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Calypso Kelly
A Royal Match
Can a normal American girl really catch a prince? When LA-born Calypso Kelly arrives at the exclusive all-girls British boarding school, St. Augustine's, she's determined to become popular. But when a photo of Calypso kissing England's heir to the throne, Prince Freddie, ends up in the tabloids, it will take quick thinking to save her reputation-and her relationship with the prince. After the tabloid disaster, Calypso hopes her next term at St. Augustine's will be better. But nothing could be further from the truth. Her archenemy (and culprit of the tabloid disaster) Honey O'Hare is her new dorm mate and her invite to the Annual Euro Royal Bash is nonexistent. Will a flirtation with a hot new sports star from the boys' school ruin her chances with Prince Freddie? Calypso has some work to do if she wants to go from pumpkin to princess in time for the ball.
512 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2011
30 people are currently reading
1279 people want to read
About the author
Tyne O'Connell
29 books136 followersTyne O’Connell is a bestselling British author. Her 13 novels have been published to great acclaim by Headline UK, Bloomsbury USA & other international publishing houses.
http://edition.cnn.com/style/article/...
"An eccentric is not trying to define themselves, they're born seeking a different way," explains Tyne O'Connell, and if anyone should know, it's her. The Mayfair-based author and socialite seems to have been torn straight from the pages of an Evelyn Waugh novel; with her cut-glass accent, perma-fixed tiara and layers of pearls.
Despite recently being diagnosed with a brain tumor, O'Connell has continued to embrace the extraordinary.”
In 2015 HRH as patron of the historic Eccentrics Club awarded her the title of “Most Eccentric British Thinker” based on her research into the 17th C when Eccentricity became the quintessential aspects of the British character. Her extraordinary life has been featured in TV documentaries & feature-spreads in Vogue UK, Elle & most UK broadsheets. Cassandra Jardine in The Daily Telegraph UK wrote: “The Impossibly glamorous Tyne O’Connell’s real life is every bit as extraordinary as her fiction” ELLE UK.
Critics have described O’Connell as, “Enid Blyton of our time” comparing her bestselling boarding-school series, Pulling Princes to “an up to date Mallory Towers”. The first four books in the series are set in a fictionalised Eton College &St Mary’s Ascot near Windsor Castle and based on her three children’s experiences at boarding school & Oxford as well as her own extraordinary life in Mayfair.
Born into an Irish Catholic family, daughter of a retired spy, her favourite chore as a child was collecting eggs from the hens for sixpence writing & reading. She was told by teachers & family she would be an author from age eight. Her first bestselling book was Sex, Lies & Litigation, pub1996 Headline to rave reviews.
Shes spent all her life in Mayfair where she brought up two husbands & three children. The area is at the heart of her ancestry & many of her books. She writes about all things Mayfair for mayfaireccentrics.com, & elsewhere. Visit her at www.tyneoconnell.com & follow her on Instagram @tyneoconnell
O'Connell was educated by elderly Flemish Sacre-Coeur nuns (born in the 1870-80's) with the expectation that she would marry a diploma or Catholic aristocrat - perfectly equipping her for a world that hadn't existed since the 1930’s. It was an unusual Victorian style upbringing & by 17, she was accomplished in Le Cordon Blue, Croquet, Semaphore, Literature, Latin, Needlepoint, Flower Arrangement, Diamond Valuation, Deportment, Millinery & Embassy Dinner Seating. After school she returned
http://www.tyneoconnell.com
http://www.mayfaireccentrics.com
http://www.dandizette.com
http://edition.cnn.com/style/article/...
"An eccentric is not trying to define themselves, they're born seeking a different way," explains Tyne O'Connell, and if anyone should know, it's her. The Mayfair-based author and socialite seems to have been torn straight from the pages of an Evelyn Waugh novel; with her cut-glass accent, perma-fixed tiara and layers of pearls.
Despite recently being diagnosed with a brain tumor, O'Connell has continued to embrace the extraordinary.”
In 2015 HRH as patron of the historic Eccentrics Club awarded her the title of “Most Eccentric British Thinker” based on her research into the 17th C when Eccentricity became the quintessential aspects of the British character. Her extraordinary life has been featured in TV documentaries & feature-spreads in Vogue UK, Elle & most UK broadsheets. Cassandra Jardine in The Daily Telegraph UK wrote: “The Impossibly glamorous Tyne O’Connell’s real life is every bit as extraordinary as her fiction” ELLE UK.
Critics have described O’Connell as, “Enid Blyton of our time” comparing her bestselling boarding-school series, Pulling Princes to “an up to date Mallory Towers”. The first four books in the series are set in a fictionalised Eton College &St Mary’s Ascot near Windsor Castle and based on her three children’s experiences at boarding school & Oxford as well as her own extraordinary life in Mayfair.
Born into an Irish Catholic family, daughter of a retired spy, her favourite chore as a child was collecting eggs from the hens for sixpence writing & reading. She was told by teachers & family she would be an author from age eight. Her first bestselling book was Sex, Lies & Litigation, pub1996 Headline to rave reviews.
