ABOUT THE BOOK
When she traded her tiara for a few days of freedom, she didn’t expect to find herself – or to lose her heart to the one man guaranteed to break it . . .
When Lady Sophia de Lyons, former fiancé to a king and protected daughter of the aristocracy, masqueraded as an American commoner, she didn’t expect to fall in love. She gets more than she bargained for when the man of her dreams turns out to be the tabloid reporter of her nightmares. Can she ever learn to trust him after he betrays her? Or will they both lose everything in a desperate gamble for love?
MY REVIEW
An escaped noblewoman and a hotshot celebrity reporter are hiding their true identities… what could possibly go wrong?
Lady Sophia de Lyons is a noblewoman from the island of Melesia who finally finds freedom and independence masquerading as an American commoner. James “Mike” Michael Maguire run’s his family’s struggling Irish pub after retiring from his job as a sleezy tabloid bully and discovers the importance of family and responsibility.
This is #4 in the Riches and Royals Series and my first Kelle Z. Riley novel. I was intrigued by the riches to rags fairytale and the certain chaos that was to follow. However, it felt like pieces of the puzzle were shuffled around, resulting in a confusing narrative that didn’t really flow as smoothly as it could have. In fact, the abrupt ending left me in a state of WTF?
For example, that infamous punch Stephan took. I mean, come on! We never really got to hear the details surrounding it. And what about the letters Mike sent Sophia? Did she not get them? Did she read them? I get that not everything can be wrapped up nicely, but could we at least get a hint? All that anticipation built on those letters, just to leave me wondering what the heck happened to them!
Their relationship was so intricate and compelling, especially with him hiding his job from her. I loved how Sophia learned more about American life and how Mike got closer to her as well as to his family. The tension was palpable, and I was here for it. But to have all that build-up only to have the story cut off so suddenly was a let down. I wanted a resolution, some kind of closure that tied everything together. Instead, it felt like being left on a cliffhanger that just… fell.
So, while I enjoyed many aspects of the story like the characters and the emotional stakes, the rushed ending and the unanswered questions definitely dampened the experience for me.
Riches and Royals Series
1 Read My Lips (2021)
2 Royally Scandalized (2022)
3 Reluctantly Royal (2022)
4 Counterfeit Commoner (2023)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelle Z. Riley, writer, speaker, global traveler, Ph.D. chemist, and safety/martial arts expert has been featured in public forums that range from local Newspapers to National television. In addition to her works of fiction, a personal story was included in “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias.”
Her fiction publications include cozy mysteries and contemporary romance.
A former Golden Heart Finalist, Kelle resides in Chattanooga, TN. She is the past program chair and popular speaker for the Chattanooga Writer’s Guild, a member of Sisters in Crime, Romance Writers’ of America and various local chapters. When not writing, she can be found pursuing passions such as being a self defense instructor, a Master Gardener, and a full time chemist with numerous professional publications and U.S. patents.
Follow Kelle on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, and YouTube.
