Title: Codename Charming [Palace Insiders 2]
Author: Lucy Parker
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Description/Synopsis:
Petunia De Vere enjoys being the personal assistant to lovable, bumbling Johnny Marchmont. But the job has its share of challenges, including the royal’s giant, intimidating bodyguard, Matthias. Pet and Matthias are polar opposites–she’s spontaneous and enthusiastic, he’s rigid and stoic–but she can sense there’s something softer underneath that tough exterior…
For Matthias Vaughn, protecting others is the name of the game. But keeping his royal charge out of trouble is more difficult than he imagined because everywhere Johnny goes, calamity ensues, and his petite, bubbly assistant is often caught in the fray. Matthias hates the idea of Pet getting hurt and he’s determined to keep everyone safe, even if it means clashing with his adorable new coworker.
When a clumsy moment leads to a questionable tabloid photo, the press begins to speculate that Pet is romantically involved with Johnny. To put an end to the rumors, the royal PR team asks Pet and Matthias to stage a fake relationship and the two reluctantly agree. But as they spend more time together outside of work, they begin to wonder what real emotions this pretend connection might uncover. Especially when a passionate kiss leaves both of their heads spinning…
WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW
I loved this book, it was so heartachingly sweet, and like any good mid-series book, it managed to stand alone under its own power. I cannot stress to you how important that is to me, because sometimes you pick up a book in the middle of a series, or you wait more than a year for a sequel, and forget the book before it. I love being able to pick up any book in a series and be able to dive right in without getting lost.
The romance in this book was deliciously comical in the best way. It was a story of opposites attract, and there was something so endearingly sweet about this scarred, massive bodyguard falling head over heels for a tiny ray of sunshine and becoming each other’s family. They were so cute, and I loved every second of their relationship. There was a lot of “fate” and “serendipity” at play, but the author managed to lean into it without making it ridiculous or unbelievable.
I don’t want to spoil too much, so I’ll just say that this was a lovely cozy read, and if you’re looking for a romance book that’s easy to sink into and makes you smile, this is the book to pick up. I was grinning ear to ear by the end of the story. I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone who needs a pick-me-up after a long week.
Author Unpublished 