Shes spent all her life in Mayfair where she brought up two husbands & three children. The area is at the heart of her ancestry & many of her books. She writes about all things Mayfair for mayfaireccentrics.com, & elsewhere. Visit her at www.tyneoconnell.com & follow her on Instagram @tyneoconnell
O'Connell was educated by elderly Flemish Sacre-Coeur nuns (born in the 1870-80's) with the expectation that she would marry a diploma or Catholic aristocrat - perfectly equipping her for a world that hadn't existed since the 1930’s. It was an unusual Victorian style upbringing & by 17, she was accomplished in Le Cordon Blue, Croquet, Semaphore, Literature, Latin, Needlepoint, Flower Arrangement, Diamond Valuation, Deportment, Millinery & Embassy Dinner Seating. After school she returned
http://www.tyneoconnell.com
http://www.mayfaireccentrics.com
http://www.dandizette.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
April 22, 2011
I admit it: I’m a complete sucker for any kind of “fairy-tale” story where a complete normal girl catches the eye of the prince and they live happily ever after. Call it the “Disney” syndrome or what have you, but I remain to this day devoted to these kinds of novels. So while on my recent trip to Barnes and Noble to pick up a few books (I’m looking at you, Aimee Carter), I was distracted by the cover of A ROYAL MATCH. It was aptly placed in the “Royal Fairytale” feature shelf in the YA section, which makes me think that because of the impending Royal Wedding that our dear friends across the pond are throwing, this is a market that could be capitalized on right now. Which makes me part of that sorcery, since I DEFINITELY bought it despite seeing that it had over 500 pages!!
A ROYAL MATCH tells the story of Calypso Kelly, whose parents shipped her off to boarding school in Britain and all she wants to do is fit in with the popular crowd of girls at her school. Since St. Augustine’s is an exclusive boarding school, debutantes and well-off girls make up most of the population to where our Calypso is simply labeled the “American Freak”. Calypso is also one of the top Fencers in her school, where during a inter-school tournament she comes face to face (literally!! they fight against each other!) with none other than Prince Freddie. However, then she also meets Billy, the captain of the Fencing team for the school that both him and Freddie attend. What’s a girl to do? Take up a relationship with BOTH of them!
The Good:
- The Nuns and other staff at St. Augustine’s seriously crack me up. Having never been to boarding school myself, these characters reminded me of teachers I had back in High School.
- The fact that the name Calypso stuck in my brain, and will probably remain so for the next few weeks. I blame a song called “The Calypso Song” that plays at my work on a daily basis. Now whenever I hear it, I’ll think of this book.
The Bad:
- Every single Female Teenager Character. Seriously, all the cattiness, back-stabbing and general (excuse my French) “bitchery” made me want to gouge my eyes out. I get that women during their teenage years are especially bad but SWEET JESUS..this was a bit much.
- Very few “action” scenes. For a book that is over 500 pages, I was expecting some more interactive scenes between Freddie and Calypso, etc. It was pretty much all filler scenes and general whine and cattiness.
- Any hope for some happiness or resolvement came at the VERY END. We’re talking the last 5 pages or so. Totally my fairytale setting...that lasted 5 minutes.
- Lack of development in many characters, especially with Freddie and Billy. If you’re going to try and write in a “love triangle”, the reader obviously wants to know more about these guys!
All in all, A ROYAL MATCH was a book that I wanted to love but in the end was left wholly unsatisfied. At least it had a pretty cover and a marketing by-line that grabbed my attention.
A ROYAL MATCH tells the story of Calypso Kelly, whose parents shipped her off to boarding school in Britain and all she wants to do is fit in with the popular crowd of girls at her school. Since St. Augustine’s is an exclusive boarding school, debutantes and well-off girls make up most of the population to where our Calypso is simply labeled the “American Freak”. Calypso is also one of the top Fencers in her school, where during a inter-school tournament she comes face to face (literally!! they fight against each other!) with none other than Prince Freddie. However, then she also meets Billy, the captain of the Fencing team for the school that both him and Freddie attend. What’s a girl to do? Take up a relationship with BOTH of them!
The Good:
- The Nuns and other staff at St. Augustine’s seriously crack me up. Having never been to boarding school myself, these characters reminded me of teachers I had back in High School.
- The fact that the name Calypso stuck in my brain, and will probably remain so for the next few weeks. I blame a song called “The Calypso Song” that plays at my work on a daily basis. Now whenever I hear it, I’ll think of this book.
The Bad:
- Every single Female Teenager Character. Seriously, all the cattiness, back-stabbing and general (excuse my French) “bitchery” made me want to gouge my eyes out. I get that women during their teenage years are especially bad but SWEET JESUS..this was a bit much.
- Very few “action” scenes. For a book that is over 500 pages, I was expecting some more interactive scenes between Freddie and Calypso, etc. It was pretty much all filler scenes and general whine and cattiness.
- Any hope for some happiness or resolvement came at the VERY END. We’re talking the last 5 pages or so. Totally my fairytale setting...that lasted 5 minutes.
- Lack of development in many characters, especially with Freddie and Billy. If you’re going to try and write in a “love triangle”, the reader obviously wants to know more about these guys!
All in all, A ROYAL MATCH was a book that I wanted to love but in the end was left wholly unsatisfied. At least it had a pretty cover and a marketing by-line that grabbed my attention.
April 30, 2011
With the royal wedding a few days ago, it feels like the perfect time to post this review. A normal girl and a fit prince falling in love is the perfect companion for Kate and Prince William’s big day. Besides, I was in the mood for a fairytale romance.
