I especially enjoyed Alex's more relaxed attitude as the "spare." He's very observant, intelligent, and fun, and I liked his interactions with Rowan. I look forward to reading his story, as well as Liam's.… (meer)