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Call of Duty #3
Pretender to the Throne
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.
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.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
33 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Maisey Yates
1,164 books3,001 followersNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.
She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
March 20, 2014
Maisey Yates takes the Beauty and the Beast story and twists it on its side with this book. Is the heroine the beast due to her unsightly scars, or is the gorgeous prince with his decadent lifestyle really the beast?
Disclaimer: I didn't put this review in spoiler tags, although there might be some borderline spoilerish elements. I endeavored not to give too much away, that wasn't necessary to expressing my thoughts of the book.
As I read this novel, it struck me that this is a very serious book. I didn't feel much levity, not that I always expect it, but it was noticeably lacking. Layna and Xander have some serious hurts in their past and their present situations. Xander went off the rails big time and the author wasn't afraid to keep it real in describing Xander's depredations. No Xander did it all in his checkered past (recent and distant). He was notoriously promiscuous to the degree that he doesn't even know how many women he's slept with (and doesn't even remember some of them), abused drugs, and was a hard drinker. In my mind I couldn't help wonder how healthy his liver is. I have alcoholics in my family on both sides, and through them I have seen the effects of long-term alcohol abuse on a person. I was glad that Layna doesn't let him off the hook when she agrees to marry him. She demands fidelity from him, and I was so glad that she required that he get STD tested. It was judicious, considering the circumstances. As for Layna's scarring, it's not just confined to a thin line that barely disfigures her face. She has significant scarring and the tabloids/newspapers say some truly awful things about her. That part was heartbreaking. I could completely understand her fears about going back to the public life she escaped from ten years ago. Going from a shallow, spoiled socialite with impeccable looks to a scarred woman in her near to mid-thirties who is marrying a good-looking future king would be heart-wrenching for any woman. Even with her training that vanity has no place in her life from the convent, that was difficult to weather. Although Xander is clearly the worse bargain, they make it seem like Xander is being altruistic in honoring his promises and marrying Layna.
Yates definitely brings the reality to what seems like a storyline straight out of the fairy tales. I can't say I would be eager to marry Xander with his abuses on his body (and it's not out of judgmentalism, but because you can't just click a finger and erase the effects of such a lifestyle from his body). And I think that it's clear that Xander has a ways to go before he breaks fifteen years of bad habits. I think this is evident when they are first intimate. Xander's lovemaking style while accomplished, does show a certain degree of selfishness and callousness about sex. He doesn't understand why Layna is conflicted about the experience, even though she enjoyed it. This is telling and I think realistic for a man who has spent fifteen years sleeping around with random women he meets as he frequents the casinos where he parties and makes his living gambling. I also liked how Xander's perception of Layna changes. He never thinks she's ugly, but he sees the scars through a harsher lens initially. As he falls in love with her, the scars become a part of her, and he loves the character of her features, because that's who she is. They cease to stand out to him.
Layna isn't portrayed as a perfectly good, pure woman either (other than what she appears to be on the surface). While she retired to a convent for ten years, her actions did have a certain degree of self-motivation. The convent was an escape, although she does realize how much she loves helping others and that her faith in God is real to her, in the process. At the root, it is running away, from the exposure she suffered as Xander's rejected fiance who was horribly scarred by an angry protestor, and also from her own emotional breakdown.
Yes, as I wrote earlier, this is a very serious book. Despite the fact that one would consider this storyline fertile ground for a dramatic, glossy style Harlequin Presents, there is a deep emotional core to this book that refuses to allow the reader to dismiss this book as a light read.
I gave this four stars because it was a intense, layered, well-written, and emotional novel, and I think that Yates handled this dicey subject matter very well.
Disclaimer: I didn't put this review in spoiler tags, although there might be some borderline spoilerish elements. I endeavored not to give too much away, that wasn't necessary to expressing my thoughts of the book.
As I read this novel, it struck me that this is a very serious book. I didn't feel much levity, not that I always expect it, but it was noticeably lacking. Layna and Xander have some serious hurts in their past and their present situations. Xander went off the rails big time and the author wasn't afraid to keep it real in describing Xander's depredations. No Xander did it all in his checkered past (recent and distant). He was notoriously promiscuous to the degree that he doesn't even know how many women he's slept with (and doesn't even remember some of them), abused drugs, and was a hard drinker. In my mind I couldn't help wonder how healthy his liver is. I have alcoholics in my family on both sides, and through them I have seen the effects of long-term alcohol abuse on a person. I was glad that Layna doesn't let him off the hook when she agrees to marry him. She demands fidelity from him, and I was so glad that she required that he get STD tested. It was judicious, considering the circumstances. As for Layna's scarring, it's not just confined to a thin line that barely disfigures her face. She has significant scarring and the tabloids/newspapers say some truly awful things about her. That part was heartbreaking. I could completely understand her fears about going back to the public life she escaped from ten years ago. Going from a shallow, spoiled socialite with impeccable looks to a scarred woman in her near to mid-thirties who is marrying a good-looking future king would be heart-wrenching for any woman. Even with her training that vanity has no place in her life from the convent, that was difficult to weather. Although Xander is clearly the worse bargain, they make it seem like Xander is being altruistic in honoring his promises and marrying Layna.
Yates definitely brings the reality to what seems like a storyline straight out of the fairy tales. I can't say I would be eager to marry Xander with his abuses on his body (and it's not out of judgmentalism, but because you can't just click a finger and erase the effects of such a lifestyle from his body). And I think that it's clear that Xander has a ways to go before he breaks fifteen years of bad habits. I think this is evident when they are first intimate. Xander's lovemaking style while accomplished, does show a certain degree of selfishness and callousness about sex. He doesn't understand why Layna is conflicted about the experience, even though she enjoyed it. This is telling and I think realistic for a man who has spent fifteen years sleeping around with random women he meets as he frequents the casinos where he parties and makes his living gambling. I also liked how Xander's perception of Layna changes. He never thinks she's ugly, but he sees the scars through a harsher lens initially. As he falls in love with her, the scars become a part of her, and he loves the character of her features, because that's who she is. They cease to stand out to him.
Layna isn't portrayed as a perfectly good, pure woman either (other than what she appears to be on the surface). While she retired to a convent for ten years, her actions did have a certain degree of self-motivation. The convent was an escape, although she does realize how much she loves helping others and that her faith in God is real to her, in the process. At the root, it is running away, from the exposure she suffered as Xander's rejected fiance who was horribly scarred by an angry protestor, and also from her own emotional breakdown.
Yes, as I wrote earlier, this is a very serious book. Despite the fact that one would consider this storyline fertile ground for a dramatic, glossy style Harlequin Presents, there is a deep emotional core to this book that refuses to allow the reader to dismiss this book as a light read.
I gave this four stars because it was a intense, layered, well-written, and emotional novel, and I think that Yates handled this dicey subject matter very well.
June 4, 2020
#RetoRita4 #RitaYates
1 Estrellita, y vaya inicio de mes de junio. Si tengo que describir este libro en una palabra es: malo. Malísimo, una historia sin ninguna pretensión, sin sustancia ni interés, y muy, muy inverosímil. La verdad es que no sé por qué elegí esta novela para el Reto Rita 4, salvo que tenía que leer un libro de ésta autora. Es lo primero que leo y me da que también lo último.
A ver, cuando coges una novela de harlequin, de Bianca, Jazmín, Julia, etc., sabes a lo que te expones, habrá excepciones, pero no es sinónimo de calidad, son novelillas para entretener y poco más.
¿Qué me ha pasado con este libro? Que no me lo he creído, no pasa gran cosa, y lo que pasa es tan rápido, que todo es precipitado, pero claro, estamos ante un librillo de apenas 150 páginas, no puede contar mucho más.
La historia ocurre en la ficticia isla de Kyonos, en Grecia. El protagonista, Xander Drakos es el príncipe heredero de la isla, su padre acaba de sufrir un ictus, y Xander, que lleva los últimos quince años de parranda por el mundo, emborrachándose en casinos y tirándose a cualquiera, vuelve a casa, tratando de expiar sus pecados, y borrar de un plumazo su trágico pasado.
Quince años atrás, Xander era el niño bonito, el mimado, el príncipe que lo tenía todo, pero una discusión acabó en accidente y con la muerte de su madre, Xander huyó del país dejándolo en la quiebra absoluta. Allí dejó a la prometida perfecta, la chica destinada a casarse con él, Layna, que en una revuelta acabó trágicamente herida y marcada para toda la vida.
Xander acaba de volver, dispuesto a reformar su vida y asentarse como futuro gobernante, pero para que su pueblo lo tome en serio necesita ayuda, y ésta ayuda sólo puede dársela Layna, la chica que fue educada exclusivamente para ser reina. ¿Y dónde encuentra Xander a Layna? En un convento.
