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Roaming Holiday
NINA
Becoming the queen of a country is not part of Nina’s otherwise perfect ten-year plan.
She may have graduated at the top of her linguistics program, but everything quickly unravels after that—and her cheating boyfriend is only the start. When the spontaneous family trip to Maldana turns out to be not so spontaneous after all, Nina’s father reveals that her long-deceased mother was actually the queen, and the Court wants her to ascend the throne.
Yes, her. A hardheaded people-pleaser with an unhealthy obsession with french fries.
She’s given the summer to decide if she wants to be the queen, to live her Roman Holiday fantasy and explore this quaint island and all its beauty—including her surly bodyguard whose empty eyes she’s determined to fill.
WESLEY
Wesley’s worth in organized crime was defined by how many lives he took. Haunted by the good man he once was, he narrowly escapes his life of death and darkness.
He’s determined to rebuild his life and accepts his first ethical job in years: protect a secret princess whose sole mission is to irritate him. No matter how much he tries to keep his head down, Nina—the most stubborn genius he’s ever met—finds a way to lift his chin and show him that life has more joy and light than he thought.
But when his mistakes come looking for revenge, Wesley must find a way to control his darkness without letting it poison his light.
Becoming the queen of a country is not part of Nina’s otherwise perfect ten-year plan.
She may have graduated at the top of her linguistics program, but everything quickly unravels after that—and her cheating boyfriend is only the start. When the spontaneous family trip to Maldana turns out to be not so spontaneous after all, Nina’s father reveals that her long-deceased mother was actually the queen, and the Court wants her to ascend the throne.
Yes, her. A hardheaded people-pleaser with an unhealthy obsession with french fries.
She’s given the summer to decide if she wants to be the queen, to live her Roman Holiday fantasy and explore this quaint island and all its beauty—including her surly bodyguard whose empty eyes she’s determined to fill.
WESLEY
Wesley’s worth in organized crime was defined by how many lives he took. Haunted by the good man he once was, he narrowly escapes his life of death and darkness.
He’s determined to rebuild his life and accepts his first ethical job in years: protect a secret princess whose sole mission is to irritate him. No matter how much he tries to keep his head down, Nina—the most stubborn genius he’s ever met—finds a way to lift his chin and show him that life has more joy and light than he thought.
But when his mistakes come looking for revenge, Wesley must find a way to control his darkness without letting it poison his light.
Paperback
First published March 18, 2024
132 people are currently reading
1404 people want to read
About the author
Marina Hill
6 books147 followersHi! I'm Marina. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I grew up minutes from Philadelphia watching Eagles games and roughhousing with my plethora of older brothers. Writing stories has been a constant in my life with publications starting at sixteen under various pen names.
I write a variety of novels from historical fiction to contemporary romance with an eventual path into fantasy. However, all of my books have comfort, emotion, and fun.
When I'm not working on my next story, I'm planning to dash into the forest to build a cabin and never look back.
I grew up minutes from Philadelphia watching Eagles games and roughhousing with my plethora of older brothers. Writing stories has been a constant in my life with publications starting at sixteen under various pen names.
I write a variety of novels from historical fiction to contemporary romance with an eventual path into fantasy. However, all of my books have comfort, emotion, and fun.
When I'm not working on my next story, I'm planning to dash into the forest to build a cabin and never look back.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
Want to read
May 6, 2024BODYGUARD ROMANCE OMGGG I WAS JUST SAYING HOW WE NEED MORE OF THEM 😋 I NEED THIS TO EAT !!!
Want to read
June 10, 2024Bodyguard romance? Oh go on then x
January 28, 2025
2.5⭐
The more I'm thinking around this book the more I'm realising how many loose ends and plot holes there are and it's annoying me.
The best friend still doesn't know anything like, I would be pissed if I didn't know what happened to my bestfriend and I would question if we were even bestfriends🙄
The more I'm thinking around this book the more I'm realising how many loose ends and plot holes there are and it's annoying me.
The best friend still doesn't know anything like, I would be pissed if I didn't know what happened to my bestfriend and I would question if we were even bestfriends🙄
May 5, 2024
~Wesley & Nina~
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Tropes
~Princess x bodyguard
~Grumpy x sunshine
~Age gap
~Touch her & die (obviously)
~No 3rd act break up
"This is what I want--to come home to her every day. her good days, bad days, I want all of it."
After Wesley manages to get himself away from working in organized crime, he gets the chance to be a bodyguard for the royal family. Nina lost her mom when she was a child and has always wanted to know more about her. What she wasn't expecting? That her mother was actually an heir to a European throne, making Nina the next in line. Nina decides to take the summer to explore the country (with her bodyguard hehe) to see if taking over the throne is something she is able to do, in a way that best supports their people. But all of that changes when Wesley's secrets come back to haunt them both.
Bodyguard tropes are one of my allll time faves & this book just continued to confirm that. I also love that the POV chapters are split pretty evenly; I personally hate when it favors one character over the other. Sometimes when reading about royals, I get slightly annoyed when they focus mostly on the politics portion of the empire; while that was obviously a big portion of the plot in this book, that wasn't the ENTIRE plot, which I really appreciated. This was just so so good, I can't wait to get a physical copy so I can fully annotate it ◡̈
From one Marina to another--thank you for doing our name justice and writing this beautiful masterpiece! Even more, thank you for letting be binge it early ♡
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Tropes
~Princess x bodyguard
~Grumpy x sunshine
~Age gap
~Touch her & die (obviously)
~No 3rd act break up
"This is what I want--to come home to her every day. her good days, bad days, I want all of it."
After Wesley manages to get himself away from working in organized crime, he gets the chance to be a bodyguard for the royal family. Nina lost her mom when she was a child and has always wanted to know more about her. What she wasn't expecting? That her mother was actually an heir to a European throne, making Nina the next in line. Nina decides to take the summer to explore the country (with her bodyguard hehe) to see if taking over the throne is something she is able to do, in a way that best supports their people. But all of that changes when Wesley's secrets come back to haunt them both.
Bodyguard tropes are one of my allll time faves & this book just continued to confirm that. I also love that the POV chapters are split pretty evenly; I personally hate when it favors one character over the other. Sometimes when reading about royals, I get slightly annoyed when they focus mostly on the politics portion of the empire; while that was obviously a big portion of the plot in this book, that wasn't the ENTIRE plot, which I really appreciated. This was just so so good, I can't wait to get a physical copy so I can fully annotate it ◡̈
From one Marina to another--thank you for doing our name justice and writing this beautiful masterpiece! Even more, thank you for letting be binge it early ♡
December 3, 2024
I really enjoyed this. At the start it was twisted games x princess diaries but by the end it was giving more mafia romance x action movie. It wasn’t entirely what I was expecting and I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if the ending hadn’t been what it was.
It was very fun. And it did make me want to keep reading. I really liked the MCs. There was a couple points that bugged me, mostly just things that seemed very random and out of nowhere. That was really my main issue, some things seemed a bit disjointed.
Overall, it was very fun and cute. I enjoyed it (finished it in one day) even though I had a couple of issues with it. I still recommend it especially if you liked the twisted series by Ana Huang.
It was very fun. And it did make me want to keep reading. I really liked the MCs. There was a couple points that bugged me, mostly just things that seemed very random and out of nowhere. That was really my main issue, some things seemed a bit disjointed.
Overall, it was very fun and cute. I enjoyed it (finished it in one day) even though I had a couple of issues with it. I still recommend it especially if you liked the twisted series by Ana Huang.
Want to read
May 6, 2024Princess x Bodyguard, I'M HERE FOR IT 🤌💗
May 10, 2024
Happy release day!
Thank you so much for providing me with an arc, I am so grateful! This was my first bodyguard x princess romance and I adored so so much.
The chemistry they had tried and failed to keep at bay, the longing glances, the intensity they felt with each other from day one, all of it was so intense.
