A Royal Temptation - Charlene Sands (HD #2404 - Oct 2015)

Series: Dynasties: The Montoros (Book 6)

Juan Carlos Salazar II never thought he'd become King of Alma. But when an explosive family secret leaves him next in line for the throne, he's ready.

Until he catches a glimpse of Princess Portia Lindstrom at the coronation. Because it's love at first sight with this mysterious woman. But Portia's secrets test the power of his devotion and Juan Carlos is tempted to throw duty out the window. Sorely tempted.

Soon he must choose between commitment to country and family…or his own heart.

Terrific conclusion to the series. After all the twists and turns of the previous books, the role of King of Alma has come to rest on Juan Carlos's shoulders. Determined to bring peace and prosperity back to his country, at his coronation Juan Carlos promised to put his people and his country first. Then a glimpse of a beautiful woman at his coronation turned his heart upside down.

I loved Juan Carlos and Portia. I had my doubts about him in previous books, as he seemed uptight and sometimes unsympathetic to his cousins' difficulties. However, he won me over quickly in this book. His love for Alma and its people was evident in his thoughts during the coronation. His immediate fascination with Portia was a surprise to him, as was the way she took over his thoughts. Portia was as drawn to Juan Carlos as he was to her. But she was burned in a previous relationship with a high profile man and had no intention of getting involved with another one.

I loved the development of the relationship between Juan Carlos and Portia. He was adorable in his "love at first sight" determination to win Portia over. The rumors of the missing art treasures gave him the perfect opportunity to spend more time with her. Portia was wary of the attraction between them. Her attempts to fight it were a losing battle, though she tried hard. One of my favorite things about Juan Carlos was how down-to-earth he was. The time they spent together during the search was almost like any regular couple as they got to know each other. The connection that grew between them was more than a physical one, and it wasn't long before they admitted their love.

But as Portia prepared for their wedding, she discovered a family secret that changed everything she thought she knew about herself. Devastated, she broke things off with Juan Carlos, unwilling to bring scandal to his fledgling monarchy. Hurt by her inexplicable actions, he tried to change her mind, until she was forced to confess the real reasons she left. I wanted to shake Juan Carlos at this point because his reaction was to lash out with anger and distrust. I loved the enlightening conversation he had with a friend, and how it gave him a new perspective. His big moment at the end was fantastic and perfect for who and what he was.

I loved the search for the missing art treasures. Juan Carlos's determination to find them and make them part of the new Alma was wonderful. I could feel their frustration as their searches turned up empty time after time. I was very impressed with the cleverness of how they were hidden when they were finally discovered. It was a very emotional scene.

Maid for a Magnate - Jules Bennett (HD #2397 - Sept 2015)

Series: Dynasties: The Montoros (Book 5)

Now that he's shunned the princess, will he marry the maid?

After narrowly escaping a royal marriage of convenience orchestrated by his meddling father, businessman Will Rowling is going after what he wants. And make no mistake, he wants Cat Iberra -- his father's maid, and the woman who got away when they were young. All it takes is a stolen kiss to get the seduction started.

But Cat's reluctant about the reunion. Fool her once, shame on Will, but fool her twice…well, maybe she's in the mood to be fooled. But will a family secret scuttle her second chance with the man who won't let go of her heart?

Good second chance story. Will and Cat have quite a history. Four years earlier they dated, in spite of the differences between their stations. Will was the son of a billionaire businessman, on the fast track as his father's heir. Cat was a maid in his brother's house. They enjoyed their friendship and found it easy to share their dreams and goals. Then his father forced Will to choose between Cat and his career. Will's cruel breakup with her broke her heart. Four years later, Will wanted Cat back and will stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

I'll admit that I really didn't like Will much at the beginning of this book. He wanted Cat in his bed, and he wasn't interested in her objections. He had just escaped being trapped in a marriage of convenience orchestrated by his father (The Princess and the Player), and he is tired of being manipulated. But as the book went on, I realized that there was more to the breakup than was initially known. I liked seeing Will take back his life, and thwarting his father was very satisfying to see.

Cat was devastated by the breakup with Will but refused to let it ruin her life. Instead, she followed her dream of fashion design and worked hard on her designs. She continued to work as a maid to earn the money to leave Alma and her memories behind. She wasn't happy when Will began to pursue her once again.

I liked the development of the relationship between Cat and Will. Will was determined to get her back in his life, but Cat doesn't trust him. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her push back against his advances - the scene with the flowers was marvelous. Unfortunately for Cat, the sparks between them were still as strong as ever, and she found it harder and harder to resist him. Will was determined to show Cat that he had changed, but she fought him at every turn. It was fun to see the changes that Will went through as he realized that he wanted more than just Cat in his bed. The strength of those feelings scared him, and he tried to convince himself he imagined things. I liked the protectiveness he felt toward Cat when he saw the way his father treated her and loved his plan to give her a day of relaxation. Cat tried very hard to protect her heart from being broken again. She wanted to believe that she could be with him without getting her emotions involved. Their time on the island gave them a chance to be together without outside interference. But it couldn't last, and as soon as they got back to Alma Will managed to stick his foot in his mouth and drive Cat away. I loved that Will realized his true feelings and that he had to find a way to make it right. I loved his big moment at the end and how he showed Cat how important she was to him. Cat's wariness was understandable. I loved that she refused to give up her dreams and cheered for the way it worked out.

I liked seeing the changes that Will went through during the book. As the truth came out about his father's manipulations, Will's determination to seize control of his life grew stronger. I detested Patrick and loved seeing all of Will's plans come together. Patrick got exactly what he deserved, especially when Will discovered the truth behind his mother's death. I also liked seeing the continued growth in the bond between Will and James. The support of each other, which began in the previous book, took on greater importance in this one. I especially liked James and Bella's arrival at the island, and then the way they helped Will at the end.

 

Seduced by the Spare Heir - Andrea Laurence (HD #2384 - July 2015)

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.