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Royally Engaged #1
A Royal Disaster
Say Yes to the Mess...
Elena Murphy is doing just fine - if you don't count her struggling art studio, her ex-boyfriend suing her, and accidentally tossing purple paint onto a man who just happened to be in the wrong place at the very worst time. And not just any man, but freaking royalty. The World's Most Eligible Bachelor, to be exact, with the paparazzi catching the whole embarrassing incident on camera.
Could her life be any more of a dumpster fire?
Yes, it could. Now she's getting dragged online and her clients are disappearing faster than free drinks at happy hour. And just when she thinks things can't possibly get worse...His Royal Hotness decides the best way to fix this mess is to make her the envy of New York - by pretending to date.
Because what's worse than a prince treating her like his very own Cinderella, including dreamy nights at the theater and a nearly X-rated pottery date? Reminding herself it's all fake.
Elena Murphy is doing just fine - if you don't count her struggling art studio, her ex-boyfriend suing her, and accidentally tossing purple paint onto a man who just happened to be in the wrong place at the very worst time. And not just any man, but freaking royalty. The World's Most Eligible Bachelor, to be exact, with the paparazzi catching the whole embarrassing incident on camera.
Could her life be any more of a dumpster fire?
Yes, it could. Now she's getting dragged online and her clients are disappearing faster than free drinks at happy hour. And just when she thinks things can't possibly get worse...His Royal Hotness decides the best way to fix this mess is to make her the envy of New York - by pretending to date.
Because what's worse than a prince treating her like his very own Cinderella, including dreamy nights at the theater and a nearly X-rated pottery date? Reminding herself it's all fake.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2025
174 people are currently reading
478 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Bonds
20 books574 followersJennifer Bonds is the USA Today bestselling author of sizzling contemporary romance with sassy heroines, sexy alphas, and a whole lot of mischief. She’s a sucker for enemies-to-lovers stories, laugh-out-loud banter, and over-the-top grand gestures. Jennifer lives in Pennsylvania, where her overactive imagination and weakness for reality TV keep life interesting. She's lucky enough to live with her own real-life hero, two adorable (and sometimes crazy) children, and one rambunctious K9. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, a solid Netflix binge, the Winchester brothers, cupcakes, and all things zombie. Sings off-key.
You can also connect with Jen @jbondswrites
https://www.tiktok.com/jbondswrites
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You can also connect with Jen @jbondswrites
https://www.tiktok.com/jbondswrites
https://www.instagram.com/jbondswrites
http://www.facebook.com/jbondswrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
December 5, 2021
3.5 stars. A cute royal romance… fairly straightforward, contained more sex scenes than I was anticipating from this kind of story, but it was enjoyable.
The heroine is an artist and gets some bad press when she accidentally coats the hero in paint. No surprise to learn that he is being pressured by his parents to choose an appropriate bride, so he decides to kill two birds with one stone by pretending to date the heroine. He thinks that his parents seeing he’s in a relationship already will mean that he can delay choosing a bride. He also anticipates that being seen with him will mean that the heroine’s image will improve and she will regain some of the business she lost from the bad press. Ofc, things never go according to plan. The heroine is a bit of a walking disaster… constantly having bad luck that leads to huge embarrassing scenes. The hero is the perfect prince - always doing what’s expected from him - until now. They fake date and then their fake relationship becomes real (as they do). They get a sweet HEA with an engagement.
I would totally move on to the next book, because I did enjoy this story, but that hero is a huge manwhore, and I know that would majorly bother me. Still, this one is worth checking out - audiobook is available on Hoopla!
Safe; no virgins, no cheating, no scenes with om/ow, only mild om/ow drama. There’s a scene with ow who hero considers a friend, but she wants more from him. OW goes to see the heroine to “warn her off” but the heroine tells her off. The heroine’s ex sues her and talks shit about her to a reporter. The hero is supposed to be selecting a bride from a list of “approved” women, but he does everything to delay and never chooses anyone besides the heroine.
The heroine is an artist and gets some bad press when she accidentally coats the hero in paint. No surprise to learn that he is being pressured by his parents to choose an appropriate bride, so he decides to kill two birds with one stone by pretending to date the heroine. He thinks that his parents seeing he’s in a relationship already will mean that he can delay choosing a bride. He also anticipates that being seen with him will mean that the heroine’s image will improve and she will regain some of the business she lost from the bad press. Ofc, things never go according to plan. The heroine is a bit of a walking disaster… constantly having bad luck that leads to huge embarrassing scenes. The hero is the perfect prince - always doing what’s expected from him - until now. They fake date and then their fake relationship becomes real (as they do). They get a sweet HEA with an engagement.
I would totally move on to the next book, because I did enjoy this story, but that hero is a huge manwhore, and I know that would majorly bother me. Still, this one is worth checking out - audiobook is available on Hoopla!
Safe; no virgins, no cheating, no scenes with om/ow, only mild om/ow drama. There’s a scene with ow who hero considers a friend, but she wants more from him. OW goes to see the heroine to “warn her off” but the heroine tells her off. The heroine’s ex sues her and talks shit about her to a reporter. The hero is supposed to be selecting a bride from a list of “approved” women, but he does everything to delay and never chooses anyone besides the heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2020
“And let’s be honest, even if I did meet a prince, we both know it would end in disaster.”
These prophetic words set up this royal romcom and the disastrous first meeting between Elena and Liam, the Crown Prince of Valeria. Elena is a klutz of epic proportions, so we know that when she first meets Prince William, the result will be as hilarious as it will be disastrous. Luckily Liam is good-natured about having paint splashed on him and offers Elena a trade--agree to be his fake girlfriend for a month and he'll help her art studio get back on its feet. Too bad neither was prepared to fall in love... This was a cute and funny royal romcom with a Latina heroine and a sexy but a tad clueless prince. I'm looking forward to the next book and hope it's Prince Alexander the rebel's story! ♡
My Liam, the dutiful Crown Prince of Valeria who falls for a carefree NYC artist....
*ARC provided by Grey's Promo, and I voluntarily reviewed it*
December 3, 2020
A Royal Disaster by Jennifer Bonds is exactly what its name suggests, Liam who is a royal and Lena who is a walking disaster. This is a sweet rom-com that will give you all the feels.
Synopsis:
Elena Murphy runs an art studio, and in the process of getting over her ex, someone else accidentally becomes the target of her frustrations. She thinks of herself as a walking disaster, which is further proven after the scandal she gets embroiled in.
William Stanley has never been attacked in his life, of all the things in the world, with paint. Purple paint. It was not every day that a royal was subjected to street art splatterings. But when he sees an opportunity in all the madness, he grabs it.
Review:
This one had one of the most hilarious beginnings. And surprisingly, I doubled over with laughter as I kept on turning the pages. A Royal Disaster sucked me in its charming world from the first page itself. And then there was the kitty, Jinx. This story felt like a dream come true!
The fake relationship trope is one of my favourites, and it was executed beautifully in this story. Twenty-eight-year-old His Royal Highness, Prince William Louis Albert George Stanley, Duke of Carlyle and Crown Prince of Valeria, accidentally, or rather consciously, stumbles into Elena Murphy's property while trying to lose the paparazzi.
Liam is a serial paps dodger, but what he didn't expect was to be doused in purple paint. He didn't know that he had landed in East Village Art, Lena's art studio, and what was more important was that Lena was in there, having a bad day.
Lena is the first character that I have come across who is Nuyorican. I wasn't even aware of the term before this. For those who haven't heard this term yet, it is a combination of New York and Puerto Rican. And yes, this is the first time I have come across a Puerto Rican character.
What is more amazing is the heritage, the culture, and the traditions that come along with characters from different places. I had a foodgasm at the cuisine descriptions. And there was also the familial bond of Lena's clan. It made me sad for Liam though, for all the things being royal entails.
That is what I am saying, each and every one of the characters is written in such a way that makes you feel for them, deeply. Even the cat – Jinx – is joy, especially the bonding that Liam and Jinx shared melted my heart.
Before I forget, the book is not only adorable, sweet, and charming, but also hot, like steaming hot, off the charts! That Liam is so supportive of Lena is just the cherry on top.
And don't even get me started on the wonder that was the last chapter and the epilogue and the announcement right at the end. The book tied the story together so nicely, the inspired ending was breath-taking, the epilogue was just perfect and suited the personalities of the protagonists, and that the bad boy, Prince Alexander's story is next...well, I do like bad boys and the heroines who bring them to heel. Hee hee...
After every few chapters, there is this 'xoxo gossip girl' like ending (I even read it in that tone!) which is such a unique take and made me laugh with its absurdities but also made me want to bash the terrible reporter for all the lies they spread.
P.S. I had started, once upon a time, learning Spanish from Duolingo. I don't know whether this is a sign or what to start again because I have been having some good doses of Spanish lately. First, because I am watching Jane the Virgin, where Jane Gloriana Villanueva is a Venezuelan-Mexican, and now, Lena, who is a Puerto Rican.
Thank you to Grey's Promotions for an e-ARC of the book.
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
Synopsis:
Elena Murphy runs an art studio, and in the process of getting over her ex, someone else accidentally becomes the target of her frustrations. She thinks of herself as a walking disaster, which is further proven after the scandal she gets embroiled in.
William Stanley has never been attacked in his life, of all the things in the world, with paint. Purple paint. It was not every day that a royal was subjected to street art splatterings. But when he sees an opportunity in all the madness, he grabs it.
Review:
This one had one of the most hilarious beginnings. And surprisingly, I doubled over with laughter as I kept on turning the pages. A Royal Disaster sucked me in its charming world from the first page itself. And then there was the kitty, Jinx. This story felt like a dream come true!
The fake relationship trope is one of my favourites, and it was executed beautifully in this story. Twenty-eight-year-old His Royal Highness, Prince William Louis Albert George Stanley, Duke of Carlyle and Crown Prince of Valeria, accidentally, or rather consciously, stumbles into Elena Murphy's property while trying to lose the paparazzi.
Liam is a serial paps dodger, but what he didn't expect was to be doused in purple paint. He didn't know that he had landed in East Village Art, Lena's art studio, and what was more important was that Lena was in there, having a bad day.
Lena is the first character that I have come across who is Nuyorican. I wasn't even aware of the term before this. For those who haven't heard this term yet, it is a combination of New York and Puerto Rican. And yes, this is the first time I have come across a Puerto Rican character.
What is more amazing is the heritage, the culture, and the traditions that come along with characters from different places. I had a foodgasm at the cuisine descriptions. And there was also the familial bond of Lena's clan. It made me sad for Liam though, for all the things being royal entails.
That is what I am saying, each and every one of the characters is written in such a way that makes you feel for them, deeply. Even the cat – Jinx – is joy, especially the bonding that Liam and Jinx shared melted my heart.
Before I forget, the book is not only adorable, sweet, and charming, but also hot, like steaming hot, off the charts! That Liam is so supportive of Lena is just the cherry on top.
And don't even get me started on the wonder that was the last chapter and the epilogue and the announcement right at the end. The book tied the story together so nicely, the inspired ending was breath-taking, the epilogue was just perfect and suited the personalities of the protagonists, and that the bad boy, Prince Alexander's story is next...well, I do like bad boys and the heroines who bring them to heel. Hee hee...
After every few chapters, there is this 'xoxo gossip girl' like ending (I even read it in that tone!) which is such a unique take and made me laugh with its absurdities but also made me want to bash the terrible reporter for all the lies they spread.
P.S. I had started, once upon a time, learning Spanish from Duolingo. I don't know whether this is a sign or what to start again because I have been having some good doses of Spanish lately. First, because I am watching Jane the Virgin, where Jane Gloriana Villanueva is a Venezuelan-Mexican, and now, Lena, who is a Puerto Rican.
Thank you to Grey's Promotions for an e-ARC of the book.
Originally posted on:
Shaina's Musings
January 11, 2021
3.5 stars
A Royal Disaster (Royally Engaged #1) by Jennifer Bonds is a contemporary romance between an ordinary girl and the royal Prince. Anything that is related to royalty and I am all here. I equally enjoyed reading this book too.
Elena Murphy, a struggling artist and has been recently sued by her ex-boyfriend. His Royal Hotness decides the best way to fix this mess is to make her the envy of New York—by pretending to date. They both start fake dating. The Crown Prince of Valeria, the World’s Most Eligible Bachelor falls for Elena.
The writing style and the few of the very eye catching lines written by Jennifer Bonds, sets the mood for the perfect romance novels. This is nothing new in terms of plot. But Liam is my list of top fictional book boyfriends now. Elena and Liam felt very real to me.
The differences in their culture, and difficulties faced by royalty has been elaborated in this book very well. The character of Elena was just perfect and very likeable as well. And of course, a villain is always required - Charlotte. This one was a good read for me with some great written lines which we make you fall in love with the characters as well as the story.
_____
Thank You to NetGalley and the Publisher for sending me the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
A Royal Disaster (Royally Engaged #1) by Jennifer Bonds is a contemporary romance between an ordinary girl and the royal Prince. Anything that is related to royalty and I am all here. I equally enjoyed reading this book too.
Elena Murphy, a struggling artist and has been recently sued by her ex-boyfriend. His Royal Hotness decides the best way to fix this mess is to make her the envy of New York—by pretending to date. They both start fake dating. The Crown Prince of Valeria, the World’s Most Eligible Bachelor falls for Elena.
The writing style and the few of the very eye catching lines written by Jennifer Bonds, sets the mood for the perfect romance novels. This is nothing new in terms of plot. But Liam is my list of top fictional book boyfriends now. Elena and Liam felt very real to me.
The differences in their culture, and difficulties faced by royalty has been elaborated in this book very well. The character of Elena was just perfect and very likeable as well. And of course, a villain is always required - Charlotte. This one was a good read for me with some great written lines which we make you fall in love with the characters as well as the story.
_____
Thank You to NetGalley and the Publisher for sending me the eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
November 26, 2020
You can find this review of A Royal Disaster on my blog, Heart's Content!
Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the publisher, Entangled Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I just really liked this book so much. The narration itself is easy to follow and the switch between character perspectives felt seamless and comfortable. Both protagonists have their own unique voices and there isn't any space to confuse who's eyes we're the seeing the story through. It also helps that both characters have their own setting, bring their own responsibilities, fears and struggles to the plot .
Elena was a very simple character with some lovely layers to her personality that adds rather than takes away from the simplicity of her personality. She's struggling, she's strong, she's kind, scared, brave, unsure, confident. She's all those opposites that we see in ourselves and in the women we know and love. She's also got a fantastic habit of holding onto her principles and never lowering herself to or for something she wouldn't respect herself for. She's also got the craziest streak of bad luck, but like it was said in a famous KDrama, "Fortune and misfortune are like twisted rope, so they come by turns.", I do believe that there's a strange play of fate behind it all.
Now, Liam. I think he's certainly a good meld of a prince and a man. He's been burned many times but with each experience he's only further shaped himself into the King he wishes to be for his people, which is certainly admirable. He's dedicated, hard working, devoted to his cause, and figuring some things out for himself as the story goes forth. It's watching his growth into understanding that was rather interesting in the story.
The secondary characters are the absolute sweetest, with very defined personalities of their own and they are always there to offer support, understanding, loyalty and a good kick in the arse if their friend needs it. So essentially, they're exactly like all best friends in our lives.
I loved the writing so much. The story was fantastically convincing in most of the moments that most other books end up falling short on. The book did well throughout in terms of pace and even when the end was nearing, the book didn't feel suddenly rushed and thrown into action after a hundred pages of comfortable paced romance. It felt like the author knew exactly what they wanted to say from the very beginning.
I loved how the author confronts characters on their shortcomings and how real those shortcomings were. It's not often the hero of a story is brought to heel rather than just the heroine. The plot was simple and almost completely foreshadowed at a point in the beginning but that didn't ever take away for me how different this book is in comparison to very other one before it that tackled the same theme. (Though I will admit the number of times I've read the mention of the 'stirring' or 'coming to attention' of the hero's nether regions was a little cringe at times, I have no idea why--perhaps because of the timing?)
I'm hovering between a 4.5 and 5 star rating, so choose whichever you feel like at the moment. Cute, cute read with lots of light hearted moments and surprising depth. Happy reading and stay safe!
Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the publisher, Entangled Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I just really liked this book so much. The narration itself is easy to follow and the switch between character perspectives felt seamless and comfortable. Both protagonists have their own unique voices and there isn't any space to confuse who's eyes we're the seeing the story through. It also helps that both characters have their own setting, bring their own responsibilities, fears and struggles to the plot .
Elena was a very simple character with some lovely layers to her personality that adds rather than takes away from the simplicity of her personality. She's struggling, she's strong, she's kind, scared, brave, unsure, confident. She's all those opposites that we see in ourselves and in the women we know and love. She's also got a fantastic habit of holding onto her principles and never lowering herself to or for something she wouldn't respect herself for. She's also got the craziest streak of bad luck, but like it was said in a famous KDrama, "Fortune and misfortune are like twisted rope, so they come by turns.", I do believe that there's a strange play of fate behind it all.
Now, Liam. I think he's certainly a good meld of a prince and a man. He's been burned many times but with each experience he's only further shaped himself into the King he wishes to be for his people, which is certainly admirable. He's dedicated, hard working, devoted to his cause, and figuring some things out for himself as the story goes forth. It's watching his growth into understanding that was rather interesting in the story.
The secondary characters are the absolute sweetest, with very defined personalities of their own and they are always there to offer support, understanding, loyalty and a good kick in the arse if their friend needs it. So essentially, they're exactly like all best friends in our lives.
I loved the writing so much. The story was fantastically convincing in most of the moments that most other books end up falling short on. The book did well throughout in terms of pace and even when the end was nearing, the book didn't feel suddenly rushed and thrown into action after a hundred pages of comfortable paced romance. It felt like the author knew exactly what they wanted to say from the very beginning.
I loved how the author confronts characters on their shortcomings and how real those shortcomings were. It's not often the hero of a story is brought to heel rather than just the heroine. The plot was simple and almost completely foreshadowed at a point in the beginning but that didn't ever take away for me how different this book is in comparison to very other one before it that tackled the same theme. (Though I will admit the number of times I've read the mention of the 'stirring' or 'coming to attention' of the hero's nether regions was a little cringe at times, I have no idea why--perhaps because of the timing?)
I'm hovering between a 4.5 and 5 star rating, so choose whichever you feel like at the moment. Cute, cute read with lots of light hearted moments and surprising depth. Happy reading and stay safe!
November 27, 2020
“A Royal Disaster” was a fun and quick read, but I struggled with whether this was supposed to be a rom-com or an actual romance. I really enjoyed the character interaction, and their chemistry was fire. Elena is an independent and sassy fiery woman, and Liam is everything you’d hope for in a Royal - charming, polite, but with a passionate and sexy side. However, when the characters weren’t together there was a lot of “telling” not “showing”. I wanted to keep reading to get to the good stuff, so it was overall enjoyable.
November 4, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Bonds and Entangled Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This may be one of the cutest, most satisfying little romances ever!
This is a true princess story and satisfies all of the reader's needs for a rags to riches happily ever after novel with little angst and lots of romance. Liam and Elena's romance begins when Liam wanders into Elena's backyard and she accidentally covers him with purple paint. Liam is the crown prince of a Valerian, which is a fictional city. Elena is a starving artist trying to keep her little East Village art studio from going into the red. Because of all the bad press, Elena receives from the paint incident, Liam agrees to a fake relationship to bring her positive press and hilarity ensues. Elena is a hot mess and starts to bring Liam down with her. This book is funny, witty and so unexpected. As the reader, I was rooting for both of them!
I loved this book and can't wait to read the sequel and more by this Author!
This may be one of the cutest, most satisfying little romances ever!
This is a true princess story and satisfies all of the reader's needs for a rags to riches happily ever after novel with little angst and lots of romance. Liam and Elena's romance begins when Liam wanders into Elena's backyard and she accidentally covers him with purple paint. Liam is the crown prince of a Valerian, which is a fictional city. Elena is a starving artist trying to keep her little East Village art studio from going into the red. Because of all the bad press, Elena receives from the paint incident, Liam agrees to a fake relationship to bring her positive press and hilarity ensues. Elena is a hot mess and starts to bring Liam down with her. This book is funny, witty and so unexpected. As the reader, I was rooting for both of them!
I loved this book and can't wait to read the sequel and more by this Author!
November 30, 2020
No Spoilers
I don't want to risk giving away even the smallest of moments that brought such magic to Liam and Elena's story.
This is a fairy tale romance told in modern times.
Packed with wonderful characters that easily steal the reader's heart.
Elena is a walking disaster, no fault of her own just a fact of her life. If it could possibly happen there is a great chance she will be a recipient
Having faced one mishap after another her whole life she has learned to roll with the fates and adapt.
Find the silver lining, grab the positive, and all that.
Until the day she accidentally turns a trespasser into a walking eggplant.
Liam has devoted his life to his country.
Duty before desire.
Sacrifices must be made...
He needs some breathing room and an opportunity has just splashed itself before him.
It's only a month.
They both get something out of it.
No strings, no commitments.
Oh, who is he kidding?
This was full of colorful humor
Sweet missteps and confections (wait for it I'll never view pink donuts the same)
All added together to make a heart-melting romance
I don't want to risk giving away even the smallest of moments that brought such magic to Liam and Elena's story.
This is a fairy tale romance told in modern times.
Packed with wonderful characters that easily steal the reader's heart.
Elena is a walking disaster, no fault of her own just a fact of her life. If it could possibly happen there is a great chance she will be a recipient
Having faced one mishap after another her whole life she has learned to roll with the fates and adapt.
Find the silver lining, grab the positive, and all that.
Until the day she accidentally turns a trespasser into a walking eggplant.
Liam has devoted his life to his country.
Duty before desire.
Sacrifices must be made...
He needs some breathing room and an opportunity has just splashed itself before him.
It's only a month.
They both get something out of it.
No strings, no commitments.
Oh, who is he kidding?
This was full of colorful humor
Sweet missteps and confections (wait for it I'll never view pink donuts the same)
All added together to make a heart-melting romance
November 30, 2020
Life is not turning out as Elena had planned either personally or professionally. The last thing she needs is the PR nightmare that occurs when she accidently douses royalty with paint and it is caught on camera.
Liam is a true Prince when it comes to his reaction about the “incident”. He is enchanted by Elena so he proposes that they pretend to be dating as it will get him out of a personal dilemma and help her with her professional predicament. What could possibly go wrong?
This is a fun and flirty story and the situations they find themselves in is sure to bring a smile to your face. They couldn’t be more different both when it comes to their lifestyles and their demeanor but that is also what makes them so perfect for each.
Liam is a true Prince when it comes to his reaction about the “incident”. He is enchanted by Elena so he proposes that they pretend to be dating as it will get him out of a personal dilemma and help her with her professional predicament. What could possibly go wrong?
This is a fun and flirty story and the situations they find themselves in is sure to bring a smile to your face. They couldn’t be more different both when it comes to their lifestyles and their demeanor but that is also what makes them so perfect for each.
December 1, 2020
A Royal Disaster is a cute, entertaining romance that included royal romance and fake relationship tropes into a fun story that had me laughing. This story will warm your heart as this fake relationship turns to love inspite of all the mishaps. I loved Liam and Elena together. I enjoyed seeing their relationship blossom into something more. They had breathtaking chemistry, excellent banter and were both so likable you will be rooting for them to get their happily ever after. I loved the secondary characters, I loved Jinx the cat, and I loved the press snippets at the end of each chapter. All these added to making this story an enjoyable one and I would recommend it to lovers of royal romances.
July 30, 2025
rate: 3.5/5 stars
this was cute! a little over the top with the “murphy’s law” and the timeline (he’s ready to throw it all away after a month? crazy, boy), but still had a good time.
this was cute! a little over the top with the “murphy’s law” and the timeline (he’s ready to throw it all away after a month? crazy, boy), but still had a good time.
December 1, 2020
Elena and Liam's meet cute sets the tone for this awesome book! It's so much fun, and I cannot wait to read more from this author and series!
November 26, 2020
"You’re like Mr. Perfect to my walking disaster.”
Elana is having a crappy day, her stupid ex is suing her of emotional damage and now to make matters worse she has gone and doused the worlds most eligible bachelor in purple paint turning him into a walking human eggplant, oh and did I mention he is also the crown Prince of Valeria? If this wasn't enough the paps caught the entire thing on camera, skyrocketing her to most hated person in town.
"Why did the man have to be so sexy? This would be a thousand times easier if he were a hideous troll. But no, he had to be the fully loaded fake boyfriend model with perfect cheekbones, arctic eyes, and those perfectly symmetrical goddamn dimples she couldn’t stop drawing, let alone thinking about. It wasn’t fair. Even his hair, despite being mussed— had she done that?—was perfection. How could she possibly be expected not to fall for him?"
••
Wanting to help right his wrongs Prince Liam suggests that they fake date in order to help get Lena's business back up and running and get his parents of his back with their marriage requests. As the two embark on their catastrophe riddled dates they soon begin to question if what was once only supposed to be fake hasn't turned into something very real. But with Their Majesties breathing down Liams neck will he be able to find away to keep his crown but also the woman he has fall in love with?
"Their disastrous meet-cute had been a blessing in disguise. Without it, she might never have found the man of her dreams and she wouldn’t be standing here, wrapped in his warm embrace, looking forward to the future for the first time in her life."
••
This book was super cute! I loved every second of reading this royal Hallmark style romance. It was so easy to love both of these characters. I loved that Liam was swoony and charming but still had a vulnerable side that made him relatable and more human. As for our klutzy Lena, she was hilarious, I loved how strong her culture came through. I absolutely loved Jinx the cat and his cranky attitude.
"I’ll lose myself to the crown without someone by my side to keep me grounded. You’re that person, Elena. I love you, and you make me happier than I’ve been in years. Your laughter, your kind heart, your sense of humor; they make every day brighter than the last. With you at my side, I feel like I can breathe for the first time in ages.”
••
Though the thing that made this book for me was the back and forth between Lena and the press, I loved the Gossip Girl vibe that it had going and that each chapter ended with a press snippet. The secondary characters in this book were pretty cool as well I hope that we get Nia and Ethans story soon and maybe even Xander's story.
“That woman is my entire world,” he whispered, adjusting Jinx’s collar. “My best friend, my love, my queen.”
••
I would most definitely recommend reading this hilarious royal romance, Liam and Lena's hilarious misadventures will have you hooked right from their first colorful encounter.
Elana is having a crappy day, her stupid ex is suing her of emotional damage and now to make matters worse she has gone and doused the worlds most eligible bachelor in purple paint turning him into a walking human eggplant, oh and did I mention he is also the crown Prince of Valeria? If this wasn't enough the paps caught the entire thing on camera, skyrocketing her to most hated person in town.
"Why did the man have to be so sexy? This would be a thousand times easier if he were a hideous troll. But no, he had to be the fully loaded fake boyfriend model with perfect cheekbones, arctic eyes, and those perfectly symmetrical goddamn dimples she couldn’t stop drawing, let alone thinking about. It wasn’t fair. Even his hair, despite being mussed— had she done that?—was perfection. How could she possibly be expected not to fall for him?"
••
Wanting to help right his wrongs Prince Liam suggests that they fake date in order to help get Lena's business back up and running and get his parents of his back with their marriage requests. As the two embark on their catastrophe riddled dates they soon begin to question if what was once only supposed to be fake hasn't turned into something very real. But with Their Majesties breathing down Liams neck will he be able to find away to keep his crown but also the woman he has fall in love with?
"Their disastrous meet-cute had been a blessing in disguise. Without it, she might never have found the man of her dreams and she wouldn’t be standing here, wrapped in his warm embrace, looking forward to the future for the first time in her life."
••
This book was super cute! I loved every second of reading this royal Hallmark style romance. It was so easy to love both of these characters. I loved that Liam was swoony and charming but still had a vulnerable side that made him relatable and more human. As for our klutzy Lena, she was hilarious, I loved how strong her culture came through. I absolutely loved Jinx the cat and his cranky attitude.
"I’ll lose myself to the crown without someone by my side to keep me grounded. You’re that person, Elena. I love you, and you make me happier than I’ve been in years. Your laughter, your kind heart, your sense of humor; they make every day brighter than the last. With you at my side, I feel like I can breathe for the first time in ages.”
••
Though the thing that made this book for me was the back and forth between Lena and the press, I loved the Gossip Girl vibe that it had going and that each chapter ended with a press snippet. The secondary characters in this book were pretty cool as well I hope that we get Nia and Ethans story soon and maybe even Xander's story.
“That woman is my entire world,” he whispered, adjusting Jinx’s collar. “My best friend, my love, my queen.”
••
I would most definitely recommend reading this hilarious royal romance, Liam and Lena's hilarious misadventures will have you hooked right from their first colorful encounter.
November 30, 2020
3.75 stars
A Royal Disaster is a cute, if a little predictable, contemporary Cinderella story mixed with a bit of Pretty Woman elements.
Elena Murphy's life is pretty much an ongoing experiment proving Murphy's law. (Oh, HA! I just got that her last name was Murphy and the Murphy's law thing... Ah. Yup. Get it now, that was clever Ms. Bonds. Very clever.) Anywho. Lena is just moving on in life from one disaster to another. We open with Lena getting serves papers from a process server exclaiming that she is being sued by her ex-boyfriend for emotional damages. As she is going to burn off some well-earned frustrations on her ongoing mural behind her business, a guy comes barging through her alley, right in front of the paint she just tossed. Now, she has a trespasser that she just accidentally assaulted with purple paint, and could her life get any worse? (Quick answer: Yes, yes it so could.)
Who doesn't love Pretty Woman? The Cinderella meets Pretty Woman crossovers were fab. Add that to my love of the fake dating trope and I was so excited to read all the things!
Elena is cute and quirky. She's got that constant clutz thing going on that is absolutely cringe-worthy at times but she has a good heart. I love that Lena is Latina and we have the whole New York and Latin cultural melding into the story and also because street carts and empanadas are yummy and delicious. And her family and BFF were just adorable.
Liam was essentially a good guy but I never really felt we got to know him. He is the quintessential storybook Prince of (insert here). He had royal duties and his parents wanted him to marry. He was working independently with his advisor/secretary/man on trade agreements for his county. And despite being assaulted with purple paint he wanted to help Lena out of the paparazzi/media storm he unintentionally brought to her door.
He had a bit more of a reason for his "fake dating" scheme than he led on but then we wouldn't have had our point of "conflict". I much prefer that once a couple establishes themselves they work together to save the rec center or whathaveyou to defeat the empire. But that's just me.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am absolutely on the hook for #2 with whatever waiting monarch to come? (Please be Alex. **crosses fingers**)
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
A Royal Disaster is a cute, if a little predictable, contemporary Cinderella story mixed with a bit of Pretty Woman elements.
Elena Murphy's life is pretty much an ongoing experiment proving Murphy's law. (Oh, HA! I just got that her last name was Murphy and the Murphy's law thing... Ah. Yup. Get it now, that was clever Ms. Bonds. Very clever.) Anywho. Lena is just moving on in life from one disaster to another. We open with Lena getting serves papers from a process server exclaiming that she is being sued by her ex-boyfriend for emotional damages. As she is going to burn off some well-earned frustrations on her ongoing mural behind her business, a guy comes barging through her alley, right in front of the paint she just tossed. Now, she has a trespasser that she just accidentally assaulted with purple paint, and could her life get any worse? (Quick answer: Yes, yes it so could.)
Who doesn't love Pretty Woman? The Cinderella meets Pretty Woman crossovers were fab. Add that to my love of the fake dating trope and I was so excited to read all the things!
Elena is cute and quirky. She's got that constant clutz thing going on that is absolutely cringe-worthy at times but she has a good heart. I love that Lena is Latina and we have the whole New York and Latin cultural melding into the story and also because street carts and empanadas are yummy and delicious. And her family and BFF were just adorable.
Liam was essentially a good guy but I never really felt we got to know him. He is the quintessential storybook Prince of (insert here). He had royal duties and his parents wanted him to marry. He was working independently with his advisor/secretary/man on trade agreements for his county. And despite being assaulted with purple paint he wanted to help Lena out of the paparazzi/media storm he unintentionally brought to her door.
He had a bit more of a reason for his "fake dating" scheme than he led on but then we wouldn't have had our point of "conflict". I much prefer that once a couple establishes themselves they work together to save the rec center or whathaveyou to defeat the empire. But that's just me.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am absolutely on the hook for #2 with whatever waiting monarch to come? (Please be Alex. **crosses fingers**)
*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
August 5, 2025
Elena Murphy seems to embody Murphy’s Law, and today is no exception. After she discovers her ex is suing her for $10,000, she goes to the back alley behind her small art studio to paint, when a well dressed man walks between the wall and Elena just as she throws purple paint at the wall. Later she discovers he is a crowned Prince and she’s been dubbed Mad Eye Murphy in the tabloids. With her business suddenly failing, Liam offers to help her with good press by being her fake boyfriend.
I do love a good fake relationship romance, and I needed a Royal Main Character for this year’s bingo challenge, so I picked up A Royal Disaster as a freebie in the Audible Plus catalogue. Overall it was a good, albeit predictable listen.
I love Elena’s spunk and ability to take care of herself. She doesn’t need a prince to save her, but she’s also smart enough not to cut her nose off to spite her face when Liam offers assistance. Liam is kind, and his responsibilities to his country as the heir are is priority. He doesn’t seem able to understand why others don’t see things his way. I didn’t like that he hides his personal motives for asking Elena to be his fake girlfriend, and of course, it eventually backfires on him.
The story reads a lot like Pretty Woman, which the pair actually go see on Broadway. I was annoyed for the first half of the book for a couple reasons. I hated how cruel the media and people were to Elena. It’s probably realistic, but it was too much for me. Also, I was annoyed by Liam’s constant reminders of his responsibilities, how Elena is so different than the courtesans at home, and how she’s his FAKE girlfriend.
Narration: The story is shared via the third person alternating POVs of Elena and Liam. Willingham narrates the entire story using a softer, feminine voice, only changing it up for dialogue. This sometimes made it hard to determine POV changes. Willingham alters the dialogue for each character based on gender and nationality. Liam has a somewhat British accent and Elena has a slightly Spanish accent. There isn’t a big range in her characters and her males aren’t overly masculine, rather more husky/whispery.
In the end, A Royal Disaster is a cute and easy Cinderella-type romance.
My Ratings:
Story: B-
Narration: B-
I do love a good fake relationship romance, and I needed a Royal Main Character for this year’s bingo challenge, so I picked up A Royal Disaster as a freebie in the Audible Plus catalogue. Overall it was a good, albeit predictable listen.
I love Elena’s spunk and ability to take care of herself. She doesn’t need a prince to save her, but she’s also smart enough not to cut her nose off to spite her face when Liam offers assistance. Liam is kind, and his responsibilities to his country as the heir are is priority. He doesn’t seem able to understand why others don’t see things his way. I didn’t like that he hides his personal motives for asking Elena to be his fake girlfriend, and of course, it eventually backfires on him.
The story reads a lot like Pretty Woman, which the pair actually go see on Broadway. I was annoyed for the first half of the book for a couple reasons. I hated how cruel the media and people were to Elena. It’s probably realistic, but it was too much for me. Also, I was annoyed by Liam’s constant reminders of his responsibilities, how Elena is so different than the courtesans at home, and how she’s his FAKE girlfriend.
Narration: The story is shared via the third person alternating POVs of Elena and Liam. Willingham narrates the entire story using a softer, feminine voice, only changing it up for dialogue. This sometimes made it hard to determine POV changes. Willingham alters the dialogue for each character based on gender and nationality. Liam has a somewhat British accent and Elena has a slightly Spanish accent. There isn’t a big range in her characters and her males aren’t overly masculine, rather more husky/whispery.
In the end, A Royal Disaster is a cute and easy Cinderella-type romance.
My Ratings:
Story: B-
Narration: B-
November 30, 2020
Royal Disaster is a cute, sexy, and delightful Cinderella story between an accident-prone artist & a suave prince.
Elena has the worst luck and is more than a bit of a klutz. She's currently being sued by her ex, and she's struggling to keep her artist studio and gallery afloat. Liam, the heir to the throne of Valeria, is in the US for trade negotiations and trying to dodge the paparazzi. When Liam accidentally stumbles into Elena's life (aka the back alley where she is throwing purple paint), the tabloids turn her into a crazy, prince-attacking villain. This is all Liam's fault, so in order to save her gallery (while also getting his marriage-minded parents off his back), Liam suggests they rewrite the story by fake dating.
•Romantic Comedy
•Cinderella / Royalty Romance
•Fake Relationship
•Puerto Rican (and Irish) Heroine
•••
In a royal romance, it's always a delicate balance between the relationship developing (part one) and then the non-royal character trying to adjust to the spotlight (part two). A Royal Disaster focuses heavily on the first part, which is great for getting to know the characters, but then it made the second part seem too easy. The main internal conflict for Liam is that his parent's won't accept a commoner bride, and the ending felt a little too quick and tidy.
•••
It's doesn't provide too much of a new take on the Cinderella tale, but Royal Disaster is a sexy, funny, light-hearted romance with a strong cast of secondary characters - Elena has a fiesty BFF and a large meddlesome family, and Liam's assistant Fin needs to get his own HEA.
ARC provided by Grey's Promotions for an honest review.
Elena has the worst luck and is more than a bit of a klutz. She's currently being sued by her ex, and she's struggling to keep her artist studio and gallery afloat. Liam, the heir to the throne of Valeria, is in the US for trade negotiations and trying to dodge the paparazzi. When Liam accidentally stumbles into Elena's life (aka the back alley where she is throwing purple paint), the tabloids turn her into a crazy, prince-attacking villain. This is all Liam's fault, so in order to save her gallery (while also getting his marriage-minded parents off his back), Liam suggests they rewrite the story by fake dating.
•Romantic Comedy
•Cinderella / Royalty Romance
•Fake Relationship
•Puerto Rican (and Irish) Heroine
•••
In a royal romance, it's always a delicate balance between the relationship developing (part one) and then the non-royal character trying to adjust to the spotlight (part two). A Royal Disaster focuses heavily on the first part, which is great for getting to know the characters, but then it made the second part seem too easy. The main internal conflict for Liam is that his parent's won't accept a commoner bride, and the ending felt a little too quick and tidy.
•••
It's doesn't provide too much of a new take on the Cinderella tale, but Royal Disaster is a sexy, funny, light-hearted romance with a strong cast of secondary characters - Elena has a fiesty BFF and a large meddlesome family, and Liam's assistant Fin needs to get his own HEA.
ARC provided by Grey's Promotions for an honest review.
December 1, 2020
Well this book was a delightful surprise, that's for sure. I went into it knowing only a few things:
1) I loved the cover
2) I loved the idea of a royal fake dating one of us common folk
3) It sounded funny
Honestly, it was even better than I expected. Not only were the characters witty and sometimes just outright funny, but they were also real and vulnerable, and were believable. On top of that? It wasn't some stupid miscommunication that caused the inevitable blowup, and that alone made this book a breath of fresh air.
After all, #disaster was the story of her life.
Y'all, I wasn't kidding when I said this book was funny. I laughed out loud a few times, and honestly when Lena had her embarrassing klutz-tastic moments, it was cringeworthy but not like, terribly so that you just wanted to run and hide. You felt for Lena, but you also could roll your eyes and say "yup been there." She was funny, she was smart, and she was also someone I desperately want to be friends with, if only for her Tia's cooking.
Liam? DREAMBOAT. The man knew how to court a woman and he definitely ramped up the steam factor of this book about 10x. He was a wonderful hero and an excellent book boyfriend. 10/10 would date Liam Stanley.
This book was fun, it was cute, it was funny, had great supporting characters (Nia + Ethan = 4ever), and I loved every minute with this crew. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it and I can't wait to read more from Jennifer Bonds in the future.
***Many thanks to Entangled for the review copy!!***
1) I loved the cover
2) I loved the idea of a royal fake dating one of us common folk
3) It sounded funny
Honestly, it was even better than I expected. Not only were the characters witty and sometimes just outright funny, but they were also real and vulnerable, and were believable. On top of that? It wasn't some stupid miscommunication that caused the inevitable blowup, and that alone made this book a breath of fresh air.
After all, #disaster was the story of her life.
Y'all, I wasn't kidding when I said this book was funny. I laughed out loud a few times, and honestly when Lena had her embarrassing klutz-tastic moments, it was cringeworthy but not like, terribly so that you just wanted to run and hide. You felt for Lena, but you also could roll your eyes and say "yup been there." She was funny, she was smart, and she was also someone I desperately want to be friends with, if only for her Tia's cooking.
Liam? DREAMBOAT. The man knew how to court a woman and he definitely ramped up the steam factor of this book about 10x. He was a wonderful hero and an excellent book boyfriend. 10/10 would date Liam Stanley.
This book was fun, it was cute, it was funny, had great supporting characters (Nia + Ethan = 4ever), and I loved every minute with this crew. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read it and I can't wait to read more from Jennifer Bonds in the future.
***Many thanks to Entangled for the review copy!!***
November 29, 2020
Thank you NetGalley, Jennifer Bonds and Entangled Publishing for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Elena Murphy is a mess. Her ex-boyfriend is suing her for the most ridiculous reason. Her art studio is struggling and that was all before she threw a gallon of purple paint all over the Crown Prince of Valeria. In her defense, she was aiming for the alley wall, he just happened to get in the way. Now the media is eating her alive and the Prince’s fan girls are out to ruin Elena’s life. HRH, Liam, is in New York for a month on official royal business. He’s also looking for an excuse to avoid his parents and their attempts to set him up with a future wife. He sees dating Elena for the paps not only helps her ruined reputation (it was his fault after all), but he’s also hoping an American girlfriend is the perfect way to keep his parents satisfied for the time being. Neither of them expect the chemistry they share, but how would they ever make it work?
Truth? I’ve never really gotten into the whole royal thing, so I’ve never read any books about royal life except Red, White & Royal Blue, so this had big shoes to fill! I’m happy to report A Royal Disaster did just that! Elena was such a likeable female lead! She was down to earth, stuck to her guns and didn’t change who she was to fit into Liam’s life. Speaking of Liam, what a swoon-worthy male lead! He and Elena really were perfect together which makes their obstacles that much more important. I’m a sucker for a good romance and I really loved these two! This was just book #1 in Jennifer Bonds’ ‘Royally Engaged’ series and I can’t wait to see more of these two in the future!
Elena Murphy is a mess. Her ex-boyfriend is suing her for the most ridiculous reason. Her art studio is struggling and that was all before she threw a gallon of purple paint all over the Crown Prince of Valeria. In her defense, she was aiming for the alley wall, he just happened to get in the way. Now the media is eating her alive and the Prince’s fan girls are out to ruin Elena’s life. HRH, Liam, is in New York for a month on official royal business. He’s also looking for an excuse to avoid his parents and their attempts to set him up with a future wife. He sees dating Elena for the paps not only helps her ruined reputation (it was his fault after all), but he’s also hoping an American girlfriend is the perfect way to keep his parents satisfied for the time being. Neither of them expect the chemistry they share, but how would they ever make it work?
Truth? I’ve never really gotten into the whole royal thing, so I’ve never read any books about royal life except Red, White & Royal Blue, so this had big shoes to fill! I’m happy to report A Royal Disaster did just that! Elena was such a likeable female lead! She was down to earth, stuck to her guns and didn’t change who she was to fit into Liam’s life. Speaking of Liam, what a swoon-worthy male lead! He and Elena really were perfect together which makes their obstacles that much more important. I’m a sucker for a good romance and I really loved these two! This was just book #1 in Jennifer Bonds’ ‘Royally Engaged’ series and I can’t wait to see more of these two in the future!
November 30, 2020
A Royal Disaster by Jennifer Bonds is a book in her Royally Engaged series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Lena is utterly charming and had me hooked and wanting to be her friend and supporter and cheerleader from the very first page! Also, I adore Nia, and think everyone needs a Nia in their life! Lena is feisty and fierce and sassy and delightfully down to earth with just the right about of dreamy.
And Liam? SWOONWORTHY! Confident, charming, and intrinsically good, even though he had his wild side, Liam was so much fun to get to know on the page! And Fin was hilarious in his serious, stoic, sarcastic way.
Oh my GIDDY AUNT but from their first meeting, to the whole opposites attract and from different walks of life vibe that sizzled between them along with some insane CHEMISTRY, this was one royal disaster that I was cheering for from the sidelines, because it made me chuckle, it made me sigh, and it had me tripping over myself to get to the next page and then the next and then the next, eager for every single morsel of a detail as the story developed.
Of you're looking for a story that will make you chuckle and make you swoon, look no further than A Royal Disaster and the fun yet emotional rollercoaster ride of a journey that it will take you on!
P. S. Where can I sign up for that pottery class?
P. P. S. Can I get a story for Nia and Ethan, pretty please?!
P. P. P. S. I need to rewatch Pretty Woman, ASAP!
P. P. P. P. S. So very much looking forward to the next one in the series!
Lena is utterly charming and had me hooked and wanting to be her friend and supporter and cheerleader from the very first page! Also, I adore Nia, and think everyone needs a Nia in their life! Lena is feisty and fierce and sassy and delightfully down to earth with just the right about of dreamy.
And Liam? SWOONWORTHY! Confident, charming, and intrinsically good, even though he had his wild side, Liam was so much fun to get to know on the page! And Fin was hilarious in his serious, stoic, sarcastic way.
Oh my GIDDY AUNT but from their first meeting, to the whole opposites attract and from different walks of life vibe that sizzled between them along with some insane CHEMISTRY, this was one royal disaster that I was cheering for from the sidelines, because it made me chuckle, it made me sigh, and it had me tripping over myself to get to the next page and then the next and then the next, eager for every single morsel of a detail as the story developed.
Of you're looking for a story that will make you chuckle and make you swoon, look no further than A Royal Disaster and the fun yet emotional rollercoaster ride of a journey that it will take you on!
P. S. Where can I sign up for that pottery class?
P. P. S. Can I get a story for Nia and Ethan, pretty please?!
P. P. P. S. I need to rewatch Pretty Woman, ASAP!
P. P. P. P. S. So very much looking forward to the next one in the series!
November 29, 2020
I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a really cute royalty romance with Liam as the prince from a foreign country who is visiting NYC when he finds a shortcut while ducking his bodyguards and lands up as art when Elena throws paint on him. All would have walked away but a journalist is following him and catches it on video and so Elena becomes famous if a very negative way.
Elena is a hispanic woman who has bad luck in life and in love. Her latest ex is suing her and her life is a series of mishaps as she is very klutzy. She runs her own art gallery and when she is painting some art she ends up covering Liam in paint.
When she becomes famous for attacking the prince he decides to rescue her by dating her and trying to help her by turning her klutzy accident into something that can help her. And thats when the fun begins as they start being real with each other which is a very new thing for Liam and he finds he loves being treated like a man rather than a prince.
This was a fun trope with the gorgeous prince falling for the regular girl and I found it original as he tries to rescue her from the bad press related to a paint accident. Elena brings a lightness to the prince and he brings a stability to her life that her exes never gave her. It was a sweet, sexy and adorable romance and I really enjoyed it. I did feel at times that it moved slowly and I would have liked a faster pace, but its a fun read.
This was a really cute royalty romance with Liam as the prince from a foreign country who is visiting NYC when he finds a shortcut while ducking his bodyguards and lands up as art when Elena throws paint on him. All would have walked away but a journalist is following him and catches it on video and so Elena becomes famous if a very negative way.
Elena is a hispanic woman who has bad luck in life and in love. Her latest ex is suing her and her life is a series of mishaps as she is very klutzy. She runs her own art gallery and when she is painting some art she ends up covering Liam in paint.
When she becomes famous for attacking the prince he decides to rescue her by dating her and trying to help her by turning her klutzy accident into something that can help her. And thats when the fun begins as they start being real with each other which is a very new thing for Liam and he finds he loves being treated like a man rather than a prince.
This was a fun trope with the gorgeous prince falling for the regular girl and I found it original as he tries to rescue her from the bad press related to a paint accident. Elena brings a lightness to the prince and he brings a stability to her life that her exes never gave her. It was a sweet, sexy and adorable romance and I really enjoyed it. I did feel at times that it moved slowly and I would have liked a faster pace, but its a fun read.
November 26, 2020
Elena has been working hard to make a success of her East Village Art studio. Offering art classes and experiences to young and old. It's a struggle financially but she loves creating and sharing art. A letter arrives notifying her that her ex is suing her for emotional distress has her wondering what she is going to do. With no money to pay him off or for a lawyer to fight. She opts to blow off steam painting in the courtyard behind the studio.
Liam is attempting to get away from the press having given his guards the slip. As Crown Prince of Valeria his life is spent in front of the media. Just as he slips through a fence he is covered in purple paint and hit in the groin by the falling paint can. Elena doesn't recognise who he is (which is refreshing for the prince) and after bantering about trespassing agrees to let him clean up in the studio.
Following their awkward meeting, the press has a field day with Elena, causing her to lose precious bookings. Looking to make it up to her and get his parents off his back about marriage he asks her to fake-date him for the month he is in New York. A series of disasters happen as Elena's 'Murphy's Law" theory is put to the test. Along the way, things change from a business arrangement to something more.
Can they truly be together? How can the prince date a commoner? A happy ever after tale with references to the classic Pretty Woman film.
Liam is attempting to get away from the press having given his guards the slip. As Crown Prince of Valeria his life is spent in front of the media. Just as he slips through a fence he is covered in purple paint and hit in the groin by the falling paint can. Elena doesn't recognise who he is (which is refreshing for the prince) and after bantering about trespassing agrees to let him clean up in the studio.
Following their awkward meeting, the press has a field day with Elena, causing her to lose precious bookings. Looking to make it up to her and get his parents off his back about marriage he asks her to fake-date him for the month he is in New York. A series of disasters happen as Elena's 'Murphy's Law" theory is put to the test. Along the way, things change from a business arrangement to something more.
Can they truly be together? How can the prince date a commoner? A happy ever after tale with references to the classic Pretty Woman film.
November 24, 2020
“In what world did a crown prince marry a starving artist from the East Village? It didn’t matter if it happened in the movies, this was real life and things like that didn’t happen.”
In A Royal Disaster, Jennifer Bonds creates a fun romantic comedy full of laughs and a lot of heart with a pinch of angst. Lena and Liam have a hilarious meet cute that ends up in the tabloids due to Liam being a Crown Prince. While Liam’s reputation doesn’t suffer, Lena’s does and in turn her art shop begins losing business. Liam proposes that they enter into a fake dating relationship in order to help her fledgling shop, but what do you do when fake becomes real?
“Fake relationship or not, it’d do you ego some good to work for it.”
Lena was a feisty character who didn’t hesitate to put Liam in his place. She thought she was cursed and she did find herself in some unbelievable and funny situations. Through it all, Liam supported her with humor and grace. He was truly her Prince Charming.
“The only thing he cared about was the way she made him feel—like he was enough—with or without his crown.”
Liam had only one goal in his life and that was to be King of Valeria even if it meant sacrificing what made him happy. When he met Lena, she was refreshing and real and didn’t put on airs. She was unlike anyone that Liam had ever met and she opened up a completely new world to him.
I thoroughly enjoyed Liam and Lena’s journey. It was sweet, sexy, funny, romantic and brought a smile to my face.
In A Royal Disaster, Jennifer Bonds creates a fun romantic comedy full of laughs and a lot of heart with a pinch of angst. Lena and Liam have a hilarious meet cute that ends up in the tabloids due to Liam being a Crown Prince. While Liam’s reputation doesn’t suffer, Lena’s does and in turn her art shop begins losing business. Liam proposes that they enter into a fake dating relationship in order to help her fledgling shop, but what do you do when fake becomes real?
“Fake relationship or not, it’d do you ego some good to work for it.”
Lena was a feisty character who didn’t hesitate to put Liam in his place. She thought she was cursed and she did find herself in some unbelievable and funny situations. Through it all, Liam supported her with humor and grace. He was truly her Prince Charming.
“The only thing he cared about was the way she made him feel—like he was enough—with or without his crown.”
Liam had only one goal in his life and that was to be King of Valeria even if it meant sacrificing what made him happy. When he met Lena, she was refreshing and real and didn’t put on airs. She was unlike anyone that Liam had ever met and she opened up a completely new world to him.
I thoroughly enjoyed Liam and Lena’s journey. It was sweet, sexy, funny, romantic and brought a smile to my face.
November 19, 2020
I like the "prince/royalty" romance trope -- who doesn't have the fairy tale dream of one's childhood? However, after seeing a bit too many Cinderella-type movies on a romance channel, I had grown weary of the way-too-predictable storyline. So when I saw the title of this book, I hesitated for a few minutes before reading the description, thinking that it would be just a formula story. The description was intriguing enough, so I opened my eBook to check it out.
And I'm very happy to say I was wrong about this book! It isn't your usual formula story. There's a funny meet-cute involving the heroine, a can of purple paint, and the hero, who just happens to be a prince. So the story starts out embarrassingly funny, that progresses to just funny as the heroine, Lena, gets herself into a number of predicaments. It's fun to read about her and her lifestyle, and I could totally relate to her as a character. She's the type of person you would love to have as a friend.
Then there's our hero, the prince named Liam. Swoon-worthy! Not only handsome and sophisticated, but also just a tiny bit vulnerable. He appears to be arrogant to the outside world, but as Lena gets to know him, she realizes that is just the persona he was taught to portray as tfhe heir to a wealthy kingdom. But it's not who he really is; it's just a role he has to play.
I don't want to spoil the story for the reader, so I won't reveal any more of the plot. But, I highly recommend this book! I've added Jennifer Bonds to my list of "must-read authors" and can't wait to check out some of her other books. In fact, I'll probably add this book to my pile of books that I'll re-read because it was so entertaining. But don't take my word for it, check out the book yourself!
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC of this book in return for an unbiased review.
And I'm very happy to say I was wrong about this book! It isn't your usual formula story. There's a funny meet-cute involving the heroine, a can of purple paint, and the hero, who just happens to be a prince. So the story starts out embarrassingly funny, that progresses to just funny as the heroine, Lena, gets herself into a number of predicaments. It's fun to read about her and her lifestyle, and I could totally relate to her as a character. She's the type of person you would love to have as a friend.
Then there's our hero, the prince named Liam. Swoon-worthy! Not only handsome and sophisticated, but also just a tiny bit vulnerable. He appears to be arrogant to the outside world, but as Lena gets to know him, she realizes that is just the persona he was taught to portray as tfhe heir to a wealthy kingdom. But it's not who he really is; it's just a role he has to play.
I don't want to spoil the story for the reader, so I won't reveal any more of the plot. But, I highly recommend this book! I've added Jennifer Bonds to my list of "must-read authors" and can't wait to check out some of her other books. In fact, I'll probably add this book to my pile of books that I'll re-read because it was so entertaining. But don't take my word for it, check out the book yourself!
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC of this book in return for an unbiased review.
March 5, 2022
Listen... this wasn't bad BAD. I liked the fake dating, the banter and the getting to know each other. I liked Elena, and what she was doing with her studio. Liam wasn't bad either. He was a super patient man and I liked that he tried to help her in any way he could. The times he went to the workshops? HILARIOUS.
It just wasn't great. The constant disasters tested my patience. Some drama was unnecessary. And the fact that the resolution of the main conflict could have been perfectly explained by a Tiktok meme ("it takes one bullet") rewarded me with a hard face palm.
It just wasn't great. The constant disasters tested my patience. Some drama was unnecessary. And the fact that the resolution of the main conflict could have been perfectly explained by a Tiktok meme ("it takes one bullet") rewarded me with a hard face palm.
November 19, 2020
I'd rate this book 3.5 stars but round up to 4 because there are some really sweet elements in this Cinderella story.
Elena is a starving artist in NYC trying to make ends meet running her art studio and teaching community classes. Liam Stanely breaks into her back alley just in time to become part of Elena's latest mural and lo and behold he's a prince and Elena is the only single woman of age who doesn't recognize him! These two agree to a fake dating arrangement to buy Liam some time from his parents who are pushing him to settle down.
Fake dating is my absolute favorite romance trope, but this one felt even more unrealistic than some of the others. I would have liked to see more background to really know why Liam is proposing their arrangement. Generally, I would have liked to see more of Liam's background/family dynamic/etc. to help me care more about him and root for him more. This comes out in the very last chapter but I would have liked to see it throughout. Elena is an awesome leading lady - I love her relationship with her family, her best friend Nia, and even her crazy cat. Sometimes her clumsiness felt contrived but all in service of her caricature. This book is steamy, though not all of it in service to the story and some of the descriptions were cringe-worthy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the early copy in exchange for this review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Elena is a starving artist in NYC trying to make ends meet running her art studio and teaching community classes. Liam Stanely breaks into her back alley just in time to become part of Elena's latest mural and lo and behold he's a prince and Elena is the only single woman of age who doesn't recognize him! These two agree to a fake dating arrangement to buy Liam some time from his parents who are pushing him to settle down.
Fake dating is my absolute favorite romance trope, but this one felt even more unrealistic than some of the others. I would have liked to see more background to really know why Liam is proposing their arrangement. Generally, I would have liked to see more of Liam's background/family dynamic/etc. to help me care more about him and root for him more. This comes out in the very last chapter but I would have liked to see it throughout. Elena is an awesome leading lady - I love her relationship with her family, her best friend Nia, and even her crazy cat. Sometimes her clumsiness felt contrived but all in service of her caricature. This book is steamy, though not all of it in service to the story and some of the descriptions were cringe-worthy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the early copy in exchange for this review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 18, 2020
If you cross Cinderella fairytales with a slapstick-ish series of unfortunate events you get A Royal Disaster.
Lena Murphy is an accident prone art studio owner from New York. Her heritage is partly Puerto Rican and she cusses in Spanish a lot. I'm not fluent in Spanish but I think I usually got the gist. She has plenty of reasons to cuss, as her ex is suing her and she just threw paint on a hottie prince and got maligned in the press for it. Liam is the crown prince of Valeria, visiting America to strike some trade deals. As far as imaginary countries go, Valeria's laws are pretty old fashioned when it comes to royal marriages. . Liam is being pressured to marry a suitable noblewoman and Lena doesn't fit the ideal. They agree to fake date to try and repair Lena's reputation, One thing leads to another that leads to orgasms, and the fake relationship turns to a pretty hot fling. But the Royal Marriages Act is a shadow hanging behind Liam.
This started out cute and funny and I loved the beginning. Somewhere in the middle it started to drag a little because there was too little talk about anything important, like "what the heck are we doing here?", and "are we still pretending?" My attention wandered to some other books but fortunately when I picked it up again. it got better in the end again.
I don't know if this is part of a series but it feels like Lena's friend Nia and Liam's brother might be getting their own books later.
This is my first book by this author and I got the ARC from Netgalley..
Lena Murphy is an accident prone art studio owner from New York. Her heritage is partly Puerto Rican and she cusses in Spanish a lot. I'm not fluent in Spanish but I think I usually got the gist. She has plenty of reasons to cuss, as her ex is suing her and she just threw paint on a hottie prince and got maligned in the press for it. Liam is the crown prince of Valeria, visiting America to strike some trade deals. As far as imaginary countries go, Valeria's laws are pretty old fashioned when it comes to royal marriages. . Liam is being pressured to marry a suitable noblewoman and Lena doesn't fit the ideal. They agree to fake date to try and repair Lena's reputation, One thing leads to another that leads to orgasms, and the fake relationship turns to a pretty hot fling. But the Royal Marriages Act is a shadow hanging behind Liam.
This started out cute and funny and I loved the beginning. Somewhere in the middle it started to drag a little because there was too little talk about anything important, like "what the heck are we doing here?", and "are we still pretending?" My attention wandered to some other books but fortunately when I picked it up again. it got better in the end again.
I don't know if this is part of a series but it feels like Lena's friend Nia and Liam's brother might be getting their own books later.
This is my first book by this author and I got the ARC from Netgalley..
December 6, 2020
A Royal Disaster by Jennifer Bonds is the 1st book in the Royally Engaged romance series, and my first book by this author. I really enjoyed this book, it was so sweet, as well as funny. I found this book to be a quick and fun read, and look forward to reading this author again. I highly recommend this book, it is a perfect escape, as I watch the snow fall outside my window.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 9, 2020
***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***
1.5 Stars
I really wanted to love this one. I really did. Unfortunately, I just didn't.
I didn't really believe in the characters, or in their attraction. It fell really flat for me.
I am unable to recommend this title.
1.5 Stars
I really wanted to love this one. I really did. Unfortunately, I just didn't.
I didn't really believe in the characters, or in their attraction. It fell really flat for me.
I am unable to recommend this title.
August 7, 2025
this book references Pretty Women a lot lol. MFC definitely needs to be bubbled wrapped 😂 and everyone needs to be at least 6 feet away from her 😂
November 19, 2020
This is a sweet, fun, predictable royal romance. The thing I liked the most about it was the way the Puerto Rican culture was embraced by the author and by the Prince. Elena is just a good person - creative, smart, and kind. She is actually a perfect princess despite not having a pedigreed background and preferring her overalls to fancy dresses. Liam is also perfect - in that he doesn't ever step a foot out of line and puts his country above all other things. The two of them are very sweet together - but honestly, we don't actually get to see them together all that much.
So this was definitely a book that I didn't have particularly strong feelings about. Its nicely written and sweet - but didn't tug at my heart strings very strongly. I did giggle a little at some of the things that happened - but I felt badly for Elena that they were happening so that took some of the laughter away.
Overall - if you love royal romance this is a good fix - but definitely isn't in my top five or even top ten of ones I've read. If you need a light, feel good read with low amount of angst - this is for you!
Also - I should mention that can't tell if the author is heading towards a sequel for the characters in this book - or a different story about Liam's brother. Either would be ok!
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
So this was definitely a book that I didn't have particularly strong feelings about. Its nicely written and sweet - but didn't tug at my heart strings very strongly. I did giggle a little at some of the things that happened - but I felt badly for Elena that they were happening so that took some of the laughter away.
Overall - if you love royal romance this is a good fix - but definitely isn't in my top five or even top ten of ones I've read. If you need a light, feel good read with low amount of angst - this is for you!
Also - I should mention that can't tell if the author is heading towards a sequel for the characters in this book - or a different story about Liam's brother. Either would be ok!
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
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