Taming the Prince

Royal Secrets #1

by Addison Quinn, Lindzee Armstrong

Kara's always dreamed of owning a successful ballet studio. But when a government-backed housing program turns out to be a scam, she's left fighting to keep the property while raising her ten-month-old niece alone. The last thing she needs is a drunk and haughty prince who just cost her thousands in property damage.

Prince Nicholas of Galia has given up. When his pet housing project collapses due to a scam, he becomes a rebellious playboy instead of cleaning up the mess. But when anti-royalists chase him into the ballet studio of a bewitching brunette, he finds himself desperate to become a man worthy of her love.

As Nicholas and Kara repair her damaged studio together, outside forces threaten to tear them apart. Can Kara and Nicholas overlook each other's pasts to plan a future together?

Genres: Romance, Royalty, Novella, Clean Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit

100 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2018

About the author

ADDISON QUINN is a clean romance author with a serious Disney princess addiction. Since she didn't grow up to be royalty, she decided to write about them instead.

Addison lives in a quiet town with her insanely supportive husband and two adorable children. When she isn't busy writing, she's probably watching Netflix, baking chocolate chip cookies, or planning her next family vacation.

Addison is totally camera-shy, and prefers hiding behind her computer to being in the spotlight. She is thrilled to have finally found a career that allows her to do just that, and so grateful to the readers who've helped her follow her dreams!

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

Another fun prequel novella for the Royal Secrets series. I breezed through this novella right before bed one night. It was such fun, light and entertaining reading that I couldn't put it down until I was done. Then I jumped right into another one of the novellas. This one is about Nicholas and Kara and I can't wait for the author's novel to be released so I can keep reading further into their sweet love story.

First impressions aren't always the best. In fact, they could be completely wrong. Especially if the setting happened to be someone breaking into your dance studio (and you happen to live above the studio) in the middle of the night. Kara's life was all planned out. It was working and going according to plan, until it wasn't. Everything in her life has changed and turned out differently. Except dancing. If only she can make it all work and her dance studio will thrive. She'll be able to fix everything else and keep picking up the broken pieces of her heart and life around her. That is until everything decides to break and she has to use the last of her money to fix it all. Then enters Nicholas, who made it all worse. He has ruined her dance studio. Now how will she survive. She has something too precious to not fight for and yet she doesn't know how she can protect and fight for this precious item with her studio in shambles.

This book starts an unlikely friendship. One of healing and caring. Love and protection. It was very sweet and let me tell you, when I finished it, I was thinking "no, this can't be the end! I need more!" So be warned this doesn't have an ending but a beginning. And I loved the beginning it shows of two characters who need love and compassion, friendship and understanding in their lives.

Content: Clean

I picked up a free copy from the author's website and joining her newsletter. You can also do the same for the other two novellas that begin this series by going to the other author's websites. Sophia Conrad and Kennedy Larsen.

Happy Reading!!!

[*❆ Kαɾҽɳ ❆* · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful tale between a troubled dancer and a spoilt prince

Kara runs her own dance studio at her home. She teaches many little girls who to dance and she loves her job. Yet, her life has been full of hardship, because she has a 10 month year old niece to take care of since her sister overdosed and the father is in prison.

What's worse is that she had hopes that Prince Nicolas' project "Homeless No More" would help her with her financial needs. But that project turned out to be a scum and it ruined her financially.

Now with only her dance studio to save her, she is determined to do it alone. But that changes when one night, her dance studio is completely destroyed by two very drank princes

Prince Nicolas is the crown prince, and yet he doesn't take anything seriously, ever since his project was a failure, he has made it clear he doesn't want any responsibilities. But after being yelled at by Kara, a short yet beautiful and stubborn woman to fix the damages, he thinks he has finally found a woman his heart desires.

But he has caused her so much damage before, but he has never wanted to right his mistakes until now, will he be able to make things right and win her heart?

Such a delightful and sweet tale! Really enjoyed this short series!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun short read and introduction to the new series. I'm excited to read the others. Kara and Nicholas have both had some troubles, but those bring them together and they are both better for it. It has a HEA, but I hope they show up in other books.

[Donna Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another short, sweet read. I enjoyed the character arc, especially for Nicholas. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job.

4.5 stars

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy read without a lot of depth or character development. Didn't really feel invested into the story.

Moral Note: Talk of drug use & drinking, talk of cheating.

[Amy Koster · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is a ballet teacher. He is a spoiled prince. Accidently fate has brought them together. Only she wants nothing to do with him. Plus, she has no time for love. Who can help falling in love with a prince, let alone, meeting one?

I loved this book! I felt Kara and Nicholas were perfect for each other. They needed each other’s strengths to help them with their weaknesses. They are witty and full of charm. I really enjoyed watching them soften and become better people together.

This is my first book in this series. I have enjoyed several by the author and she does not disappoint. A fun cute book you will love to the very end.

*Please note I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was under no obligation to review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a definite read for everyone. A nice romantic story to warm your heart.

[Irene Langston-Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is cute fast read story about Kara who teaches ballet and is raising her baby niece and and Prince Nicholas who along with his cousin breaks into her studio while being chased. She catch them and demands that he repair her studio. This has a well developed storyline and characters. Would like to find out more about them. This is my first time reading this author and look forward to more by her.

[Sheila Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short but sweet romance. Prince Nicholas and his cousin literally crash into a dance studio where Kara works and lives. She is not happy about the expensive damages these 2 men inflict on her business and home and has no problem giving them a piece of her mind as she demands that repairs be made immediately. There also is a strong anti-royal movement in this country that Kara explains to Prince Nicholas in terms that exposes his lack of awareness to the plight of the less fortunate. What follows is a sweet romance where Kara struggles to maintain custody of her niece and Nicholas to assume responsibility as the crown Prince. A sweet, clean read that has the HEA ending.

[Ru4repeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how Prince Nicholas grew up during the course of this novel, as short as it was! It was great to see him mature and take accountability for things. I think with most novellas it takes talent to introduce the characters, have a meet cue, and a happily ever after in so few pages. This one seemed a little rushed on all levels, however I wasn't getting grossed out over violent actions, or blushing because of steamy bedroom scenes. I didn't have my ears burn because of crude language, but I did have a raise eyebrow and headshake for the drinking mentioned.

I loved the sentence, "a cynical voice that sounded suspiciously like her own whispered at the back of her mind."
I also loved when "he was stalling. Well, of course he was stalling. No one looked forward to being chastised."
I can totally relate to Kara's driving in the scene that said, "it took a lot of effort not to speed, but she did her best to obey all traffic laws on the drive." Having too many drivers on the road, or hitting EVERY red light when you are trying to get somewhere quickly is incredibly annoying.
On a steaminess level I would rate this a hot PG.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this book. This is the first in the Royal Secrets series written by three authors.

Talk about a memorable first meeting. Kara's trying to get a teething baby to sleep in her apartment when she hears the sound of breaking glass and men's voices downstairs in her dance studio. She discovers two men, is surprised to find that they're a drunk Prince Nicholas of Galia and his cousin Prince Alexander of Durham. Talk about a bad first impression. Kara's already none too happy with the Royal family of Galia since she was one of one of the victims of the failed housing project.

After the mess with the dance studio, Prince Nicholas has to start taking his life seriously and fixing Kara's fledgling dance studio is a great start. I liked these two as a couple. Kara doesn't care if Nicholas is a prince, she wants him to do what's right and fix what he messed up. This is exactly what Nicholas needed--someone to help get him out of the hole he'd be wallowing in.

This is a novella which could be read in a couple of hours, and I think it's a great start to the series.

[Olivia Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. It had very good development of the characters, and didn’t rush Kara’s and Prince Nicholas’s relationship together. This is one of the best books I have ever read. When I was a kid I never used to like books and ever since I started reading books this is one of the great books. Overall this book I would recommend to read to everyone. This was a great book to read!

[Neerja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and sweet romance story of a woman trying to raise her neice on her own after the death of her sister. Then one night she comes across a man, not any common man but a prince himself. Her life changes and the sparks start to ignite between the two. I liked the story which was good and fun. If you want to read something light you can pick up this book.

[5 Kindles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern day Romance about a Ballet Teacher (Kara) and a Prince (Nicholas), who literally nearly destroys everything for our heroine in a drunken episode with his cousin. If the financial loss is not bad enough, the destruction of Kara's ballet studio threatens the person she hold most dear, her Niece who she is trying to adopt. The story though short and sweet, explores the relationship that develops between Kara and Nicholas as he must remedy the mess he is responsible for (his Royal parents insist). More than the relationship is the growth that occurs in the character Nicholas as he learns to be responsible, and find his way to redeem himself in the eyes of both Kara, and the citizens of his country. Nice, clean, and sweet book. Although I mostly read Regency Romance, I tried this since I was intrigued by the title and did enjoy the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this I am leaving a voluntary review

[Maria Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

rounding up from 3.5 stars

Cute, quick, clean read. A lot of "prince meets working class girl" stories I've read follow the formula of prince and unsuitable but lovely girl meet, the king/queen object, but love wins out in the end. This one was a little different because the king/queen objection isn't a part of the story at all. And the unsuitable one appears to be the prince, not the commoner. So the commoner makes the prince a better man and everyone lives happily ever after. That isn't a spoiler right? Cause you already know that is going to happen.
Because it is short, there isn't a lot of time to develop the story. You kind of have to fill in the gaps yourself. But it was enjoyable and sweet, and the hea applies to everyone not just the prince and his love. It feels like a modern fairy tale.

No sex, language or violence
makes passing references to drug use of sister who died of overdose 6 months before story began. Necessary part of the plot.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, short, atypical prince/commoner story. I just really enjoyed this novella. The plot and characters are well done and believable.

[Ballet in AK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Taming the Prince by Lindzee Armstrong (2 stars)

The insta love in this novelette detracts from what could have been a really great premise. The whole thing felt rushed.

Falling in love too quickly and without enough time spent telling the reader the details of their interactions was not what I was looking for in a romance. ...suddenly Prince Nicolas is declaring his love and that he’ll care for Kara and her niece and it feels like it comes out of nowhere.

I mean, he’s generous in repairing the dance studio, but he’s only physically been there a few times and they’ve shared some texts (at least from what I could tell). Suddenly she’s asking about their relationship and where it’s headed and he’s saying he wants to take her on a date. One passionate kiss later and some paparazzi pressure and he’s declaring his love and devotion. Too much and too fast to be believable.

Which is a shame, because it had real possibilities as a plot. And the characters could have been believable and complex given time and space and more detail- -way more detail. (And that amazing dress on the cover! It’s not even in the story!)

*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special

[Asterope · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read. Not bad, but suffers from massive insta-love. If you really stop and think, everything is too accelerated and unrealistic. I think they were in each other's company for what? An hour or two total and we're already at I-Love-Yous. That's the problem with trying to cram a romance into a novella, especially when the MCs start off as strangers. That being said, it's a nice fantasy of a prince falling in love with a commoner. I liked the concept, even if I didn't like the execution so much.

[Avid · Rating 2 out of 5]

About the length of a child's bedtime story and about as deep. I didn't know it was a novella, and if I had, I wouldn't have read it b/c this is what happens to all novellas. It's as if a friend is telling you a story. You may get the event highlights and then the details of the big argument before the "it all worked out in the end." Ridiculous. Even so, the characters, what was illustrated of them, were likeable and you wanted them to succeed. So that's why I give this two stars.

[Megan French · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m usually all for a cheesy HEA romance, but this one felt incredibly rushed and therefore super unrealistic. I think as readers we appreciate the development of the characters because it makes it authentic. This didn’t really do that. I’ve read some of the other works by the author and loved them. Not sure what happened here. A little disappointed.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

An 89 page synopsis would be a good description of this. There is little emotion in the characters and the story moves in a swift but boring way to an inevitable conclusion that isn't all that satisfying.

[Carolyn W · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 75%. Not much of a storyline.

[Becky A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Soo short

The story was so short and so fast it felt like it was 2 pages in and then it was done.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, but it was pretty predicable and left us wondering about what happens next. I guess that is probably the point as there are more books in the series! Kara has a dance studio that she is barely keeping afloat, and an infant niece that she is barely hanging onto legally. It appears that a project that was supposed to help buoy up those at the bottom of the economic sea, has instead sunk them even deeper. The crown prince, Nicholas, has mistakenly put his name on what turned out to be a scam when the money that was supposed to be used to finance mortgages for the poor was stolen by the guy that started it all. This has caused a backlash through the kingdom as the anti-royalists point to it as a another reason to dissolve the monarchy.

Kara can't believe it when her dance studio is broken into in the middle of the night. She hears the noise from her apartment upstairs and grabs her niece, intending to attempt to escape the building. When she realizes that there are only two intruders and that they are both drunk, she ends up confronting them. She is stunned to discover that the one of the vandals is none other than the crown prince, Nicholas, and his cousin Alex. This is the very man that caused her sister to OD after losing her home in the aforementioned scam. When she demands that he make good on the damages or suffer the attention of the press, he agrees. Little does he know that this promise is going to change everything.

