Tuesday, May 17, 2016

RELEASE/REVIEW: The Prince & The Player by Tia Louise

~BLURB~

Cinderella plays dirty…

One crown prince; one “playboy prince”…
One con artist; one petty thief…
One twisted plot for revenge.

When Grand Duke Reginald Winchester is exiled in disgrace, he vows he won’t go down without a fight. Crossing paths with Zee Wilder and her younger sister Ava at a gambling resort in Miami is the stroke of luck he needs.

Zee is the counterfeit courtier in Reggie’s plan to humiliate Rowan, the controlled heir who kicked him out of the kingdom. In return, the sisters get a permanent spot on Easy Street.

If only Zee didn’t keep finding herself in a clutch with Cal, Rowan’s playboy younger brother. Ava’s no help, as she finds quiet walks in the moonlight discussing poetry and leadership with the brooding, future king irresistible. Even more irresistible is kissing his luscious lips.

The whole plan is falling apart, and neither sister is sure she wants to stop it.

A BRAND-NEW CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE featuring secrets, lies, royal high jinks, scams and double-crosses; breathless, swooning lust, cocky princes, dominant alpha future-kings, and crafty courtiers, who are not always what they seem.


~BOOK REVIEW~
3 Stars

Two dashing young princes, Crown Prince Rowan Westringham likes his fast cars; his brother MacCallam “Cal” Lockwood Tate likes his fast women. But it’s Rowan who has a bit of an indiscretion that makes tabloid fodder, and the fall out is a push to take a wife and create a more responsible public image.  Meanwhile on the other side of the ocean…

Zelda and Ava Wilder have been pulling cons, thefts, and swindles since they escaped foster care as teens. But when a scheming royal uncle catches on to their game, the sisters land a chance at a big payoff…if only they don’t find themselves duped by their own job. And this is where two very different sets of siblings cross paths and set the stage for a royal adventure.

In some ways, it’s like something out of the movies, and the Hollywood theme is strong with references to various films and the girls’ monikers. Visually—the settings, the clothing, the hijacks, the gorgeous and young characters—this story could really come to life if adapted on screen. I think this book would make a fabulous movie with the right actors to sell the pairings and the chemistry.  Once the duos meet the story is fairly fast paced and thus the love/lust is instant. On screen that could easily be compensated, but in book form where the readers must immerse themselves in the characters mind and world, more character and romantic development was needed, especially when dealing with four previously carefree new adults who were never poised for a meaningful relationship before. The story is told via Zee and Rowan’s first person point of view. What’s going on with Ava and Cal is only displayed through their sibling’s narration/observation so really the reader is only getting one half of each romantic coupling. Perhaps that is why there were times I just craved more of a deeper connection from the characters and between the couples.

None the less, this story rewards romance readers with double the sexy times.
“‘It means they’re off to do some royal fucking.’”
The steam factor is high and the love scenes don’t disappoint.  Nor does the action adventure storyline as this book is largely plot driven.

Despite earlier marketing blurbs, this is NOT a stand-alone. The story continues with A Player for a Princess that won’t be released till September.  So keep in mind when going into this one that the story is not complete with many plot points unresolved.  The format appears to be more of a serial series as it ends largely on a cliffhanger, and how many books are involved before getting the complete tale is unclear.

All in all, the premise has a lot of potential. I honestly liked the guys and Ava much more than I cared for or about Zee so I’m rather on the fence about continuing with the series. But if you’re looking for a sexy, action-adventure tale with intrigue and don’t mind the wait between installments, then this is definitely one to check out.


*ARC received in exchange for an honest review. There were a few continuity errors where the characters contradicted things they either previously said or was already established, but this may simply be due to reading an unedited ARC copy.  


About the Author:
A former journalist, Tia Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations...


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