Ordinarily I find the Harlequin Presents imprint to be somewhat one-dimensional and rather cliché, but I was pleasantly surprised by "A Royal Without Rules" as the subplot kept me in suspense for the entire novel. Peppered throughout the romantic aspect are hints of what is driving the hero’s actions, allowing the reader knowledge of a royal intrigue without revealing it until the final act.

Adrianna starts the story thinking she is in love with one prince and ends up in love with another, and some martyrdom thrown in. Even though she is a bit wishy-washy and has the tendencies of a drama queen you want her to have a happily-ever-after with Prince Pato. He is not exactly a great catch himself but somehow, as a couple, they are a great match.

The Crown Prince Lenz is the hero’s older brother and has a strong influence on the plot yet rarely makes an appearance. I would have liked to see Lenz with a slightly bigger role as the two main characters tend to be rather isolated, and further interaction with the Crown Prince may have made the story a little more grounded.

Had I met the main characters in real life I would not like them, however the novel is so well written you do not even realize this while reading. The story is a page-turner as I could not stop reading, so despite its flaws I enjoyed it.