A Royal Farce

Retail to Riches #1

by Laura Heffernan

Lila's got soul-crushing debt. Pierre needs a wife. Maybe they can help each other.
Once she finishes these renovations, Lila can finally sell the money pit she'd been living in and get back on her feet. But on box store wages, that'll take decades. Then her friend Pierre proposes the perfect solution.
Pierre needs a green card. If Lila marries him, he'll pay to create her dream home. Win-win, right? One who is going to believe the gorgeous, brilliant investment banker fell for plain little Lila? Everyone, if the two of them have any say in it.
Not even their closest friends or family can suspect the truth. Lila fakes the walk of shame [I don't know what the walk of fame is, might need an explanation], feigns total surprise at Pierre's staged public proposal, and plans their wedding with a single-minded determination rivaled only by her pet Yorkie begging for treats.
Their staged relationship is so perfect, Lila starts to believe it's real. Then Pierre's brother drops a they are royalty, princes in a tiny island nation, and Lila isn't princess material. Now, instead of studs and sandpaper, Lila finds herself worrying about titles and tiaras. Will Lila get her happily ever after, or will her prince decide she's not so charming after all?
---- "Heffernan has a way with the back-and-forth banter that I love to read between characters, and what I really like is when the protagonist discovers new things about themselves that really creates the character evolution I hold so dear to my heart." - Sara, Chick Lit Central
"The writing is wonderful and I was totally entranced by the words on the page. I flew through this book. I loved the relationship between Lila and Pierre. Who wouldn't want one of their best friends to become their prince charming, in every way?" - Susan, The Book Bag

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Royalty, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

524 pages, Paperback

Published November 16, 2021

About the author

Laura Heffernan once broke up with her now-husband during a board game after realizing that he was ahead 96-3. She hasn't played that particular game since. Her best friend still talks about the Great Uno Card Throwing Incident of 2003. Yet, somehow, Laura insists that she is incredibly gracious whether winning or losing. She lives in the northeast with her husband, new baby, and two furry little beasts.

Laura loves connecting with readers. Find her on her website, www.lauraheffernan.com, Facebook, www.facebook.com/lauraheffernanbooks, or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LH_writes, where she spends far too much time tweeting about reality TV and Canadian chocolate.

Reviews

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cute and I did enjoy most of it but I think there was probably one too many misunderstandings/not letting the other character explain a situation for me to really love this.

3/5 stars

[Jo - •.★Reading Is My Bliss★.• · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lila has been friends with Pierre for a couple of years now since he moved in next door. He has a gorgeous accent, is very good looking and they have developed a wonderful friendship. They often hang out together to binge watch their favourite shows and have a really easy presence around each other.

Lila has recently bought the apartment above her with her brother, who promised her it would be a great investment for them to renovate together. He then left her to deal with it all on her own. She doesn’t have a money tree in the backyard so she is trying to do all the work herself, which so far is having mixed results for her.

When Pierre pops over one day to ask her a favour she is completely blindsided when he asks her to marry him. Okay, I should explain that Lila has been crushing on Pierre ever since they first met but was really careful about hiding those feelings from him. She values their friendship and feared that telling him how she felt would ruin what they already have.

Having Pierre propose is on one hand a dream come true and on the other disappointing. He is looking at it from a practical point of view, he needs a green card and she needs help with her renovation. Pierre has the financial means to help her so they both win right? However, this is not how Lila imagined a proposal and marriage would be. First would be dating for a while and then falling in love. Despite all of these doubts, Lila accepts his proposal and things begin to move really fast.

Lila was in college but left to work at a big department store until she can work out what she wants to do in the future. Pierre is a very successful investment banker who loves living in the US and wants to make it a permanent thing now. What Lila doesn’t know is that Pierre is withholding some quite important information about himself, something that could change everything for them.

If you enjoy the hugely popular royal romance genre then you will enjoy this :) The girl next door (literally) who gets swept up by a handsome prince and they live happily ever after, well that’s the fairytale version anyway. Laura is a ‘new to me’ author and I really enjoyed her writing style. It looks like this will be the first story in a Retail to Riches series so plenty more like this to come.

[Tracie Banister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This clever and highly entertaining book boasts a veritable treasure trove of tropes that RomCom fans will enjoy: royal romance, friends-to-lovers, and fake relationship. A Royal Farce’s Cinderella is poor, beleaguered Lila who can’t seem to catch a break. Her family is unsupportive and often unkind and her shiftless brother has abandoned her to deal with the costly renovation of a property that was supposed to be a joint project. Things aren’t any better at Lila’s day job where her boss royally (ha!) screws her over to save her own neck. The only bright spot in Lila’s life is her friendship with her dreamy neighbor Pierre whom she’s secretly in love with. When he proposes a marriage of convenience that would keep him in the country and solve her financial woes, how can a girl say no even when she might be setting herself up for heartbreak?

Lila is a long-suffering sweetheart who’s very easy to root for, and it was nice to see her relationship with Pierre develop in an organic and swoony way. In the midst of wedding planning, she’s thrown for a loop when she discovers her fiancé’s royal lineage and has to deal with his supercilious brother who doesn’t think she’s worthy of a crown. Sidenote: Henri is definitely the villain of this piece and does some truly reprehensible things, but he has layers and is so well-written that I found him quite fascinating and look forward to seeing more of him in future books!

How Lila and Pierre deal with the many obstacles they encounter on their road to happily ever after make this book a compelling and engrossing read! Kudos to the author for creating some truly memorable characters and a world I was delighted to get lost in.

[Megan (sporadic hiatus due to law school) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book and am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

I loved A Royal Farce! It had strong characters, a great plot, and the inevitable confrontation/twist moment that really dug that knife in and hurt. In a good way, of course. It meant I was so attached and connected to the story and the characters to the point where their pain affected me.

The only thing that I didn't like that caused me to rate it 4 stars instead of 5 was because Pierre didn't tell Lila that he was a prince, which I get why story-line-why, but he honestly should have, and because in the epilogue, her father told Lila he and her mother were so hard on Lila and her sister, Hannah, and treated their awful brother like the was the Golden Child because he was sensitive and needed the push. That felt so fake, especially because it was right after he found out she was marrying a prince and one of the reasons he was proud of her was because she was marrying a prince. Sounds like the parents want some gold.

I understand the author was trying to make Lila have the perfect happy ending, but it would have made more sense and felt truer to the characters if her dad didn't explain anything. That, or there should have been more character development showing her parents changing or moments where they were tough on her and looking sad or upset to prove they felt that way from the beginning.

I wanted more of Madison and her law and Hannah with her hacking, but I truly enjoyed A Royal Farce, and it's one of those that I'd read again.

[Book Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute!!! I had a hard time putting it down!! I loved Lila so much, she is so real and someone so many could relate too. Then she the guy she’s had a major crush on for two years asks her to marry him, because he’s losing his work visa and doesn’t want to leave the country, and wants to apply for citizenship once he’s worked there long enough. Pierre is so charming and sweet. I got frustrated with both of them for being dumb a few times, but they were just being human. I loved them as a couple so much!! I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance/romcom with royalty involved.

[SOMDReigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Royal Farce is a fun, witty romantic comedy. A proposal of a marriage of convenience. There are many sweet, laugh out loud, an “oh no” moments throughout. Wonderful banter and I loved all the quirky characters. Lots of secrets and family dynamics.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her secret crush has asked to marry him - so he can get a green card. What's a girl to do?

The romance genre usually isn't my thing, but this story was sweet though maybe a shade predictable. It was also fun and well-written. I could get addicted.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. This book had a lot of promise at the beginning (despite multiple typos), but it was too woke and the climax was incredibly anticlimactic. The male lead was not well written; he seemed flat and boring. He seems completely disinterested in the protagonist and then surprise! He’s loved her all along. I wanted to quit this book, but I kept hoping it would get better. I choked down the last 20% and was grateful when it was over. Might be harsh, but it was not a good book.

