Julia London is one of my absolute favorite romance writers and this one did not disappoint. Would definitely recommend.

Hello

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

Thanks,
Laura

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was super excited to dive into book 2! I was surprised how this was a little more serious with the slave trade aspect but I also appreciated that because it’s not something I see very often with historicals. I always enjoy that hate to love relationship so naturally I loved all of Caroline and Leopold’s interactions. I loved the entire aspect of her forcing Leopold to KNOW her, it was hilarious and really fun. Their relationship helped balance out some of the serious and emotional moments. I really liked Caroline’s brother Beck, and the friendships in this one too! Overall, this was a really great book and I’m excited to read more from Julia London!

Another prince of Alucia has found his princess in the most unlikely of women and circumstances leading to a second Royal Wedding in A Royal Kiss and Tell. I am a true fan of almost all of Julia London’s historical romances, though her contemporary stories and I are still considering one another, but this newest series, set a bit later in history than previous series, has its very own flavor and uniqueness that I find a bit harder to get into than past series. For fans of Victorian romances this one is going to be right up your alley, but I confess I prefer my historical romance a little earlier in the past, so my review could come with that small bias. That being said this series is interesting in that it brings together a fictional country, Alucia, and we get to see the darker side of political intrigue and espionage. The first in the series revolved around the crowned-prince and his quest to uncover a plot against their country, one that led him right into the arms of the most unusual of brides. Now the younger son is at loose ends and finds himself the unwilling participant in his own conspiracy that requires the assistance of an unlikely —female—alley, one that soon leads to a romance for the ages and makes them both question what their love and happiness is really worth. I enjoyed the ending of the story but there were definitely some slow moments and a few things that just made me insane. My understanding is the next one revolves around a prince from a neighboring country that comes to England to investigate the craziness their two countries are dealing with, so I am looking forward to seeing when London takes the series with that.
Prince Leo and Lady Caroline have a rocky friendship, though they are constantly being thrown together in social situations as Caroline’s pseudo-sister is now married to Leo’s older brother. Caroline remembers Leo from a previous meeting, but Leo was so drunk at the time that he has pretty much blocked out the entire encounter and resents Caroline’s overly friendly behavior whenever they are together. When Leo travels to London to settle his affairs before his own arranged marriage, he is drawn into a situation in which he has no experience or knowledge of how to handle, trying to save innocent children trafficked from his country. Soon he finds himself not only in need of Caroline’s help, but craving her presence like an alcoholic craves his next drink, despite knowing its bad for him. Caroline maintained her desire and admiration for Leo, despite everyone else telling her that she should ignore him and his bastardly ways. She is drawn to him in a way that she cannot resist and when she truly gets to know the man buried beneath the crown and learns all his secrets, she knows there is no way she can let him continue his mission without her. But danger lurks around every corner and soon the choice between their place in society and the lives of innocent young victims might have to be made, risking their happiness and love.
It is safe to say that Prince Leo is an ass through all of the first novel and about 90% of this one as well, only finding his footing and learning to stand up for himself in the very end of his story. In my opinion his love for and from Caroline is what makes him man enough to not only find a way to protect those he has vowed to save, but to also stand up for what he believes in and find a way to be with the woman he loves. Sometimes a person truly can surprise us and change their stripes, showing us the goodness buried deep within. I didn’t much care for Leo in the beginning, he was nasty to Caroline and tried his very best to show his superiority just due to his luck of birth, when really the measure of a person’s goodness comes from their deeds and nature. Caroline was definitely too good for him in the beginning but he earned his way into being good enough for her in the end. Caroline is a sweet girl who has dealt with a lot of trauma in life without allowing it to destroy her innate goodness or belief in humanity. She understands that there is a darker side to life, but chooses to always believe in the light and works to live in it. She has tried to resist the emotion that Leo inspires, knowing it is more than just lust but unable to explain it to the others in her life. Once she gets to know him better and comes to understand that he has hidden a great deal of pain and disappointment in life by becoming a playboy drunk no one is willing to believe in, she knows that by being the one person to offer her love and trust she can help him see the man he was always meant to be. I liked seeing her in action as she gently led her man and those around her away from giving in to darkness, leading them into happiness.
Sometimes a story develops into something we never would have guessed in the beginning and A Royal Kiss and Tell was just such a story. While we of course expected a story of a prince finding his princess, we had no idea of the drama, action, and even comedy that would follow them through their journey. Prince Leo truly had to come to terms with the cynicism that had led his life and decisions to this point and let it go as he grew up, rather quickly, in order to be the man that Caroline deserves. Caroline similarly had to grow up in her way and learn that not every situation will have a happy ending and sometimes we just have to make the best of the darkness in the world. Together they make a perfect balance for one another and a good team, leading one another down a straight path to where they needed to be in order to have a truly Happily Ever After. The passion between them was there, even as Leo pretended he felt nothing but contempt for Caroline, and I loved to watch that cauldron as it finally bubbled over. I am wondering just where this series might be heading next and intrigued as the next story is about a rival country’s prince, asking me wonder if we might finally find out if that country is truly plotting again Alucia or if there are dark forces at work pitting the two countries against one another—and against their powerful alley England. London as always writes with beauty and grace, her characters and dialogue having a wit and majesty that make this story truly worth every moment it takes to read it.

I was very impressed by this book. It started in one place (oh, look how pretty I am for Caroline and poor useless and drunk me for Leopold), but it ended in a completely different place. I was not surprised that they improved as people because I expect that from Ms. London. I was amazed by the journey Leo and Caroline went on to reach maturity and the insights that Ms. London provided while they were changing. To sum up, you have two priviliged but insecure people who have to decide how much they will risk to help others who are not so fortunate. This book has several layers including the historical context, the obvious parallels to the world now, and the romance between Caroline and Leo. In addition, there are quite a lot of humorous scenes with the banter which Ms. London is known for and also some truly deep and romantic scenes. It is a lot to chew on, and I took several days to read it and think about it. I highly recommend this one!

I love Julia London, so I was excited for this book, completely forgetting that I was underwhelmed by the first book in the series The Princess Plan. I forced myself to read the book for this review, but I never managed to care about the characters and whether or not they achieved their happily ever after.

Not very interesting (to me) took forever to read, as I could not get into the story.
Caroline is extremely annoying, and I still wan't much of a fan at the end of the book

Love Julia London's books and this one is no exception! This book just further cemented Julia's spot on my list for historical romance authors.

i really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I had a lot of fun reading this book.

My first time reading this series and it surprised me.

Caroline doesn't have a self confidence problem, but things tend to go wrong whenever it involves Prince Leopold of Alucia. For some reason, he keeps showing up and even became one of her brother's best friends.

I hadn't noticed this story was about a prince of some made-up place, it was a bit disappointing because this came with a lot of back story of a country that doesn't even exist for me to care about. It's also the second in a series and I was actually lost in the beginning. There was so much information there, I felt overwhelmed. That overcome, I can say this can be read as a standalone. It's just the beginning that was too much, once the story actually starts, you're good to go.

The story deals with a conspiracy I never really got much about. My guess is that it'll be really dealt with in a later volume. To be honest, I was not a fan of the subplot. It did make Leo more trustworthy than the party-goer persona we think he is in the initial chapters, plus a bit of investigation can be excited in a book. Still, I never really got to care for it to even feel intrigued.

Even so, I liked the book overall and I'd love to read the first volume, if I get the time. I've been looking for new historical romance authors and even if I can't say Julia London became a favorite, she's surely on my list of those to look forward to. The building of the main characters and their development was well done and the plot progressed well too. Plus, even if the book wasn't that exciting, for a book two, which is always the least favorite in my experience, it held my attention. I think fans who grew up reading The Princess Diaries should enjoy this series.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

A Royal Kiss and Tell (A Royal Wedding #2). By Julia London. 2020. Mira Books (ARC eBook).

Lady Caroline Hawke has no trouble capturing the attention of the ton’s young bucks. But the one man she sets her sights on seems immune to her charms, Prince Leopold of Alucia. Insulted, Caroline delights in passing along gossip about Leo’s rakish reputation so that he is left with no other choice then to fall back on her brother’s friendship and accept her attentions. But as Leo’s reputation suffers and he comes under suspicion in the mysterious disappearances of young women in the employ of wealthy homes, Caroline wonders why Leo is so determined to gain access to London society. Is it possible that there is more to the prince than she gave him credit for…

A Royal Kiss and Tell is well written with entertaining characters. The romance is a slow-burn as Caroline and Leopold become friends and she helps him in a bit of intrigue that embroils him in criminal activity. But while I was not wholly engaged for the first half of the story, there was enough character growth for both leads in the second half that I would recommend for those looking for royal shenanigans in their historical romances.

A. Royal Kiss & Tell is a feel good romance that at times can be syrupy sweet. The wheel isn’t reinvented with this book, but is surely is improved upon. The protagonist is a strong woman who isn’t made weak by the man that she loves. Although issues do arise, readers will be pleased with the resolutions. There are some love scenes that are not suitable for all but are easily skipped if they are not your thing. Overall, this is a cute romance that is just long enough to get you through the weekend.

Julia London is one of my “go to” authors when I want a good historical romance that entertains and is quick to read. This book was just as expected from her. Leopold and Carolina make a cute couple and really make eachother better. Without each other, the prince is uptight, a rake, and disinterested while Caroline is presumptuous, an airhead and full of herself. When together, they try to solve problems, become aware of societal issues, and are genuine. This is both for good and bad. Sometimes it gets them both in trouble and other times it makes situations better. But whatever the results, it brings them closer together and more understanding of one another. So I would say that is pretty much the making of a good modern relationship.

