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Gilded Crown
If he chooses his own happiness, his kingdom may pay the price…
Crown Prince Leo longs for freedom. Only while roaming the capital city in disguise can he escape the chains of his princely duties and looming coronation. When Leo’s alter ego meets a mysterious ship captain named Zandra, their banter leads to deeper feelings. But with war on the horizon and Parliament and his authoritarian uncle demanding a royal marriage, what Leo wants and what is expected of him have never been more at odds.
Zandra didn’t come to Daystra to fall in love, and she certainly didn’t plan on getting so close to strange and persistent smuggler Cass. With her kingdom depending on her and her secrets at risk, the last thing she needs is an attractive distraction.
Amid the treacherous waters of diplomacy, politics, and young love, assassination attempts reveal a plot to dethrone Leo. Can Leo and Zandra hunt down the conspirators before it’s too late? Or will Leo surrender a role he never wanted and hand all of Daystra over to a murderer?
Crown Prince Leo longs for freedom. Only while roaming the capital city in disguise can he escape the chains of his princely duties and looming coronation. When Leo’s alter ego meets a mysterious ship captain named Zandra, their banter leads to deeper feelings. But with war on the horizon and Parliament and his authoritarian uncle demanding a royal marriage, what Leo wants and what is expected of him have never been more at odds.
Zandra didn’t come to Daystra to fall in love, and she certainly didn’t plan on getting so close to strange and persistent smuggler Cass. With her kingdom depending on her and her secrets at risk, the last thing she needs is an attractive distraction.
Amid the treacherous waters of diplomacy, politics, and young love, assassination attempts reveal a plot to dethrone Leo. Can Leo and Zandra hunt down the conspirators before it’s too late? Or will Leo surrender a role he never wanted and hand all of Daystra over to a murderer?
- GenresFantasy
320 pages, Paperback
Published February 4, 2025
4 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 8, 2025
“𝒫ℴ𝓁𝒾𝓉𝒾𝒸𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝑔𝓁ℴ𝒷𝒶𝓁 𝑔𝒶𝓂ℯ ℴ𝒻 𝒸𝒽ℯ𝓈𝓈.”
⭐️ five stars!
Eekkk this book! Natalie did such an amazing job with the plot (so complex!) and characters (so lovable! and hateable 👀 ) and I’m so excited for book 2!
*adds Leo to my list of fictional husbands*
⭐️ five stars!
Eekkk this book! Natalie did such an amazing job with the plot (so complex!) and characters (so lovable! and hateable 👀 ) and I’m so excited for book 2!
*adds Leo to my list of fictional husbands*
March 7, 2025
Royals with secret identities? an irresponsible prince? palace intrigue? sign me up! This was such a fun story and I can't wait for book two!
August 13, 2025
I’m not one to frequently read indie-published books — I usually end up depressed with the quality of them. So I’m very happy to report that this was by far and away one of the most professional indie-published books I’ve read :) The cover, formatting, and writing itself were all very clean and crisp, and I could tell that a lot of thought had been put into them. Cheers for an author who took the time to give their amazing book its due!
I think the characters and character dynamics made me the happiest out of everything. Man, I love a book that promotes healthy behavior and portrays negative behavior as negative while still shows all the characters as humans who have the potential for good. The Leo/Zandra ship was amazing and a genuinely great example of a healthy relationship — something we don’t see often enough in YA fantasy, in my opinion.
And the plot twist? Epic. In every way. I knew something was coming, and I totally thought I had it all figured out, but I… did not. At all. At this point, I’m just shaking my head in wonder as I wait with bated breath for the next book in this series. The ending was perfection.
Oh, and also the worldbuilding… it was splendid. I don’t often enjoy political intrigue, but I did in this book. And the allegory? Amazing! I can’t even believe I’m saying that… I generally don’t like allegory, either. But something about it just fit really naturally into the worldbuilding.
(As a final note, can I just say that the grammar nerd in me is delighted to find a book with great prose and pristine grammar both?)
I think the characters and character dynamics made me the happiest out of everything. Man, I love a book that promotes healthy behavior and portrays negative behavior as negative while still shows all the characters as humans who have the potential for good. The Leo/Zandra ship was amazing and a genuinely great example of a healthy relationship — something we don’t see often enough in YA fantasy, in my opinion.
And the plot twist? Epic. In every way. I knew something was coming, and I totally thought I had it all figured out, but I… did not. At all. At this point, I’m just shaking my head in wonder as I wait with bated breath for the next book in this series. The ending was perfection.
Oh, and also the worldbuilding… it was splendid. I don’t often enjoy political intrigue, but I did in this book. And the allegory? Amazing! I can’t even believe I’m saying that… I generally don’t like allegory, either. But something about it just fit really naturally into the worldbuilding.
(As a final note, can I just say that the grammar nerd in me is delighted to find a book with great prose and pristine grammar both?)
January 19, 2026
Wow, it’s so cool to finally hold this story in my hands after having the privilege of reading two different drafts before publication. I love the romance so much (Yes, always a romance girlie 😂), and the plot is weaved together so well. And the characters’ wit and humor are amazing. 😂 If you’re looking for an intriguing political romantasy, definitely read Gilded Crown!
October 13, 2025
This book was such a fun read! I had the pleasure of meeting Natalie at a writer's retreat this year, and just from reading the blurb, I knew I had to give it a try!
The hidden identities and political intrigue added such a wonderful undertone to the story. The worldbuilding was also wonderful! I'm so happy she included a map of the world. (Definitely helped me keep track of all the different countries and clarified border disputes!)
The characters were also so much fun. I adored the Cass-Zandra and Leo-Alexandrina interactions! All the banter and sarcasm made me laugh. It felt a lot like The Ascendance Trilogy in some ways (especially the eNdInG!!), and had a dash of . . . how do I describe it? Coziness? I do wish there had been more of Zandra's crew and her history of sailing - but I suspect that will come with the next book!
One thing that I didn't love was the way Leo was written - he seemed a bit too feminine at times, from all the descriptions and sensual details added from his POV. It definitely smoothed out towards the end, however, and I did enjoy his POV the best! ✨
👑 light kingdom fantasy
👑 hidden identities
👑 political unrest
👑 cliffhanger ending
👑 treachery and regicide (don't those words just send the most delightful shivers up your spine??)
The hidden identities and political intrigue added such a wonderful undertone to the story. The worldbuilding was also wonderful! I'm so happy she included a map of the world. (Definitely helped me keep track of all the different countries and clarified border disputes!)
The characters were also so much fun. I adored the Cass-Zandra and Leo-Alexandrina interactions! All the banter and sarcasm made me laugh. It felt a lot like The Ascendance Trilogy in some ways (especially the eNdInG!!), and had a dash of . . . how do I describe it? Coziness? I do wish there had been more of Zandra's crew and her history of sailing - but I suspect that will come with the next book!
One thing that I didn't love was the way Leo was written - he seemed a bit too feminine at times, from all the descriptions and sensual details added from his POV. It definitely smoothed out towards the end, however, and I did enjoy his POV the best! ✨
👑 light kingdom fantasy
👑 hidden identities
👑 political unrest
👑 cliffhanger ending
👑 treachery and regicide (don't those words just send the most delightful shivers up your spine??)
March 15, 2025
This book was recommended to me by a friend a few months ago... and I haven't had the chance to read it until now. So glad I finally bought it!!! Pirates, royalty, hidden identities, betrayal, poison, AND romance-what more could a fantasy reader ask for?! This was a refreshing clean read that was beautifully written. The characters were so much fun and drew you into a plot with many twists and turns, and more than a few jolting shocks!
*SPOILER ALERT*
I was a bit confused as to how Leo and Zendra didn't recognize each other sooner. I know they were both wearing disguises, but to me it felt like if this was real life they probably would have figured out each other's identities sooner even despite the disguises. I may be wrong in this though, and that's just my personal thoughts!
I loved this book and I'm so glad I picked it up. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SECOND!!!!! I shall be eagerly awaiting its arrival.
*SPOILER ALERT*
I was a bit confused as to how Leo and Zendra didn't recognize each other sooner. I know they were both wearing disguises, but to me it felt like if this was real life they probably would have figured out each other's identities sooner even despite the disguises. I may be wrong in this though, and that's just my personal thoughts!
I loved this book and I'm so glad I picked it up. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SECOND!!!!! I shall be eagerly awaiting its arrival.
December 23, 2025
Very well written, perfectly antagonizing when it came to the secret identity relationship and a very smooth reassuring ending relationship wise. It also kept me on my toes with excitement and plot twists, especially with (you know who), that surprised me.
I already can't wait for the next book and I've only just finished the first one ten minutes ago.
I already can't wait for the next book and I've only just finished the first one ten minutes ago.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews