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Reign
Some fairy tales start after midnight.
The crown prince and I have nothing in common.
He's a rugged, battle-hardened soldier who spent four years in the Royal Guard, an elite military unit. I met the King and Queen for the first time wearing leggings and a sweatshirt.
He's the serious, quiet, straight-laced heir to the throne, and I accidentally got drunk at a formal dinner.
But there's the way he looks at me, eyes blazing with hunger. Like he knows every dirty thought I've had about him - and he likes them. There's the way my pulse skyrockets every time his hand brushes mine.
I'm the ambassador's daughter. I know better than to mess around with a foreign head of state.
But I don't know how long I can resist.
Not all princes are charming.
I spent years in the Royal Guard, our most elite military unit, fighting like hell so I could rule one day - not so I could give my father an heir with some well-bred rich girl.
I have a f*cking country to run. My love life can take a back seat. It's not like I've ever met a girl I had to have.
Until her. The ambassador's daughter. She's so... American. Lowborn, brash, wildly unsuitable... and gorgeous.
I'm disciplined, tough as hell, and I don't f*ck around. But I can't stop thinking about the way she laughs, about how she might taste. My father's threatening to strip me of my title if I touch her, but she makes me want to break every one of my own rules.
F*ck titles. F*ck rules. F*ck my father's threats. I want her. I need her.
She's mine.
The crown prince and I have nothing in common.
He's a rugged, battle-hardened soldier who spent four years in the Royal Guard, an elite military unit. I met the King and Queen for the first time wearing leggings and a sweatshirt.
He's the serious, quiet, straight-laced heir to the throne, and I accidentally got drunk at a formal dinner.
But there's the way he looks at me, eyes blazing with hunger. Like he knows every dirty thought I've had about him - and he likes them. There's the way my pulse skyrockets every time his hand brushes mine.
I'm the ambassador's daughter. I know better than to mess around with a foreign head of state.
But I don't know how long I can resist.
Not all princes are charming.
I spent years in the Royal Guard, our most elite military unit, fighting like hell so I could rule one day - not so I could give my father an heir with some well-bred rich girl.
I have a f*cking country to run. My love life can take a back seat. It's not like I've ever met a girl I had to have.
Until her. The ambassador's daughter. She's so... American. Lowborn, brash, wildly unsuitable... and gorgeous.
I'm disciplined, tough as hell, and I don't f*ck around. But I can't stop thinking about the way she laughs, about how she might taste. My father's threatening to strip me of my title if I touch her, but she makes me want to break every one of my own rules.
F*ck titles. F*ck rules. F*ck my father's threats. I want her. I need her.
She's mine.
336 pages, ebook
First published June 22, 2016
646 people are currently reading
1676 people want to read
About the author
Roxie Noir
44 books3,483 followersRoxie is a romance author by day, and also a romance author by night. She lives in Los Angeles with one husband, two cats, far too many books, and a truly alarming pile of used notebooks that she refuses to throw away.
She's the author of the Loveless Brothers series, the upcoming Wildwood Society series, and a bunch of other books that are also delightful.
If you need updates or free stories, you can sign up for her newsletter: http://roxienoir.com/newsletter
She's the author of the Loveless Brothers series, the upcoming Wildwood Society series, and a bunch of other books that are also delightful.
If you need updates or free stories, you can sign up for her newsletter: http://roxienoir.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 312 reviews
June 28, 2016
Oh my fucking god. I recently just invested in Kindle Unlimited and so I'm burning through all of these books for free and I came across Roxie Noir somehow and I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER TO DISCOVER AN AUTHOR.
Roxie Noir writes EXACTLY what I want to read and holy fuck, REIGN was just INCREDIBLE. I was wary about it first because it kind of started off slow, and thought the dual narrator might ruin it, but holy fuck. Like right after the first couple of chapters, I was so goddamn into it.
Kostya was so fucking sexy and Hazel was headstrong and hilarious and beautiful and I love that she curses like a sailor. They worked so perfectly together and I cried a few times because it got so intense and UGH. I love love love this book!!!! Soooo excited to read more from Roxie!!!
Roxie Noir writes EXACTLY what I want to read and holy fuck, REIGN was just INCREDIBLE. I was wary about it first because it kind of started off slow, and thought the dual narrator might ruin it, but holy fuck. Like right after the first couple of chapters, I was so goddamn into it.
Kostya was so fucking sexy and Hazel was headstrong and hilarious and beautiful and I love that she curses like a sailor. They worked so perfectly together and I cried a few times because it got so intense and UGH. I love love love this book!!!! Soooo excited to read more from Roxie!!!
December 8, 2021
5 stars. I LOVED this book. It’s so good, and hands down the best modern day royal romance I’ve ever read. It isn’t cheesy, it has just the right amount of angst, and I never once felt bored while reading this book. Best of all, the audiobook is on Hoopla. 👏👏
This book starts out fairly similarly to other royal romance books. The hero is a prince and meets the heroine when she visits her mother, the ambassador for the US. The hero’s father, the king, is pressuring him to get married to an “appropriate” woman. Ofc, the heroine is considered anything but appropriate, but the hero can’t stay away. I especially loved that the hero never once actually considers caving to his father… he is kind to the OW who is being thrown at him, but he doesn’t make false promises or even hint at anything more with her. I really feel like the author did everything right with this book. Ofc since this is a romance, the hero and heroine get a happy ending… and an excellent epilogue a year later! It was just the perfect 💕 ending for this book.
Oh, and I should mention that I’m adding both of these MCs to my favorites list. They are just everything I love!😻
This is the second book that I’ve finished by this author, and I can’t wait to read more! I’ll probably try to pace myself though.
One last thing to add… the hero of this story supposedly speaks Russian. I didn’t understand a single word of the “Russian” language the narrator of the audiobook was throwing out. It’s a small detail, but frustrating as a speaker of the language that is supposedly in the book.
Safety in this book is SO GOOD. The hero isn’t a manwhore, heroine isn’t a virgin, and there’s no mention of bad sex or any other BS. She did have a relationship that ended badly about a year before the story begins. The hero’s past isn’t mentioned at all really, besides just saying that he’s had girlfriends. I believe he was celibate for a while before the heroine, but can’t remember the way it was stated exactly. No OM drama, slight OW drama (very slight and the direction the story took towards the OW was perfect imo), no scenes with OM/OW, no cheating.
TW: attempted murder, murder of side character, violence, terrorism
This book starts out fairly similarly to other royal romance books. The hero is a prince and meets the heroine when she visits her mother, the ambassador for the US. The hero’s father, the king, is pressuring him to get married to an “appropriate” woman. Ofc, the heroine is considered anything but appropriate, but the hero can’t stay away. I especially loved that the hero never once actually considers caving to his father… he is kind to the OW who is being thrown at him, but he doesn’t make false promises or even hint at anything more with her. I really feel like the author did everything right with this book. Ofc since this is a romance, the hero and heroine get a happy ending… and an excellent epilogue a year later! It was just the perfect 💕 ending for this book.
Oh, and I should mention that I’m adding both of these MCs to my favorites list. They are just everything I love!😻
This is the second book that I’ve finished by this author, and I can’t wait to read more! I’ll probably try to pace myself though.
One last thing to add… the hero of this story supposedly speaks Russian. I didn’t understand a single word of the “Russian” language the narrator of the audiobook was throwing out. It’s a small detail, but frustrating as a speaker of the language that is supposedly in the book.
Safety in this book is SO GOOD. The hero isn’t a manwhore, heroine isn’t a virgin, and there’s no mention of bad sex or any other BS. She did have a relationship that ended badly about a year before the story begins. The hero’s past isn’t mentioned at all really, besides just saying that he’s had girlfriends. I believe he was celibate for a while before the heroine, but can’t remember the way it was stated exactly. No OM drama, slight OW drama (very slight and the direction the story took towards the OW was perfect imo), no scenes with OM/OW, no cheating.
TW: attempted murder, murder of side character, violence, terrorism
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2016
This is exactly what I needed. One of the sweetest H's I've read in awhile and one of the most amazing h's I've read in awhile. Kostya was so sweet and sexy and Hazel was a joy to read and didn't annoy me at all. There were a few things left out in the open plot wise, but i didn't mind it. For every 25 books I read, maybe 3 of them are free of OW/OM drama, and this was one of the three. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for something light and sexy.
February 4, 2023
Roxie Noir definitely has a writing style that I enjoy and knows how to write likable main characters along with some great romance and steamy sex. I enjoyed this contemporary, royal romance between Hazel (h) and Kostya (H). Hazel is the daughter of the American ambassador to Kostya's country and even though they're very different personality-wise, and he's told to leave her alone by his father, they're drawn to each other like magnets. I knew from friends' reviews that this would be lower angst despite the prince and foreign commoner set-up so I just enjoyed the developing romance, along with a side of danger/suspense happening with a rebel group. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama (there is a woman H is encouraged to date, but although he spends some time with her in royal settings, there is zero interest) and neither are virgins (only some details given of each of their histories).
As much as I liked the romance side of this book, I wanted more from the political plot side and more development with Hazel's growth. There were questions I had at the end of the book with how the country would have changed and what Hazel's part in all of it was. The epilogue is one year later and it was funny and sweet, but right before the epilogue, Hazel was showing some great signs of initiative and strength. Then we don't see any hints of what her role in the country is in the epilogue and I was a bit let down. Sometimes lingering questions don't bother me in my reading, this time they poked a bit harder at my brain so even though this was a solidly great read, I wasn't as satisfied at the end as I could have been.
I also thought the side characters were excellent. The ow who Kostya was being pushed towards also showed some signs of being more close to the end, and a bit of some bonding with Hazel, which I would have liked to see something of in the epilogue as well. I do recommend this book though for a steamy, sweet, and easy royalty read.
As much as I liked the romance side of this book, I wanted more from the political plot side and more development with Hazel's growth. There were questions I had at the end of the book with how the country would have changed and what Hazel's part in all of it was. The epilogue is one year later and it was funny and sweet, but right before the epilogue, Hazel was showing some great signs of initiative and strength. Then we don't see any hints of what her role in the country is in the epilogue and I was a bit let down. Sometimes lingering questions don't bother me in my reading, this time they poked a bit harder at my brain so even though this was a solidly great read, I wasn't as satisfied at the end as I could have been.
I also thought the side characters were excellent. The ow who Kostya was being pushed towards also showed some signs of being more close to the end, and a bit of some bonding with Hazel, which I would have liked to see something of in the epilogue as well. I do recommend this book though for a steamy, sweet, and easy royalty read.
July 7, 2016
Kostyra and Hazel
Hazel is taking a mini vacation to visit her diplomat parents in a Russian small country. The prince is Kostra and he is next in line to be crowned king. Hazel is American MWF school drop out and very easy going, sometimes says the F bombs ...total American. Kostra finds Hazel more interesting than the girls from his country. There is a lot of sex. At first I thought this was a teen book. Which I love young romance. But these 2 had some hot lovin. So this is rated R+++.
Hazel is taking a mini vacation to visit her diplomat parents in a Russian small country. The prince is Kostra and he is next in line to be crowned king. Hazel is American MWF school drop out and very easy going, sometimes says the F bombs ...total American. Kostra finds Hazel more interesting than the girls from his country. There is a lot of sex. At first I thought this was a teen book. Which I love young romance. But these 2 had some hot lovin. So this is rated R+++.
July 11, 2016
This was a funny book. I really liked both the hero and the heroine and there was some truly whitty dialogue. This felt like a modern age fairytale. The story was fast paced and fulfilling. I would have easily rated this book a solid 5 stars had there been more in the sense of closure. An in depth epilogue some time down the road would have made a huge difference for this book. That would have made it feel more like a HEA rather than a HFN feel to it. I'm glad this one was offered as a kindleunlimited and I will definitely check out more of this writers work.
Read
November 25, 2024Review for myself. It was moving way too slow for me and it wasn't well written or even interesting. I'm not giving it a rating because in this case, I didn't think it was fair.
The author didn't come up with anything more creative than:
"Have you ever eaten liver before?" he said.
"It's not my favorite." I say.
"What is your favorite food?" he says.
"Probably Italian." I say.
It's literally that way the entire time!!! That's just the start of it. It's also filled with empty descriptions of things.
Not for me.
The author didn't come up with anything more creative than:
"Have you ever eaten liver before?" he said.
"It's not my favorite." I say.
"What is your favorite food?" he says.
"Probably Italian." I say.
It's literally that way the entire time!!! That's just the start of it. It's also filled with empty descriptions of things.
Not for me.
Want to read
July 12, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (7/12/2018)!💝
Blurb:
Some fairy tales start after midnight.
The crown prince and I have nothing in common.
He's a rugged, battle-hardened soldier who spent four years in the Royal Guard, an elite military unit. I met the King and Queen for the first time wearing leggings and a sweatshirt.
He's the serious, quiet, straight-laced heir to the throne, and I accidentally got drunk at a formal dinner.
But there's the way he looks at me, eyes blazing with hunger. Like he knows every dirty thought I've had about him - and he likes them. There's the way my pulse skyrockets every time his hand brushes mine.
I'm the ambassador's daughter. I know better than to mess around with a foreign head of state.
But I don't know how long I can resist.
Not all princes are charming.
I spent years in the Royal Guard, our most elite military unit, fighting like hell so I could rule one day - not so I could give my father an heir with some well-bred rich girl.
I have a f*cking country to run. My love life can take a back seat. It's not like I've ever met a girl I had to have.
Until her. The ambassador's daughter. She's so... American. Lowborn, brash, wildly unsuitable... and gorgeous.
I'm disciplined, tough as hell, and I don't f*ck around. But I can't stop thinking about the way she laughs, about how she might taste. My father's threatening to strip me of my title if I touch her, but she makes me want to break every one of my own rules.
F*ck titles. F*ck rules. F*ck my father's threats. I want her. I need her.
She's mine.
Blurb:
Some fairy tales start after midnight.
The crown prince and I have nothing in common.
He's a rugged, battle-hardened soldier who spent four years in the Royal Guard, an elite military unit. I met the King and Queen for the first time wearing leggings and a sweatshirt.
He's the serious, quiet, straight-laced heir to the throne, and I accidentally got drunk at a formal dinner.
But there's the way he looks at me, eyes blazing with hunger. Like he knows every dirty thought I've had about him - and he likes them. There's the way my pulse skyrockets every time his hand brushes mine.
I'm the ambassador's daughter. I know better than to mess around with a foreign head of state.
But I don't know how long I can resist.
Not all princes are charming.
I spent years in the Royal Guard, our most elite military unit, fighting like hell so I could rule one day - not so I could give my father an heir with some well-bred rich girl.
I have a f*cking country to run. My love life can take a back seat. It's not like I've ever met a girl I had to have.
Until her. The ambassador's daughter. She's so... American. Lowborn, brash, wildly unsuitable... and gorgeous.
I'm disciplined, tough as hell, and I don't f*ck around. But I can't stop thinking about the way she laughs, about how she might taste. My father's threatening to strip me of my title if I touch her, but she makes me want to break every one of my own rules.
F*ck titles. F*ck rules. F*ck my father's threats. I want her. I need her.
She's mine.
November 1, 2021
Loved this! V sweet and slightly witty!
August 8, 2016
This was a new author for me. I read this book on Kindle Unlimited.
Its about a prince who falls for a woman whom his father does not approve of to become the future Queen. There were some good laugh out loud moments in the book. The story started off a bit slow for me but it definitely picked up. I was surprised how long the story was. There are 3 books in this bundle but I just read Reign.
I love stories about Royals and I enjoyed this one. Definitely worth a read!
Its about a prince who falls for a woman whom his father does not approve of to become the future Queen. There were some good laugh out loud moments in the book. The story started off a bit slow for me but it definitely picked up. I was surprised how long the story was. There are 3 books in this bundle but I just read Reign.
I love stories about Royals and I enjoyed this one. Definitely worth a read!
August 2, 2021
I really liked this one!!! Kostya and Hazel had so much chemistry and Kostya was just a nice and caring person, definitely not a douchebag. My only complaint is that I think things happened too quickly. The book takes place over the course of two weeks so there is a little bit of insta love, but otherwise chef kiss.
July 20, 2021
This was cute, hot and hilarious - lots of suspending disbelief for the international relations parts of the book, but that’s what we do in romance land.
January 23, 2022
Enjoyable royal romance between a Crown Prince and the daughter of the American Ambassador that could have used a bit more development. We’re told repeatedly that Hazel is a hot mess but I wasn’t clear on why. Sure, she didn’t always make the best decisions but they were mostly small mistakes, not ones that would be worthy of regularly declaring yourself to be a fuckup. At the same time, I wanted to know how she was going to figure out what to do next and whether she’d ever wanted to go to medical school. I really liked both Hazel and Kostya but it felt like the external conflicts got swept away too easily, which then made me question their presence in the first place. The resolution with the rebel attacks, for instance, felt abrupt (only a paragraph!) given the tension up until that point. Despite all this, I did really enjoy it, especially when Hazel and Kostya had to hunker in a bunker. They were compelling characters who were immediately drawn to each other despite all the reasons it would be a bad idea and I always enjoy that kind of set up.
Note: I did have some questions about Hazel’s representation as a Korean American. First, it wasn’t clear whether her mom was white or also Korean American. Second, if her mom was white, then Hazel and her dad are the only POC in the book. It’s a very white cishet world and I have no idea how Svelorians view POC or LGBTQ+ people. Hazel experiences a couple of microaggressions but it wasn’t clear if this was because she was Korean or because she was American.
Characters: Hazel is a 25 year old Korean American diplomat’s daughter and medical school dropout. Kostya is a white Svelorian Crown Prince in his late 20s. This is set in the fictional Eastern European country of Sveloria.
Content notes: , on page nightmares, PTSD, guerilla attacks (off page), physical assault, MMC was in the military, past professional ethics violation (off page secondary character) , secondary character with a limp (past war injury: stepped on a land mine), shooting range, past war and Soviet occupation, past blood poisoning as a child (stepped on a nail and didn’t tell anyone), microagressions, slut-shaming (countered), on page sex, masturbation, marijuana, alcohol, inebriation, cigarettes (secondary characters), gendered insults, gender essentialism, ableist language, mention of past one time cocaine use, mentions of past war atrocities
Note: I did have some questions about Hazel’s representation as a Korean American. First, it wasn’t clear whether her mom was white or also Korean American. Second, if her mom was white, then Hazel and her dad are the only POC in the book. It’s a very white cishet world and I have no idea how Svelorians view POC or LGBTQ+ people. Hazel experiences a couple of microaggressions but it wasn’t clear if this was because she was Korean or because she was American.
Characters: Hazel is a 25 year old Korean American diplomat’s daughter and medical school dropout. Kostya is a white Svelorian Crown Prince in his late 20s. This is set in the fictional Eastern European country of Sveloria.
Content notes: , on page nightmares, PTSD, guerilla attacks (off page), physical assault, MMC was in the military, past professional ethics violation (off page secondary character) , secondary character with a limp (past war injury: stepped on a land mine), shooting range, past war and Soviet occupation, past blood poisoning as a child (stepped on a nail and didn’t tell anyone), microagressions, slut-shaming (countered), on page sex, masturbation, marijuana, alcohol, inebriation, cigarettes (secondary characters), gendered insults, gender essentialism, ableist language, mention of past one time cocaine use, mentions of past war atrocities
August 31, 2018
Kostya is a Prince who knows his roll in the family, he may not agree with his fathers tactics but he was born to step into his place when it was time. Lately his father has been pressuring Kostya about marrying, but before he puts the action to place he is summoned to attend to the American Ambassador's family and meets Hazel.
Hazel did her due diligence and read up on the country she was visiting, but it doesn't help her from making a few faux pas along the way. Hazel finds a unique friendship with Kostya and an attraction that is undeniable. The problem is though that they are not supposed to be together, however not every rule is written in stone.
Great read, was swept off my feet. I liked Kostya a lot, you can tell he is not happy with his place in life and knows he has no choice but to do his duty. Loved Hazel, she was a breath of fresh air.
Hazel did her due diligence and read up on the country she was visiting, but it doesn't help her from making a few faux pas along the way. Hazel finds a unique friendship with Kostya and an attraction that is undeniable. The problem is though that they are not supposed to be together, however not every rule is written in stone.
Great read, was swept off my feet. I liked Kostya a lot, you can tell he is not happy with his place in life and knows he has no choice but to do his duty. Loved Hazel, she was a breath of fresh air.
August 2, 2016
This is my 1st book by this author and I couldn't have picked a better one to start with. Our H is Konstantin (Kostya) Grigorovich and our h is Hazel Sung.
Hazel is the daughter of the American Ambassador to Sveloria. She is traveling the world after dropping out of med school and is making a stop to visit her parents. After a long train ride, as she is disembarking her phone is going off from her mother warning her that the royal family will be there to greet her. So she should look presentable. Of course, its too late for that and she meets the royal family in leggings. Hazel has made some mistakes that caused her to drop out of med school and run from the scandal.
Konstantin Grigorovich, who goes by Kostya, is the crown prince of Sveloria. After doing his time in the military, he is back home and struggling with what he saw and did. His father rules with an iron fist and Kostya gets no leeway just for being his son. Kostya's father is pushing him to marry a good Svelorian woman and have heirs. Kostya has no interest in these women, marriage or heirs. When he is ordered by his father to go with him and his mother to greet the American Ambassador's daughter, he is not happy. Then he sees Hazel and is astounded by how beautiful she is... even if she wears leggings when meeting the royal family.
I love Kostya and Hazel grew on me. They became friends before becoming lovers, which was wonderful. Kostya hasn't had much fun in his life and he struggles with trying to make and understand jokes with Hazel. The story kept me interested from beginning to end. A great 1st book from this author and I hope they write more like this.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
Hazel is the daughter of the American Ambassador to Sveloria. She is traveling the world after dropping out of med school and is making a stop to visit her parents. After a long train ride, as she is disembarking her phone is going off from her mother warning her that the royal family will be there to greet her. So she should look presentable. Of course, its too late for that and she meets the royal family in leggings. Hazel has made some mistakes that caused her to drop out of med school and run from the scandal.
Konstantin Grigorovich, who goes by Kostya, is the crown prince of Sveloria. After doing his time in the military, he is back home and struggling with what he saw and did. His father rules with an iron fist and Kostya gets no leeway just for being his son. Kostya's father is pushing him to marry a good Svelorian woman and have heirs. Kostya has no interest in these women, marriage or heirs. When he is ordered by his father to go with him and his mother to greet the American Ambassador's daughter, he is not happy. Then he sees Hazel and is astounded by how beautiful she is... even if she wears leggings when meeting the royal family.
I love Kostya and Hazel grew on me. They became friends before becoming lovers, which was wonderful. Kostya hasn't had much fun in his life and he struggles with trying to make and understand jokes with Hazel. The story kept me interested from beginning to end. A great 1st book from this author and I hope they write more like this.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
June 30, 2021
4.5 Stars
I surprisingly loved this book! Surprisingly, because I went into this thinking I would like it and enjoy it yes, but not really love it like I do. It’s the first book I’ve read by Roxie Noir, and I’m now scolding myself for not reading any of her books before. She’s definitely made it to my authors to watch out for list, and I fully intent to read her other books if they’re as good as this one was.
Anyone who knows me knows I love a good ole royalty romance. I’m just a sucker for em Cinderella vibes and this one definitely had that in spades. That is, if Cinderella was a free-spirited woman who does what she wants while cursing like a sailor. Hazel was a total badass who has her awkward and super girly moments as well, which I loved. And her prince? Holy cow, that man. I would completely leave my home, my family, and everything I know behind if it means I get to have this handsome, sweet, broody, overprotective, swoony, and hella hot prince as mine. Kostya is the kind of man you just cannot help but fall for. I know I did. And these two together? Explosive. In more ways than one. I couldn’t get enough of them! Also, read the audiobook if you can cause damn… that Russian accent in Kostya’s POVs are so damn sexy lol kudos to the male narrator for that.
I finished this book with a giddy feeling and a humongous smile on my face. I also really loved those last moments of Kostya and Hazel at the end — it was such a sweet moment. And that bonus extended epilogue? Ugh. Hello, happy heart. This definitely goes straight to my favorites pile and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
I surprisingly loved this book! Surprisingly, because I went into this thinking I would like it and enjoy it yes, but not really love it like I do. It’s the first book I’ve read by Roxie Noir, and I’m now scolding myself for not reading any of her books before. She’s definitely made it to my authors to watch out for list, and I fully intent to read her other books if they’re as good as this one was.
Anyone who knows me knows I love a good ole royalty romance. I’m just a sucker for em Cinderella vibes and this one definitely had that in spades. That is, if Cinderella was a free-spirited woman who does what she wants while cursing like a sailor. Hazel was a total badass who has her awkward and super girly moments as well, which I loved. And her prince? Holy cow, that man. I would completely leave my home, my family, and everything I know behind if it means I get to have this handsome, sweet, broody, overprotective, swoony, and hella hot prince as mine. Kostya is the kind of man you just cannot help but fall for. I know I did. And these two together? Explosive. In more ways than one. I couldn’t get enough of them! Also, read the audiobook if you can cause damn… that Russian accent in Kostya’s POVs are so damn sexy lol kudos to the male narrator for that.
I finished this book with a giddy feeling and a humongous smile on my face. I also really loved those last moments of Kostya and Hazel at the end — it was such a sweet moment. And that bonus extended epilogue? Ugh. Hello, happy heart. This definitely goes straight to my favorites pile and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
August 11, 2016
A Lighthearted Royal Romance
This was an imaginative delight of a romance story. The setting while fictional, had enough elements of believability to make it more than your average erotic fairytale. The main characters (the prince and the commoner) are written with sufficient depth and combustibility to keep you happily entertained. Even the flighty girl apparently destined for the prince develops into a surprisingly likable character. The writer displays her talent in her unique word styling and excellent pacing. Oh and the line about American girls and CokeCola is one for the record. Whose record? Who knows? Perhaps royal princes'
This was an imaginative delight of a romance story. The setting while fictional, had enough elements of believability to make it more than your average erotic fairytale. The main characters (the prince and the commoner) are written with sufficient depth and combustibility to keep you happily entertained. Even the flighty girl apparently destined for the prince develops into a surprisingly likable character. The writer displays her talent in her unique word styling and excellent pacing. Oh and the line about American girls and CokeCola is one for the record. Whose record? Who knows? Perhaps royal princes'
June 30, 2016
I very highly recommend this book! It has a little bit of everything. It is so funny, but is also steamy hot, and has action and suspense too. I loved how Kostya, the prince, and Hazel joked back and forth, and it was so funny when he was questioning that Americans really played beer pong, had pie eating contests, and went to scenic overlooks to have sex in their car. I absolutely loved this book. I received this book from the author in return for an honest review, and yes, you need to read this one.
July 4, 2016
3*.
This was an OK read. Both Kostya and Hazel are likable characters and while the entire plot was highly predictable, their interaction was entertaining. The one thing that grated me like sand in the underwear is the pet-name Hazel was settled with: Note to the author: in Russian language 'Zloy' have harsher meaning, more like 'mean', 'mean-spirited' or 'nasty' , and not 'misbehaving' . A villain in Russian would be called 'zlodei" - an evil-doer. It is not a type of word that could be morphed in to a term of endearment without sounding inane.
This was an OK read. Both Kostya and Hazel are likable characters and while the entire plot was highly predictable, their interaction was entertaining. The one thing that grated me like sand in the underwear is the pet-name Hazel was settled with: Note to the author: in Russian language 'Zloy' have harsher meaning, more like 'mean', 'mean-spirited' or 'nasty' , and not 'misbehaving' . A villain in Russian would be called 'zlodei" - an evil-doer. It is not a type of word that could be morphed in to a term of endearment without sounding inane.
June 24, 2016
Reign is skillfully written and captivated me from the beginning and kept me turning the pages until the very end. This book has everything I want in a book... angst, drama, action, mystery, humor, attraction, a scandalous past, a disapproving parent, and of course... some hot sex.
I received a courtesy copy of this book for an honest review.
I received a courtesy copy of this book for an honest review.
August 5, 2019
I’m not sure how this book ended up on my bookshelf or why but it was just interesting enough to keep me engaged the entire time. I liked the diversity of the scenery and the whole political subplot. It was easy to get sucked into the dynamics of this book and everything going on in it. I would very much like to read more from this author so thank you very much whomever recommended to me.
September 8, 2016
This book was great and sexy. I loved every minute of it!
August 16, 2017
I enjoyed this book so much more than I was expecting! There's just something about a real life fairy tale that every woman can appreciate. I would highly recommend this book.
February 17, 2018
DNF @ 8%
July 12, 2022
I refuse to acknowledge the sneaky snake of a reading slump that might coil around me if I don't get a high 4.5 or 5 star reading, soon.
And, from the get go, I couldn't picture either of them well, whether it was from lack of depth in their features/ background or lack of representation. See, I would have like Hazel's mother to be described more, and "latte/colored skin," (?)🤔.
Not that I want a focus on looks; it's just that Kostya is easily given his "“He’s got dirty blond hair and gray eyes, and brooding type...“like the model for a prince in a Disney movie,”
even some connections to some interesting ancestry, but none of this is given to Hazel, and what stands out the most about her is her typical American-ness, which is too laughably stereotypical, from the way she talks, well says "f@ck," to the clothes she wears. And she just doesn't feel like she is an Ambassador's daughter.
So, in the beginning, the story kind of lost me, and some of the funny moments tried to get me back, the some moments almost did, yet I just wasn't invested in any of the characters; --well maybe on 1-2 points, just a little: I liked whenever Kostya had flashbacks from his military experience, and I liked the camaraderie he had with the men he served with. Also, his relationship with his father was interestingly acrimonious.
The deal is that royal romances, mafia romances, and MC romance are my favorite tropes to escape to. Yet, the royal ones that I come up on don't usually hit. The last one to do so is a trilogy: The Prince’s Bride Part 1.
Happy reading!
In any case, this one has the story of Prince Konstantin Grigorovich, Kostya for short, and Hazel Sung, American, of S.Korea heritage on her father side, her mother being an American Diplomat visiting Prince Konstantin's country, Sveloria..
Kostya:“Gorgeous, in a way I’ve never even seen before, in a way I didn’t even imagine a woman could be beautiful. Black hair in a high bun, latte-colored skin, narrow brown eyes and freckles across her high cheekbones.”
And, from the get go, I couldn't picture either of them well, whether it was from lack of depth in their features/ background or lack of representation. See, I would have like Hazel's mother to be described more, and "latte/colored skin," (?)🤔.
Not that I want a focus on looks; it's just that Kostya is easily given his "“He’s got dirty blond hair and gray eyes, and brooding type...“like the model for a prince in a Disney movie,”
even some connections to some interesting ancestry, but none of this is given to Hazel, and what stands out the most about her is her typical American-ness, which is too laughably stereotypical, from the way she talks, well says "f@ck," to the clothes she wears. And she just doesn't feel like she is an Ambassador's daughter.
So, in the beginning, the story kind of lost me, and some of the funny moments tried to get me back, the some moments almost did, yet I just wasn't invested in any of the characters; --well maybe on 1-2 points, just a little: I liked whenever Kostya had flashbacks from his military experience, and I liked the camaraderie he had with the men he served with. Also, his relationship with his father was interestingly acrimonious.
The deal is that royal romances, mafia romances, and MC romance are my favorite tropes to escape to. Yet, the royal ones that I come up on don't usually hit. The last one to do so is a trilogy: The Prince’s Bride Part 1.
Happy reading!
October 16, 2021
The couple: Kostya and Hazel
Romance genre: Royalty
Length: 334 pages
Plot: Hazel's mom is the ambassador to a small country that has separated from Russia. She is meeting her parents there to spend some time with them. She doesn't expect the royal family to be there as well, but they are: the gruff and tradition-bound king, the judgmental queen, and the very, very hot prince. They are not impressed with the American girl who showed up dirty in her leggings. Hazel continues to make mistakes - gaffes, as they are - but Kostya can't help but be drawn to her. There's more going on here than just a burgeoning love affair, though. There's a rebellion brewing in the kingdom, and they might all be in danger.
Commentary: I had never read this author before and wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this story. Kostya was royal but also relatable. Who would want to be completely under their father's control even after they showed themselves to be a fully functional member of society? Kostya was more than competent. He had been in the military and was no slouch in his government work. His father refused to allow him any opinions though and only cares that he gets married to a nice girl who will pump out a lot of kids. Hazel definitely doesn't qualify. She is, according to the royal family, brash, rude, and horribly inappropriate. But Hazel gives something to Kostya that nobody else can: balance. She is fun and allows him to be so. She is real and encourages him to move beyond the function of royalty. They are so sweet together. There is also a lot of humor - the idioms that Kostya mixes up are so funny, especially the "chickens!"
Romance genre: Royalty
Length: 334 pages
Plot: Hazel's mom is the ambassador to a small country that has separated from Russia. She is meeting her parents there to spend some time with them. She doesn't expect the royal family to be there as well, but they are: the gruff and tradition-bound king, the judgmental queen, and the very, very hot prince. They are not impressed with the American girl who showed up dirty in her leggings. Hazel continues to make mistakes - gaffes, as they are - but Kostya can't help but be drawn to her. There's more going on here than just a burgeoning love affair, though. There's a rebellion brewing in the kingdom, and they might all be in danger.
Commentary: I had never read this author before and wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this story. Kostya was royal but also relatable. Who would want to be completely under their father's control even after they showed themselves to be a fully functional member of society? Kostya was more than competent. He had been in the military and was no slouch in his government work. His father refused to allow him any opinions though and only cares that he gets married to a nice girl who will pump out a lot of kids. Hazel definitely doesn't qualify. She is, according to the royal family, brash, rude, and horribly inappropriate. But Hazel gives something to Kostya that nobody else can: balance. She is fun and allows him to be so. She is real and encourages him to move beyond the function of royalty. They are so sweet together. There is also a lot of humor - the idioms that Kostya mixes up are so funny, especially the "chickens!"
January 3, 2018
Roxie Noir never ceases to amaze me with the depth of her stories. Yes they are hot, sexy, fun, funny, meaningful, etc. But she also never fails to give her readers something to wrap themselves around and get lost in. Reign gets into family dynamics, honor and pride, and being true to oneself. Both Kostya and Hazel are characters that are smart, real (as real as fictional royalty can be!) and human. Even set in a romance novel, they feel honest. I'm not sure how else to put it. The story is sexy and emotional and has great drama, but it is also street smart. The act and react like you expect real people to. The drama isn't forced. Even the secondaries come across as believable and interesting. I wanted Yelena to fall in love so bad! She deserves her happy ending! Highly recommend this read!
November 2, 2020
I read this through the short story compilation of Long Live The King Anthology: Fifteen Steamy Contemporary Royal Romances by Skye Warren. This was probably my favorite one even if it's the second short story that was listed. Honestly, it was fantastic and I loved the fact that Kostya and Hazel were pretty much opposites.
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Find me on:
My Blog | My BookTube | My Book Club | Instagram | Twitter
October 23, 2020
Okay, I fully expected not to like this because I mostly read the free kindle romances to mercilessly mock them, but it was actually a ton of fun?? Kostya and Hazel have great chemistry and this fun, bantering relationship that I adore. The political subplot takes a backseat to the romance, but that comes with the territory and I’m not mad about it. All in all, this was a fun time and I recommend!
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