Beachside Kisses With My Bodyguard

Hallmark Beach #1

by Kristin Canary

From the author of the bestselling California Dreamin' sweet romantic comedy series comes a new adventure in the small town of Hallmark Beach…

All I wanted to do was throw my brother a surprise early wedding.
As the prince of a small country, his wedding day has been eclipsed by pomp and circumstance—and he and his fiancée deserve more. So when I find myself in a charming small town on the coast of California, I decide to plan them the perfect royal wedding without all the cameras and expectations.

But as a princess, I can't be here alone.
So my brother sends along the country's top bodyguard—his best mate, Frederick. Who ALSO happens to be the man I'm completely mad about. Not that either of them know that.

Then, assumptions are made ...
That's right. The townspeople who are helping me plan the wedding assume that I'm the bride—and that Frederick's the groom. But it makes the perfect cover story. They'll never suspect it's actually Prince Topher's nuptials I'm planning. We can keep this royal wedding under wraps from the press.

A fake engagement is the perfect plan.
But I didn't quite think through how it would be to pretend with him. To hug him. To share a room with him. To kiss him. In fact, it's going to take all the mental and emotional strength I have to remember that this fake engagement to my brother's best friend ... isn't real. No matter how brilliantly we might fit together.

Perfect for fans of:
✔️flirtatious banter
✔️brother's best friend
✔️forbidden romance
✔️royalty romance
✔️fake engagements
✔️forced proximity

Beachside Kisses With My Bodyguard is Book 1 in the new Hallmark Beach small town sweet romantic comedy series, where a charming yet quirky town on the coast of California comes to life. Though Princess Chloe and Frederick first appeared in the California Dreamin' series, it's absolutely not necessary to have read those stories in order to enjoy this one. This dual-POV novel is filled with all the sizzling romantic tension and swoons possible without on-page intimacy.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Rom Com, Forced Proximity, Fake Dating, Fiction

326 pages, Paperback

Published October 11, 2023

About the author

Kristin is a thirty-something wife and boy mom who functions best on peach tea and cookie dough ice cream. She writes closed-door romantic comedies with lots of sizzle and spice but no explicit on-page content. A desert dweller, she always has her eye on the next trip to a beach somewhere--and if she can't travel there in person, then you'd better believe she's going to write about it. Kristin is never fully satisfied with a movie, TV show, or book without a hefty dose of romance in it, and she's grateful to be living a true-life love story with her own crazy little family. Connect with her at KristinCanary.com/freebook.

Reviews

[Laura Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! I have always been one to enjoy the royal trope and Kristin Canary delivered so much goodness in Beachside Kisses with her Bodyguard. This was an easy 5 star read with so much fun, sweet and swoony romance!

Chloe is a princess of Kentonia, a small fictional European country, who decides to head to Hallmark Beach to plan her brother, the future king's, surprise wedding. She also plans to take advantage of this time for some much needed freedom from everything that comes with her royal title. Although her brother doesn’t like the idea of her being at the beach alone he agrees to let her stay but sends his best friend and bodyguard, Freddy, there to protect her. Unknown to him, these two have had a secret crush on each other for years even though their romance is forbidden.

I fell in love with Hallmark Beach when we were first introduced to the town in Kristin Canary’s California Dreamin series so I was so excited to head back there for the start of this new series. It was the perfect town for Fredrick and Chloe to hide out to plan the wedding and fall in love. These two were so perfect together! I loved that despite their titles of royal princess and serious bodyguard they had such playful banter together and shared some silly moments. I like how spending that time together at the beach allowed them those moments to just be Chloe and Freddie for a while. The book reminded me that even with things like titles, family status, and obligations we are all human. Chloe was so real and had insecurities about her self- worth and wanted her life to mean something. She wanted her life to be filled with the things she was passionate about. With Freddy and Chloe’s undeniable chemistry and all the reasons they shouldn’t be together this one pulled on my heartstrings so many times and the rain kiss scene had me swooning for days!

Favorite Moments:

Nicknames: Muscles and Princess
Chloe helping Fredrick through his migraine.
“Sorry this is my first fake fiance gig.”
Fredrick telling the story of how he and Chloe met to their new friends.
The rain kiss!
The “Chloe Effect”
Burt! I just love him!
Chloe making real friends for the first time
The Bonus Epilogue - it's a must read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beachside Kisses with my Bodyguard is the first in the Hallmark Beach series, serving as a bridge between the author's previous California Dreamin' series. While it's not necessary to have read the first series in order to enjoy this one, myself having only read the final book in that series, you may find it helpful to have at least read that last one too, since characters and situations from that book are mentioned and FMC Chloe features as a prominent side character.

Beachside Kisses picks up where that series left off, with the girls traveling to Hallmark Beach, CA to plan the wedding of one of their friends. Princess Chloe of Kentonia stays on, with the idea of planning a secret wedding for her brother, the Prince, and his fiancée, ahead of their stuffy, official palace wedding. When her usual bodyguard has to suddenly leave for a family emergency, she is left unprotected, and her brother sends his personal bodyguard and best friend Frederick to protect her instead. Having long had feelings for each other but being "off limits" to each other due to differences in station, things really kick up a notch when the townsfolk naturally assume that the wedding Chloe is trying to plan is for her and Frederick. Lots of great tropes in this one, with brother's best friend, bodyguard/royalty, fake relationship, forced proximity and only one bed. I felt that this did a good job of wrapping up loose ends in the previous series, giving the last of those characters their happy ending, while introducing the new friends circle who will make up the new series.

💖 Thank you to Kristin Canary for a copy of Beachside Kisses With My Bodyguard to review.

[bookgirlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brothers best friend/ bodyguard/ mutual pining/ banter / fake engagement and many more amazing tropes all wrapped up in this book!
This is book is basically if a hallmark moive was a book !
-check it out if you want something fast & sweet yet deep with a message ♡

[LESLIE J (mrsj_readsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Kristin for my complimentary copy of Beachside Kisses. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book so much 😍 Chloe and Frederick are so perfect for each other. They just need to get over a few obstacles (Princess/Bodyguard) and they can have a wonderful life together.
Easier said than done. Communication is the key, and I will not dwell on that little blip.

Fake engagement is one of my favorite tropes and this one did not disappoint. When I finally reached “that scene” oh boy my heart did a flip and I was a goner.

I was so happy to return to Hallmark Beach and I wish it was a real place I could visit. The people are friendly and willing to help a total stranger. I can see how we will be visiting this town for the foreseeable future.

Kick back, grab a glass of wine (maybe a Cabernet) and a few things off the charcuterie board, and enjoy your time in Hallmark Beach.

Perfect if you enjoy
Sweet romance
Fake engagement
Princess/Bodyguard

[Emily Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beachside Kisses with My Bodyguard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Kristin Canary

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from Kristin Canary and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: All I wanted to do was throw my brother a surprise early wedding. As the prince of a small country, his wedding day has been eclipsed by pomp and circumstance—and he and his fiancée deserve more. So when I find myself in a charming small town on the coast of California, I decide to plan them the perfect royal wedding without all the cameras and expectations.

But as a princess, I can't be here alone. So my brother sends along the country's top bodyguard—his best mate, Frederick. Who ALSO happens to be the man I'm completely mad about. Not that either of them know that. Then, assumptions are made … That's right. The townspeople who are helping me plan the wedding assume that I'm the bride—and that Frederick's the groom. But it makes the perfect cover story. They'll never suspect it's actually Prince Topher's nuptials I'm planning. We can keep this royal wedding under wraps from the press. A fake engagement is the perfect plan. But I didn't quite think through how it would be to pretend with him. To hug him. To share a room with him. To kiss him. In fact, it's going to take all the mental and emotional strength I have to remember that this fake engagement to my brother's best friend ... isn't real. No matter how brilliantly we might fit together.

My Thoughts: This is the first book in the Hallmark Beach Small Town Romance series. It was quite the opener. Our characters first make their appearance in the prior series, California Dreamin’ Series, but you do not need to read the prior series to pick up here. It can be read as a standalone. Royal weddings are extremely formal and are never for the couple. So Princess Chloe wants her brother to have a special pre-wedding to Lauren, just for them. When her brother sends a bodyguard to protect her, it happens to be the one person she has secretly pined for. People make assumptions that she is planning her own wedding, and she goes with it for anonymity for her brother. This follows the tropes of brother’s best friend, royalty romance, fake engagement, and forced proximity.

The story follows a dual narration by Chloe and Frederick. Chloe is fiercely opinionated, she hasn’t decided what she wants to do with her life, and has a presumed false reputation. Frederick comes from a family of serving the crown, has high family expectations, and is not happy with what his is doing and he is very sexy. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, flirtatious, chemistry, and intriguing. I absolutely adored the nicknames of “Muscles” and “Princess,” so heartwarming. The rain kiss was epic and the “Chloe Charm” is an absolute gem. Lucy was such a gem as a supporting character, you really got to see a lot of her throughout this story, making my heart pine for her in the next book. The push and pull between Chloe and Frederick and the angst tension built up made the book just fly by. The author’s writing style was complex, heartwarming, funny, swoon-worthy, sweet, and brilliant. The author does an amazing job at detailing Hallmark Beach, so much so, that I could envision it in my head and even see the beach. If this was a place, even though I do not care for the beach, I would absolutely visit!

This is a heartwarming, sweet, closed door romance with kissing only. I love Canary’s writing style and she is one of my favorite indie authors. It was interesting to see a glimpse into the royal life. I loved this book and excited for Lucy and Blake to have their story next. I always make sure I scroll through every page, at the end was a link to the bonus epilogue and it was EVERYTHING! I would highly recommend this book and the prior series. You will not be disappointed for your time at Hallmark Beach. If you love sweet romance or a Princess & Bodyguard story, you will love this. All very reminiscent of a Hallmark Movie.

[Alysha (For The Love of Christian Fiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forced proximity. Fake engagement. Bodyguard/princess. Brother’s best friend. So many great troupes all wrapped into an adorable, yet heartfelt book!

I really enjoyed this story! It was my first of Kristin’s books, but I definitely plan to read this whole series and read her previous series. She had me smiling, laughing, and swooning in one breath then making me emotional in the next.

This story had so much heart to it! With people who weren’t supposed to have feelings for each other, but really knew each other the best! Their heartfelt conversations were one of my favorite things!!

Chloe was sunshine and bubbles! She had an easiness about her that really made it so easy for her to just become a member of the Hallmark Beach family.

Frederick was stoic and strong, trying to be everything for everyone. He did it well, but seeing him finally live for HIMSELF…LOVED!

I loved that they believed in EACH OTHER! And their journey to realizing they don’t need to live for OTHER people or opinions was heartwarming.

I do definitely wish I had read the California Dreamin’ series first! I think I would’ve had a deeper connection to Chloe, Frederick, Topher, & Lauren. But! I think this was a great way to get introduced to Hallmark Beach, and queue up California Dreamin’ in my TBR so I can get to meet all the wonderful people who made cameos in this book.

4.25/5 stars

*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*

[Tricia Anson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe and Fredrick—such fun royal, forbidden love, brother’s best friend, mutual pining, forced proximity goodness!

Things I Loved:
-Franny 😂
-Holy abs, Batman!
-The Chloe Effect
-3 am magic
-“It’s not the words or the way you said it. It was your heart. You saw me, and I can’t ever thank you enough for that.”
-“Yes, sir. Frederick Shaw is most certainly a man of his word.” 😉
-Lucy
-“Friends confess when they’ve done something wrong. And friends forgive those friends for their mistakes. So, see? We’re friends.”
-“‘Happiness, I’m discovering, isn’t in what we do. It’s in who we are with. It’s not in where we live, but where we belong.’ He pauses. ‘And the short of it is, I will always belong with you. I knew it twelve years ago and I know it now. You really are it for me.’”

The push and pull of Chloe and Fredrick both secretly adoring one another but having so much standing in their way made for some deliciously painful almost kisses, great chemistry, and the happiest of HEAs in the end.

All of the Easter eggs from the California Dreamin’ series were so great—getting the wedding and peeks from old characters was the best, but you definitely don’t have to have read the previous series to fully enjoy this start to a new one. I am very much looking forward to everything that is to come in the small town of Hallmark Beach!

[Ashlee (bookswithnopictures) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracking open that cover, I had visions of Princess Diaries and The Prince & Me - both films I adored as a teen. With zero grasp on reality, I was ready for this read and it did not fail me.
Chloe has been hanging out with her brother's fiancée in good ole Southern California. As a European princess, she surprisingly has next to no responsibilities and is only known for partying and setting the tone in fashion. Watching her brother and his intended stress about their upcoming nuptials inspires Chloe to host a secret small town beachside wedding. Unsurprisingly, her brother sends a new bodyguard. The surprise? It's his best friend and her long-time unrequited crush, Freddie.
The setting is quaint and returning home to California through books always brings me joy. This romance is sweet and Freddie is such a lovely reserved cinnamon roll to counteract Chloe's vivacious personality.
Thank you to the author for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an ebook!

CHARMED.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM

I love bodyguard romances, but rarely find any that I’m intrigued to pick up. I loved the way the trope was used here and Chloe and Frederick were insanely sweet and I couldn’t get enough of the mutual pining.

While the third act did make me a little cranky (I’m never a fan of, I’m doing this for you, without actually listening to the other person). BUT. I will say the way it was handled after made me moderately less cranky. There were some good and very needed conversations that I loved seeing.

The small town was sweet, everything you expect in a cute beachside town. I loved the fake dating and wedding planning and the late night conversations. The unrequited nature of the whole book was a vibe I was loving. This was just a charming read that put a smile on my face.

This was my first book by the author and I have plans to read more!

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a sibling (recounted)

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe and Frederick were absolutely delightful! The cast of Hallmark Beach characters also gave the book such a cozy small town ambience. I loved how sweet, protective, and respectful Frederick was to Chloe and how much he cared for her and wanted what was best for her. Chloe also encouraged Frederick to pursue his dreams and didn’t want to beg or accept disrespect from a man. Their relationship was built on a beautiful foundation of friendship and love for each other. Thank you to the author for my ARC; all opinions are mine.

[Modern Miss Granger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!!!! Absolutely delightful, full review to come.

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

How cute is this story! I received a complimentary copy but these are my own thoughts. And I have thoughts. I’ve read a few other books by this author and recognized a few characters who show up in this story. It stands alone, but now I need to go back and stick their stories with this one. So mission accomplished author!

Frederick is a royal bodyguard and is asked to watch over Chloe. Not a problem. He’s been secretly “watching” her for years. Not in a creepy way! Sheesh, this is a romcom after all. More like a I can’t be with you because of the obvious social standings and I feel a sense of responsibility kind of way. Which the reader will clearly disagree with because we want a HEA.

Chloe would have to be incapable of communication to not be in love with her bodyguard. Heck, I’m in love with him. As she plans her brother’s surprise wedding she makes new friends and really finds herself. I loved her cheery attitude even though she was trying to navigate her own emotions.

What’s not to love about a royal trope? There is a fake engagement (you’ll need a fan), good friends to wear a crown or not with, and flirty banter that gives all the feels, and learning to deal with grief and disappointment.

Can Chloe and Freddy find love when their worlds are so far apart? Or will they each suffer in silence and keep their lonely heart.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one felt like Kristin Canary took all of my favorite tropes and smushed them together to create this MASTERPIECE. And yes, she’s a closed door romcom author, and she does it so beautifully.

TROPES WE GET:
Brother’s Best Friend
Forbidden Romance
Body Guard & Princess
Forced Proximity
Small Town
Fake Engagement

This follows Chloe, a princess for a small country around England, and Frederick is her brother’s best friend (the future king) and his body guard. Chloe is in the states and wants to help plan a surprise little wedding ceremony for her brother and soon-to-be sister in law so that it’s everything they want. But without exposing herself or her family to the small town, Hallmark Beach, she lies and says it’s her and her emergency body guard, Frederick.

Can they plan a wedding in under 2 weeks?! My gut says Chloe can do whatever she puts her mind to. But also, can we talk about that cake tasting scene? My heart EXPLODED.

A huge thank you to Kristin for the e-ARC, as well as gifted physical copy of the book!

[Megan Crofton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I wait so long to read this book?! I absolutely loved it! So well-written and had the fun, the laughs, the tension, the romance, and the depth that makes for a wonderful rom com in my opinion.

What at intriguing start, so many things I couldn't wait to see unfold. I always love when a book does that because it keeps me coming back for more. Some of the best tropes mixed in to one story, yes please! Loved the fake relationship and the tension it created between Frederick and Chloe. The added tension of their secret crushes was so great and created some fun flirtiness for the sake of the fake engagement. Add in some brother's best friend and bodyguard and wow, you've got yourself a lot of swoon! Frederick was a wonderful protective hero and I love Chloe's spirit and determination. Seeing him open up to her was adorable and I loved watching her settle in to who she was. There was never a dull moment with these two and I'll all for it.

Hallmark Beach is a fantastic setting and I love all the people there and the friend group Chloe and Frederick are now a part of. The set up all the characters was done well and it makes me want to come back to read their stories as well.

Canary did a wonderful job of creating an emotional roller coaster... swoon, shock, laughter, and so much more! I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of this series and read more.

[Berly · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book is the beginning book in a new series, it features characters that were introduced to readers in The California Dreamin' series. It isn't necessary to have read that first, but it does add to the enjoyment of this story to have some of that back story, especially Saving the Secret Prince.

Anyway, whether you've read any previous books or not, this one is great. I loved the chemistry between Chloe and Fredrick. Prior to reading this, I'd listened to a historical romance with heavier themes. I really needed a fun, light romcom. This was perfect.

I'm definitely a sucker for royalty tropes. So I was super excited to see that the princess got her own story! And Fredrick... Swoony Freddy!

I was gifted an advanced copy of this book by the author. I'm happy to leave an honest review.

[Rachel Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beachside Kisses with My Bodyguard is an exciting start to author Kristin Canary's new Hallmark Beach book series! I applaud Canary for branching out and writing this book from the dual perspective of Princess Chloe and her bodyguard Frederick. The two characters have a lot to work through individually and as a couple throughout the book, but the ending is super satisfying! Something I think is tricky about the bodyguard romance trope is that there is inevitably a struggle between duty and heart, which can be really difficult to execute well. Frederick is Chloe's bodyguard, so his number one priority has to be to keep her safe, but guess what? He's also her big brother's best friend, so things get sticky pretty quick!

I give this book four stars because I think it's a solid introduction to a new series and I love how it connects to the previous one. I would recommend keeping a sheet of paper to tally all the new characters and their names and relationships to each other, because that does get confusing simply because of how many there are to remember. I also think I was looking for a little more show than tell in the early stages of Chloe and Frederick's relationship, but the dual perspective replaced some of those elements. Overall, I am looking forward to continuing this series in Hallmark Beach and seeing how Chloe and Frederick's story develops on the sidelines of their neighbors' books!

I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good princess story and I’m a sucker for the trope. This was aces. Chloe and Freddy were fun to read about especially since they are actually already in love with each other when the book starts. It was all about the logistics, how and where could their fairytale ending come to be.
I couldn’t help but love the little town they were in and all the new characters introduced for this new series. It was a fun fast read with laughable and swoony moments plus a great HEA.
Rating: G, clean, just kissing

[Suzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, swoony, and heartwarming romance. The blend of different tropes worked so well together - princess in hiding and her bodyguard, fake dating/engagement, forced proximity, forbidden love, and brother’s best friend.

I really like Kristin’s writing style. Her stories are always engaging, well written, and nice clean reads.

Beachside Kisses with my Bodyguard is the first book in the Hallmark Beach series, and I can’t wait for Lucy and Blake’s story!

Many thanks to the author for an eARC!

[Kim Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this cute royal romance, brother’s best friend, forbidden love, fake dating love story! I loved how down to earth Chloe was for being a princess from a royal family. And I loved Frederick aka Muscles, too! He was so strong and protective and yet so sweet and caring! I loved the history between Chloe and Freddy and watching their relationship grow into their HEA!

[❄️Olivia❄️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was literally soo good I STILL AM KICKING MY FEET FROM THE DIALOGUE

Character Development: ON POINT
Witty Banter: on point
Touch her and you Die: ON POINT!!!!!!!!!
One Room trope: YASSSS


BONUS POINTS FOR BEING CLEANNNNN

100/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time, we're heading to Hallmark Beach as we read and share the first novel in the new series...much love to the author for the chance to be a part of the ARC team! I loved the setting. I loved the characters. I loved how the Princess was so much more than just royalty, even when many kept trying to label her for past mistakes. I loved that she was eventually able to put that behind her, and discover what she truly wanted in both love and life so that following her dreams was simply the next most logical step, even if she did have to sort out exactly what they were in order to take that step. I loved our fearless Muscles (obvious nickname, but cute nonetheless!), and his noble desire to keep HIS desire off the table, and under lock and key. The back and forth between them was a little torture, but sweet and as it eventually leads to a HEA that we readers love with all our hearts; it was totally worth it. The other story line running through it, regarding her brother's "normal" wedding, was a spectacular way to keep things moving along, build a little tension, and also capitalize on creating a memorable setting with notable side characters that (if rumors are true) will be getting their own stories in the future!


*ecopy received for review; opinions are my own

[Mo-Shari Geil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the book overall! My only kinda complaint is the 3rd act break up. Other than that, I really loved the dual point of view, cute narratives and slow burn!

[erica.reads.a.lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect royal romance!

4.5 I’ve been looking forward to Chloe‘s story since I read Needing The Next-Door Neighbor. It did not disappoint! I loved seeing Chloe and Frederick finally come together after so many years of mutual secret pining. They don’t need each other to show them how much they have to offer, but their support of each other gives them the encouragement to explore a different life than the one they were born into.

This is sweet/clean.

[Leah Pline · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay this book was actually wayyy cuter than i could have hoped for! such a cutie little love story. the characters were so fun and loved the growth you get to see in them! still very cheesy but honestly would recommend.

[April | Aprilsbooknook_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe is the princess of a small European country called Kentonia. While visiting the States with her brother's fiancee, she falls in love with Hallmark beach.

Frederick is her brother's bodyguard, who is currently on loan to her. Chloe has had a crush on him since they first met but he is completely off limits... Right?

Guysssss. This book was so. much. fun. We have fake dating, he falls first... Except HES ALWAYS HAD FEELINGS FOR HER. Are you kidding. My favorite moment of the book was the closed door equivalent of "touch her and d!e"...

“Touch her again, and we’re going to have a problem, mate.”

*swoon*

But in all seriousness, the connection between F+C was everything. He was so attentive and the way they both wanted to know absolutely everything about the other. Their willingness to make sacrifices and compromise.

Ugh my heart exploded when Topher & Freddy had their talk. Literally EXPLODED. 🥹🤌🏻

I ALSO love that we got to spend some time with our friends from the California Dreamin' series too. I missed them 🥹🤍

Honestly, I could go on and on-- I couldn't recommend this book more. You absolutely do not need to read the California Dreamin' series prior to this book BUT it does make it super fun since they all make a little cameo.

I have adored @kristincanaryauthor books from the very beginning with "Loving the ladies man". and I cannot wait to see what she does with this series. I also feel incredibly honored that she named a character after me. 🥹 Stay tuned-- Aprils story is coming ... Eventually 🤭✨

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

It was such a fun, lighthearted, unbelievably adorable read. I love that it was not only Chloe and Frederick's story but a story of friendships, loyalty, family, and finding what makes you come alive. Kristin Canary did an amazing job as always.

I couldn't get enough of the Chloe and her charismatic energy. I definitely felt like she used the Chloe effect on me. Frederick's fierce loyalty and protective side had me swooning. The love between the two was hard to miss.

I wished for some more stolen moments or heart-felt talks between the two. Their chemistry was just so genuine and fun. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful read, and I simply adored it.

Definitely recommend giving it a read!!!

- over.booked.mom

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Frederick & Chloe's protective, sweet, caring, loving, swoony story!!!

Thank you for the ARC. These thoughts are my own.

[Lindsay Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristin Canary’s California Dreamin’ romcom series is one of my favorite romcom series that I’ve read, so I was thrilled when she announced a spinoff series featuring Chloe as the heroine of the first book! I loved Chloe and was hoping she would get her own story, and it was everything I was hoping it would be.

The forbidden love and fake fiancé tropes are well written, and I had a hard time putting the book down because I wanted to know how the romance would work out! I was cheering for Chloe and Frederick, and I loved the romantic tension between them.

It was great to see Hallmark Beach again, and I’m excited to visit it throughout this new series! The friend group there is awesome, and I can’t wait for their stories!

This book can be read as a standalone, but I loved the connections to the previous series, and I’m glad I read the other books first. Spinoff series are great, and I’m excited to see what happens next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Michelle Angus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! A bodyguard who is broody, and serious. A Princess who is in love with the bodyguard. So dang Good!

Chloe doesn’t want to be seen by Freddy as “just the little sister of his best friend” anymore. She wants to be seen for the woman she is, not a spoiled princess everyone thinks she is.

Freddy has a secret. And he has tried to keep it from his best friend for years. But when his friend asks him to keep an eye in his sister, he can’t resist the urge to be close to her.

I adored this, friends to lovers, forbidden romance, secret love book. The almost kisses will have you 🥰🥰🥰 and the actual kisses will have you 🔥🔥🔥.

*I received a copy of this book as an ARC reviewer, but a positive review wasn’t required. All thoughts are solely what I personally thought of this beautiful book.❤️❤️❤️

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader’s Notes:

– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

– this is connected to Kristin’s California Dreamin’ series, but you do not have to read it to enjoy this book

– this is told from Chloe & Frederick’s points of view

– there is a 5 year age gap between them

– Fredrick’s brother passed away in an accident (past event- Fred was about 12)

– a character is hit on & touched by someone when they don’t want to be while at a bar (this character is saved quickly)

Review:

I’ve been waiting for Chloe and Fredrick’s story and it was absolutely perfect! I adored all the new characters introduced (I’m so excited for Lucy’s story coming next and getting to find out exactly why she dislikes her friend’s brother as much as she does!) and I can’t wait to see more of them and their stories. But back to Chloe and Fredrick… I loved that Fredrick was not only her bodyguard, but also Chloe’s brother’s best friend! I enjoyed seeing how Fred was with the two of them and how he tried to keep his loyalty to Topher while fighting his feelings for Chloe. I enjoyed the fact that they were stuck in close proximity due to the whole bodyguard thing, their fake engagement situation, and the whole only one room for Fred to stay in at the time (the room Chloe was in). I loved that Chloe was herself in all situations and was able to make friends with the small town’s people, even though she didn’t tell them of her princess identity. I loved that she got that chance to find a life out of the spotlight, especially with the light shining on her so much with her past and her brother’s upcoming wedding. I loved how protective Fred was of Chloe, especially when he discovered why it was so important to her that they not mention to people that she was a princess. I loved that Chloe could also pull the words out of Fred that he wasn’t saying/didn’t want to say. It made it that much easier to understand where Fred was coming from.

Summary:

Chloe sees how her soon to be sister-in-law is not happy with all the concessions she has to make for her own wedding. And while Lauren can’t change these things due to marrying the heir to a throne, Chloe hopes to give her and her brother a little bit of happiness to remember by throwing them a surprise early wedding just for them. With the perfect place in mind, Chloe travels back to the small town of Hallmark Beach to get planning. But now that her brother knows she is without a bodyguard, Chloe’s sense of freedom on this mission is slowly shrinking. When Fredrick, her brother’s best friend and the man of her dreams, shows up to protect her things get interesting. Because the residents of Hallmark Beach think that all of Chloe’s wedding related questions are for Chloe & Fredrick’s upcoming nuptials. And Chloe doesn’t correct them in favor of protecting her brother & his fiancé’s surprise. It doesn’t hurt that Chloe also gets to pretend that there could be more between her and Fredrick…

Fredrick is not thrilled to hear from Topher that Chloe is on her own and without protection. But while he doesn’t like it, he’s not to sure about Topher’s solution either: sending Fredrick to cover as Chloe’s bodyguard. Because what Topher doesn’t know is that Fredrick has been keeping a secret from his best friend. One that might cause a rift if he were ever to find out. The fact that Fredrick sees something in Chloe that most others don’t take the time to see and he likes it, perhaps a little too much. With all the uninterrupted time in close proximity to Chloe that watching over her will inevitably take, Fredrick worries that he might wish for something more with her. Which is impossible for him to begin with because of his job let alone the fact that he’d never want to lose his best friend or Chloe from his life. Things will only be more difficult now that Hallmark Beach thinks that he’s engaged to Chloe and that they are planning their own wedding…