Wesley is hot. He is protective. And he most definitely will twist someone’s arms and eyes out if they so much as look at Nina. He’s been through a lot and his thoughts about Nina are everything.
Nina, my sweet girl who deserves so much better from her family. Finding out she’s princess and set to be queen in a matter of days after living a fairly normal lifestyle? That’s not easy. But she continuously keeps herself strong and she made me so proud.
My favorite part of the story is seeing Nina’s confidence at being Princess/Queen increase. She had these ideas that I loved reading, they were refreshing and she was bold and beautiful. Wesley giving her his confidence in her to do anything she puts her mind to, was super sweet.
The action in this book??? I felt like I was watching a movie in my brain. So fun, so detailed, so fast-paced.
I hope Nina and Wesley are on a date eating all the French fries their heart desires 🫶🍟💚✨💐
Thank you so much for providing me with an arc, I am so grateful! This was my first bodyguard x princess romance and I adored so so much.
The chemistry they had tried and failed to keep at bay, the longing glances, the intensity they felt with each other from day one, all of it was so intense.
Wesley is hot. He is protective. And he most definitely will twist someone’s arms and eyes out if they so much as look at Nina. He’s been through a lot and his thoughts about Nina are everything.
Nina, my sweet girl who deserves so much better from her family. Finding out she’s princess and set to be queen in a matter of days after living a fairly normal lifestyle? That’s not easy. But she continuously keeps herself strong and she made me so proud.
My favorite part of the story is seeing Nina’s confidence at being Princess/Queen increase. She had these ideas that I loved reading, they were refreshing and she was bold and beautiful. Wesley giving her his confidence in her to do anything she puts her mind to, was super sweet.
The action in this book??? I felt like I was watching a movie in my brain. So fun, so detailed, so fast-paced.
I hope Nina and Wesley are on a date eating all the French fries their heart desires 🫶🍟💚✨💐
May 10, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
This for fans of the princess diaries, twisted games or if you just love the princess and bodyguard trope.
Nina has just graduated, broken up with her cheating boyfriend and is in Europe in a small country called Maldana and discovers that she’s is a secret princess. She’s actually the rightful queen. She’s given a choice of taking her place as queen or not accepting it. Wesley used to work for the mafia as a hit man and is just trying to leave a somewhat decent life. He accepts a role as a bodyguard and he becomes Nina’s guard. It’s obvious form the moment they meet he’s is taken with Nina and vice versa. Wesley is there every step of the way as Nina travels her moms home country and comes to a decision of what she wants to do.
Overall this was cute story I just wish there was more banter between the FMC and MMC I got a little bored towards the middle of the book the ending definitely saved the book for me
This for fans of the princess diaries, twisted games or if you just love the princess and bodyguard trope.
Nina has just graduated, broken up with her cheating boyfriend and is in Europe in a small country called Maldana and discovers that she’s is a secret princess. She’s actually the rightful queen. She’s given a choice of taking her place as queen or not accepting it. Wesley used to work for the mafia as a hit man and is just trying to leave a somewhat decent life. He accepts a role as a bodyguard and he becomes Nina’s guard. It’s obvious form the moment they meet he’s is taken with Nina and vice versa. Wesley is there every step of the way as Nina travels her moms home country and comes to a decision of what she wants to do.
Overall this was cute story I just wish there was more banter between the FMC and MMC I got a little bored towards the middle of the book the ending definitely saved the book for me
June 17, 2024
Bodyguard romance?! GIVE IT TO ME!!
Nina the MMC is down to earth and relatable in every way. She has an amazing personality which makes her to loveable, even after finding out she is going to be a princess and a queen soon after?! Wesley is protective, stubborn and gives black cat energy. I really loved the plot of the story it flowed really well, Marina did an amazing job with the characters, storyline and the romance.
