From Goodreads: Dragged on a family trip to Europe’s ancient cities, Becca wants nothing more than to go home. Trapped with her emotionally distant father, over-eager stepmother, and a brother who only wants to hook up with European hotties, Becca is miserable. That is until she meets Nikolai, a guy as mysterious as he is handsome. And she unknowingly finds herself with a runaway prince.
Nikolai has everything a guy could ask for-he’s crown prince, heir to the throne, and girls adore him. But the one thing he doesn’t have…is freedom. Staging a coup, he flees his kingdom and goes undercover on his own European tour.
When Nikolai and Becca meet, it’s their differences that draw them together. Sparks fly as they share a whirlwind of adventures, all the while dodging his royal guard. But Becca’s family vacation ends in a matter of days. Will Nikolai and Becca be forced to say goodbye forever, will his destiny catch up to him, or will they change history forever?
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Royally Lost is a charming, uplifting read that I enjoyed immensely. Though a few aspects seemed a tad far-fetched, overall the novel is very well written, and I found it impossible not to root for Nick and Becca. Having traveled across Europe during my teenage years, much of Nick and Becca’s experiences resonated with me and helped me connect with them from the get go, which made this novel all the more enjoyable.
I am always looking to connect with the characters in novels that I read, and Stanton does a great job making both Nickolai and Becca’s actions, thoughts, and responses extremely believable. Nickolai is also quite swoonworthy, down-to-earth, and perfect in every way—of course, being a prince doesn’t hurt, either. I just loved him, and how Stanton portrayed him as an entity set on changing tradition and helping his people of his fictional country. His ideas for his country are modern and reflect the needs of the people, which was great to see, even though he bumped heads with the traditional entourage of the kingdom. He is a well-rounded individual, and I loved reading his story.
Though generally against tales of instant love, having my own hidden, whirlwind romance as I traveled Europe makes me love this story all the more. While my romance wasn’t of monarch proportions, it was still very similar to Nick and Becca’s, and this not only allowed me to connect with the characters on a level others might not be able to, but also allowed me to put aside my aversion to instant love having experienced something similar in my teenage days—something I had forgotten about until Stanton brought it back to my foremost thoughts.
This is a great story, and as I said previously, while some events may seem a bit far-fetched in some aspects, I really loved it all the same. Four stars.
I received this novel from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
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Excerpt:
Nikolai opened his eyes, chilled, as a cloud blocked out the sun. Next to him, Becca slept, her hand curled in his. She smiled in relaxed slumber.
He gently released her hand and looked around. A couple of people lounged on the distant beach and a lone man sat in the sand with a camera aimed straight at him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
Nikolai turned his back to the beach and nudged her. “Becca!”
“Hmm?” She stirred.
“There’s a guy on the beach and I’m pretty sure he’s taking our picture.”
Her eyes sprang open. “What?” She sat up and spotted the man. “You think he’s paparazzi?”
“It sure isn’t a random tourist aiming a long lens at us. How the hell did he know I was here?” Nikolai slid on his shorts.
“Oh crud.” Becca grabbed her clothes and quickly pulled them on. “You think he’s been taking pictures of us sleeping?”
“That and more. Lord only knows how long he’s been here.” He didn’t notice him when they were in the water, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t been lurking in the trees, snapping pictures.
Nikolai stuffed their leftover lunch items into his backpack. How did this camera-wielding jerk find him?
Dressed, with everything packed up, they headed for the motorbike. Their path unfortunately forced them to pass the creep with the camera. Nikolai pulled his baseball cap low and hid behind his sunglasses. He led the way with Becca’s hand firmly in his.
“Prince Nikolai, why did you run from the palace?” The photographer, a short, heavyset man with cameras strapped across his chest moved closer.
Nikolai picked up the pace, but the man stayed with them, walking backward and snapping pictures. This was no official appearance where Nikolai owed the press a friendly smile and kind word.
“Do your parents know where you are?”
He ignored him.
“Your friend is beautiful. Is she the reason you fled? What’s her name?”
Nikolai bristled and fought the urge to shove the man to the ground and bust his camera. He glanced at Becca, her face pink with embarrassment. She didn’t need to be targeted by this oily loser.
“Have you heard that your sister, Princess Alexi, has gone missing?”
Nikolai hesitated for an instant, but then hurried on. The man was lying. He was sure of it, and he wouldn’t let this vile intruder ruin their day.
They reached the bike. He hurried and strapped on the pack and hopped on. Becca climbed up, hugging him from behind. Nikolai liked the feel of her body secure against his. It made him feel better able to protect her.
The photographer kept snapping pictures and wouldn’t back off. “There are rumors that you have renounced the throne,” he baited.
Nikolai stiffened, but didn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. He started the engine.
“Where are you going next?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Nikolai grinned, revved the engine, and spun gravel as they raced away.
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About Angie Stanton:
Angie Stanton never planned on writing books; she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in rural Wisconsin, with her brothers’ 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn’t work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head, she began to write them down, and the rest is history.
Angie is the author of six books including Royally Lost, Rock and a Hard Place, and Snapshot. She graduated with a Journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin, and is a proud double finalist of the National Readers Choice Awards for Love ’em or Leave ’em.
Website: http://angiestanton.com/
Twitter: @angie_stanton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngieStantonAuthor
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From Goodreads: On a hot summer night in a Midwestern town, a high school teenage prank goes horrifically awry. Alcohol, guns, and a dare. Within minutes, as events collide, innocents becomes victims—with tragic outcomes altering lives forever, a grisly and unfortunate scenario all too familiar from current real-life headlines. But victims can also become survivors, and as we come to know each character through his/her own distinctive voice and their interactions with one another, we see how, despite pain and guilt, they can reach out to one another, find a new equilibrium, and survive.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
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