[Dev · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf. I just can’t get over the fact that Lila doesn’t behave like a rational, sane, adult woman when Pierre throws hint after hint that he is not who he says he is. Case in point, she finds out that he’s a prince from his “bad guy” brother, runs away, finally Google’s not only his country’s royal family, but the country itself that Pierre is from (which SHOULD have been done before accepting his proposal), and then asks him “Are we going to live in a castle?” when she sees him again…acting like this man wasn’t just exposed for being a liar. This right here, this question posed at 70% in the book, made me quit. Like, girl, this man has lied to you for over 2 years about who he is, shuts you down RUDELY every damn time you try to ask him a personal question, and you don’t even think to google him or, I don’t know, perhaps take breath and just rationally think about what you’re getting yourself into…actually what HE’S getting you into. His hair and accent completely distract her from seeing the million and one clues that all is not as it seems. It’s like freaking Twilight all over again. We are grown now…we know better. This book could have been a cute, quick romance, but it’s not. It’s an unintentional guide of how not to act when a man lies to you.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too woke!

At first, I really enjoyed the story line, but as the book progressed, it became more about politics, and being "woke" ! Not only will I never purchase another one of her books, I plan to tell all my fellow readers that the writer has grand delusions, that she writes about in her books, as though they are actually true! Her books are for deluded liberals, only!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off great, but inserting political views that are very one sided completely turned me off. This book could have been so much better if they didn’t think Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was someone to look up to. Yuck.
An obviously completely woke author. Talking about free health care for everyone. Just stick to the romance and leave politics out of it.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boston-based investment banker (and secret prince) Pierre Leon's mother wants him back in his home country of Corchenne, so she's called in favors to ensure that his work visa won't be renewed when it expires at the end of the year. Hoping to stay in the U.S. permanently, Pierre proposes a marriage of convenience to friend and neighbor Lila Sinclair so that he can get his green card. Law school dropout Lila has been struggling ever since her brother talked her into buying an investment property together and then moved to Brazil with his pregnant girlfriend, leaving Lila with the entirety of the mortgage and a hefty bill for renovations. When Pierre offers to pay for the renovations in exchange for helping him, Lila can't afford to refuse - even though she's had a crush on him since the day they met and worries that she'll come out of the arrangement with a broken heart. Everything seems to be going smoothly as their wedding day approaches until Pierre's older brother surprises them with a visit and informs Lila of her fiance's royal status. Can Lila forgive Pierre for withholding the truth from her and convince his family that she's a suitable bride for a prince?

I made the mistake of starting this book late in the evening and enjoyed it so much that I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it in one sitting. Pierre and Lila were a cute, fun couple, whether they were bantering while watching one of the horror movies they both loved or starting a food fight while learning to make sushi. Lila managed to get herself into so many awkward (but funny) situations, and I couldn't help laughing at her antics. I also empathized with her struggles to figure out a career path after dropping out of law school. As for Pierre, while I wish he hadn't been quite so secretive with Lila about his royal background, I understood his desire to build a life for himself outside the spotlight and away from his family's influence. No one should be forced to live in a fishbowl just because of an accident of birth.

I highly recommend "A Royal Farce" for all fans of sweet contemporary romance, royal romance, and romantic comedy and look forward to the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

Lila had a tiny bit of a crush on Pierre when she first noticed him in her apartment building, but never thought anything could ever come from it. He’d been dating a model at the time, which sets the stage for the type of women she felt he would go for. Namely, not someone like her. But friendship-wise, they connect in so many ways, so how could she say no when he proposes marriage in order to keep him in the country?

From the get go, I wondered what would happen over time for Lila and Pierre. It’s hard to hold back on the feelings you might have for someone, and even harder when you don’t think the feelings will ever be reciprocated. And in so many moments, she waits to hear some sort of recognition of that, yet over and over, it never happens. I appreciated the struggle we get to see within Lila; she wants to help her friend, yet at the same time, she’s trying to preserve her heart.

The bombshell comes at a great moment in the story, when Lila discovers that Pierre hasn’t been who he said he is, preferring to keep her in the dark. And Pierre’s brother Henri is a piece of work! I’m not sure why, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he could be in the second installment in the Retail to Riches series. No matter who we’ll get to discover next-- I’ll definitely read it! Heffernan has a way with the back-and-forth banter that I love to read between characters, and what I really like is when the protagonist discovers new things about themselves that really creates the character evolution I hold so dear to my heart. Maybe she'll let herself fall for Pierre, or maybe she won't. But ultimately, it will be on her terms. This really was a sweet, funny, five-star experience!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pierre and Lila's Story . . .

Lila and Pierre have a rough road to travel in their attempt to make things right for each other. Lila’s brother dumped a renovation project on her to deal with alone. It costs a fortune to finish this project and she is not sure how she will manage. Then her investment banker friend and neighbor, Pierre, comes to her to ask a favor. He needs a green card. If Lila will agree to marry him, he will pay for the work on her project. That should solve problems for the both of them. And actually, she really does love him, so this is perfect for her.

They begin setting up to convince everyone that this is real. But when Pierre's brother arrives, she finds out that the brothers are royal princes to a tiny island nation. Pierre is actually Prince Pierre Louis de León II. And Henri doesn’t think Lila is worthy to be a princess. Worse yet, Henri has an evil plan to make sure that never happens. Will Pierre change his mind about marrying her, or will he find out the truth of what is being manipulated behind his back? Will Pierre and Lila finally get the HEA that seems to fly away every time they reach for it?

[Narci · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment I opened this book I was absolutely smitten with Lila and Pierre. I adore Lila, her quirky, happy, sweet, carrying, nature sweeps you in. I loved how clumsy, prideful and hard-working Lila is in this story, how easy she is to love. I especially loved how she swooned each time Pierre was around but had to put up a brave face and hide her true emotions, that's not an easy thing to do. I love that Lila wanted to help her friend who happens to be the guy she's been crushing on since he moved next door. I can understand and relate to how Lila feels about protecting her heart while trying to portray a loving couple. Lila has to deal with so many issues, terrible job, abandonment from her brother, parents constant comparing, renovate a property she can't afford to renovate and pretend to be a fake fiancé. Pierre is a wealthy, sweet, very reserved guy who thinks the world of Lila and is desperate to become a USA Citizen. This story is about two people who agree to a fake engagement to help each other out. Things don't always turn out how you plan for them, especially when the heart is involved. I absolutely love this story.

[Jennifer PugRunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Royal Farce was a super fun romp through a fairy tale come true. The first book in the Retail to Riches series, author Laura Heffernan promises plenty of fun in future installments.

Down to earth, girl next door heroine Lila harbors a secret crush on her handsome, wealthy, mysterious friend, Pierre. When he asks her to marry him, to help him stay in the country AND escape the shadow of his overbearing family, she doesn’t take long to agree.

He begins the process of sweeping her off her feet, while she struggles to keep both those feet squarely on the ground. Of course, as she works to keep from having her heart broken, she learns that Pierre is keeping some of his own secrets… and Lila may not be prepared for what happens next.

You’ll have to read to unravel those secrets, but it’s the perfect season for a lighthearted, well written romance. This installment ends on just the right note to segue into the second in the series, and while it’s a quick read, A Royal Farce is charming and entertaining. Definitely worth a read.

[Diane Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My dream question-popping probably didn’t involve being covered in construction dust and the word ‘felony.’” Lila is up to her eyeballs in student debt and the home renovation project her brother had bamboozled her into undertaking. Pierre’s work visa is expiring. Marrying each other could solve all of their problems. Instead, they inherit a host of new ones.

Much of the book’s tension builds from the actions of their family members, people who have failed to support them throughout their lives. Thankfully, Lila and Pierre have chosen families—best friends and housemates—who are at the ready to help when things get tricky.

Lila and Pierre are easy to fall for, and their reasons to resist falling for each other despite how perfect they are together remain plausible through each twist and turn in the story. “A Royal Farce” is a delightful mashup of the fake relationship and the romance between a royal and a commoner tropes. Add in a friends-to-lover plot line (they’re next-door neighbors!) plus lots of wit and heart, and you have a fun, heart-warming read.

[literaliaddicted - Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Royal Farce was SUCH an unexpected fun read! It had me laughing out loud from the first chapter and I never stopped throughout the rest of the book! It was the perfect mix of humorous, heartwarming, and modern - everything I want in my fairytales!

When I finished, I tried sooo hard to find something I didn't like and I stumped myself with that question! I love a good fake fiance trope and Laura Heffernan executed it flawlessly. I wholeheartedly rooted for Lila and Pierre as I laughed along to their story. The side characters - both their best friends, Pierre's terrible brother, Q - all added to the story in some way and helped with the character development of the main characters. I adored how committed to being a good friend Lila was and it set up for some excellent growth.

I highly recommend this book if you're look for a fun romcom! It was far more than I expected going into it and I've already recommended it to all my romance loving friends.

One small thing that Laura did incredibly well was include pronouns in dialogue between characters - it's still not done very often in fiction and definitely not in romance. So I was really excited that she chose to write it in. It felt natural, which is exactly how it should come across!

I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Vi Bakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written sweet romance

Author Laura Heffernan’s book “A Royal Farce” is a great relaxing read for the weekend or the beach. I enjoyed the book because it was well written with well developed characters that I instantly found myself liking and rooting for: especially Lila the main character. It was refreshing because it is void of raunchy useless sex scenes and puts a twist on a plot I thought would be predictable and boring. I was pleasantly surprised that It was funny, romantic, hope inspiring, and just generally a great read. I was drawn in almost instantly and that allowed me to transport into Lila’s world and escape my own reality for a bit. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to believe in traditional fairy tale romances again. The book is full of characters and situations that we can all relate to, but with the assurance that unlike real life, a happy ending is possible. I very much enjoyed this book!

[Imfullybooked2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This read is full of cheeky, quirky, hilarious, sweet, cute, heartwarming and of course swoony moments and a bit of a mystery and many juicy secrets & discoveries. And tons of hilarious cheeky banters. This book is full of quirky fun characters. It's such an entertaining read. It gets more and more intriguing and exciting as you read on. 

 Lila and Pierres relationship is so flirty and playful. Is it all Fake!? You have to read this entertaining read yourself. You will be intrigued by all the secrets and discoveries. I have tons of favorite scenes it's hard to chose one. 

I think one of the most hilarious scene is when Lila and Pierre met up with the wedding coordinator. You will lol with tears. I really enjoyed this read from beginning til the end! You will be hooked. It's another that needs to be read 2x or more.

[Nichole L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book! The characters were all fantastic and very well developed.
Lila was an intelligent, kind woman who worked hard despite a few financial bumps along the way. Her friend Madison made me wish for a best friend like her. And her sister was a wonderful quirky woman.
Pierre was kind and entertaining, a little quirky himself with his obsession with his privacy. His roommate and roommate’s partner were fun and great friends to both Lila and Pierre. They didn’t have huge roles but they made the most of them.
Lila and Pierre’s relationship developed in a realistic way if not the most realistic or romantic.
I would absolutely recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Laura Heffernan’s books. Full disclosure, I received this book as an ARC, but my review is completely honest and voluntary

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from a promotion, so I’m glad I read it. The book was great. It had all the elements of a great book…..good characters, humor, and a handsome wealthy man. This book was one I didn’t want to put down. The main character, Lila, is hilarious and yet so real. The drop-dead gorgeous man, Pierre, is the one everyone wants. The book's concept is that Lila is in a lot of debt and Pierre has all the money you need. They would make the perfect couple since they have been friends for several years. So it was a win-win for both to have a fake engagement. Going through the next few months of this fake engagement with Lila was fun and hilarious. The engagement was on and off with Pierre having a big secret and when the secret is out, it changes everything. I highly recommend this book and I look forward to more reads from this author.

