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Royal Christmas at Seattle General #1
Falling for the Secret Prince
Revealing his past...is a risk worth taking!
Dr Dom di Rossi's world literally crashes through the ER doors when his father, the king of Isola Verde, is involved in a car crash. Until now, Dom's royal connection has been carefully guarded. But when Dr. Emilia Featherstone, his old medical school rival, recognises a previously unseen vulnerability behind his delicious eyes, she unintentionally becomes the keeper of his secret -- and his heart!
Mills & Boon Medical -- Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
Dr Dom di Rossi's world literally crashes through the ER doors when his father, the king of Isola Verde, is involved in a car crash. Until now, Dom's royal connection has been carefully guarded. But when Dr. Emilia Featherstone, his old medical school rival, recognises a previously unseen vulnerability behind his delicious eyes, she unintentionally becomes the keeper of his secret -- and his heart!
Mills & Boon Medical -- Life and love in the world of modern medicine.
166 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2020
14 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Alison Roberts
847 books66 followersI was born and raised in Dunedin, New Zealand, but had my first year of school in London, UK and the second in Washington DC. I became a primary school teacher and began writing when I was living in Glasgow, Scotland for two years and teachers were all on strike. My first novel was a medical thriller with a good dash of romance thrown in.
I have now written well over a hundred romance novels with more than a dash of medicine thrown in. I love weaving the emotional journey of a love story through the background drama the medical world can provide. I also love the rabbit holes I can go down in the name of research.
Above all, I love romance. And a happy ending!
I have now written well over a hundred romance novels with more than a dash of medicine thrown in. I love weaving the emotional journey of a love story through the background drama the medical world can provide. I also love the rabbit holes I can go down in the name of research.
Above all, I love romance. And a happy ending!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 29, 2020
Good slow-burn romance. It wasn't quite enemies-to-lovers, nor was it friends-to-lovers but somewhere in between. Dom and Emilia first met in medical school, where they were fiercely competitive with each other. Since then, they have ended up at the same hospital, where Dom is the head of Emergency Medicine and Emilia, a talented orthopedic surgeon. Their working relationship is one of mutual respect accompanied by the same teasing banter that got them through med school.
I liked both Dom and Emilia. Emilia is determined to be the best at what she does, driven by the memories of her upbringing. Her focus is on her career, especially after her last relationship crashed and burned. Dom is also driven to be the best, especially since he feels that he is on borrowed time. Nobody around him knows that he is the Crown Prince of a small Mediterranean country and will eventually have to return home to take up his responsibilities. That day arrives sooner than Dom anticipated when his father and sister end up in his ER after a car crash.
I loved the development of the romance between Dom and Emilia. Though she doesn't know why Emilia knows Dom well enough to see that these two patients particularly shake him. When she catches him at a vulnerable moment, Dom confesses the truth to her. Initially angry and hurt at being lied to for all those years, Emilia soon understands his reasons. As Dom deals with his father's recovery, it is a great relief to him that Emilia knows the truth. For the first time in years, he can be entirely himself with someone. This creates a shift in their relationship, and they find themselves growing closer. There are some sweet scenes of the two of them together and the slow building of the sparks between them. Neither believes anything can come of it.
I ached for Dom, who dreads giving up the career he loves for a role he doesn't want. He'd rather stay in Seattle and see where things might go with Emilia. Emilia, who has no family of her own, reminds him that family is everything. I also hurt for Emilia. She realizes that she loves him, and has for a long time, but believes a woman with her background is not the type of woman he needs. I wondered how they would overcome those obstacles. Advice came from an unexpected source, and I loved seeing Dom embrace it. His big moment with Emilia was sweet and romantic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and hope to see more of them.
I liked both Dom and Emilia. Emilia is determined to be the best at what she does, driven by the memories of her upbringing. Her focus is on her career, especially after her last relationship crashed and burned. Dom is also driven to be the best, especially since he feels that he is on borrowed time. Nobody around him knows that he is the Crown Prince of a small Mediterranean country and will eventually have to return home to take up his responsibilities. That day arrives sooner than Dom anticipated when his father and sister end up in his ER after a car crash.
I loved the development of the romance between Dom and Emilia. Though she doesn't know why Emilia knows Dom well enough to see that these two patients particularly shake him. When she catches him at a vulnerable moment, Dom confesses the truth to her. Initially angry and hurt at being lied to for all those years, Emilia soon understands his reasons. As Dom deals with his father's recovery, it is a great relief to him that Emilia knows the truth. For the first time in years, he can be entirely himself with someone. This creates a shift in their relationship, and they find themselves growing closer. There are some sweet scenes of the two of them together and the slow building of the sparks between them. Neither believes anything can come of it.
I ached for Dom, who dreads giving up the career he loves for a role he doesn't want. He'd rather stay in Seattle and see where things might go with Emilia. Emilia, who has no family of her own, reminds him that family is everything. I also hurt for Emilia. She realizes that she loves him, and has for a long time, but believes a woman with her background is not the type of woman he needs. I wondered how they would overcome those obstacles. Advice came from an unexpected source, and I loved seeing Dom embrace it. His big moment with Emilia was sweet and romantic. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and hope to see more of them.
November 3, 2020
4.5 stars
“It was every doctor’s worst nightmare to have members of their own family brought into an emergency room.”
Dr. Dom di Rossi is a secret prince. He has somehow managed to keep his true identity under wraps for years. In doing so, he’s moved to the United States, gone to medical school, and became Head of the Emergency Department at Seattle General Hospital. His dream life and his destiny collide when his father, sister, royal driver, and bodyguard are rushed into the ER after an accident that could have killed them all. Dom knew his family was coming for a planned surgery for his father, but he has no idea why they’re weeks early.
Emilia Featherstone and Dom go back years, to their time in medical school. However, neither truly knows the other. Emilia doesn’t know Dom’s past, or that he’s a real prince. Dom doesn’t know that Emilia would give anything to have a family and a place to call home.
When Dom finally tells Emilia his truth, she isn’t happy that he lied about himself to her. But she knows he needs a friend and while they’ve never been friends, she’s willing to be there for him. Soon, their attraction takes over and against their better judgment, they fall in love.
Alison Roberts is a new to me author. I loved everything about Falling for the Secret Prince. I read the Royal Christmas at Seattle General series out of order, reading Neurosurgeon’s Christmas to Remember by Traci Douglass first. The stories take place almost simultaneously. When I saw Dom and Emilia on page together, I knew I had to read their story. Alison has written great characters and managed to put in fun moments that leave you laughing. She’s managed to pull at my heartstrings and make me sigh. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books from her. And I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series unfolds.
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
“It was every doctor’s worst nightmare to have members of their own family brought into an emergency room.”
Dr. Dom di Rossi is a secret prince. He has somehow managed to keep his true identity under wraps for years. In doing so, he’s moved to the United States, gone to medical school, and became Head of the Emergency Department at Seattle General Hospital. His dream life and his destiny collide when his father, sister, royal driver, and bodyguard are rushed into the ER after an accident that could have killed them all. Dom knew his family was coming for a planned surgery for his father, but he has no idea why they’re weeks early.
Emilia Featherstone and Dom go back years, to their time in medical school. However, neither truly knows the other. Emilia doesn’t know Dom’s past, or that he’s a real prince. Dom doesn’t know that Emilia would give anything to have a family and a place to call home.
When Dom finally tells Emilia his truth, she isn’t happy that he lied about himself to her. But she knows he needs a friend and while they’ve never been friends, she’s willing to be there for him. Soon, their attraction takes over and against their better judgment, they fall in love.
Alison Roberts is a new to me author. I loved everything about Falling for the Secret Prince. I read the Royal Christmas at Seattle General series out of order, reading Neurosurgeon’s Christmas to Remember by Traci Douglass first. The stories take place almost simultaneously. When I saw Dom and Emilia on page together, I knew I had to read their story. Alison has written great characters and managed to put in fun moments that leave you laughing. She’s managed to pull at my heartstrings and make me sigh. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more books from her. And I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series unfolds.
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
January 12, 2021
3.25 Stars
I've got to start this review off by being completely honest with you guys: Falling for the Secret Prince is not my kind of book, and I knew it wouldn't be before I even dove into it. That's not to say that I purposefully went into this novel anticipating to hate it, but I did know before I'd even read the first page that I wouldn't love this story, because medical heavy romances just aren't my cup of tea. They never have been, and they truthfully - even after reading (and enjoying) this book - never will be. What is my cup of tea, however, are novels with "secret prince" plotlines to them, which is why I decided to dip my toes into the Mills & Boon MEDICAL Collection, and give this novel a go.
Now, was it the best book I've ever read? No. But was it enjoyable enough that I'm now craving to devour the rest of this Royal Christmas at Seattle General Series? HELL YES!
Falling for the Secret Prince may not have been the most gripping of reads for me, but it was cute and light-hearted and a delightful enough of a romance nevertheless to keep me hooked enough to devour this book in basically one sitting. And it's thanks to Dom and Emilia's relationship that I enjoyed this story as much as I did. They had such a hilariously competitive friendship together where, they're friends enough to be competitive and deliver some trash talk that neither really takes to heart, but they're not friends enough where they really know anything about one another. Dom doesn't know of Emilia's traumatic past that's shaped her into the woman she is today, and Emilia doesn't know of Dom's past, and the fact that one day he'll be forced to leave his medical profession behind, and head back to Isola Verde where he'll go from being the Crown Prince, to being the King.
But when Dom's father and sister are rushed into his ER after a car crash, and Emilia sees the devastation on Dom's face at seeing these two patients, it's then - when Emilia pulls Dom aside to see how he is, and he decides to confess his truth of being a royal - that their relationship changes.
Now I really liked the idea of this plot, and I was very excited to see how Alison Roberts - a new to me author - would play it out. Unfortunately, how this story was played out is what let me down in the long run. I personally just felt like the romance itself became less of a priority to focus on as the story progressed; the writing wasn't gripping nor memorable whatsoever, and that there was too much oversharing not just when it came to the characters' thoughts and feelings, but more so when it came to the descriptions of some scenes throughout this story. It just made this read a dull one to devour at times, and for me, it made certain scenes that didn't need dragging out, drag out. And it's because of that that I've rated this novel 3.25 Stars. However, putting those aside, Falling for the Secret Prince really wasn't that bad of a read, and I am really glad that I decided to give it a go.
The writing and the plot may not have been that thrilling to me, but what they lacked, the characters definitely made up for with their unique personalities and unignorable chemistry together.
Many times I found myself laughing out loud at Dom and Emilia's competitiveness with one another, and when their romance was finally given some much needed attention, I can't deny that I was swooning hard at their slow-burn of a relationship. On top of that, I found myself falling head over heels in love with many of the side characters of this story - characters I know have books of their own in the rest of this series, which is why I'm V E R Y excited to devour them, hopefully very soon.
So overall, Falling for the Secret Prince wasn't the perfect read for me. I knew it wouldn't be, so in a way, I'm not really surprised about that. But that doesn't mean it can't be the perfect read for you, and so if you enjoy a medical romance novel that is heavy on the medical, subtle on the romance, and very minimal on the royal aspect of it all, then this is the book for you.
ARC provided via Netgalley for honest review
I've got to start this review off by being completely honest with you guys: Falling for the Secret Prince is not my kind of book, and I knew it wouldn't be before I even dove into it. That's not to say that I purposefully went into this novel anticipating to hate it, but I did know before I'd even read the first page that I wouldn't love this story, because medical heavy romances just aren't my cup of tea. They never have been, and they truthfully - even after reading (and enjoying) this book - never will be. What is my cup of tea, however, are novels with "secret prince" plotlines to them, which is why I decided to dip my toes into the Mills & Boon MEDICAL Collection, and give this novel a go.
Now, was it the best book I've ever read? No. But was it enjoyable enough that I'm now craving to devour the rest of this Royal Christmas at Seattle General Series? HELL YES!
Falling for the Secret Prince may not have been the most gripping of reads for me, but it was cute and light-hearted and a delightful enough of a romance nevertheless to keep me hooked enough to devour this book in basically one sitting. And it's thanks to Dom and Emilia's relationship that I enjoyed this story as much as I did. They had such a hilariously competitive friendship together where, they're friends enough to be competitive and deliver some trash talk that neither really takes to heart, but they're not friends enough where they really know anything about one another. Dom doesn't know of Emilia's traumatic past that's shaped her into the woman she is today, and Emilia doesn't know of Dom's past, and the fact that one day he'll be forced to leave his medical profession behind, and head back to Isola Verde where he'll go from being the Crown Prince, to being the King.
But when Dom's father and sister are rushed into his ER after a car crash, and Emilia sees the devastation on Dom's face at seeing these two patients, it's then - when Emilia pulls Dom aside to see how he is, and he decides to confess his truth of being a royal - that their relationship changes.
Now I really liked the idea of this plot, and I was very excited to see how Alison Roberts - a new to me author - would play it out. Unfortunately, how this story was played out is what let me down in the long run. I personally just felt like the romance itself became less of a priority to focus on as the story progressed; the writing wasn't gripping nor memorable whatsoever, and that there was too much oversharing not just when it came to the characters' thoughts and feelings, but more so when it came to the descriptions of some scenes throughout this story. It just made this read a dull one to devour at times, and for me, it made certain scenes that didn't need dragging out, drag out. And it's because of that that I've rated this novel 3.25 Stars. However, putting those aside, Falling for the Secret Prince really wasn't that bad of a read, and I am really glad that I decided to give it a go.
The writing and the plot may not have been that thrilling to me, but what they lacked, the characters definitely made up for with their unique personalities and unignorable chemistry together.
Many times I found myself laughing out loud at Dom and Emilia's competitiveness with one another, and when their romance was finally given some much needed attention, I can't deny that I was swooning hard at their slow-burn of a relationship. On top of that, I found myself falling head over heels in love with many of the side characters of this story - characters I know have books of their own in the rest of this series, which is why I'm V E R Y excited to devour them, hopefully very soon.
So overall, Falling for the Secret Prince wasn't the perfect read for me. I knew it wouldn't be, so in a way, I'm not really surprised about that. But that doesn't mean it can't be the perfect read for you, and so if you enjoy a medical romance novel that is heavy on the medical, subtle on the romance, and very minimal on the royal aspect of it all, then this is the book for you.
ARC provided via Netgalley for honest review
October 23, 2020
I was given this to read via NetGalley and it is one of the first Mills and Boon books I have read in a while. I think my expectations going in was that this would be a nice gentle romance with a bit of drama. Unfortunately for me it didn’t quite deliver.
The story centres around Dr Dom Di Rossi and Dr Emilia Featherstone, they have known each other since college and are competitive with each other when it comes to their work. Emilia has had a tough upbringing and has made it to the top of her game through hard work and determination. Dom has worked hard too, but he is hiding a secret…he is also a prince for a small kingdom in Europe.
Following a family tragedy for Dom, he has to re-evaluate what is important to him and whether now is the time to step up and fulfil his royal obligations. In this moment Emilia finds him and sees how vulnerable he is, reaching out to him he confides in her the truth of his identity. With this there is a shift in their personal relationship and they find themselves being drawn together.
My issue with this book is mainly down to the level of detail that the author goes into when talking about incidents in the ER. For me this adds no depth or value to the story and I did find myself skimming over these passages wishing that there was more about Emilia’s troubled past, or their relationship at college, maybe some near misses with them personally in the past.
I just feel that the author could have added so much more depth to the characters and their relationship which would have made me feel invested in their happy ending, That being said, the happy ending is very short and sharp, with it not being clear on what the future holds for them so I would have liked there to have been an epilogue to just close it off.
I liked the authors style of writing and the characters she created, so would read another book by them in the hope that the medical detail will not
The story centres around Dr Dom Di Rossi and Dr Emilia Featherstone, they have known each other since college and are competitive with each other when it comes to their work. Emilia has had a tough upbringing and has made it to the top of her game through hard work and determination. Dom has worked hard too, but he is hiding a secret…he is also a prince for a small kingdom in Europe.
Following a family tragedy for Dom, he has to re-evaluate what is important to him and whether now is the time to step up and fulfil his royal obligations. In this moment Emilia finds him and sees how vulnerable he is, reaching out to him he confides in her the truth of his identity. With this there is a shift in their personal relationship and they find themselves being drawn together.
My issue with this book is mainly down to the level of detail that the author goes into when talking about incidents in the ER. For me this adds no depth or value to the story and I did find myself skimming over these passages wishing that there was more about Emilia’s troubled past, or their relationship at college, maybe some near misses with them personally in the past.
I just feel that the author could have added so much more depth to the characters and their relationship which would have made me feel invested in their happy ending, That being said, the happy ending is very short and sharp, with it not being clear on what the future holds for them so I would have liked there to have been an epilogue to just close it off.
I liked the authors style of writing and the characters she created, so would read another book by them in the hope that the medical detail will not
October 13, 2020
Dr. Dom Di Rossi and Dr. Emilia Featherstone have known each other for years, having gone through medical school together and now working at the same hospital. They have fun banter between the two of them and a fierce sense of competitiveness. However, Dom's world is turned upside down when an MVA is brought into the ER - his father and sister amongst those who are brought in. Emilia notices that Dom isn't quite on his game as usual and tells him to head off and see to the other patients.
Emilia doesn't know that they are his family or that they are in fact royalty, which would make Dom royalty too. With a different upbringing, she cannot abide lying and which this is an omission on Dom's part, she feels as though he didn't trust her with the truth and questions their friendship.
With Dom likely to be heading home to step up to the king, it means that they have limited time together. Following the Christmas ball, they spend the night together, which opens up feelings that they thought they had kept hidden from each other. Is there a way for them to be together whilst stepping up to his families duties?
Emilia doesn't know that they are his family or that they are in fact royalty, which would make Dom royalty too. With a different upbringing, she cannot abide lying and which this is an omission on Dom's part, she feels as though he didn't trust her with the truth and questions their friendship.
With Dom likely to be heading home to step up to the king, it means that they have limited time together. Following the Christmas ball, they spend the night together, which opens up feelings that they thought they had kept hidden from each other. Is there a way for them to be together whilst stepping up to his families duties?
October 11, 2020
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this story up until about three quarters through the book, but then felt the romance was almost forgotten. It was certainly underplayed and I felt very disappointed.
Leaving aside the cliche of the Crown Prince of some fictional Mediterranean island kingdom working undercover as a medic, the story was quite interesting. Fellow doctors Dom and Emmy were a great couple and I quite liked the slow burn development of their love, but I kept waiting for it to get going. Half way through and they haven’t even kissed!
There was so much focus on the medical details - far more than one usually finds and I kept thinking. - “let’s get back to the h/H!”
In the last quarter, I really I felt the romance side was being neglected. For the last quarter of the book the h/H seemed barely to Be in the same scene. Finally, it was all tied up in the last page and then it just ended. I turned over the page expecting and wanting an epilogue, but no - that was it. Very disappointing.
I enjoyed this story up until about three quarters through the book, but then felt the romance was almost forgotten. It was certainly underplayed and I felt very disappointed.
Leaving aside the cliche of the Crown Prince of some fictional Mediterranean island kingdom working undercover as a medic, the story was quite interesting. Fellow doctors Dom and Emmy were a great couple and I quite liked the slow burn development of their love, but I kept waiting for it to get going. Half way through and they haven’t even kissed!
There was so much focus on the medical details - far more than one usually finds and I kept thinking. - “let’s get back to the h/H!”
In the last quarter, I really I felt the romance side was being neglected. For the last quarter of the book the h/H seemed barely to Be in the same scene. Finally, it was all tied up in the last page and then it just ended. I turned over the page expecting and wanting an epilogue, but no - that was it. Very disappointing.
November 7, 2020
This story will appeal to those who like lots of medical detail in their medical romance. A standalone book in the Royal Christmas at Seattle General series, Dr Dom Di Rossi is the chief ER consultant at Seattle General with a secret which allows him to pursue his medical vocation. An unexpected patient in his ER threatens his secret life. Dr Emilia Featherstone is a long time rival of the ER chief they have mutual respect, but nothing more until she senses he is hiding something.
The romance between Dom and Emilia is slow, built out of mutual respect which accepts the secrets they both have. The medical ethos is well written, but at times the medical moments obscure the romantic ones.
This is Grey's Anatomy style romance with likeable characters and a positive ending. There are three other books in this series written by different authors.
I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon in return for an honest review.
December 29, 2020
Where is the story set? Who is Dr. Domenico di Rossi? What do we learn about him? Who is Dr. Emilia Featherstone? Who is Lucas Beaufort? Wha thappens when a trama comes in with multiple patients? Who is Giada? What happens when she goes home? What is going on with Lucas? What do Giada and Domenico start realizing at the ball? Who is Roberto? Why is he in Seattle? What happens after a car accident? One truly defining moment changes the course of the story! Read and see what happens!
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT from Netgalley FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT from Netgalley FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.
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November 1, 2020Categories
Medical Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Royal Christmas at Seattle General (Book #1)
Medical Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Royal Christmas at Seattle General (Book #1)
August 22, 2021
Excellent Book
Alison is a new author to me I loved this book and will be reading more of her books I highly recommend this book to everyone Dorothy Schaefer
Alison is a new author to me I loved this book and will be reading more of her books I highly recommend this book to everyone Dorothy Schaefer
October 27, 2020
4 1/2 STARS!
A whirlwind of emotions and turmoil turns up the heat in this enemies to lovers medical romance! With the first book in the brand new Royal Christmas at Seattle General series, Alison Roberts kicks off the story line with FALLING FOR THE SECRET PRINCE and the drama is fast paced and exciting from the very start! Great bones and a stellar follow through makes for a very enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
Dom is easy to sympathize with and understand his predicament, but he also brings a self-assuredness to the table that is comforting. I liked him as a person and I liked his family loyalty.
Emilia was a fun character. The sparks they generated as rivals played into the attraction they felt for each other and made for a great connection.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a secret royal romance and a medical romance all rolled into one. The premise for the story is great and the set up for more in the series is shining bright already.
A whirlwind of emotions and turmoil turns up the heat in this enemies to lovers medical romance! With the first book in the brand new Royal Christmas at Seattle General series, Alison Roberts kicks off the story line with FALLING FOR THE SECRET PRINCE and the drama is fast paced and exciting from the very start! Great bones and a stellar follow through makes for a very enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
Dom is easy to sympathize with and understand his predicament, but he also brings a self-assuredness to the table that is comforting. I liked him as a person and I liked his family loyalty.
Emilia was a fun character. The sparks they generated as rivals played into the attraction they felt for each other and made for a great connection.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a secret royal romance and a medical romance all rolled into one. The premise for the story is great and the set up for more in the series is shining bright already.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews