The Prince Who Loved Me

Just Add Peaches #3

by Abigail Sharpe

He loves her.
She loves him not...yet.

Brandi Clayton spent years being a chameleon, trading on her looks for the security of having a man taking care of her. After all, being alone is what her mother taught her to fear. When her grandmother’s will surprisingly reveals Brandi inherited the family business, a new path opens up for her. She’s determined to take charge of Belle’s Medicinal Brewery and her own life. And if she can take that leap, she can find a man who loves her for exactly who she is. With her long-time friend Sebastien’s support, she’s bound to succeed, but she can’t take advantage of Sebastien forever.

A royal with no responsibilities, Prince Sebastien of Casagnes spends his days near Brandi, sketching, and helping his friend whenever she calls. His love for her is like his art -- safely hidden where it can't be rejected. But when Brandi uploads her profile to dating sites, Sebastien fears losing the one woman who is his everything. Can this loyal royal find the courage to put his heart on the line and paint a picture for Brandi of their life together?
The Prince Who Loved Me is a Just Add Peaches novel. Each book in the series is a stand-alone, passionate and playful contemporary romance, but you'll want more than one juicy bite.

Genres: Contemporary

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 23, 2020

About the author

Abigail is a Boston-bred Yankee now eating grits and saying "y'all" in North Central Florida. Technical writer by day, she doesn't don a cape at night, but spends her time writing passionate and playful contemporary romance.

When she's not writing, she can be found wearing a corset and singing bawdy songs with Just Desserts, an a cappella musical comedy act, at places that won't throw them out. All hail low altos!

Abigail lives with her husband, two kids, and one crazy princess puppy. You can keep up with her on Goodreads or at www.Facebook.com/AbigailSharpeBooks. She has a website, too, but it's horribly outdated, and she'd rather write books than fix the HTML. Only go there if you want to sign up for her newsletter, which she publishes sporadically.

Reviews

[Pj Ausdenmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the first two books in Sharpe's Just Add Peaches series, The Prince Who Loved Me is filled with humor, charm, satisfying emotional depth, and a happily ever after. I love a friends-to-lovers story and have been anticipating this one. I couldn't wait to discover how Sharpe would navigate these two from firmly in the friend zone to a committed romantic relationship. She does it skillfully, with a few bumps along the way, but that just makes the end result that much more satisfying, no?

Both Brandi and Sebastien are fully dimensional characters with surprising depths. I really enjoyed their friendship. There's such caring and support between them and so much history. I could easily understand why it might be difficult to put that at risk by changing up the parameters of their relationship. One of the things I most enjoyed about their journey was the character growth for each of them, especially for Brandi. Her evolution was realistically portrayed over the course of the series, putting me firmly in her corner by the end of her journey (which was not the case at the start). Sebastien is such a sweetheart. I absolutely adored him and was cheering him on from start to finish.

Secondary characters once again brought added richness to the story without detracting from the main couple. Sharpe has a talent for bringing all the characters in her stories to life, both good and bad. There's a toxic character in this book who had me thinking decidedly unkind thoughts and got off way too easy for my taste. (I was feeling a bit bloodthirsty.) Kudos to the author for having the ability to create a character so vividly realistic as to generate that much emotion in me. The end of the book was exactly what I would have hoped for and this close group of friends once again had me cheering happy endings among the peaches.

The Prince Who Loved Me can be enjoyed as a standalone but for a deeper appreciation of Brandi's character growth as well as evolving dynamics among the cast of characters, I recommend reading the three books in order.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

[Sharon Moritz-rosenthal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a brand new author for me and this is book 3 in a series. It is labeled as a stand alone and the plot sounded really cute and so I was excited to review it. That said I started reading it and I was a but lost. I actually had to look up the first two books in the series to try and understand who they were and how they were related to this story to understand their relationship to the main characters in the story.

The main characters in this story is Brandi and Sebastien. Brandi is beautiful but has VERY bad taste in men. Sebastien is royalty and a close friend to Brandi. When she gets into trouble she calls him and he comes running to save her, He has a major crush on her but he has never made his move because he doesn't want to ruin their relationship.

As a whole I enjoyed this story. It was a fast and easy read and at times I laughed at some of Brandi's crazy dates. I adored Sebastien. He is in love with Brandi and he is extremely honest about that. With him he is honest and doesn't play games.

I had a harder time with Brandi. She has VERY low self esteem and confidence. She knows she is beautiful but she wants people to see HER. She wants them to notice her brain and business skills and even when they do she still puts herself down. The truth is she is awesome but she gets in her own way a lot and at times I was ready toll her to grab her happiness. But while she frustrated me at times, she just needed time to think and decide. So thats when I started to like her more.

I did enjoy the story and adored Sebastien and I do recommend it if you are looking for a fun and light story.

[Cupcakencorset · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good! The characters are well fleshed out and sympathetic, the conflict is believable, and the conclusion is immensely satisfying. There's humor and warmth, with just the right amount of sexy times. And the writing is first rate. Highly recommended!

[Charlee Allden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and satisfying romance homerun!

I've always been a fan of friends to lovers stories and this rings all the bells and more. Loyal, devoted man, sassy but vulnerable girl who is figuring herself out-just perfect. I've been following them through the first two books in the series and I fell even more in love with them. Unforgettable characters, charming humor, and a love to stand for all time. Can't wait for the next Abigail Sharpe romance!

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brandi was happy to spend Valentine's day weekend with Andy only to get to the hotel room and find out that he is married and he wants Brandi to be with him and his wife so Brandi left as this seems to be how her life goes and she was angry and upset with the situation. When Sebastien gets the text that Brandi's weekend did not go as planned he was so pleased as he has been in love with her for a while but she just saw him as her best friend but he needed to some how change that and quickly. Will Sebastien manage to get his wish or will there be heartache. This is the first book that I have read by Abigail Sharpe but definitely not the last as it was so well written and I had to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next. I recommend you read this book and you will not be disappointed as it is worth reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an Arc copy of this book.

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Sebastien and Brandi's friends-to-lovers/royal romance features complex characters that were easy to feel for, much needed emotional growth and plenty of feels. I thought that Sebastien was quite loveable right from the start but Brandi was very much a work in progress and it wasn't until she made some big changes that I found her someone I could root for but honestly, I feel that was the whole point. This added more depth to the story, plus it made the romance all the sweeter. I am electing to post a forthright review.

[Cindy Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this friends to lovers romance! Brandi and Sebastian have been friends since he came to the United States to go to college. Sebastian is a prince and has been in love with Brandi for a long time. Brandi didn’t have the best taste in men, but Sebastian wanted to show her what a good man really was. Could they make a relationship work? Would all the family drama get in their way?
The Prince Who Loved Me is a fantastic love story! If you like a great friends to lovers romance then you should read this book I’m sure you’ll love it too!

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I liked this book. Brandi and Sebastien have been friends for a long time. Both have liked each other for a long time. Now they decide to take things to the next level. The problem is that with their families and other issues it becomes difficult. Thankfully in the end it all works out for them and they get their happy ending.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharpe brings the childhood fantasy to life in the most adult of ways. Brandi and Sebastien are a fairytale in progress hoping to find a happy ending. Their quest is as emotional as it is funny, but what a ride it is. The Prince who Loved Me has heart. What more can any romantic ask for?

[Lynn Stifle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brandi and Sebastien have been friends for years. Sebastien who is a prince, attended college in the United States, and met Brandi, who he fell in love with. I really enjoyed Sebastien’s character and found him sweet and quiet likable. I liked Brandi’s character development and in the end I really loved her. Overall, a good read and one I enjoyed.

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasantly gentle
3 stars

This is my first Abigail Sharpe novel and as such, I’ve not read the first two books in the Just Add Peaches series, Moonshine and Magnolias and Cupcake of the Month. I did feel a wee bit confused by the setting of the story (a brewery and an Inn) and the relationships between some of the characters as I hadn’t read the first two books. Sometimes, authors rehash story lines of their previous novels to get readers up to speed. It often annoys me if I have already read the novels they’re rehashing - but in this case, I really could have done with the catch-up.

On that same note, our heroine, Brandi obviously appeared in the first two novels - seemingly in a less than favourable light. As such, I felt much of the first third of the novel was the author apologising for Brandi’s prior behaviour and proving to readers that she has changed. Apparently she was a self-centered little madam on a man-frenzy with not a responsible bone in her body. The present-day Brandi is trying hard to be a responsible adult and overcome her surprising lack of self-worth. Surprising because she is well aware of her physical attributes, but obviously less so of her other charms. Yet she’s still a serial dater, going through a number of men before Sebastian catches her eye.

Sebastian is a nice enough hero - and not as wet as you might assume what with his having been in love with Brandi for years and having done little to nothing to make his move. Even when he does make his move it still quite gently done. In fact, gentle is a good word for this book all round.


There’s some declarations, some mama drama, some personal dilemmas… yet none of it ever makes more than a ripple in our characters’ lives. I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I do prefer a little more feistiness or excitement in my stories. And while ‘sweet’ might be another word to describe this story, there is a wee bit more spiciness than you might expect from such a descriptor.

I don’t think I can write a review without mentioning this book’s cover. Or more accurately, the attempt to ‘ginge-up’ the model portraying red-headed Sebastian. Seriously, are there no stock images with ginger male models? I definitely know there are trained graphic designers/artists who could help. I spent much of the book with Sebastian walking round my head with comedically painted on hair and beard. It’s not affecting my rating of the book but I’m definitely grumpy about it.

Anyway, this was a pleasant book with likeable characters and sweet love story. It didn’t set my world on fire but the writing was good and made the read an enjoyable one for me. A solid 3-star read.

[S Paschal · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this small town romance, both Brandi and Sebastien are hiding parts of themselves. Brandi is terrified that if she shows her true to self to anyone, they'll find her lacking. Instead, she has always made sure to be agreeable and to mask her true feelings so that she can be in a relationship. Sebastien has been in love with Brandi for years, always coming to her aid and staying close, but never revealing his true feelings.

When Brandi starts to sign up for a variety of dating sites, Sebastien fears he may have lost his chance. He'll do anything to win her heart, so he forces himself to wear his heart on his sleeve, hoping that she won't reject him. Changing their relationship from one of friendship for almost a decade to something more isn't easy. You're rooting for the couple to make it work.

I found Brandi to be excessively insecure and paranoid. She's convinced that almost every word spoken to her is full of judgment and that she always makes a mess of anything she tries. Sebastien is extremely patient, but a bit of a coward at times. When his feelings for Brandi become intense, he tends to run rather than fight. I would have liked both of them to be a bit more bold about what they wanted.

The end of the story seems to end somewhat abruptly. Brandi pushes Sebastien away and then suddenly shows up at his home without any explanation of what changed for her? It left me a bit unsatisfied. However, the banter and interaction between these characters is fun and well-written, making it worth the read.

This is an honest, voluntary review of an ARC of the story.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastien and Brandi have been the best of friends for a decade. Brandi grew up with a shallow, self-involved mother who drummed into her head that appearance and money were the only things that mattered, and that snaring men was how you proved your worth. Sebastien is a younger Prince in a royal family of a small country, so far down the line of succession then he managed to persuade his father to allow him to attend college in the United States. He met and fell in love with Brandi, who was a couple of years younger than him. He manages is to stay in the United States and remain close to her, although they stay just friends. Brandi loves him too, but has him firmly parked in the friend zone because she never wants to risk losing him. Some of her dating fiascos that we get to witness are pretty funny, but her poor self-esteem is sad.

Sebastien is great, definitely worthy of the Prince Charming nickname. The characters in this story are well developed, and you can enjoy their personal growth. Several times, though, you may want to shake Brandi and get her to open her eyes to the possibilities in front of her. I think the author did a good job of creating characters who were vivid – the good ones, and the ones who make your skin crawl. I really liked the ending, and found this to be a very enjoyable book.

[Jessica Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story. It follows the personal growth of Brandilynn, the wild child of the Clayton family who is working on leaving her mark on the world. Along the way she’s constantly looking for love but doesn’t realize it’s been right in front of her for the past ten years. Her best friend and literal “Prince Charming,” Sebastian, finally takes a leap of faith and shows Brandi his true feelings for her. They find strength in each other while they try to prove to themselves and the world what they’re capable of.

This story had a great concept and fun characters but I still felt like it was lacking something. I honestly can’t put my finger on it but I felt like something was missing and it actually made it difficult for me to keep on going. I felt like I was forcing myself to finish the book. Maybe it was the way the story flowed that didn’t work for me. The story was still fun and I enjoyed much of it but it didn’t leave a lasting impression. I would maybe recommend this book. It was still a cute story with some great concepts.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the books that precede this, I’ve been (im)patiently waiting for this story. I loved getting this chance to see what a more mature and responsible Brandi looks like through her own eyes. And while all of us could see it from the outside, it was fun to get Sebastien’s thoughts on the matter, too. I was a little frustrated by the amount of angst that’s in this story, particularly that Brandi generates just about all of it for herself. In the end, I loved watching how their friends and family rallied around to support them. Though, there’s a whole heap of family drama in this book involving the members that weren’t so supportive. There’s even a vindictive part of me that would have loved to see a different resolution to the Mommy Dearest drama.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.

[Luc · Rating 3 out of 5]

The love story between Brandi and Sebastian is a good one with all the hurdles they have to get through to find their Happy Everafter.

That Sebastian is a Prince (10 th in Line) and that Brandi is committed to bring the business she inherited from her grandmother to success with the pompous king and queen on Sebastian's back and the stealing fraudster mother of Brandi do not help the situation

They, have, however, a common goal and that is to make it on their own, and find love for themselves and not for their successses or title.

The story is good but many pages could have been avoided specially the ones wherecthe narrator repeats herself prompting the reader to skip pages. That is the reason why two stars were taken off Ingive the book a final rating of 3 Stars.

[M H · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl needing badly to be needed making lots of poor choices

Interesting, it's more likely to find books about playboys than girls playing that part. I didn't know how to feel about the h being that she needed to be needed so much that she had a long list of men. I understand that her upbringing shaped her like this and that her grandmother passing, it was supposedly her wake up call but not really because she still kept dating. She's a serial dater who couldn't see love when it was right in front of her.
I received a free copy of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stressful love story!

I enjoyed almost all of the characters interactions with one another, and the plot is excellent. I got very tired of Brand's acts caused by self doubt, but that is probably because I had to q be an adult at twelve years of age. I am a very independent woman, who tries not to ask for help. My childhood made me what I am at seventy three, so I do understand how Brand's life made her selfdoubt.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Prince Who Loved Me in exchange for a review. This is the only book in the Just Add Preached series I have read. I really enjoyed reading the book. It's a very cozy read what a hallmark feel to it. Sebastien is very charming and Brandi is a woman trying to change her life around

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to absolutely love this setting and these characters that Abigail has created. This book in particular had a lot of complexities to the relationships in it, and hoo boy did I both love and hate that, lol. I really loved getting to see how Brandi has grown through the books, and having her story come to such a satisfying conclusion was just wonderful.

[Barbara Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Who wouldn't want a handsome Prince in love with you? Well, it's complicated. Read Sharpe's story and you'll understand. Loved the characters from all three books. Looking forward to more from Abigail Sharpe.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. Good characters. It was an entertaining read. I received a free copy of the book. And am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about Abigail Sharpe's "The Prince Who Loved Me." On the one hand, the main characters, Brandi and Prince Sebastien, were both relatively likeable, and they made a cute couple. However, it frustrated me that Sebastien waited so long to tell Brandi about his feelings for her. He dropped so many hints that seemed transparently obvious to me, but Brandi was either completely oblivious or, more likely, willfully ignored them because she didn't think she was good enough for a prince.

My frustration continued even after Sebastien confessed because Brandi denied her own feelings and insisted on remaining friends, mainly because of her completely unfounded belief that Sebastien didn't support her dream of running her family's whiskey distillery as a separate business from the family inn. Her behavior towards Sebastien only seemed to get worse as the story progressed. For example, she would get angry and accuse him of not liking one of her ideas because of a single offhand comment, and then expected him to apologize to her even though he did nothing wrong. Honestly, I think Brandi needed a counselor more than she needed a boyfriend. She obviously had a lot of baggage to work through before she knew how to be in a healthy relationship.

In addition to the above issues, the end of the book felt very rushed to me. It was almost as if there was a chapter missing; the story jumped directly from Brandi playing softball with her friends and telling them that she had decided to rejoin a few dating apps to her flying to Sebastien's country to tell him that she loved him. What happened in between to change her mind about their relationship? In addition, she and Sebastien never actually seemed to work out their issues because they were so focused on standing up to his family and defending their relationship to them.

Overall, while this was not a completely terrible book, I had a tough time getting past Brandi's frustrating behavior and the oddly rushed ending that didn't give her and Sebastien enough of a chance to work out their issues. I'd recommend this book mainly for existing fans of the series who want to see how it all ends; otherwise, it's safe to give this one a pass.

*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Hidden Gems Books. All opinions expressed are my own.