The only thing that disappointed me was there was no epilogue
I 100% recommend this book. You’ll giggle , you’ll cry, and you will swoon ☺️
Nina the MMC is down to earth and relatable in every way. She has an amazing personality which makes her to loveable, even after finding out she is going to be a princess and a queen soon after?! Wesley is protective, stubborn and gives black cat energy. I really loved the plot of the story it flowed really well, Marina did an amazing job with the characters, storyline and the romance.
The only thing that disappointed me was there was no epilogue
I 100% recommend this book. You’ll giggle , you’ll cry, and you will swoon ☺️
May 14, 2024
“Roaming Holiday” is the perfect book for those women who haven’t lost touch with the little girl inside of them, but still love a little bit of spice in their life.
The little girl in me loved this book because growing up, I totally wanted to have my own “Princess Diaries” experience. Secretly, it’s a fantasy I still have.
The adult woman that I am now loved this book because, I mean, who WOULDN’T want to have a whirlwind romance with a hot John Wick type?
For a book of this genre to be so well developed is a rarity. The characters did not lack in depth and were anything but one dimensional. It’s easy to write a cute little rom com book where girl meets boy and they love each other but also hate each other but then fall in love again. But what Marina Hill did? It can only come from hard work, lots of plotting, and raw talent. She focused on developing both main characters, their individual storylines, and their romantic storyline. She has perfected her craft as far as plotting goes.
Nina, our main character, is relatable and down to earth. She’s far from picture perfect, but she has an incredible personality, which makes her lovable. In my opinion, I loved how human she was. She’s just a girl (Who happens to be a secret princess)!
I 100% recommend this book. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you may get hot under the collar. Please read asap!
The little girl in me loved this book because growing up, I totally wanted to have my own “Princess Diaries” experience. Secretly, it’s a fantasy I still have.
The adult woman that I am now loved this book because, I mean, who WOULDN’T want to have a whirlwind romance with a hot John Wick type?
For a book of this genre to be so well developed is a rarity. The characters did not lack in depth and were anything but one dimensional. It’s easy to write a cute little rom com book where girl meets boy and they love each other but also hate each other but then fall in love again. But what Marina Hill did? It can only come from hard work, lots of plotting, and raw talent. She focused on developing both main characters, their individual storylines, and their romantic storyline. She has perfected her craft as far as plotting goes.
Nina, our main character, is relatable and down to earth. She’s far from picture perfect, but she has an incredible personality, which makes her lovable. In my opinion, I loved how human she was. She’s just a girl (Who happens to be a secret princess)!
I 100% recommend this book. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you may get hot under the collar. Please read asap!
December 14, 2025
I was expecting this to give Princess Diaries & Twisted games but was disappointed.
First thing is the main character Nina and her sister were so freaking immature like you forget these girls are in their twenties acting like a teenager.
Another thing is Wesley was boring, like constantly talking about how he’s not a good person, shut up, we get it!
Also I thought this was gonna focus on Nina really integrating into her royal role but I feel like we got more of her getting kidnapped/attacked than her actually trying to transition into being a Queen. She literally spent most of the book questioning if she’s right for the role and that’s honestly not what I wanted to read about.
Everything just felt rushed and there was too many plot holes.
And I honestly don’t understand how Nina and Wesley fell in love, their relationship was so freaking dry and had no real depth in my opinion.
The only reason I even gave this 2 stars is because the cover is gorgeous but this book is a let down.
First thing is the main character Nina and her sister were so freaking immature like you forget these girls are in their twenties acting like a teenager.
Another thing is Wesley was boring, like constantly talking about how he’s not a good person, shut up, we get it!
Also I thought this was gonna focus on Nina really integrating into her royal role but I feel like we got more of her getting kidnapped/attacked than her actually trying to transition into being a Queen. She literally spent most of the book questioning if she’s right for the role and that’s honestly not what I wanted to read about.
Everything just felt rushed and there was too many plot holes.
And I honestly don’t understand how Nina and Wesley fell in love, their relationship was so freaking dry and had no real depth in my opinion.
The only reason I even gave this 2 stars is because the cover is gorgeous but this book is a let down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2024
this was so freaking sweet i loved every second of it
hardened guy x soft girl you are so loved by me even more so when you’re body guard x princess
hardened guy x soft girl you are so loved by me even more so when you’re body guard x princess
September 13, 2024
Thank you Marina Hill for choosing me as one of your arc readers!
I was interested in reading this book bc I have been wanting to read another bodyguardxprincess romance after liking twisted games.
Starting this book, I had high hopes for Nina and Wes. Towards the middle I was expecting way more development between them through deeper conversations, but there really were very few real conversations that they had with each other. Wes immediately said he loved Nina before they had even kissed.
As for the plot, when we would get to Nina and her sister choosing to become princesses and fight for what’s right, those parts of the book would just get skipped over. Then for the third act, a lot of action and bloodshed happened which really changed the whole tone of the book that we see in the first 300 pages of the book.
All in all, I did enjoy the little jealousy scenes and the humor between Nina and Wesley, but I can’t say that this story was packed with angst and good romance when it felt too surface level and felt like Nina and Wesley were in lust, not love.
I was interested in reading this book bc I have been wanting to read another bodyguardxprincess romance after liking twisted games.
Starting this book, I had high hopes for Nina and Wes. Towards the middle I was expecting way more development between them through deeper conversations, but there really were very few real conversations that they had with each other. Wes immediately said he loved Nina before they had even kissed.
As for the plot, when we would get to Nina and her sister choosing to become princesses and fight for what’s right, those parts of the book would just get skipped over. Then for the third act, a lot of action and bloodshed happened which really changed the whole tone of the book that we see in the first 300 pages of the book.
All in all, I did enjoy the little jealousy scenes and the humor between Nina and Wesley, but I can’t say that this story was packed with angst and good romance when it felt too surface level and felt like Nina and Wesley were in lust, not love.
September 5, 2024
3★ 2ish🌶️
bodyguard x princess & no third act break up? i was immediately sold on this! Roaming Holiday was a highly anticipated read for me 😩. the beginning started off SO strong- i was giggling, kicking my feet, and even got butterflies at Nina & Wesley’s first few interactions. however, the pacing fell off in the second half of the book, they didn’t have enough deep conversations, or conversations at all really, for me to truly believe in their connection! i wish there was a bit more banter and more angst, especially for how slow of a burn it is (and the forced proximity ofc).
there were several things i did love such as Maia (Nina’s sister), the atmosphere of the book, and the authors writing style. i will definitely reading her future works.
bodyguard x princess & no third act break up? i was immediately sold on this! Roaming Holiday was a highly anticipated read for me 😩. the beginning started off SO strong- i was giggling, kicking my feet, and even got butterflies at Nina & Wesley’s first few interactions. however, the pacing fell off in the second half of the book, they didn’t have enough deep conversations, or conversations at all really, for me to truly believe in their connection! i wish there was a bit more banter and more angst, especially for how slow of a burn it is (and the forced proximity ofc).
there were several things i did love such as Maia (Nina’s sister), the atmosphere of the book, and the authors writing style. i will definitely reading her future works.
September 1, 2024
Really want to give this like a 2.5. The plot was kind of ridiculous and not in a good way. The romance was fine and understandable. Who doesn’t love the princess x bodyguard? Beck also seemed fine. Now…the family stuff felt really shallow and poorly executed. And Maia and Nina acted really…immature a lot of times. Like they were apparently in their 20s??? But they really screamed like…teen. I don’t know. They just didn’t seem to be very smart or realistic in a lot of situations. Even when they had a valid point (ex Maia doesn’t like veal) their behavior was immature and overblown.
Also, the focus on Wesley’s backstory was a real weak point here because I simply…did not care!
Also, the focus on Wesley’s backstory was a real weak point here because I simply…did not care!
August 11, 2024
A little darker than I expected, and a very slow burn. A very very adult version of The Princess Diaries.
August 17, 2024
The Good
This book was original, special, and so beautifully crafted. I loved Nina so much. This is definitely for all the older sisters out there, and while I relate more to Maia as the youngest, Nina was such a great lead. I loved how much she cared for others but was at a point of her life where she was trying to put herself first. I loved seeing her fall in love with her new culture. I really liked Wesley too. I liked that he was a fully fleshed out character outside of his love for Nina. He struggled a lot with his past and his present but bloomed with Nina. I sometimes struggle with the bodyguard love interest trope because usually the overprotection is done in a way that feels controlling but here Wesley treats Nina with respect and follows her boundaries unless he truly feels she's in danger. Their relationship is a slow burn but so worth it. I also liked that there is a nickname Wesley has for Nina but it wasn't overused at all which made it much more special and sweet when he did use it. The plotline with Nina dad was done well. I liked seeing her set boundaries with him and be selfish for once.
The Bad
I don't know how much I loved the last plot arc of this book. I wanted the issues with the court and politics to be more centered than Wesley's past coming back. I just felt that whole part wasn't really compelling for me. I loved the book without that aspect. I felt like this book really needed a epilogue and I wish we got one.
Tropes:
— Bodyguard x Princess
— Grumpy x Sunshine
— Touch her and Die
Horn Level: 2/5🌶️
Format: Ebook
The Rating
I give this book a 5/5🌟 rating. I had some issues with the plot in the last quarter but the book was so good otherwise I loved it!
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This book was original, special, and so beautifully crafted. I loved Nina so much. This is definitely for all the older sisters out there, and while I relate more to Maia as the youngest, Nina was such a great lead. I loved how much she cared for others but was at a point of her life where she was trying to put herself first. I loved seeing her fall in love with her new culture. I really liked Wesley too. I liked that he was a fully fleshed out character outside of his love for Nina. He struggled a lot with his past and his present but bloomed with Nina. I sometimes struggle with the bodyguard love interest trope because usually the overprotection is done in a way that feels controlling but here Wesley treats Nina with respect and follows her boundaries unless he truly feels she's in danger. Their relationship is a slow burn but so worth it. I also liked that there is a nickname Wesley has for Nina but it wasn't overused at all which made it much more special and sweet when he did use it. The plotline with Nina dad was done well. I liked seeing her set boundaries with him and be selfish for once.
The Bad
I don't know how much I loved the last plot arc of this book. I wanted the issues with the court and politics to be more centered than Wesley's past coming back. I just felt that whole part wasn't really compelling for me. I loved the book without that aspect. I felt like this book really needed a epilogue and I wish we got one.
Tropes:
— Bodyguard x Princess
— Grumpy x Sunshine
— Touch her and Die
Horn Level: 2/5🌶️
Format: Ebook
The Rating
I give this book a 5/5🌟 rating. I had some issues with the plot in the last quarter but the book was so good otherwise I loved it!
Check out my socials
May 18, 2024
3,5 stars
______________
“It may be unhealthy, but she’s the first light I found on the other side of who I was.”
______________
I was blessed with an ARC copy of this book, so once again thank you Marina for sending me a copy <3
Now onto my thoughts. Genuinely enjoyed this book a lot, but there are some details and things that stopped me from REALLY getting into it.
The plot was extremely interesting & really good. I love the whole “lost daughter/princess” vibe & I thought it was really good to truly write about the emotions that came with this discovery. At times I could truly feel the hurt, anxiety & pain of Nina & Maia while they were discovering all of what they have gone through.
I also enjoyed that Wesley got his job as bodyguard as some kind of “redemption” job. I felt like I could really feel him change & become softer and more motivated the more I read, which felt really special. I definitely had a connection with him & love love love him.
However, I do feel like the book was rushed at times. I won’t give any spoilers so will stay relatively vague, but there was a certain switch that just happened out of the blue in my experience & then just changed the entire story. It kind of changed from figuring out the royalty situation to completely focusing on Wesley’s past etc. During these scenes I feel like things were rushed or at least not detailed enough for me to really get into it. In my opinion this book could have been at least 50-100 pages more, but that might just be the slow burn lover in me.
