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Stonewall Investigations Miami #2.5
A Royal Christmas Cruise
Nicholas Silva
This Christmas, I was determined to change things.
I was done living a lie. I felt like a puppet, so I cut the strings. I woke up one morning and broke up with my girlfriend - to the shock of everyone. That same day, I had tickets booked on a holiday cruise where I planned on cutting loose and finding the truth I had been denying myself all along.
Little did I know, I'd end up finding much more in the jaw-droppingly handsome man I met before boarding the ship. Our chemistry was immediate, and it wasn’t long before we shared a passionate kiss.
Then came his question. He asked me to be fake boyfriends with him for the duration of the cruise.
My immediate urge was to say ‘yes’ except for a tiny complication that forced me to reconsider: I’m the prince of Spain and I am still very much closeted.
Shiro Brooks
This Christmas was supposed to be for reuniting with old friends. I didn’t expect to be dealing with a break-up and becoming the seventh wheel. I tried staying positive, but after an embarrassing situation at the security checkpoint, I resigned myself to my crummy holiday fate.
Imagine my Santa-sized surprise when I bump into (and subsequently make-out with) the hottest man I’d ever met in my entire life. Drunk off our connection, I blurt out a crazy proposal.
A proposal that he quickly shoots down.
I for sure thought it would all end there. I had no idea it was only just the beginning of our story.
_____________
A Royal Christmas Cruise is a full-length and standalone Stonewall Investigations- Miami holiday story.
This Christmas, I was determined to change things.
I was done living a lie. I felt like a puppet, so I cut the strings. I woke up one morning and broke up with my girlfriend - to the shock of everyone. That same day, I had tickets booked on a holiday cruise where I planned on cutting loose and finding the truth I had been denying myself all along.
Little did I know, I'd end up finding much more in the jaw-droppingly handsome man I met before boarding the ship. Our chemistry was immediate, and it wasn’t long before we shared a passionate kiss.
Then came his question. He asked me to be fake boyfriends with him for the duration of the cruise.
My immediate urge was to say ‘yes’ except for a tiny complication that forced me to reconsider: I’m the prince of Spain and I am still very much closeted.
Shiro Brooks
This Christmas was supposed to be for reuniting with old friends. I didn’t expect to be dealing with a break-up and becoming the seventh wheel. I tried staying positive, but after an embarrassing situation at the security checkpoint, I resigned myself to my crummy holiday fate.
Imagine my Santa-sized surprise when I bump into (and subsequently make-out with) the hottest man I’d ever met in my entire life. Drunk off our connection, I blurt out a crazy proposal.
A proposal that he quickly shoots down.
I for sure thought it would all end there. I had no idea it was only just the beginning of our story.
_____________
A Royal Christmas Cruise is a full-length and standalone Stonewall Investigations- Miami holiday story.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2019
154 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
November 11, 2021
Loved it!
For some reason I’m a sucker for royal romances. And this one was amazing. Really amazing. As much so I stayed up all night reading.
It’s cute, with a little bit of detective work and a whole lot of christmas. And the sex scenes? Hot, hot, hot 🔥
For some reason I’m a sucker for royal romances. And this one was amazing. Really amazing. As much so I stayed up all night reading.
It’s cute, with a little bit of detective work and a whole lot of christmas. And the sex scenes? Hot, hot, hot 🔥
December 29, 2020
Oh, I loved this book. I started it this morning and I couldn’t put it down. I listened to this as an audiobook. The narration by Greg Boudreaux was perfect. I’ve read a lot of Christmas stories this year, and this was one of the best. I’m new to Max Walker, but I already have the first Stonewall Investigation novel. I can’t wait to read it too.
January 4, 2021
This is the whole reason why the discussion Ask An Expert > Regional Experts exists.
P.D. Yes, "te amo" is "I love you"; no, you don't use it with family, it's creepy; yes, you use with your lover; with family, the expression is "te quero (mucho)".
P.D. Yes, "te amo" is "I love you"; no, you don't use it with family, it's creepy; yes, you use with your lover; with family, the expression is "te quero (mucho)".
January 1, 2020
Great book, loved everything about it. Cute meet and all. Two men helping each other find themselves. I love it when a prince sweeps you off your feet, but I love even more when you confident before you meet said prince. I love how these two mc’s worked together. How they communicated.
The banter was great, the writing was on point, and the smexy was hawt. Perfect story to end my holiday season
The banter was great, the writing was on point, and the smexy was hawt. Perfect story to end my holiday season
nope
November 18, 2020DNF @50%
Overwritten & just not my jam.
Overwritten & just not my jam.
December 14, 2023
Maybe I'm just a sucker for a good Christmas romance.
Maybe I just love low angst.
Maybe I just think the narrator's great.
It's probably a 4 or 4.5 star but I'm rounding up.
Here are some of the best lines. It's hard to grab lines from audiobooks because they go by so fast and you're usually multitasking when listening.
"Fuck, all that noise." Honestly this resonates so hard. Nic has always hid and struggled with his sexuality and getting to hear the thoughts bouncing around in there as he progresses from closeted to out was beautiful. Fuck all that noise in regards to other people's bs about sexual preference really should be a questioning to confidently queer kid's anthem.
"With every word I said, another shackle fell loose from my body." Oh my god. Hearing him talk to Shi, to the first person ever, about his life, thoughts, oh my god I just wanted to cry.
Trigger warning- suicidal thoughts.
When Nic says "I almost jumped." I Had to legit turn the audiobook off because I was driving. I had to try and not lose my shit on the highway. I don't care where you fall on the Kinsey Scale, no person should ever feel that way and too many queer kids do. Isolation, fear of coming out, fear of living your truth...it's just... so messed up. Books that address this get instant stars from me. I read a lot of queer books but suicidal ideations hasn't come up much. Despite being a hard topic, I wish it did come up more. I *especially* appreciated the author's approach of Nic not hiding after someone tried to out him to the media. I would have been so upset if he'd regressed. It was nice to see a character be brave and face that shit head on. Especially after Nic having been so low that he considered suicide :( He'd struggled so much and come so far. We need hero's in our books as much as we need angst. So thank you Max for giving us that in Nic and Shi's story 💙
Anyway, after this book it makes me want to read all of Max Walker's bibliography. Highly recommend the audiobook if you like low angst, christmasy, coming out stories!
Maybe I just love low angst.
Maybe I just think the narrator's great.
It's probably a 4 or 4.5 star but I'm rounding up.
Here are some of the best lines. It's hard to grab lines from audiobooks because they go by so fast and you're usually multitasking when listening.
"Fuck, all that noise." Honestly this resonates so hard. Nic has always hid and struggled with his sexuality and getting to hear the thoughts bouncing around in there as he progresses from closeted to out was beautiful. Fuck all that noise in regards to other people's bs about sexual preference really should be a questioning to confidently queer kid's anthem.
"With every word I said, another shackle fell loose from my body." Oh my god. Hearing him talk to Shi, to the first person ever, about his life, thoughts, oh my god I just wanted to cry.
Trigger warning- suicidal thoughts.
When Nic says "I almost jumped." I Had to legit turn the audiobook off because I was driving. I had to try and not lose my shit on the highway. I don't care where you fall on the Kinsey Scale, no person should ever feel that way and too many queer kids do. Isolation, fear of coming out, fear of living your truth...it's just... so messed up. Books that address this get instant stars from me. I read a lot of queer books but suicidal ideations hasn't come up much. Despite being a hard topic, I wish it did come up more. I *especially* appreciated the author's approach of Nic not hiding after someone tried to out him to the media. I would have been so upset if he'd regressed. It was nice to see a character be brave and face that shit head on. Especially after Nic having been so low that he considered suicide :( He'd struggled so much and come so far. We need hero's in our books as much as we need angst. So thank you Max for giving us that in Nic and Shi's story 💙
Anyway, after this book it makes me want to read all of Max Walker's bibliography. Highly recommend the audiobook if you like low angst, christmasy, coming out stories!
April 12, 2020
This book is pure humor, sweet, soft and festive fun with all of the perfects lovely romance that I enjoyed so much. Nick and Shy have chemistry from the start, their interactions have so much feels and all of the tension. Its got all of the steam with a super adorable story at the heart and a beautiful relationship developing, every moment was great and I adored getting to see these two learn about each other so much.
The bookstore, bananas, foam party and of course the snow globe restaurant just every moment with these two was fun. Also the whole setting of all the Christmas decorations and descriptions on the ship was so beautiful, perfect festive feelings.
Shys friends are a great addition and I especially adored Ace who was hilarious, not to mention his partner and the rest of the crew who are all wonderful in their own way. Overall I just sped through this book and it's full of comfort, I loved it so much. The ending was amazing and I liked getting to see how their relationship worked outside of the cruise, it was just so sweet.
The bookstore, bananas, foam party and of course the snow globe restaurant just every moment with these two was fun. Also the whole setting of all the Christmas decorations and descriptions on the ship was so beautiful, perfect festive feelings.
Shys friends are a great addition and I especially adored Ace who was hilarious, not to mention his partner and the rest of the crew who are all wonderful in their own way. Overall I just sped through this book and it's full of comfort, I loved it so much. The ending was amazing and I liked getting to see how their relationship worked outside of the cruise, it was just so sweet.
January 14, 2024
"Oh my!" As I clutch invisible pearls
November 26, 2019
So sweet and just in time for the Holidays
I loved Nick and Shiro’s story! It was funny, sexy, and their chemistry was H-O-T! I started off laughing so hard with the first time that Nick and Shy’s path’s crossed, which led us into their first super hot kiss. I loved their connection they shared and Max kept me on my toes with the elusive photog. I thought I knew who it was, but I was surprised at who the elusive pap was! I love a good holiday book, and this one delivered! Their HEA was perfect, and this was a great addition to the Stonewall series!
