What do you think?
Rate this book
Wedding Night in the King's Bed: An Arranged Marriage Royal Contemporary Romance
A guarded king will be unraveled in this royal romance by USA TODAY bestselling author Caitlin Crews!
His Majesty requires an untouched bride…
But can duty ever become love?
Virginal Helene Archibald knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage. So, when her father declares she’ll be given to a king in a loveless union, she accepts it as fate.
But Helene is unprepared for King Gianluca San Felice, and the wildfire that awakens at the sight of him! She is undone by the craving that consumes them on their wedding night. But outside the royal bedchamber, Gianluca remains ice-cold—dare Helene believe their chemistry is enough to bring this powerful ruler to his knees?
From Harlequin Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.
His Majesty requires an untouched bride…
But can duty ever become love?
Virginal Helene Archibald knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage. So, when her father declares she’ll be given to a king in a loveless union, she accepts it as fate.
But Helene is unprepared for King Gianluca San Felice, and the wildfire that awakens at the sight of him! She is undone by the craving that consumes them on their wedding night. But outside the royal bedchamber, Gianluca remains ice-cold—dare Helene believe their chemistry is enough to bring this powerful ruler to his knees?
From Harlequin Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.
199 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2024
About the author
Caitlin Crews
1,256 books607 followersCaitlin Crews discovered her first romance novel at the age of twelve, in a bargain bin at the local five and dime. It involved swashbuckling pirates, grand adventures, a heroine with rustling skirts and a mind of her own, and a seriously mouthwatering and masterful hero. The book (the title of which remains lost in the mists of time) made a serious impression. Caitlin was immediately smitten with romances and romance heroes, to the detriment of her middle school social life. And so began her life-long love affair with romance novels, many of which she insists on keeping near her at all times, thus creating a fire hazard of love wherever she lives.
Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England and Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised near New York City, and fell in love with London on her first visit when she was a teenager. She has backpacked in Zimbabwe, been on safari in Botswana, and visited tiny villages in Namibia. She has, while visiting the place in question, declared her intention to live in Prague, Dublin, Paris, Athens, Nice, the Greek Islands, Rome, Venice, and/or any of the Hawaiian islands. Writing about exotic places seems like the next best thing to actually moving there.
She currently lives in Oregon with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.
Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England and Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised near New York City, and fell in love with London on her first visit when she was a teenager. She has backpacked in Zimbabwe, been on safari in Botswana, and visited tiny villages in Namibia. She has, while visiting the place in question, declared her intention to live in Prague, Dublin, Paris, Athens, Nice, the Greek Islands, Rome, Venice, and/or any of the Hawaiian islands. Writing about exotic places seems like the next best thing to actually moving there.
She currently lives in Oregon with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 30, 2024
Rating 4.5
Fairy tale romance. Love those!
Heroine was sweet and steadfast! Hero was stubborn (wanted to hit him up side the head a few times 😬) but finally realized he had a gem of a wife.
The epilogue was absolute pure perfection! Authors need to take note on CC epilogue’s, she does them best, pretty much!
Fairy tale romance. Love those!
Heroine was sweet and steadfast! Hero was stubborn (wanted to hit him up side the head a few times 😬) but finally realized he had a gem of a wife.
The epilogue was absolute pure perfection! Authors need to take note on CC epilogue’s, she does them best, pretty much!
February 6, 2024
H was way too dumb.
August 3, 2026
Woukd have been perfect and was perfect until the asshole H right after *spoiler* their wedding night, believes the h isn't a virgin because she didn't bleed and was too passionate. And the idiotic H kept on believing this right until the end of the book. Really really frustrating
Also absolutely hated how he threatened her with exile on every 2nd argument!
Heroine held up the plot line solely on her back, she was the sweetest most gentle and very strong to go on like that and continue being kind and understanding
Also absolutely hated how he threatened her with exile on every 2nd argument!
