Die Royals, ihr Bodyguard und ich

by Karina Halle, Michaela Kolodziejcok (Translator), Mirjam Macht (Narrator)

Chaos-Queen meets Bodyguard

Piper Evans ist Grundschullehrerin und eigentlich hochzufrieden mit ihrem beschaulichen Leben auf einer abgeschiedenen kanadischen Insel – bis der britische Kronprinz und seine Frau das Anwesen nebenan mieten. Prince Edward und die berühmte Sängerin Monica Red sind zwar ein Traumpaar, aber ihr düsterer Bodyguard Harrison Cole ist eher ein Albtraum. Gleich bei ihrem ersten Zusammentreffen beschließt er, dass Piper eine Gefahr für die royale Sicherheit ist. Als dann auch noch die Paparazzi vor ihrer Tür auftauchen, ist sie heillos überfordert. Und dass Harrison zwar abweisend, aber auch enorm attraktiv ist, macht das Chaos in Pipers Leben nicht unbedingt leichter.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Adult, Chick Lit

10 pages, Audiobook

First published August 31, 2021

About the author

Karina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Grave Matter, Blood Orange, & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it.

When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy book birthday 🥳📚💞🎉

Yes! Yes! A big yes! After reading too many thrillers I was needing something stimulating, tempting, entertaining, extremely feel good but also powerful, inspirational, thought provoking: I know I want too many things at the same time. But guess what! I got it all by reading this book!

Karina Halle is hell of a way too much talented author who can dance between different genres from erotic romance to paranormal, contemporary to romcom and she nails all of them! I’m still so thankful she brought one of my best paranormal series back: as a team Derry ( Dex- Perry) fan!

She never disappoints me! I never had to grade any of her works less than four stars ( I think I devoured all of her works) And I’m telling you guys: I know this book is so intriguing because the royal couple mentioned in it is so similar to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry! But: It’s more than a realistic approach this scandalous story. It has unique approach to mental illnesses ( PTSD, borderline personality disorder, dependent personality disorder,anxiety disorder etc), genuine criticism of invasion of privacy and promising enemies to lovers/ forbidden love premise!

This is not ordinary soft/ sweet/swoon read to be consumed at one bite. This is so much more than that! Especially the last chapters about self discovery, standing up for yourself parts ignite your inner rebel to take action for the things you resented for so long!

Let’s give you some scoops about the storyline: Piper Evans : elementary school teacher, a hermit, an outsider even though she’s been living in the island for five years because of being punished to dumb her cheater fiancée’s ass who comes from one of the island’s wealthiest and most powerful families.

Luckily her occupation and taking care of her mother suffering from BPD, DPD, already took so much time of her so ut doesn’t hurt her so much to be shunned by townies and or to have hard time to make friends but her uneventful life will completely change when recently married prince Eddie and Grammy winner, popular singer Monica left Britain for a yearlong for undisclosed reasons: a sabbatical sorts.

There are too many theories whirl around where they are going to move! So Piper can hardly imagine she’s going to be neighbors with the scandalous royal couple whose reputation is tarnished by ruthless British paparazzis.

But when an incredibly hot human wall stops her car and asks her ID, she remembers the face: that’s notorious, ultra sexy, intimidating bodyguard of royal couple: ladies and gentlemen: here’s the hottest protector, veteran, irresistible Harrison Cole: oh stop drooling ( note to myself !!!)

Actually Piper has the same reaction with me but Harrison’s rude manners, acting like she might be big threat against royal family brings out the worst of her. The guy literally pushes her button so bad!

The smart banters, flaming chemistry, slow burn blooming romance between them keep you at the edge.

And you know what the guy is hell of a cook!

But Piper already had so many a.hole experiences which gave her second thoughts about attracting to the emotionally detached people. Even though there are undeniable sparks flying around them, the possibility of starting a relationship will cost them too much. The press not only watches every move of royal, they also watch Piper and Harrison because they know their close connection to the couple.

Meghan oops Monica already invited Piper and her mother at their mansion, she and the prince are way too much friendly than they expected.

Could Piper and Harrison take risks and leave their past traumas behind? Could they have their own HEA against all odds?

Overall: I loved it so much! It’s so much meaningful, fiery, powerful, thought provoking and entertaining earned my five royal, secluded small island, and IIiiiiiiii will always love you stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[len ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I realize I may be too forward,” he goes on. The corner of his gorgeous mouth quirks up into a small grin. “But I don’t really care. I’m not letting go of you, Piper. I’m not pretending that I don’t want more for us, more than this.”

Piper Evans is a 2nd-grade school teacher by day, romance books enthusiast by night. She hosts a podcast where she reviews and talks about romance books, ranging from contemporary, historical, paranormal, and anything else. After having to deal with one of her students throwing up a buzz and news surrounding her small town in Canada, she didn't expect The Duke and Duchess of Fairfax to be flying into town and staying there for a while. Piper didn’t expect them to move in next to her, which causes her to encounter their handsome yet grumpy bodyguard, who finds her to be a threat. Making her way through, Piper finds herself becoming aroused and interest in Harrison Cole, the bodyguard the Royals brought with them and sees for herself that behind all that gruffness lies a soft heart. However, a personal conflict between the two threatens Piper’s relationship with Harrison and her job as a teacher, in which she will have to use her voice to defend what she believes for herself.

I found this story to be a refreshment from what I was reading. Not only is it the first book I’ve read with a bodyguard as a lead, but it was my first Karina Halle book. This story satisfied me entirely, made me grin the entire time, had me laughing, and had me feeling even more ridiculously single. Sometimes I think about my taste in men, specifically in books, and I conclude that it’s men like Harrison Cole that I have a very sweet and warm spot for. Men who are grumpy and cold but later reveal themselves to be soft all around, wishing for nothing but a person they can fill their love with. Harrison Cole was just that (and yes, his first name is Harrison, not Cole). While he doesn’t have a past that some may consider very tragic, Harrison has had to put himself on the line for himself, his family, and then the Royals. He has a past he wants to move on and walk away from, never to cross again.

His character development towards Piper worked smoothly, not too fast but not too slow either. His soft spot started showing the more time he spent with her, and his true feelings and intentions were becoming more and more evident throughout their moments. He wasn't rude and possessive, and honestly, it was a good break from some of the possessive men I have been reading about. One side of him is that he is big, tall, tatted, and muscular, always wearing his aviators, carrying a cold stare no matter who was talking and will do what he can do to protect the Royals he’s vowed to protect. The other side is that he loves to bake, volunteered to go grocery shopping for the Royals, and did laundry. It may sound dumb, but this was the first time I read about a guy like Harrison who did his laundry. He even asked if Piper would make fun of his “masculinity” because, sadly, that’s how society views it. He’s had minimal people in his life. While his relationship with Piper started on a rough road, I loved reading about how he started switching his attitude with her, from asking her to go grocery shopping with him to secretly buying her a peony bouquet, to helping her mother bake. He was never cocky but always sweet, and while he had a job to fulfill, he was determined to make time for Piper any way he could.

“But I’ve come to realize, ever since you moved in, that you can’t hide and shrink for the rest of your life. You have to embrace change and welcome it, or you’ll never get better. If there’s no push, there is no growth, and that is the damn truth.”

On the other hand, Piper just broke my heart, but in a good way. For starters, she’s a romance reader and hosts a podcast on romance novels. She even goes as far as to read smut in her podcast, and it’s all done to express the beauty of romance as a genre and as a novel. She’s a second-grade school teacher in a small town where sadly, everyone knows everyone and every little thing that goes around. Adding on to that, Piper suffers from C-PTSD, which is something I didn’t know about (I just knew about PTSD), and she has anxiety. While her anxiety differs from her C-PTSD and is unclear on every page, she mentions she takes antianxiety medications. Sometimes, the way she acts is also showing an example of either mental illness impacting her. To add more pressure to that, her father left her and her mother at the age of 14, walking out like she was nothing. She’s been taking care of her mother, who has BPD/DPD and uses her income to help the two of them. I’ve never met anyone with BPD and/or DPD, so reading about a neurological disorder like this one provided a new insight into something I’ve become more interested in learning about.

But as we get older, the giddiness fades. We become more cynical. The excitement, the increased heart rate, the swarmy, fizzy feeling in our stomach? It morphs into anxiety. We become nervous. The joy is removed, and all we’re left with is worry. The joy is something that belonged to the past, to when we were more innocent, when we had things to get excited and happy about.

On the author’s note, Karina Halle mentioned how some of Piper’s motives and personality traits were inspired by her own self, such as anxiety and C-PTSD specifically, and mentioned how she hopes romance will start to become more diverse in terms of mental health and illnesses. This is something I found beautiful to read about because I wholeheartedly agree that books with correct mental health representation are a way to end the stigma around them. I can’t tell you how common it is to hear prejudice against people with mental illness ranging from depression to autism. People assume they’re just emotionless robots, incapable of showing love and being in love. I found the representation here to be well done because it wasn’t something that became drama-infused, such as becoming a problem with the characters that only contributed to the stereotypes.

I recently saw a tweet a friend of mine posted on her Instagram story, in which it stated, “I dream of never being called resilient again in my life. I’m exhausted by strength. I want support. I want softness. I want ease. I want to be amongst kin. Not patted on the back for how well I take a hit. Or for how many.” I saw this, and I immediately thought of Piper and her mother. Towards the end, Piper’s mother confronts Piper and tells her that she needs to stop worrying too much about her and worry about herself. Piper, being who she is, doesn’t tell her mother anything because she’s worried her mother will have an episode where she breaks down or doesn’t take the reality easily, in which Piper’s mother says, “you mean well and you always have, but you can’t protect me forever.” This reminded me of my relationship with my parents. I think about it, and I realize that it upsets me more thinking about my parent’s death than my own. They wish I could live forever, while I wish they could live forever.

The tweet above reminded me of Piper because Piper calls herself (and feels it too) strong to endure everything she has gone through with her mother that she has normalized her own pain. She didn’t realize how much she was carrying on her shoulders until her mother told her.

But aside from the sadness, Piper made me feel a lot of joy as well. She was an outgoing, outspoken, loving, and a sweet person. Her love for romance novels reminded me (even more) why I love the genre, whether it’s a book or media, and why it shouldn’t be a shame to love them. There was an instance in the novel where she had to defend her love for it, and I found the entire chapter to be beautiful. It was chapter 20, specifically, and it reminded me of the importance of standing up for what we love and believe is right. Her podcast is one I wish we could have access to if needed. It reminds me of the beauty of falling in love with two people falling in love (figuratively, I mean). Not only that, but her love for books is noticeable on different pages, and I love how Karina included “book about books” moments in between for us to find ourselves within. She spends time reading, she goes to a bookstore to buy books, and she knows what she’s looking for. She’s the friend I hope I can have one day.

“To the romance-reading audience. It’s okay to read about sex. It’s okay to have a book that’s focused on both people falling in love and the woman’s own pleasure. The genre has a lot of stigma attached to it, but only because some people are afraid of women’s empowerment and sexuality.”

I gotta say, the romance in this is one of my favorites. It’s a slow-burn hate-to-love relationship, and I found myself loving every moment between Harrison and Piper, even from the beginning. Harrison is definitely that typical bodyguard with his long and cold stare, straight stature, muscled body, and unfriendly look. While Piper isn’t exactly “sunshine,” she’s much more chirpy and overall talkative than Harrison, to the point where she finds herself rambling. Their relationship started rough, as Harrison (for some reason) found Piper to be a “potential threat” because she lived next to the Duke and Duchess, so he had to make sure she was someone they could trust. They have a snarky banter, and while it is slow-burn, the two have sexual tension before the actual moment they finally let go and hungrily seek each other out. I found myself anticipating the moment they would finally kiss and admit their feelings to each other, and I gotta say, I wasn’t disappointed. After their first moment, I found myself waiting for every other “forbidden moment” they had together full of stolen glances, kisses, hand-holding, physical touch, and everything in between. After this moment, Harrison came back to the house the next day and helped Piper and her mother bake a pie crust, in which the two’s longing for each other was felt, and I found myself grinning like a fool at the two.

“I’m not saying it because you did,” he goes on. “You just beat me to it. I am madly, aggravatingly, desperately in love with you. It’s been frustrating to try to negotiate an emotion I’ve never felt before, but there’s no mistaking it and no hiding from it. I’m not hiding from anything when it comes to you and how I feel about you.” He runs his thumb over my lips. “You’re it, Piper. You’re everything. And so when I say that I’m going to make this work for us, I’m going to make it work.”

I want to mention that, even though it isn’t stated, I’m sure Prince Harry and Meghan Markle inspire the story behind Prince Eddie and Monica. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t really keep up with them and haven’t kept up, but I’ve seen enough to become aware of what’s happened. A lot of the story elements behind Prince Eddie and Monica are replicas of Harry and Meghan: Meghan being a woman of color, Monica being a Black woman; Meghan leaving her acting career, Monica leaving her music career; the British Royal Family not approving of Monica just like Meghan wasn’t approved; Monica facing racism, sexism, prejudice, and more insults, just like Meghan; Monica’s child already being criticized because she’s not white and is “too dark,” just like Meghan’s child being considered “too dark.” I actually liked this approach because it was easy to follow along with the story and see it as a real-life situation because of how similar it is.

“But not this. Not the way they hound you, write slander about you, all because you don’t fit what their idea of a bloody royal is.”

In conclusion, The Royals Next Door was a refreshing read, and I’m happy I gave it a chance. It may be my first Karina Halle book, but it’s definitely not going to be my last. While it may seem cheesy to some, I found it to be cute and sweet. Sometimes that’s all you really need. I somehow managed to read this book in one sitting from 12:15 AM to 5:19 AM, and I regret nothing.

Thank you to the Berkley and NetGalley for providing me an ARC! All quotes mentioned above were taken from an early copy and are subject to change upon publication.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a good royals rom-com? This story is heavily influenced by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but as side characters, because the real focus is on their bodyguard, Harrison, and 2nd grade local teacher/ girl next door, Piper. I equally adored the hilarious, laugh-out-loud banter and the substantial plot surrounding mental illness and not dialing down who you are based on what society expects as the norm. I love that Piper hosts a romance pod cast and I basked in her love of reading smut over the air.

While a slow burn, the romance is 100% satisfying and the pacing of such is believable. No insta-love here; Piper and Harrison go from enemies-to-friends-to-lovers over the course of this story, and that friendship that solidified into a romance felt so endearing. If you're looking for a romance that will put a smile on your face, without trying to tone down the importance of mental health, definitely pick this one up asap!



*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[aly ☆彡 (on vacation) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I don’t know how to make it work… But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try. That we won’t try to figure it out together.”

I didn’t expect to love this given the mixed reviews but this was surprisingly delightful. The Royals Next Door has all the whimsy, sweetness, and humour you need for a summer romance read. Follows after the romance-loving, podcast-making whose life is turned upside down when British royals rent the property next door to her. And when Piper meets their stoic, but obnoxious, bodyguard Harrison Cole, a slow burn hate-to-love affair begins, and for all they knew, the Royals aren't the only ones who find themselves in the limelight.

This was my first time reading a work from Karina Halle, and simply to say, it didn't disappoint me. This probably retains the fact that this is my first time in a while reading a royal-adjacent trope involving the dutch and dutchess' bodyguard with the neighbour next door instead of the royals themselves. The slow-burn romance between Piper and Harrison was well-paced and pulled me in right off the bat.

Despite struggling to fit in with the townspeople especially given her emotional scar, Piper is still a wonderful character who is fun, caring, and quirky all the same. Meanwhile, Harrison, the royals handsome bodyguard, who also happened to be a good baker is dedicated to his job and determined not to let his attraction to scatterbrained Piper distract him from his duty.

This put them off to a difficult start, but they both know how to get under each other's skin, and the comical banter and lovely moments got me in a stupor that most can be ascribed to their exquisitely crafted characters. Some things weighed them down in pursuing their love, but their maturity and honesty help to work it through. Their chemistry feels right and I love how perfect they were written for each other.

“It’s not about doing better, Piper. It’s about seeing me as a mother and a friend and not as my mental illness. I'll never be able to learn on my own if you're always there.”

Notwithstanding the beautiful cover, this novel is not all sweetness and light, since it adopted a secondary plot on mental illness. The author delivers an honest portrayal and the discussions were particularly insightful. The author's note at the end brought everything together nicely. Although admittedly, the conclusion to the mother's bipolar disorder plotline's is a little too facile as I believe it takes more than online therapies to recover quickly, the rendition is still well done.

“The romance stigma is real, even with it being the most popular genre”

This book also addressed the stigma attached to romance as a genre, as well as the double standards that women face when Piper's secret of having a romance podcast was revealed, causing a backlash after someone reported it to her school. I like how it emphasizes that reading romance is not something to be ashamed of, as society has made us to believe.

Halle's detailed description of Salt Spring Island and its residents was another factor that lured me. Given the small-town setting, you can expect full-fledged side characters which added to the book's appeal. What more when it isn't overly glorified like the usual small-town books I've come across; giving the book its own ground.

Therefore, if you're looking for a royal bodyguard and a commoner love story, The Royals Next Door is a beautiful story of respect, love, tolerance and so is a perfect summer read.

[Holly B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is the scoop....

Piper is a school teacher by day and avid romance reader with her own "anonymous" romance podcast on the side. She is also caregiver for her mom who loves to bake pies. She was a breath of fresh air. I love a good rom-com and throw in the royals renting a house next door, a hot bodyguard, and a secluded island setting and I'm all in.

I'm not a big royals follower, but it doesn't matter because they were just a side note. It is more about Piper and Harrison, the hunky bodyguard. It was fun/fantasy to imagine meeting Meghan and Harry, whoops, I mean Monica and Eddie!

Grumpy/sunshine trope, likeable characters with chemistry, just spicy enough,a slow burn romance and a little small town scandal made for a safe, guilty pleasure read.

Now I need a cup of tea and slice of pie!

Library Copy / Read Sept 2021

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I started reading The Royals Next Door I had a feeling I was reading the best book ever.

The story pulled me in immediately. The book is written in first person, following Piper who was so easy to relate to.
We two, we are pretty similar, us both being book reviewers and know how it is to have a person relying on you to the point when it effects your life choices.
So when I say that the story hit close to home, I really mean it.

What also made this romance stand up from all the others I reas lately is the love interest, lovely Harrison the bodyguard who won me almost at first sight.
I am not the one to swoon over book characters, it is really rare that I give lots of my attention to guys I read about in my books but Harrison... he was like a giant teddy bear I fell in love with and I got attached to him.
I still can't figure out why, but he definitely stands out.

The story is basically a fan fiction about Meghan Markle and prince Harry (who are named Monica and Eddie) coming to Canada.
When I first heard it pitched like that, I wasn't interested in it, but after soooooo many people I trust started raving about it, I decided to give it a try and oh boy, how glad I am.

My life would be emptier without this lovely love story in it!

Mark my words, this will be one of my TOP 5 of 2021!

The novel contains some explicit scenes and also Harrison like to use F word, so keep that in mind.

Although it is fun and entertaining, the story also talks about mental health.
In my opinion, the author did a good job talking about serious topic in a way it didn't took a book to dark path.

Also, one thing I also appreciate was how Piper talked about romance novels.
We romance readers got called out at least once in our lifetime from bookish snobs, or have heard that romance is not a serious genre... and Piper dealt with that problem so well I applaud her (I am serious, I really clapped with my hands).

In the end, I want to encourage you to give TheRoyals Next Door a try.
Even if it doesn't sound appealing at first, maybe you will be pleasantly surprised, just like I was.

[Phuong ✯ · Rating 3 out of 5]

– 3 stars

Started for the cover, stayed ... because it was an ARC and it comes out today 🥴

This is 100% a "it's not the book, it's totally me" thing. When I requested the ARC for The Royal Next Door I was completely sold on the cover and bodyguard trope, but then the book was delivered to my kindle and my interest in reading the book went 📉📉. It always interesting as long as it's unattainable 😭 Long story short: Yesterday I realized that I still need to read and review it, cause it's out now and here we are. Me forcing myself to read a book that is fine, but yk I wasn't really that excited in reading. Now I have to come up with at least one paragraph to review this book. So excuse me please for the worse fucking review in history of reviews 🏃🏻‍♀️

The Good:
- the cover
- cute & quick summer read
- sunshine-grumpy dynamic
- had 2-3 very adorable scenes
- Piper's mother was pretty weird at the beginning, but I grew to like her

Neither Good Nor Bad:
- Piper (schoolteacher, romance reader who has a podcast, caretaker of her mom, doesn't like to go out, goes for emotionally unavailable men)
- Harrison (bodyguard to to the royals next door, stoic, work is his life)
- the romance (slowburn yay but also there were so many time jumps where weeks would go by and Piper and Harrison were in love that I was suspious hmm)

The Bad:
- nothing special. The royal couple that moved next door was inspired by Meghan and Harry that was interesting, but the fact that I can't even remember the couple's name is telling how memorable this book overall was
- Didn't like any of the characters on that island except the main characters. They suck as a community, they suck as people, they just suck period.
- wasn't bored with the story, but didn't feel a single thing

Wow, truly impressed that it was more than one paragraph, but then, I cannot even count it as paragraphs since it's more of a bullet point list lmao 🤣 well, never said this would be a masterpiece so that promise was kept 💅 My job here is done, bye.

*ARC provided by Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review

[Whitney Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was adorable!! I loved it so much. I’ve been reading a lot of suspense and thrillers lately and this book was exactly what I needed. This book was lighthearted, fun, and an easy read! I loved Pipers and Harrisons characters and their chemistry was super steamy!! This book left me with a smile on my face. Oh, and did I mention the cover? Very eye-catching and gorgeous!! Highly recommend this one for all my romance lover friends!

[EmBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

First of all, this is one of the cutest covers I’ve ever seen this year. This was such a really entertaining summer read, cute bodyguard romance with a twist. I really enjoyed this one, it was such an easy book to like. I loved Harrison from the first introduction, a stoic broody bodyguard, what’s not to love? The sunshine grumpy dynamic was really entertaining.

I also really liked all the talk about romance books and those who reads romance and how they’re always shamed for reading romance? Also, all the talk about mental illness and therapy. The romance might not be the most amazing thing, kinda conflict free, and wrapped up extra nicely with everything being super okay for “a royal” situation, but it was still really cute! One thing I didn’t like is how I hated all the people on the island. I mean for a small island I always expect to fall in love with the closed community.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars



I had so much fun reading The Royals Next Door! Karina Halle wrote the perfect summer read with this one. It was a fantastic slow burn/bodyguard romance- but with a twist.

Piper is an elementary school teacher on an island and when she's not working she's taking care of her mother or reading romance novels. Her life isn't all that interesting, until the royals move next door. With the royals come their head bodyguard, Harrison. Harrison is a little brash and he and Piper have an interesting first meeting.

With time, you see the relationship between Piper and Harrison start to shift. I loved watching them realize their feelings for each other and give in to them, even if things were a bit complicated. I also loved how Harrison treated Piper's mom and the relationship he developed with her.

Piper was a strong and resilient heroine. Between taking care of her mother, coming out of her shell in town, and standing up for herself when her job was on the line, I was proud of her and one of the best parts of this book was watching her growth. Harrison is one of those heroes you can't help but love. A tough exterior, but the softest middle. I also enjoyed the side story with the royals.

Overall I enjoyed this book so much! It was a refreshing read and such a great book for summer. If you're looking for a light and fun romance that still has some emotion and depth, pick this one up!

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

We're all familiar with ye olde expression if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all.

But what if, hypothetically, I don't have anything to say at all?

What if - let's just say - I read this book 5 weeks ago and have since put off reviewing it because I don't even know what I would put in the body of said review?

What if I felt so profoundly meh about every aspect of this (the characters, including our quirky protagonist and hyper-boring love interest; the romance between them; the friendships between them and a similarly boring royal couple; the happenings of a small town whose only interesting factoid is it's also an island) that I didn't WANT to say anything?

What then?

Bottom line: Meh!

---------------
pre-review

the unthinkable has happened once again (the worst part of a romance novel was the romance)

review to come / 2.5 stars

---------------

challenging myself to read as many review copies as possible this month because i'm addicted to projects!