Tras quedar desfigurada, la vida superficial de Layna ya no tenía sentido, acostumbrada a ser hermosa y adulada, Layna cayó en una profunda depresión en la que sólo la fe podía ayudarla, por eso ha pasado los últimos años de novicia en un convento, y antes de que pronuncie sus votos, Xander ha venido para llevársela.
¿Cuál es el problema del libro? Todo es rápido, forzado, inverosímil, y absurdo. No sólo Xander saca prácticamente a Layna contra su voluntad del convento. Quiere que con su presencia al lado, pueda mejorar la imagen de Xander sobre la atención pública, y cuando casi la obliga para que se casen, él la dice que no va a ser fiel en su matrimonio. A ver Xander, ya sabemos que Layna ha perdido su belleza, pero ¿de verdad tienes que ser tan capullo de soltarla eso? Por supuesto ésa es la principal cláusula que Layna no acepta, pese a su feo aspecto, Layna no quiere cuernos.
Del romance mejor no hablo, porque no he entendido en ningún momento el cambio radical de Xander, pasa de decirla abiertamente que no la quiere, a en la siguiente escena amarla y hacer todo lo posible por ser un esposo ejemplar y en el futuro un rey mejor. Ejem, no, eso no funciona.
Así que éste libro no me ha dicho nada de nada. Lo bueno de éste Reto Rita es leer autoras que no conocía antes y que me anima a abandonar a unas o a seguir a otras, en éste caso, no creo que vuelva a leer más de Maisey Yates.
1 Estrellita, y vaya inicio de mes de junio. Si tengo que describir este libro en una palabra es: malo. Malísimo, una historia sin ninguna pretensión, sin sustancia ni interés, y muy, muy inverosímil. La verdad es que no sé por qué elegí esta novela para el Reto Rita 4, salvo que tenía que leer un libro de ésta autora. Es lo primero que leo y me da que también lo último.
A ver, cuando coges una novela de harlequin, de Bianca, Jazmín, Julia, etc., sabes a lo que te expones, habrá excepciones, pero no es sinónimo de calidad, son novelillas para entretener y poco más.
¿Qué me ha pasado con este libro? Que no me lo he creído, no pasa gran cosa, y lo que pasa es tan rápido, que todo es precipitado, pero claro, estamos ante un librillo de apenas 150 páginas, no puede contar mucho más.
La historia ocurre en la ficticia isla de Kyonos, en Grecia. El protagonista, Xander Drakos es el príncipe heredero de la isla, su padre acaba de sufrir un ictus, y Xander, que lleva los últimos quince años de parranda por el mundo, emborrachándose en casinos y tirándose a cualquiera, vuelve a casa, tratando de expiar sus pecados, y borrar de un plumazo su trágico pasado.
Quince años atrás, Xander era el niño bonito, el mimado, el príncipe que lo tenía todo, pero una discusión acabó en accidente y con la muerte de su madre, Xander huyó del país dejándolo en la quiebra absoluta. Allí dejó a la prometida perfecta, la chica destinada a casarse con él, Layna, que en una revuelta acabó trágicamente herida y marcada para toda la vida.
Xander acaba de volver, dispuesto a reformar su vida y asentarse como futuro gobernante, pero para que su pueblo lo tome en serio necesita ayuda, y ésta ayuda sólo puede dársela Layna, la chica que fue educada exclusivamente para ser reina. ¿Y dónde encuentra Xander a Layna? En un convento.
Tras quedar desfigurada, la vida superficial de Layna ya no tenía sentido, acostumbrada a ser hermosa y adulada, Layna cayó en una profunda depresión en la que sólo la fe podía ayudarla, por eso ha pasado los últimos años de novicia en un convento, y antes de que pronuncie sus votos, Xander ha venido para llevársela.
¿Cuál es el problema del libro? Todo es rápido, forzado, inverosímil, y absurdo. No sólo Xander saca prácticamente a Layna contra su voluntad del convento. Quiere que con su presencia al lado, pueda mejorar la imagen de Xander sobre la atención pública, y cuando casi la obliga para que se casen, él la dice que no va a ser fiel en su matrimonio. A ver Xander, ya sabemos que Layna ha perdido su belleza, pero ¿de verdad tienes que ser tan capullo de soltarla eso? Por supuesto ésa es la principal cláusula que Layna no acepta, pese a su feo aspecto, Layna no quiere cuernos.
Del romance mejor no hablo, porque no he entendido en ningún momento el cambio radical de Xander, pasa de decirla abiertamente que no la quiere, a en la siguiente escena amarla y hacer todo lo posible por ser un esposo ejemplar y en el futuro un rey mejor. Ejem, no, eso no funciona.
Así que éste libro no me ha dicho nada de nada. Lo bueno de éste Reto Rita es leer autoras que no conocía antes y que me anima a abandonar a unas o a seguir a otras, en éste caso, no creo que vuelva a leer más de Maisey Yates.
February 4, 2021
"Pretender to the Throne" is the story of Layna and Xander.
Revulsion.
This book made me feel sick. I haven't felt this.. disgusted by a HQN book in forever.
Hero is literally a sewer rat. He is tired of responsibilities being the heir to the throne, so runs away abandoning the heroine, his fiancé. While he engages in sex, drugs and fun, she and the country face riots, death and mayhem while he drowns his worries away in pleasure. She is then traumatized by an acid attack, understandably goes into depression, choosing life in a convent over one of pain and shame.
Ten years later, the hero's selfish ass realizes he wants to be the king again so tracks down the heroine so his people will sympathize with him. Not only does he continually remind her of her imperfections, he is also VERY callous about her feelings. He then tries to propose to her to get some popularity, and instantly plans to cheat on her.
I REFUSE TO FINISH THIS BUT I WILL STILL RATE IT ONE STAR.
DISGUSTING. This is an abomination and no acid attack victim should ever read this.
Revulsion.
This book made me feel sick. I haven't felt this.. disgusted by a HQN book in forever.
Hero is literally a sewer rat. He is tired of responsibilities being the heir to the throne, so runs away abandoning the heroine, his fiancé. While he engages in sex, drugs and fun, she and the country face riots, death and mayhem while he drowns his worries away in pleasure. She is then traumatized by an acid attack, understandably goes into depression, choosing life in a convent over one of pain and shame.
Ten years later, the hero's selfish ass realizes he wants to be the king again so tracks down the heroine so his people will sympathize with him. Not only does he continually remind her of her imperfections, he is also VERY callous about her feelings. He then tries to propose to her to get some popularity, and instantly plans to cheat on her.
I REFUSE TO FINISH THIS BUT I WILL STILL RATE IT ONE STAR.
DISGUSTING. This is an abomination and no acid attack victim should ever read this.
February 23, 2014
This is Xander’s story and completes the Call of Duty trilogy. Crown Prince Xander left his home fifteen years ago under a cloud, he has spent every single one of those years in pain and although he never had the courage to end his life he had no regard for it, he took drugs, drank to excess and used sex to help him to forget. We know very early on that he left home because he blamed himself for the death of his mother as he was driving the car when they had the fatal accident, even worse both his father and brother also blamed him which was more than he could bear. Upon learning that his father is seriously ill and may die that he finally returns home, he knows that his abandoned country is not going to forgive him easily so he turns to Layna, the fiancée he left behind only to find that she has been suffering for the last fifteen years too due to an acid attack leaving one side of her face and neck badly scarred.
It isn’t until around two thirds of the story that we find out exactly why Xander felt so guilty about that fatal car accident and for killing his mother. Ms Yates’ timing of this information was perfect as I was beginning to dislike him a little for the way he spoke to and the way he sometimes treated her. Layna was a truly special person and I really really liked her. After all she had gone through she still decided to stand beside Xander and help restore the country’s faith in him, she helped him to have the courage to take on the role that he was born to have, yes at times she faltered, but after what she had gone through I do believe she was entitled to those wobbles, especially after the way the press was treating her.
Ms Yates did a fantastic job in delivering this story. More than anything I loved that she made Layna more ‘real’, instead of giving us a silly insipid heroine we got one that was loyal and strong but one who also had insecurities and made mistakes. I did sometimes worry that she was turning the reader against Xander and therefore making his actions difficult to forgive, but in usual style she turned that all around. I love reading about tortured heroes and heroines and I love plenty of angst in my Harlys, but I do still look for a well written story and that is why Ms Yates is an auto-buy author for me.
