Cover Image: Codename Charming

Codename Charming

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I had no idea that this was the second book in the series regardless it was a super cute read. I did enjoy the story and characters enough to go back and read book 1.

Was this review helpful?

💭 MY THOUGHTS: The characters in this one really made the book. Matthias is a big, brooding bodyguard while Pet is a petite, super on top of it assistant with a sunny disposition. The physical differences between the two have beauty and the beast vibes with Matthias often referred to as ugly and Pet designed as beautiful. I loved that Pet likes Matthias for who he is on the inside and because of it finds him really attractive.

There are many characters including their coworkers and family that fuel multiple storylines. I do feel like in some parts the story got a bit tedious in some parts but overall loved the tension between these opposite

Read For:
⛅️ Grump Sunshine
🎭 Fake Relationship
💼 Workplace Romance
💪 Bodyguard MMC
🛌 Forced Proximity
🌹 Beauty and the Beast Vibes
🔥 Slow Burn
⚖️ Dual POV

⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice Level: 🌶️/ 5

Was this review helpful?

I truly enjoyed Pet and Matthias's story - it wasn’t particularly plot heavy but more character based and because I liked the characters, it made it a quick and enjoyable read. It was more of a slow burn than I was expecting, but I loved the fake dating/office romance trope and the little bit of mystery involved. I also really enjoyed the emotional depth of both of the leads, the cameos from the characters from Battle Royale, and the sweet three part epilogue. I look forward to reading more from Lucy Parker.

Was this review helpful?

3.75 Stars

I definitely think this one benefits from having read book 1 first. It adds the necessary character depth and fills in the complete backstory. On its own though, it has great set-ups and tropes, fake-dating for the public eye. A few shenanigans, traumatic pasts to tackle, and an adorable and sweet connection. I loved the romance. But it’s also on the slow side and could have done with a little editing down. And the secondary characters were slightly caricature-ish in comparison to the well explored leads… sometimes to fun effect but it was also a little jarring. Mostly, though, I enjoyed it and loved Pet and Matthias.

Was this review helpful?

This love story centers Pet, the personal assistant to the affable yet clumsy and disaster - prone royal Johnny and Matthias, the ex-soldier and very serious bodyguard. When the tabloids start suggesting Pet and Johnny are having a torrid affair ‘Codename charming’ is born where in Pet and Matthias will fake a relationship to derail affair rumors. Both Pet and Matthias have plenty of emotional baggage to work thru but their attraction and chemistry is genuine. The romance was a little slow in parts and felt a little redundant in that stagnation. But overall a beautiful, warm hearted, funny and sexy love story between two people who are easy to root for!!

Was this review helpful?

This was a fun standalone sequel. Pet and Mathias are easy to like and their chemistry is fantastic. Each of their backstories and personal traumas are well developed. I love Pet’s quirky optimistic personality juxtaposed against Mathias buttoned up grumpiness. The supporting cast are compelling in their own right. This book wasn’t boring, but it was SLOW and overly long. If you’re looking for something action packed or that has you completely sucked in, this wasn’t that for me. But it was enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review.

Was this review helpful?

3.5🌟 i was so excited to read Pet's book, because I really loved her arc in battle royal! she is such a fun, smart, savvy character and it was fun to see her find her place at the palace. when there's a (semi)believable reason that two characters need to fake date, it makes the story that much better and their situation, combined with their history from the end of battle royal made for the perfect storm.

i loved how even though matthias is the bodyguard, pet is fiercely protective of him. meanwhile, he would literally do anything for her🤭 i think for me, there were one too many plot lines, one too many mishaps where johnny is concerned, and not enough emotional build up prior to their real relationship beginning, but overall i still enjoyed my time reading this!

*thank you netgalley and avon for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

This book was okay. I feel like it was a little too long, making the story seem drug out. It definitely could’ve been shorter and tightened up a bit. There were a lot of sweet moments in the book so I enjoyed those parts.

Was this review helpful?

Speaking of longtime favorites: Lucy Parker’s newest, CODENAME CHARMING (Avon, 384 pp., paperback, $18.99), picks up where “Battle Royal” left off and gives us a glorious romp in which a prince’s personal assistant, Petunia De Vere, has to date the royal bodyguard Matthias to stave off rumors she’s sleeping with the prince himself. Petunia’s past includes a wealth of familial neglect, and Matthias has the kind of looks that cause small children to quite literally run away screaming; so romance takes them unawares. This is a book for when you want all the emotions at high intensity, deployed by a virtuoso at playing on the heartstrings.

Was this review helpful?

TLDR: In a smart, contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, a taciturn hulk rescues the sweet lady colleague he can't stop thinking about, then she wins over his heart.

A follow up novel in the same universe as Battle Royal, this grumpy-meets-sunshine love story between a prince's assistant and a burly royal bodyguard is as sweet and sharp as its predecessor.

Verdict: well-worn yet well-done tropes, as whipsmart as usual for Lucy Parker, featuring glimpses of familiar faces and some very likeable leads who fall just short of flat-out lovable.

Full length review to be posted by the start of January 2024 on my blog, warm fuzzies only: https://warmfuzziesonly.wordpress.com/2023/12/30/advance-review-codename-charming-by-lucy-parker/ (link will be live first week of Jan)

Apologies for the monthslong delay in reviewing! I read the novel right away, but it took some time for me to get the blog post up. Sorry again, and thank you for the ARC; I've read all of Lucy Parker's novels and thoroughly enjoyed this one as I did the rest.

Was this review helpful?

Let us praise romance novels that don't throw in an unnecessary complication at 75% in. Lucy Parker's writing is, as always, fun and snappy and compulsively readable. Pet and Matthias make a fine pair.

Was this review helpful?

This book was simply adorable. I really enjoyed the combination of Pet and Matthias, who just really sparked together. I also thought Parker did a good job bringing nuance to the challenging parts of the story (family difficulties, trauma, and loss) while still keeping things light/fun overall. I’m curious if we’ll get a third book and very much looking forward to what Parker does next!

Was this review helpful?

Very cute, very charming, it was the perfect level of romance and easy read. Nothing exactly new, a story somewhat told but I still enjoyed it.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I adore Lucy Parker and was so excited to dive back into her Palace Insiders series. Codename Charming is a bodyguard romance featuring two characters that were introduced in book 1, Pet and Matthias. Lucy Parker is the master of the sunshine/grump trope, and she does some great work in this bodyguard romance. Add in royal drama and a splash of fake dating, and it all adds up to a delightfully charming read!

Was this review helpful?

Loved this even more than Battle Royal. I just love Pet to pieces!!

The slow burn (no third act break up!), fake dating romance was absolute perfection. I loved the clumsy Johnny and sweet Rosie’s reappearance too.

My heart felt so incredibly full the whole time I read. The parrot scene btw??? GOLD

Was this review helpful?

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Was this review helpful?

A cute story from the author of Battle Royal. - this time featuring the sister of that books lead hero. The callbacks to that first book were fun to see. Some fun behind the scenes of the royal family and those who keep things running. The fake relationship trope really works in this one.

Was this review helpful?

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre/tropes: romance, fake dating, workplace romance
CW/TW: violent death of a friend (recollection), attempted mugging

Petunia’s an assistant to Johnny Marchmont, sweetheart who married into the royal family, but he’s an awkward, bumbling, accident-prone individual, who’s unfortunately a public figure now. The paparazzi have taken it upon themselves to pair him and Petunia as lovers, painting Johnny as the cheating husband, and she the home wrecker. Couldn’t be further from the truth. So ‘Codename Charming’ is devised to serve as a distraction, and give the paps something else to fawn over. Petunia (nickname: Pet; sorry, I couldn’t get used to that) will fake date Matthias, the quiet, serious, and intimidating bodyguard. Intimidating to everyone but Petunia. He always there to rescue her from Johnny’s public fumbles, so why not this as well?

This is slow burn, which is normally fine. However, I felt it was missing something. After discussing it with another reader and fan, we decided it was Parker’s trademark banter. But then I discussed it with another reader who countered that it makes sense that there’s not the usual banter I’m used to because the MMC is the quiet, man-of-few-words type. It was a totally valid point and made me rethink my initial stance. (I love book discussions!) There were also some interesting subplots that explored their complicated family dynamics.

In the end, I felt this was okay, and though not my favorite of Parker’s books, it doesn’t take away from the fact that she’s brilliant with words, and conveying emotions. I know it will delight other readers.

Thanks to @netgalley & @avonbooks for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Codename Charming is a delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy novel by Lucy Parker. It is the second book in the Palace Insiders series, but it can be read as a standalone.

The story follows Petunia "Pet" Ravenscroft, a royal press officer who is tasked with helping Prince Charming clean up his image. Prince Charming, also known as Matthias, is a bit of a wild card. He is known for his partying and his love of women. Pet is initially reluctant to take on the job, but she eventually agrees.

As Pet and Matthias spend more time together, they begin to develop a genuine attraction for each other. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that they are from different worlds and by the fact that Pet is supposed to be managing Matthias's image, not falling in love with him.

Parker does a masterful job of developing her characters and building tension between them. Pet is a strong and independent woman who is not afraid to stand up to Matthias. Matthias is a complex character who is both charming and dangerous. The chemistry between the two characters is undeniable, and their romance is both passionate and heartwarming.

In addition to the romance, Codename Charming also features a humorous and engaging plot. Parker keeps the reader guessing with her unexpected twists and turns. She also includes some hilarious moments in the story, which helps to balance out the more serious moments.

Overall, Codename Charming is a well-written and entertaining romantic comedy novel. It is sure to please fans of the genre, as well as readers who enjoy a good laugh.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! This book is so good! Whenever I picked up "Codename Charming", I was whisked away with this fake romance to something more (slow-burn romance!) novel!

Lucy Parker is a phenomenal writer! Her storytelling jumps right off of the page, her characters feel like such real people, and I could envision each moment.

(Possible Spoilers!)
Matthias and Pet both work for the Royal Family! Both are, understandably, protective and guarded in many ways due to their pasts. Watching their fake romance become a real one was really special. They truly understand one another on a deep level, bring out the best in each other, and are truly perfect together!

I look forward to going back to read the first book in this series, and I hope this series continues as well!

If you enjoy Contemporary Romance, I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading what the author writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Was this review helpful?