A secret royal escape
An unexpected consequence!
Princess Vittoria yearns to escape the pressures of her
royal life. So when she's reunited with enigmatic photographer Liam MacCarthy
at a party, she agrees to a secret beachside getaway. Vittoria knows she can
never have a future with Liam, but under the stars, she gives in to their
undeniable chemistry for one perfect night… Until Vittoria returns home to
discover she'll have more than memories to remember Liam by!
Good book. The story opens as Liam, a well-known
photographer, prepares for a portrait session with Princess Vittoria. He has a
connection with her already, as their younger sisters are best friends. Izzy talked
a lot about her big sister and asked Liam to take a special picture for her,
one of the woman behind the tiara who
"looks like sunshine when she
smiles."
Vittoria knew she'd be queen after her father died when
she was eleven. With her grandfather's decision to step down at the end of the
year, that day rapidly approaches. She spent years learning to hide her
emotions and accepting her duty. She does it for the family she loves dearly.
She still longs for the chance at a "normal life," but with her
mother and grandmother pushing her to marry before the coronation, she knows it
is impossible. I ached for Vittoria because the man they chose for her has
nothing in common with her, and she looks at a bleak future with him.
Liam's views on the importance of family mirror Vittoria's.
His parents died when he was eighteen, and he gave up university to raise his
twelve-year-old sister. In the twelve years since then, he made a name for
himself with his photographs while maintaining his care for his sister. They
have a very close relationship, and I loved seeing their interactions
throughout the book. A side effect of raising his sister is Liam's lack of
interest in having a family of his own.
I loved the first meeting between Vittoria and Liam. Dressed
in traditional royal portrait clothing, her beauty and regal bearing hit Liam
hard. At first, he only sees the princess, but he catches glimpses of the woman
Izzy adores as they talk. I enjoyed their conversation as they got to know each
other a little bit. Liam likewise stunned Vittoria with his looks and also with
his sharp wit and insight. Sparks of attraction were noted by each but ignored
because nothing could come of them. They parted ways, not expecting to see each
other again but unable to forget each other. When a chance came to see Liam
again, Vittoria seized it.
I loved the development of the relationship between Vittoria
and Liam. The connection they felt during the portrait session continued when Vittoria
came to Izzy's birthday dinner at Liam's. Izzy, who knows how much pressure Vittoria
is under, comes up with her
Roman Holiday idea, encouraging Vittoria to use the
opportunity to escape for a few days. She recruits Liam, who offers his seaside
cottage. Over the next few days, as they spent time together, Vittoria relaxed
and allowed herself to forget the real world. I loved the sweet scenes of them
doing ordinary things like eating fish and chips from a stand and cooking
together. Best of all was the visit to the field of bluebells and the fun they
had taking pictures of each other. The attraction between them continued to
build until they couldn't resist it any longer. One night together wasn't enough,
but it was all they had before Vittoria returned to her home.
But fate isn't done with them, and Vittoria ends up
pregnant. I ached for her as she remembered Liam's decision not to have a
family and faced being a single mother as well as a queen. I liked that she was
determined to tell Liam face-to-face. It doesn't go well, as Vittoria and Liam hide
behind façades of cool dignity and wounded pride rather than talking honestly
about expectations and desires. It takes an offhand comment by Izzy for Liam to
realize the mistake he made and fire up his determination to fix it. I loved the
scene in the rose garden, as Liam confessed that he
"listened to the words
coming out of her mouth rather than what she was saying." The outpouring
of his love, his belief in her, and his support were intensely moving, and I
loved the effect it had on Vittoria. Then he had to face her family. I loved
Liam's nervousness, determination, and eloquence as he told them the same
things he told her. It wasn't easy, but in the end, a picture was worth a
thousand words. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up to the story.
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