Series: Royal (Book 2)
Catherine has spent her life being the perfect princess.
She’s kept her hands clean, her head down, and most importantly -- men at arm’s
length. After all, most men are after only one thing, and for Cathy there’s a
lot more at stake than her bed; she has to worry about the fate of an entire
nation. But at the rate she’s going, Cathy is afraid she’ll give the Virgin
Queen a run for her money. She is tired of waiting for someone good enough to
come along. She has a plan, and it all hinges on seducing the one man who seems
utterly unimpressed by all things royal. The one man she is tempted by more
than any other . . .
When David arrives at the royal wedding of his friend,
the newly ordained Duchess Samantha Rousseau, he expects to feel uncomfortable
and out of his element, but he isn't prepared to be targeted by Prince Alex’s
gorgeous younger sister. With Cathy's giant blue eyes, killer figure, and sense
of humor, it won’t take long before he gives in. But when he finds out just how
innocent the crown princess really is, will he play the part of knight in
shining armor or the dashing rogue?
This book was just as much fun as the first book in the series, Suddenly Royal. In this one, the new Princess Samantha has asked her friend David to come to Lilaria and run things at the Future Bird Trust while she's on her honeymoon. He remembers the trouble she had adjusting to being royalty, and expects to feel equally uncomfortable, but the birds won't care. He doesn't expect to be blindsided by the prince's sexy younger sister.
Cathy has spent the last couple years being extra careful about her reputation, ever since Alex had had an especially bad run in with the tabloids. The little experience she's had with men has shown her that they're after one thing - bragging rights. She figures that if she can find a man who doesn't care what she is, she might be able to find out what she's been missing.
I loved Cathy and David's first meeting. He has arrived in country a day earlier than originally expected and arrives at the royal family's home just as the ladies of the wedding party are getting into their bachelorette party. They have brought in an instructor to teach them the basics of pole dancing, and as they have all had a bit to drink things are striking them as extra funny. Cathy has just started her attempt when David walks in, and bowled over by his good looks, mistakes him for a stripper. After some rather risque remarks, including trying to get him to take his clothes off, she finally realizes who he is. Alcohol and embarrassment make an interesting conclusion to the evening.
One thing that was evident was the attraction between Cathy and David. They have a moment together after the wedding that doesn't turn out quite the way that Cathy had hoped and she's pretty embarrassed about that too. But David is a really nice guy and is interested in Cathy, and takes a chance on getting to know her. Being an American, he has no clue what it's like to date a high profile woman like Cathy, but he wants to try. I loved the way that he told Cathy that he would deal with whatever the media threw at him for the chance to be with her. There are several times when it would have been very easy for him to give up on the relationship, but he didn't. He also finds himself fascinated by the two distinct personalities she has - Cathy the woman, and Catherine the princess, and is protective of them both. That really comes out when her longtime personal assistant ends up in the hospital and Cathy has to deal with a replacement who isn't quite what she ought to be. I really loved seeing him support Cathy at the end as she faces something of a personal crisis.
I loved Cathy. She's bright, she's honest, and she loves her family. She's taken on a lot of responsibility over the past couple years and has worked hard not to let her natural tendencies cause problems for the family. I loved her conversation with Samantha and Jess just before the party, and her antics during the party were hysterical. She admits to herself that she's really attracted to David and is quite willing to see where that attraction will take her. She's a bit bummed when he seems to back off, but then intrigued by his wish to get to know her better. She is worried about how he will handle the media attention that will come when they are seen together. When her assistant is taken ill, David's support gives her a place to go emotionally, where she can recharge for the next hurdle. I loved seeing their love develop as they got to know each other and she saw him deal with everything her life hit him with. Her dealings with her temporary assistant at the end really showed the effect that David's love and support have had on her.
The humor and fun in the story was terrific. The conversations between Cathy and David could be pretty funny, but there was sweetness and romance in them too. I also liked seeing the way the characters had to deal with each other's lifestyles. They had to learn to trust in each other. I also liked the epilogue, and seeing where Cathy and David are in their relationship. Catching up with Sam and Alex was great too.
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