As the heir to the throne of a small country, I was shocked when my younger sister decided to leave her royal life behind and move to America. Like any good big brother would, I started digging to see what she was up to.
Somewhere along the way, I found myself chatting with the woman of my dreams on a new dating app. She's smart. She's funny. And she's about to get out of the Marines after serving for eight years.
The only problem is, she doesn't know I'm a prince.
Now I've come to America to tell her. Hopefully she doesn't freak out.
Jess Mastorakos writes sweet military romance books that feature heroes with heart and the strong women they love. She is a proud Marine wife and mama of four. She loves her coffee in a glitter tumbler and planning with an erasable pen.
Get a free novella from her San Diego Marines series, Forever with You, at the link below!
Confession. I'm not a big Royals romance fan. I usually avoid this trope. But when a favorite author writes a Royal romance, you read the book. I actually mentioned in my review of A Princess for the Marine that I hoped Theo would get his own book. Well.... Surprise!
Theo and Maya met through the First Comes Love app and there was an instant connection. They had no clue what the other looked like so it made it easier for them to start building a strong, meaningful relationship through their chats. I loved that they were free to be themselves without having the added stress of life getting in the way.
I had no clue how Maya would react to the 500lb bomb Theo dropped but I couldn't help cheering them on and crossing my fingers for the best. I thought Theo and Maya were amazing. I loved getting to know them and watching them work through some of the challenges they had to face. This was such a cute, fun, quick read.
But I do have to say that, while I really enjoyed this book, I found myself wanting more. There were several scenes I wished I could've been apart of but alas, there was only a brief recap of them. Oh to be a fly on those castle walls! 😍
I loved this series and I'm a bit sad to see it end. But, thankfully, I'm one of those readers who loves rereading my favorite books/series. This is definitely a series that I'll be reading over and over again.
I know that when Ms. Mastorakos releases a book, I'm going to need to clear my schedule. Once I start her books, I never want to put them down! I cannot wait to get my hands on her next book baby!
And we can't forget my casting. Love them! What do you think?
Military Romance meets Royal Romance sprinkled with holiday sweetness and dating app anonymity for good measure. Having seen this author’s books around for a while, I finally took the plunge when she released a holiday romance on audio from two new to me narrators.
A Royal Christmas for the Marine is the fourth and final book of the First Comes Love series and offers a follow up story of the brother of the heroine in the previous book.
I don’t read the royal romance trope that often, but I’m a solid reader of military romances so I was curious to see how the mash up would work. The author had Theo and Maya alternating perspective with the narrators taking their respective voices.
Because of the way the dating app works, Theo’s big secret that he’s the Crown Prince of a small European Island country keeps for the early time period. He gets his wish that a woman knows nothing about his title and likes him for himself. But, now the hard part, he has to tell her the truth so he goes to America to meet his pretty Marine and hope she feels for him deeply enough to put up with all that goes with dating and being in a relationship with him. Meanwhile, Maya is facing a medical discharge and the loss of the only place she has felt like a part of a family ever. She grew up in the carnival world and never knew a steady home or the chance to settle and make friends. If it weren’t for her best friend’s support or the caring nature of the handsome stranger she is falling for, she’d be a mess. Then, she learns the truth about Theo and has to figure out if she can handle his world and find her place as a useful person in it. And, yes, some are less enthusiastic about Theo’s choice than others.
Full of gently paced goodness, low-key conflict, and a sweetheart of a romance, A Royal Christmas for the Marine was a swift and honey of a listen. I enjoyed both narrators and it was fun how they went posh on the royal voices, but able to switch gears to laid back American in a flash. I’d listen to more of their work in future.
All in all, this was moderately engaging and just the right tone for a lazy December afternoon. I found myself curious about the pair whose story came before since they are strong side characters so I will likely start at the beginning of the series and catch the whole thing. The author writes with a sweet romantic tone that maybe just for this holiday read, but it had a steady gentle pace and mild plot. I can recommend it for those who enjoy such books.
I rec’d an Audio from Tantor Audio to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
I have enjoyed every book of the First Comes Love series and A Royal Christmas for the Marine was no different. I loved seeing the relationship and how Maya handles the knews of Theo's princely status. There were a couple of parts that had me cheering and parts in here that were absolutely adorable.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. My review was not required nor influenced.
This is my least favourite series by one of my top favourite romance authors, which is to say that I still liked the previous three installments. The second one is probably my favourite. This one? Not so much. I usually stay away from the 'royal' trope (not my cup of tea), but the previous part (about Theo's sister) somehow worked for me, probably because it took place in the US. Here, I was exposed to the whole ridiculousness of this 'small but powerful' theoretical kingdom on our, similarly, rather small Baltic Sea, and I just could not take it seriously. Plus there were two other factors that made me return the book - firstly, how come every time an imaginary kingdom is created, for some reason English is the official language? And secondly, the book was short. Really short, so there was not enough development - also, not enough conflict to make the story interesting. Everything was wrapped up too prettily and too easily, IMHO.
Oh well. There are plenty of other fabulous books by Jess Mastorakos to choose from. I guess I just need to stick to her Marine series.
After reading the previous one in the series and this one back to back, I think I figured out why I didn't like the third one so much - I missed the app and the slow build of chemistry between the characters. Both were back in this one and I am so happy to have them. I enjoyed getting to know Theo and Maya as well as getting to spend time overseas in a royal palace. The story itself was well written and kept me engaged the entire time.
This was probably one of my favourite books in the First Comes Love series, even though I’m not usually a fan of royal stories!
However, it is the book with the least amount of Marine interactions in comparison with Mastorakos’s other books, and I did miss that aspect. I felt it to be more predictable and with less drama. Maybe it’s just me.
Anyways, I enjoyed the banter and character interactions, and a good portion of the book was set in Europe, so that’s always fun! All around, a nice conclusion to the series!
Oh my! At this point, it does not come as a surprise that a book by Jess Mastorakos gives me all the feels. I absolutely love all her characters and her overall writing style. A Royal Christmas for the Marine is certainly no exception. There were so many times this book made me laugh out loud (like the one liner about the queen not wearing a bell around her neck). Also, during that scene in the bathroom when Maya confronted an ex of Theo's, I was fist bumping internally with just how awesome she was. I could not stop reading this book. Thankfully it snowed today so I was stuck at home with very little responsibilities and I devoured this book in one day.
Theo and Maya meet through an online dating app that is essentially like blind dating, at quite a literal level. There are no pictures and they don't even exchange real names. Everyone goes by screennames. If they have 30 days of meaningful conversation, they are able to share pictures. Theo and Maya reach that point and while she knows he doesn't live in America, she has no idea his true identity. He's a prince. One who is set to become the king one day. Is that a world she can fit in to?? Theo invites her to his country to try and find out.
I have a guilty pleasure for royalty romance novels. I mean, many girls have had dreams of being a princess right? And while the whole idea is not super realistic, this book was written in a way that still felt realistic enough and I absolutely loved it. If you have not read the first three books in the First Comes Love series, you don't necessarily need to read them before reading this book, but let me highly encourage you to binge read the entire series at some point because you won't regret it! You will get background on some of the characters that appear in this book, including getting to see the blind dating app that's mentioned in action again. Jess Mastorakos is an author that I know I will read right away whenever she has a new book come out. I also have a hefty stack of her paperbacks on my shelf in addition to owning digital copies. So yeah, she's phenomenal!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review.
This whole series has been so good. I was really excited to see Theo get his own story.
The story was a fast read. It didn't take me long at all to finish it. I actually found myself wishing there had been a little bit more to the story. I felt like it went too quickly and didn't have a lot of development behind it. It didn't really drag me in emotionally. It was sweet and simple, getting right to the point. I did enjoy it a lot. The writing style makes it easy to sit back, relax, and enjoy the story without much thought.
Even though it is set around Christmas, it didn't have the same tone as a Christmas book. There wasn't any descriptions of Christmas decorations, not many Christmas activities happened. It was just a simple mention that it was Christmas and then plans that take place on Christmas. It just missed that warm Christmas feeling which is disappointing.
The characters were the best part of the story. I enjoyed getting to know them. Their banter when they were together was excellent. It was honestly my favorite part of the story. They were such great characters that I would love to see more from them.
This was a sweet, clean romance, that is great for an afternoon. It is a good story to read when you want something simple and relaxing.
I received an ARC from the author, and I voluntarily left this review.
The prince meets a marine in a blind dating app, they talk for a month before they see eachother on face time. They are on opposite part of the world. She loses her job as a marine due to an injury, he travel to the US to console her and its Thanksgiving.
They like eachother, he reveals his true identity. She isn't spooked. They decide to travel to his country for Christmas. In his country, they fall for eachother.
The book ends with them married and expecting a baby.
No surprises Just a cute love story with Royalty mixed in. 🤷♀️🤷♀️It was entertaining in a way. ❤️but not worth re reading
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have been waiting for this book and it did not disappoint! A Royal Christmas for the Marine was such a fun Christmas romance. It is the fourth book in Jess Mastorakos’ rom-com series, First Comes Love series. It was a lovely sweet romance. Maya and Theo were wonderful to read about. Maya was a Marine who was trying to figure out what to do with her life. She was trying to learn more about herself and be a person that could help others. Maya was so much fun to read about. I loved how she spoke her mind and didn’t shy away from hard things. But she could also be vulnerable and she was looking for a place to call her own. Maya had to figure out if she what she was willing to sacrifice to be with Theo Theo was a prince but he was so much more than that. I liked how he understood that he was a prince but he was also trying to find the balance of being himself. He loved his people and he wanted to serve them well but he also was learning about himself. I adored his relationship with Zara and his assistant. Theo was so sweet and it was cute how he was able to be himself around Maya. However, Theo had to learn what it meant to love Maya and have her in his life. I always love finding new royalty romance books to read and this one was a hit. The characters were so fun and I really enjoyed their banter. Theo was a great prince, and I loved how he communicated with Maya. Maya was a force to be reckoned with, I loved her fierceness and her fearlessness. Maya and Theo had a connection, their romance felt real and not rushed. I really like the way Mastorakos wrote about their relationship. The side characters were a lot of fun and they really added to the book. One of my favorite things about this book was the conversations. The characters' banter did not feel stilted, but instead full of life. I felt as if I was getting to know the characters as I read.The book was really interesting and I did not want to put it down. It didn’t feel slow or boring. The characters were facing everyday life and yet I was intrigued about how everything was going to turn out. I loved this book! A Royal Christmas for the Marine is a must read, I think it may be my favorite from this series. I read it in one day, it was that good. A Royal Christmas for the Marine is a clean royalty romantic comedy.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
A ROYAL CHRISTMAS FOR THE MARINE is a standalone read with a happy ending. There are no sexy scenes or colorful language. Any age from teen to granny can read and enjoy. It is a fun and entertaining read. It starts in San Diego but it is mostly in Arnada in the Baltic Sea on an island.
Maya is a young tough and ready Marine but when she injures her knee in a friendly game of football her career is on the line. She has worked hard to get her knee back in shape but the Marines may not want her to continue with her career.
Theo is the Prince of Arnada. His younger sister left their country to study medicine in the USA. She is currently engaged to a Marine. Theo never knows when a woman shows interest in him if it is the future crown they have their eyes on or him. However, he discovered a dating site through his sister and he decided to check it out. Once matched the two cannot reveal their identity or their jobs. They must talk every day for 30 days. At the end of that time they can swap pictures and if they want to continue the relationship they can. He has been matched with Maya and after 30 days and the picture swap they are anxious to see each other in person. She doesn't have the money to fly across the world but he tells her he will come to her.
This is a fun entertaining read. One tough and ready Marine, out of a job, has to decide if she wants to continue her life with the prince and his life in a fish bowl, or return to the states where her friends and a new job awaits her. Leaving her country is hard but if she is willing, she will win the love of her life. I definitely recommend this book.
I was not paid for this review. I am not a writer nor do I know one. I am not kin to this author. I am a reader and this is my opinion, nothing more, nothing less. 1/16/2022
Maya finds herself on a blind dating app near Christmas time. Although, no real names are used when communicating with one another. He is very sweet and easy to talk to. He loves her personality and how smart she is. He talks to her for several weeks and in that time they really get to know one another. They decide to tell their real names. Maya has served in the Marine Corp for eight years. While off duty she hurts herself in game. One night while chatting with one another, she tells him she may be medically discharged. He want to console her, as the military is her life. So he says he wished he could give her a hug in person.
The Theo decides on going to fly to be with her for Thanksgiving. And she gets her in person hug. He enjoys his visit and takes her on dates. But there is one thing he must tell her. She gets suspicious when she see two men hanging around with him. He must tell her the truth of who he really is. She is shocked but seems okay with the news. After Thanksgiving he decides to ask her to spend Christmas with him. Knowing he lives in another country, she decides to go with Theo. What a long flight to his country.
I really enjoyed this book by Jess Mastorakos, for me I love the story and your creative writing. I plan to follow this author to see what other books she has in store for me to read.
Theo was the crown prince in a small country in Europe. He checked out a blind dating app to check up on his younger sister and make sure she was protected. He didn't expect to find love for himself. He talked to and got to know Maya for 30 days before he got to "meet" her. He didn't lie to her but he didn't omit a few details about who he was. At the end of that 30 days, he was determined he never wanted to let her go. But, would she be angry at him for his omissions or would she be willing to give their romance a chance?
Maya had been a Marine for 8 years. She loved being a Marine but now she was being released due to an injury. She was broken hearted and didn't know where to turn next. She had talked to Theo, her online "date". He knew everything about her. When he made the effort to fly thousands of miles to give her a hug when she found out she would have to leave the Marines, she was truly smitten. He was the kindest, most wonderfully handsome man she had ever met. Would she still feel that way once she learned Theo's secret?
This was a sweet, royally inspired romance that is clean and appropriate for any age to read. There is also a royally happy ending. I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.
What a lovely story! The moment I first met Theo in A Princess for the Marine, book 3 of the First Comes Love series I loved him instantly and wanted to see him get a happily ever after, so I was super excited when I found out the author was writing this book! And this story did not disappoint, it gave me all the feels that I’ve come to expect from this series, and I so enjoyed every single minute I spent reading it! I also have to say that I loved that the author didn’t take the predictable route when it came to the bit of conflict near the end of the book, that was so refreshing, and I LOVED the way Maya handled it! Maya and Theo were perfect for each other and I absolutely loved their romance! A Royal Christmas for the Marine is another delightful story in the First Comes Love series! I loved this story and most highly recommend it!
I received an ebook copy of this book from the author. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.
A very enjoyable conclusion to the First Comes Love series and, honestly, I'm not ready to say goodbye yet!
It all started with an online dating app. Now four couples are living happily ever after. I loved absolutely everything about this series and this Christmas novel was just the icing on the cake! Theo and Maya are a perfect coupling, both with a sense of duty that drives them. Their loyalty to each other and willingness to fight for their relationship was one of the things I loved about them. Second to that was the lack of relationship drama between Maya and Theo! This, along with Maya's confidence in herself, made the story just flow! I loved watching them fall in love and creating a life together that worked for them both.
Also, I absolutely LOVE getting a down the road glimpse in the epilogue of their futures! All of the epilogues in this series have just warmed my heart perfectly!
My biggest complaint was how short the book was. It could've easily been quite a bit longer. It felt rushed and like several details were skimped to make it shorter.
A quick fun book about Theo, Zara's older brother. He decided to try the app after Zara had gone to some of the events in California. After speaking to Maya for 30 days, they finally got to exchange pictures and names.
I loved how much Theo cares for Maya and wanted to give her a hug and then made arrangements to see her at Thanksgiving.
Maya figuring out how to implement herself into the castle while Theo attended to his duties was a great example of being proactive in your situation and really made a difference when it was time to make a decision.
This book does take place in October - December but can be read at any time of the year. It is the 4th book in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
*Genre: Romance (closed door) *Tropes: Secret identity, Royal romance, found family * Duel POV
Once I started reading “A Royal Christmas for the Marine”, I couldn’t stop until the end. It is a sweet story of a female Marine and a Prince who get to know one another through the dating app, First Comes Love. On the app Maya is known as MotoSpice and Prince Theo is known as Phoenix. After communicating 30 days, they finally show each other pictures of themselves.
We met Prince Theo’s sister, Zara, and Huck, a Marine, in “A Princess for the Marine”. Since Zara is now living in the states, Theo makes arrangements to meet Maya in person and finally tells her he is the Crown Prince of Arnada. After Maya’s initial shock, she agrees to go with him to Arnada for Christmas.
The romance of Maya and Theo is well written and the HEA was fantastic. I also enjoyed getting an update on Zara and Huck.
Theo figured he would see what all the first comes love was about to keep his sister safe. He did not plan on meeting someone on it. For 30 days he and his Marine Maya has been talking in the app. Its now time to share pictures and plan a meeting. Theo flies to America to meet Maya and give her the hug she needs since she is being put out of the Marines due to an injury. They hit it off after a rocky start and he invites her to his country for Christmas.. Can she leave her country behind and live as a princess? Grab the book to find out.
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
Can a dedicated Marine trade in her dress blues for a tiara?
This story, like all of Jess Mastorakos' stories, gives us another look into Marine life. I enjoyed the discipline and loyalty she detailed so well. This one had the added benefit of learning some of the similarities between the Marines and royalty.
I realize the story is fiction so some of the details are probably make-believe but I'm sure Jess did some research so the basic facts ring true.
This was a fun and enjoyable story. I recommend this story for anyone that likes to read clean romances with HEA but I think mid-teen through adult would enjoy it the most.
I was given an ARC of this story but this review is my voluntary, honest opinion.
Theo has always lived his life in a fishbowl. So, when he hears from his sister about an anonymous dating website, he takes the opportunity to possibly meet a woman that sees him for himself, not a royal that will one day be king. Can it be that easy?
Maya is torn, because of an injury, she may be released from the Marines. Having grown up as the child of carnies, the Marines is the only permanence she’s truly known. But being online with Theo has made things so much easier. He’s kind, understanding and comforting, even though she’s never set eyes on him. But when they meet face-to-face, he has a bombshell to drop on her. Will she be able to improvise, adapt and overcome?
I could not put this book down! There have been other books in this series and all are good, this one is fantastic! None of the usual break up, spend time apart stuff. Maya and Prince Theo met on the First Comes Love Dating App and when they get to exchange pictures and actually call each other they realize the chemistry they felt while texting is real. I enjoyed seeing Zara and Huck again and the role Zara played in helping Maya realize where she wants to be was spot on! I loved how their big relationship “turners” are always in the back of the SUV and how they joke about it being the bomb. This story was such fun and we get to see a different side of the Queen from before. Great book!!
I received a free copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved this book! Theo and Maya are great characters in this book. Theo is the Prince of Arnada and Maya is a marine. They meet through a dating app where you talk for 30 days and then can finally exchange pictures and speak to one another. Theo comes to America to meet Maya at Thanksgiving while visiting his sister Zara. Maya then flies to Arnada to be with Theo. It is a whole different world for her but her love for Theo makes her strong. The storyline was great and kept you wanting to read to see how it would end. The author keeps you enthralled throughout the book. I can promise you will love this book if you read it as well as the author’s other books. Lose yourself in this great book! I was a volunteer ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review
A Royal Christmas for the Marine is the final book in the First Comes Love series by Jess Mastorakos. The entire series was awesome and a must read if you like romances but this story was my favorite. Theo, crown prince of Arnada and brother of Zaya in book three, and Maya a spunky Marine are matched up on a dating sight. Maya cannot believe her luck when at 30 days she finally sees a picture of her match. Theo comes to the US to meet her and is very surprised to discover he is a prince. Can Maya trade in her cammies and boots for a ball gown and heels? Maya visits Arnada and falls in love with the country at Christmas, the foster children and most of all Theo. I am sad to see this series end know more great reads will be out soon.
Another great quick read from Jess Mastorakos! I loved the glimpse we got of Theo in A Princess for the Marine was so happy he was able to get a happy ending of his own! I love even more that he downloaded the First Comes Love dating app as kind of a protection for his sister Zara when she said she was on it. Theo connects with Maya and developed a great friendship without knowing important details about each other such as what they look like or their real names. When Maya gets her disappointing release from the Marines due to an injury, it is the perfect time for Theo to meet her in person and have her visit Arnada. This was an amazing, clean story that was very enjoyable to read. Highly recommend!
Oh, I loved this story! Theo and Maya had an interesting beginning on the dating app that doesn't show pics until after the couple has been chatting for 30 days. Maya experiences some major life changes during the 30 days and Theo is there to walk with her through those hard times. Once the meet, there are MAJOR sparks!
This is a precious story where Maya is in way over her head once she is in Theo's country, but I really enjoyed how she found something she could do to make a difference. And that she wanted to be the hands and feet of the project, not just the idea behind it. Great character development and loved seeing the relationships between Zara and Maya develop as well as Theo and Huck(leberry)!!! Great book!
This is a sweet clean holiday romance that sets the perfect tone for Christmas. Maya and Theo come from drastically different backgrounds and lifestyles. Their meeting is serendipitous and remote, giving them the opportunity to be transparent. As their virtual relationship grows, their connection deepens until finally a face to face meeting occurs. I appreciated the differences in these characters and their intentional efforts to maintain common ground. I found Maya to be refreshing in her honesty and firm in her integrity, while Theo was compassionate toward her but unwavering regarding his responsibilities. With so much integrity on the line a happily ever after was within reach but not certain, especially when haters enter the picture. Enjoy this holiday romance!
Theo and Maya the couple in A Royal Christmas for the Marine are not your typical couple. He is a prince and she is getting to ready to be medically discharged from the Marines. They met on the dating app First Comes Love. Theo’s sister attended events that were put on by the app and she ended up meeting her fiancé. Theo wanted to check it out and while doing so he met Maya who has no idea that he is a prince! This was a great book to read! He comes to America and she goes to Arnada his country. It was fun watching the relationship develop and see two people you’d never think would go together work magic.
Love Love love everything about this book! Firstly, I love that Theo and Maya were able to get to know each other through a blind dating app. Maya was able to be her snarky self, not knowing that she was falling in love with a crown prince, and sassing him along the way! And Theo was finally able to know for certain that a woman was interested in him for him and not because she was gunning to be the future queen. I love strong female characters, and though Maya was fearful and unsure of herself at times, she shows so much strength while she is tredging through the unknown. These two have the cutest love story! And will make you laugh along with them as they are figuring it all out.