REVIEW: Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates

Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates is the third and final book in the Call Of Duty Series. Though it is a part of a three part series, it can be easily read as a standalone. It follows the story of the eldest haunted rebel prince, Xander Drakos who returns after a self-imposed exile to claim his rightful place on the throne. When he left fifteen years ago, Kyonos suffered a great turmoil which had severe consequences. His reputation is in tatters in his home country and people haven’t forgiven him for abandoning them.

Only one woman can restore his good name—the woman he left behind. But when Xander finds Layna Xenakos, he’s horrified to see the effects of the turmoil he left behind written in the scars across her body.

Layna is still suffering the brunt of Xander’s abandonment and as a result she is not the same person Xander left behind. Her scars have given her strength and she is not willing to go down the same path with Xander once again. Now Xander must use his practiced charm to convince her to become his bride, securing his legitimate place on the throne.

She snorted, her lip curled. “You say that like marrying you, sharing your bed, is an incidental I shouldn’t have to worry my head about so long as I can do my duty.”
“Lie back and think of Kyonos,” he bit out. He didn’t know why he was pushing this so hard. He should let her go. He shouldn’t be standing in the hall of his palace all but begging her to marry him. And yet he was.

Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates is a well written emotional romance which does not fail to tug your heartstrings. Xander and Layla are not easy characters to understand because they have huge emotional baggage due to their past. Xander is still suffering because of his past and does not believe that anyone is capable of loving him. Layla is a strong but vulnerable heroine whose scars are more than skin deep. She is afraid to trust or open her heart again because she thinks she is too damaged for anyone to love. Their love story is not easy and it takes time for both of them to trust and love each other. I loved the way Xander fights for Layla and redeems himself in the end. He is a hero worth swooning for because he had the courage to face his responsibility and correct whatever mistakes he had made in the past.

A slow smile curved his lips. “You are quite ruthless under those plain clothes, aren’t you?”
“Life has a way of making us that way, doesn’t it?”
“I suppose it does.”

Overall, Pretender to the Throne by Maisey Yates is a refreshingly different romance about learning to open your heart again and finding love amidst hopelessness.

Book Info:

Published March 1st 2014 by Harlequin Presents Series #3219| (Call of Duty #3)

A duty to the past…

After fifteen years in self-imposed exile, the haunted rebel prince Xander Drakos must walk back through the palace gates and assume the role he once abandoned.

Only one woman can restore his good name—the woman he left behind. But when Xander finds Layna Xenakos, he’s horrified to see the effects of the turmoil he left behind written in the scars across her body.

But her scars have given her strength, and Layna refuses to bow to his royal command. Now Xander must use his practiced charm to convince her to become his bride, securing his legitimate place on the throne.