Series:
Scandal at the Palace (Book 2)
His Cinderella for the headlines
But forbidden behind closed doors!
Playboy Prince Axel knows better than to pursue his
connection with guard Heather Larson. But in her presence, the burden of his
royal life feels lessened. Then danger strikes and Heather is ordered to guard
the prince 24/7 undercover…as his fake girlfriend! With the difference in their
stations, anything real between them is totally off-limits…but that doesn't
stop it from growing increasingly irresistible!
Axel is the second son of King Josef, so he doesn't have
the stress of being the heir. In his younger days, Axel did his best to live
down to the press's expectations with his playboy ways. When that lifestyle
wore thin, Axel looked for something he could do that would make a difference,
eventually settling on the job of Castle Administrator after noting its
inefficiency. Unfortunately for him, he's done such a great job, and everything
runs so smoothly that no one realizes how much work he puts into it. The book
opens with a meeting between the king, Axel, and his brother Liam that left him
feeling unappreciated. He decides he needs a night off and sneaks out of the
palace in disguise to spend the evening being a "normal" person. He
doesn't expect to be spotted and followed by one of the palace guards.
Heather is off-duty when she spots Axel sneaking out and
follows him, feeling she must watch over him. When things go sideways, she does
her job and gets him out of danger, but not before he's recognized. Axel is
furious that she ruined his night out but can't deny his attraction to her. But
she works for him, so she is off-limits.
The repercussions of Axel's night out first result in
Heather being assigned to his personal detail. Her experience (five brothers!)
made her adept at recognizing incipient shenanigans. Her constant presence does
nothing to lessen Axel's attraction to her, and their interactions are fun.
When Axel receives a death threat, Heather becomes his 24/7 bodyguard by posing
as his girlfriend.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Axel
and Heather. Axel got his playboy reputation because he never dated anyone for
long. The reason was heartbreaking, and brought to mind the lives of Princes
William and Harry after their mother's death. Axel protects the women by not
being with anyone long enough for the paparazzi to be interested in digging
into their private lives, so everything is very superficial. With Heather
posing as his girlfriend, he finds himself getting to know her and liking what
he sees.
Heather has some rough spots in her past that have made
her the strong and independent woman she is. But she can't deny that the more time
she spends with Axel, the more she likes him. She tries to convince herself
that it's just attraction, but that doesn't last long.
I loved watching them together and seeing how right they
were for each other. There are great scenes between them, from Axel attempting
to cook for her to Heather attending family functions with him. There's a terrific
part where he opens up to her about his frustration over finding his place in
the world. Her understanding and support are something he isn't accustomed to.
It is clear to everyone around them they are falling for each other, but Alex's
fears won't let him give in to his feelings. When the danger has passed, Alex
must decide whether to risk his heart or watch Heather walk away. I loved the
ending.
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