Julia Costa is too busy trying to complete her PhD while also holding down a full-time job as a private tour guide in Rome to keep up with celebrity gossip. So when she crosses paths with a real, actual prince, she mistakes him for a client and takes him on a daylong tour of the city.
Intrigued by the idea of spending time with someone who obviously has no idea who he is, and delighted at the prospect of a day free of royal obligations, Niccolo La Torre, Crown Prince of Lazaretto, acts on impulse and assumes the role of Julia’s client. He swears to himself that he’ll return to his royal duties after only half a day…but he’s having the time of his life.
Until Julia presents him with the bill. Since he snuck out of the hotel without so much as a dime, he tries to escape, only to discover that she won’t let him out of her sight until he can pay her back. She’s determined to get her money…and perhaps more from the handsome stranger she’s fallen for. (Pub Date: Mar 27, 2017)
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
I've been writing this a lot lately but this was yet another disappointment. This is really a 2.5 but not a bad book really. Just flawed.
The story was inspired in Roman Holiday. Guide tour Julia mistakes her client and ends up unknowingly touring runaway prince Niccolo around Rome. When the tour ends, she finds out that not only she is unemployed for not finding her actual client but also that Niccolo has no money to pay and no intention of disclosing his identity, so she sort of kidnaps him until he gets the money.
While the author shows potential for an engaging story, the scenes filled with cliché drama/romance were far too many to the point of infamous instalove. Also, most of the excuses for them to end up in that situation were hard to believe. Really, who would trust Niccolo? The only argument for her was that he was too irresistible. No, I'm serious. And while I believe that Niccolo wouldn't have any money, his secretary needs to be fired if he didn't have at least 250 euros with him while working for royalty. I wouldn't be caught dead without at least the double in cash if I were on a trip abroad. Those flaws weren't exceedingly aggravating but they are still hard to miss.
But the book wasn't all bad, which is what made me pity it the most. You can see the author's potential. Both characters were engaging, and the writing was more than easy to read. It's the type of romance to read with a silly smile on, if you're able to ignore the parts it falls into the commonplaces of romances.
Considering the many pluses intercalated with the also many minuses, this was hard for me to rate. Or maybe easy to rate and just hard to explain why. It wasn't underwhelming exactly... In any case, I don't think I will be trying another from the author this soon—as compelled as I feel by the summary for the second in this series. This can still be recommended for those who really like romances, despite all the negative points. It's silly, clichéd but quick and entertaining.
Rating: 3 out of 5
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