Heroine held up the plot line solely on her back, she was the sweetest most gentle and very strong to go on like that and continue being kind and understanding
September 5, 2024
I appear to be in the minority in my rating, but I honestly thought this book was dreadful, by an author I normally like. This to me felt like a 1980's Harlequin where it did not matter how horribly the man treated the woman, it was all made better in the last few pages of the book and everything was forgiven. That just doesn't really work anymore. So much of the book was patterned around his borderline abuse with his threats to imprison her in a distant castle (eyeroll) and remove any children they might have from her at young ages, that I really didn't care later about whatever childhood issues he had that made him that way. Hurt people hurt people, blah blah blah. These days it doesn't come across as a badge of honor to tolerate that "because you love him" as much as it does a badge of idiocy. If I had to pick one small, redeeming feature that was obviously not enough to add a star, it would have been the interestingly crafted epilogue. Even that didn't end up being as enjoyable as it could have been because I really ended up loathing him. I saw some comments that they liked this book because it felt like a genuine fairy tale and I thought, yeah, like Charles and Di.
April 27, 2024
Tropes : arranged marriage, broody H, grumpy x sunshine, H with trust issue, ridiculous H
Ending : HEA
Triggers : d$ath of parents, mention of domestic abuse, mention of infidelity
Spice : 🌶️🌶️/5
Angst : 🔥🔥🔥/5
OM/OW drama : none
Intimacy details: virgin h, vanilla sex
Standalone/Series : standalone
Hero : Gianluca San Felice (30s)
Heroine: Helene Archibald (20s)
I wasn’t in the mood while I read this I guess, I zoned out a bit while reading this 😂.
Gianluca was ridiculously stupid and with a major trust issue. Understandable yes, since his deceased dad brainwashed him to the point that he distrusted women especially his own mother.
But it was comical to see him being hell bent on accusing Helene as a harlot just because she didn’t bleed when they first had sex. She was a virgin tho and not every virgin bleed, Luca. Hopefully men in real life know this.
The ending was okay, she was pregnant and they confessed their love. Overall it’s a short nice okay book to pass time.
Ending : HEA
Triggers : d$ath of parents, mention of domestic abuse, mention of infidelity
Spice : 🌶️🌶️/5
Angst : 🔥🔥🔥/5
OM/OW drama : none
Intimacy details: virgin h, vanilla sex
Standalone/Series : standalone
Hero : Gianluca San Felice (30s)
Heroine: Helene Archibald (20s)
I wasn’t in the mood while I read this I guess, I zoned out a bit while reading this 😂.
Gianluca was ridiculously stupid and with a major trust issue. Understandable yes, since his deceased dad brainwashed him to the point that he distrusted women especially his own mother.
But it was comical to see him being hell bent on accusing Helene as a harlot just because she didn’t bleed when they first had sex. She was a virgin tho and not every virgin bleed, Luca. Hopefully men in real life know this.
The ending was okay, she was pregnant and they confessed their love. Overall it’s a short nice okay book to pass time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2025
Helene & Gianluca.
It started off promising—love at first sight. And then the MMC immediately blew it. Irredeemably.
The mental gymnastics that got him there were ridiculous, the treatment of the FMC was terrible, the excuses for his behavior were ridiculous. Disciplined, intelligent, etc. etc. ruler or borderline-abusive hot mess? Por qué no los dos? Our male protagonist has to have hidden depths.
The FMC’s story line wasn’t better. After the MMC went off on her, she should have been like, “Oh, mask is off now. He’s terrible.” And any hint of attraction, etc. should have been snuffed out. Instead, because it’s a HP novel, she’s like, “well, I’m stuck here for life (unless this guy says otherwise), so the solution is to start boinking again and hope it works out. What? Bad even for HP,
Author mistakenly made the MMC too bad. Couldn’t be redeemed. Weak sauce.
It’s bad when you wish the FMC had ended up with someone else.
It started off promising—love at first sight. And then the MMC immediately blew it. Irredeemably.
The mental gymnastics that got him there were ridiculous, the treatment of the FMC was terrible, the excuses for his behavior were ridiculous. Disciplined, intelligent, etc. etc. ruler or borderline-abusive hot mess? Por qué no los dos? Our male protagonist has to have hidden depths.
