REVIEW: The Queen’s Baby Scandal by Maisey Yates

The Queen’s Baby Scandal by Maisey Yates is a passionate royal romance for a Queen looking to secure her reign with an heir and the unwitting accomplice to her plan.

Queen Astrid von Bjornland is tired of her advisory council who want to see her married off to a suitable (to them) husband or to abdicate the throne to her younger (by a few minutes) twin brother. Deciding to take fate into her own hands, she plans to get pregnant and use an old and mostly forgotten law to ensure her reign will be secure and her progeny will become the next heir. The tricky part is finding a suitable man who can supply the genetic material for her quest.

Mauro Bianchi is a wealthy billionaire playboy with a number of highly exclusive clubs in his empire. It’s in one of these clubs that he encounter a beautiful woman who seduces him, leaving him with only memories and no idea who she really is. But when he finds out that she’s a Queen, and pregnant, he’s got no intention of letting her get away with her plans to go through the pregnancy alone. Confronting her, he offers a marriage of convenience or a scandal – her choice. Can this couple with a baby on the way discover that love doesn’t just happen in fairy tales?

This is an interesting take on a royal romance! Queen Astrid is strong, capable, and determined, something she’s had to be from the start to protect her place as the rightful heir to the throne. When she thinks up her pregnancy plan she does some research and with the help of her assistant figures that Mauro would be a prime candidate based on his reputation. She also thinks he won’t be interested in claiming his heir, but she’s very wrong.

Having been shunned by his own father, Mauro has no intention of letting a child of his grow up without him. He’ll do whatever is necessary to keep his child with him, including marriage. There is a definite struggle for control between Astrid and Mauro, but one thing they can both agree on is how attracted they are to each other, resulting in some steamy love scenes. As befits a fairy tale romance, there are elements of Alice in Wonderland (Astrid’s entry into the Ice Palace, Mauro’s club is like falling down the rabbit hole of debauchery) and Cinderella (she leaves behind a shoe in her rush to get out of the club after their tryst). But there’s also the real world intrusion of the paparazzi digging into Mauro’s past and using his history as a male escort to try to damage Astrid’s and by proxy her country’s reputation.

Astrid isn’t perfect, and she soon comes to understand that she took away Mauro’s choice to become a parent with her actions and is remorseful. While Mauro wouldn’t have chosen this path, he can understand her choice as he’s made his own difficult decisions in the past. And he comes to be quite protective and possessive of both her and the baby. While their marriage didn’t start out ideally, as they learn more about each other they find their way to a happy ending, complete with a sweet epilogue. It’s an enjoyable, sexy romance.

Book Info:

Publication: Nov 19, 2019 | Harlequin Presents | One Night with Consequences

One night at the Italian’s ball…has permanent consequences!

Mauro Bianchi is stunned to discover the beautiful innocent who left his bed at midnight three months ago is a queen…and she’s pregnant! He’s never wanted a family, but nothing will stop this billionaire from claiming his heir.

Queen Astrid can’t forget the pleasure of Mauro’s touch, despite her scandalous royal bombshell! To protect her throne, she is determined to raise her baby alone. Only now Mauro’s back, his powerful presence a constant reminder of their chemistry. And he has a demand: “I want my child.”