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was so much more than I was expecting. Sure, a sweet little rom-com, a story going down the path that you expect all rom-coms to go. But there was so much more here. It was funny and sweet with amazing characters that you just wanted to root for. And then there was a bit of drama thrown in for good measure.

The writing is wonderful and I was totally entranced by the words on the page. I flew through this book. I loved the relationship between Lila and Pierre. Who wouldn't want one of their best friends to become their prince charming, in every way?

I thoroughly enjoyed A Royal Farce and recommend it for a fun, entertaining time. And.... book #2, A Royal Pain, is coming out next summer. I can't wait to read more about this great couple's lives.

[Carly Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lila is an intelligent law school dropout working for a large box chain store because she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. It's definitely not law. When her super cute neighbor/friend asks her to commit a felony and marry him, she has no idea what she's getting herself into (except it's illegal), but she says yes. So I don't give any spoilers, let's just say she finds out secrets about him that would blow anyone's mind.

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. It's laugh out loud funny and well-written with dimensional, diverse characters. A wonderful addition to anyone's library!!

[Tinkerbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, it was great to read a romcom where the author wasn't afraid to drop facts like Marjorie Taylor Green is terrible. You don't usually find that in this genre, but the female lead wanted to make the world better, so I guess we needed some examples of who not to be like. The story was also engaging and cute. I especially liked the beginning, but some of the things at the end were strange or off-putting or unmotivated. Like the way the ML acted toward the FL at the end was almost a deal breaker for me. But, all's well that ends well I suppose. I really had no issues for like 80% of the book.

[Vanda O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never knew marriage of convenience was something that could make me laugh out loud, but this one did.
Lila and Pierre are just the best. And the people they surround themselves with just add to the hilarity of this book.
There were a few moments I just wanted to give them a shove, but I really enjoyed the plot and I read it in one go.
Delightful read and it left me feeling good and with a smile on my face.
Definitely recommend it.
I received a free ARC copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

[E.T. Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was cute. I liked the friends to lovers, though there was a little miscommunication. That was pretty quickly resolved, though, which I did like. Her parents were a bit ridiculous and her “making up” with then seemed a little rushed and like her acceptance with their sometimes rude remarks didn’t exactly seem like something she was do so easily, but other than that, it was all good. I especially liked Pierre and Lila getting to know each other better and slowly coming to love one another.

[Rubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed me and didn't let go.
I've never read a book by this author but I want to now.
Lila and Pierre have been best friends for years even though Lila has secretly had a crush since they met. You could feel the connection between the two right away and I loved that. They fit together so perfectly.
This book combines the perfect mix of friends-to-lovers, romcom, fake relationship and royal romance and I am here for it!
I want more!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun and light read that is a solid entry in the romance genre. I enjoyed the premise and the story moved pretty quickly. I am not a huge fan of the romance genre's tendency to base everything on a lack of communication and silly assumptions made by the protagonists, but in this case, it was toned down which made this even that much more enjoyable.

I'll pick up the next book in this series.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enjoyable!!

This book was a funny, sweet, romantic read. Parts of it were predictable (I mean obviously the title gave it away from the start that he was a prince) but that didn’t take anything away from my enjoyment at all! The big blow up at the end was pretty believable but I like how it ended up resolved.
[There are quite a few typos/extra words/missing words in the text, especially the beginning. ]
But I definitely enjoyed and will read more by this author!