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley
It isn’t until around two thirds of the story that we find out exactly why Xander felt so guilty about that fatal car accident and for killing his mother. Ms Yates’ timing of this information was perfect as I was beginning to dislike him a little for the way he spoke to and the way he sometimes treated her. Layna was a truly special person and I really really liked her. After all she had gone through she still decided to stand beside Xander and help restore the country’s faith in him, she helped him to have the courage to take on the role that he was born to have, yes at times she faltered, but after what she had gone through I do believe she was entitled to those wobbles, especially after the way the press was treating her.
Ms Yates did a fantastic job in delivering this story. More than anything I loved that she made Layna more ‘real’, instead of giving us a silly insipid heroine we got one that was loyal and strong but one who also had insecurities and made mistakes. I did sometimes worry that she was turning the reader against Xander and therefore making his actions difficult to forgive, but in usual style she turned that all around. I love reading about tortured heroes and heroines and I love plenty of angst in my Harlys, but I do still look for a well written story and that is why Ms Yates is an auto-buy author for me.
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via Netgalley
March 11, 2016
Ay caramba. Our virgin princess is a sexual submissive. Kind of.
Let me back track. This is a beauty and the beast in reverse.
Our stalwart hero has been a worthless user and abuser for the past 15 years after a life-changing event back at the realm. Called back home because his father's in a coma; his brother and sister are ineligible to rule, he calls on his ex-fiancee who is the scarred victim of an acid attack.
The H is an unrepentant sensualist and hedonist and openly admits wanting a marriage of convenience with no fidelity in mind. Gulp. The virginal heroine is in an crystal prison of her own making: the acid attack and her scars have paralyzed her emotionally although they woke her up to her emotional shallowness from her previous life.
The heart of the story is how the two character grow, develop and learn to open themselves not just to what duty means but to emotion and ultimately to love.
The big shockeroo is Apparently, these two have not read the H rulebook about how virgins are to act and react. All in a little raw particularly for a Harlequin.
Angsty, roughly romantic, slightly irritating, but very well done. Not your grandmother's Harlequin pablum.
3.5 not quite a 4.
Let me back track. This is a beauty and the beast in reverse.
Our stalwart hero has been a worthless user and abuser for the past 15 years after a life-changing event back at the realm. Called back home because his father's in a coma; his brother and sister are ineligible to rule, he calls on his ex-fiancee who is the scarred victim of an acid attack.
The H is an unrepentant sensualist and hedonist and openly admits wanting a marriage of convenience with no fidelity in mind. Gulp. The virginal heroine is in an crystal prison of her own making: the acid attack and her scars have paralyzed her emotionally although they woke her up to her emotional shallowness from her previous life.
The heart of the story is how the two character grow, develop and learn to open themselves not just to what duty means but to emotion and ultimately to love.
The big shockeroo is Apparently, these two have not read the H rulebook about how virgins are to act and react. All in a little raw particularly for a Harlequin.
Angsty, roughly romantic, slightly irritating, but very well done. Not your grandmother's Harlequin pablum.
3.5 not quite a 4.
February 3, 2014
Xander Drakos is the ultimate bad boy. The playboy prince who must now claim his place on the throne. But with such a bad reputation only his ex fiancé Layna can help him restore his image in the eyes of his people.
When he returns home though he finds Layna living in a convent ready to take vows and become a nun and her once beautiful face badly scarred. Still he is determined to make her his bride but she can't forgive or forget how he once let her down and let him in again.
Fantastic book! Maisey Yates is the queen of Harlequin Presents. I love her characters. Xander is sex on legs, cocky and smug. A pure alpha male. Layna is a strong woman who was once a shallow, vain princess but after her accident she found a new purpose in life.
I loved that Xander was her first everything but I hated how she treated him towards the end. I wanted her to grovel more. I adored Xander's declaration of love and how he fought for her and never gave up on her. He definitely redeemed himself for his past mistakes. Swoon worthy hero!
When he returns home though he finds Layna living in a convent ready to take vows and become a nun and her once beautiful face badly scarred. Still he is determined to make her his bride but she can't forgive or forget how he once let her down and let him in again.
Fantastic book! Maisey Yates is the queen of Harlequin Presents. I love her characters. Xander is sex on legs, cocky and smug. A pure alpha male. Layna is a strong woman who was once a shallow, vain princess but after her accident she found a new purpose in life.
I loved that Xander was her first everything but I hated how she treated him towards the end. I wanted her to grovel more. I adored Xander's declaration of love and how he fought for her and never gave up on her. He definitely redeemed himself for his past mistakes. Swoon worthy hero!
February 4, 2014
This book made me cry before the end of chapter six and I had a tear in my eye right through the last chapter.
This was a very emotional read. I've been waiting for this story ever since I read the original Call of Duty duo about Eva and Mak and Stavros and Jessica, the younger brother and sister of Xander, our not so heroic hero.
Fifteen years ago he walked away from his family who were grieving the death of his mother. He also walked away from Layna, his young beautiful fiancée. In the aftermath of his leaving, chaos reigned in the small country and in the resulting violence, Layna is injured.
Now Xander is coming back. Not because he wants to but because Stavros has asked him to come. Stavros has no children of royal blood as his daughters are adopted. Eva is pregnant but her life is no longer bound up in the Drakos line but with her husband.
Little do they know how undeserving Xander is of the place he must take.
Xander is everything you do not want in your new king and even more so as a husband. He has spent the last fifteen years drowning his conscience and sense of duty in alcohol and an endless stream of meaningless sex.
Layna is hiding from the world in a convent, seeking a new life different from the one she was raised for, future Queen, a prospect she thinks is impossible.
Xander's disruptive return into her life triggers a whole lot of things Layna doesn't expect. As we see these two get to know each other again, recognise the changes the years have wrought, we go on an emotional journey with them to find what seems an unlikely happy ever after.
Maisey Yates does emotional well and specialises in scarred heroes and heroines. This book is not perfect in every way but it engaged me with it's portrayal of two very wounded people finding strength and true love in each other. And to me that makes it brilliant.
This was a very emotional read. I've been waiting for this story ever since I read the original Call of Duty duo about Eva and Mak and Stavros and Jessica, the younger brother and sister of Xander, our not so heroic hero.
Fifteen years ago he walked away from his family who were grieving the death of his mother. He also walked away from Layna, his young beautiful fiancée. In the aftermath of his leaving, chaos reigned in the small country and in the resulting violence, Layna is injured.
Now Xander is coming back. Not because he wants to but because Stavros has asked him to come. Stavros has no children of royal blood as his daughters are adopted. Eva is pregnant but her life is no longer bound up in the Drakos line but with her husband.
Little do they know how undeserving Xander is of the place he must take.
Xander is everything you do not want in your new king and even more so as a husband. He has spent the last fifteen years drowning his conscience and sense of duty in alcohol and an endless stream of meaningless sex.
Layna is hiding from the world in a convent, seeking a new life different from the one she was raised for, future Queen, a prospect she thinks is impossible.
Xander's disruptive return into her life triggers a whole lot of things Layna doesn't expect. As we see these two get to know each other again, recognise the changes the years have wrought, we go on an emotional journey with them to find what seems an unlikely happy ever after.
Maisey Yates does emotional well and specialises in scarred heroes and heroines. This book is not perfect in every way but it engaged me with it's portrayal of two very wounded people finding strength and true love in each other. And to me that makes it brilliant.
March 13, 2014
In general I enjoyed this book. It was a bit different in that the hero really hated himself and had pretty much wasted the last 15 years. The heroine was a badly scarred nun to be. Both of them were interesting characters and they had good chemistry together. He was not as ass to her however. He was pretty nice and showed that he needed and wanted her from the get go.
However, this book badly needed a fresh set of editing eyes. The time line was wonky. It was more than likely a rewrite where all of the affected passages did not get caught. Sloppy and it affected my enjoyment of the story.
However, this book badly needed a fresh set of editing eyes. The time line was wonky. It was more than likely a rewrite where all of the affected passages did not get caught. Sloppy and it affected my enjoyment of the story.
July 31, 2019
Xander Drakos returns home after fifteen years of exile to resolve a big royal problem, his father is in bad health so now he must claim his place on the throne but first he has to clear his image on the press of a egoistical playboy prince, to do that he seeks the help of the ex fiancé he abandoned in a most cruel manner, but Layne accepts to help him only for the seek of the throne for she would never, ever let him in her heart again nor would she so easily forget the hurt he caused her with his past attitudes.
In the aftermath of Xander leaving, a terrible act was done to Layne, and this act changed her life and how she saw herself for a long time, she was very hurt and didn't loved herself much.
This violence that was done to her left her scarred physically and emotionally, with only worsened when the press started being totally horrible to her and always calling her ugly.
They start to have reenkindled feelings toward each other, but as Layne don't believe Xander could care for her now that she had changed so much, he has to do everything he can to prove his love to her, to prove to her that she was special and good and yes, beautiful and the most important thing in the world to him and make her see that he has changed, that he was not the same man who broke her heart years ago.
This leads to a emotional story that was incredibly sweet and ends perfectly, the epilogue was very cute.
In the aftermath of Xander leaving, a terrible act was done to Layne, and this act changed her life and how she saw herself for a long time, she was very hurt and didn't loved herself much.
This violence that was done to her left her scarred physically and emotionally, with only worsened when the press started being totally horrible to her and always calling her ugly.
They start to have reenkindled feelings toward each other, but as Layne don't believe Xander could care for her now that she had changed so much, he has to do everything he can to prove his love to her, to prove to her that she was special and good and yes, beautiful and the most important thing in the world to him and make her see that he has changed, that he was not the same man who broke her heart years ago.
This leads to a emotional story that was incredibly sweet and ends perfectly, the epilogue was very cute.
May 16, 2014
I loved this book. I thought there were so many layers and the author really did a great job of describing human nature.
I loved both Xander and Layna. Xander was an extremely damaged individual but I loved his honesty more than anything. I would always choose honesty over beautiful lies, and so did Layna. She was also scarred both physically and emotionally and I also liked her honesty about the person she had been and the one she had become. I loved her strength!
This is such a wonderful book. It was another one that hooked me from the first page to the last.
I loved both Xander and Layna. Xander was an extremely damaged individual but I loved his honesty more than anything. I would always choose honesty over beautiful lies, and so did Layna. She was also scarred both physically and emotionally and I also liked her honesty about the person she had been and the one she had become. I loved her strength!
This is such a wonderful book. It was another one that hooked me from the first page to the last.
February 2, 2014
I didn't think Xander would be able to redeem himself with Layna... but GODDAMN he did it in is such a SPECTACULAR WAY that I freakin' LOVED HIM for it!!!!
July 5, 2014
Maisey Yates kalemini okudukça daha çok seviyorum. Yazarı epeydir okumamıştım. Bağlılık Yemini isimli hikayede iki yaralı ruhun hikayesi vardı.. Birinin yarası görünür yerde yüzünde iken diğerinin ki ise ruhunda idi. Kaybolmuş bir adam idi Prens Xander. Çok dokunaklı bir hikaye idi severek okudum..
March 18, 2014
Not one of my fav books by MY. Too much darkness for my liking.
March 20, 2014
No, no, no! Damn it, god freaking damn it all, no. You can't imagine how frustrated I am. Maisey Yates's Pretender To The Throne could have been the first Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern book to get two thumbs up from me. It could have converted me into the Church of Asshole-o-logy and make me write florid poetry about finding a hunky man who would verbally abuse me for life and treat me like crap in the name of true love. Alas, it's not meant to be. But I'll get to that after the obligatory synopsis.
Xander Drakos is the heir to the standard fictitious European kingdom that graces books like this every other month or so. Only, fifteen years ago, he blamed himself for the death of his mother, so he fled the coop to spend the rest of the time being an overgrown Justin Bieber of the Mediterranean utopia. Now, he decides to come back to Kyonos to become a prince again, As you can imagine, the media is not amused that the spoiled brat, who fled the coop and left the country's economy and political stability in tatters, thinks he can just walk back in to play the prince again.
Xander looks up his old fiancée, Layna Xenakos - it seems like everybody in this kingdom must have an "X" somewhere in their name - to find that she is now scarred from an acid attack during the political unrest that seized the kingdom. He feels guilty, but he's too manly to indulge in such nonsense. He'd ask Layna to marry him - sorry, did I say "ask"? I mean "get", because real men don't do sissy stuff like asking for permission - they tell women what to do, duh.
By marrying Layna, he can then tell the media that, see, that scarred dingbat that he took for granted and dumped when he went all "Ooh! I'm too torn up to bear the hurt! Need more sex! More drugs! See ya, everyone!" now takes him back again, which means that he's lovable. He also takes her back, even with her scars and all, so he's actually kind and chivalrous too!
Oh, and he tells Layna that she can expect him to boink other women ten seconds after the wedding night because, sorry dear, he's not capable of fidelity as he's all torn up over his mother's death so he can't help sticking his pee-pee into other women even after he's married.
Believe it or not, he's actually one of the more tolerable heroes I've come across in this line. He is - mostly - refreshingly free of Madonna/Whore complex - which means he's a huge step up from Juan Pablo Galavis. He is spoiled, self absorbed, and immature to a horrendous degree, but he is never deliberately cruel. He can be cruel, make no mistake, but it is rarely done intentionally to hurt her. Therefore, he's a nice change from most of the heroes of this line. I wouldn't sleep with him or - heaven forbid - marry him, but there's a lot about him that is a tall drink of water where this line is concerned. A big part of this is due to the author's handling of this guy. In many ways, Xander is a great damaged hero because he does have his charming moments. He is a nice balance of hurt and charisma, usually a potent combination that can be irresistible despite my better judgment.
But what makes this romance amazing is that the heroine knows what an asshole he is, and yet, even when she consents to take him back, I get it. I can understand why she does it, and I love the fact that the author manages to make Layna do this without having Layna turn into a brainless martyr. Layna throws back at Xander's face the fact that, by wanting her to marry him, he is forcing her to change her entire life and give up everything while he gives nothing back. And you know that? Screw that. She's not having any of that. He wants to marry her, then she has some rules that he has better follow. Of course, he doesn't, and she lets him do that because he's just so hot, but the fact that she is fully aware of his sixty degrees of self-absorption and refuses to become a victim of his baggage is something that I don't come across often in stories of this line. And it feels glorious to read pages 70 to 73.
The way the power shifts from Xander to Layna is not exactly my favorite kind of dynamic change, as it's basically "he boinks her, it feels great, and he's now putty" all over again, when I'd prefer the heroine to have a more active hand in flogging the nonsense out of the guy. Still, it's a beautiful emasculation of someone who deserves every bite of the humble pie. I almost have tears in my eyes.
So what is my issue with this book, you ask? Well, for one, Xander bleats the same song all the time that he becomes really boring fast. Seriously, his song doesn't change. "I killed my mother, so I need more sex and understanding as I keep being an asshole. Yes, I'm a jerk, but my mother died and it's my fault and I hate myself... so how about a shag, baby?" All the time. As a result, every scene with him and Layna see them going through and saying the same things over and over. I'm bored throughout a big chunk of this story because of the repetitive song and dance.
Also, it's ultimately hard to overlook the fact that Xander spent fifteen years shagging, drugging up, and drinking while letting his entire country go up in smoke, all because he's too much of a pathetic crybaby to deal. People suffered, even died during the riots that followed his decampment, and the repercussions were felt for a long time since. Xander's pain is insignificant compared to the widespread damage he inflicted on others dependent on him to man up and do his job, so to see him in the end going all happy again, baggage all thrown into the metaphorical sea, because he finally learns that his daddy loves him... the author is kidding me, right? I mean, seriously? Seriously? Xander fucked up, to put it bluntly - he fucked up to such a colossal degree that I don't know how the author can expect me to root for him because he has issues with his parents. I just can't.
At any rate, there are some beautifully subversive moments here, making me wonder whether Maisey Yates is secretly working for a competing Harlequin Mills & Boon imprint to sabotage the Modern line. Good for her. It's just too bad that she makes Xander such a broken record, for reasons that cannot compare to the collateral damage caused by his fifteen-year long crybaby melodrama.
Xander Drakos is the heir to the standard fictitious European kingdom that graces books like this every other month or so. Only, fifteen years ago, he blamed himself for the death of his mother, so he fled the coop to spend the rest of the time being an overgrown Justin Bieber of the Mediterranean utopia. Now, he decides to come back to Kyonos to become a prince again, As you can imagine, the media is not amused that the spoiled brat, who fled the coop and left the country's economy and political stability in tatters, thinks he can just walk back in to play the prince again.
Xander looks up his old fiancée, Layna Xenakos - it seems like everybody in this kingdom must have an "X" somewhere in their name - to find that she is now scarred from an acid attack during the political unrest that seized the kingdom. He feels guilty, but he's too manly to indulge in such nonsense. He'd ask Layna to marry him - sorry, did I say "ask"? I mean "get", because real men don't do sissy stuff like asking for permission - they tell women what to do, duh.
By marrying Layna, he can then tell the media that, see, that scarred dingbat that he took for granted and dumped when he went all "Ooh! I'm too torn up to bear the hurt! Need more sex! More drugs! See ya, everyone!" now takes him back again, which means that he's lovable. He also takes her back, even with her scars and all, so he's actually kind and chivalrous too!