The FMC’s story line wasn’t better. After the MMC went off on her, she should have been like, “Oh, mask is off now. He’s terrible.” And any hint of attraction, etc. should have been snuffed out. Instead, because it’s a HP novel, she’s like, “well, I’m stuck here for life (unless this guy says otherwise), so the solution is to start boinking again and hope it works out. What? Bad even for HP,
Author mistakenly made the MMC too bad. Couldn’t be redeemed. Weak sauce.
It’s bad when you wish the FMC had ended up with someone else.
April 1, 2024
The whole story was a Man Who Hates Women. Not very fun.
Shifting third person
Contemporary
Past tense
Fiammeta, europe.
Shifting third person
Contemporary
Past tense
Fiammeta, europe.
September 5, 2025
Książka z harlequinowej serii "Światowe Życie" przenosi czytelnika do Włoch. Historia zaczyna się od ślubu Helene Archibald z przystojnym, bardzo bogatym Gianlucą San Felice. Mariaż ten ma dać ludowi Fiammetti wspaniałą królową, a samemu Gianluce piękną, wierną żonę, która da mu dziedzica. Już podczas poszukiwań idealnej kandydatki okazało się, że to właśnie Helene jest tą wyjątkową kobietą. Jednym z warunków wstąpienia w związek małżeński miało być dziewictwo przyszłej królowej. Jednak w noc poślubną Gianluca odkrywa szokującą prawdę... Helene na pewno nie była dziewicą!
Jak potoczą się losy małżonków? Czy uda się ukryć przed ludem chłód w ich relacji? I czy Helene faktycznie oszukała Gianlucę? Odpowiedzi na te i inne pytania należy szukać w lekturze książki Caitlin Crews.
Ludzie! Cóż to za bzdurna fabuła... W głowie mi się nie mieści bezsens tej historii! Facet jest porażająco beznadziejnym przypadkiem sadysty i psychopaty z ciągotami do manipulacji, jeszcze w dodatku zrzucającym wszystkie winy tego świata na żonę nazywając ją manipulantką tylko dla tego, że czerpała przyjemność z ich pierwszej wspólnej nocy (no tak, wszak [cytuję] "rozpadła się jak supernowa"). Natomiast ona jest albo ślepa, albo głupia (patrząc na jej reakcje stawiałabym na to drugie), że w ogóle znosi to wszystko z takim spokojem, jeszcze twierdząc, że bezgranicznie go kocha.
Druga sprawa, to przeszłość głównego bohatera, jego durne przekonania, które mają podłoże w dzieciństwie oraz powody, dla których zachowuje się tak, a nie inaczej (zarówno w stosunku do swojej matki, jak teraz do żony). Totalnie nie kupuję tej historii...
Ponadto przez większość książki mamy "debilne rozkminy" czy była tą dziewicą, czy nie była. A jak już nasz bohater nie rozwodzi się nad tym, to próbuje dociec prawdy poprzez specjalne śledztwo, zagłębiając się w przeszłość świeżo poślubionej małżonki. Bo musi koniecznie dowieźć prawdziwości swojego nieprawdopodobnego odkrycia... Tak! To właśnie tak wygląda, jak brzmi. I tak - to jest taka właśnie książka...
I w efekcie - tak, jak Gianluca San Felice nie dowierza jak to się mogło wydarzyć, tak ja nie dowierzam, że można było napisać taki wkurzający bzdet, umieszczając w nim tak bzdurną intrygę i tworząc tak wkurzających bohaterów. Brak słów... Autorka powinna się wstydzić za tą książkę. Nie polecam, chyba że ktoś chce sobie podnieść ciśnienie...
Opinia opublikowana na moim blogu:
https://literackiepodrozebooki.blogsp...
Jak potoczą się losy małżonków? Czy uda się ukryć przed ludem chłód w ich relacji? I czy Helene faktycznie oszukała Gianlucę? Odpowiedzi na te i inne pytania należy szukać w lekturze książki Caitlin Crews.
Ludzie! Cóż to za bzdurna fabuła... W głowie mi się nie mieści bezsens tej historii! Facet jest porażająco beznadziejnym przypadkiem sadysty i psychopaty z ciągotami do manipulacji, jeszcze w dodatku zrzucającym wszystkie winy tego świata na żonę nazywając ją manipulantką tylko dla tego, że czerpała przyjemność z ich pierwszej wspólnej nocy (no tak, wszak [cytuję] "rozpadła się jak supernowa"). Natomiast ona jest albo ślepa, albo głupia (patrząc na jej reakcje stawiałabym na to drugie), że w ogóle znosi to wszystko z takim spokojem, jeszcze twierdząc, że bezgranicznie go kocha.
Druga sprawa, to przeszłość głównego bohatera, jego durne przekonania, które mają podłoże w dzieciństwie oraz powody, dla których zachowuje się tak, a nie inaczej (zarówno w stosunku do swojej matki, jak teraz do żony). Totalnie nie kupuję tej historii...
Ponadto przez większość książki mamy "debilne rozkminy" czy była tą dziewicą, czy nie była. A jak już nasz bohater nie rozwodzi się nad tym, to próbuje dociec prawdy poprzez specjalne śledztwo, zagłębiając się w przeszłość świeżo poślubionej małżonki. Bo musi koniecznie dowieźć prawdziwości swojego nieprawdopodobnego odkrycia... Tak! To właśnie tak wygląda, jak brzmi. I tak - to jest taka właśnie książka...
I w efekcie - tak, jak Gianluca San Felice nie dowierza jak to się mogło wydarzyć, tak ja nie dowierzam, że można było napisać taki wkurzający bzdet, umieszczając w nim tak bzdurną intrygę i tworząc tak wkurzających bohaterów. Brak słów... Autorka powinna się wstydzić za tą książkę. Nie polecam, chyba że ktoś chce sobie podnieść ciśnienie...
Opinia opublikowana na moim blogu:
https://literackiepodrozebooki.blogsp...
April 23, 2024
I liked it. Their connection was apparent from their first meeting (based on heroine's POV).
I really liked the heroine and how she handled things and treated the hero even with his accusations.
On a petty level, I might wish for her to make him pay and flirt with other men to make him jealous, be cold and of course leave him. However with her being Queen and the reality of her situation (possibly already being pregnant), how she handled things and him specifically was superb in my opinion.
The hero was ok considering who his father was, however he was so very messed up. He had memories of his father being horrible, but lied to himself so well and buried them and replaced them with what he wished was true somehow. I do not know what was going on with him psychologically exactly, but he was such a jerk to the heroine, she did not deserve it at all.
I liked that he was so drawn to heroine and couldn't stay away from her for long, no matter his demons. P.
** Not stated if he was celibate since their first meeting, I would think he was just for the fact he's so adverse to scandal.
I really liked the heroine and how she handled things and treated the hero even with his accusations.
On a petty level, I might wish for her to make him pay and flirt with other men to make him jealous, be cold and of course leave him. However with her being Queen and the reality of her situation (possibly already being pregnant), how she handled things and him specifically was superb in my opinion.
The hero was ok considering who his father was, however he was so very messed up. He had memories of his father being horrible, but lied to himself so well and buried them and replaced them with what he wished was true somehow. I do not know what was going on with him psychologically exactly, but he was such a jerk to the heroine, she did not deserve it at all.
I liked that he was so drawn to heroine and couldn't stay away from her for long, no matter his demons. P.
** Not stated if he was celibate since their first meeting, I would think he was just for the fact he's so adverse to scandal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2024
Quick Summary: A virgin and a king wed
My Review: Wedding Night in the King's Bed by Caitlin Crews was an okay read. With such a captivating title and such an interesting premise, I expected more. I was rather disappointed. The book ebbed and flowed. It never quite hit its stride, in my opinion. I found it to be disjointed and mediocre.
About the Book: A handsome, guarded, and somewhat controlling king with a distorted view of his upbringing seeks out a virgin to be his queen. He mistakenly assumes she is experienced after a wholly passionate wedding night. He brings the heat but also the ice into their relationship. She takes it...until something changes her approach in dealing with him. Before all becomes clear, he threatens to banish her.
My Final Say: This was a yea but no read for me. I did not love it, but I did not totally dislike it either.
Rating: 2.75/5
Recommend: +/-
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🤔
Cover: 👍 (5/5)
#libraryfind
My Review: Wedding Night in the King's Bed by Caitlin Crews was an okay read. With such a captivating title and such an interesting premise, I expected more. I was rather disappointed. The book ebbed and flowed. It never quite hit its stride, in my opinion. I found it to be disjointed and mediocre.