It has always been a dream of mine to go to a boarding school, especially in England. Living in a dorm room with other girls, forming life long bonds, no annoying boys, and high level education make it sound like a dream come true. It is not a dream come true ffor Calypso, who is the school’s resident “American Freak.” Still, even with all the catty girls, the fact that the book takes place at a boarding school is my favorite part of the story.
The romance, however, is a little off for me. The author creates a love triangle with Calypso, Prince Freddie, and Billy. Unfortunately, Calypso has only limited encounters with the two boys. I never really felt like I actually got to know Freddie and Billy very well. They sometimes seemed interchangeable to me , which is weird because one of them is a prince.
One thing I loved were the English terms Tyne O’Connell used. There is a handy cheat sheet in the back filled with the meanings of all these English terms. I didn’t find the cheat sheet until I was finished reading, but it was a nice touch. I am starting to feel like I should take a break for afternoon tea.
A Royal Match includes the first two books of the Calypso Chronicles series. I am hoping to read the next two books. Dueling Princes and Dumping Princes so I can get to know Prince Freddie better.
RATING
4 Stars
COVER COMMENTS
The red and purple scream royal. Check out the tiara Calypso is holding. That’s some serious sparkle.
It has always been a dream of mine to go to a boarding school, especially in England. Living in a dorm room with other girls, forming life long bonds, no annoying boys, and high level education make it sound like a dream come true. It is not a dream come true ffor Calypso, who is the school’s resident “American Freak.” Still, even with all the catty girls, the fact that the book takes place at a boarding school is my favorite part of the story.
The romance, however, is a little off for me. The author creates a love triangle with Calypso, Prince Freddie, and Billy. Unfortunately, Calypso has only limited encounters with the two boys. I never really felt like I actually got to know Freddie and Billy very well. They sometimes seemed interchangeable to me , which is weird because one of them is a prince.
One thing I loved were the English terms Tyne O’Connell used. There is a handy cheat sheet in the back filled with the meanings of all these English terms. I didn’t find the cheat sheet until I was finished reading, but it was a nice touch. I am starting to feel like I should take a break for afternoon tea.
A Royal Match includes the first two books of the Calypso Chronicles series. I am hoping to read the next two books. Dueling Princes and Dumping Princes so I can get to know Prince Freddie better.
RATING
4 Stars
COVER COMMENTS
The red and purple scream royal. Check out the tiara Calypso is holding. That’s some serious sparkle.
July 13, 2011
I luvvvv this book!!! I was hooked the moment I laid eyes on it! It's about this girl from la named calypso who has been trying for years to fit in at her British boarding school. So she and her moms personal assistant ( jay her mums gay PA) pretend to be going out. He sends her letters and txts and stuff and all the girls at her school r amazed. Then she enters a complicated luv triangle between prince freddie and a rich guy. I heart these books and recommend them!!!!!! This summer I recently went to England and understood the talk much better. Make sure to read the dictionary in the bak to help decode Brit speech. I took one look at the first paragraph and was like what? Who talks like this? And j was like duh! Sooo I suggest u read this!!!
April 22, 2011
Okay. I hate to admit it but I say that almost every book I read is the best. This one may actually be it though. It's actually the two books combined so it's like 500 pages, but it was so good I read it in like 2 weeks!!
May 5, 2011
A fantastic and underapreciated book - tells the story of a geeky american girl who has a hard time fitting in at her new english boarding school - untill her encounter with the prince of england.... Hilarious, Heartwarming and deliciously jucy!
May 5, 2011
Hilarious, Fabulous, Glamorous - What more can a girl need - A prince perhaps... This book has it all - Hurrah fro Calypso!!
December 21, 2018
It's as if this novel was written by a ten-year-old girl .. The plot wasn't well-knit .. The characters were not well-developed (even for a YA book) ... I really, really, really hated reading this book !
May 5, 2016
I'm still reading this one, so I'm going to reserve judgment and may change the rating later, but as of now this is a huge disappointment for a couple of reasons -
1) I'm pretty far in this book and there hasn't been any romance between the main characters yet.
2) This is a book written by a British author, and is full of slang that I've never even heard of (despite the fact that I read British authors all the time). That's not the issue. The issue is that the main character, Calypso, is American. And she's the one who uses British slang and sentence phrasing on a constant basis. Which completely pulls me out of the story. So much so that for the first three chapters, I kept track every time Calypso said a word that no teenage American girl would ever say. I got up to 98 references in about 42 pages. You can do the math on that one. So right now I'm trying to ignore that part and to keep going in spite of the American heroine sounding exactly like her fellow British classmates.
Edited to add -
So I read the entire series, and while I had a hard time getting past the British-isms of an American character, I also had issue with the entire romance. Of which there was very little. I kept waiting to get to the actual relationship. But the series ended with the main characters apart, and the author went on to write a sequel set several years after the events of this book. Only...she fills you in on what's been happening, not what is about to happen. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and there are no further books coming out to explain what happened. I dislike feeling frustrated and not having closure.
But it's a cute look inside what it's like to go to a British boarding school.
1) I'm pretty far in this book and there hasn't been any romance between the main characters yet.
2) This is a book written by a British author, and is full of slang that I've never even heard of (despite the fact that I read British authors all the time). That's not the issue. The issue is that the main character, Calypso, is American. And she's the one who uses British slang and sentence phrasing on a constant basis. Which completely pulls me out of the story. So much so that for the first three chapters, I kept track every time Calypso said a word that no teenage American girl would ever say. I got up to 98 references in about 42 pages. You can do the math on that one. So right now I'm trying to ignore that part and to keep going in spite of the American heroine sounding exactly like her fellow British classmates.
Edited to add -
So I read the entire series, and while I had a hard time getting past the British-isms of an American character, I also had issue with the entire romance. Of which there was very little. I kept waiting to get to the actual relationship. But the series ended with the main characters apart, and the author went on to write a sequel set several years after the events of this book. Only...she fills you in on what's been happening, not what is about to happen. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and there are no further books coming out to explain what happened. I dislike feeling frustrated and not having closure.
But it's a cute look inside what it's like to go to a British boarding school.
June 14, 2011
If you were hit by Royal wedding fever this year and you have recurring dreams of meeting a handsome Prince then this is the book for you! It's a perfect fairytale romance set in an all girls boarding school featuring hot guys, crazy nuns and plenty of kissing.
This volume actually consists of two books: Pulling Princes and Stealing Princes which were originally published as separate titles. They've been combined here and republished as 'A Royal Match' with a very attractive cover that had been catching my eye every time I went into my local bookstore.
I love stories set in boarding schools and this one was no exception. Calypso Kelly, our heroine, is sent to Saint Augustines in England after her American parents decide that she must have the best education that money can buy. Of course, they have no idea about the trials and tribulations that Calypso has to face on a daily basis such as sharing a room with spoilt rich girls who consider her beneath them because she doesn't come from a long line of lords and ladies. She does however have plenty of fun too; sneaking out at night, meeting boys and indulging her love of fencing.
Plus kissing...oh yes, there's lots of kissing!
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun and entertaining read with a sassy, amusing heroine who I loved. The ongoing romantic saga between Calypso and her two boy crushes, Billy and second-in-line to the throne Freddie was my favourite part of the story. I mean what's a girl to do when she has a gorgeous Prince to date!
This volume actually consists of two books: Pulling Princes and Stealing Princes which were originally published as separate titles. They've been combined here and republished as 'A Royal Match' with a very attractive cover that had been catching my eye every time I went into my local bookstore.
I love stories set in boarding schools and this one was no exception. Calypso Kelly, our heroine, is sent to Saint Augustines in England after her American parents decide that she must have the best education that money can buy. Of course, they have no idea about the trials and tribulations that Calypso has to face on a daily basis such as sharing a room with spoilt rich girls who consider her beneath them because she doesn't come from a long line of lords and ladies. She does however have plenty of fun too; sneaking out at night, meeting boys and indulging her love of fencing.
Plus kissing...oh yes, there's lots of kissing!
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun and entertaining read with a sassy, amusing heroine who I loved. The ongoing romantic saga between Calypso and her two boy crushes, Billy and second-in-line to the throne Freddie was my favourite part of the story. I mean what's a girl to do when she has a gorgeous Prince to date!
June 29, 2013
Ooookay. That was... a bit... well let me explain.
The first part, "Pulling Princes" was just a typical story of girl and boy or commoner and prince. At the start it sort of reminded me of Will and Kate with the school thing and everything. It was good. It was the typical story but also still interesting.
"Stealing Princes", the second story however was a bit messed up. I was sooo annoyed of Calypso because she kept making stupid mistakes. And I was annoyed at the author because I had no idea what the hell was going on. But at the end it all added up. (I knew it was her... again.) And it ended up a happily ever after. I just wanted Calypso to explain everything to Portia instead of just summing it up because how are you going to forgive if you don't fully understand the situation, right?
I also think that the author should've made the characters a couple of years older. maybe if they were 16 at "Pulling Princes" and 17 at "Stealing Princes" it would've been better since I don't think their situation would apply to 14/15. I am 14 and from what I know, none of the people in my year smoke or drink vodka. And I'm pretty sure that next year people wouldn't be starting to take drugs. But then again I'm not British so their situation might be different. But I still doubt it.
All in all, a wonderful book. I can't wait to read the next book with the next 2 stories! I seriously need to know what is happening between the couples! (not telling who... :P!)
The first part, "Pulling Princes" was just a typical story of girl and boy or commoner and prince. At the start it sort of reminded me of Will and Kate with the school thing and everything. It was good. It was the typical story but also still interesting.
"Stealing Princes", the second story however was a bit messed up. I was sooo annoyed of Calypso because she kept making stupid mistakes. And I was annoyed at the author because I had no idea what the hell was going on. But at the end it all added up. (I knew it was her... again.) And it ended up a happily ever after. I just wanted Calypso to explain everything to Portia instead of just summing it up because how are you going to forgive if you don't fully understand the situation, right?
I also think that the author should've made the characters a couple of years older. maybe if they were 16 at "Pulling Princes" and 17 at "Stealing Princes" it would've been better since I don't think their situation would apply to 14/15. I am 14 and from what I know, none of the people in my year smoke or drink vodka. And I'm pretty sure that next year people wouldn't be starting to take drugs. But then again I'm not British so their situation might be different. But I still doubt it.
All in all, a wonderful book. I can't wait to read the next book with the next 2 stories! I seriously need to know what is happening between the couples! (not telling who... :P!)
November 13, 2014
Review posted on Alexa Loves Books
This book was a quick, charming read that I breezed through in about four hours. It combined many of my favorite elements - London, British culture, boarding school, pranks and other hijinks, fun female characters and swoon-worthy male characters - so it's really not a surprise that I genuinely enjoyed it.
It was really a whole lot of fun to read about the crazy things that Calypso, Star, Georgina and their other friends got up to at St. Augustine's (although I didn't really personally approve of all the focus on pulling boys, drinking and drugs). It's always cool to read about the shenanigans that a group of friends get up to, because it always serves to remind me of the joys of having such a tight-knit group of friends.
As for the romance bit, well, there are only a few very notable encounters with the boys in question in the novel, which I thought was a bit of a waste. However, I do think I got a good read on part of their characters and so, I can safely say that I have a soft spot for both Freddie and Billy.
It was a light read, a deliciously funny and entertaining one at that, and I really liked it.
This book was a quick, charming read that I breezed through in about four hours. It combined many of my favorite elements - London, British culture, boarding school, pranks and other hijinks, fun female characters and swoon-worthy male characters - so it's really not a surprise that I genuinely enjoyed it.
It was really a whole lot of fun to read about the crazy things that Calypso, Star, Georgina and their other friends got up to at St. Augustine's (although I didn't really personally approve of all the focus on pulling boys, drinking and drugs). It's always cool to read about the shenanigans that a group of friends get up to, because it always serves to remind me of the joys of having such a tight-knit group of friends.
As for the romance bit, well, there are only a few very notable encounters with the boys in question in the novel, which I thought was a bit of a waste. However, I do think I got a good read on part of their characters and so, I can safely say that I have a soft spot for both Freddie and Billy.
It was a light read, a deliciously funny and entertaining one at that, and I really liked it.
May 5, 2011
I loved this book - it was the perfect companion for me on the royal wedding weekend - the characters are fabulous (even the hated "Honey" had me in stiches for hours!!) the setting is divine and the whole book is brimful of heartwarming teen romance - I've always been a sucker for the "fairytale romance" setting, and in my book this novel (which is actually two books rolled into 1 - VALUE!!!) completely takes the cake!
I could't help but fall in love with Calypso, her best friend Star, the teachers, nuns, boys from the nearby boys boarding school and antagonists held me captivated for hours - I cannot reccomend this book highly enough - buy it, read it, LOVE IT!!!! A surefire win 15/10!!!
I could't help but fall in love with Calypso, her best friend Star, the teachers, nuns, boys from the nearby boys boarding school and antagonists held me captivated for hours - I cannot reccomend this book highly enough - buy it, read it, LOVE IT!!!! A surefire win 15/10!!!
June 7, 2016
So I read this whole long arsed book in a day!! It was okay I guess, Calypso wasn't that cool to tell you the truth. I think I'm probably not the chic-lit type of girl. I mean I really hate hare brained, self centred and status concious girls. (in case you are wondering that's Calypso in a nut shell!) I like kick ass girls, who make their own decisions or, Kick ass I guess? Calypso was so totally boy crazy that I was amusingly irritated... Any who, I had my eye on this book for a while, so I am kind of disappointed, but it was okay...
May 5, 2011
This book is everything a girl could want - cute, funny, charming, handsome, rich - oh wait no, thats my dream man - this book is a great substitute till he comes along though!!
February 21, 2016
I remembered that I liked the first book (Pulling Princes, translated to Bahasa Indonesia) when I was in junior high. I could only vaguely recalled the storyline, apart from the main character had a very unique sporting endeavour (fencing), and, as the title suggest, she pulled the prince. So when I knew that Pulling Princes actually has sequels, and this edition combined the first and second books, I picked it up without hesitation. It seemed like a more sensible alternative than binge re-reading The Princess Diaries series for the umpteenth time, when I had the most random craving to read teen-lit at the beginning of this month.
However, I forgot a few things :
1. Younger-Vera had a questionable taste sometimes -in everything
2. I am a bit too old for this book now. Quelle horreur! It hurts me to admit this but yaah, let's face it, darling, that's true.
Calypso started off as "The American Freak" in her Catholic English boarding school, St Augustine. She did not have unlimited wealth, could only trace back her family line to Kentucky, and spoke American-ish accent everyone made fun of. She has only one friend, Star, who was considered as a member of lower caste compared to all the ladies and horrible hons that comprised the majority of St. Augustine's student body, although Star was a daughter of a famous rock star. When the tragic destiny decided that they had to share dorm room with Georgina Castle Orpington -a member of the It Girl posse of St. Augustine- Calypso and Star's school term seemed like a one way street to hell.
It was a very interesting premise, yes. Imagine intensified bullying and Calypso's struggle to find comfort in her identity and friendship, which ultimately leads to her pulling the heir of the British throne against all odds. But every attempt to build conflict was thwarted easily by mere chance. Calypso shared a dorm room with a possible It-Girl bully? Let's make them besties in no time. Calypso was shunned for years due to her American-ness? Let's make that cool overnight. We still have the actual bully who wanted to make Calypso's life miserable for no reason at all! Let's make her a faux, delusional It Girl with numerous underage plastic surgeries and insignificant existence.