Oh, and he tells Layna that she can expect him to boink other women ten seconds after the wedding night because, sorry dear, he's not capable of fidelity as he's all torn up over his mother's death so he can't help sticking his pee-pee into other women even after he's married.
Believe it or not, he's actually one of the more tolerable heroes I've come across in this line. He is - mostly - refreshingly free of Madonna/Whore complex - which means he's a huge step up from Juan Pablo Galavis. He is spoiled, self absorbed, and immature to a horrendous degree, but he is never deliberately cruel. He can be cruel, make no mistake, but it is rarely done intentionally to hurt her. Therefore, he's a nice change from most of the heroes of this line. I wouldn't sleep with him or - heaven forbid - marry him, but there's a lot about him that is a tall drink of water where this line is concerned. A big part of this is due to the author's handling of this guy. In many ways, Xander is a great damaged hero because he does have his charming moments. He is a nice balance of hurt and charisma, usually a potent combination that can be irresistible despite my better judgment.
But what makes this romance amazing is that the heroine knows what an asshole he is, and yet, even when she consents to take him back, I get it. I can understand why she does it, and I love the fact that the author manages to make Layna do this without having Layna turn into a brainless martyr. Layna throws back at Xander's face the fact that, by wanting her to marry him, he is forcing her to change her entire life and give up everything while he gives nothing back. And you know that? Screw that. She's not having any of that. He wants to marry her, then she has some rules that he has better follow. Of course, he doesn't, and she lets him do that because he's just so hot, but the fact that she is fully aware of his sixty degrees of self-absorption and refuses to become a victim of his baggage is something that I don't come across often in stories of this line. And it feels glorious to read pages 70 to 73.
The way the power shifts from Xander to Layna is not exactly my favorite kind of dynamic change, as it's basically "he boinks her, it feels great, and he's now putty" all over again, when I'd prefer the heroine to have a more active hand in flogging the nonsense out of the guy. Still, it's a beautiful emasculation of someone who deserves every bite of the humble pie. I almost have tears in my eyes.
So what is my issue with this book, you ask? Well, for one, Xander bleats the same song all the time that he becomes really boring fast. Seriously, his song doesn't change. "I killed my mother, so I need more sex and understanding as I keep being an asshole. Yes, I'm a jerk, but my mother died and it's my fault and I hate myself... so how about a shag, baby?" All the time. As a result, every scene with him and Layna see them going through and saying the same things over and over. I'm bored throughout a big chunk of this story because of the repetitive song and dance.
Also, it's ultimately hard to overlook the fact that Xander spent fifteen years shagging, drugging up, and drinking while letting his entire country go up in smoke, all because he's too much of a pathetic crybaby to deal. People suffered, even died during the riots that followed his decampment, and the repercussions were felt for a long time since. Xander's pain is insignificant compared to the widespread damage he inflicted on others dependent on him to man up and do his job, so to see him in the end going all happy again, baggage all thrown into the metaphorical sea, because he finally learns that his daddy loves him... the author is kidding me, right? I mean, seriously? Seriously? Xander fucked up, to put it bluntly - he fucked up to such a colossal degree that I don't know how the author can expect me to root for him because he has issues with his parents. I just can't.
At any rate, there are some beautifully subversive moments here, making me wonder whether Maisey Yates is secretly working for a competing Harlequin Mills & Boon imprint to sabotage the Modern line. Good for her. It's just too bad that she makes Xander such a broken record, for reasons that cannot compare to the collateral damage caused by his fifteen-year long crybaby melodrama.
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March 8, 2022Noooope. For this story to work, the hero has to be different. He is awful. “I’m in so much booze, women, and debauchery! Feel bad for me because I’m royal!” No sir. We hate you. Good bye. Skip.
March 8, 2014
the first time i read it i wasn't in the mood and just couldn't find any books i wanted to read. so i easily got bored until the chapter...one. i stopped. then i waited for the right mood to read it. and finally it came yesterday.
So, full with it, i read it from the very start. And boy, did you forget your time. so what i learned? you really can't underestimate your mood.
Our hero and heroine were a broken couple. they seemed beyond repair for all the things they'd done and felt. our prince was a perfect imperfect future king. you wouldn't want to have him as your king once you learned what he'd done for fifteen years. drugs (!!), drinking, gambling, and countless anonymously sex with lots of women (and did MY tell us fine, and repeatedly until it imprinted on my mind that our hero's an absolute man-whore, thank you). but that's just in appearance. inside, you looked at a young man that hurt beyond words and simply just made mistakes. and every young people do make mistakes.
he came back as a man, who wanted to right his wrong (at least he tried) even though he still wanted to run so bad until he met our broken heroine. Our heroine had been beautiful, but because of some angry mad man who threw acid to her face, she had a half broken face. and yes, she blamed him plus she wanted to suicide. and i wouldn't judge her for that, it made her more real. i mean, i even couldn't imagine the pain when your skin got burned. while our hero had scars inside, our heroine had them both outside and inside.
what i love was our hero accepted her as it is. he liked touch her face, he didn't even get disgusted to kiss her. well, i think that's lil bit unreal but since it's Romance it's okay. Very okay, in fact.
at first i despised our hero but as i knew him and his turmoil i found myself like him more and more until i wanted him have his happy ending. they're each imperfect but they're perfect as one. how i turned out loving them i didn't know, but i guess MY did herself a great job.
i loved the scene where they're made love and he confessed his love and the epilogue, of course (fifteen years later!)
i have three types of reaction after reading a book. if it's bad, it's "huh". if it's good it's 'wow' or *happy sigh*. and this one's one of the *happy sigh*'s.
So, full with it, i read it from the very start. And boy, did you forget your time. so what i learned? you really can't underestimate your mood.
Our hero and heroine were a broken couple. they seemed beyond repair for all the things they'd done and felt. our prince was a perfect imperfect future king. you wouldn't want to have him as your king once you learned what he'd done for fifteen years. drugs (!!), drinking, gambling, and countless anonymously sex with lots of women (and did MY tell us fine, and repeatedly until it imprinted on my mind that our hero's an absolute man-whore, thank you). but that's just in appearance. inside, you looked at a young man that hurt beyond words and simply just made mistakes. and every young people do make mistakes.
he came back as a man, who wanted to right his wrong (at least he tried) even though he still wanted to run so bad until he met our broken heroine. Our heroine had been beautiful, but because of some angry mad man who threw acid to her face, she had a half broken face. and yes, she blamed him plus she wanted to suicide. and i wouldn't judge her for that, it made her more real. i mean, i even couldn't imagine the pain when your skin got burned. while our hero had scars inside, our heroine had them both outside and inside.
what i love was our hero accepted her as it is. he liked touch her face, he didn't even get disgusted to kiss her. well, i think that's lil bit unreal but since it's Romance it's okay. Very okay, in fact.
at first i despised our hero but as i knew him and his turmoil i found myself like him more and more until i wanted him have his happy ending. they're each imperfect but they're perfect as one. how i turned out loving them i didn't know, but i guess MY did herself a great job.
i loved the scene where they're made love and he confessed his love and the epilogue, of course (fifteen years later!)
i have three types of reaction after reading a book. if it's bad, it's "huh". if it's good it's 'wow' or *happy sigh*. and this one's one of the *happy sigh*'s.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2014
#3 in the Call of Duty series. Xander Drakos, the prince who turned his back on his kingdom, giving his duty the big middle finger and skipping town. In his wake he leaves a destroyed queen to be, a nation in turmoil and his brother Stavros (from At His Majesty's request, book #2) picking up the pieces.
Many years later he's back and he quickly sets about reclaiming the throne with his jilted queen to be Layna. Xander was too busy drinking and gambling to keep up with the news in his country... he had absolutely no idea about Layna's fate when he walked away. Finding her in a nunnery is the last thing he expected, let alone how she now looks.
Somehow Xander convinces Layna to come back to the palace with him and support him winning his people back and taking the throne as their King. Whether it's throwing an engagement party, doing the rounds at a hospital or visiting his dying father, Xander feels like he's drowning, or being strangled - that is until he kisses Layna.
Xander and Layna are both damaged people and following their journey as a reader held me captured from page one. It's eventful, heartbreaking, humerous, emotional and wonderful all wrapped up into one delicious book.
I love Maisey's stories, they're filled with drama, tension, passion and witty conversation. They are in far away places and my imagination never has a problem jumping right in and joining the characters, in this case Xander and Layna.
Well worth the read on a sunny sunday afternoon.
I'm not sure why I didnt realise that Xander's little sister Eva had her own story so I'm off to look that up now.
Many years later he's back and he quickly sets about reclaiming the throne with his jilted queen to be Layna. Xander was too busy drinking and gambling to keep up with the news in his country... he had absolutely no idea about Layna's fate when he walked away. Finding her in a nunnery is the last thing he expected, let alone how she now looks.
Somehow Xander convinces Layna to come back to the palace with him and support him winning his people back and taking the throne as their King. Whether it's throwing an engagement party, doing the rounds at a hospital or visiting his dying father, Xander feels like he's drowning, or being strangled - that is until he kisses Layna.
Xander and Layna are both damaged people and following their journey as a reader held me captured from page one. It's eventful, heartbreaking, humerous, emotional and wonderful all wrapped up into one delicious book.
I love Maisey's stories, they're filled with drama, tension, passion and witty conversation. They are in far away places and my imagination never has a problem jumping right in and joining the characters, in this case Xander and Layna.
Well worth the read on a sunny sunday afternoon.
I'm not sure why I didnt realise that Xander's little sister Eva had her own story so I'm off to look that up now.
April 2, 2014
I love this new twist on Beauty and the Beast. This is the story of Alexander (Xander) Drakos and Layna Xenakos. A couple who was once engaged to be married and tragedy struck for Xander and he left leaving her, his family and country behind and soon after tragedy struck Layna, she is scarred for life.
Fifteen years later Xander is back to finally do his duty as crown prince to claim the throne but because of his past he needs Layna to help him. When he finds her in a convent she is not the same woman he left behind. All he knows is he needs her and what he wants he gets and he does she decides to do her duty and help him no matter the cost to her.
Xander was a notorious playboy with many vices trying to forget the secret that he carries with him. He could never find any happiness. Layna because of her scars and what happen to her she blames Xander but doesn't know if she can truly forgive him. But the pain that they both went through becomes the driving force that makes them both stronger and to find the love they both need. Xander redeem himself to me in all ways no matter his past.
I love that Xander saw pass Layna's scars to get to her heart. This is the first story I have read where the heroine is not beautiful.
Maisey Yates handles the tragedies very delicately she built up the suspense and keep my interest until the very end. Great Job!!!
This is a must read story and series.
Xander Rocks!!!
Fifteen years later Xander is back to finally do his duty as crown prince to claim the throne but because of his past he needs Layna to help him. When he finds her in a convent she is not the same woman he left behind. All he knows is he needs her and what he wants he gets and he does she decides to do her duty and help him no matter the cost to her.
Xander was a notorious playboy with many vices trying to forget the secret that he carries with him. He could never find any happiness. Layna because of her scars and what happen to her she blames Xander but doesn't know if she can truly forgive him. But the pain that they both went through becomes the driving force that makes them both stronger and to find the love they both need. Xander redeem himself to me in all ways no matter his past.
I love that Xander saw pass Layna's scars to get to her heart. This is the first story I have read where the heroine is not beautiful.
Maisey Yates handles the tragedies very delicately she built up the suspense and keep my interest until the very end. Great Job!!!
This is a must read story and series.
Xander Rocks!!!
January 3, 2018
I felt this one was a little anticlimactic considering the previous 2 and although i didn't hate it its not my fave Maisey Yates book. She does like her scarred h's and this one is no exception as our h was the victim of an acid attack. Our H on the other hand is one of the beautiful ones but past trauma made him run away from his home/fiancée/responsibilities and become a degenerate, drug taking, alcoholic, sex addict gambler! Yet hes not a totally hateful character he doesn't try to hide it and there is no OW angst to cause misunderstandings and the h doesn't seem to concerned as long as he is clean! This is the story of 2 shallow vain people who change because of past traumas to become better people and admit their lurve.
I did drop a star or 2 because of some storyline discrepencies. Having read all 3 of the books when in book 2 when Stavros is picking out Jessicas ring from the family stash he chooses his mothers old engagement ring. However in this book its explained that this is Laylas original engagement ring and when Zander is choosing from the vault this ring is still there to pick from. Maybe i'm nitpicking but i like my storylines to match up.
I did drop a star or 2 because of some storyline discrepencies. Having read all 3 of the books when in book 2 when Stavros is picking out Jessicas ring from the family stash he chooses his mothers old engagement ring. However in this book its explained that this is Laylas original engagement ring and when Zander is choosing from the vault this ring is still there to pick from. Maybe i'm nitpicking but i like my storylines to match up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2014
I loved this book. I thought there were so many layers and the author really did a great job of describing human nature.
I loved both Xander and Layna. Xander was an extremely damaged individual but I loved his honesty more than anything. I would always choose honesty over beautiful lies, and so did Layna. She was also scarred both physically and emotionally and I also liked her honesty about the person she had been and the one she had become. I loved her strength!
This is such a wonderful book. It was another one that hooked me from the first page to the last.
I loved both Xander and Layna. Xander was an extremely damaged individual but I loved his honesty more than anything. I would always choose honesty over beautiful lies, and so did Layna. She was also scarred both physically and emotionally and I also liked her honesty about the person she had been and the one she had become. I loved her strength!
This is such a wonderful book. It was another one that hooked me from the first page to the last.
May 5, 2014
4.5 stars! a bit repetitive and cheesy in some places...but overall, an unexpected deep read (considering it's hp) with an unusual h.
I still felt some things were left unresolved.
Overall, a good read!
I still felt some things were left unresolved.
Overall, a good read!
May 26, 2016
Dreary story, lackluster writing. I didn't like this couple.
March 1, 2014
4.5 stars, though very close to a 5 stars.
Ever since Maisey Yates had been planning to do a book about Xander, I couldn't wait to get my hands on in and read it because I was so interested in his story/background, but mainly why he had been about from home for 15 years even though he was the heir to the throne. And let me tell you it was worth the wait and I was not disappointed one little bit. It was just so good and so enjoyable. The concept and set up was very unique for a Presents that reminded me, at least in the beginning, of the Sound of Music with our heroine, Layna having been at the convent for ten years, but had yet to taken her vows because it wasn't her calling, but really the convent was meant to be her hiding place from the world because after an accident she was badly scarred on one side of her face due to an incident that happened as a result of unrest of the economy in Kyrnos and she wanted to hide so no one would see her face again especially after others called her names right after her surgery and she didn't want to deal with it. So there was a little element to Maria there with both women hiding in the convent, which they considered their safety net, but not really having their calling for nunhood. So that was the similarity to Sound of Music and it was even referenced in the book as well, which was just great and added a touch of humor to the book like Maisey Yates tries to do in all her books.
But the heart and soul of this story really was Xander, who just made the story. I loved him so much and was very swoon worthy. He was a bad boy, though he had his reasons of why he did what he did, but he was still just a great hero. Though he was very selfish, broken, and flawed, which just made him so much more human. He made questionable choices, which definitely weren't praise worthy. And you could call him a cad. He didn't he didn't make some healthy choice along the way like him doing drugs, having lots of sex with many partners, and drinking healthy, but despite all that I loved him anyway because I could see he wasn't just this entitled ass that had this lassiez faire attitude, but instead he was a hurt and broken man that needed healing. And I love absolutely love broken heroes that through meeting the right woman and falling in love they become healed and more full of love for the heroine that he can't live without. I love those kinds of stories. And Xander was really broken and hurt after events of the past that caused him to flee his homeland and stay away for fifteen years because he was so hurt and rock bottom.
And he had to deal with all that and come to terms with his past before he could move on with his life. He knew he had to change his life because he was living this empty existence beforehand where when he didn't indulge in his vices, which was all the time to forget about the hurt, then he would just feel so alone and empty and just at the bottom of the barrel and he didn't want to feel that way so he would go out and do more destructive behavior and the cycle would just continue until he was forced to change it and face it. And he had to confront his past when he came back to assume the role of heir so his brother and sister wouldn't have that burden to bare.
Despite being scarred emotionally, he definitely had a big heart and cared about his family and other around him even though he didn't know how to show it because he cut that side himself off because he thought if he cut off the emotions that he would cut off the pain of the past. But he showed many, many times with him coming back one example of how much he truly cared. And really he was never really a jerk. Arrogant, but not a jerk throughout the novel. He just didn't know how to deal with certain situations because he had been emotionally crippled for so long, but that didn't mean that he didn't care. And at times he was very sweet especially with Layna.
And speaking of Layna, who was also scarred though both physically and emotionally, he was just really sweet and lovely with her and wanted to protect her and keep her safe. I just loved them together. They worked so well as a couple because both had this massive baggage they had to deal with while kind of knowing what the other was going through because they were both hiding from their issues whether it was through vices or hiding at a convent. But basically what they were dealing with the same so they could really relate to one another and I absolutely love that because then they could understand one another and just what they ere going through. I just loved how their relationship worked and how it worked for both of them while healing them at the same time.
I thought Maisey Yates did a really good job of portraying their love story that was complex, emotional, and passionate. And there was a nice pace to their love story as well, which was nice. They had a history with them slated to marry one another 15 years ago so they had baggage there and she felt that he abandoned he when he left when she needed him most so they had to deal with that, and I just enjoyed the whole progression of their relationship. It was realistic because it wasn't so quick where they were immediately attracted to one another then they just go at it. In fact he wasn't even attracted to Layna at first partially because of her scars and not seeing the woman beneath. At first he even said no one would say she was beautiful. But then the more time they spent together the more attracted to her he became and didn't see her scars, but saw her for the woman herself and fell for that. And she had to get to know him and see beyond the bad boy playboy image that he showed to the world before she admitted to herself that she wanted him, though she was half way in love with him in the past, which didn't hurt matters. But I just really liked how their relationship was done with the build up and the tension and the actual getting to know someone before they gave into passion, which just made there relationship that much stronger.
And speaking of passions. Those love scenes were pretty scorching. Because it was just building and building to that moment. Their first intimate scene didn't happen until half way through. Which was great because not only were they anticipate what it would be like to be with one another, but I was as well. I wanted to see if they were going to be hot as it was anticipated. And it was. That cave scene, where I wasn't expecting them to be where they had their first time, was just very hot. Though that wasn't my favorite love scene from the two of them, it had to be the last one, which was more emotional than anything else which made it much more hotter as well as poignant. It was just a great emotional scene that showed that he wanted intimacy with her not just sex while she was afraid of those emotions and made her want to hide again, fearing that he would eventually leave her even though he declared his heart to her in that scene. I just loved that scene. It was so good. Just the feelings coming off the page was intense and I could feel it in my bones. It was just a great moment for the two of them.
Just the whole love story was great. It was loving and passionate, and I just loved the two of them together. And each had to deal with their demons and they both had deep entrenched issues, but with them having each other they were able to heal. It was very believable and was definitely a strength of this book. And I loved both of these broken characters who deserved love more than anyone. They needed some light in their dark tunnel and they got it. I just like the whole journey throughout the book, and everything worked so well together.
Also another thing I enjoyed was that this book filled in the gaps from the first two books when I was introduced to the missing brother/heir Xander, but knew little else of him except he left. It made me wonder why he ran away all those years ago and why hadn't he returned. What was so bad that he couldn't return? I wanted to know more about him and what he was doing all this time away. Was he really just this reckless playboy that was just avoiding his responsibilities? Or was there more than meet the eye? Of coarse there was, and this book provided all the answers and gave me a view of the vulnerable, broken, empty man that cut off all this emotions so he didn't feel. And I enjoyed learning about him and this book just like I enjoyed the first two book in this series.
Just one little note, I would have liked to seen a scene between Stavros and Xander near the end where the brothers make up because Stavros was very angry at Xander for having left all those years ago where Stavros mearly a teen himself had to take responsibilities that were Xander. So I would have liked to see them have a brother hug and have Stavros forgive him.
Other than that I really enjoyed this book. This book just reminds me why I am a Maisey Yates fan, who provides little twist and turns in the normal Harlequin Presents formula and does it flawlessly. It makes her stories unique and refreshing yet still has that Presents flavor to it with the Alpha males and great love stories. And she creates this great Alpha males that are totally broken and sometimes might seem redeemable, but totally shows that vulnerable, kind, great side to the males that I can't help but root for them. She has such a knack for creating these delicious males that deserve the passionate love stories that she gives them. And she writes the tense, anticipatory hot and steamy love scenes that up my temperature that I am practically fanning myself. She just does it so well. I just love her books so much. And I want all of them as soon as they come out. Maisey Yates creates another winner with this little gem. So bravo. Can't wait to read some more from her in the future.
Ever since Maisey Yates had been planning to do a book about Xander, I couldn't wait to get my hands on in and read it because I was so interested in his story/background, but mainly why he had been about from home for 15 years even though he was the heir to the throne. And let me tell you it was worth the wait and I was not disappointed one little bit. It was just so good and so enjoyable. The concept and set up was very unique for a Presents that reminded me, at least in the beginning, of the Sound of Music with our heroine, Layna having been at the convent for ten years, but had yet to taken her vows because it wasn't her calling, but really the convent was meant to be her hiding place from the world because after an accident she was badly scarred on one side of her face due to an incident that happened as a result of unrest of the economy in Kyrnos and she wanted to hide so no one would see her face again especially after others called her names right after her surgery and she didn't want to deal with it. So there was a little element to Maria there with both women hiding in the convent, which they considered their safety net, but not really having their calling for nunhood. So that was the similarity to Sound of Music and it was even referenced in the book as well, which was just great and added a touch of humor to the book like Maisey Yates tries to do in all her books.
But the heart and soul of this story really was Xander, who just made the story. I loved him so much and was very swoon worthy. He was a bad boy, though he had his reasons of why he did what he did, but he was still just a great hero. Though he was very selfish, broken, and flawed, which just made him so much more human. He made questionable choices, which definitely weren't praise worthy. And you could call him a cad. He didn't he didn't make some healthy choice along the way like him doing drugs, having lots of sex with many partners, and drinking healthy, but despite all that I loved him anyway because I could see he wasn't just this entitled ass that had this lassiez faire attitude, but instead he was a hurt and broken man that needed healing. And I love absolutely love broken heroes that through meeting the right woman and falling in love they become healed and more full of love for the heroine that he can't live without. I love those kinds of stories. And Xander was really broken and hurt after events of the past that caused him to flee his homeland and stay away for fifteen years because he was so hurt and rock bottom.
And he had to deal with all that and come to terms with his past before he could move on with his life. He knew he had to change his life because he was living this empty existence beforehand where when he didn't indulge in his vices, which was all the time to forget about the hurt, then he would just feel so alone and empty and just at the bottom of the barrel and he didn't want to feel that way so he would go out and do more destructive behavior and the cycle would just continue until he was forced to change it and face it. And he had to confront his past when he came back to assume the role of heir so his brother and sister wouldn't have that burden to bare.
Despite being scarred emotionally, he definitely had a big heart and cared about his family and other around him even though he didn't know how to show it because he cut that side himself off because he thought if he cut off the emotions that he would cut off the pain of the past. But he showed many, many times with him coming back one example of how much he truly cared. And really he was never really a jerk. Arrogant, but not a jerk throughout the novel. He just didn't know how to deal with certain situations because he had been emotionally crippled for so long, but that didn't mean that he didn't care. And at times he was very sweet especially with Layna.
And speaking of Layna, who was also scarred though both physically and emotionally, he was just really sweet and lovely with her and wanted to protect her and keep her safe. I just loved them together. They worked so well as a couple because both had this massive baggage they had to deal with while kind of knowing what the other was going through because they were both hiding from their issues whether it was through vices or hiding at a convent. But basically what they were dealing with the same so they could really relate to one another and I absolutely love that because then they could understand one another and just what they ere going through. I just loved how their relationship worked and how it worked for both of them while healing them at the same time.
I thought Maisey Yates did a really good job of portraying their love story that was complex, emotional, and passionate. And there was a nice pace to their love story as well, which was nice. They had a history with them slated to marry one another 15 years ago so they had baggage there and she felt that he abandoned he when he left when she needed him most so they had to deal with that, and I just enjoyed the whole progression of their relationship. It was realistic because it wasn't so quick where they were immediately attracted to one another then they just go at it. In fact he wasn't even attracted to Layna at first partially because of her scars and not seeing the woman beneath. At first he even said no one would say she was beautiful. But then the more time they spent together the more attracted to her he became and didn't see her scars, but saw her for the woman herself and fell for that. And she had to get to know him and see beyond the bad boy playboy image that he showed to the world before she admitted to herself that she wanted him, though she was half way in love with him in the past, which didn't hurt matters. But I just really liked how their relationship was done with the build up and the tension and the actual getting to know someone before they gave into passion, which just made there relationship that much stronger.
And speaking of passions. Those love scenes were pretty scorching. Because it was just building and building to that moment. Their first intimate scene didn't happen until half way through. Which was great because not only were they anticipate what it would be like to be with one another, but I was as well. I wanted to see if they were going to be hot as it was anticipated. And it was. That cave scene, where I wasn't expecting them to be where they had their first time, was just very hot. Though that wasn't my favorite love scene from the two of them, it had to be the last one, which was more emotional than anything else which made it much more hotter as well as poignant. It was just a great emotional scene that showed that he wanted intimacy with her not just sex while she was afraid of those emotions and made her want to hide again, fearing that he would eventually leave her even though he declared his heart to her in that scene. I just loved that scene. It was so good. Just the feelings coming off the page was intense and I could feel it in my bones. It was just a great moment for the two of them.
Just the whole love story was great. It was loving and passionate, and I just loved the two of them together. And each had to deal with their demons and they both had deep entrenched issues, but with them having each other they were able to heal. It was very believable and was definitely a strength of this book. And I loved both of these broken characters who deserved love more than anyone. They needed some light in their dark tunnel and they got it. I just like the whole journey throughout the book, and everything worked so well together.
Also another thing I enjoyed was that this book filled in the gaps from the first two books when I was introduced to the missing brother/heir Xander, but knew little else of him except he left. It made me wonder why he ran away all those years ago and why hadn't he returned. What was so bad that he couldn't return? I wanted to know more about him and what he was doing all this time away. Was he really just this reckless playboy that was just avoiding his responsibilities? Or was there more than meet the eye? Of coarse there was, and this book provided all the answers and gave me a view of the vulnerable, broken, empty man that cut off all this emotions so he didn't feel. And I enjoyed learning about him and this book just like I enjoyed the first two book in this series.
Just one little note, I would have liked to seen a scene between Stavros and Xander near the end where the brothers make up because Stavros was very angry at Xander for having left all those years ago where Stavros mearly a teen himself had to take responsibilities that were Xander. So I would have liked to see them have a brother hug and have Stavros forgive him.
Other than that I really enjoyed this book. This book just reminds me why I am a Maisey Yates fan, who provides little twist and turns in the normal Harlequin Presents formula and does it flawlessly. It makes her stories unique and refreshing yet still has that Presents flavor to it with the Alpha males and great love stories. And she creates this great Alpha males that are totally broken and sometimes might seem redeemable, but totally shows that vulnerable, kind, great side to the males that I can't help but root for them. She has such a knack for creating these delicious males that deserve the passionate love stories that she gives them. And she writes the tense, anticipatory hot and steamy love scenes that up my temperature that I am practically fanning myself. She just does it so well. I just love her books so much. And I want all of them as soon as they come out. Maisey Yates creates another winner with this little gem. So bravo. Can't wait to read some more from her in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2014
Due the title so common I did not expect a book so good, maybe the best one I've read by Maisey Yates; I was expecting a nice romance, light and exciting, because she writes very well and her books are always pleasant reading, but this story is so much more.
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.
Don't be fooled even by the plot.
The two protagonists of this book, Xander and Layna, are two wonderful characters as well as their story.
Xander after a tragic accident, in which his mother dies, escapes from everything and everyone, to try to forget the pain he feels. A beautiful young man, so lost, an heir to the throne, attempting to drown the memories of what happened with a life lived on the edge, always challenging his luck with abuse of alcohol, drugs, and spending his nights playing gambling and trying to forget the loneliness using sex, a lot of it, with beautiful women, and one night-stand.
After fifteen years he is still at the starting point and he must face what he left behind, so that the weight of his inheritance doesn't fall on the lives of his brother and sister, destroying what they have built up over the years.
Layna has faced an immense physical pain, but also her soul was devastated by what happened. Disfigured by the acid that someone launched against her, the beautiful and naive girl leaves the place to a woman who struggles to survive and avoid any kind of emotion that might undermine her precarious balance. She found her way in the novitiate, but this is just a shelter that allows her gradually to recover and face the challenge that Xander throws to her.
There are times of deep sorrow and sadness in this story, for both the protagonists.
Xander with his secrets hides scars perhaps heavier than physical ones of Layna, if it's possible.
What I loved in him is his attitude of constant challenge against Layna, he pulls oushaker from the shell, he goes beyond her appearance and manages to see her beauty, he treats her as a real woman, he feels a real passion for her and he try to protect her from people's wickedness.
Layna for her part has many fears, she constantly has to face evil and humiliation from everybody, but she endures everything, she wants to live, finally, the ice that has kept her for years in a suspended state melts, and she returns to feel. She wants to try to feel emotions, although this could destroy her.
An amazing story, really.
It is the final book of the trilogy Call of Duty, but you can also read alone and enjoy this beautiful love story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the book
Visto il titolo un po' comune non mi aspettavo un libro così bello, forse il migliore tra quelli che ho letto di Maisey Yates; mi aspettavo un romance carino, leggero e appassionante, perché questa autrice scrive molto bene e i suoi libri sono sempre letture piacevoli, ma questa storia è molto di più.
Un dovere del passato...
Dopo 15 anni di esilio autoimposto, il tormentato principe ribelle Xander Drakos deve varcare nuovamente i cancelli del Palazzo Reale e assumere il ruolo che ha abbandonato in passato.
Solo una donna è in grado di riabilitare il suo nome, la donna che ha lasciato andandosene via. Ma quando Xander trova Layna Xenakos, rimane inorridito nel vedere gli effetti causati dai tumulti della gente dopo la sua partenza dal Paese, che si mostrano con delle cicatrici presenti sul suo corpo.
Ma le cicatrici sono all'origine della sua forza e Layna si rifiuta di inchinarsi ai suoi ordini. Così Xander si vede costretto a dover ricorrere al suo fascino per convincerla a diventare la sua sposa, per rendere sicuro il suo posto sul trono.
Non lasciatevi ingannare nemmeno dalla trama.
I due protagonisti di questo libro, Xander e Layna, sono due personaggi stupendi, così come la loro storia.
Xander dopo un tragico incidente, nel quale muore la madre, fugge da tutto e da tutti, per tentare di dimenticare il dolore che prova. Un giovane bellissimo, un erede al trono, che tenta di affogare i ricordi di quello che è successo con una vita vissuta sempre al limite, sfida la sorte con abuso di alcol, droghe, e passa le sue nottate a giocare d'azzardo e tentando di dimenticare la solitudine buttandosi in avventure e incontri occasionali con donne bellissime, che durano il tempo di una notte.
Dopo quindici anni è ancora al punto di partenza e deve riaffrontare ciò che aveva abbandonato, per evitare che il peso della sua eredità ricada sulle vite del fratello e della sorella, distruggendo ciò che negli anni hanno faticosamente costruito.
Layna ha affrontato un dolore fisico immenso, ma anche il suo animo è stato devastato da ciò che le è successo. Sfigurata dall'acido che le hanno lanciato addosso, la ragazza bellissima e disincantata lascia posto a una donna che lotta per sopravvivere ed evitare ogni tipo di emozione che potrebbe minare il suo equilibrio precario. Cerca la sua via nel noviziato, ma questo è solo un rifugio, che le permette pian piano di riprendersi e affrontare la sfida che Xander le lancia.
Ci sono momenti di profondo dolore e tristezza in questo storia, per entrambi i protagonisti.
Xander con i suoi segreti nasconde ferite forse ancora più pesanti di quelle fisiche di Layna, se è possibile.
Quello che ho amato in lui è il suo atteggiamento di sfida costante nei confronti di Layna, la tira fuori dal suo guscio, va oltre il suo aspetto e riesce a vedere la sua bellezza, la tratta come una donna, prova una vera passione per lei e non le permette di lasciarsi schiacciare dalla cattiveria della gente.
Layna da parte sua ha molte paure, deve affrontare continuamente cattiverie e umiliazioni da parte di tutti, ma resiste e si concede di vivere, finalmente, di far sciogliere il ghiaccio che per anni l'ha mantenuta in uno stato sospeso, durante quale non si permetteva di provare emozioni e sentimenti. Ci prova, si mette in gioco, anche se questo la potrebbe distruggere.
Bello, veramente bello.
È il libro conclusivo della trilogia Call of Duty, ma si può leggere anche da solo e gustarsi questa bellissima storia d'amore.
Ringrazio Netgalley e la Harlequin per il libro
VOTO: 5 stelle
December 13, 2020
I really disliked the hero. Through his thoughts and news articles was revealed He was a man whore, selfish, drunkard who slept with multiple women at same time and he was quite proud of it. He planned on cheating on whoever he decided to marry. I didn't like heroine either, I get why she was the way she was because of what happened to her but she was so bitchy. P.
July 3, 2017
I love it when I am wrong about a book. The story line was so much better than expected!! Even though it was okay, I am not sure if I'd read the other two books. May be the bodyguard one but I have other books I'd rather read.
March 31, 2018
3 stars
May 18, 2019
Better than the first in the series, but the pacing was a little off for me.
March 30, 2020
surprisingly emotional
June 1, 2020
2.5 stars
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