Publisher: WhiteSpark Publishing.
Release Date: October 1st, 2019.
Source: Purchased.
Category: Contemporary, ya, romance, Christian.
Series: Daughters of Peverell #1.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner.
But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?
My Thoughts:
5 stars.
I have a soft spot for stories containing royals, so when I saw this cover and read the title, I was immediately drawn in. I was then delighted to discover that Hannah Currie is an Australian author!
Mackenna Sparrow is not a princess, but her best friend is one. She was brought to the palace as a baby to be the princess’s companion, and formed a deep friendship with the princess. She has the heart of a princess, and the people love her.
With the princess engaged, and her services coming to an end, Mackenna is thrust into a life she doesn’t know – that of a commoner. But her ties to the palace cannot be easily broken, for she was also friends with Prince Thoraben (Ben), and he isn’t ready to to let go of Mackenna.
With miscommunication, and the characters not being open with their true feelings, the path to love is not an easy one, but the ending definitely satisfies!
Although this is a contemporary set in a made up kingdom, there is an intriguing plot line of the threat of rebels to the kingdom that gave this a fantasy vibe, and as a fan of fantasy, I loved this.
Heart of a Royal was a well written, captivating read. The characters were likeable and relatable (most anyway), and there was great chemistry between Ben and Mackenna. It was charming, and funny, with just enough drama to keep things interesting. There was an eyepopping twist that I didn’t see coming! It was a sweet and clean romance, with faith themes weaved throughout. This is the first book in the series and I am excited to read the other two.
Although content wise there was nothing unsuitable for younger teens, I believer older teens might appreciate it a bit more.
If you enjoy books by Kiera Cass, or books featuring royalty, you will enjoy this. I highly recommend it.
Rochelle L. Sharpe 