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Secret Heirs of Billionaires #25
Shock Heir for the King
Cinderella had his baby…
Now she’ll wear his crown
Vibrant artist Frankie is shocked when Matt, the enigmatic stranger she gave her innocence to, reappears in her life. His touch was intensely sensual, his kiss pure magic…yet their affair had consequences, and Frankie had no way to contact him. Now she’s in for the biggest shock of all—Matt is actually King Matthias! And to claim his heir, he demands Frankie become his queen!
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2019
124 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Clare Connelly
517 books406 followersFor all things Clare Connelly, please see www.clareconnelly.co.uk, the official home of Clare Connelly on the web.
Clare Connelly grew up in a small country town in Australia. Surrounded by rainforests, and rickety old timber houses, magic was thick in the air, and stories and storytelling were a huge part of her childhood.
From early on in life, Clare realised her favourite books were romance stories, and read voraciously. Anything from Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, to Mills & Boon and (more recently) 50 Shades, Clare is a romance devotee. She first turned her hand to penning a novel at fifteen (if memory serves, it was something about a glamorous fashion model who fell foul of a high-end designer. Sparks flew, clothes flew faster, and love was born.)
Clare has a small family and a bungalow near the sea. When she isn't chasing after energetic little toddlers, or wiping fingerprints off furniture, she's writing, thinking about writing, or wishing she were writing.
Clare Connelly grew up in a small country town in Australia. Surrounded by rainforests, and rickety old timber houses, magic was thick in the air, and stories and storytelling were a huge part of her childhood.
From early on in life, Clare realised her favourite books were romance stories, and read voraciously. Anything from Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, to Mills & Boon and (more recently) 50 Shades, Clare is a romance devotee. She first turned her hand to penning a novel at fifteen (if memory serves, it was something about a glamorous fashion model who fell foul of a high-end designer. Sparks flew, clothes flew faster, and love was born.)
Clare has a small family and a bungalow near the sea. When she isn't chasing after energetic little toddlers, or wiping fingerprints off furniture, she's writing, thinking about writing, or wishing she were writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 6, 2019
An angst filled second chance/secret baby romance, with a H who's more likable than Clare Connelly's usual cold hearted alphas and a heroine who's determinedly idealistic about true love.
This novel got off to an exciting start, when the reader's introduced to the story via the H's point of view. The prologue is filled with bittersweet passion, because it's set three years in the past, during the MC's final night together.
It's clear that Matthias, the H, cares deeply for Frankie; he admits that she affects him more than any other woman he'd ever known. One would think that it would be easy for them to get their HEA at that point.
Unfortunately, the H's tragic backstory and rigid notions of responsibility to his title ( King of Tolmiros ) meant that they're doomed to be separated for 3 years. Matthias' weekend with the heroine took place a few weeks before his acension to the throne.
He'd met the heroine in New York and had been captivated by her charming and down to earth personality. She didn't know that he was a Crown Prince, about to be coronated as a king and he failed to enlighten her.
Matthias didn't plan on seeing Frankie after that weekend. In his rigid mind, she was unsuitable to be his queen, because he didn't want a wife who loved him and expected him to reciprocate such emotion.
So, he left her asleep on the bed after their torrid lovemaking session, without saying goodbye or even leaving his phone number. It was the most final way to sever a short romantic interlude, that could never blossom into a relationship.
In spite of this, though, the H did keep something to remind him of Frankie: he bought, through a third party broker, the painting she'd been working on when they'd met. Matthias also couldn't get her out of his mind.
Three years after leaving her, he's still obsessed:
Inwardly he groaned, her name just a whisper in his body, a curse too, because he had no business so much as thinking of her, let alone remembering everything about her.
This second chance story happens only because the H decides to see her one last time, before choosing an "appropriate" blue blood to marry. He's not involved with anyone else but he's given himself a month to choose a bride from a list of suitable aristocrats.
This is the H, Matthias:
When Matthias returns to New York, he finds an angry heroine and doesn't, at first, understand why she's so stilted towards him. He hadn't made any promises to her and she'd agreed that their weekend interlude would've just been a one time thing.
Of course, everything is cleared up after he discovers that he's got a toddler son named Leo. Unlike most heroines in HPlandia, Frankie had tried hard to find Matthias and inform him about her pregnancy.
She'd even hired a private investigator ! But with no photograph and no full name, that investigation turned up no leads. There was one little plot hole, however: The heroine was a skilled artist and she'd even painted portraits of her son. That made me wonder why she hadn't done a sketch of the H to give to the PI.
After all, he's a famous billionaire king ! If the PI had had access to a sketch, he might've uncovered the H's identity. I was also a little bothered by the fact that Frankie never knew that Matthias was the king of Tolmiros. This is the age of online magazines and surely the tacky Daily Mail would've posted stuff about the H ?
I mean, that online magazine posts articles on everyone who's famous: every A-Z list celeb, reality star and rich famous folks. Anyway, those are the only two plot holes that popped up in my mind. It didn't affect my rating of the novel, because I'm an unapologetic hypocrite: if I'm really enjoying a book, I'll wilfully ignore plot holes.
The subsequent storyline follows the MC's stormy engagement of convenience and details the H's growing relationship with his son. Like most of Clare Connelly's H's, Matthias is inflexible when it comes to denying love and refuting the reality that romance can be real.
Unlike most of this author's previous H's, Matthias doesn't come across as rude, unfeeling and callous. He's brutally honest but he tempers it with tenderness and compassion. He understands that the heroine wants to be loved, but he's self aware enough to acknowledge that he's afraid to open his heart to that emotion again.
Why can't he risk opening himself to love again ? Has he been burned by a former failed romance ? The answer to both questions is: No, his attitude has nothing to do with a woman in his past. He's burdened by survivor's guilt; for being alive when his parents and younger brother had died in a horrible car crash.
The H had lost his family when he was just 15 and it had changed him from a loving and warm teenager, into an unyielding man, reluctant to risk living with the pain of such tragedy again. That's why he hadn't wanted a relationship with Frankie 3 years ago.
The heroine agrees to marry him because she's reluctant to deprive her son of his birthright. But the arrangement fills her with dread. She tries hard to get him to unbend but he refuses to open himself to the possibilities of a normal, loving relationship.
This is the heroine, Frankie:
I felt sorry for him, because it's obvious that he still suffers from occasional night terrors related to his family's accident. And, his obsession with safety ( Frankie's and Leo's ) proves how much the past continues to shape his future.
He does grovel after they're separated for a month, when he realizes that life's meaningless and empty without his wife and son. This novel has an unusual epilogue, because we're given information that goes 25+ years into the future.
We're told that they end up having 5 kids. Their firstborn son Leo also gets married and has a child of his own ! I suppose this far reaching epilogue was written to show that the H finally got a HEA with a loving family, whose story wasn't blighted by tragedy.
Safety: No OW, no OM, no cheating. The heroine was celibate during the 3 year separation. There's no definitive mention about the H's celibacy. It's extremely unclear. There was no reference to his sex life at all during these 3 years. In the prologue, he did mention:
For his country and his people, he would turn his back on pleasures such as this, on women such as Frankie, and he would be King.
So, if you're an optimist like me, you can interpret that to mean he was celibate. If rose tinted sunglasses don't look on you, then you will probably choose to believe the alternative. LOL.
This novel got off to an exciting start, when the reader's introduced to the story via the H's point of view. The prologue is filled with bittersweet passion, because it's set three years in the past, during the MC's final night together.
It's clear that Matthias, the H, cares deeply for Frankie; he admits that she affects him more than any other woman he'd ever known. One would think that it would be easy for them to get their HEA at that point.
Unfortunately, the H's tragic backstory and rigid notions of responsibility to his title ( King of Tolmiros ) meant that they're doomed to be separated for 3 years. Matthias' weekend with the heroine took place a few weeks before his acension to the throne.
He'd met the heroine in New York and had been captivated by her charming and down to earth personality. She didn't know that he was a Crown Prince, about to be coronated as a king and he failed to enlighten her.
Matthias didn't plan on seeing Frankie after that weekend. In his rigid mind, she was unsuitable to be his queen, because he didn't want a wife who loved him and expected him to reciprocate such emotion.
So, he left her asleep on the bed after their torrid lovemaking session, without saying goodbye or even leaving his phone number. It was the most final way to sever a short romantic interlude, that could never blossom into a relationship.
In spite of this, though, the H did keep something to remind him of Frankie: he bought, through a third party broker, the painting she'd been working on when they'd met. Matthias also couldn't get her out of his mind.
Three years after leaving her, he's still obsessed:
Inwardly he groaned, her name just a whisper in his body, a curse too, because he had no business so much as thinking of her, let alone remembering everything about her.
This second chance story happens only because the H decides to see her one last time, before choosing an "appropriate" blue blood to marry. He's not involved with anyone else but he's given himself a month to choose a bride from a list of suitable aristocrats.
This is the H, Matthias:
When Matthias returns to New York, he finds an angry heroine and doesn't, at first, understand why she's so stilted towards him. He hadn't made any promises to her and she'd agreed that their weekend interlude would've just been a one time thing.
Of course, everything is cleared up after he discovers that he's got a toddler son named Leo. Unlike most heroines in HPlandia, Frankie had tried hard to find Matthias and inform him about her pregnancy.
She'd even hired a private investigator ! But with no photograph and no full name, that investigation turned up no leads. There was one little plot hole, however: The heroine was a skilled artist and she'd even painted portraits of her son. That made me wonder why she hadn't done a sketch of the H to give to the PI.
After all, he's a famous billionaire king ! If the PI had had access to a sketch, he might've uncovered the H's identity. I was also a little bothered by the fact that Frankie never knew that Matthias was the king of Tolmiros. This is the age of online magazines and surely the tacky Daily Mail would've posted stuff about the H ?
I mean, that online magazine posts articles on everyone who's famous: every A-Z list celeb, reality star and rich famous folks. Anyway, those are the only two plot holes that popped up in my mind. It didn't affect my rating of the novel, because I'm an unapologetic hypocrite: if I'm really enjoying a book, I'll wilfully ignore plot holes.
The subsequent storyline follows the MC's stormy engagement of convenience and details the H's growing relationship with his son. Like most of Clare Connelly's H's, Matthias is inflexible when it comes to denying love and refuting the reality that romance can be real.
Unlike most of this author's previous H's, Matthias doesn't come across as rude, unfeeling and callous. He's brutally honest but he tempers it with tenderness and compassion. He understands that the heroine wants to be loved, but he's self aware enough to acknowledge that he's afraid to open his heart to that emotion again.
Why can't he risk opening himself to love again ? Has he been burned by a former failed romance ? The answer to both questions is: No, his attitude has nothing to do with a woman in his past. He's burdened by survivor's guilt; for being alive when his parents and younger brother had died in a horrible car crash.
The H had lost his family when he was just 15 and it had changed him from a loving and warm teenager, into an unyielding man, reluctant to risk living with the pain of such tragedy again. That's why he hadn't wanted a relationship with Frankie 3 years ago.
The heroine agrees to marry him because she's reluctant to deprive her son of his birthright. But the arrangement fills her with dread. She tries hard to get him to unbend but he refuses to open himself to the possibilities of a normal, loving relationship.
This is the heroine, Frankie:
I felt sorry for him, because it's obvious that he still suffers from occasional night terrors related to his family's accident. And, his obsession with safety ( Frankie's and Leo's ) proves how much the past continues to shape his future.
He does grovel after they're separated for a month, when he realizes that life's meaningless and empty without his wife and son. This novel has an unusual epilogue, because we're given information that goes 25+ years into the future.
We're told that they end up having 5 kids. Their firstborn son Leo also gets married and has a child of his own ! I suppose this far reaching epilogue was written to show that the H finally got a HEA with a loving family, whose story wasn't blighted by tragedy.
Safety: No OW, no OM, no cheating. The heroine was celibate during the 3 year separation. There's no definitive mention about the H's celibacy. It's extremely unclear. There was no reference to his sex life at all during these 3 years. In the prologue, he did mention:
For his country and his people, he would turn his back on pleasures such as this, on women such as Frankie, and he would be King.
So, if you're an optimist like me, you can interpret that to mean he was celibate. If rose tinted sunglasses don't look on you, then you will probably choose to believe the alternative. LOL.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2019
Good story. I didn't really connect with the characters but it was decent. It had a prologue and a sweet epilogue so that was nice too.
June 7, 2019
Alpha hero and sweet heroine. Nice four star rating on this one.
Review to come.
Review to come.
June 11, 2019
Enjoyable read,second chance,secret baby plotline,a fav of mine..loved the epilogue that showed the couple 30 plus years into the future.
August 17, 2019
Second chance/ secret baby story. King-of-European-nation hero looks up the NYC artist heroine for one last booty call before he has to pick a suitable bride. Heroine never knew hero’s last name after their one night stand and couldn’t tell him about her pregnancy. His son is 2 ½ years old and looks like the hero’s brother.
This has all been done before – with the heroine resisting a marriage without love and the hero adamant that he will never love since he is dead inside since his family was assassinated when he was a child.
The author sticks with the tropes and delivers a satisfying ending, complete with an epilogue describing their grandchildren. Very sweet.
This has all been done before – with the heroine resisting a marriage without love and the hero adamant that he will never love since he is dead inside since his family was assassinated when he was a child.
The author sticks with the tropes and delivers a satisfying ending, complete with an epilogue describing their grandchildren. Very sweet.
May 9, 2019
H was awfully cold and cruel(yummy). She should have made him grovel more but I liked the meaningless drama, so 4 stars . Lol
May 13, 2019
Firstly - this book has a prologue and and epilogue. It’s like finding a unicorn!
Secondly - I really enjoyed it. I loved Frankie. Her strength, her big heart, her fierceness where her son was concerned. She did care that Matt was a king, she was ready to take him for causing her son pain.
Matt has his own demons to fight and they were big ones. He did his best to be a husband and father while still protecting his heart from more pain. It’s clear to the reader why he did that. He was destroyed by the death of his family, but the true horror of what he experienced would have broken the strongest adult. Matt survived the only way he could.
Finally - if you live a great story with lots of emotional pain and baggage, but with a bright shining light at the end of the tunnel, then read this book. I enjoyed it.
Secondly - I really enjoyed it. I loved Frankie. Her strength, her big heart, her fierceness where her son was concerned. She did care that Matt was a king, she was ready to take him for causing her son pain.
Matt has his own demons to fight and they were big ones. He did his best to be a husband and father while still protecting his heart from more pain. It’s clear to the reader why he did that. He was destroyed by the death of his family, but the true horror of what he experienced would have broken the strongest adult. Matt survived the only way he could.
Finally - if you live a great story with lots of emotional pain and baggage, but with a bright shining light at the end of the tunnel, then read this book. I enjoyed it.
May 22, 2021
"Shock Heir for the King" is the story of Frankie and Matthias.
Rich hero who is heir to his kingdom meets the heroine and they have a weekend sex romp. He hits and ducks faster than the speed of light, giving her a false name and leaving her to deal with consequences. Two years later, as he's about to get married, he wants to dip his ethical paws in the honey pot again. However, the heroine is like "hell nah" and tells him he has a child.
As expected, the ruthless cold hearted hero blackmails her into marriage so his son can be the heir to his kingdom, some "i wont love you" drama ensues and book ends in a HEA.
Hero was too cold for me. Meh. Really liked the epilogue though.
Unsafe
2/5
Rich hero who is heir to his kingdom meets the heroine and they have a weekend sex romp. He hits and ducks faster than the speed of light, giving her a false name and leaving her to deal with consequences. Two years later, as he's about to get married, he wants to dip his ethical paws in the honey pot again. However, the heroine is like "hell nah" and tells him he has a child.
As expected, the ruthless cold hearted hero blackmails her into marriage so his son can be the heir to his kingdom, some "i wont love you" drama ensues and book ends in a HEA.
Hero was too cold for me. Meh. Really liked the epilogue though.
Unsafe
2/5
July 26, 2022
I decided to do an edit of my review and the whole thing disappeared. I will say this. A barely fair read that I would not read again.
May 18, 2019
A good read with likable characters and a good epilogue.
May 26, 2019
Great read! One of the best epilogues that I've read in a HP.
May 17, 2019
Frankie is a strong and fierce heroine, I loved her fire. Mathias is dutiful and troubled. His royal background did not guard him from the darkness that surrounded him. One night of secret passion created a new life and a new secret that challenges them both in different ways but also brings them together.
This was a little hot pocket surprise for me - First time reading this author but definitely won’t be the last- Mills and Boon books get this stereotype attached to them that they are just for the bored housewives needing some spice in their lives, naughty little reads for the older generation. I must admit I was one of those people who thought the same - Boy was I WRONG!!! I’m hooked on Connelly now and can’t wait to start reading more of her sexy, steamy and addictive stories. Clare Connelly is my new guilty pleasure!
This was a little hot pocket surprise for me - First time reading this author but definitely won’t be the last- Mills and Boon books get this stereotype attached to them that they are just for the bored housewives needing some spice in their lives, naughty little reads for the older generation. I must admit I was one of those people who thought the same - Boy was I WRONG!!! I’m hooked on Connelly now and can’t wait to start reading more of her sexy, steamy and addictive stories. Clare Connelly is my new guilty pleasure!
June 9, 2019
3.5***
Very nice read with likable protagonists and cute toddler.
Very nice read with likable protagonists and cute toddler.
October 28, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyable read with a great h and a decent H plus a good storyline ... well worth reading it and I loved the little boy ...
h was hard working, brave and just too kind; she was also no doormat ...
h was hard working, brave and just too kind; she was also no doormat ...
May 2, 2021
We have our usual reckless and irresponsible monarch who has a two days affair with young naive and virgin heroine, without telling her his name he disappears into thin air. Obviously he leaves her pregnant. She tries in vain to find him but it’s impossible because she doesn’t even know his real name. Three years later he is about to marry a suitable woman and decides to once again see our heroine. She’s an artist, and has a son- his son. She tells him and he persuades her to marry him for the boy’s sake. She accepts. She’s in love with him but he’s cold and tells her he only can give her sex. Brief separation and he comes back to her declaring he always loved her from the start. Yeah right. What about the hero. A future sovereign who doesn’t follow up the results of his sexual exploits? The heroine is lucky he turned up after 3 years. I wonder how many little heirs there are around the world without him knowing that. I could understand his childhood traumas, having lost his parents and his only brother in accidents made him afraid to love, but it’s his son and his wife he rejected. Not good. Then in the end his declaration of love didn’t seem real, it’s actions that make love real not words, he failed her and he was a coward, and the heroine trying to tell him that no, he’s not a coward, he’s a brave and honorable (really????) man was not acceptable. He should have groveled more. Then in the time they were apart she was celibate while he probably wasn’t. Or maybe he was. It’s not so clear, there are sentences that could suggest he was and others that he wasn’t ( he tells her he is always careful when he has sex, present tense!!! But in the beginning he remembers that she was the last of his affair before he did his duty as a king... I don’t know maybe the author simply didn’t focus on this detail) Anyway in the end I enjoyed the book.
May 24, 2019
So boring except for the angsty two last chapters, added a star. And delish epilogue!
December 1, 2020
rep: hero with PTSD and trauma.
Really great Harlequin romance that packs a punch. The heroine was great and the hero was a bit closed off for my liking, but it’s very understandable why due to his severe trauma. This was done in a manner that I appreciated given the short length of the book. It has a lovely epilogue too!
tw/cw:
mention of abortion, grief, loss of loved one, on page car accident flashback, depictions of PTSD and trauma, suicidal ideation.
Really great Harlequin romance that packs a punch. The heroine was great and the hero was a bit closed off for my liking, but it’s very understandable why due to his severe trauma. This was done in a manner that I appreciated given the short length of the book. It has a lovely epilogue too!
tw/cw:
mention of abortion, grief, loss of loved one, on page car accident flashback, depictions of PTSD and trauma, suicidal ideation.
May 1, 2019
Matthias is all prepared to take his position as King to his country and marry a chosen bride, except for the little nudge he feels that he needs to go back to see Frankie. Frankie was a one night escape for him and he regrets he took her virginity and left before she woke but his future is mapped out for him. Frankie is busy trying to earn a living as an artist and is at a gallery getting ready for her show. What she doesn't expect is to see Matt again. Her feelings for him come to the surface but she must be strong he must not know about Leo the child they created on their one night. He could not be found he left no name of address and she tried but to no avail. In her eyes he lost the right to know. However plans don't always work the way you want and when he finds out about his son the only answer is to marry. His son is his heir and since Matthias lost his whole family years ago in an accident its not negotiable. Now if you think this is cut a dried you are wrong Ms. Connelly always delivers amazing stories and this one is another example of her amazing talent. Follow these to his kingdom and find out how Frankie deals with her new life. I love that there is an epilogue and that we see into their future. a true keeper.
October 9, 2019
A decent read.
June 5, 2019
See the full review at HarlequinJunkie.com
Shock Heir for the King was an intense romance that had a bit of a Cinderella theme to it and was set on beautiful Greek islands that were the perfect backdrop for this couple’s journey. And what a conflicted mess our hero and heroine were before they earned their HEA. The hero’s heartbreaking backstory made for some major challenges before he could allow himself to show emotions, and the heroine had a chip on her shoulder over being steamrolled into marriage–and had her own issues with abandonment. Whew! Talk about complicated. Read More
Shock Heir for the King was an intense romance that had a bit of a Cinderella theme to it and was set on beautiful Greek islands that were the perfect backdrop for this couple’s journey. And what a conflicted mess our hero and heroine were before they earned their HEA. The hero’s heartbreaking backstory made for some major challenges before he could allow himself to show emotions, and the heroine had a chip on her shoulder over being steamrolled into marriage–and had her own issues with abandonment. Whew! Talk about complicated. Read More
August 2, 2019
What a fabulous story this one is, MS Connelly has never disappointed me with one of her stories they just get better with everyone I read, and this one is going to be a favourite. I loved the hero Matthias and the beautiful strong heroine Frankie, I do hope that you will pick this one up and enjoy it as much as I did.
Frankie Preston is an artist she loves painting, young single and a virgin when she meets handsome Matt, who she happily spends a very sensual weekend with, but after the weekend he is gone and there are consequences and Frankie cannot find him, so she becomes a single mother to her son Leo, that is until three years later Matt arrives at her art showing and the heat and sparks are still there.
Matt was having a last weekend before he takes over as King of his country, meeting Frankie the artist was such a lift to his emotions, beautiful and full of life their weekend was the best, but life takes him to rule his country, but he never forgets Frankie and goes looking for her years later and he not only finds her but a son as well. This means one thing that he must marry Frankie and bring them both back to his home and above all else keep them safe he cannot lose his family again, he cannot love anyone.
This one had me turning the pages a Cinderella story that warmed my heart in so many ways, beautifully written, the characters come to life as Frankie makes Matt see that he can love that together as a family they can find joy and happiness, and the setting just beautiful. This is a story that I highly recommend, it is sure to leave you feeling very happy with a smile as you share Matt and Frankie’s journey to a beautiful HEA.
Frankie Preston is an artist she loves painting, young single and a virgin when she meets handsome Matt, who she happily spends a very sensual weekend with, but after the weekend he is gone and there are consequences and Frankie cannot find him, so she becomes a single mother to her son Leo, that is until three years later Matt arrives at her art showing and the heat and sparks are still there.
Matt was having a last weekend before he takes over as King of his country, meeting Frankie the artist was such a lift to his emotions, beautiful and full of life their weekend was the best, but life takes him to rule his country, but he never forgets Frankie and goes looking for her years later and he not only finds her but a son as well. This means one thing that he must marry Frankie and bring them both back to his home and above all else keep them safe he cannot lose his family again, he cannot love anyone.
This one had me turning the pages a Cinderella story that warmed my heart in so many ways, beautifully written, the characters come to life as Frankie makes Matt see that he can love that together as a family they can find joy and happiness, and the setting just beautiful. This is a story that I highly recommend, it is sure to leave you feeling very happy with a smile as you share Matt and Frankie’s journey to a beautiful HEA.
January 25, 2020
Overall, I did enjoy this one although I had a few reservations. The trope is not new but I enjoyed Clare’s rendition. The king, Matthias, so damaged by the loss of his family when he was 15 that he had no intention of loving anyone again, but who has a fling in New York and unbeknownst to him, leaves her pregnant. This was my first reservation - how come, understanding that contraceptives are not infallible, did he never think to check Frankie was okay afterwards? As a King, he would be even more aware of the impact of a pregnancy (as shown by the way he behaves when he does find out about his son), so not to have checked afterwards made no sense to me.
The marriage wasn’t what either of them would have wanted but there are logical reasons why they should go ahead. So they agreed to do it.
So now I have my second reservation, having agreed this was the best thing for Leo, why is Frankie so determined not to have sex? Was she planning to have a sex-free marriage forever? Sorry, I didn’t get this aspect at all and the number of times she was able to say no, and resist Matt, did not ring true to me. Apart from that, I loved the relationship between them.
Overall, a great couple and their journey was beautifully written. I loved the epilogue showing that taking the risk was absolutely the right thing for Matthias to have done.
The marriage wasn’t what either of them would have wanted but there are logical reasons why they should go ahead. So they agreed to do it.
So now I have my second reservation, having agreed this was the best thing for Leo, why is Frankie so determined not to have sex? Was she planning to have a sex-free marriage forever? Sorry, I didn’t get this aspect at all and the number of times she was able to say no, and resist Matt, did not ring true to me. Apart from that, I loved the relationship between them.
Overall, a great couple and their journey was beautifully written. I loved the epilogue showing that taking the risk was absolutely the right thing for Matthias to have done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2019
Shock Heir for the King by Clare Connelly is a Cinderella romance you should definitely get your hands on! This story has drama and angst in bucket loads. I really enjoyed the journeys of the two main characters. Frankie gave her innocence to a devilish stranger once upon a time but will she be willing to pay the price of her scandalous rendezvous? It turns out Matthias is a Mediterranean king and he has a demanding proposition for Frankie!
Highly Recommended
4.5 Stars
Highly Recommended
4.5 Stars
November 21, 2019
Now this was a great book ...
Same old trope of second chance with a secret baby ... a secret prince and all ...
But the execution was great ..
We have a h who made real effort to look for the H when she knew she was pregnant ...
We have a H who has genuine issues but no one doubts that he cares for the h ...
Fast paced and the little boy was a sweetie ...
Enjoyed reading this and really loved the epilogue ..
Same old trope of second chance with a secret baby ... a secret prince and all ...
But the execution was great ..
We have a h who made real effort to look for the H when she knew she was pregnant ...
We have a H who has genuine issues but no one doubts that he cares for the h ...
Fast paced and the little boy was a sweetie ...
Enjoyed reading this and really loved the epilogue ..
July 17, 2019
I'm torn about this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the writer's prose, flow, and story structure. The drama was minimal; the push-pull tug of the relationship was strictly between the hero and heroine, without any outside melodrama stacked on Just Because. I found the lack of Ameripicking (the author is Australian and the book was published in the UK) rather endearing, most likely because only a small portion of the novel is actually set in America. I also really liked the fact that the author portrayed the darkside of the seeming fairytale, where your handsome prince sweeps you off your feet and carries you off to his kingdom. Its not all its cracked up to be: the royal life can ultimately be very isolating and lonely.
On the other hand...ugh, I didn't really like either of the main characters. Mattias, our hero, was a cold-hearted alpha asshole; our heroine, Frankie, was too soft for her own good and unwilling to confront Mattias about his attitude towards her. She definitely played mama bear in defense of their son, Leo, but in spite of telling Mattias he would not ride roughshod over her, she allowed him to do exactly that. He insulted her for wanting to marry for love (what a concept!), for wanting to marry a man who desired more than just her body. He was proud/possessive of the fact that she'd given her virginity to him and that she'd never had another lover, even though he basically slept with her and then left her without a word or the better part of 3 years. She had no say in the decision to marry. He went behind her back and gave their son a DNA test to confirm paternity. He made her beg for his attention, and though she rightfully called him out on it, she ended up succumbing to the ol' body-betraying-her business and begging for her orgasm.
That made me so, so angry, as did her constant self-chastising for being childish and juvenile for wanting to rebel against him. Honey, no; what you wanted was no less than what you deserved: some goddamned respect as a woman and an independent, intelligent human being. Eventually it made Frankie angry, too, and she did confront him in full, raging temper after the DNA test fiasco, which was incredibly cathartic to read. It was as if she finally realized that she deserved some consideration, too, and not just for being willing to sacrifice her own happiness to insure her son's security.
Mattias was a typical alpha male, (literally) king of his kingdom and used to getting his own way and not taking "no" for an answer. He had some past trauma that explained his present coldness and reluctance to attach himself to his wife or his child, and of course the whole royal-security thing, but he never really had to grovel for his actions or even go through the tough work of processing his trauma and reaching the place where he can open his heart and love. He basically mentioned it once and Frankie forgave him. Why, I don't know, when she'd already proven that pushing him was the only way to get a response from him instead of coddling him.
This story had so much promise, and the author is talented enough that I wish she had chosen the other route - instead of basically forcing Frankie into this marriage and a whole new way of life, abandoning everyone she's ever known (her parents didn't even come to the wedding!), Mattias should've wooed her and won her back after his prolonged absence from her life. His jealous possessiveness did nobody any favors, and if that was supposed to pass for caring, well - it didn't.
I like this author, and am more than willing to give her another chance, even in HP land where alpha males rule the roost. The fact that I disliked the characters so much is a compliment to her ability to weave a story.
On the other hand...ugh, I didn't really like either of the main characters. Mattias, our hero, was a cold-hearted alpha asshole; our heroine, Frankie, was too soft for her own good and unwilling to confront Mattias about his attitude towards her. She definitely played mama bear in defense of their son, Leo, but in spite of telling Mattias he would not ride roughshod over her, she allowed him to do exactly that. He insulted her for wanting to marry for love (what a concept!), for wanting to marry a man who desired more than just her body. He was proud/possessive of the fact that she'd given her virginity to him and that she'd never had another lover, even though he basically slept with her and then left her without a word or the better part of 3 years. She had no say in the decision to marry. He went behind her back and gave their son a DNA test to confirm paternity. He made her beg for his attention, and though she rightfully called him out on it, she ended up succumbing to the ol' body-betraying-her business and begging for her orgasm.
That made me so, so angry, as did her constant self-chastising for being childish and juvenile for wanting to rebel against him. Honey, no; what you wanted was no less than what you deserved: some goddamned respect as a woman and an independent, intelligent human being. Eventually it made Frankie angry, too, and she did confront him in full, raging temper after the DNA test fiasco, which was incredibly cathartic to read. It was as if she finally realized that she deserved some consideration, too, and not just for being willing to sacrifice her own happiness to insure her son's security.
Mattias was a typical alpha male, (literally) king of his kingdom and used to getting his own way and not taking "no" for an answer. He had some past trauma that explained his present coldness and reluctance to attach himself to his wife or his child, and of course the whole royal-security thing, but he never really had to grovel for his actions or even go through the tough work of processing his trauma and reaching the place where he can open his heart and love. He basically mentioned it once and Frankie forgave him. Why, I don't know, when she'd already proven that pushing him was the only way to get a response from him instead of coddling him.
This story had so much promise, and the author is talented enough that I wish she had chosen the other route - instead of basically forcing Frankie into this marriage and a whole new way of life, abandoning everyone she's ever known (her parents didn't even come to the wedding!), Mattias should've wooed her and won her back after his prolonged absence from her life. His jealous possessiveness did nobody any favors, and if that was supposed to pass for caring, well - it didn't.
I like this author, and am more than willing to give her another chance, even in HP land where alpha males rule the roost. The fact that I disliked the characters so much is a compliment to her ability to weave a story.
August 22, 2019
I loved it. The story wos like a breeze of wind in the hot summer.
This is my first book of Clare but I intend to read many others.
The story was so sweet so that I finished it for a day.
Looking forward to read new stories of her.
This is my first book of Clare but I intend to read many others.
The story was so sweet so that I finished it for a day.
Looking forward to read new stories of her.
May 30, 2019
Original review
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Clare Connelly!
Shock Heir for the King tells the story about Frankie and Matt.
Shock Heir for the King is the third book I’ve read by Clare Connelly and I really enjoyed reading it. The story was interesting and it was such a good Romance book. This is my first ‘secret baby’ Romance and I really liked it.
The baby secret was a surprise for Matt but I think it was beautiful that he took on the job of being a father. The chemistry between Frankie and Matt was beautiful and I loved it when they confessed their feelings towards each other.
Shock Heir for the King was a nice Romance read, perfect for when you’re on vacation. I read this book when I was on the plane to Finland and I enjoyed reading it!
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Clare Connelly!
Shock Heir for the King tells the story about Frankie and Matt.
Shock Heir for the King is the third book I’ve read by Clare Connelly and I really enjoyed reading it. The story was interesting and it was such a good Romance book. This is my first ‘secret baby’ Romance and I really liked it.
The baby secret was a surprise for Matt but I think it was beautiful that he took on the job of being a father. The chemistry between Frankie and Matt was beautiful and I loved it when they confessed their feelings towards each other.
Shock Heir for the King was a nice Romance read, perfect for when you’re on vacation. I read this book when I was on the plane to Finland and I enjoyed reading it!
October 28, 2021
Matt (30) is a royal prince In a week he'll become the king of his island nation of Tolmiros (Greek-influenced). He is in New York and meets Frankie / Frances, a budding artist. They spend the night together. Frankie only knows his first name and country.
3 years later.
King Matthias plans to find a suitable wife .Still, while in NY, he decides to look up Frankie. She prepares for her first gallery shaw.Frankie tells him she/ they have a son, Leo, now 2,5 years old.
This changes everything. Now Matt demands Frankie marries him, Leo will need a DNA test to be proclaimed crown prince .(Matt's parents and younger brother, Spiro (9 yo) died in a car accident.Matt was 15 and his uncle was regent till now. There is no other family).
Now Frankie finds herself in a new country, new language , new style.Matt gifts her a decoration- the Star of Aranathi (sounds as it came from India) -which his mother received for her humanitarian work, Frankie feels unworthy. Her life as an artist is over.Matt bought all her pictures and put them on display in his country.
Frankie is independent,helped her father when he needed operations on his back.She is angry with Matt for never telling his real identity.
Matt still has nightmares about the accident.He puts security guards on Frankie and Leo and she isn't happy about it.
I didn't like the idea of the hero having nothing to do with the heroine for 3 years and than deciding to look her up -for one last time ? Also, in the world of internet and social media it doesn't seem feasible that the heroine wouldn't see world news.Certainly if a foreign king is selecting a bride, it's big news!
The epilogue also very short , a few paragraphs about their life in the future.
3 years later.
King Matthias plans to find a suitable wife .Still, while in NY, he decides to look up Frankie. She prepares for her first gallery shaw.Frankie tells him she/ they have a son, Leo, now 2,5 years old.
This changes everything. Now Matt demands Frankie marries him, Leo will need a DNA test to be proclaimed crown prince .(Matt's parents and younger brother, Spiro (9 yo) died in a car accident.Matt was 15 and his uncle was regent till now. There is no other family).
Now Frankie finds herself in a new country, new language , new style.Matt gifts her a decoration- the Star of Aranathi (sounds as it came from India) -which his mother received for her humanitarian work, Frankie feels unworthy. Her life as an artist is over.Matt bought all her pictures and put them on display in his country.
Frankie is independent,helped her father when he needed operations on his back.She is angry with Matt for never telling his real identity.
Matt still has nightmares about the accident.He puts security guards on Frankie and Leo and she isn't happy about it.
I didn't like the idea of the hero having nothing to do with the heroine for 3 years and than deciding to look her up -for one last time ? Also, in the world of internet and social media it doesn't seem feasible that the heroine wouldn't see world news.Certainly if a foreign king is selecting a bride, it's big news!
The epilogue also very short , a few paragraphs about their life in the future.
May 5, 2019
Matthias and Frankie had a brief affair but he never told her he was a king. Matt as she had known him came and went but he left behind a permanent part of himself.
Three years later he still can't get Frankie out of his mind when he ventures into an art gallery where her work is being shown. He discovers her paintings of a little boy and instantly realizes he is a father. What follows is angst and soul searching as they each try to work out what must happen next.
Marrying for the sake of the royal heir, the tension and turmoil increase until it bubbles over, and for me the dramatic moment comes when Matthias regretfully smashes one of Frankie's works, and what the painting was makes it that much more so.
A good angst filled read that tugs on the strings.
Three years later he still can't get Frankie out of his mind when he ventures into an art gallery where her work is being shown. He discovers her paintings of a little boy and instantly realizes he is a father. What follows is angst and soul searching as they each try to work out what must happen next.
Marrying for the sake of the royal heir, the tension and turmoil increase until it bubbles over, and for me the dramatic moment comes when Matthias regretfully smashes one of Frankie's works, and what the painting was makes it that much more so.
A good angst filled read that tugs on the strings.
June 13, 2019
You know what this book was fun to read, it was such a ludicrous story with Kings and Queens but it made me smile and I was able to read it very quickly so I can not complain at all. I want to read more of these fun short novels.
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