I was not particularly enthused by the narrator of this book. Some of the voices she used were very annoying and distracted from the story. I was given a copy of this audio book as a promotion by the author. My review is voluntary.

[Lilmissmolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taming the Prince is a sweet romance written by Addison Quinn. I listened to the audio version of this short story narrated by Raine Barrett, which runs about 1 1/2 hours long. It is your typical Hallmark movie scenario, with a playboy prince who doesn’t want to grow up but who falls in love with a hard-working and principled commoner.

The story begins when Prince Nicholas gets drunk one night and crashes into a dance studio’s window trying to escape from the paparazzi. While getting up from the broken glass, and showing no remorse, he meets the young ballet mistress who lives above the studio. Kara is barely making ends meet and she immediately gives him a piece of her mind as she demands that repairs be made immediately. Nicholas’s parents, being tired of his wastrel ways, make him not only pay for the repairs, but make him do the manual labor as well. In doing so, Kara treats Nicholas like any other irresponsible person, and she teaches him the error of his ways. Nicholas suddenly grows up in those few days and he tries to be the man Kara deserves.

Overall 3 stars because while the short story is worthy of 4 stars, the narration is only 2 stars worthy.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this tale. Kara is a dance instructor and teaches little girls. She is also a second mother to her niece. Her sister died of an overdose and there was no one else but that little girl meant the world to her. Prince Nicolas was tall, good looking and had a good heart and destroyed her studio. Esmee is her niece and she sounds adorable. He fixed up her studio, put in new glass and mirrors and whatever else she needed.
I thought the way she took care of the baby was very touching. Also, the way she cared about Nicolas was so nice and the love she shared with the two of them. It was very heartwarming. The author did a good job, well written and is even paced, it also holds your attention. I can't wait to read the next one.
I received this ARC from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredibly inspiring story of Kara and Prince Nicholas. When I started this story, I definitely thought this was going to be another stereotypical romantic comedy where a forbidden royal romance was involved. I was happily mistaken.

The first chapter alone sucked me in with both its tragedy and hope. We learn about Kara DuBois, a run down dance studio owner, who has become the guardian of her 10 month old niece Esmée after her sister died of a heroin overdose six months prior. Cue the dreamy Prince Nicholas who is responsible for the inception of the Homeless No More charity, which was a scam that costs the poor their homes, businesses, and in the case of Kara’s sister, her life.

This story was beautifully told by Addison Quinn. It was both riveting and heartbreaking at the same time. Cannot wait for Dating the Prince!

[Anne Wingate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince Goofed Again

Perhaps it would have been funny, if it hadn't ruined --and even cost --lives. But it isn't funny when he and his cousin, prince in a neighboring and equally small European country, go to a public bar, get drunk, get chased by anti-monarchists, and demolish the dance studio. Now the dance teacher, already raising her niece after the prince's affordable housing plan goes belly up and the child's mother died of an overdose, has had her livelihood snatched from her.
The king and queen are furious and the prince has to make it all better by himself.
As usual, Armstrong doesn't tie up loose ends and make everything go right in the last ten pages. Instead, she leaves the end open so that the reader can guess what happens. That is a good place to end the start of the story.
Recommended for all readers of clean royal romance.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful book that is easy to read and gives you a hope that everything will turn out in the end. The author portrayed each character just as they should be as if they were your next door neighbors except maybe the Prince.

The story starts with Kara who is having a difficult time running her dance studio and fighting for custody of her niece, Esmee, after her mother had pass away. As bills pile up she’s not sure how to keep going. The her and drunk prince walks into her life. After cleaning up the mess the prince made, Kara thought he was too good to be true, she pushes him away. As a few weeks go, Kara isn’t sure she should have pushed him away. Can they be a couple and can she get full custody of Esmee.

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique fairy tale type novella that I very much enjoyed. It was very well written and was an easy read. Kara is working so hard to take care of her niece and live her dream of running a ballet studio. One night two wild men break into her studio causing a disaster and she feels her life goals are gone. Prince Nicholas tries to repair the damage and is a gentleman. I love that she didn't know who he was and that he was a Prince trying to make things right. The connection that forms between the two make things feel possible until she learns the truth of who he is. It was a short novella about trust and forgiveness.