Book Review ** Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck

Are you fascinated with Royalty? Do you enjoy the romance of a nobody falling in love with royalty? If you do, you will probably enjoy Once upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck, the first book in the Royal Wedding series.

Susanna Truitt a struggling landscape architect has just been dumped by her boyfriend of 12 years, marine Adam Peters. She has recently moved from Atlanta to her childhood hometown on St. Simons Island where she works part time at her family’s restaurant, Rib Shack, and part time as a landscape architect for a high school classmate.   

Crown Prince Nathaniel (Nate) Henry Kenneth Mark Stratton of the House of Stratton, Kingdom of Brighton is enjoying his last vacation before becoming King at his family’s vacation house on St. Simon’s Island.  Nate is just trying to relax and spend a few weeks of anonymity before having to return to Brighton where his father has been diagnosed with leukemia and is dying.

After being dumped, Susanna goes for a drive and ends up with a flat tire under the “Lovers Oak” where she had always dreamed that Adam would propose to her.  Nate goes for a drive, leaving his bodyguards behind at the house, and comes upon Susanna trying to change her flat.  He helps her out, and hires her to design and update the gardens that his father had planted at the cottage.  Susanna names the garden “The Kings Garden” not realizing that Nate really is royalty.

In the next few weeks, Susanna and Nate get to know each other, and Susanna finds out that Nate is really the Crown Prince. Nate realizes that he has feelings for Susanna and tells Susanna that because of a law that was made almost 100 years ago; he can never marry her, just before he gets word that his father has passed away.  Susanna denies that she has feelings for Nate, but when she is invited to the Coronation Celebration, she decides to take her sister Brighton for the ceremony.  Nate has no idea that Susanna has been invited and is surprised to see her.  After the coronation, Susanna realizes that she really does have feelings for Nate, but knowing that nothing can come from it returns to her home, determined to be content with her lot.

Will Nathaniel be able to find a way to marry the woman he loves? Can Susanna forget Nate and move on with her life?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.