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King Consort
Avoiding sleeping with women was my specialty, an art form even. As the future King of England I couldn’t be caught sleeping with men. My whole life played out in front of the paparazzi, and they didn’t miss a thing. I had a carefully crafted womanizing persona to maintain. My life came with rules, all of which I broke when I couldn’t resist a one night stand with the A beautiful paparazzo with a heart of gold. He may be the only person who doesn’t want me for my title, and he can never be anything more than my secret. But secrets have a way of coming out and not only will they scare him away, but they’ll lose me the crown.
279 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2018
71 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Gray
58 books1,310 followersWhen not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
May 26, 2020
glad to be reading mm romance by a male author..
even though I am not a fan of royal trope this was surprisingly good...
pretty steamy, with some good lol moments, cute HEA!!
even though I am not a fan of royal trope this was surprisingly good...
pretty steamy, with some good lol moments, cute HEA!!
May 26, 2018
2.5 stars
This royal romance didn't deliver for me. I didn't like the way the characters acted most of the time, they seemed immature and their actions didn't reflect their supposed personalities. They didn't think of the repercussions of their actions even though we saw them talking about how they had to be careful about what they did. About halfway through there was an unexpected sequence of sex scenes. I skipped many of them because they didn't add anything to the story and there were too many of them.
What I got from all that was that the characters, who were supposed to be responsible adults, acted like immature teenagers thinking with their little heads and not able to wait until they were somewhere private. Especially Louis, the heir, should have been able to control himself better and not take risks like that since he didn't want his sexuality to get out. He didn't act like that though, he acted like he couldn't care less who saw him behaving innapropriately and took unnecessary and stupid risks. I don't know if it was supposed to be sexy or convey to the reader that they were so passionate they couldn't control their actions or whatever but that's not what it looked like from my point of view. I would have expected something like that from Louis' sister, since she was supposed to be the wild one, uncaring about her image and just wanting to have fun, but not from responsible Louis.
I always require a HEA for the stories I choose to read but in this case I would have preferred not to get one so that the story could have been more realistic. Maybe that has to do with the fact that I wasn't able to connect or really care enough for either character but I was rooting for a bittersweet end and not the neatly tied one we got.
I had a few issues with the way the story was told. I was constantly confused about who was talking. The POV changes between Louis and Xavier but the story is always told in the third person and pronouns were replacing the names of the characters so often that it was really difficult to tell who the "he", "him" or "his" was referring to each time. It became even more confusing when you added the errors in the text. Also, I was loosing the thread of conversation sometimes, the writing style was probably not a match for me because often Xavier and Louis talked about something and I wasn't able to figure out what they were referring to. That has to do with me though and maybe no one else will pick up on it.
All in all, I wasn't impressed with this story, it started out nicely enough, though I didn't particularty like the circumstances under which the MCs started their relationship. I did like their talks and the way Louis always tried to sneek out for a while so he could have some quiet time to talk with Xavier away from the craziness of his life. The ending felt rushed and unrealistic, too effortless and convenient. As I said, I think that a bittersweet one would have been more suitable for the length of this book and the pace of the story.
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
This royal romance didn't deliver for me. I didn't like the way the characters acted most of the time, they seemed immature and their actions didn't reflect their supposed personalities. They didn't think of the repercussions of their actions even though we saw them talking about how they had to be careful about what they did. About halfway through there was an unexpected sequence of sex scenes. I skipped many of them because they didn't add anything to the story and there were too many of them.
What I got from all that was that the characters, who were supposed to be responsible adults, acted like immature teenagers thinking with their little heads and not able to wait until they were somewhere private. Especially Louis, the heir, should have been able to control himself better and not take risks like that since he didn't want his sexuality to get out. He didn't act like that though, he acted like he couldn't care less who saw him behaving innapropriately and took unnecessary and stupid risks. I don't know if it was supposed to be sexy or convey to the reader that they were so passionate they couldn't control their actions or whatever but that's not what it looked like from my point of view. I would have expected something like that from Louis' sister, since she was supposed to be the wild one, uncaring about her image and just wanting to have fun, but not from responsible Louis.
I always require a HEA for the stories I choose to read but in this case I would have preferred not to get one so that the story could have been more realistic. Maybe that has to do with the fact that I wasn't able to connect or really care enough for either character but I was rooting for a bittersweet end and not the neatly tied one we got.
I had a few issues with the way the story was told. I was constantly confused about who was talking. The POV changes between Louis and Xavier but the story is always told in the third person and pronouns were replacing the names of the characters so often that it was really difficult to tell who the "he", "him" or "his" was referring to each time. It became even more confusing when you added the errors in the text. Also, I was loosing the thread of conversation sometimes, the writing style was probably not a match for me because often Xavier and Louis talked about something and I wasn't able to figure out what they were referring to. That has to do with me though and maybe no one else will pick up on it.
All in all, I wasn't impressed with this story, it started out nicely enough, though I didn't particularty like the circumstances under which the MCs started their relationship. I did like their talks and the way Louis always tried to sneek out for a while so he could have some quiet time to talk with Xavier away from the craziness of his life. The ending felt rushed and unrealistic, too effortless and convenient. As I said, I think that a bittersweet one would have been more suitable for the length of this book and the pace of the story.
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
January 16, 2022
Wowowow. I did not expect to like that as much as I did. This has been on my tbr for so long so I wasn't really sure about it going in but am I glad I read it. Phew. Awesome couple, awesome sex- not too much not too little either- awesome side characters (call out to Doug the poor man😁), the queen wasn't as stuffy as I was expecting which I liked, and most of all, awesome character backstory.
Xavier, he wasn't the conventional hot guy you would expect a prince to fall for, actually he was just the opposite. He was paparazzi and he was a scarred introvert. He didn't want to fall in love nor did the prince. But love found them anyway and threw why they couldn't be together at their faces everyday but they got through, they chose being together over fear.
Xavier, he wasn't the conventional hot guy you would expect a prince to fall for, actually he was just the opposite. He was paparazzi and he was a scarred introvert. He didn't want to fall in love nor did the prince. But love found them anyway and threw why they couldn't be together at their faces everyday but they got through, they chose being together over fear.
I half smiled. “You’re a little insane.”
“As long as you love me.” He looked like a deer in the headlights after he said the words.
“I do.” My smile broadened.
“You do?” The look in his eyes would kill me one of these days. If I could bottle that look I may just start feeling better about myself.
I nodded, holding his gaze.
“I love you too,” he said in a whisper like if he uttered it too loud it would shatter the moment.
November 13, 2024
I've wanted to read a royal non-fantasy romance where one of the MCs is the crown prince for a whileeeeeee. And then it had to be this.
It's not bad, but it feels rushed. I'd expect a romance between a closeted king-in-waiting and a paparazzo to be a slow burn, given the intricacies of one MC needing to learn to let go of his innate mistrust for the other.
But nope. Xavier's occupation isn't even a secret at the start. Just a crown prince meeting a paparazzo at (GET THIS) a sex party, learning his occupation, and going oh, I feel like he's trustworthy.
WHAT?
And then days later, they're conducting a flagrant affair and being kinky with each other through hotel windows.
So, yeah. Required a lot of suspension of disbelief.
Even we commoners have heard of curtains. And the concept of being discreet. Not our royal (or his sister), both of whom enjoy being in flagrante delicto right next to open windows.
The idea has merit, but the execution was lacking. The story was rushed. I don't feel like these two got to know each other beyond sneak sex sessions before they started making VERY life-altering declarations and decisions for each other.
The main pull(for me, at least) for reading a story with this premise fell flat. Because what do you mean the crown prince of England comes out publicly and WE. DON'T. EVEN. GET. TO SEE. THE. AFTERMATH?!?!
This was literally why I was here. Come on, man. I felt cheated.
Otherwise this is an okay feel good story with very implausible plot and a very effortless HEA.
If you like it when MCs make this huge deal about stuff and then the stuff happens and you don't even really know what happened except that they end up together, then this book may be just what the doctor ordered.
It's not bad, but it feels rushed. I'd expect a romance between a closeted king-in-waiting and a paparazzo to be a slow burn, given the intricacies of one MC needing to learn to let go of his innate mistrust for the other.
But nope. Xavier's occupation isn't even a secret at the start. Just a crown prince meeting a paparazzo at (GET THIS) a sex party, learning his occupation, and going oh, I feel like he's trustworthy.
WHAT?
And then days later, they're conducting a flagrant affair and being kinky with each other through hotel windows.
So, yeah. Required a lot of suspension of disbelief.
Even we commoners have heard of curtains. And the concept of being discreet. Not our royal (or his sister), both of whom enjoy being in flagrante delicto right next to open windows.
The idea has merit, but the execution was lacking. The story was rushed. I don't feel like these two got to know each other beyond sneak sex sessions before they started making VERY life-altering declarations and decisions for each other.
The main pull(for me, at least) for reading a story with this premise fell flat. Because what do you mean the crown prince of England comes out publicly and WE. DON'T. EVEN. GET. TO SEE. THE. AFTERMATH?!?!
This was literally why I was here. Come on, man. I felt cheated.
Otherwise this is an okay feel good story with very implausible plot and a very effortless HEA.
If you like it when MCs make this huge deal about stuff and then the stuff happens and you don't even really know what happened except that they end up together, then this book may be just what the doctor ordered.
May 15, 2018
This just might be my favorite royalty romance ever in both M/M and M/F. Everyone loves a royalty/commoner love story, and this one goes a step more by having that commoner be part of the paparazzi—an absolutely off-limits person right? But don’t be so quick to paint them all with the same brush…Xavier is not what you might expect, and I found him to be an amazing character.
Xavier being a part of the paparazzi might seem incongruous considering he’s an introvert thanks to something that happened in his past. But he’s good at what he does, even if he himself doesn’t want any part of the spotlight. Prince Louis basically IS the spotlight—next in line to the throne of England, and seen as a partying womanizer…or at least that’s the persona he puts forth to the world. Louis and Xavier make the perfect match, and though their story takes place over a relatively short period of time their relationship never felt rushed.
What I really liked was the intensity of their relationship. It built slowly, coming out of the physical need they had for each other, but evolved into a whole lot more. And while neither of them could see how anything more could come of them being together (other than an unfulfilling “mistress” type of arrangement), it gets to the point where they don’t want to tear themselves away from each other. Like I said, intensity.
One thing I really got a kick out of was the snarky-bordering-on-hilarious exchanges between Louis and his grandmother (the Queen). She’s a real gem in this story and is another character that is not quite what you’d expect. Anna, Louis’s sister, is brilliant as well and is as supportive of Louis as he is as protective of her. I’m also throwing some kudos to Doug, Louis’s bodyguard, he’s definitely a keeper.
The story overall is very well written with a lot of depth, and I read it in a single sitting because I was so drawn in that I didn’t want to put it down. While Louis and Xavier’s relationship does start off as physical (and oh my are they incredibly passionate together), there were just the right amount of intimate scenes to move the story forward without being gratuitous…plus those scenes did a good job of demonstrating the growth of the intensity between the two men. The ending did feel just a tad rushed, and I wish the epilogue could have been a bit longer to detail some more of the time that had passed from the end of the main story, but even as is I was still deeply satisfied with this book once I was done.
King Consort was a 5-star read for me, and will definitely be re-read material in the future. I highly recommend this book to any M/M romance fan, and if you love royalty/commoner romances this will probably become a favorite. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Xavier being a part of the paparazzi might seem incongruous considering he’s an introvert thanks to something that happened in his past. But he’s good at what he does, even if he himself doesn’t want any part of the spotlight. Prince Louis basically IS the spotlight—next in line to the throne of England, and seen as a partying womanizer…or at least that’s the persona he puts forth to the world. Louis and Xavier make the perfect match, and though their story takes place over a relatively short period of time their relationship never felt rushed.
What I really liked was the intensity of their relationship. It built slowly, coming out of the physical need they had for each other, but evolved into a whole lot more. And while neither of them could see how anything more could come of them being together (other than an unfulfilling “mistress” type of arrangement), it gets to the point where they don’t want to tear themselves away from each other. Like I said, intensity.
One thing I really got a kick out of was the snarky-bordering-on-hilarious exchanges between Louis and his grandmother (the Queen). She’s a real gem in this story and is another character that is not quite what you’d expect. Anna, Louis’s sister, is brilliant as well and is as supportive of Louis as he is as protective of her. I’m also throwing some kudos to Doug, Louis’s bodyguard, he’s definitely a keeper.
The story overall is very well written with a lot of depth, and I read it in a single sitting because I was so drawn in that I didn’t want to put it down. While Louis and Xavier’s relationship does start off as physical (and oh my are they incredibly passionate together), there were just the right amount of intimate scenes to move the story forward without being gratuitous…plus those scenes did a good job of demonstrating the growth of the intensity between the two men. The ending did feel just a tad rushed, and I wish the epilogue could have been a bit longer to detail some more of the time that had passed from the end of the main story, but even as is I was still deeply satisfied with this book once I was done.
King Consort was a 5-star read for me, and will definitely be re-read material in the future. I highly recommend this book to any M/M romance fan, and if you love royalty/commoner romances this will probably become a favorite. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
June 20, 2020
This was a good read. I love reading m/m royalty stories. Louie receives an ultimatum by the Queen his grandmother. Do a tour of Canada and come back to England to pick a bride to marry. For Louie the prospect of marrying a woman hurts because he's gay. Duty calls and he's been groomed on duty and country all his life. He and his sister Anne who has had her own personal problems take off for Canada. While on the way there, Anne gives him what she thinks is a gift for him to let down his hair and and take a break from his responsibility for a night. While at the club he meets someone. Xavier was at the club when Louie saw him. Xavier is a man that holds himself back because of a scar on his face. Louie takes him back to his hotel where they hook up. Xavier's job is one that Louie hate he a paparazzi. Rumors start to about Anne being at the club. A prominent gossip site and show want to hire to follow the royals. He can't turned down the offer people would be suspicious so he takes the job. It bring them back together and they spend time getting closer and realizing that they are falling in love. I really liked both of these characters. I also liked Anne and her friend. I have read this author before. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling.
Read
July 12, 2019DNF 41%
I was bored.
I was bored.
May 8, 2022
It’s a lovely tale
of prince and paparazzo.
Hot. Implausible.
of prince and paparazzo.
Hot. Implausible.
May 31, 2020
Sokay.....
Started off really well, but then for some reason I cannot put a finger on, it became more of an okay read for me. I felt that it was a bit too repetitive which IMO killed the angst for me 😬.
Started off really well, but then for some reason I cannot put a finger on, it became more of an okay read for me. I felt that it was a bit too repetitive which IMO killed the angst for me 😬.
May 11, 2018
4.5 stars LOVED!
This review is likely going to end up more of story as every time I try to write about my love of this book in my head I keep coming back to how I found it!
You see we were contacted by a PR person a few weeks ago, she asked if Shh Moms Reading wanted to host an Exclusive Cover Reveal. The email was personalized, it had all the details of the book in it and the blurb really grabbed. So we agreed to host the cover reveal and I jumped at the chance to review King Consort.
What grabbed me who knows but the blurb had me wanting to read the story. The PR rep was kind enough to provide a very early copy so I could read it before the cover reveal and WOW was I blown away.
I wish I could put my finger on why certain books pull me in right away (something I love by the way) I wish I could spell out why certain author's grab me but in the end I have NO idea, I can just say I was pulled in from the first few words and I am so happy to have found another author's whose voice touches me.
The story of Louis and Xavier kept me glued to my kindle and kept my mind returned to the story even when I put it down.
The dynamic of Prince Louis and Xavier whose profession as a paparazzi makes for a story line that is so much more than just a Prince who is gay; it weaves the dilemmas of Louis being royalty and his Grandmother wanting him to marry (a woman) with the aspect of work lives that conflict.
I am so not going to share the how, and the what and the journey. I am going to say I loved the use of the supporting cast, especially Louis family and staff and the connection these men had bleed off the pages!
Ok I will add I freaking LOVED the ending.. it kept it really to the very end!
This review is likely going to end up more of story as every time I try to write about my love of this book in my head I keep coming back to how I found it!
You see we were contacted by a PR person a few weeks ago, she asked if Shh Moms Reading wanted to host an Exclusive Cover Reveal. The email was personalized, it had all the details of the book in it and the blurb really grabbed. So we agreed to host the cover reveal and I jumped at the chance to review King Consort.
What grabbed me who knows but the blurb had me wanting to read the story. The PR rep was kind enough to provide a very early copy so I could read it before the cover reveal and WOW was I blown away.
I wish I could put my finger on why certain books pull me in right away (something I love by the way) I wish I could spell out why certain author's grab me but in the end I have NO idea, I can just say I was pulled in from the first few words and I am so happy to have found another author's whose voice touches me.
The story of Louis and Xavier kept me glued to my kindle and kept my mind returned to the story even when I put it down.
The dynamic of Prince Louis and Xavier whose profession as a paparazzi makes for a story line that is so much more than just a Prince who is gay; it weaves the dilemmas of Louis being royalty and his Grandmother wanting him to marry (a woman) with the aspect of work lives that conflict.
I am so not going to share the how, and the what and the journey. I am going to say I loved the use of the supporting cast, especially Louis family and staff and the connection these men had bleed off the pages!
Ok I will add I freaking LOVED the ending.. it kept it really to the very end!
May 22, 2018
Even the abysmal editing in what objectively qualifies as a mediocrely polished work (missing words and misprints of the type "sectary" for "secretary" or "Cananda" [sic!] for "Canada" are aplenty, on top of a bit too many rough or loose inflections) coupled with the rather frustrating temporal ellipses resulting in harsh jumps within the story, could not compromise my satisfaction with this lively royal romance. There is just enough world and character building to burnish the depths of the characters: Prince Louis stands out as much more than the man behind the crown prince - in that he retcons to great effect the rather subdued and intellectually challenged, real-life princes of England -, and he finds in Xavier a love interest up to the challenge of keeping up with this deceptively simple-looking royal, someone both strong and compassionate and cynically realistic (Mrs Gray deploys Xavier's scarring to excellent ends); Louis' sister Anne, his rough-hewed bodyguard Doug, and especially the barbed-tongue yet caring Queen, all make for a strong secondary casting. Of course, blemishes are easy to spot: Louis' old buddy Drake fails to be more than a plot device, Xavier's boss Eran does not exhibit the utterly cut-throat mentality typical of gossip sharks (even though he compensates by being a king sort-of friend to our beta hero), the Queen's unexpected, and easy, acceptance of her heir's homosexuality could have been handled in less clumsy fashion, and as a matter of fact there is a pervasive element of hurriedness in the last third of the story which ought to have been smoothed away, but many clever touches of reality (like the amusing dig at President Trump early in the book) compensate for such lapses. A very strong three and a half stars, rounded up because I was thoroughly entertained.
May 21, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
I have read several books by J.R. Gray and I want to point out that the author’s voice has evolved significantly and the writing itself has become more polished with each book. King Consort started out strong for me, but ultimately the structure of the plot and attention to key details fell short.
Louis’ grandmother is the Queen of England and he is next in line for the throne. He has a good relationship with his grandmother and they have some good banter, but Louis is a typical character for this style of book. He has no interest in being the next King of England. There is a lot behind that statement as Louis thinks he can’t come out and he will have to live a lie for the rest of his life and his frustration is clear. However, he assumes this is absolute. Just once it would be refreshing to see a future king find something of interest in being the next king for it seemed that even if Louis thought he could come out, he still had a lot of disdain for his place in life.
When Louis and his troubled sister, Anne, sneak out to a sex club, he meets Xavier and is immediately attracted to him. Xavier has a story as his face is scarred and he prefers solitude. Yet, he makes his living on the edge of the action as a paparazzi photographer and his and Louis’ lives become intertwined. Now, the first two times Louis and Xavier are together, Xavier refuses to take off his shirt. They then see each other regularly in all the stolen moments they can, and this issue is never brought up again until just at the end of the book. And then, finally, the scars on his face are discussed, but it’s never clear what the issue with the shirt was. This was one area that really derailed the book for me as Xavier’s scars were a prominent plot point in the beginning of the book and then it was dropped for almost the rest of the story.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
I have read several books by J.R. Gray and I want to point out that the author’s voice has evolved significantly and the writing itself has become more polished with each book. King Consort started out strong for me, but ultimately the structure of the plot and attention to key details fell short.
Louis’ grandmother is the Queen of England and he is next in line for the throne. He has a good relationship with his grandmother and they have some good banter, but Louis is a typical character for this style of book. He has no interest in being the next King of England. There is a lot behind that statement as Louis thinks he can’t come out and he will have to live a lie for the rest of his life and his frustration is clear. However, he assumes this is absolute. Just once it would be refreshing to see a future king find something of interest in being the next king for it seemed that even if Louis thought he could come out, he still had a lot of disdain for his place in life.
When Louis and his troubled sister, Anne, sneak out to a sex club, he meets Xavier and is immediately attracted to him. Xavier has a story as his face is scarred and he prefers solitude. Yet, he makes his living on the edge of the action as a paparazzi photographer and his and Louis’ lives become intertwined. Now, the first two times Louis and Xavier are together, Xavier refuses to take off his shirt. They then see each other regularly in all the stolen moments they can, and this issue is never brought up again until just at the end of the book. And then, finally, the scars on his face are discussed, but it’s never clear what the issue with the shirt was. This was one area that really derailed the book for me as Xavier’s scars were a prominent plot point in the beginning of the book and then it was dropped for almost the rest of the story.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
May 18, 2018
If you have been following my reviews as of late then you know that I have been reading some serious Royal Romance's and I have been loving every single word of it.
I have reviewed for JR before and I was so excited when I was contacted by his PR rep for this book! It was a royal romance and at the time I wasn't sure how I would love that aspect. But boy I loved the story of Prince Louis and Xavier.
Prince Louis is seen as a womanizer who cant get enough of women, whether its in the press or to his friends and family. But he has a surprise that people will be astonished to know considering his reputation. But he knows more than anything that he loves not having a girlfriend. He has enough women in his life he doesn't need one as a companion. Even though everyone is trying to make sure that he marries soon because he is being groomed to take the throne.
The story just unfolds from when Prince Louis meets Xavier a paparazzi, and they build this secret relationship that turns into a fill fledge love story between these two men.
The push and pull of Louis' desires to be noble and follow what his grandmother wants and his desires to love this man that has captivated his attention and has intrigued him. But Xavier has a job to do, and Louis is his next job. The suspense of these two kept me on the edge of my seat and reading like a mad woman to see what happens between them!
I have reviewed for JR before and I was so excited when I was contacted by his PR rep for this book! It was a royal romance and at the time I wasn't sure how I would love that aspect. But boy I loved the story of Prince Louis and Xavier.
Prince Louis is seen as a womanizer who cant get enough of women, whether its in the press or to his friends and family. But he has a surprise that people will be astonished to know considering his reputation. But he knows more than anything that he loves not having a girlfriend. He has enough women in his life he doesn't need one as a companion. Even though everyone is trying to make sure that he marries soon because he is being groomed to take the throne.
The story just unfolds from when Prince Louis meets Xavier a paparazzi, and they build this secret relationship that turns into a fill fledge love story between these two men.
The push and pull of Louis' desires to be noble and follow what his grandmother wants and his desires to love this man that has captivated his attention and has intrigued him. But Xavier has a job to do, and Louis is his next job. The suspense of these two kept me on the edge of my seat and reading like a mad woman to see what happens between them!
October 31, 2019
When I found this, I thought it would be a nice in between read and hopefully a good story. However, I didn't expect too much, so it was really a surprise how much I liked it!
When I read about the Prince of Wales falling in love with a commoner, I will always compare it to Lilah Pace's "His Royal secret" and is clear from the start, it will not be easy to step in those shoes.
But this book about Louis, the future king of England and Xavier a paparazzi was a pleasant surprise, sweet and funny, completely unbelievable but still a great story.
The way those two interacted was endearing and even if this is probably not going on a favorite read shelf, I absolutely enjoyed it while it lasted.
Enough drama to keep the story going but not too much to make it ridiculous, this evolved in a perfect pace, the fact that Xavier worked as a photographer who got paid by the tabloids to exploit the guy he was secretly seeing added some funny details.
With a more serious book I would probably complain about the things that didn't make a lot of sense, but reading this simply as a feelgood story, I didn't really mind.
All in all a good read above average and 3.5 stars for me.
When I read about the Prince of Wales falling in love with a commoner, I will always compare it to Lilah Pace's "His Royal secret" and is clear from the start, it will not be easy to step in those shoes.
But this book about Louis, the future king of England and Xavier a paparazzi was a pleasant surprise, sweet and funny, completely unbelievable but still a great story.
The way those two interacted was endearing and even if this is probably not going on a favorite read shelf, I absolutely enjoyed it while it lasted.
Enough drama to keep the story going but not too much to make it ridiculous, this evolved in a perfect pace, the fact that Xavier worked as a photographer who got paid by the tabloids to exploit the guy he was secretly seeing added some funny details.
With a more serious book I would probably complain about the things that didn't make a lot of sense, but reading this simply as a feelgood story, I didn't really mind.
All in all a good read above average and 3.5 stars for me.
May 16, 2018
3.25 stars!
This was enjoyable. It was both similar and completely different from stories I've read in this arena - royalty - and it didn't fall into a lot of the cliche'd pitfalls that others stories have fallen into before.
For one, Xavier told Louis he was paparazzi when they first met before anything sexual happens, so Louis goes into his encounter with Xavier with his eyes wide open, no trickery or manufactured drama made from Xavier not telling Louis what he did.
Xavier and Louis had really good chemistry and I genuinely enjoyed their scenes together and felt the love they eventually felt for each other. I loved the build up to them falling in love, there was build up in the first place and they didn't just immediately fall into bed together after the first time when they see each other again.
And their happy ending was sweet (if a little abrupt because it ends before ).
But, despite all that, there were just minor issues here and there for me. Like the editing needed to be worked on, and the sentence structure on some, as well as the way sentences were worded sometimes. Sometimes I would re-read a sentence and still not understand just what it was trying to say.
And while there were a few explicit sex scenes, it was a lot of a fade to black which I was not expecting. Their first night together is completely skipped and goes to the morning after and I was like 'WHAT?' Why didn't we get that night? Why didn't we get their first connection? It was not like the writing shied away from sexual things so it wasn't like the author wasn't interested in including sex - so why was there barely any explicit sex? I was just baffled.
There is some heat and steam, for sure, but there was also a lot of fade to blacks and "we fucked and fucked and fucked" and "we fucked a lot" and no description of the actual fuck fests. But also there were times the author decided to be explicit and that was fun and all, but then at random times it was just skipped a lot, where it could have been fun and awesome to read. I feel like if you choose to include smut in your work, there are times to include and times not, and for sure a time to not skip over it is their first time.
There was also just a lot of "days and days passed and here we were" and so we missed a lot of their time together. There were good scenes of them connection, don't get me wrong, but we could have gotten even more with these skipped over days. Like when they turn a little domestic when they're stealing over a week away from the real world, things like that.
Also, the 90 year old Queen of England - and Louis' grandmother - was and I was like...really? It was that easy? I mean it would awesome if we lived in a world like that, especially for royalty, but it just felt a tad unrealistic. Not that she had
Overall this was a good story, I enjoyed it. Just points off for a lack of steam and bad editing. Still recommend though, if people don't care about that or don't mind it. This was a fun read overall :)
This was enjoyable. It was both similar and completely different from stories I've read in this arena - royalty - and it didn't fall into a lot of the cliche'd pitfalls that others stories have fallen into before.
For one, Xavier told Louis he was paparazzi when they first met before anything sexual happens, so Louis goes into his encounter with Xavier with his eyes wide open, no trickery or manufactured drama made from Xavier not telling Louis what he did.
Xavier and Louis had really good chemistry and I genuinely enjoyed their scenes together and felt the love they eventually felt for each other. I loved the build up to them falling in love, there was build up in the first place and they didn't just immediately fall into bed together after the first time when they see each other again.
And their happy ending was sweet (if a little abrupt because it ends before ).
But, despite all that, there were just minor issues here and there for me. Like the editing needed to be worked on, and the sentence structure on some, as well as the way sentences were worded sometimes. Sometimes I would re-read a sentence and still not understand just what it was trying to say.
And while there were a few explicit sex scenes, it was a lot of a fade to black which I was not expecting. Their first night together is completely skipped and goes to the morning after and I was like 'WHAT?' Why didn't we get that night? Why didn't we get their first connection? It was not like the writing shied away from sexual things so it wasn't like the author wasn't interested in including sex - so why was there barely any explicit sex? I was just baffled.
There is some heat and steam, for sure, but there was also a lot of fade to blacks and "we fucked and fucked and fucked" and "we fucked a lot" and no description of the actual fuck fests. But also there were times the author decided to be explicit and that was fun and all, but then at random times it was just skipped a lot, where it could have been fun and awesome to read. I feel like if you choose to include smut in your work, there are times to include and times not, and for sure a time to not skip over it is their first time.
There was also just a lot of "days and days passed and here we were" and so we missed a lot of their time together. There were good scenes of them connection, don't get me wrong, but we could have gotten even more with these skipped over days. Like when they turn a little domestic when they're stealing over a week away from the real world, things like that.
Also, the 90 year old Queen of England - and Louis' grandmother - was and I was like...really? It was that easy? I mean it would awesome if we lived in a world like that, especially for royalty, but it just felt a tad unrealistic. Not that she had
Overall this was a good story, I enjoyed it. Just points off for a lack of steam and bad editing. Still recommend though, if people don't care about that or don't mind it. This was a fun read overall :)
June 20, 2024
This book was deeply bad, and only parts of it in a fun way. Could barely keep the two characters apart in their chapters, and the conflict was nonexistent. Also why all the digs against Canadians?
June 12, 2018
Solid 2 star effort
I have no clue why is this averaging higher in the ratings. It's decent, and I didn't want to throw it across the room, but it isn't 4 star worthy. The book as a whole was badly edited, and it took far too long on some parts and rushed through others. The characters themselves also "sounded" the same (which shouldn't happen considering one is a British royal). The pacing was off, and lingered too long on useless and unsexy sex scenes. I would have loved having the story explore the prince coming out to the world and Xavier dealing with that, but it's literally like the last 5 pages, with the other 98% of the book focusing on them avoiding the world and sneaking around and having (unsexy) sex. It was disappointing, even the angst of coming out was rushed, and at each corner "oh I already knew" seeming to be the reaction. The premise of their meeting (a sex orgy brothel?) Was ridiculous, and they went from "great hook up" (which we didn't get to "see" due to fade to Black writing) to "I'm so into you." I don't get why they felt an attraction beyond the physical. There is no chemistry and their interactions are bleh. Overall, the "king consort" is mainly frustrating and unstatiafying, with a story that mostly doesn't actually have anything happen "on screen." It's boring, and I mainly read it to see if there was any justification for the high average rating. Nope. This deserves two stars. Three stars if you can forgive the lack luster everything. I can't.
I have no clue why is this averaging higher in the ratings. It's decent, and I didn't want to throw it across the room, but it isn't 4 star worthy. The book as a whole was badly edited, and it took far too long on some parts and rushed through others. The characters themselves also "sounded" the same (which shouldn't happen considering one is a British royal). The pacing was off, and lingered too long on useless and unsexy sex scenes. I would have loved having the story explore the prince coming out to the world and Xavier dealing with that, but it's literally like the last 5 pages, with the other 98% of the book focusing on them avoiding the world and sneaking around and having (unsexy) sex. It was disappointing, even the angst of coming out was rushed, and at each corner "oh I already knew" seeming to be the reaction. The premise of their meeting (a sex orgy brothel?) Was ridiculous, and they went from "great hook up" (which we didn't get to "see" due to fade to Black writing) to "I'm so into you." I don't get why they felt an attraction beyond the physical. There is no chemistry and their interactions are bleh. Overall, the "king consort" is mainly frustrating and unstatiafying, with a story that mostly doesn't actually have anything happen "on screen." It's boring, and I mainly read it to see if there was any justification for the high average rating. Nope. This deserves two stars. Three stars if you can forgive the lack luster everything. I can't.
May 25, 2018
This was a pretty average book, but with a strange writing problem. It was hard to follow the dialogue. The author had too many lost antecedents or confusing sequences. It made some of the parts that should have flowed into very stilted passages for the reader. There were other oddities in the writing that occasionally made me think of google translate. So it goes.
December 24, 2019
2.5 stars
Mediocre writing
Slightly niche premise.
A fluffy/erotic read all the same.
Mediocre writing
Slightly niche premise.
A fluffy/erotic read all the same.
August 23, 2018
Finishing this book too me a lot longer than I had anticipated, some of which had to do with the book and part of which had to do with external things going on in my life which limited my reading time.
As for the things that were going on with this book, basically it wasn't as much a book for me has I had anticipated. First and foremost, the main characters kept doing things that were, in my opinion, incredibly foolish and that stressed me out. I'm sure that some people would find the things the main characters did sexy, but they just produced anxiety in me. Basically, the main characters kept Some people find this titillating, but I just wanted them to knock it off.
I also found the ending to be incredibly anticlimactic. Which I suppose is better for the main characters than the alternative, but I felt like the basic premise of the story wasn't true. Not what I was looking for.
The fact that Xavier's facial disfigurement as an issue basically popped in and out of being an issue kind of vexed me as well. Occasionally Xavier would bring it up as something that bothered him and Louis would reassure him that Louis didn't care, and then it would disappear again (I actually forgot about it for a good chunk of the book). I wasn't massively excited about this.
So, it just wasn't my book.
As for the things that were going on with this book, basically it wasn't as much a book for me has I had anticipated. First and foremost, the main characters kept doing things that were, in my opinion, incredibly foolish and that stressed me out. I'm sure that some people would find the things the main characters did sexy, but they just produced anxiety in me. Basically, the main characters kept Some people find this titillating, but I just wanted them to knock it off.
I also found the ending to be incredibly anticlimactic. Which I suppose is better for the main characters than the alternative, but I felt like the basic premise of the story wasn't true. Not what I was looking for.
The fact that Xavier's facial disfigurement as an issue basically popped in and out of being an issue kind of vexed me as well. Occasionally Xavier would bring it up as something that bothered him and Louis would reassure him that Louis didn't care, and then it would disappear again (I actually forgot about it for a good chunk of the book). I wasn't massively excited about this.
So, it just wasn't my book.
August 10, 2018
¸.•´¸★*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.★¨*.¸¸.•`★¤4 1/2 consorting stars.¤★¨*.¸¸.*ˑ˞★
"You're the prince, and I'm the pauper."<><> ~Xavier
"I was passionate about the work we were doing, but to me, not letting my grandmother down was top of the list, and since Anne couldn't do it for me, I had to be the one. We were out of blood." ~Louis
"Louis had an addictive quality, and he would be my drug of choice. ~Xavier
What a delightful story, given the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan. I needed this story in my life and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it. Yes, the ending was a bit rushed for me, but the meat was succulent and juicy. I loved the thrill and the elusiveness. This was like a coming of age, coming out, and freeing tale.
Xavier, paparazzi and the crowned prince meet in an unlikely place, form a bond and begin a relationship that needs to be kept under the covers. These men spent hot steamy times together and managed to elude everyone, even Xavier's boss until the last minute.
I loved the supporting characters, especially Doug and the Queen. There is nothing like knowing happy ever after is right over the horizon.Refreshing and definitely on the books to be read again. Everyone needs a little fairy-tale in their lives.
(¸.★¨*.¸¸.•`★¤4 1/2 consorting stars.¤★¨*.¸¸.*ˑ˞★
"You're the prince, and I'm the pauper."<><> ~Xavier
"I was passionate about the work we were doing, but to me, not letting my grandmother down was top of the list, and since Anne couldn't do it for me, I had to be the one. We were out of blood." ~Louis
"Louis had an addictive quality, and he would be my drug of choice. ~Xavier
What a delightful story, given the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan. I needed this story in my life and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it. Yes, the ending was a bit rushed for me, but the meat was succulent and juicy. I loved the thrill and the elusiveness. This was like a coming of age, coming out, and freeing tale.
Xavier, paparazzi and the crowned prince meet in an unlikely place, form a bond and begin a relationship that needs to be kept under the covers. These men spent hot steamy times together and managed to elude everyone, even Xavier's boss until the last minute.
I loved the supporting characters, especially Doug and the Queen. There is nothing like knowing happy ever after is right over the horizon.Refreshing and definitely on the books to be read again. Everyone needs a little fairy-tale in their lives.
May 24, 2018
So this is NOT my usual read at all. But I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and King Consort sounded too good to pass up. I have read other genre's with multiple partners where there is mmf but not just mm, so I didn't know really what I was getting into. But I LOVED this story.
Louis is the heir appointed to the English throne. He knows he is gay but has to keep it a secret. No matter what he knows he has to keep it a secret, he is so duty bound to everyone that he comes last.
Xavier is the paparazzi. He is hated by everyone. When Xavier and Louis bump into each other where neither of them should be, the chemistry is off the hook. But this is a slow burn also. It isn't a wham bam thank you mam kind of read either. These two have a relationship that is beautiful.
I love how J.R. wrote this story. It is my first one from this author, but not my last. If you have never read an M/M book before I would suggest starting with this one. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy for my honest review.
April 30, 2018
Wow! What a royal romance! Prince Louis is under pressure to marry and provide an heir for the monarchy when he meets a hot paparazzi Xavier. There’s so much I just loved about their secret relationship. You could just feel they really wanted more time...more everything from one another. Louis was raised with a sense of duty to crown and country from birth. To have most of your personal choices just taken from you for such a public life...it devastated me. Xavier has his own personal demons that he deals with and he doesn’t feel worthy in his own shoes. He’s an intensely private person and knows their “friendship” holds no future for them except to crush him when the Prince finally provides the heirs the monarchy needs. My emotions were flying all over the place and I really had no idea how this story would end. Such a creative take on all of the royal romances out there and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
May 14, 2018
This was a fun read, kinda like a new age fairytale of Beauty and the Beast. I really like Louis and Xavier. Even when they seem to have nothing in common they were both just dying to find someone where they can let down their guard. I loved that Louis believed enough in Xavier that he was willing to put everything on the line for him. If you ever had to be in the spotlight you’ll understand how much of a sacrifice it can take on a person’s life. I loved side characters, the queen was something else – I love her. They made the story more interesting.
Overall even though this story is something I think would never hold up in the real world I guess that is why we all love to read fiction right? :)
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
Overall even though this story is something I think would never hold up in the real world I guess that is why we all love to read fiction right? :)
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
August 1, 2018
I quite liked this story, and it would have been a five star read if not for the jumping between characters, which was let down slightly by the constant use of third person pronouns rather than using names. I liked the dual point of view, and the first person style, but found myself flicking back to double check whose POV we were reading, which prevented me from becoming fully immersed in the story. I would, however, try another book from this author.
December 24, 2023
I could wax poetic about all the ways this book was atrocious (I’m looking at you “Cananda”) but I cannot fathom spending another moment on this monstrosity.
May 28, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I'm a massive fan of the royal trope and seeing it as an LGBT+ relationship just made it better. It touched on important topics that should be addressed in our society and how the world is changing. The relationship with the characters was profound; you could see the feelings develop for one another as the story went on.
However, I do feel there was some lack of a climax. It seemed to hit a point and stay there. I would have enjoyed if there had been a more drawn out storyline and possibly some more angst between the characters. The issues they had seemed to be resolved too quickly.
Overall, I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interesting in gay royals! Beware the steamy sex scenes ;)
However, I do feel there was some lack of a climax. It seemed to hit a point and stay there. I would have enjoyed if there had been a more drawn out storyline and possibly some more angst between the characters. The issues they had seemed to be resolved too quickly.
Overall, I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interesting in gay royals! Beware the steamy sex scenes ;)
October 2, 2025
I love me m/m romance with royalty, and this was so enjoyable. I loved how Louie and Xavier both were immediately attracted to each other. And the circumstances where they met...What an interesting twist.
Louie receives basically an ultimatum by his grandmother the Queen. Complete this tour of Canada and come back to England to pick a bride and marry. Unfortunately for Louie, that prospect makes him hurt inside because he's gay. But duty calls, and he's been groomed on duty and country all his life. He and his sister Anne, who has had her own very visible personal problems, take off for Canada. While on the way there, Anne gives him what she thinks is a gift for him to let down his hair and shake off the mantle of responsibility for a night.
Xavier is a man who has held himself aloof from others due to a disfigurement. He is at the club that Anne and Louie attend, and immediately, despite the scars, Louie is attracted to him. It takes Louie a while to convince Xavier of that, but they end up together, back at Louie's hotel, also despite that Xavier is one of the dreaded paparazzi. Xavier is that rare breed, a paparazzo with morals and ethics. Louie takes a chance and for the first time, goes for what he wants rather than what he should do.
Rumors start to leak about Anne and the club, and ironically, it is Xavier that a prominent gossip site and show want to hire to tail the royals. Knowing that if he turned down the offer, people would be suspicious, he takes the job. The fact that it brings him back into Louie's orbit is serendipitous. And they spend time together, growing closer and closer, realizing the other one is "the one" and knowing that their time together has an expiration date.
I really loved this. Louis was a good and decent man, wishing he could live his own life, but knowing that he couldn't. It had to be him that received the crown, knowing that his sister wouldn't be able to handle the stress. And Xavier, he had such issues with his looks, and I loved that Louis didn't see any of that. He saw the whole man, and grew to love him. And who wouldn't. He was a good and decent man under all that gruff exterior.
There are fun times. The sex between them is hot, and their text messages where they would try to rile the other one up were hilarious. There's definitely times that my heart hurt for these guys, and the resolution for the conflict was an enjoyable one to find out. The secondary characters were great: Doug, Louie's security guy, Anne, the princess, and the Queen herself. Definitely the Queen.
I loved the epilogue, which let me know how they were both in such a good place.
Louie receives basically an ultimatum by his grandmother the Queen. Complete this tour of Canada and come back to England to pick a bride and marry. Unfortunately for Louie, that prospect makes him hurt inside because he's gay. But duty calls, and he's been groomed on duty and country all his life. He and his sister Anne, who has had her own very visible personal problems, take off for Canada. While on the way there, Anne gives him what she thinks is a gift for him to let down his hair and shake off the mantle of responsibility for a night.
Xavier is a man who has held himself aloof from others due to a disfigurement. He is at the club that Anne and Louie attend, and immediately, despite the scars, Louie is attracted to him. It takes Louie a while to convince Xavier of that, but they end up together, back at Louie's hotel, also despite that Xavier is one of the dreaded paparazzi. Xavier is that rare breed, a paparazzo with morals and ethics. Louie takes a chance and for the first time, goes for what he wants rather than what he should do.
Rumors start to leak about Anne and the club, and ironically, it is Xavier that a prominent gossip site and show want to hire to tail the royals. Knowing that if he turned down the offer, people would be suspicious, he takes the job. The fact that it brings him back into Louie's orbit is serendipitous. And they spend time together, growing closer and closer, realizing the other one is "the one" and knowing that their time together has an expiration date.
I really loved this. Louis was a good and decent man, wishing he could live his own life, but knowing that he couldn't. It had to be him that received the crown, knowing that his sister wouldn't be able to handle the stress. And Xavier, he had such issues with his looks, and I loved that Louis didn't see any of that. He saw the whole man, and grew to love him. And who wouldn't. He was a good and decent man under all that gruff exterior.
There are fun times. The sex between them is hot, and their text messages where they would try to rile the other one up were hilarious. There's definitely times that my heart hurt for these guys, and the resolution for the conflict was an enjoyable one to find out. The secondary characters were great: Doug, Louie's security guy, Anne, the princess, and the Queen herself. Definitely the Queen.
I loved the epilogue, which let me know how they were both in such a good place.
June 10, 2018
What I liked:
- there was no phone hacking or leaked pictures from Xavier’s camera. I was dreading it the whole time and I’m glad it didn’t happen.
- DOUG ❤️
- relatively low angst. For a royal romance, you would think there’d be more conflict.
What I didn’t like:
- i got really confused several times on whose POV i was reading about. Was it just me? There were a couple of times when i had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to find out if i was in Louis’ or Xavier’s POV.
- epilogue could’ve been longer and I wish it delved more on the reaction when their picture broke out instead of skipping directly to their pre-wedding nookie.
- there was no phone hacking or leaked pictures from Xavier’s camera. I was dreading it the whole time and I’m glad it didn’t happen.
- DOUG ❤️
- relatively low angst. For a royal romance, you would think there’d be more conflict.
What I didn’t like:
- i got really confused several times on whose POV i was reading about. Was it just me? There were a couple of times when i had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to find out if i was in Louis’ or Xavier’s POV.
- epilogue could’ve been longer and I wish it delved more on the reaction when their picture broke out instead of skipping directly to their pre-wedding nookie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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