REVIEW: Crown Prince’s Bought Bride by Maya Blake

Crown Prince’s Bought Bride by Maya Blake is a passionate marriage of convenience royal romance with a Cinderella type heroine and a man who will be king.

Crown Prince Remirez of Montegova knows that his turn on the throne is coming. His mother will soon abdicate but first, she needs him to clean up the scandal being caused by his unruly half brother Jules. Not only that, but his country expects him to marry, and soon. Finding his brother isn’t hard – just follow the latest tabloid report. But there’s a new woman who has appeared in picture with Jules and Remi needs to end their affair before things get out of hand.

Madeleine Myers isn’t sure whether it’s fate or karma that’s landed her on the arm of Jules Montegova but since he almost ran her over and asked her to be his fake girlfriend in exchange for money to keep the story out of the papers, she’s desperate enough to take what he offers. Her father is an alcoholic in need of a kidney operation and the money Jules has promised her is too good to pass up. But when Jules older brother Remi shows up, things change quickly.

While Remi is able to send Jules packing back to Montegova, Maddie is another story. After she tells Remi the truth of her association with Jules, Remi divines another plan. He offers her more money to be his fake girlfriend instead. Maddie agrees, but when Remi finds out about her father, he offers to pay for all his medical treatment in return for a marriage of convenience. The attraction between them sizzles, but can it also lead them into a real life love?

Overall I enjoyed this royal romance. Maddie’s been in a tough situation ever since her father’s drinking led her mother to abandon them. She’s been working as a waitress and had to put off her dreams of more education to take care of him. Remi’s offer would relieve some of that burden and stress and the chance to live as a princess is not something one gets every day! She’s had one bad relationship with a man who took advantage of her naivety and is wary of trusting Remi, but he proves to be a man of his word.

The attraction between Maddie and Remi leads to some sexy love scenes. One thing I will point out however is that while Maddie is a virgin there is a scene prior to their marriage where Remi ‘touched the barrier of her innocence’ and divines her virginity. This is not realistic (you can research the hymen on your own for a biology lesson) and that partly pulled me out of the story as it’s frustrating to see myths about female bodies perpetuated in contemporary romances.

Remi has his own hangups about relationships since his first fiancee died. He’s not gotten involved with another woman seriously since then. Her shadow hangs over them as they marry because he feels guilty for his attraction to another woman. But soon their feelings for each other develop into something more. Maddie isn’t afraid to push Remi into choosing to live in the past or embracing a real future with her. This leads to their eventual happy ending and a sweet epilogue. Readers who enjoy drama, passion and royal settings and can overlook the issue I had will find this to their liking.

Book Info:

Publication: Feb 19, 2019 | Harlequin Presents | Conveniently Wed

From Cinderella waitress…

To his convenient queen!

Before taking the throne, Crown Prince Remirez Montegova has to do two things: find a wife, and resolve the royal scandal unintentionally triggered by stunning waitress Maddie Myers. Remi solves both problems by striking a deal with Maddie that she become his queen! But his innocent new bride awakens a passion he’d thought long buried. And after their scorching wedding night, suddenly their arrangement feels anything but convenient…