I really loved the fantastical elements of this category line. This book was just so much fun. I look forward trying out more Harlequin Presents.

Stolen to Wear His Crown was a weird rollercoaster of a read. It went from zero to one hundred within the first ten percent of the book. From that ten percent, the rest was a bit more of a slow burn read.

Mina, a geeky academic scientist, has worked her life to focus on her PHD and be appointed as one of the King’s advisors. Once appointed, Mina is kidnapped in a very unsettling way, brought to the king who she is now forced to marry. A deal made by her father so many years ago, Mina is now faced with an arrogant king and an unpredictable future. The storyline was very predictable, which was okay, especially if you want a quick read. If the storyline didn’t feel so far-fetched, I would have be more engrossed and invested.

What I enjoyed was the difference of personalities between the two main characters. They were both very opposite of each other. Did it add on to that romantic tension the author wanted to portray, yes! Was it entertaining at times? Yeah, for the most part it was good to see the two learn to grown on each other given their circumstances. Speaking of circumstances, Mina really tried to work with her new situation, and I have to do credit where credit is due. It’s not everyday you become a wife and a queen all in one shot, especially to a very proud and arrogant king. I also saw strength and confidence in Mina at times that I appreciated throughout the book.

Overall, it was okay. I was taken aback by the kidnapping scene because it felt unnecessary forceful and was trying to picture a world where a 36-year old virgin could be experienced in both love and sex if she was so into the books an describe as a stereotypical school nerd. However, if you want a quick read and want to root on a heroine who surprises oyu when she stands her ground, this is a book for you.

Both Mina, a scientific advisor and King Zayn are thrust into an incomforable situation. They are about to be wed. Mina is about to become Zayn's king. Mina certainly had not choice in the matter, because one moment she achieved her dreams, and the next moment she is all but kidnapped, betrothed and now wed. Zayn knew he must marry for the sake of his kingdom, so he is prepared to accept Mina. However, one thing Zayn will not permit is love.

While Mina sought to be a part of what was going on with Zayn and his kingdom, never did she imagine to become his wife. Instead, her accomplishments and dreams are pushed aside and now she must get to know her new husband. What we see is a battle of wills of sorts, as both Mina and Zayn learn each other, and along the way, we see what kind of people they are.

Mina was not my favorite of protagonists in this type of romance. She was brilliant, not doubt, but unexperienced in a lot of ways so it was kind of odd to see her chosen as queen. Zayn wasn't all that great either, when it came to some of his actions. But, this is a fictional story of a fictional country so both Zayn and Mina did work well together as the story developed, and their connection was indeed palpable. I did enjoy watching the two of them find their way to a forever happiness,

Many thanks to Harlequin Presents and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I picked up <i>Stolen to Wear His Crown</i> because I'm here for debut authors of color, and the premise intrigued me. Is it possible to do a "hero steals his bride" storyline while still respecting the heroine's agency?

In short, yes. I was delighted to see how Bell adds depth to the premise - there's more going on than it seems. The twists and turns of these subversions brought on giggles and made me invested in the story. Inclusive language put me at ease, and I'm excited to see Mina's guards (both women) are slated to get their own HEAs in future books.

While the start was great it feels more like a debut as things go on. The sex scenes are boring, and there's no discussion of protection. While there's a decent reason why, I would have at least liked a mention. On top of that the crux of the conflict is completely out of left field and the reasoning doesn't hold up. It was a step too far for me.

That being said I'm looking forward to watching Bell grow as a writer, as well as the next book in this series.

Stolen to Wear His Crown was a fun, quick read. It was a nice something a little different than the norm. I enjoyed it.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

Mina has a doctorate in biological science and is interviewing for a position on the Kings council when she is literally taken hostage, dragged down the aisle and is told she is marrying the King of Cyrano. What? How could this happen? Why would the King want to marry her?

King Zayn has found out he must marry a woman whom he does not even know much less love because a betrothal his father made with a village commoner. This is the last thing he needs or wants, yet he finds himself at the altar marrying a complete stranger.

When Zayn and Mina are forced to be together, to attend events and visit the families private island, maybe this agreement made between their fathers was not such a bad idea after all.

I thought this was a witty, well written novel by Marcella Bell. We had a strong, smart beautiful heroine and an utterly handsome rich hero. Together, with the banter and attraction between the two, it was a fun read. I really loved Mina’s experiences as a queen and how her world changed in an instant. Thank you so much to the author Marcella Bell, Harlequin Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

The title pretty much says it all when it comes to the trope of this one, which can be a bit of a hit or miss for me. Stolen to Wear His Crown lands somewhere in the middle, which is probably more me than the story. While I certainly would've preferred a better way for Mina to be stolen (literally, she's snatched right up), it does work to get things moving and propel the story along. The romance is... well, it's romance, and the couple does have chemistry. But what I enjoyed more was the way these opposites figured things out and learned their roles as royalty. The book is well written and overall, a pretty good start for the series.

Strong woman - check
Crowned Prince with a heart of gold - check
Lots of fun and filled with romance - check

Stolen to Wear His Crown is the kind of quick and easy romance novel which Mills and Boon are known for and this one doesn't disappoint. If you're like me and love a M&B from time to time, then you will enjoy this one too.

I don't read a lot of Harlequin romances. Every once in a while, a plot is interesting enough to pull me in. This antiquated idea in a modern world caught my attention.

Mina is arrested on the day she has achieved her greatest dream: Chief Scientific advisor of Cyrano. She’s taken to a chapel in the royal palace where she is forced into a secret marriage with the king. King Zyan knows nothing but they are betrothed and with his father dead. He will have to unravel this mystery himself. Can the two find the answers, fall in love and take care of their beloved country>

This mystery I solved almost last minute at the very climax of the book. And unlike the activities the book describes, it ends abruptly with no time for a cuddle. Time was mainly spent on the "I hate you but want to have sex with you" storyline.

At several points, I had to stop and check the author's name to see if they weren't a man. I couldn't find a picture but I went with the assumption the name matched the gender identity. The book is written in ways that it seemed weird when the sex and such were experienced by the woman. It was also about male domination. This might just go with the idea of the character being a king. To be subjugated is not my fantasy but there are probably others that do enjoy it.

Stolen to Wear His Crown is an easy and short read. Good for those who love romance but are super busy. This is a great way to escape reality in a busy holiday season for anyone who loves this kind of romance novel.

Though I didn't enjoy this book much, I think Harlequin readers will love it!

Mina is chief scientific advisor of Cyrano and I was interested in that part. Then, things go crazy and she is kidnapped by what I think is a kind of SWAT team (although I was shocked at the abruptness of the kidnapping and I thought that was good tension). Then, the King wants to marry her.

She seems strong but gives in. The book is atmospheric but not enough. I was wondering where Cyrano actually was, and the castle or surroundings were not that visual.

I found the original plot hard to believe and far-fetched. Some of the lovemaking scenes were good, but I found Mina went from focused and strong to gullible too quickly. I thought more of the story would be about
The king is just a bully and arrogant.

I was expecting to like this, but it wasn't for me. I was put off by all the exclamation marks in the synopsis, I felt they weren't needed. I don't know if they were supposed to add excitement to the synopsis, but they just did not for me.

Thanks to Marcella Bell and Harlequin for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

3 stars.

Fun, quick, and a bit melodramatic, Stolen to Wear His Crown follows Mina, an accomplished scientist who has finally achieved her dream of becoming the scientific advisor to the king. Only to be dragged off in the middle of her confirmation, and forced to marry the king she has never met because of a secret betrothal contract between their parents.

Mina has focused on her career to the exclusion of any relationships and King Zayne is convinced that falling in love would compromise commitment to his country. But of course, sparks fly... Again, this was a quick read but enjoyable. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Heat Factor: 🍆🍆 ← that’s two sexy rumpuses
Character Chemistry: It gets better
Plot: She gets forcibly married to the king and then makes the best of it. It’s good to be queen!
Overall: The opening is extremely YIKES but the second half is excellent

Stolen to Wear His Crown is part of the Harlequin Presents line, which meant that I knew to expect certain things. A tight focus on the romantic relationship. A plot that requires a certain suspension of disbelief. And an extremely innocent, emotionally open heroine who brings a strong, powerful, rich, emotionally constipated man to his knees with the strength of her inner (and outer) beauty.

We have all of that. And honestly, the relationship between Mina and Zayn is pretty compelling, especially once they start spending some quality time together. They bring out the best in each other, as Zayn pushes Mina to be more confident and Mina provides space for Zayn to be just a man. Bell writes smooth dialogue and sex scenes with just a hint of spice to keep things interesting and is great at writing clothes, all of which help.

But the opening! Here’s the set up. Mina has worked her entire life to distinguish herself in her field so that she will earn a place as a science advisor on the royal council. She has put her work before everything else in her life. She hides her hot body, because she wants to be taken seriously as an academic. She has never gone on a date, because she spent every free moment working. And all her sacrifice has paid off! She is being interviewed by Parliament in the final step in the vetting process.

Right after the vote goes through approving her, however, a SWAT team appears, tackles her, handcuffs her, and drags her through the palace to a chapel where the King awaits. And then they get married in the weirdest non-consensual (Christian-ish?) ceremony I have ever read. The whole thing was really upsetting to read, and I was a bit annoyed that Mina was so...accepting of the whole thing. Yes, she protests - but she protests the marriage, not the fact that she was utterly humiliated by a bunch of thugs in front of Parliament on the orders of her future husband.

I almost stopped reading. I’m glad I didn’t, but I could also see this sequence being a major deal-breaker for many readers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

First I want to say huge thank you to the publisher Harlequin Presents-,HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada) the author Marcella Bell as well as to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it. Right from the start it kind of reminded me of some of the old Harlequin romance books that my grandmother would read which is a good thing because those are the ones that got me into romance when I started reading this genre.And right from the story I got lost in the story which is a good thing because those are the stories we need now with all of the craziness going on.