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A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale

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From "A holiday publishing darling" (Entertainment Weekly) and Emmy Award-winning writer of Netflix's hit rom-com A Christmas Prince comes this heartwarming, feel-good Christmas romance about the power of believing in yourself to find your happily ever after...

A charming Christmas village, a storybook castle, a royal ball, and a gorgeous prince are the last things New York City reporter Kaylie Karlyle expects to find on her holiday freelance assignment to Europe. But when the family she's interviewing turns out to be the royal family of Tolvania, Kaylie has a meltdown when the quirky queen wants her to write a Christmas fairy tale for the spunky, young princess. Kaylie must battle the princess's father, who doesn't trust the media, and her own insecurities about writing anything beyond the news.

To spark inspiration for the fairy tale, the queen recruits the prickly Prince Alexander to show Kaylie the family's most spectacular royal holiday traditions. And sparks definitely fly when the only thing Kaylie and the prince agree on is that they're both more "bah humbug" than "ho, ho, ho."

But somewhere between sleigh rides and snow angels, merrymaking and mistletoe, upside-down Christmas trees, and a legendary Christmas crown, Kaylie and the prince open their hearts to Christmas and start believing in themselves and each other. It's a real-life fairy tale in the making until Kaylie discovers a secret about a royal Christmas heirloom that jeopardizes everyone's happily ever after. Can the magic of the season save this holiday happy ending?

Bonus Content: Includes delicious royal Christmas recipes and holiday activities.

A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is an uplifting, inspiring Christmas romance that's filled with heart and hope and will appeal to fans of Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and RaeAnne Thayne.

358 pages, Paperback

Published October 5, 2021

279 people are currently reading
6953 people want to read

About the author

Karen Schaler

13 books1,020 followers
“Karen is one of the most masterful seasonal storytellers writing today with a gift for distilling warmth and magic into profoundly uplifting storylines.” –Rose Hilliard, Executive Editor, Audible Originals


KAREN SCHALER is a three-time Emmy Award-winning storyteller, author, screenwriter, journalist, and national TV host.

Karen writes Christmas movies for Netflix, Hallmark, and Lifetime, including the Netflix, hit A Christmas Prince, and has written seven beloved heartwarming holiday romance novels, including bestsellers Love Always, Christmas, and Christmas Camp where she also wrote the Hallmark movie.

Be sure to follow Karen on GOODREADS for her latest special deals and giveaways!

Karen has also turned her Christmas Camp novel and movie into real-life immersive Christmas Camp experiences for grownups, held worldwide where Karen carefully curates and hosts magical holiday activities from her movies and novels.

Karen also has a Top 10 Audible Bestseller, Once Upon A Christmas Carol featuring a full cast of award-winning actors and world-class musicians, where Karen also wrote the featured original song.

Traveling to more than sixty-eight countries, Karen is also the creator and host of Travel Therapy TV, which airs nationally on top TV and streaming outlets where she features the most inspiring and empowering trips to take based on what you're going through in life.

Karen believes in the power of paying it forward and giving back, and all of her stories are uplifting and filled with heart and hope.

KAREN'S FESTIVE FREEBIE! Be sure to download Karen’s free DIY Christmas Camp Guide at www.karenschaler.com, including delicious recipes and activities from all her stories.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
Profile Image for Kat.
Author 14 books604 followers
November 20, 2024
This was a really sweet Christmas romance. Kaylie is dismayed when she finds out her company is downsizing right before the holidays. Her boss gets her a short-term gig reporting on a European family that is very secretive about her assignment. It turns out she is interviewing the royal family of Tolvania, including Prince Alexander who is recently widowed and the queen wants her to write a fairy tale using all the country’s best Christmas traditions for her young granddaughter who has recently lost her mother. I love Christmas stories that throw all the cozy traditions they can into one book and this one did not disappoint! 4/5 stars
Profile Image for Jessica (Odd and Bookish).
709 reviews853 followers
January 27, 2022
I received copy of this book for free from the publisher as part of an Instagram book tour I did to promote the book.

This was the cutest Christmas story ever! It was an absolute Christmas dream. Everything from the setting to the characters was Christmas perfection.

The fictional country of Tolvania was essentially a Christmas village come to life. It was Christmas central. The country had tree lightings, caroling, and even a Christmas crown! I wish it was a real place.

I loved all the characters, especially the queen. She was such a cool queen and I loved her approach to ruling and how much she cared for her family. The Prince’s daughter, Princess Anna, was also a highlight. She was adorable and had a lot of spunk.

I will admit this book is very light on plot. The majority of the book is the main character experiencing the various Christmas traditions of Tolvania. That being said, it was still fun and entertaining to read. There is some (predictable) drama at the end to keep things interesting.

Lastly, I loved the bonus content at the end that included recipes and instructions for crafts that were featured in the story. Bonus content like this is always fun.

Overall, this was a charming and feel good Christmas read. If you ever need to get into the Christmas spirit, read this book!
Profile Image for Leith Devine.
1,658 reviews98 followers
August 26, 2021
I wanted to love this book so much, the cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounded interesting. The writing was good, and I liked the characters, but it was so saccharine sweet and ultimately predictable. With some romances, you have a idea how it will turn out, but the journey the characters take is worth the read. In this case, there was zero suspense from the beginning. It was very Christmassy, and the traditions were interesting, but the Xmas atmosphere wasn’t enough for me. 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Profile Image for Deanne Patterson.
2,409 reviews120 followers
December 21, 2022
I have read other books by this author as well as this one. Her books always have such beautiful covers that draw you to pick them up. Warm, charming, feel-good book. I'll be looking for more by this author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile.
2,170 reviews133 followers
December 20, 2021
I did NOT like this book. All the constant misunderstandings and arguments between the prince and Kaylie (who I disliked) got very old VERY fast. I was not a fan of their relationship and supposed "falling in love" - it seemed to happen very fast and seemed very shallow.

I also grew tired of all the "traditions." We do this because it's tradition! We do this too because it's tradition! We do this as well because guess what it's tradition!

To me the title is a bit misleading. I would have thought that the "fairytale" aspect would occur a lot more. Instead, we barely see Kaylie doing any actual work and just hanging out with the prince and the princess mooching off of them and getting a free holiday vacation (when she wasn't jumping to conclusions and/or biting the prince's head off).

My favorite characters were the dog and the queen (who I pictured in my mind as Julie Andrews as Clarisse Rinaldi, because of course).

I'm generally not a fan of Hallmark holiday movies, and maybe that's why I didn't like this book. If you DO like Hallmark Christmas films, then you'll probably like this story a lot more than I did.

Thanks to Netgalley for my e-arc... all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Margie.
1,714 reviews26 followers
October 14, 2021
Author Karen Schaler has another delightful Christmas story in A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale. There's lots of Christmas spirit, great characters and so much to enjoy in this story. I loved it!
Profile Image for Lisa.
469 reviews38 followers
August 24, 2021
Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review..  


I adore A Royal Christmas reading this book gave me all the Christmas vibe.  I also enjoyed there love story can wait until it comes out on ebook format 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


 




Happy Reading Lisa 📚 
Profile Image for Natalie.
3,445 reviews120 followers
November 14, 2022
11/14/2022 - FREE on Kindle today! 🎁🎄

___________________________________
Was this cheesy? YES
Was it predictable? YES
Did I love it? ABSOLUTELY

I loved all the Christmas feels in this book! From the traditions in the small kingdom, to the sweet and tender romance, to Kaylie finding her Christmas spirit, I loved this wholeheartedly. It was such a sweet story. The little princess was adorable, as was the dog Blixen. Karen Schaler has become an auto-buy Christmas author for me. I have loved all of her books, and this one was no different!

I can’t wait to see what she will come out with in 2022!!!
Profile Image for Laura.
1,253 reviews146 followers
December 16, 2021
Kaylie is a fast paced investigative journalist from NY city. She's about to get a promotion and her own segment in the news investigating scams and helping people when her job disappears.

Her mentor/boss finds her a last minute freelance feature interviewing a European family about their holiday traditions.
Well...  she ends up at a castle in Europe with a royal family.

Ok I love holiday movies and books! This one was snowy, with gingerbread men, a sparkly castle, a grumpy prince and a cute puppy.

The prince is a single dad having lost his wife a few years prior and the media and paparazzi had been merciless on their family. So Kaylie showing up seems suspect. His daughter is 10 now and very serious, not acting like a child trying to emulate her father.

The Queen brought Kaylie in to write a fairytale about their Christmas traditions to bring the Christmas cheer back to their family. But Kaylie is not an author so everyone is throwing their hands up. But mothers always know best, right maybe.

They have some fun Christmas traditions that the Queen basically commands the Prince and Kaylie to explore and do together.

After Prince Alex realizes Kaylie isn't like the other press they start to get along and get close.

There is a bit of drama but also a lot of holiday cheer! Just what you want in a holiday book!

Also, there is bonus content! Recipes and holiday activities at the end of the book!

Q: Do you have any unique Christmas (if you celebrate) traditions?

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Profile Image for Krystal - nerdy_book_lover_1987.
638 reviews55 followers
December 10, 2021
I absolutely loved this book! Slow burn romance but wasn't centered around the romance that was building. This book definitely dives into the true meaning of Christmas. Family, friends, forgiveness, love all of it. The princess was adorable right along with the dog Blixsen. The Prince and Kaylies banter was perfect and seeing all the different Christmas traditions was so much fun. Definitely recommend picking this book up!
Profile Image for Florence Migga.
Author 1 book56 followers
December 3, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up.

This is exactly what I needed! This author has written stories that have been made into movies (she’s behind A Christmas Prince) and it’s obvious — everything about the scenes in this book said “Hallmark movie.” But that’s what I wanted, and it fully delivered! This is so my wheelhouse! Cute, small town. A prince falling in love with a “regular” city girl. Said prince is, of course, kind and loving and a family man and funny, etc. A great supporting cast including a cute kid and the best dog. I inhaled this magical tale!
Profile Image for Karen.
1,044 reviews126 followers
November 20, 2021
A ROYAL CHRISTMAS FAIRY TALE
BY: KAREN SCHALER

About 4.5 Stars!

Yes. It is getting to be that time of year again. With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching this coming week it will kick off the crazy crowds of traffic and stores being crowded with Christmas shopping. I thought the timing was right to read a story about the magic of Christmas if only you believe to get me ready for the Christmas time spirit and this wonderful imaginative tale delivered. I felt it to contain a bit of magical realism but it certainly was realistic at the same time. The cover is gorgeous but it didn't contain any Christmas recipes as the synopsis states. It did contain the description of terrific sounding gingerbread pancakes with frosting and an old fashioned shop where chocolate was made on the premises. The story starts out in New York City where the main character, Kaylie loses her job as an Investigative reporter that is the voice of the people to report on scams, fraud and all things not true. You could say Kaylee is the watchdog police to inform the city about fake Santa's, handbags, watches etc. Her hopes is to have her own series on this topic until her small TV station is bought by a company that makes major labor cuts at the station leaving Kaylee jobless a week before Christmas.

Kaylee is a likable main character who is used to not celebrating Christmas instead choosing to work and pick up the shifts for fellow employees who have families relieving them of their duties so that they can enjoy the holiday. Kaylee is very focused on work and doesn't have a family or even the time for a relationship for a man. So when her surprise layoff happens she is at a real loss. Her boss Bob finds her a temporary secret assignment which she agrees to take on in which she doesn't find out what it is until she arrives in an Eastern village of Europe called Tolvania. She is surprised to learn that she is to stay in a centuries old castle that is opulent with beautiful amenities and a monarchy.

There is the warm and wise Queen Isabella who has arranged Kaylie's assignment to write a fairy tale for her grand daughter who is ten years old, Princess Anna. Princess Anna has a prickly father named Alexander who is the Prince of the sovereign state of Tolvania who does not want Kaylie to stay with them because he hates reporters and this puts Kaylie in an uncomfortable position. There is really a lot of Christmas spirit as this village and Queen Isabella believes in decorating the castle and the land with twinkly Christmas lights on all of the trees facing their beautiful lake with lights and red ornaments. Princess Anna and her father Prince Alexander have spent the past Christmas's travelling since the mother and wife Sophia died. This is to be their first Christmas spent at home and Queen Isabella wants to create some Christmas spirit by giving her grand daughter the unique gift of her very own fairy tale written by Kaylie who chooses to incorporate in her fairy tale the Queen's traditions.

This certainly had a very special feel to it as all of the character's were kind and relatable. The Christmas traditions that the Queen carries out is where the magical realism seemed to surface in this story for me. The whole village is quaint and the people who inhabit it are geared towards also making the spirit of Christmas happen by singing all of the traditional Christmas carols that I grew up with and still love. This was an original Christmas novel which I enjoyed immensely and has me hoping that I can create some new Christmas traditions of my own to make this year's Christmastime special again for my oldest son who has moved back home for the time being. I hope to come up with some special gift ideas for him that will make this Christmas memorable. I have some ideas that are personable and that I hope deliver for him that Christmas magical spirit. This Author already has had a Christmas novel made into a movie on Netflix so I can assure you that if you choose to read this novel it will inspire you to want to create some new traditions along with what you already do to make this Christmas memorable. I really highly recommend this novel for anybody who wants to start getting into the Christmas spirit and guarantee that you will also be inspired to want to create new special memories for your loved ones. A solid 4.5 stars and a happy feel to your reading experience.

Publication Date: October 5, 2021. This is already available! I am adding my own copy to keep for future years to come to help remind me the miracles of Christmas by what I can do differently to enjoy this season more rather than be stressed out about all of the hectic chores to be finished in time for Christmas.

A huge thank you to Net Galley, Karen Schaler and HawkTale Publishing for generously providing me with a copy of my Arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. I really enjoyed this and it delivered the spirit of giving for me. All opinions are my own.

#ARoyalChristmasFairyTale #KarenSchaler #HawkTalePublishing #NetGalley
Profile Image for Dianna .
284 reviews
September 14, 2021
A beautiful uplifting story of love, family, and the importance of embracing the wonder of Christmas time.
Profile Image for Nise.
132 reviews
December 8, 2022
3.5 Stars

This was a nice Christmassy read, perfect for the holidays. Apparently, it has inspired the Netflix movie „The Christmas Prince“.

At some parts it was too corny for me and I didn’t like the ending, which was underwhelming. I would have liked it if you could read Kaylie’s feature story or fairy tale, because that’s suppose to be a huge part of the story and the whole reason she even visits Tolvania in the first place: to write a Christmas fairy tale for the princess.

It was nonetheless a nice feel-good read to get some Christmas spirit.
Profile Image for Lyndsey Bookish Nature.
402 reviews43 followers
January 18, 2022
~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is exactly what you'd think: It's Christmas-y (overly? is that possible?), it's enchanting, it takes place in a castle with a surprise royal family, and it's full of love. This has Hallmark written all over it, and seeing as how Karen Schaler has written Hallmark Christmas movies, this might be the next to hit the screen! I have to admit at first I asked to review this book because it caught my eye and I was looking for Christmas romance books (they're my fav), but then I found myself begrudgingly picking it up to read wondering why I had requested it... but I ended up getting into the story by the third chapter and am so glad I read it, as I really enjoyed it! It follows NYC reporter, Kailey as she travels to a surprise European location to do a special feature on the Christmas traditions of an unnamed family. What Kailey finds is more than a career advancement she was hoping for, but a new outlook on the holidays, family, and love. This is a book about happiness, love, family, and trust. This book will give you all the holiday feels and take you to the enchanted kingdom of Tolvania, where you will experience amazing Christmas traditions and a beautiful winter wonderland- can we go?!? And bonus! Delicious recipes and activities in the back! If you're into sappy holiday/Hallmark books and movies, be sure not to miss this one!
Profile Image for Shia.
1,149 reviews22 followers
January 19, 2022
All the feel good moments of a Christmas romance that tugs at your heartstrings. You be immediately entranced with this magical tale which inspires you to focus on the important things in life and having to want to start new traditions with your own family. The author literally writes Hallmark Christmas movies and you’ll feel as if you’re in one while reading this. Loved, loved, loved this!
Profile Image for Debbie Mathis PA.
146 reviews14 followers
November 19, 2021
This was a cute Christmas romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author made you feel like you were there with Kaylie and Prince Alexander in Tolvania.

When Kaylie loses the promotion and her job she is sent on a mystery job by her former boss/still friend. It definitely isn't what she expects. She finds herself in Europe at a castle, hired by the queen to write a fairy tale for her granddaughter, the princess.

The story was easy to read and flowed easily. I hated seeing it end.
Profile Image for Ellen.
166 reviews2 followers
February 23, 2022
If you like Hallmark Christmas movies, this one is for you. The description of the setting in this book is phenomenal. It feels like you are right there on the set of a Hallmark movie, completely dripping in Christmas cheer. It is enchanting!

I liked the characters in the story especially the queen. She was very calm and cool but also very loving and kind. The story is a little weak with not a lot of drama. And honestly, I would not classify this as a romance at all. Sure there is a "happily ever after" type ending but it really just felt more like telling the traditions of this town and showing love between a family.

I will say out of nowhere the ending really hit me and made me tear up quite a bit which is really what got this book up to 4 stars instead of like a 3 or 3.5.

If you love Christmas (like me) and enjoy clean family friendly G rated "romance" then this book is a good one to pick up. I definitely recommend it to get in the mood for the holiday season.
Profile Image for The Starry Library.
464 reviews33 followers
August 17, 2021
When Kaylie Karlyle, an investigative reporter lands a unique assignment abroad with a reclusive royal family, she discovers the true magic of Christmas with the help of a lovely princess, a dashing prince, and a modern queen. Tasked with writing a Christmas fairy tale for the young princess, Kaylie must learn about all of the family’s Christmas traditions, forcing her to confront her missing holiday spirit while opening up her heart to the handsome prince. The sparkling tree topper in this story is that as both Kaylie and the royals begin to trust each other, the true meaning of Christmas begins to shine forth leading to a happily ever after…

This is the first Christmas book I have read apart from children’s classics, and it was cheesier than a holiday fondue, yet charming and delightful. Once I was able to get past the unrealistic story and corny dialogue, I discovered a sweet, innocent, and endearing story underneath all of the saccharine descriptions of Christmas trees, cookies, glitz, and glamour. This is a light read and uplifting, the perfect book to put you in the holiday mood. It definitely has the formula for an enchanting cozy movie which I hope it will become. I also liked the recipes included at the end of the book which I would love to try. The gorgeous cover and feel good description of the book is what made me want to venture out of my comfort zone and read it. I am glad I had the opportunity to read and review this dreamy story because it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside and was an unexpected page turner!

Overall, I am not sure if I would venture into the holiday genre again, but in spite of that, A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale made me dream a little and for that reason, I think its red and green glitter must have sprinkled some holiday magic on me, which is exactly what it was supposed to do.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Living My Best Book Life.
986 reviews93 followers
September 9, 2021
A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is a beautiful book that will remind you about the magic of Christmas. Karen Schaler writes the perfect Christmas read that will leave fans feeling happy and hopeful.

Kaylie is an investigative reporter in New York City. She is dedicated to working and has always put her job first. Just as she is on the brink of a big promotion, she receives news that she is actually going to be let go because of the loss of funding. Well, there goes her dreams. She isn't big on celebrating Christmas so that won't be a problem, but she feels at a loss because everything in her work plan is starting to crumble. Things start to look up when her friend finds her a job. The only downside is that she doesn't know what it entails.

After boarding a private jet, Kaylie knows this job is most likely dealing with a prominent figure. She is ready to see what Tolvania has to offer when she lands in the lap of a handsome man. Too bad he is rude because that is a deal-breaker. Hopefully, she can brush this off, focus on her job, and get ready to meet the person who hired her.

Kaylie is dumbfounded when she arrives in front of a castle. She thinks this is pretty grand to do an interview but she will just go along with it. To her surprise, she is brought to Tolvania by the queen herself. Queen Isabella wants Kaylie to write a fairy tale for her granddaughter, Princess Anna. This is something Kaylie has never done so the Queen graciously gives her a day to decide if she will accept or not.

Remember the rude man I mentioned before. Well, it turns out that he is none other than Prince Alexander. He is so gorgeous but very closed off. Alexander sees Kaylie as trouble because she is somehow associated with the media, which he hates. So, he will do whatever he can to make sure that Kaylie doesn't want to accept the job.

The Queen is very clear in her wishes for Alexander to show Kaylie the castle and tell her about the family's Christmas traditions. Alexander can't say no to his mother because she can be very persuasive. You don't want to say no to the Queen.

Alexander and Kaylie are forced to work/spend time together and it is so fun to read. They are from different worlds but they both share their opinion on Christmas. It is overrated. But they share the feeling of the loss of a loved one. Alexander lost his wife and he has been lost for those 2 years without her. Kaylie lost her grandmother and they were very close and since has thrown herself into her work life. This time together proves to be both healing and hopeful.

I loved getting to know these characters in the story. It brought me so much joy to read about the entire cast including the supporting characters. Alexander and Kaylie's spark is hard to miss. As they open up with one another, their walls start to come down. The vulnerability that follows made my heart burst with emotion. Although this book does focus on the relationship between Alexander and Kaylie, I think Princess Anna, Queen Isabella, and Blixen (the family dog) steal the show. Princess Anna is so adorable and you can't help but say 'aww' every time this little human shares a piece of wisdom or says the best thing with perfect timing. Queen Isabella is so wise and can read people really well. She makes things happen and is so genuine. Blixen is a cute pup any family would love to have. Yes, he can be rowdy but it's part of his charm. I didn't want this story to end and I know readers will love this book!

I give A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale 5 stars. This is a must-read for romance readers and fans of A Christmas Prince and anyone who enjoys royal romance. Karen Schaler gives readers a magical romance and a winter wonderland setting. Trust me, it will leave you wanting to take out all of your Christmas decorations. This is a fairy tale romance that you will swoon over for days.
1,160 reviews1 follower
September 10, 2021
What a lovely read! I enjoyed all the characters and found myself rooting for the prince and Kayley to find each other. I only stopped reading to Google upside down Christmas trees to see if it was actually such a thing. The recipes and activity ideas at the end were a welcome bonus, and I can't wait to try them. I would love a sequel to know how all the characters are doing.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
Profile Image for Debbie Lesley.
511 reviews12 followers
August 29, 2021
The perfect read if Hallmark has nothing on to watch as you have seen all Hallmark movies! This one, written by Karen Schaler, is probably on its way to movie-land as the author has written other Christmas movies for Netflix. We all need some sweet romance and Schaler offers it in A Royal Christmas Tale.

As you would expect, the book is a feel-good story featuring investigative reporter Kaylie who loses her job right before Christmas but given the chance to do a free-lance job by her former boss. Not given much information other than she is going to interview a family about Christmas traditions, Kaylie arrives in a (made up) country only to discover the family is the royal family. Their request, or the queen's request, is for Kaylie to learn their family traditions for the holidays then write a fairy tale for the 10-year-old princess.

It goes without saying that there will be an immediate physical attraction between Kaylie and the prince, young Princess Anne's widowed father, but as expected, the realtionship doesn't become real until the end of the book and it does have its ups and downs. Of course, the book is "clean" so the reader has a sweet story without crazy sex scenes....how can you have a sweet holiday story with those?!!

I definitely won't go into the story any further but would say that there is a bonus of recipes at the end of the book for ones the royal family particularly enjoys. I definitely want to try the biscuits--flavored for the holidays.

There are characters in the book that could become another story. I want to know what happens with Chef Jake and Elsa and maybe Thomas and his family. They were important in the story.

I did receive this book via #NetGalley and HawkTale Publishing.
#ARoyalChristmasFairyTaleKarenSchaler #NetGalley
Profile Image for Anna.
648 reviews
September 11, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Hawktale Publishing for the opportunity to read "A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is an incredibly beautiful and moving story that brings to light the importance of traditions in a family, especially at Christmas. How important even the smallest thing can be to build memories.

Kaylie Karlyle is an investigative reporter who never had time for the holidays. When she loses her job and is given a freelance opportunity she takes it and ends up in Tolvania where Queen Isabella has commissioned her to write a special fairy tale for Princess Anna incorporating as many of their family traditions as possible. At first Kaylie isn't happy with this, she doesn't consider herself a "puff piece" writer, she wants to write hard news items but it's hard not to fall in love with Princess Anna and her lovely dog Blitzen - who is an absolute delight throughout the book.

Prince Alexander is suspicious of Kaylie from the first moment they meet. When he learns she's a journalist he is even less pleased to have her at the castle. The Prince's wife Sophia died a few years ago and he has lost her love of the holidays. With the Queen and Kaylie's help he discovers that the Princess needs him to teach her their family traditions.

This is going to be a Christmas classic. it is such a feel good holiday book. There are so many interesting holiday traditions, many that can be tried out at home, along with the delicious sounding recipes. Frank Sinatra's "The Christmas Waltz" is still ringing in my ears. I wish there were more than 5 stars for Ms. Schaler.
Profile Image for Mechthild.
389 reviews7 followers
September 21, 2021
Feel good with a Christmas Story
Karen Schaler, Emmy Award-winning storyteller, screenwriter, author, journalist, and national TV host, presents another Christmas romance entitled "A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale. A heartwarming feel good Christmas romance from writer of Netflix's A Christmas Prince", published by HawkTale Publishing. New York City investigative television reporter Kaylie Karlyle's freelance assignment in Europe does not turn out as she has expected, but she cannot be choosy since she lost her job just before the end of the year. The queen of Tolvania charges her son to introduce Kaylie to as many local Christmas traditions as possible which he does not like to do at all due to previous negative contacts with the media. The queens task for Kaylie is to create a Christmas fairy tale based on this traditions for the queens only granddaughter.
This was the second book by Karen Schaler and by HawkTale Publishing which I read. I really love the book with its twist and turns and its realistic and believable characters. I highly recommend it to all readers who love Christmas romance novels. I also appreciated the Bonus Content in the form of recipes and activities that were included in the book and I am looking forward to read more from this author and this publisher.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#ARoyalChristianFairyTale #NetGalley
Profile Image for Laura.
479 reviews11 followers
December 8, 2022
This book is BAD. I'm shocked to learn this writer has not only published other works but is the "writer of a Netflix hit." Must have been a fluke because this lacks anything that makes a book worth reading. The main character is a snotty brat who is nowhere near a place in life to earn her HEA. The incredible predictable storyline was almost a joke. The arguing banter is not belivable. Zero chemistry. The forced togetherness trope can be fun, but not here. Nothing to keep you guessing. The characters were one-dimensional. It's just BAD. In reading the positive reviews, looks like all the high ratings were from ARC reviewers so that's a little sad. All in all this book isn't even worth putting in my donation pile, it's going in the round file...
1,830 reviews18 followers
August 27, 2021
All I can say is Wow!! What an awesome story. I just could not put the book down. It had me from the beginning with such awesome characters and a good story line.

Kaylie loses her job as an Investigative Journalist not long before Christmas. Finding herself unemployed with no plans for Christmas or her future. She tries to decide what to do.

Her ex boss offers her a job doing an article about a families Christmas traditions. When she gets to Europe she finds she is writing a fairy tale for a Royal Family.
Profile Image for Carla.
7,631 reviews179 followers
December 15, 2021
New York City reporter Kaylie Karlyle has lost her job and is not sure what to do next. She is offered a freelance job writing about a family's Christmas traditions, but doesn't know who they are or where she is going. She gets on a private plane and is whisked off to the small country of Tolvania. There she meets Queen Isabella, her son Prince Alexander and granddaughter Princess Anna. Her arrival is a bit bumpy with the prince wanting her gone as soon as she arrives. It also turns out that this is not a news assignment, but a request to write a Christmas Fairytale for Anna, a gift from her grandmother. Kaylie wants to get back on the plane, but with a snowstorm raging, she is stuck. Queen Isabella convinces her to give it a try and Princess Anna and her dog Blixen quickly entrance Kaylie.

I really enjoyed this story. It is full of Christmas festivities and traditions from food to decorating to events and music. I loved the discussion about the making of snowglobes and why they are such an important part of the holidays. As Christmas magic unfurls, Kaylie is wrapped up in feelings and memories that begin to bury her "Bah Humbug" nature. Prince Alex begins to thaw where Kaylie is concerned, but they are both afraid to let their feelings show. This is such a wonderful Christmas story with family, festivities, romance and second chances. I love how Kaylie's family was also brought into this story and allowed us to see why Kaylie seems to be anti-Christmas. Queen Isabella is a wonderful character. She is formidable, loving, caring, and a wonderful mother/grandmother/monarch. She planned everything out and let it happen, only interfering when necessary. Anna and Blixen were wonderful. So much fun and troublesome as well. Alex is stoic and thinks he needs to be the gatekeeper for his family, but is not living. I was rooting for Kaylie to have a happily ever after and was not disappointed. A wonderful Christmas romance. There are a few recipes at the end and I definitely want to try making gingerbread pancakes for the family on Christmas morning. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.
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