ARC 1: spaceman of bohemia
ARC 2: in search of us
ARC 3: aerialists
ARC 4: the sound of drowning
ARC 5: unleaving
ARC 6: the other side of luck
ARC 7: romanov
ARC 8: the storm keeper's island
ARC 9: gut check
ARC 10: when force meets fate
ARC 11: sisters in hate
ARC 12: before i disappear
ARC 13: big time
ARC 14: stolen science
ARC 15: have a little faith in me
ARC 16: invitation to a bonfire
ARC 17: the splendor
ARC 18: how to be luminous
ARC 19: the little women cookbook
ARC 20: while we were dating
ARC 21: the lost girls
ARC 22: wait for it
ARC 23: your life has been delayed
ARC 24: a million things
ARC 25: the royals next door

[CristiinaReads୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

An all new Karina book that will have all romance lovers, especially the royal trope lovers falling in love with the main characters that show the best of passion...



Diving in with hesitation when it comes down to Karina's books, is something that I am already used to. I have somewhat of a love and dislike type of relationship with her novels. But when you get drawn into this novel by not just only the cover, and the synopsis with the word "bodyguard", you just have to know that this will be an incredible novel. And I for sure was not wrong. Though it did take me more than the normal of time to finish this story, I think the slow reading made me cherish it more instead of skipping some details here and there.

With that being said, Piper & Harrison introduce a whole new world of being an outsider looking into the royal family. Though it is a given that the royals in this novel are based on Meghan and Harry's real life story, getting those glimpses here and there of the royal couple type of romance is very peaceful and beyond romantic. Falling for Piper and Harrison though is just the way to go. Especially when this rugged, aviator sunglasses lover is romantic towards Piper;

"I love the way he says my name. Like it's a way to hold me to him, as if I'm something magical and unreal and ready to float away..."

Overall, Piper and Harrison do have a rough patch of understanding each other. But once they do open up, one can truly admit that loving these two is inevitable because you will instantly fall for them. Wether it's drunk nights at the local "pub" or secret meetings at a private lake (including some nudes scenes), this is the ideal summer read that you do not want to miss out on. I just also hope Karina keeps on writing this light, heart warming romances that we totally need in the romance community. With that hint of spice to 'em **wink wink**, it's the perfect read to dive into!

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Romance, in exchange for an honest review...

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[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super cute! I adored this romance, I loved their banter and I just loved Piper as a character in general. I love that she has a romance podcast, and the discussion about the stigmas against reading romance in this book were so awesome and so great to see! 🙌

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

OKAY THIS WAS SO CUTE!!! I really loved Harrison from the moment we saw him. He was this cold, stoic bodyguard that took his job very seriously. That means that he is very suspicious of the teacher living next door to where the royals he guards just moved in. This is a slow burn romance and I loved how that developed. I do think the end go a little too preachy and sunshine and rainbows regarding the heroine's job, but I still loved this book and literally couldn't put it down! This book also deals with mental illness as the heroine's mom has a mental illness and the heroine's lifestyle and decisions really revolve around the health of her mom. I liked how openly they talked about therapy and how they had serious discussions about how it was for Piper taking care of her mom and dealing with her own love life, job, and mental struggles. I also loved the friendship that developed between Piper and the royals next door! This book was just adorable!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I was not expecting much out of this book. I follow Karina Halle on social media and I think she’s a top notch human, but historically her books have not really resonated with me. The only one I really enjoyed was The Pact.

Cut to the end of this week, when I was not feeling great and needed a book that felt fun and would make me smile. I picked up The Royals Next Door with the single expectation that it would be cute, so believe me when I say I was not expecting to LOVE IT SO MUCH.

Piper is a an elementary school teacher on a small British Columbia island who occupies her days with her work, her romance novels, her podcast and her mother, whose mental illness prevents her from living alone. She’s not a fan of much more excitement than that, so it’s a big shock to her system when a Harry and Meghan inspired royal couple move to the mansion next door, bringing their hot bodyguard, Harrison, with them.

I feel like I always go into bodyguard books thinking, "hm, I'm not super into bodyguards", and then I get on board within the first page (shout-out to Alisha Rai's Girl Gone Viral). This one was no different - I can’t explain how much I loved Harrison. He was grumpy and honorable and protective towards her from the very beginning. Out of nowhere he would let out the most romantic lines in a very casual way and move on, which left me squealing a little?

Piper was also so authentic and sweet and generous and funny. The story was told through her single pov and I didn’t mind at all.

This was a quick, funny, steamy, romantic read, exactly what I needed, and my favorite Karina Halle by far. I can’t wait for The Royals Upstairs!

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I’m not normally a big fan of the royal trope in my romance, but when I heard this was inspired by Meghan and Harry and featured a bodyguard, I was sold.

The Royals Next Door is about elementary school teacher, Piper, who lives on a small island in Canada with her mother who struggles with mental illness. Word gets out pretty quickly that British royals Eddie and Monica are scoping out places to live on the island, and pretty soon Piper realizes they are moving right next door to her. This would be great, except for the grumpy bodyguard, Harrison, who seems to like to make things difficult for Piper…

Karina Halle is one of my all-time favorite authors. I know whether I like her books or not, I’m going to get an entertaining and well written story. I love the grumpy hero who likes only the heroine trope, and Harrison was the best kind of grumpy hero. I loved Piper as this quirky, school teacher dealing with a lot in her life but trying to see the best in her situation.

What stood out the strongest in this book was the representation of mental illness with the characters. I love that this book had characters suggesting and seeking out therapy as a means to help others. The book also touched on PTSD and how it can alter decision making skills and how people approach situations in life without realizing the impact. All around I’m glad this book touches on these issues without being a super heavy subject because they aren’t always brought up or tackled in the romance genre when they should be.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m excited to read the next one when it is released. Hey, this series might make me a royals romance lover yet.

A digital arc was provided by the publisher via Netgalley. This did not have any influence over my thoughts/opinions when reading this book or writing this review.

[NMmomof4]

DNF @ 75%

I know! 75%! 🙈

I just couldn’t continue. I typically like this author too!!

This was Rough. Super slow. Super bland characters. Super low chemistry. Super lame attempts at humor. Super meh all around.

I skimmed to the end and nothing else much happens after I quit, so I’m not all that heartbroken. I’m convinced I read a different version than a lot of my GR friends that raved about it, because I really don’t think this was a me thing like I sometimes do when I’m in the minority. It just wasn’t up to par along with some of Ms. Halle’s other works.

The curse of the cutesy illustrated cover hits again!

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piper is a second grade schoolteacher and caregiver for her mentally ill mother, Harrison is the PPO (that’s personal protection officer) for ….



Well, a fictional equivalent.

To be 100% honest, I wasn't sure I would like this and so I sort of avoided it like the plague after receiving an advanced copy. I'm just not into the whole "royal" thing. The good news is this isn't really about the royals at all. They're basically the neighbors that ocassionally have Piper and her mom over for dinner. The real meat and potatoes (or poutine hyuck hyuck) is between Piper and Harrison. I guess technically this would fall under the enemies to lovers trope, but it was less like true hatred for each other and more that they were inconveniences in each other's lives.

This book does several things right. First, it jumped on the royal fever before it became too tired of a trope. Second, it tackles mental illness in the way I like best - with kid gloves and not a whole lot of detail for the trolls to pick apart. And most importantly it reminds us that ….

It's okay to read about sex. It's okay to have a book that's focused on both people falling in love and the woman's own pleasure. The genre has a lot of stigma attached to it, but only because some people are afraid of women's empowerment and sexuality.

Amen. It's okay to read whatever the eff you want. Like romance? Read it! Like young adult, but you're a geezer? Who gives a poop - read it! Like the stabby stuff that might make your friends question your sanity??? Find new friends and read it!!! All reading is good - just read. And thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

[alka · Rating 2 out of 5]

YAWN.

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 'You transfix me' Stars!
ARC provided by the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Karina Halle is one of my unicorn authors so you can imagine my excitement when she announced she was publishing a new novel with Berkley Romance and that it was all about royals. Not only is it about royals escaping their reality for a while and two opposites falling in love with each other, it’s also about a heroine and her mother who both are dealing with mental illness. This is a topic that I think needs to be talked about more and Karina does a wonderful job with it. You’ll love Piper and her magic love story with Harrison!

So, The Royals Next Door is Karina’s upcoming standalone release and her first novel published by Berkley. It’s about Piper Evans, a schoolteacher living in a remote island where people still think she doesn’t belong. Piper is also taking care of her mother (who has DPD and BPD) and she is an avid romance reader and podcaster. Enter Harrison Cole. Harrison is the royals’ main bodyguard and Piper’s new neighbor. He doesn’t like having her around much but that starts to change when they start really getting to know each other. Will these two polar opposites find happiness together?

“I know you keep me on my toes.”
“I annoy you,” I tell him. “There’s a difference.”
“You don’t annoy me,” he says. “You... transfix me.”

This is so different from what we are used to from Karina Halle. And that is a good thing! I am a big fan of hers and I am so excited she decided to dip her toes in this new troupe. Karina is mostly known for very steamy contemporary and paranormal romance and now she is bringing her slow burn romcom game with The Royals Next Door. I think she did a very good job and gave us unique characters and a beautiful love story. Moreover, she added the mental illness theme and I think that is very, very important. Many people suffer from mental illnesses and it’s not normalized, neither in society nor in books. Piper, her mother and even Harrison are dealing with some type of issue and Karina developed it in the story very well. And can we talk about how adorable this couple was? OMG, I loved them together and I am so happy they found their HEA!

“If you know how amazing you are, the world will be a better place.”
Where did I find this man again?
Oh right. The royals next door.

Therefore, I am rating The Royals Next Door with 4 STARS because it was a sweet delicious treat, a summer romance perfect for any moment and with a crew of characters that will steal your heart! Karina did a wonderful job with this new troupe and dipping her toes in mid-steam romance and also dealing with unusual themes like mental illnesses. I loved Piper and Harrison together, I loved Piper’s relationship with her mother and all the interactions with the rest of secondary characters, especially the royals. I cannot wait to see if Karina releases more titles with Berkley because I will surely check them out!

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[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Royals Next Door was a cute book! It didn't wow me, but I had such a good time reading it. You know I'm a sucker for romance books with bodyguard trope + grumpy/sunshine. This has it! And it delivered tbh. The tropes made me go all swoony inside.

When royalty moves next door, Piper's life fully changes. She's a schoolteacher, kinda hermit and a romance podcaster, but now she has actual royalty living next door! With them comes a broody, grumpy annoyed-at-her bodyguard, Harrison.

For the most part their relationship had to be a secret, because the media, the consequences to the royals, and her mother's wellbeing. But everyone knows immediately these two have something going on lmao. I just needed a little something more, more high stakes between them, because there are a lot of empty spaces between their scenes where they don't meet for a bit and you're wondering how can they fall so fast when they haven't spent that much time together lol.

Also idk why but I find it kinda ehh to use the inspiration of Meghan Markle to write a book about two white people. It's just me! Maybe many people don't see it that way but idk why I do...

Overall, this book is cute and I recommend it if you want a royals, bodyguard, annoying at first sight, grumpy/sunshine, soft for her only romance.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was no putting this book down for me, it was such a fun read. I was completely enamored by Piper's budding relationship with Harrison. This romance really ends up getting pretty steamy♨️ .

[Victoria Pewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO CUTE BODYGUARD ROMANCE AHHH

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this book captivated me and I knew I wanted to read it. It is also so much fun to read a book with royals living next door. Although the romance is between Piper and Harrison (the main bodyguard), it was a still a treat to see the relationships growing between the two houses in different ways. There is baking in the story (bread, cake, and pie) which is also a plus for me. The subject of community and how to welcome newcomers is brought into focus. Finally, Karina Halle includes characters struggling with mental health disorders and trauma from the past. As she points out in her Author's Note, the more we talk and read about people who have some of the same struggles we do, the sting of the stigma becomes less and less. This is my first book by the author and there are some pretty steamy scenes that were more open door than I prefer in my reading. If you like a higher level of spice along with other elements I have pointed out, then you will really enjoy this one.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Helen Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute and fun summer read. I love the grumpy/sunshine trope, and while Harrison isn’t quite grumpy, he’s so “professional” in his bodyguard role that he rarely even smiles. This a light and sweet book, with some funny moments and a few important messages thrown into the mix. While I didn’t fall in love with it like I did with the other book I’ve read by Karina Halle (a dark paranormal romance called Black Sunshine), I definitely couldn’t put it down!
I also want to add that I loved the way that Karina Halle doesn’t shy away from depicting neurodiversity and mental illness in this book, and I greatly appreciated the afterward, where she shares where she’s coming from.
POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2022: This book fulfills the "A book that takes place during your favorite season" category.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ✨

[Basic B's Guide · Rating 5 out of 5]

August was an amazing month for new books and especially in the #romancebook department. I read an earc of THE ROYALS NEXT DOOR (thanks to @berkleyromance + @netgalley ) on my way home from the lake and absolutely fell in love with it. Five weeks later and I’m still swooning over Harrison. 😍⁣
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You don’t have to be a 👑 fan to love this story but the Royals are definitely reminiscent of Meghan and Harry. Nonetheless, the focus is not on the Royals but Piper (the girl next door). Piper is a school teacher with a secret! No one knows but she is an avid #romancereader and hosts her own podcast. She lives a quiet life with her Mother on a small island. Things take a turn when the Royals decide they’d like to move in next door and thus enters the incredibly sexy and oh so serious bodyguard - Harrison.⁣
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This quest for #happilyeverafter has everything I look for in a #contemporaryromance . It reminds us to put ourselves out there and that we deserve to be with someone who makes us feel good, safe and confident in ourselves.⁣
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If I could put this in all of your hands I would. Highly recommend bumping this up your #tbrpile .⁣

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this in one sitting at the beach <3 it’s the perfect summer read and it has a forbidden romance between a teacher and a bodyguard!!

3.5 stars

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piper + Harrison

Piper has been living on Salt Spring Island near Vancouver with her mom for five years now. She's a second grade teacher and a secret romance book pod caster.
Harrison is a royal bodyguard. He arrived with the Prince and his wife from England. And since Piper and her mom live in a little house which used to be the servant quarters of this huge mansion ... the Royals are our new neighbors.

LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN .... ☺

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Adorable!
First of all the cover! So pretty! I just love that.
And then the location! I've been to Vancouver Island many years ago and I just love this area.
And then the story. A bit of a cinderella-ish love story. Just too cute!
Piper is so sweet and a bit klutzy and Harrison is so typically British! They are so perfect for each other - but of course it might take a tiny while for them to realize that we're waiting for that Happily Ever After!

This book was funny and sparky and sexy and full of nature and island life. And of course we also have our problems... jealous gossip idiots and the paparazzi and Piper's mom's health problems and of course the fact that Harrison needs to go back to England one day soon. But I just loved reading this.
I wouldn't mind seeing it on Netflix one day!

THE ROYALS NEXT DOOR was an adorable + funny + sparky love story. I loved reading this! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Harrison - this one is MINE!


💜 💜