HIS ROYAL SECRET (HIS ROYAL SECRET #1) by LILAH PACE
Published July 19, 2016 by Intermix
SYNOPSIS:
The first in an enchanting new male/male romantic duology from Lilah Pace, author of Asking for More and Begging for It ….
James, the handsome, cosmopolitan Prince of Wales, is used to being in the public eye. But he’s keeping a king-sized secret…James, next in line for the throne, is gay.
He’s been able to hide his sexual orientation with the help of his best friend and beard, Lady Cassandra. Sometimes he feels like a coward for not coming out, but he daren’t risk losing the crown. If he did, the succession would fall on his deeply troubled younger sister, Princess Amelia. To protect her, James is willing to live a lie.
While on holiday, he meets Benjamin Dahan—a rugged international reporter with a globe-trotting, unattached life—who catches far more than James’s eye. And when Ben is transferred to London, it seems fate may finally be smiling on James.
But what began as a torrid fling grows into something far more intimate and powerful. Soon James will have decide who he is, what he wants from life and love, and what he’s willing to sacrifice for the truth…
MY REVIEW:
4.5 Stars!!
I absolutely LOVE Lilah Pace and will read ANYTHING she writes! So I was thrilled to be able to read her M/M romance, His Royal Secret. James and Ben’s story drew me in from the first page and I was completely blown away by their story.
James is the future King of England. He is devoted to the Royal protocol and has always lived his life in the public eye. He only knows a life of personal butlers, security teams and duty to the Throne. There’s only one little issue: he is a deeply closeted gay man.. He has only had a handful of relationships in his life and they usually ended badly. He lives a very lonely and isolated life, despite his public “fiancee”, Lady Cassandra, who is actually is best friend and has always kept his secret.
Ben is a smart, sexy journalist who is very comfortable with his sexuality. He is gorgeous and James finds himself hoping against hope that Ben could love someone like him – after all, James keeps his private life a secret, is a member of the Royal family, and will always have to adhere to strict protocols. His whole life has been mapped out for him.
These two did meet under a pretense but once they got that out of the way, James realized that he really liked Ben, besides being insanely attracted to him. Ben is a worldwide traveler and adventurer and has always been too busy with his career to ever stay with one man for too long – especially after a disastrous first relationship. But he sees that James is a wonderful, sensitive and caring man and perfect for Ben.
“I didn’t lie to you to get a story. At least, not after the first few minutes.”
“Then why?”
After a moment’s pause, Ben said, very slowly, “Because I hoped I could get you into bed.”
I absolutely loved the detailed descriptions of Royal life! You could see how it could stifle someone from the outside, who had never grown up within the British monarchy. James is frightened that it will all scare Ben away. Plus, they are seeing other in secret. James is also deathly afraid that once the media grabs the story, that they will completely destroy Ben.
James has a very tragic family history and a sister who has deep-seated emotional issues. James is totally devoted to her and will do anything to protect her from public scrutiny. But if he is “exposed,” then he fears Indigo’s stability may be threatened.
I fell in love with with James and Ben! As always, Lilah Pace’s writing is superb. There is no uneccesary drama here, just a beautiful story of two souls falling in love but unsure of whether they can ever have a future together. The book ends rather suddenly BUT James and Ben’s story continues in His Royal Favorite, which is out now!
“You belong to me. Maybe the public and the press own the part of you that’s THE PRINCE, but not THE MAN. You’re mine, and I won’t let anything take you away.”
(ARC provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.)
HIS ROYAL FAVORITE (HIS ROYAL SECRET #2) by LILAH PACE
Published August 16, 2016 by Intermix
SYNOPSIS:
The conclusion of Lilah Pace’s racy, romantic male/male duology following His Royal Secret…
James, Prince of Wales, is making history. He’s decided to come out to his subjects—and the world. However, telling the truth means exposing his relationship with lone-wolf reporter Benjamin Dahan. Although Ben never wanted commitment, the unexpected depth of his feelings leads him to join James in the media’s harsh spotlight.
When the news story explodes across the globe, Ben can endure the mockery and dirty jokes. But after his tragic past is cruelly revealed, his life begins to implode. Can even his love for James be worth this?
James has it no easier. His revelation divides the country and sparks turmoil within the royal family. He must struggle to defend not only himself and Ben, but also his younger sister, who hovers on the brink of a breakdown that could endanger her life.
Is Ben strong enough to survive the onslaught and stand by James’ side? And will James have to make a choice between Ben and the crown?
MY REIVEW:
4.5 – 5 Stars!!
What would you do if your whole life was planned out for you from birth? That is what James is faced with in this conclusion to His Royal Secret. James has decided to come out publicly and face the British public and the Church of England. If he has to give up the throne for Ben, he is ready to do so.
His Royal Favorite is an absolutely riveting story, filled with emotion, passion and sexy, tender moments. The detail is perfect, and I loved being immersed in the world of a British royal family. James and Ben must face not only his family, but the public and the threat of Ben losing his career when James decides to come out. But seeing how Ben has lived his life honestly makes him realize that he must stop living a lie. He alway cannot bear the thought that Lady Cassandra, his best friend, would have given up her life for him in a sham marriage.
There are actually lots of funny moments in this book and I adored the author’s sense of humor! The gay club, Ben’s interactions with the Queen and the headlines when Ben is named as James’s boyfriend are all priceless. But both James and Ben realize that their whole lives will change soon and especially Ben, who will never, ever regain his privacy again.
“Freedom would be you coming here all alone, cruising the room, picking up any one of the countless guys in here who’re already hard just thinking about you. . .”
“No. Not without you. Being without you wasn’t freedom. Loving you is what sets me free.”
The dual POV’s work perfectly in this book. The sexy factor is off the charts but it is the beautiful, emotional connection between James and Ben that makes this such a great story. I held my breath near the end of the book out of fear for where this story was going, but the magnificent Epilogue absolutely took my breath away.
His Royal Favorite is a mature, passionate and sexy story about love and family and and sacrifice and living your best life. Every character felt real, and there were no real villains in this story. This book is a richly detailed and extremely satisfying romance. The peek inside a fictional British royal family was completely fascinating. All in all, I LOVED this series and can’t wait for what Lilah Pace writes next!
<em>”I don’t believe in the idea of a king, no. But I’ve come to believe in the king you could be.”
(ARC provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.)
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