I think this may be my favorite of the trilogy. The characterization seemed a bit more adept than the first two books, and I liked that this was more serious in tone. And unlike the first two books, the alternative point of views helped flesh out the story in a way that was missing from the earlier books.

I'm sad to see the last of Lilaria. It was a fun place to visit. ( )

I will be honest before I go into things. I have not read any of this series, so I, myself, was reluctant (haha). I am always nervous when I read an author I have yet to read. So bare with me through this review!

This is a story about a man, Maxwell, who isn't so wanting of his royalty status. And a woman, Meredith, an every day woman, who knows where she plans to be in life...

As always, in romance, you have this recipe. A daunting and handsome man and a gorgeous woman, who eventually cross paths and fall in love. Yada, yada, yada. This book really isn't much different.

I enjoyed this story, although, it really didn't keep my attention at times. It wasn't for lack of writing. It more for the lack of the same ole, same ole, tell-tale story. I think I am getting bored with the love stories anymore. Although most of them have their own twist, they all seem the same anymore.

The book itself, is well-written. For those who immerse in the love story, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. For those that are where I am, you will be more "eh" on the love factor. The characters are so well-developed, you can't help but to root them on. Their chemistry is well drawn out for you. You won't have a hard time feeling involved in this charming story! ( )

I will be honest before I go into things. I have not read any of this series, so I, myself, was reluctant (haha). I am always nervous when I read an author I have yet to read. So bare with me through this review!

This is a story about a man, Maxwell, who isn't so wanting of his royalty status. And a woman, Meredith, an every day woman, who knows where she plans to be in life...

As always, in romance, you have this recipe. A daunting and handsome man and a gorgeous woman, who eventually cross paths and fall in love. Yada, yada, yada. This book really isn't much different.

I enjoyed this story, although, it really didn't keep my attention at times. It wasn't for lack of writing. It more for the lack of the same ole, same ole, tell-tale story. I think I am getting bored with the love stories anymore. Although most of them have their own twist, they all seem the same anymore.

The book itself, is well-written. For those who immerse in the love story, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. For those that are where I am, you will be more "eh" on the love factor. The characters are so well-developed, you can't help but to root them on. Their chemistry is well drawn out for you. You won't have a hard time feeling involved in this charming story! ( )

Very good final book in the series. While this is just as good as the previous two books, this one is not as humorous and has some darker undertones. Meredith has made a life for herself and her son in London after her grandfather was discovered to be one of the lost dukes of Lilaria. She has the chance to pursue her dreams of being an entertainer. She is close to her grandfather who was more of a father to her than her own, who is an alcoholic. She's at a rehearsal when she receives a visit from Prince Max, who has come to break the news of her grandfather's passing.

Max is often called the "slacker prince" because of the way he avoids public appearances. He is an artist and one who prefers peace and quiet over the limelight. When his brother asks him to break the news to Meredith, he agrees because he doesn't want her to find out the news from a reporter. He knows how devastating that can be, as that's the way he found out about his father's death when he was a teenager.

I liked both Max and Meredith. Meredith is used to doing things on her own and is very independent because of it. She appreciates Max's offers of help, but her past has shown her that it's better not to depend on anyone else. Her mother left shortly after she was born, her father is an alcoholic who kicked her out when she got pregnant, and her son's father deserted her as soon as he found out about the baby. She tries to keep Max at a distance, but he won't listen. As the days go on, she ends up being more grateful than she expected for his assistance as she has to plan the funeral, take care of her son and deal with her father. She also discovers a growing attraction to Max, something she never expected to feel again. I loved watching Meredith open herself up a little more each day, accepting Max's presence in her life. After doing so much by herself, Max's determination to be there for her, and the way he involves the rest of his family, shows her an entirely different family life. But as she grows closer to Max, she also sees that her plans for her life in the spotlight is exactly the opposite of the life he prefers to lead. Now that she's losing her heart, is there any way she can have both her dream and the man she loves?

Max was pretty sweet. He hates the limelight and doing anything where he's the center of attention. He can handle anything to do with his art, but royal duties are to be avoided whenever possible. He agrees to his brother's request that he tell Meredith about her grandfather, but doesn't expect to find himself wanting to do more for her. It was pretty funny to see him volunteering to do things that would never occurred to him with another person. The more time he spent with Meredith and her son, the more he wanted to help. I also liked the protectiveness he felt for her as he saw what she had to deal with in her father. There were a couple times when he behaved out of character just because he wanted to protect her. I also loved the way he connected with Meredith's son Marty. It was fun to see the two of them together, and how Max's caring for Marty brought him closer to Meredith. Max had never expected to fall for someone, and to have it be someone so different freaks him out a bit. I loved watching him overcome some of his own fears to help her.

I loved the importance of family in the story. Meredith is determined to give her son the best life she can, in spite of the handicaps she is dealing with. Her issues with her father are real, and the things that go on with him are painful for her. I loved Max's protectiveness and support as she does so. I also adored her son Marty. He was a cute kid, not too good or too bad, but pretty normal. He's young, but he also can be sensitive to his mother's feelings. Some of the best things in the book come from the interactions among Max's family. I loved watching them give him a bit of a hard time because of his involvement with Meredith, but they were there to help him when he needed it because "family comes first." ( )

Reluctantly Royal is the third and final book of the Suddenly Royal series by Nichole Chase. I fell in love with this series last year with the first book, Suddenly Royal. The book focuses on three siblings--who happen to be royalty--that are looking for love. Each book focusing on a different sibling.

This book focuses on Maxwell. He's the shiest of the siblings. He hates to be the center of attention and tries to keep out of the spotlight. However he's thrown into the spotlight in this book due to the fact that he's falling in love with someone who adores the spotlight. Talk about opposites attract. Meredith has always dreamed of becoming a singer. Her dreams are all falling into place until she hears about her grandfather dying. The two were very close, and now she has to pick up the pieces and also deal with her drunkard father. Maxwell promises to do everything he can to help her, and of course, he can't help falling in love with her either.

This book falls right along with the rest. It's an enjoyable weekend read. I only had one problem with it. In this book Meredith has a son. He's six years old. Despite that fact, he talks as though he's an adult. In fact, if you didn't know who said his dialog, you'd swear a grown up was talking. This is a pet peeve of mine as far as books are concerned. I want children to sound like children, not miniature adults. Other than that it was an enjoyable story. If you like The Princess Diaries or The Prince and Me, you should check out this series.

Trigger warning: This book contains scenes with alcoholism and physical abuse.

Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2014/12/review-reluctantly-royal.html#mrKcjLAhJ... ( )