Royal Games - Book Review

By Sariah Wilson

Synopsis

Genesis Kelley didn’t just get her heart broken. The aspiring veterinarian had it crushed in front of millions of viewers on the dating reality show Marry Me. Now, just as she’s getting her life and dignity back together, her royal heartbreaker, Prince Rafael of Monterra, has landed in Frog Hollow, Iowa. And he’s renting out her aunt’s guest cottage.

Deceiving TV audiences for his brother’s sake cost Rafe the girl of his dreams. But he’s going to fix it, even if it means moving from his mountain-kingdom home to small-town Iowa. A prince doesn’t give up on his rightful princess—especially once he realizes Genesis is in deeper danger than she knows.

Between fixing her truck, whisking her off to Monterra for a whirlwind date, and charming the entire town, Rafe is thawing the ice around Genesis’s heart. Will it be enough to earn back her trust, protect her from her past—and sweep her into a real-life fairy tale?

Review

ROYAL GAMES is the third book in The Royals Of Monterra series and after meeting Genesis in the previous book, I was really looking forward to reading her story because she was so nice and sweet. Sadly, I did not enjoy her story and it was all because of her.

I understand that she was embarrassed at being tricked by Rafe on Marry Me, but I felt she was too fixated on how Rafe “deceived” and “lied” to her during the filming, especially when she knows he was under contract to keep his real identity a secret. She flat out refused to hear his apology and spent almost the entire book treating him like crap. I also felt, and I hate to say this, that she was just too stupid to live. Her life was being threatened, but she refused Rafe’s protection and security because she had pepper spray and had taken self-defence classes. But then she had a panic attack when a stranger sat down for a meal at her diner, which kind of threw her whole “I can protect myself” claim out the window. When she was kidnapped and learnt that Rafe was only able to save her life because of a secret tracking device he had planted on her, she got angry. When he left after she got in a fit and told him to leave, she got angry. When she found out that he paid for her hospital bills, she got angry. Seriously, there was absolutely no pleasing this woman. I was frustrated with her by the 30% mark, and her constant whining, complaining and stupid choices did nothing to win me over.

I liked Rafe, who did so many things trying to earn Genesis’ forgiveness and win her heart, but to be honest, I lost a little respect for him because of how much crap he was willing to put up with. Her behaviour showed that she didn’t deserve him and I wouldn’t have shed a tear if he had just said “screw it” and walked away.

ROYAL GAMES is told only in Genesis’ POV and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. As with the previous two books in this series, there is no sex, not even the behind-the-closed-door stuff. It includes the occasional flashback to their alone time on Marry Me⎯which was sweet⎯and it comes with a HEA.