Over all I genuinely enjoyed this book. I really connected with the characters & definitely felt the love they have for each other, but sometimes it just felt rushed. Even their morals (especially Nina’s) felt very very easily influenced & bendable.
So, would I recommend this book? Myes, the plot & characters were good & it was a good time, so definitely give it a try.
______________
“It may be unhealthy, but she’s the first light I found on the other side of who I was.”
______________
I was blessed with an ARC copy of this book, so once again thank you Marina for sending me a copy <3
Now onto my thoughts. Genuinely enjoyed this book a lot, but there are some details and things that stopped me from REALLY getting into it.
The plot was extremely interesting & really good. I love the whole “lost daughter/princess” vibe & I thought it was really good to truly write about the emotions that came with this discovery. At times I could truly feel the hurt, anxiety & pain of Nina & Maia while they were discovering all of what they have gone through.
I also enjoyed that Wesley got his job as bodyguard as some kind of “redemption” job. I felt like I could really feel him change & become softer and more motivated the more I read, which felt really special. I definitely had a connection with him & love love love him.
However, I do feel like the book was rushed at times. I won’t give any spoilers so will stay relatively vague, but there was a certain switch that just happened out of the blue in my experience & then just changed the entire story. It kind of changed from figuring out the royalty situation to completely focusing on Wesley’s past etc. During these scenes I feel like things were rushed or at least not detailed enough for me to really get into it. In my opinion this book could have been at least 50-100 pages more, but that might just be the slow burn lover in me.
Over all I genuinely enjoyed this book. I really connected with the characters & definitely felt the love they have for each other, but sometimes it just felt rushed. Even their morals (especially Nina’s) felt very very easily influenced & bendable.
So, would I recommend this book? Myes, the plot & characters were good & it was a good time, so definitely give it a try.
May 16, 2024
Thank you Marina Hill for picking me to be a Beta reader for Roaming Holiday in exchange for an honest review.
I was so curious about this book because the bodyguard trope always has me! I find it to be so interesting because there are so many scenes we can create from it.
It is placed in a different country scene that we're used too so I was also paying attention to all of the things that we could learn from it, and it was really good! I really enjoyed that aspect.
But thinking about the plot as a whole, I didn't enjoy it as much. I felt like some parts were a bit rushed in the sense of there was not much background for it to be happening and so I was lost and when I could understand, it was finished, we were already in something else.
The timeline was good, the execution was fine, not amazing, but not bad too. I wish I could have read more about her life being a queen or about to become one.
I didn't feel a strong connection with either of the characters or side characters which I think 'helped' me not rating this book as highly and their relationship seemed to be based on lust instead of love for quite a while, which I don't appreciate much too.
Still, it was good enough for me to keep on reading it and I finished it within a couple of days.
I was so curious about this book because the bodyguard trope always has me! I find it to be so interesting because there are so many scenes we can create from it.
It is placed in a different country scene that we're used too so I was also paying attention to all of the things that we could learn from it, and it was really good! I really enjoyed that aspect.
But thinking about the plot as a whole, I didn't enjoy it as much. I felt like some parts were a bit rushed in the sense of there was not much background for it to be happening and so I was lost and when I could understand, it was finished, we were already in something else.
The timeline was good, the execution was fine, not amazing, but not bad too. I wish I could have read more about her life being a queen or about to become one.
I didn't feel a strong connection with either of the characters or side characters which I think 'helped' me not rating this book as highly and their relationship seemed to be based on lust instead of love for quite a while, which I don't appreciate much too.
Still, it was good enough for me to keep on reading it and I finished it within a couple of days.
August 31, 2024
got me out of a reading slump, loved this, it was like a spicy princess diaries but with a dynamic, black fmc and a brooding mmc. I need the next book to be about Maia!
September 2, 2024
I want to like this more than I do but it felt so rushed and was a bit underwhelming
November 13, 2024
, short and honestly very fun to read no matter how silly the plot of the story was it was very lovely to read
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December 6, 2025This was a fun read but I was hoping for a bit of a conclusion at the end. Maybe there will be more in a sequel.
August 28, 2024
'Nina was complex character. This makes sense since it was a novel situation. The rebellion versus privilege, provided a fascinating dynamic. Her initial desire to dismantle the monarchy, coupled with her eventual use of her royal status for personal gain, created a relatable yet conflicted protagonist. Wesley, grew on me as the story progressed. His quiet strength and unwavering loyalty to Nina. I love the way the dynamic between them contributed to their connection. I'm not big on bodyguard romance but I liked this one!
August 14, 2024
I would have liked a few more scenes of Nina & Wesley interacting before figuring out they’re in love. The scenes with her dad were epic and I clapped. If you’re reading on a kindle, a translation dictionary is at the end. Wish I had known that while I was reading.
September 21, 2025
Reminds me so much of the Princess Diaries! Really cute end of summer read before the fall theme books on my tbr. Loved every minute of it with slow burn, secret glances across the room, and them yearning!!
October 30, 2025
I really did not have high hopes for this, but my goodness did it blow my socks off! So good !!
March 10, 2025
We left a lot on the table with this one
July 29, 2025
4.5 rounded up
First time reading a bodyguard/princess romance & I loved it! This reminded me of The Princess Diaries. I appreciated that the romance was a slow burn instead of insta love. I hope that the author goes on to make this a series, because I would really love to read about these characters again. I did want a little bit more from the ending, and it felt was a little bit rushed. But other than that I really enjoyed this book!
First time reading a bodyguard/princess romance & I loved it! This reminded me of The Princess Diaries. I appreciated that the romance was a slow burn instead of insta love. I hope that the author goes on to make this a series, because I would really love to read about these characters again. I did want a little bit more from the ending, and it felt was a little bit rushed. But other than that I really enjoyed this book!
January 12, 2025
This is my first bodyguard romance, and I am so happy that it was.
Nina finding out that she is a long-lost princess to a Mediterranean country is definitely Princes Diaries vibes. Only better because her family is involved creating interesting dynamics and a backstory that adds so much to her character growth. Her relationship with her sister is not only so realistically what it is like to have a sibling but makes the entire journey unique. I like Nina a lot because she is confident, bubbly, and smart. She is also so adorably joyful that you can't help but think she is adorable.
Now her bodyguard Wesley on the other hand is a complete totally broody and secretive. With a dark past and a desire to keep some distance he is closed off from Nina's need to connect with him. Even still he goes above and beyond to make her happy.
Their relationship was built nice over a reasonable amount of time and definitely easy to root for. I do feel like we didn't get enough of them so I wouldn't be mad at a sequel. Even with the main plot there could be more to show us. I think that is the only reason it's not a five star read. Some of Nina's journey gets lost towards the end of the book.
Overall I would ten out of ten recommend, and think it needs more hype.
Nina finding out that she is a long-lost princess to a Mediterranean country is definitely Princes Diaries vibes. Only better because her family is involved creating interesting dynamics and a backstory that adds so much to her character growth. Her relationship with her sister is not only so realistically what it is like to have a sibling but makes the entire journey unique. I like Nina a lot because she is confident, bubbly, and smart. She is also so adorably joyful that you can't help but think she is adorable.
Now her bodyguard Wesley on the other hand is a complete totally broody and secretive. With a dark past and a desire to keep some distance he is closed off from Nina's need to connect with him. Even still he goes above and beyond to make her happy.
Their relationship was built nice over a reasonable amount of time and definitely easy to root for. I do feel like we didn't get enough of them so I wouldn't be mad at a sequel. Even with the main plot there could be more to show us. I think that is the only reason it's not a five star read. Some of Nina's journey gets lost towards the end of the book.
Overall I would ten out of ten recommend, and think it needs more hype.
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