I enjoyed The Royals Upstairs, especially on audio. James and Laila's story is a dual POV, second chance romance told in dual timelines. This royal nanny + bodyguard romance is set in the same universe as The Royals Next Door with a charming Norwegian setting. The book is very steamy. I appreciated the ADHD rep, as well as James grappling with love after a tough divorce.

This book was ok, it was a quick and easy read. It did kind of fall flat for me. I felt like the story just kind of happened but there wasn't a lot happening at the same time. I did like James' internal conflict with convincing himself to love and moving past his internal wars he was having with that. There were some action moments with security...obviously since he is their body guard. Overall I enjoyed the book, it just wasn't as grabbing as I was hoping it would be.

I absolutely adored Halle's THE ROYALS NEXT DOOR and this book was a delightful counterpart. Both sweet and steamy, I could not turn the pages fast enough!

Thank you PRHaudio and Netgalley for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute second chance romcom. I loved that there was a dual timeline and it played out the beginning of their relationship. Second chance isn’t always my favorite of it isn’t done right. Sometimes I don’t feel the chemistry or hate when I miss the initial romance.

You could feel the chemistry right away with these characters.

Read this if you enjoy:
Second chance romance
Dual POV
Dual timelines
Forbidden romance
Bodyguard/nanny
🔥🔥🔥

Very cute. I loved the foreigner aspect of them being the bodyguard and nanny to the royal family. The kids drove me
Nuts and they did not act like normal kids though. Very disrespectful

3.5⭐️ for THE ROYALS UPSTAIRS!

Overall a cute story with found family, all the unresolved feelings and tension, as royal nanny Laila Burset, and Scottish bodyguard James Hunter give love a try.

I paired the book with audio and loved the immersive style of reading!

WHAT TO EXPECT
-second chance romance
-bodyguard x nanny
-some spice
-a sweet HEA

*many thanks to Berkley and PRH audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I thought this book was fine, but as a warning there is a lot of open door romance. I don’t think of my self as a prude, but I will say it was a bit much for me. The story was good and I enjoy reading about royal families, fiction and real life, but I found myself wanting more story and less bedroom material. I read The Royals Next Door in March of 2022 and gave it three sunshines as well. I don’t remember if it was as open door as this one, but I think this will be my last book by Karina Halle. I should have been clued in when the covers of her other books look waaaaay different than these chick lit type illustrations.

I’ve become a fan of Karina Halle.

It’s nice to read something in a different setting. Being the Norwegian royal family.

Always fun to read a second chance romance. It could have been a bite more…

Their relationship outside the debroom could have been better developed

If The Royals Upstairs were a royal decree, it would demand swooning, laughter, and the immediate clearing of your schedule to binge-read. Karina Halle delivers a story that’s equal parts heart-wrenching and toe-curling, set against the regal backdrop of Skaugum Estate on the outskirts of Oslo. At the center of it all? A sexy Scotsman and a nanny with a heart of gold—plus one very inconvenient past.

James Hunter is the kind of brooding, emotionally unavailable hero that romance dreams are made of—a tough, disciplined bodyguard to bring anyone to their knees. But underneath his battle-hardened exterior is a man who once found solace in the arms of Laila Bruset, a vibrant, independent nanny who deserved far more than his fear-driven retreat. Their past was fiery, passionate, and (at least on paper) no-strings-attached—until Laila’s heart got involved, and James bailed faster than a royal scandal cover-up.

Laila, meanwhile, has been busy living life, caring for her ailing grandmother, and working through her heartbreak in the most dignified way possible—by absolutely not thinking about that devastatingly handsome bodyguard who stomped all over her feelings. That is, until she takes a new job at Skaugum Estate, only to find herself face-to-face with a very familiar (and infuriating) Scotsman. Apparently, fate—and Crown Prince Magnus of Norway—has a twisted sense of humor.

Their reunion? Let’s just say it’s not exactly tea and crumpets. James, in all his rugged, broody glory, crashes back into Laila’s life with all the grace of a royal carriage losing a wheel. Their chemistry? Still hot enough to melt the Norwegian snow. Their emotional baggage? Heavier than the Crown Jewels.


While their history is essential to their emotional journey, it’s the present-day tension that truly shines. Their chemistry is electric, their banter sharp, and their emotional wounds deep enough to make every glance and touch feel like a high-stakes moment. Laila’s pain is palpable, James’s internal struggles are infuriating yet believable, and their journey toward healing is layered with heartbreak, longing, and just enough hope to keep you turning the pages.

That being said, while I thoroughly enjoyed their journey, the one thing that kept this from being a full 5-star read for me was the frequent flashbacks. I love a good slow burn, but the constant jumps to the past disrupted the pacing, pulling me out of the present-day intensity I was so invested in. Their past is important, of course, but I found myself itching to stay in the now, where the stakes felt highest and the emotions most raw.

Still, this book delivers on so many levels. Laila’s relationship with her grandmother is deeply moving, adding an extra layer of heart to the story. The setting at Skaugum Estate, with Crown Prince Magnus stirring up royal mischief, brings a fun, fresh twist to the romance. And when James and Laila finally let down their walls? Pure, well-earned magic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Royals Upstairs by Karina Kalle!

James and Laila are so heartwarming! I loved this imagining of a different group of royals and their entertained staff just as much as the first. The characters felt real and lovely!

This one was not for me. I was really hoping for a royal, swoony romance, and there was just no chemistry or plot here.

This wasn't bad, it was just underwhelming. I didn't connect to any of the characters and the plot felt like it's been done before.

Sadly, this book did not work for me. I loved the first book in the series but this one was a major disappointment.

This one is a second change romance between a royal bodyguard and a royal nanny who find themselves working together. There is still a spark between the two. Overall a sweet story. The children being nannied by Laila were fun. Overall, while a sweet story idea, the outcome was a little underwhelming, but still a solid story. Thank you to the Netgalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I LOVED the Royals Next Door but this book did not live up to its predecessor. The writing felt choppy, it felt VERY steamy with not a lot of plot, and I just didn't feel very invested in the characters. I would recommend to skip this one but read The Royals Next Door if you 'haven't yet!

I didn't initially realize that this was part of a (loosely) interconnected series and I think I would have enjoyed it more had I had that background. It can certainly be read as a standalone but I felt like I was missing some of the plot.

I received this for free through netgalley for my honest review. Although I enjoyed reading this book, I was left wanting more from it. It just felt like there was something missing to make me want to pick the book up and not stop reading. Would read other books by the author but wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to others.

This was a slow read but it does have a lot of smoldering between the two. It's a heartbreaking story between two lonely people who get a second chance. I did enjoy the push and pull between the two and revisiting the Nordic King's family.

A fun entry into this series! Didn't quite live up to the first book, but still a joy to read. Karina Halle can do it all