About the Book

Adelaide Smith is too busy for fairy tales. She’s been working hard to put herself through law school and now that the end is in sight, she’s determined to stay focused on her goals. Then she receives a letter notifying her that she has been found through a DNA registry to be a direct descendant of King Maximillian V, the ruler of a small Eastern European principality called Montovia. She’s understandably skeptical. This is the stuff of cheesy made-for-TV movies, not real life.

Although the pieces of this surprising family puzzle seem too good to be true, curiosity gets the best of her. At the king’s invitation, Adelaide embarks on a Christmas break trip that is chock-full of surprises, including a charming village, an opulent palace, family mysteries, royal jealousies, a handsome young member of Parliament–and the chance at a real fairy tale romance with a happily-ever-after ending.

Spend this Christmas with bestselling author Melody Carlson as she whisks you away to a royal holiday you’ll never forget!

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In My Opinion

Melody Carlson has a new Christmas novella out, which means the Christmas reading can officially begin. A Royal Christmas is a mixture of The Princess Diaries and Cinderella.

Adelaide is a struggling law student who discovers she is the daughter of a king. Cue the hopping across the pond to a (fictional) European country and the learning curve of customs, meeting her father, and a conspiracy to take over the throne.

While I enjoyed the setting, the plot, characters, and romance where all ho-hum for me. I think part of the problem was the length of the book. If this were a full-length book, more time could have been put into character development and the romance. Another part of the problem was that I couldn’t help but compare this royal story to ones others authors I read such as Rachel Hauck and Toni Shiloh have put out. The depth of those other stories made the lack in this one more obvious.

But, if you are looking for a Hallmark-esque quick and light read, then this little novella might be the one for you.

Disclosure statement: I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.