Unfortunately, was really disappointed by this. I enjoyed The Wedding Party so much and that was what convinced me to request this one from NetGalley, but everything about this fell flat. To be fair, the characters are a bit older than me, so that had something to do with it, but I really didn't feel their connection and their conversations just felt bland and not funny at all (even though we're told over and over that they keep laughing). I did enjoy the escapism of Vivian dating the personal advisor to the Queen (who even makes an appearance), and the descriptions of the locations of London were spot on, but otherwise this just wasn't for me.

Cute romance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This story had a bit of a unique twist on it in that it is the story of a mother and daughter taking a trip and finding romance.

At first thought we would probably be thinking the romance was about the younger woman. However, the author focused on a middle-aged mom in this sweet story.

Whisked away for a royal treat, the main characters spend the Christmas holidays time in England with the Duke and Duchess.

The author gave us a lighthearted and delightful read that makes you smile the whole way through. Along with the added excitement of meeting a wonderful man unexpectedly, this story truly ignites the heart. Sparks fly from the beginning and we get to enjoy their new found attraction.

Written with grace and a tiny bit of spice, we also experience emotional uncertainty as they try and figure out how to date and enjoy themselves after so many years of being single.

There are scenes that are awkward, as awkward as one would feel in similar circumstances. There are scenes that are heartwarming and just so sweet. The author has a beautiful talent that describes the rich countryside, the lush accommodations, and the timid and tantalizing new feelings.

With just the right amount of heat added to the mix, we have a wonderful story that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy. A wonderful romance for those that love to read stories with mature adults. Nice change of pace.

I've never read a Jasmine Guillory book before, and before this year, I wouldn't have even said I liked reading "romances" but Royal Holiday caught my eye on NetGalley, I read the book in like 2.5 days, and here I am, writing a four-star review of it. Color me shocked. Before I get into the plot, while some characters in Royal Holiday we apparently have met before (in her previous three books) I didn't feel like I missed anything by not having read them. I was still able to catch onto the hook of the narrative quickly and I enjoyed the ride. 

Vivian Forest's daughter, Maddie, asks her to join her on a jaunt to England for Christmas one year for work. Maddie, lucky little one, is going to be filling in for a friend on bedrest and styling the Duchess. While there is no naming done, it appears to be the British monarchy we know today, so let's just assume it's Meghan Markle but that's never written explicitly. Anyway, Vivian, a social worker, has never traveled like this before, so she's in awe at being able to stay at Sandringham for the holidays. There's beauty all around, great food, and oh yeah, the Queen's private secretary, Malcolm Hudson, who happens to be on the estate for a few days without much to do. He and Vivian hit it off immediately and he takes to showing her around, but when he presents her an offer to stay with him, alone, for a few days in London, the ante gets upped real fast. 

This book of an older romance (50ish protagonists) still felt compelling to this 23-year-old, and I giggled and swooned and pumped the air when things happened. It's not TOO graphic, which I appreciated, but it's got heart. Vivian's dealing with some stress about her job as a social worker, and I really appreciated seeing her thought process on that. It felt very authentic. Malcolm's job was way less fleshed out and realistic to me, but that's fine, because he works for the Queen, and therefore I probably wouldn't understand anyway. I'd heard some mixed reviews about The Proposal and The Wedding Party, which is where we meet Vivian's daughter Maddie, but I enjoyed this book for what it is. A Hallmark movie channel Christmas book with a royal theme without it expecting us to believe Vivian was going to fall for Prince Charles or something. 

Overall, I was a fan. I might go and give her other books a read and see if they do it for me too or if it was the royal undertones of this one that drew me in.

Berkley Publishing Group sent me this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
*
*
I went into this book expecting a Hallmark-esque romance and I was not disappointed. I’ve tried to read Guillory in the past, but I usually put the book down after a couple chapters. I think the royal family backdrop hooked me in for this novel. I’m a shameless anglophile so I’m drawn towards royal fanfic. This book was pretty fluffy, not a lot of plot or tension, but gave me the fuzzy feeling of watching cheesy Christmas movies. I blew through this book in three days

I love Jasmine Guillory and loved this festive book that brings me back into the world she has created. This book focuses on Vivian, the mother of Maddie from The Wedding Party and takes us all the way to England, and in fact into the house of the Royal Family.

I love the change of scenery in this book as well as it mainly takes place in the United Kingdom, but I mainly love that this is a love story between two people in their 50's. So many Romance books are dominated by younger protagonists so being able to read a book from an older perspective was cool and I am sure will appeal to a lot of readers.

I also really loved the character of Vivian as she reminded me in a lot of ways to myself and I love that she was a strong, career-minded person, but also how open she was to Malcolm.

Overall this book gave me a lot of warm fuzzy feelings and will be perfect for a cozy winter read (hopefully with a fireplace and warm beverage).

I loved the idea of the couple. People in their 50s end up falling in love with each other. Her daughter is going to be a stylist for a Duchess (who never is named and only described as small) and takes her mother with her. There her mother meets the Queen's (again no name but I just assume it's Elizabeth) private secretary. The two of them are very cute and it was nice having a couple who knew their own identity and what they wanted.

My big problem is that this book had very little showing and a lot of telling. There needed to be more descriptors.

This is my first Jasmine Guillory novel and it won't be my last. Set against the backdrop of both the holidays and the royal family, I was delighted by the both the characters and settings. Following Vivian and Malcolm's romanic adventure felt like a private tour through England. Guillory made these middle-aged characters human, relatable and sexy. I couldn't put it down. This is a title for readers who want romantic elements but aren't regular readers in traditional romance genres. In other words, it's a fantastic gateway book.

This was a fun and heartwarming addition to Guillory's series. I appreciated the more mature outlook of this one (OMG, does that mean that I'm now considered "old"?!), though that is not necessarily a comparison with other titles in the series, just a general observation regarding this book's storyline.

Just a head's up to anyone preparing to read this - get ready for delicious food to be featured prominently once again. I ended up making a batch of homemade scones one night because I Just Could Not Take It Anymore! (They were delicious, and 2/3 of them disappeared within an hour - I was not the only one eating them!)

I've enjoyed each story in the series so far and look forward to the next installment.

Royal Holiday had both a charming fantastic royals setting, but Vivian also felt like someone I would know in day to day life. I loved that the main character is a black woman in her 50s.

Jasmine Guillory is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine! The way she handles secondary characters and builds them up to give them their own stories is one of my favorite qualities about her writing. I also really enjoy the way that Guillory kicks the stereotypes in romance to the curb! In Royal Holiday, readers travel with Maddie (The Wedding Party) and her mother, Vivian to England as Maddie styles a royal family member. In England, Vivian finds her happily ever after! Sweet and refreshing--

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book.

“Royal Holiday” is a fun story about Maddie and her mother Vivian as they take a trip to England over the holidays while Maddie acts as a stylist for someone in the royal family. While Maddie gets down to work, Vivian is left to wander England and enjoy herself, and she meets Malcom, the Queen’s secretary. Romance, fun, and adventure ensues.

As usual, Jasmine Guillroy weaves a romantic, fun story that keeps you engaged until the last page. I really loved the characters, and adding the “complication” of the two love interests living in different countries was a nice touch. I also really appreciated that both of them were over fifty. That is a pretty unusual thing to find in this genre, even though it shouldn’t be! People over fifty have epic romances too! It was nice to see a maturity in the main characters that you don’t always find with younger characters, and it was very refreshing. Between that, and the Christmas setting, it was a hit for me!

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A sweet book, perfect to pick up on the holidays. Reading it in the harsh, humid Virginia summer was so refreshing, it made me want to plan a trip to England just so I could read it as it was meant to be read: in a small pub on a blustery, cold winter day, with reddened cheeks and a large glass of beer.

Guillory owns every conversation in this book. The banter is delightful, with distinct voices that make every page a joy to read. I always look forward to her books. Can't wait for the next one.

Vivian's daughter will be working away in England (at Sandrigham Castle) over Christmas. When the invitation is extended for Vivian to join, she is hesitant but excited. Once in England, she meets Malcolm, private secretary for the Queen.

Malcolm is content in his employment, and proud of his position. He has a nephew, who he loves dearly, who will be attending a prestigious university. His life is calm and steady.

When Malcolm and Vivian meet (over scones), they both are attracted to each other. As the spend time together at the castle, that attract grows. But Malcolm is leaving after a few, short days to go back to London, and Vivian will be returning to San Francisco a few days later. Both have careers that are satisfying and lives in different countries.

What I appreciated about this book was how much fun the characters had with each other. They enjoyed each other's company and together they were stronger then apart. I really enjoyed reading about characters that were older than 50 years. Real people fall in love after the age of 30 or 40 - even though few romance novels are about them.

As I was reading this book I was wondering how would the author give these characters a happy ending and remain true to their characters. (view spoiler)

I really enjoyed this holiday read, and I can see myself rereading this book again.

I received a copy of this title through Netgalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Jasmine Guillory has quickly become a must read author for me. Her books are such a ray of sunshine these days. I loved the setting of this one, and it was nice to read a romance with older main characters who seemed to act their age!

This is a charming romance featuring older characters, Vivian and Malcolm. When Vivian's daughter, Maddie (the only cross-over character from Guillory's previous books), takes a job dressing royalty in England over the holidays she takes her mother with her. Vivian is a delightful character and readers will enjoy spending time with her and Malcolm.

Could not buy this relationship at all It did not feel real. Where was the chemistry? Who WERE these characters?

When Vivian Forest's daughter Maddie invites her on her business trip to England as a stylist for a royal family member, she's hesitant but reluctantly agrees. There, Vivian meets Malcom Hudson, a charming man who has been working for the Queen for years. They are taken with each other, and flirtation turns into a holiday fling. This charming British-American romance won't disappoint Guillory fans!

Jasmine Guillory is the queen of modern romance, and "Royal Holiday" proves it! (Seriously, where is her tiara?)

Vivian Forest is a hardworking social worker, who devotes so much time, effort, and energy into helping other people solve their problems. But she's never really taken the time to care for herself. So when her daughter, Maddie, invites her to go spend Christmas in England, she hesitates but agrees. The absolute last thing she was expecting to encounter across the pond, however, is the Queen of England's secretary, who happens to be an incredibly handsome black man her age that makes her swoon.

Malcolm Hudson just came to the Duke and Duchess' cottage for some scones. The last thing he expected was to become immediately besotted by a beautiful black American woman, visiting with her stylist daughter. He soon finds himself going out of his way--and busy, demanding schedule--to spend time with Vivian, telling her things about himself he never would to anyone else and finding himself happier than he has been in years. He wants to make her Christmas and time in England the best. But Malcolm can't help but wonder, what is it about Vivian that makes him go beyond his own boundaries, to relax and be more of himself around her?

A fantastic addition to the world of "The Wedding Date", "Royal Holiday" is fun, fluffy, and a perfect read no matter the time of year.

It is also an amazing romance novel with an unusual hero and heroine: both are over the age of fifty. This is great for a number of reasons. One is that this is not the typical age-range for romance novel protagonists, but that doesn't make it any less of a romance novel with all of the lovely, fluffy things that happen as the hero and heroine get to know each other and just have fun together. (Though there's a lot of tea and scones in this book, Vivian and Malcolm have plenty of adventures and cute date-like activities.)

Another is that the characters have a maturity in handling interpersonal relationship problems in ways that younger protagonists often either can't or don't; they don't let issues linger, and they handle them through communication. That is not to say they are immediately addressed, or there is no awkwardness, or even that there is a perfect solution with a neat bow. But it is definitely model relationship behavior.

And then, of course, there is that there is no age limit on finding true love!

Get your share of Christmas cheer (and pray that the final copy comes with a recipe for those scones) with "Royal Holiday"!

Who can resist an alternate history where the US has a royal family? Where George Washington decided to be king and that's what we got. It's now contemporary times and we get to follow the royal children as they fall in love and grow up right before our very eyes. We also follow some commoners who are close to the royal family in some way.

The storylines in this book--all the romance and whatnot--are fun and have enough twists and turns to keep everyone guessing. There are the villainous characters, the ones who only want the royals for the title. There are the good ones, who don't care about any of that. But I wished there was more on the actual country, and how that was different with a royal family. For example, freedom of speech is still one of the main tenets of being American. How did that come about? I'd definitely take a prequel explaining it.

I will also say, if you've seen The Crown, you may feel some of these plot points are familiar--in part because many of them are the most interesting way to tell stories about the royal family. And yet, I struggled a little because I felt like I knew the real version of this story. But if you haven't watched The Crown, or don't know Queen Elizabeth's story, or just love it, this will work for you.

Looking for a romance with characters in their fifties and a potential long distance relationship? Congratulations, Royal Holiday is the catnip for you.

I saved this ARC until after I had read Maddie and Theo's book (the Wedding Party; so good, buy it if you haven't already). Royal Holiday is wonderful. It's so great to read about two adults who are dealing with every day challenges instead of constant high-stakes drama. In Vivian's case, she is slated to take over her boss' job on an interim and then likely permanent basis but she really loves her current job. In Malcolm's case, his nephew Miles has a big announcement that causes him to question the example he has set and his expectations for his nephew's future.

It's cute how those around them help their holiday romance along. Vivian is in the UK with her daughter, who is a certain Duchess' stylist (wink wink) and meets Malcolm when he comes into the kitchen for scones. If you like scones, you should probably have some good ones on hand to enjoy with this book. He finds himself offering to show her around Sandringham and then realizing he doesn't know that much about it, which of course, doesn't get admitted and they find plenty to chat about. They meet up a few more times and are honest about their attraction to each other, and Vivian winds up extending her trip and staying with Malcolm for a few days.

The timing for both of them is so important - they're at a life stage where they can't necessarily pack up and move off. They're both well established in their careers in their respective countries and on one hand, honest about the limitations of their relationship. And then they go home and start sending postcards to each other because they're not quite ready to let go...

The book has cameos from certain royal figures but doesn't shy away from the realities like having no heating in these old buildings or of the poor pay for royal staff. Malcolm had actually been in private consulting, where he made much more, but came back for a time to the Queen's staff and intends to return to private consulting afterwards.

Royal Holiday is a delight that offers a promise of love to two people who are cornerstones of their families and who have broken barriers in their respective careers. Both Vivian and Malcolm have good lives and it's sweet to see how they develop a relationship and how it enriches them. This is a wonderful holiday romance, perfect for any romance reader. A great choice to recommend for those looking for mature main characters, vacation romance, and black main characters, especially if they're looking for a hero and heroine with different nationalities (UK and US).