I also have issues with the whole "pulling the British prince" plot. Dating the British heir of the throne is so painfully normal here. We have the expected media fiasco at the beginning of their relationship and constant mention of bodyguards everywhere, but apart from that, it's no different than dating your regular boy next door. Prince Freddie's character was not well explored, which is understandable since, coming from different boarding schools, they did not meet that often. Calypso's attraction to Freddie was also not based on personality (quite typical for early-teens). But aren't there ISSUES to be addressed? There's possibility of Freddie's parents and the rest of royal family not liking Calypso, but apparently they are the chillest royal parents ever. And then regarding Calypso being an American and a Catholic...which I thought would be major causes of objection if they were to marry in the future. Yaah, they were 14-15 years old in this book, but just in case Tyne O'Connell wants to follow Meg Cabot's step in creating an adult novel continuation of her teen series, considering I heard there's a book 5 in the making.
There were also some minor things that bugged me, i.e. Tobias, Georgina's stuffed teddy bear who was also a full-paying student of St. Augustine. If this were real life, I bet that it would be Georgina who was bullied instead of Calypso. Frankly, having your parents paying full fee for a teddy bear to attend a boarding school, and constantly referring to him like he was alive...those are much, much more freakish than merely being an American in London.
I could understand why my younger self liked this book, aside from the fencing part (which is really cool, by the way). Calypso was a freak trying to fit in, a condition relatable to majority of teenagers in the world. She got to live a fairytale-like life -as in dating the prince, being finally accepted to the coolest clique at school without having to try hard- which most of those teenagers (me included) can only dream of. Reading her narration feels a lot like reading my early teen era diaries which could be summed up with : Me, me, me! Boys, boys, friends, (perceived) arch-enemy, boys, ME again, ME FOREVER! Nevertheless, as I grew up, my concerns shifted to (hopefully) more important matters. I also grew my appreciation of conflicts and artful ways to resolve them. Now that Calypso's luck is not the stuff dreams made of anymore, the story has lost part of its charm.
Final verdict : It's an entertaining read, but I would be happier if I appeased my random-teenlit reading urge with The Princess Diaries binge re-reading instead.
However, I forgot a few things :
1. Younger-Vera had a questionable taste sometimes -in everything
2. I am a bit too old for this book now. Quelle horreur! It hurts me to admit this but yaah, let's face it, darling, that's true.
Calypso started off as "The American Freak" in her Catholic English boarding school, St Augustine. She did not have unlimited wealth, could only trace back her family line to Kentucky, and spoke American-ish accent everyone made fun of. She has only one friend, Star, who was considered as a member of lower caste compared to all the ladies and horrible hons that comprised the majority of St. Augustine's student body, although Star was a daughter of a famous rock star. When the tragic destiny decided that they had to share dorm room with Georgina Castle Orpington -a member of the It Girl posse of St. Augustine- Calypso and Star's school term seemed like a one way street to hell.
It was a very interesting premise, yes. Imagine intensified bullying and Calypso's struggle to find comfort in her identity and friendship, which ultimately leads to her pulling the heir of the British throne against all odds. But every attempt to build conflict was thwarted easily by mere chance. Calypso shared a dorm room with a possible It-Girl bully? Let's make them besties in no time. Calypso was shunned for years due to her American-ness? Let's make that cool overnight. We still have the actual bully who wanted to make Calypso's life miserable for no reason at all! Let's make her a faux, delusional It Girl with numerous underage plastic surgeries and insignificant existence.
I also have issues with the whole "pulling the British prince" plot. Dating the British heir of the throne is so painfully normal here. We have the expected media fiasco at the beginning of their relationship and constant mention of bodyguards everywhere, but apart from that, it's no different than dating your regular boy next door. Prince Freddie's character was not well explored, which is understandable since, coming from different boarding schools, they did not meet that often. Calypso's attraction to Freddie was also not based on personality (quite typical for early-teens). But aren't there ISSUES to be addressed? There's possibility of Freddie's parents and the rest of royal family not liking Calypso, but apparently they are the chillest royal parents ever. And then regarding Calypso being an American and a Catholic...which I thought would be major causes of objection if they were to marry in the future. Yaah, they were 14-15 years old in this book, but just in case Tyne O'Connell wants to follow Meg Cabot's step in creating an adult novel continuation of her teen series, considering I heard there's a book 5 in the making.
There were also some minor things that bugged me, i.e. Tobias, Georgina's stuffed teddy bear who was also a full-paying student of St. Augustine. If this were real life, I bet that it would be Georgina who was bullied instead of Calypso. Frankly, having your parents paying full fee for a teddy bear to attend a boarding school, and constantly referring to him like he was alive...those are much, much more freakish than merely being an American in London.
I could understand why my younger self liked this book, aside from the fencing part (which is really cool, by the way). Calypso was a freak trying to fit in, a condition relatable to majority of teenagers in the world. She got to live a fairytale-like life -as in dating the prince, being finally accepted to the coolest clique at school without having to try hard- which most of those teenagers (me included) can only dream of. Reading her narration feels a lot like reading my early teen era diaries which could be summed up with : Me, me, me! Boys, boys, friends, (perceived) arch-enemy, boys, ME again, ME FOREVER! Nevertheless, as I grew up, my concerns shifted to (hopefully) more important matters. I also grew my appreciation of conflicts and artful ways to resolve them. Now that Calypso's luck is not the stuff dreams made of anymore, the story has lost part of its charm.
Final verdict : It's an entertaining read, but I would be happier if I appeased my random-teenlit reading urge with The Princess Diaries binge re-reading instead.
July 23, 2018
3.25 stars
I randomly saw the second book at the bookstore and was somewhat intrigued. Most of this is mindless fighting but I was entertained at least? Not as much romance as the summary makes it out to be though :/
I randomly saw the second book at the bookstore and was somewhat intrigued. Most of this is mindless fighting but I was entertained at least? Not as much romance as the summary makes it out to be though :/
October 11, 2023
read these books for the first time at 14, reread them at 22
i know calypso is sometimes insufferable and makes the dumbest decisions, but i think that's part of her character and part of the teenage girl experience!!
if you are not looking for something very serious, this is a fun reading!
i know calypso is sometimes insufferable and makes the dumbest decisions, but i think that's part of her character and part of the teenage girl experience!!
if you are not looking for something very serious, this is a fun reading!
April 13, 2025
It was looking like I was going to give this book 2 out of 5 but it ended nicely so I gave it a 3.
This is not a book I would recommend. What really was the plot anyway? I was only invested with the whole phone situation, other than that it was hard to stay engaged with the characters.
This is not a book I would recommend. What really was the plot anyway? I was only invested with the whole phone situation, other than that it was hard to stay engaged with the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2018
It was interesting at the beginning but from the middle on I was bored and just waited to finish. Nothing special.
November 20, 2018
I usually like the Royal theme but this was just buried in teen angst and a heaping measure of female bitchiness! No other word for it! C’mon Calypso develop a backbone!
June 21, 2019
Previewed
March 28, 2020
If i got a dollar everytime someone said the words 'fit', 'darling', or 'pull a guy' in this book, I'd be a billionaire by now.
January 18, 2021
It’s a cute tween book
June 21, 2021
So cheesy. I hate this kind of teenage romances. It was easy to read but I didn’t really liked it.
August 10, 2022
I finished this one in like 3 days, because I was ignoring my family and making a point by starving myself <3
It was good. Perfect coming of age, young adult.
It was good. Perfect coming of age, young adult.
November 21, 2022
Great for when you're sad and want to read a trashy romance novel.
September 26, 2023
In my opinion, it could have been better a
October 10, 2013
A Royal Match has two - make that three - things that drew me to the story: Boarding School, England, and Royalty. You can leave almost everything else aside and for these qualities alone, I am sure to enjoy the book. And I did.
A Royal Match is actually a compilation of two books out of a four book series (apparently there's a fifth book as well but I can't find any information about it). The two books are Pulling Princes and Stealing Princes.
First thing to know about this book is that it's really a book about boarding school life and friendship. The romance with the British prince is only a very small part of the book and unfortunately isn't that interesting at all.
Calypso is in some ways not likable. She wants to be popular, which is understandable at that age and feels inferior as a regular (make that only mildly rich) American girl amongst a school of filthy rich British girls. Until the book begins, her only friend is an unpopular, rebel daughter of a British rock star. Calypso sets out to change that by pretending to have a boyfriend. Thankfully this wasn't a case where the newly popular girl ditches her old friends. Becoming popular turns out to be easy. The rest of the story is a series of mini-dramas and shallow popular kid in-fighting. Which is neither bad nor good.
What bothered me about Calypso was her crush on Freddie, the Prince. They had a shared love of fencing and flirted via text, but other than that she didn't know him. And she didn't attempt to get to know him. All she ever went on about was her excitement of being liked by a Prince. I would respect her much more if she fell for a boy who just happened to be a Prince. But his status seemed to factor greatly into her feelings for him. I also would have preferred to have a plot more centered on the romance element, but since it was handled so poorly, I'm glad the book stuck mostly to boarding school.
I loved being immersed into boarding school life and upper class British culture. The book contains a glossary at the end of British slang terms. Arrogantly, I thought I wouldn't need it since I know a decent amount of British slang, but it came in very handy for certain words. The girls and boys boarding schools are made up but are obviously meant to be Eton and a girls school nearby. I felt like the descriptions of boarding school culture was quite accurate. The author went to boarding school as did her children. She's the poshest of the posh, so she has first hand knowledge of the lifestyles of the rich and British.
A Royal Match is a fun book. Don't try to get anything more out of it. Most of the characters - even the likable ones - are shallow, elitist, immature little girls. And that's okay with me, because I read the book to be transported into a world that I've never and will probably never experience. That's exactly what I got.
Rating: 3 / 5
A Royal Match is actually a compilation of two books out of a four book series (apparently there's a fifth book as well but I can't find any information about it). The two books are Pulling Princes and Stealing Princes.
First thing to know about this book is that it's really a book about boarding school life and friendship. The romance with the British prince is only a very small part of the book and unfortunately isn't that interesting at all.
Calypso is in some ways not likable. She wants to be popular, which is understandable at that age and feels inferior as a regular (make that only mildly rich) American girl amongst a school of filthy rich British girls. Until the book begins, her only friend is an unpopular, rebel daughter of a British rock star. Calypso sets out to change that by pretending to have a boyfriend. Thankfully this wasn't a case where the newly popular girl ditches her old friends. Becoming popular turns out to be easy. The rest of the story is a series of mini-dramas and shallow popular kid in-fighting. Which is neither bad nor good.
What bothered me about Calypso was her crush on Freddie, the Prince. They had a shared love of fencing and flirted via text, but other than that she didn't know him. And she didn't attempt to get to know him. All she ever went on about was her excitement of being liked by a Prince. I would respect her much more if she fell for a boy who just happened to be a Prince. But his status seemed to factor greatly into her feelings for him. I also would have preferred to have a plot more centered on the romance element, but since it was handled so poorly, I'm glad the book stuck mostly to boarding school.
I loved being immersed into boarding school life and upper class British culture. The book contains a glossary at the end of British slang terms. Arrogantly, I thought I wouldn't need it since I know a decent amount of British slang, but it came in very handy for certain words. The girls and boys boarding schools are made up but are obviously meant to be Eton and a girls school nearby. I felt like the descriptions of boarding school culture was quite accurate. The author went to boarding school as did her children. She's the poshest of the posh, so she has first hand knowledge of the lifestyles of the rich and British.
A Royal Match is a fun book. Don't try to get anything more out of it. Most of the characters - even the likable ones - are shallow, elitist, immature little girls. And that's okay with me, because I read the book to be transported into a world that I've never and will probably never experience. That's exactly what I got.
Rating: 3 / 5
May 24, 2015
Rating: 2 1/2 stars
I hate to say it, but Calypso is not a particularly intelligent character in the second half of A Royal Match (aka Stealing Princes) and that, unfortunately, overshadows all her marvelousness from the first half (aka Pulling Princes). She’s a teenager, she’s bound to make mistakes, but really? But let me rewind…
In Pulling Princes, Calypso just wants to fit in. She’s been at St. Augustine’s for a few terms and has made one good friend, Star. The two of them are inseparable – both are stars of the fencing team and delight in being different than all the other girls. Or at least Star does. Calypso wants to be just like the other girls and in an effort to meet that goal, she convinces her mother’s PA (production assistant) to be her fake boyfriend. This little white lie, in conjunction with being assigned to room with the most popular girl in her year, catapults Calypso into the in-crowd.
And she uses her power for good! When punished for a food fight, she and her new friends turn their punishment into a charity project, creating their own literary circle and subsequent magazine that they sell to raise money for a good cause. Along the way, Calypso meets Prince Freddie in the fencing world and he is impressed by her skill and respects her (important! this changes later) and they wind up kissing at a party that one of the unhappy formerly popular girls tries to prevent Calypso from attending. Things go south when said girl snaps a picture and sells it to the paparazzi. Problem #1: The whole plot is about Calypso and Freddie and Freddie is barely in the book!
The second problem arrives in the second half, Stealing Princes. Calypso gets a big head (for some odd reason) and alienates all of her friends and starts to trust the same girl that spent the whole first half trying to sabotage her! Calypso can’t seem to act like a decent human being to save her life. While the whole story is about teenage girls, and yes, they can be quite evil at times, it’s as if Calypso pulls a 180 and suddenly nothing makes sense anymore. I don’t have the interest level required to even continue to read the series. Sorry Calypso, you don’t deserve Freddie (who is, once again, noticeably absent for most of the book).
I hate to say it, but Calypso is not a particularly intelligent character in the second half of A Royal Match (aka Stealing Princes) and that, unfortunately, overshadows all her marvelousness from the first half (aka Pulling Princes). She’s a teenager, she’s bound to make mistakes, but really? But let me rewind…
In Pulling Princes, Calypso just wants to fit in. She’s been at St. Augustine’s for a few terms and has made one good friend, Star. The two of them are inseparable – both are stars of the fencing team and delight in being different than all the other girls. Or at least Star does. Calypso wants to be just like the other girls and in an effort to meet that goal, she convinces her mother’s PA (production assistant) to be her fake boyfriend. This little white lie, in conjunction with being assigned to room with the most popular girl in her year, catapults Calypso into the in-crowd.
And she uses her power for good! When punished for a food fight, she and her new friends turn their punishment into a charity project, creating their own literary circle and subsequent magazine that they sell to raise money for a good cause. Along the way, Calypso meets Prince Freddie in the fencing world and he is impressed by her skill and respects her (important! this changes later) and they wind up kissing at a party that one of the unhappy formerly popular girls tries to prevent Calypso from attending. Things go south when said girl snaps a picture and sells it to the paparazzi. Problem #1: The whole plot is about Calypso and Freddie and Freddie is barely in the book!
The second problem arrives in the second half, Stealing Princes. Calypso gets a big head (for some odd reason) and alienates all of her friends and starts to trust the same girl that spent the whole first half trying to sabotage her! Calypso can’t seem to act like a decent human being to save her life. While the whole story is about teenage girls, and yes, they can be quite evil at times, it’s as if Calypso pulls a 180 and suddenly nothing makes sense anymore. I don’t have the interest level required to even continue to read the series. Sorry Calypso, you don’t deserve Freddie (who is, once again, noticeably absent for most of the book).
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