I loved Nick and Shiro’s story! It was funny, sexy, and their chemistry was H-O-T! I started off laughing so hard with the first time that Nick and Shy’s path’s crossed, which led us into their first super hot kiss. I loved their connection they shared and Max kept me on my toes with the elusive photog. I thought I knew who it was, but I was surprised at who the elusive pap was! I love a good holiday book, and this one delivered! Their HEA was perfect, and this was a great addition to the Stonewall series!
December 21, 2020
Nice holiday story. And I enjoyed Greg Boudreaux's narration too.
November 18, 2020
A really cute read! A Spanish prince who is tired of hiding his true self, finding his love on a Christmas cruise. It's funny and hot! ;) Maybe a bit too fluffy and easy going to be really believable but I enjoyed it.
The audio, narrated by Greg Boudreaux, was well done.
3.5 stars
The audio, narrated by Greg Boudreaux, was well done.
3.5 stars
December 7, 2022
This was a holiday spectacular of a romance! Honestly it starts of great with one fo the best meet-cutes I have read in a very long time. It also had one of the best first kisses ever. A steamy- kiss in a bookstore that reached epic levels of the upside down Spiderman Kiss!
Shiro was such a fun and anxious character. I really loved him. He has some great charisma, sass and adorkableness. He is one of those characters you will be thinking of long after the story is over. Nick- Spanish prince who is tired of hiding his true self. I can’t imagine being a closeted Prince. The demands and the family along with the title weighed on Nick. He truly was thoughtful in his action. I love how he followed his heart, moving from the expectations of his life to what he desire.
As with any Max Walker book there is great banter, insane chemistry so intense you feel it. There were so many fun touches to this romance that make it a true Christmas Treat. The Foam Party, Snow Globe Restaurant and the beautiful description of boat’s holiday descriptions to name a few. Shi’s friends- great addition and I especially adored Ace.
This was a fun no angst holiday reads. I did listen to the audiobook performed by Greg Boudreaux.
“And I will always love you. Gay, straight, bi, or whatever color of the rainbow you fall on.”
Shiro was such a fun and anxious character. I really loved him. He has some great charisma, sass and adorkableness. He is one of those characters you will be thinking of long after the story is over. Nick- Spanish prince who is tired of hiding his true self. I can’t imagine being a closeted Prince. The demands and the family along with the title weighed on Nick. He truly was thoughtful in his action. I love how he followed his heart, moving from the expectations of his life to what he desire.
As with any Max Walker book there is great banter, insane chemistry so intense you feel it. There were so many fun touches to this romance that make it a true Christmas Treat. The Foam Party, Snow Globe Restaurant and the beautiful description of boat’s holiday descriptions to name a few. Shi’s friends- great addition and I especially adored Ace.
This was a fun no angst holiday reads. I did listen to the audiobook performed by Greg Boudreaux.
“And I will always love you. Gay, straight, bi, or whatever color of the rainbow you fall on.”
dnf
July 8, 2020This is way too much even for me. I read some farfetched romances, but for some reason, this book stretched my suspention of disbelief beyond limits. It doesn't help that none of the characters act like people. So, I'm noping out of this one.
November 28, 2023
3.5 stars
December 7, 2023
I had a great time listening to this - did it in a day on a long car journey and it really passed the time.
Great Christmas novella. Sweet, spicy, funny! What more could you ask for.
Great Christmas novella. Sweet, spicy, funny! What more could you ask for.
January 9, 2024
This was fun and festive!
Read
December 23, 2022this was... hot and action packed and adorable at the same time. max walker really knows how to pack punch with a smal story. i'm also digging how well he makes lust at first sight turn into love. there is no doubt that it is lust (banana boy), but he weaves that into getting to know each other so well, it almost makes me believe in love at first sight...
April 7, 2024
I’m spanish and when I first started the book I was excited to read a book with a spanish MC. I was disappointed because Nicholas does not represent Spain. First, the name Nicholas does exist in spanish but it’s spelled Nicolás, and the spanish nickname for Nicholas is Nico not Nick and if he is a spanish prince he must have a spanish name. Second, we don’t say Feliz navidades we say Feliz navidad. Also, when Nick was talking in spanish there were many gramatical errors. In the book there is a moment were Nick is saying to Shy that he want to spend all holidays with him and then he named three holidays that we DON’T celebrated. We don’t celebrated Easter, we have ‘Semana Santa ‘ which is a religious holiday and only the religious people celebrated. He also named thanskgiving and we don’t celebrated that one. And the third holiday he named was Flag day, we have ‘Día de la Hispanidad’ not Flag day and also in Spain it’s a very controversial holiday and it’s not tecnically a holiday. Another thing is Nick’s second name, in Spain we have two surnames. Nick’s second name was Silva and where the fuck that second name came from. The actual second name of spanish monarchy is Borbón but we had had others second names such us Habsburgo, Saboya or Trastamara, why use one that it’s not even a nobility surname. Another thing that pissed me of was that it was said that Spain was a very religious and traditional country and because of that Nicholas wouldn't be accepted. We were the third country in the world to accept gay marriage in 2005 when in the US was accepted in 2015. Also more that the 91% of the spanish would accept their child if they were LGBTQ+ (according to YouGov). It is said in the book that Nick went to college and the spanish heir does not go to college or if he goes is once he has finnished the militar career that is the one that the heir has to have. It also doesn't mske any sense that Nick is an only child, the monarchy has to have at least two because It is needed to have a spare one to become King or Queen if the heir dies.In the epilogue it was said that Nick and Shy come out to the world while having an interview with Oprah and that doesn’t make any sense, if Nick is spanish the normal thing would be coming out in spanish TV programes because he has to come out to his country not the US, if he later does and interview with Oprah fine but if he has to come out to his country it doesn’t make sense to do it in a way that the spanish people can’t see it.
The story itself was a bit boring but it’s not awful, but all the mistakes and errors about my language and my culture was a big no. I recommed that if you want to write about a culture that isn’t yours you have to know it very well and clearly you don’t know it.
The story itself was a bit boring but it’s not awful, but all the mistakes and errors about my language and my culture was a big no. I recommed that if you want to write about a culture that isn’t yours you have to know it very well and clearly you don’t know it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2020
A real life prince not-out going on a Christmas Cruise meets a private investigator from Miami and sparks fly. What could go wrong? A lot, but a lot goes right too. A great story. I liked both of the main characters and immediately became engaged in the story. I ready it basically in one night with a few chapters to go the next night. I do like this author’s style too. But, a few things did get on my nerves...the cruise ship. Ive been on cruise ships right before the holidays and NEVER have they been decorated like the one that is described here. And they would never allow a weapon of any kind on board. Other than that, it was smooth sailing, no pun intended...
January 19, 2020
Don't let my rating fool you--this was a super cute read with all the lovely fluff and sexy times. No angst and two adorable MC's, but I just couldn't love it. A book that should have simply taken me hours to read took days. I couldn't completely buy into it and that probably has way more to do with me then the book.
If you are looking for a cute, Christmasy read that has a great happy ending and some amazing good feels, then this is totally for you. It just didn't hit the spot for me.
If you are looking for a cute, Christmasy read that has a great happy ending and some amazing good feels, then this is totally for you. It just didn't hit the spot for me.
April 8, 2020
It’s bananas
Shy certainly knows how to make an entrance. The situations he finds himself in are hilarious. I love his quick wit and think he’s amazing. Nick is incredible. His story moved me and gave me hope. Together I think these two can rule the world and they’ll make such a sexy couple. I always knew bookstores were the place dreams come true and the puns were right on the red nose. A fun and uplifting holiday love story.
Shy certainly knows how to make an entrance. The situations he finds himself in are hilarious. I love his quick wit and think he’s amazing. Nick is incredible. His story moved me and gave me hope. Together I think these two can rule the world and they’ll make such a sexy couple. I always knew bookstores were the place dreams come true and the puns were right on the red nose. A fun and uplifting holiday love story.
February 25, 2021
Great short(ish) Christmas cruise story. I especially enjoyed the mild amount of investigation mixed in with the friend reunion and royal storyline.
Great narration by Greg Boudreaux
Great narration by Greg Boudreaux
December 19, 2020
The audiobook for A Royal Christmas Cruise by Max Walker is the perfect holiday tale articulated by the talented Greg Boudreaux. The romance starts as pure unfettered lust and intense attraction and transforms into a picturesque love story as it surrenders to the magic of the season. Complete with steamy encounters, dining room booths that give the illusion of being tucked into a snow globe and a grand ballroom converted into the inside of an igloo, it all combines to create the ultimate holiday illusion and fantasy.
A Royal Christmas Cruise is an addition to the Stonewall Investigations – Miami series, but can be read as a standalone. One of the characters is an investigator for Stone Wall but in this case, he is on vacation and stumbles into love and an unexpected investigation apart from the rest of the Stone Wall team.
Greg Boudreaux delivers a spectacular performance giving the characters their own voice and hypnotically conveying the beauty of the holiday decorations described by the author. His sultry delivery of the romantic interludes is top notch allowing for a clear vision of the most intimate encounters. On the flip side, Greg immerses you in the normal conversation, tense moments, heartfelt exchanges and comedic relief with ease.
The romance starts as pure unfettered lust and intense attraction and transforms into a picturesque love story as it surrenders to the magic of the season.
For Nicholas (Nick/Neal) Silva, the closeted prince of Spain, enough is enough. It is time to make a change. Breaking up with his “girlfriend,” he heads off for a holiday cruise where he plans to explore himself. Leary of being recognized, Nick is conscious of any lingering eyes on him. Yet, he is captivated by the gorgeous man who is boldly staring. Then holy shit, there he is, half-naked in the most adorable pair of banana briefs. Unbeknownst to him, he is drooling over his soul mate.
Shiro (Shy) Brooks broke up with his boyfriend, Mason, and faces a reunion cruise with his closest friends, alone. The cruise is starting out splendid for Shy. An embarrassing mishap during security check-in causes his slightly fuller than normal banana briefs, thanks to a dark-haired god, to be on full display. When he winds up asking this god to be his fake boyfriend, fall in love and put his investigative skills to use… he has no idea he’s just propositioned a real prince!
Greg Boudreaux delivers a spectacular performance giving the characters their own voice and hypnotically conveying the beauty of the holiday decorations described by the author.
From their first encounter in the bookstore, the chemistry between Nick and Shy is scorching hot. The banter they toss at each other and Shy’s friends exudes comfort, even with the pressing matter of a prince undercover. Of course, the princely(ness) of Nick is exposed and temporarily ups the tension, but that doesn’t last long. Shy is determined to find the leak, the source of which is unexpected by the parties involved, but not surprising when the motive behind it is greed.
A Royal Christmas Cruise is a heartwarming, cute holiday romance that is an enjoyable addition to the Stone Wall Investigations – Miami series. It deviates from the typical intriguingly intense investigations the Stone Wall team takes on, as it shows the range of talent Max Walker has in his writing. Happy Holidays!
A Royal Christmas Cruise is an addition to the Stonewall Investigations – Miami series, but can be read as a standalone. One of the characters is an investigator for Stone Wall but in this case, he is on vacation and stumbles into love and an unexpected investigation apart from the rest of the Stone Wall team.
Greg Boudreaux delivers a spectacular performance giving the characters their own voice and hypnotically conveying the beauty of the holiday decorations described by the author. His sultry delivery of the romantic interludes is top notch allowing for a clear vision of the most intimate encounters. On the flip side, Greg immerses you in the normal conversation, tense moments, heartfelt exchanges and comedic relief with ease.
The romance starts as pure unfettered lust and intense attraction and transforms into a picturesque love story as it surrenders to the magic of the season.
For Nicholas (Nick/Neal) Silva, the closeted prince of Spain, enough is enough. It is time to make a change. Breaking up with his “girlfriend,” he heads off for a holiday cruise where he plans to explore himself. Leary of being recognized, Nick is conscious of any lingering eyes on him. Yet, he is captivated by the gorgeous man who is boldly staring. Then holy shit, there he is, half-naked in the most adorable pair of banana briefs. Unbeknownst to him, he is drooling over his soul mate.
Shiro (Shy) Brooks broke up with his boyfriend, Mason, and faces a reunion cruise with his closest friends, alone. The cruise is starting out splendid for Shy. An embarrassing mishap during security check-in causes his slightly fuller than normal banana briefs, thanks to a dark-haired god, to be on full display. When he winds up asking this god to be his fake boyfriend, fall in love and put his investigative skills to use… he has no idea he’s just propositioned a real prince!
Greg Boudreaux delivers a spectacular performance giving the characters their own voice and hypnotically conveying the beauty of the holiday decorations described by the author.
From their first encounter in the bookstore, the chemistry between Nick and Shy is scorching hot. The banter they toss at each other and Shy’s friends exudes comfort, even with the pressing matter of a prince undercover. Of course, the princely(ness) of Nick is exposed and temporarily ups the tension, but that doesn’t last long. Shy is determined to find the leak, the source of which is unexpected by the parties involved, but not surprising when the motive behind it is greed.
A Royal Christmas Cruise is a heartwarming, cute holiday romance that is an enjoyable addition to the Stone Wall Investigations – Miami series. It deviates from the typical intriguingly intense investigations the Stone Wall team takes on, as it shows the range of talent Max Walker has in his writing. Happy Holidays!
November 13, 2025
'A Royal Christmas Cruise (Stonewall Investigations Miami #2.5)' written by Max Walker
A fun, Christmas Holiday adventure featuring two gay guys from different countries who both end up taking the same Christmas cruise ship out of Miami.
One is a private investigator, Shiro, living and working out of Miami, Florida, and who's on this Christmas cruise to meet some old friends. The other, Nicholas, just happens to be a prince of Spain, traveling incognito and alone (except his security guard) as he's recently broken things off with his so-called girlfriend and just wants to "get away from it all".
This is a "meet cute" kind of situation that starts out when their eyes keep finding each other during the security check-in. Especially after the American guy gets hauled over to have to go through extra security when his pants apparently set off an alarm. He then has to undress behind a flimsy curtain, right next to the check-in line and when he's down to his skivvies, he loses his balance; chaos ensues!
Funny stuff!
Walker definitely knows how to combine comedy with steamy and drama!
The prince has been closeted, his parents don't know he's gay...in fact, he's told no one and has never even been intimate with a man...yet.
I did think it was odd that only one security person was assigned to travel with him, considering he's royalty and next in the line of succession for the throne! And a female security guard at that. It's not because I question her competance, I don't. It's only because she wouldn't have been able to follow him into the Men's Room and that fact right there raises a big red flag for possibly compromising his safety!
There's a lot of angst in this storyline because Nico, the prince, is trying to be an anonymous traveler as he's not "out" yet. There's also a sneaky papperazzo (1 guy) stealthily following him around taking illicit photos of him and Shiro.
Lots of drama ensues, mostly dealing with Nico's fear of having his true sexuality being found out, and not only regarding his parents, but the public and his country and the Catholic church.
Yeah, this is a familiar trope but Max is a good writer and makes the most of it, especially when they discover who the jerk is who has been secretly filming them then selling those photos to the tabloids!
There's a case of mistaken identity occuring in one of the local market places at a port the ship has berthed at temporarily.
Nico's father, the King, is a surprise.
I'll always look for Walker's books for a captivating read!
A fun, Christmas Holiday adventure featuring two gay guys from different countries who both end up taking the same Christmas cruise ship out of Miami.
One is a private investigator, Shiro, living and working out of Miami, Florida, and who's on this Christmas cruise to meet some old friends. The other, Nicholas, just happens to be a prince of Spain, traveling incognito and alone (except his security guard) as he's recently broken things off with his so-called girlfriend and just wants to "get away from it all".
This is a "meet cute" kind of situation that starts out when their eyes keep finding each other during the security check-in. Especially after the American guy gets hauled over to have to go through extra security when his pants apparently set off an alarm. He then has to undress behind a flimsy curtain, right next to the check-in line and when he's down to his skivvies, he loses his balance; chaos ensues!
Funny stuff!
Walker definitely knows how to combine comedy with steamy and drama!
The prince has been closeted, his parents don't know he's gay...in fact, he's told no one and has never even been intimate with a man...yet.
I did think it was odd that only one security person was assigned to travel with him, considering he's royalty and next in the line of succession for the throne! And a female security guard at that. It's not because I question her competance, I don't. It's only because she wouldn't have been able to follow him into the Men's Room and that fact right there raises a big red flag for possibly compromising his safety!
There's a lot of angst in this storyline because Nico, the prince, is trying to be an anonymous traveler as he's not "out" yet. There's also a sneaky papperazzo (1 guy) stealthily following him around taking illicit photos of him and Shiro.
Lots of drama ensues, mostly dealing with Nico's fear of having his true sexuality being found out, and not only regarding his parents, but the public and his country and the Catholic church.
Yeah, this is a familiar trope but Max is a good writer and makes the most of it, especially when they discover who the jerk is who has been secretly filming them then selling those photos to the tabloids!
There's a case of mistaken identity occuring in one of the local market places at a port the ship has berthed at temporarily.
Nico's father, the King, is a surprise.
I'll always look for Walker's books for a captivating read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2025
I enjoyed this book so much! I really regret that I can’t give it 5 stars, I was planning to up to the end. I liked the MCs’ characterization! It was a fun “fake friends” romp along with the prince having to hide his identity. It’s been a couple books since I was as drawn in as I was with this book, I couldn’t wait to go back to reading more. And there was plenty of spice, for those looking for it.
So the negative that made me rate only 4 stars.
**** SPOILERS*****
Nick was heir to the Spanish throne. And no one seemed to care when he came out to his parents (King & Queen) about the impact on the inheritance to the throne. It literally was not brought up AT ALL. It didn’t even enter into the character of Nick‘s thoughts. Let alone, his parents didn’t bring it up either. This would be a primary concern for royalty, figuring out succession, and what Nick would do for his potential progeny. To not even bring it up as a thought is extremely strange.
Also, Nick’s security person was basically incompetent, she should have been fired for the leak that happened. And instead, after the fallout of finding out the leak happened under the security person‘s nose, Nick‘s new boyfriend instead invited her to join all of his friends to party at the end of the cruise. Admittedly, I did like this. But it’s really unbelievable that she was treated so positively after what happened due to her negligence.
Lastly, this is kind of nitpicking, very few Spanish words were peppered in, extremely rarely. For a Spanish prince main character I would expect some more Spanish used. And even Nick’s name was strange, K is extremely rarely used in Spanish. But even his parents called him Nick. Would’ve made more sense for him to be called Nico, or even spell his name Nic. (And Nicolas for full name, not Nicholas)
So the negative that made me rate only 4 stars.
**** SPOILERS*****
Nick was heir to the Spanish throne. And no one seemed to care when he came out to his parents (King & Queen) about the impact on the inheritance to the throne. It literally was not brought up AT ALL. It didn’t even enter into the character of Nick‘s thoughts. Let alone, his parents didn’t bring it up either. This would be a primary concern for royalty, figuring out succession, and what Nick would do for his potential progeny. To not even bring it up as a thought is extremely strange.
Also, Nick’s security person was basically incompetent, she should have been fired for the leak that happened. And instead, after the fallout of finding out the leak happened under the security person‘s nose, Nick‘s new boyfriend instead invited her to join all of his friends to party at the end of the cruise. Admittedly, I did like this. But it’s really unbelievable that she was treated so positively after what happened due to her negligence.
Lastly, this is kind of nitpicking, very few Spanish words were peppered in, extremely rarely. For a Spanish prince main character I would expect some more Spanish used. And even Nick’s name was strange, K is extremely rarely used in Spanish. But even his parents called him Nick. Would’ve made more sense for him to be called Nico, or even spell his name Nic. (And Nicolas for full name, not Nicholas)
November 27, 2019
A change of pace for this enjoyable series. There's no mystery involved here, just a Christmas love affair on a cruise ship. It also involves fake boyfriends, one of my favourite tropes, and, of course, a load of complications.
Nick has decided he needs to be more open about his sexuality and decides to make some radical changes. He takes time to figure out what he wants to do with his life, starting by leaving his home and embarking on a cruise.
Here he meets the good looking, and charming Shiro. An instant attraction forms between the two men, as their hook ups deepen and turn into something much more than they anticipated.
What we get is a witty, and hot read, bursting with romance. Nick and Shiro have a few obstacles to overcome before all is resolved, but it's well worth a read. Well written, as usual, from Max Walker, with two likeable MCS, who have you rooting for their happiness together.
Merged review:
Christmas romance
Another romantic offering from Max Walker, a lovely Christmas story. Also, the whole fake boyfriend thing really does it for me, so I knew I was going to really like it.
I really enjoyed watching Shy and Nick's relationship grow. Despite it being a pretty sweet story, , it wasn't perfect and they both made mistakes, but in the end they realised that they wanted to be together. For Nick this meant asking for help and advice, and being upfront with his parents. Shy's a great character, down to earth and so funny, he was perfect for Nick. He handled Nick's worries with no fuss or bother, and was so patient with him. The two were very well matched.
The character development was solid and well-balanced. Both Shy and Nick were likeable and I had no issue rooting for them as a couple. Also, their chemistry was great. The romance was very well-written and there's a good balance between sweet and steamy.
Stonewall is a good series all round, which I highly recommend, however, this one in particular can be read as a standalone.
Nick has decided he needs to be more open about his sexuality and decides to make some radical changes. He takes time to figure out what he wants to do with his life, starting by leaving his home and embarking on a cruise.
Here he meets the good looking, and charming Shiro. An instant attraction forms between the two men, as their hook ups deepen and turn into something much more than they anticipated.
What we get is a witty, and hot read, bursting with romance. Nick and Shiro have a few obstacles to overcome before all is resolved, but it's well worth a read. Well written, as usual, from Max Walker, with two likeable MCS, who have you rooting for their happiness together.
Merged review:
Christmas romance
Another romantic offering from Max Walker, a lovely Christmas story. Also, the whole fake boyfriend thing really does it for me, so I knew I was going to really like it.
I really enjoyed watching Shy and Nick's relationship grow. Despite it being a pretty sweet story, , it wasn't perfect and they both made mistakes, but in the end they realised that they wanted to be together. For Nick this meant asking for help and advice, and being upfront with his parents. Shy's a great character, down to earth and so funny, he was perfect for Nick. He handled Nick's worries with no fuss or bother, and was so patient with him. The two were very well matched.
The character development was solid and well-balanced. Both Shy and Nick were likeable and I had no issue rooting for them as a couple. Also, their chemistry was great. The romance was very well-written and there's a good balance between sweet and steamy.
Stonewall is a good series all round, which I highly recommend, however, this one in particular can be read as a standalone.
December 4, 2019
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟4.5 stars
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 4
So good and so much chemistry!!
I loved these two from the get-go! The chemistry was off the charts and I could feel their connection from their first meeting! I really enjoy Max’s writing style, with wit, care, and emotions that seem so real they hook you and take you along for the ride. This story is no exception and all the bonus holiday feels too.
I love Nick. I found his background well thought out and could feel his pain he hid behind the mask. His coming out while a little forced felt freeing and liberating and Max does a fantastic job of making us fall in love with this sweet and sexy Royal.
I felt Shy had such great charisma, sass and adorkableness when flustered. I loved his “banana boy” entrance and the steamy meet-cute that follows. I felt Shy and Nick were equals, complemented each other perfectly and helped heal and free each other as their relationship progressed and grow over such a short time.
This is a fantastic, steamy, and organically real Christmas story and is a must holiday read for the season!!!
Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com 📚
🔥🔥🔥🔥 Heat Level: 4
So good and so much chemistry!!
I loved these two from the get-go! The chemistry was off the charts and I could feel their connection from their first meeting! I really enjoy Max’s writing style, with wit, care, and emotions that seem so real they hook you and take you along for the ride. This story is no exception and all the bonus holiday feels too.
I love Nick. I found his background well thought out and could feel his pain he hid behind the mask. His coming out while a little forced felt freeing and liberating and Max does a fantastic job of making us fall in love with this sweet and sexy Royal.
I felt Shy had such great charisma, sass and adorkableness when flustered. I loved his “banana boy” entrance and the steamy meet-cute that follows. I felt Shy and Nick were equals, complemented each other perfectly and helped heal and free each other as their relationship progressed and grow over such a short time.
This is a fantastic, steamy, and organically real Christmas story and is a must holiday read for the season!!!
Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com 📚
November 29, 2019
Such a wonderful Christmas story. I really enjoyed this book and read it straight through in one sitting.
Shiro Brooks was looking forward to meeting up with his old friends again, but the only downside was that he was newly single and they didn't yet know about it. All the others were paired up and he didn't want to be the only singleton among them. Nicholas Silva had just split from his girlfriend and wanted a holiday away from all the constant paparazzi and rules that followed him daily. He also wanted to be himself instead of conforming to what his parents and the church expected from him. Whilst boarding the ship a few unexpected events happen, usually at Shiro's expense and the two of them find themselves being drawn to each other. What begins with a fake boyfriend request, turns into much more for both of them, but who is the spy that is leaking photos to the press? The story has a few twists and turns but ultimately is a beautiful and sweet romance in wonderful settings, that will change both of their lives forever. A truly enjoyable read.
Shiro Brooks was looking forward to meeting up with his old friends again, but the only downside was that he was newly single and they didn't yet know about it. All the others were paired up and he didn't want to be the only singleton among them. Nicholas Silva had just split from his girlfriend and wanted a holiday away from all the constant paparazzi and rules that followed him daily. He also wanted to be himself instead of conforming to what his parents and the church expected from him. Whilst boarding the ship a few unexpected events happen, usually at Shiro's expense and the two of them find themselves being drawn to each other. What begins with a fake boyfriend request, turns into much more for both of them, but who is the spy that is leaking photos to the press? The story has a few twists and turns but ultimately is a beautiful and sweet romance in wonderful settings, that will change both of their lives forever. A truly enjoyable read.
May 25, 2020
A Spanish prince is not supposed to be gay. But Nick is tired of living a lie. Especially in this day and age. So he breaks up with his girlfriend and heads on a cruise. He doesn't expect to see a hot guy wearing nothing but some brief banana-printed underwear fall out of the security booth.
Shiro Brooks is traveling with a group of friends that he hasn't seen for four years. He hasn't yet told them that he and his boyfriend (another from the friend group) have broken up. But a hot makeout session in a bookstore gives him an idea. Maybe this man would like to pretend to be his boyfriend... Nick turns him down but they end up hanging out anyway. And close proximity in a romance novel usually leads to an HEA. If only they can figure out who is taking pictures of them, outing Nick before he's ready.
If you like Max Walker, you'll enjoy this book. As usual, the plot is not real deep and most of the joy of reading can be found in the relationship building (and the hot sex scenes.)
Shiro Brooks is traveling with a group of friends that he hasn't seen for four years. He hasn't yet told them that he and his boyfriend (another from the friend group) have broken up. But a hot makeout session in a bookstore gives him an idea. Maybe this man would like to pretend to be his boyfriend... Nick turns him down but they end up hanging out anyway. And close proximity in a romance novel usually leads to an HEA. If only they can figure out who is taking pictures of them, outing Nick before he's ready.
If you like Max Walker, you'll enjoy this book. As usual, the plot is not real deep and most of the joy of reading can be found in the relationship building (and the hot sex scenes.)
November 27, 2019
This book was everything I love! It was sweet, and steamy, and super funny; not too much angst but not without an evolving plot either.
Max Walker is one of my favourite authors and I have read all of his books, and I’m excited whenever a new story is released. A Royal Christmas Cruise fully hit the spot, too, with its Christmas wonderland cruise in the Caribbean’s it has the best of both worlds, and the character are so damn likeable! Prince Nick, who has decided enough is enough and he’s done hiding who he truly is, but doesn’t know how to actually come clean about it. And Shiro, one of Stonewall’s Investigation Miami PIs, who’s on a cruise to meet his friends after a breakup and thinks he cannot do much better than his ex-boyfriend. And, boy, is he wrong… Santa gave him his own real life Prince Charming!
As soon as Shiro and Nicholas’ eyes meet, it’s instant connection, and the vacation cruise they’re on will turn out to be a real Christmas miracle, despite the attempt at outing them before time by makeshift paparazzi.
A great book, with Max Walker’s lovely brand of humour and a great bonus scene to boot!
Max Walker is one of my favourite authors and I have read all of his books, and I’m excited whenever a new story is released. A Royal Christmas Cruise fully hit the spot, too, with its Christmas wonderland cruise in the Caribbean’s it has the best of both worlds, and the character are so damn likeable! Prince Nick, who has decided enough is enough and he’s done hiding who he truly is, but doesn’t know how to actually come clean about it. And Shiro, one of Stonewall’s Investigation Miami PIs, who’s on a cruise to meet his friends after a breakup and thinks he cannot do much better than his ex-boyfriend. And, boy, is he wrong… Santa gave him his own real life Prince Charming!
As soon as Shiro and Nicholas’ eyes meet, it’s instant connection, and the vacation cruise they’re on will turn out to be a real Christmas miracle, despite the attempt at outing them before time by makeshift paparazzi.
A great book, with Max Walker’s lovely brand of humour and a great bonus scene to boot!
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