The scenery and dresses are amazing in this book. Lady Caroline begins to show she is a talented dress designer that all the ton want wear, so there are lots of beautiful dress descriptions. Also the Alucian wedding in the beginning is well done. Almost as if I could feel the rose petals on my hand from the parade. The humor portion of the story is really the gossip pages in her sister’s newspaper. She unwittingly gets her man ostracized from society then discovers she really must fix it. To hilariously prose her sister’s paper depicts him as a complete inept rake that everyone believes is cavorting with servants. In the end Caroline does figure out how to fix it. While doing that though, she ostracizes herself. Julia wraps the story up quickly with a little country scenery and self discovery by Caroline and Leopold. All in all, you get your HEA even if done a little quickly.

To my rating. Normally, I love historical romances, but this one I think was a bit over the top with etiquette and how Lady Caroline was treated even though she was super outspoken, unmarried, and unconventional in her decorum. In truth she would have been ostracized and not the “Belle of the Ball.” The Prince on the other hand would not have been ostracized as the story depicts, because of his Royal standing. I’m actually super surprised by Julia’s portrayal of the time period in this one. Her writing is usually very authentic to the period and this one just pushed the envelope too much for me. For this one I’m giving only a 3.5 of 5 because even though we may want a modern fairy tale in a historical, it doesn’t happen that way.

Usually historically romance make me roll my eyes. But the twist of this one was worth it. The lady ruining the man's reputation. I lived them to together. I want to go back a read the first one and cannot wait for the second.

I've tried a few of Julia London's books and unfortunately haven't found one that I've connected with yet! I was hoping this would be a winner, but I lost interest around 20% and didn't pick it up again. I might try some of her other books in the future. DNF

RATING: 3 STARS
2020; HQN; HarperCollins

I really enjoyed the first novel in the Royal Wedding series (The Princess Plan) and was excited to read Caroline's story. I loved that we were able to see more of Sebastian's brother, Leo too. Caroline is Eliza's (Sebastian's wife) friend, and doesn't seem to understand that she is now a Princess. I liked Caroline in the first book, but in this one I found her obnoxious and was annoyed with her early on. She wanted to be treated a certain way, but couldn't acknowledge other people's rules. It was purely because of Leo that I kept reading this story. I like Hollis so I am excited for the next book. I don't want to jinx though...so won't get myself hyped up.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

The second in a series, the focus this time is on Caroline and Prince Leopold. Both characters are strong personalities. As you read you learn there is much more to both of them. I found this to be an interesting read and went at a good pace, after a bit of a slow start in the beginning.

I’ve never read a story about a Prince in a Regency novel. Very interesting and different. Lady Caroline made for an interesting personality in this story and I’m not sure how Prince Leo could forget he had met her. Her quest to make him regret it was fabulous by having her friend write about it in her ladies’ gossip gazette. Score one for Lady Caroline. I don’t think Prince Leo has a chance, especially when the two start to work together.

I really love Julia London's books and this one was no exception. I really like books with royals in them and this one ticks all of the boxes. Opinionated heroine who doesn't shy away from speaking her mind. And a hero who has a cause he believes in enough to team up with an "enemy", leaving us with a delicious almost enemies to lovers trope. I can't wait for more books in this series.

This second book in the series, quickly follows on the heels of the first. Sebastian, the Crown Prince of Alucia has bucked the system and is marrying the woman he loves, Eliza Tricklebank. Her sister Hollis and their best friend, Lady Caroline Hawke have come to the royal wedding in Alucia. At first, Caroline seems to be a very egotistical woman, but as one gets to know her, she is also loving and giving, just very assured of herself. She is confounded by Sebastian's brother, Prince Leopold, who doesn't even remember the first time that they met, but she is also attracted to him. When Leo was younger he wanted to make a difference, but as the spare heir he was ignored by his parents and felt ill of ease about the unfairness of his privilege without having done anything to earn it, but he grew jaded and became a rake when he went to London for his education. He also bristles under all the rules that govern his behavior. After the wedding, he learns about human trafficking of young women of both Westonia and Alucia and is recruited to rescue several of these women in London. But after the political intrigue that had threaten Sebastian recently, Leo doesn't trust anyone, but also has no idea how to go about the rescue, and makes a mess of it. However, he had befriended Hawke, Caroline's brother and eventually comes to know the sassy, beautiful wonderful woman that Caroline is. Eventually, he does tell Caroline and Hawke about his plight, but I kept expecting hime to enlist Hawke's help much earlier. Nevertheless, it is a very entertaining read, made more so by his bumbling attempts at rescue.

I read an ARC provided by NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.