This is book four of the Secrets, Lies and Betrayal series and the main character are Lady Geela ‘Glee’ Beaulieu and Prince Andris Porte. Glee and Andris managed to get away together for some eight years, to do their degree and then masters degree, before having to return to Petra and their lives as part of the Nobility and Royalty. Glee has known she is not accepted by the elven court, mainly due to her not being a pure blood and also her mother’s behaviour. She is the Queen’s assistant and has been raised almost as her daughter, given all the hints and tips to one day rule as Queen, next to Andris when he took over as the King. She has always loved Andris, but never felt that she would be accepted by the court and those other noble families, without causing a civil war! Whilst they were away, they were almost different people and Andris fell in love with her at last, but he didn’t put a ring on her finger before they returned. Once they were back, she went back into her old behaviours and pushing him away somewhat. He eventually broke up with her when she wouldn’t allow him to stand beside her as she faced the ruling court, instead determined to prove her own worth.
Now he is engaged to another woman, Sabrina, who has all the correct pedigree, but none of the character. She wants the status but cares little for the people, unlike Glee. Andris is busy planning his wedding to Sabrina, but he is beginning to realise how shallow Sabrina is and that he still loves Glee. She has to get over her fears of not being suitable for the nobility and being his queen. She can’t be around him whilst he is courting Sabrina, knowing how unsuitable Sabrina is to be queen and what she herself has lost. Once he marries Sabrina, she knows that she won’t be able to stay in the palace any longer. Maybe it will be time to let herself go and embrace her mother’s side of herself and go away on an adventure, like she does. Andris has to make a serious decision on what he truly wants and who he is really in love with! His mother plans to be away for an event, putting Glee in the position of accompanying Andris for an official event whilst his parents were away. Some of the nobility are adamant the royal family must remain pure and they see Glee as a serious threat to that and try to take action against her. This enables the two to finally realise what their love means and whether they could accept being together, no matter what others think and believe. A story of having self-doubt and realising your own worth, as well as a side story of another young woman who has suffered greatly and the man who loves her, which I hope will become its own story shortly. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.