About the Book: A handsome, guarded, and somewhat controlling king with a distorted view of his upbringing seeks out a virgin to be his queen. He mistakenly assumes she is experienced after a wholly passionate wedding night. He brings the heat but also the ice into their relationship. She takes it...until something changes her approach in dealing with him. Before all becomes clear, he threatens to banish her.
My Final Say: This was a yea but no read for me. I did not love it, but I did not totally dislike it either.
Rating: 2.75/5
Recommend: +/-
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🤔
Cover: 👍 (5/5)
#libraryfind
September 18, 2024
Oh yes, this author knows how to give a good HEA! Surprisingly good. To take all of the psychological trauma in their past and weave it into the decisions and attitudes they had in present day made for a deeply poignant story. Yes, daddy and mommy issues, but not juvenile. This was a "grown up" fairy tale with emotions that saturated the story without being real angsty. I loved the heroine. The hero was portrayed in a light that your heart went out to him and at the same time repudiated him. Very classic indeed!
February 4, 2024
Another passionate and super emotional love story by CC. I adored this couple and the angst! Poor hero was so jealous and he really thought heroine had a past when in fact she was as pure as snow. The epilogue with their kids was so heartwarming and it brought tears to my eyes. CC writes the best epilogues ever! Other authors take note!
January 29, 2024
This author needs to get rid of all the sentences that start with and and use the second word in her sentence that goes after the word and. Also the sex scenes were only so/so bordering on fade to black
February 12, 2024
Helene is better than me because if my husband accused me of not being a virgin after a raunchy wedding night whereby he has taken said virginity I would have tackled him through the window, king or no king (!!!).
Anyhow something felt missing in this story, maybe too little grovelling-
Anyhow something felt missing in this story, maybe too little grovelling-
March 11, 2024
SEVEN KIDS?
March 26, 2024
4* for the h
H was quite stupid
H was quite stupid
October 31, 2024
Not a favorite
Want to Read
September 16, 2025I’ve heard this is very 1980s Harlequin-esque 👀
October 5, 2025
its my own fault. I saw that it was a harlequin novel and I still read it.
November 24, 2025
Kings are never wrong, this king needs to go to therapy.
March 17, 2024
Virginal Helene Archibald knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage. So, when her father declares she’ll be given to a king in a loveless union, she accepts it as fate.
But Helene is unprepared for King Gianluca San Felice, and the wildfire that awakens at the sight of him! She is undone by the craving that consumes them on their wedding night. But outside the royal bedchamber, Gianluca remains ice-cold—dare Helene believe their chemistry is enough to bring this powerful ruler to his knees?
But Helene is unprepared for King Gianluca San Felice, and the wildfire that awakens at the sight of him! She is undone by the craving that consumes them on their wedding night. But outside the royal bedchamber, Gianluca remains ice-cold—dare Helene believe their chemistry is enough to bring this powerful ruler to his knees?
September 5, 2024
I appear to be in the minority in my rating, but I honestly thought this book was dreadful, by an author I normally like. This to me felt like a 1980's Harlequin where it did not matter how horribly the man treated the woman, it was all made better in the last few pages of the book and everything was forgiven. That just doesn't really work anymore. So much of the book was patterned around his borderline abuse with his threats to imprison her in a distant castle (eyeroll) and remove any children they might have from her at young ages, that I really didn't care later about whatever childhood issues he had that made him that way. Hurt people hurt people, blah blah blah. These days it doesn't come across as a badge of honor to tolerate that "because you love him" as much as it does a badge of idiocy. If I had to pick one small, redeeming feature that was obviously not enough to add a star, it would have been the interestingly crafted epilogue. Even that didn't end up being as enjoyable as it could have been because I really ended up loathing him. I saw some comments that they liked this book because it felt like a genuine fairy tale and I thought, yeah, like Charles and Di.
February 6, 2024
FINALLY! This is what I want to see in an HP - a fairytale vibe, some angst and banter, irresistible passion, and betrayed feelings and confessions of love.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews