"A Royal Christmas" tells the tale of Adelaide Smith, a financially struggling law student trying to make ends meet. She lives in a rather ratty apartment above a woman who owns too many cats and has little in the way of a life. Suddenly, she receives a letter notifying her that as a result of a DNA test she did, her long unknown father has found her and he's the king of the tiny country of Montovia. His courtiers are begging her to come to the country as her dad is dying. Due to his brother being MIA, she is now the heir to the throne. Complicating matters, there's a cold stepmother and son who want to push their way to power. Adelaide is whisked to the country during the Christmas season, trying to get to know her father and the country before he dies. Does she want to ascend to the throne or go back to her former life?
Many reveiwers have noted that this novella is the perfect cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie, and I agree with them. If you are looking for nuanced characterization, then this novella is not for you. Also true is that the romance in the book is rushed and stilted. Again, by virtue of its novella nature, there is isn't room for that. You just have to accept it as is. It's a light-hearted, Princess Diaries-esque book. It's a fast read, and I can easily see it become a movie one day.
Overall, enjoy it at the level it presents and delight in all the warm Christmas fuzzies it gives. I received an advanced reader copy of the book as part of the Revell Reads blogger team in exchange for my honest opinion.
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