Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas
Genre: Romance
Published on: May 22, 2018 by Everafter Romance
Her father is The King of England.
She is The Controversial Princess.
Regarded as down to earth by the press and rebellious by The King, Princess Adeline refuses to bow to the royal expectations her title carries. She knows better than anyone that the united front of the royal family is nothing but smoke and mirrors - lies and secrets masked by power and privilege. She wants no part of it, and she will never surrender to The King’s demand to marry a man she does not love. But despite Adeline’s determination to retain her free will, she remains deeply unfulfilled, feeling caged and suffocated.
That is until she meets Josh Jameson. Drawn in by his confidence, Adeline is soon captivated by the scandalously sexy American actor. His ability to penetrate her defences overwhelms her - his touch is pure fire, and his allure overpowering. Nothing has ever made her feel so alive in a world where she’s otherwise slowly drowning. However, while Josh may be Hollywood royalty, he’s not actual royalty, and Adeline knows The King and his advisors will do everything in their power to keep them apart.
But Josh Jameson becomes the princess’s ultimate vice.
And although she bows to no one, she bows to him.
Forbidden love is one of the most compelling subjects in romance novels. There’s just something irresistible about it. The Controversial Princess is a stunning example. It’s a royal family romance set in our world, with a few changes. The main character is Princess Adeline Catherine Lockhart of England. She’s third in line to the throne. The book is written from her POV. Joshua "Josh" Jameson is the love interest. He's a heartthrob Hollywood actor who meets Princess Adeline thanks to his connections. No, Josh isn't even remotely related to the royal family. You'll find out how the book's couple meet early in the story.
This book is gripping right from the start. Princess Adeline is attending a party at the royal palace to celebrate her thirtieth birthday. Unbeknownst to anyone, she’s not feeling in the mood to celebrate. King Alfred, her father, has been trying to get Adeline to marry a man worthy of her. The Princess fears she’s getting too old to continue refusing an arranged marriage. One thing to know about Princess Adeline is that she bows to no one. She’s always been rebellious, nonconformist, and headstrong. The Princess is determined to marry for love, not duty. Unfortunately, the royal family are about as old-fashioned as it gets.
At the party, Josh Jameson catches Princess Adeline’s eye. There's instant attraction when the two first speak to each other. Josh and Princess Adeline get along well...shockingly so. My jaw dropped at how quickly things escalated. I’m not some clueless teenager, but I was still stunned at what Josh does to Adeline. I mean, she’s the freaking Princess of England. Even someone like Henry Cavill is out of her league and could hardly get away with treating a royal like that. This doesn’t intimidate Josh in the slightest. And Adeline isn’t just any princess—she's the Controversial Princess.
Princess Adeline is at first afraid to admit she liked what Josh did to her. All her life, the Princess has hated acting the way that’s expected of a royal. She no longer wants to do what others want her to. Only now, Adeline’s met her match. Josh not only dares to bend the Princess to his will; he enjoys it. They both do. This is the start of a scandalous, whirlwind romance. Adeline and Josh must be careful, though. No one can know about their affair, especially not Adeline’s parents. Josh and the Princess have no choice but to meet in secret.
In case you suspected otherwise, Josh isn’t the only person Adeline spends her time with in the book. Within the palace, Adeline’s most fond of her older brother, Prince Edward. She has a closer bond with him than with Prince John, the Heir Apparent. He’s more obedient and proper than his siblings. Another man that the Princess loves like family is Damon, her head of security. He’s such a good guy, and unerringly faithful. It’s clear Damon would never give up on Adeline no matter what stunts she pulls. As for female friends, the closest one to Adeline is her cousin Matilda, the Duchess of Kent. Although she’s more...proper than Adeline, Matilda feels more normal than the other stuck-up royals. She’s easygoing, charming, and seems to vicariously enjoy Adeline’s illicit affair with Josh.
Despite Josh's status as a protagonist, the book doesn't reveal much about his life. He grew up in Texas, though, and was raised by his stepfather (a senator). Despite his wild success in Hollywood, Josh isn't stuck-up. The fact that Josh caught the attention of a royal woman doesn't get to his head. He is attracted to Adeline for her, not because she is a princess. That made me respect Josh, even with how brazen he is with the Princess. Even Damon trusts Josh, and that is saying a lot. His blessing of whoever wishes to date Adeline is almost as important as King Alfred's.
The Controversial Princess turned out to be such an entertaining novel. Its characters were layered and compelling, and the story was engaging. Princess Adeline is a likable heroine as well. I didn’t find it annoying how rebellious she was against her parents. Adeline doesn’t do it out of spite, nor does she care little about her royal duties. She only draws a line when it comes to her love life. Josh is also an easy guy to root for. Falling for a royal (and third in line to the throne, no less) is about as star-crossed as love gets. The book’s ending is a huge cliffhanger, though. I can’t wait to read the next book so I can find out if Josh and Adeline end up together despite the odds.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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