Series: Dynasties: The Montoros (Book 3)
Going from black sheep to king, with the help of one very
special woman…
Gabriel Montoro's worst nightmares are realized when his
older brother abdicates the throne of Alma, leaving fun-loving playboy Gabe
next in line. Now he needs to shape up -- fast. That's where Serafia Espina
fits in.
The exquisite ex-supermodel can school him in the social
niceties. But as they get into the royal routine, Gabe begins to see this old
family friend in a very different light. Soon the protocols are out the window,
and Serafia is sharing his bed. But is this angel hiding something that could
threaten what they've begun?
Good book. Gabriel was the younger of the two Montoros
sons, and the one with the reputation as a fun-loving, carefree playboy. When
the family's homeland asked them to return to lead the country, Gabriel was happy
that it was Rafe who would be stuck being the king, leaving him to continue his
preferred lifestyle. That all came to a screeching halt when Rafe abdicated the
throne to marry the woman he loved and the mother of his baby (Carrying a King's Child). Gabe had a very short time to learn what he needs to know, so he
hired childhood friend and former crush Serafia to bring him up to speed. The
former supermodel left the catwalk behind for a calmer, simpler life. She was
happy with her consulting job and staying out of the spotlight. The last thing
she expected was to find herself playing Pygmalion to a prince.
I really liked both Gabe and Serafia. In spite of the
royalty/supermodel personas, both characters felt like real people with relatable
issues. Gabe is one of those guys who seems to be the life of the party, and
who everyone wants to be friends with. Though he gave a good impression of being
carefree, Gabe suffered from some well-hidden fears. Years earlier he was
kidnapped and held for ransom for a week before finding a way to escape. He now
suffers from claustrophobia and panic attacks, something he doesn't talk about
to anyone. Serafia was at the top of her profession when stress-induced health
issues forced her to quit. The only way to avoid a relapse is to maintain rigid
control over her feelings and actions.
I liked the development of their relationship. Gabe's
reluctance to become king was glaringly obvious, and Serafia had no trouble
calling him out for what she saw as his selfishness. The sparks flew between
them as Serafia attempted to turn Gabe into the king that his people needed,
while Gabe resisted at every turn. It wasn't until they arrived in Alma that
Gabe seemed to finally accept what was happening. As they worked together on
Gabe's transformation friendship and trust grew between them as well as passion.
It wasn't long before Gabe realized that he wanted more, but Serafia feared
what the spotlight would do to her. Challenges arose that played on their fears,
and Gabe lashed out at Serafia with hurtful accusations. I wanted to shake him
for the things he said and felt that he deserved every minute of the misery he
felt. I liked his big moment at the end as he did a pretty good job of
groveling. There was an interesting twist involving Serafia's father that put a
new light on the rumors that had caused part of the blowup.
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