The Royals Next Door

******* Spoiler Alert *******I am loving all things Karina Halle. I adore reading about royalty but only if it is fiction and Karina weaves quite the tale. I thought this was a stand-alone and technically it is but when you read the sneak peak to the next book. Well that one seems to combine this book along with Nordic Royals, specifically King Magnus. Which makes me happy because I love, love, love series and the Nordic Royals was really wonderful! I was hoping for more like Finland.But back to this book, it was very unexpected. Low-key to start. It makes you feel bad for Piper's life when she manages to have her purse thrown up in by one of her students within minutes of the book starting. But then after ditching her purse...(which I am sorry I would not throw my credit cards and driver's license away- you can spray them all), she manages to have enough for a honeybun. As she comes home, she seems to be covered in honeybun including her hair. Harrison who at this point she was cursing because he would not let her in her driveway because she threw away her purse. Now that is how the story starts. Harrison somehow gets on all her nerves probably because he was hot as sin. She always ends up telling him unwanted information and he just shows up at the oddest times. Piper develops a bit of a crush. Harrison frequently looks like he wants to kiss her. He is using their dryer because the Royals dryer is out. He carries it down for Prince Eddie and Monica and dries their clothes. It is on one of these excursions that Piper confront him about the fact that he has stopped talking to her after the bar. When he tries to get away, she brings him back until he is kissing her all over. Next thing you know things become extremely passionate and heated and rather erotic in nature. After this incident they can't seem to get enough of each other. Hiding it all the time.Well things don't always stay hidden.You need to read this story to learn more about the royals and about Piper's mother who has several mental health issues. I appreciate how those were talked about here. As a Mom of a daughter who almost tried suicide mental health is a huge topic for me. My daughter, now 16 and healthy fights for the rights of all those who are Mentally ill. Thank you Karina for tackling such a huge topic and one that comes with such great stigma to it. Even fiction books can make inroads in the plight of the Mentally ill. Thank you.Back to the story- This is an absolute MUST READ! There is so much here that mirrors real life Royals in a way and in another way not so much. I can't wait to read James story, the other PPO besides Harrison.10/10 ++(++)-because of the Mental health addition.

This was a fun read about a teacher who lives a secluded life until royals move next door and change everything. A cute little romance, a bit of spice and drama, and a happy ending

The Royals Next Door is nothing shy of a cute read. It's lighthearted, funny, and sweet. I like how this book was different from most royal romances: the bodyguard is the love interest instead of the prince. I loved all the modern day references in this book. I related to Piper because I'm also a teacher on summer break reading a lot of books lol. If you're looking for something cute and lighthearted to read, this is worth checking out!

I started out reading Karina Halle on Kindle Unlimited but have bought her last few books because she always does a great job of pulling you out of your life and into her book universe for a while.This book is a slooooow burn between a teacher next door and the royal bodyguard. I really loved the female MC Piper and getting to know about island life in the Vancouver area. I felt a bit disconnected with Harrison, although I'm not sure why - I warmed up to him later on. Overall it is a nice escape to an exotic (to me) location filled with interesting people.I love the other royals books she's written and it didn't occur to me until I read the teaser for the next book (as I was expecting it's about James) that this one was set in the same universe. So, you can read this as a standalone or start with the first royal book The Swedish Prince. If you're waiting for James's book next year, it will have more context if you read The Wild Heir about Magnus (my favorite royal!) in the mean time.

I'm rounding up from 3.5 stars because I'm A long-term Karina Halle fan and a longer term Anglophile. Also, any romance author gets some slack for creating something light and fun during the pandemic. Oof. First-person POV, just from Piper.I liked Piper fine, especially her enthusiasm and willingness to make friends. I really appreciated Halle highlighting therapy and its benefits. Also how hiding away to avoid pain can lead to its own pains, diagnosed or not.The setting was refreshing, love a good small town and a hostile one was a twist. Our male love interest, Harrison...I have mixed feelings. I recently reread "The Swedish Prince" and I MUCH prefer a dual POV. It would have shared Harrison's inner turmoil sooner, sure, but also moved our story along. Here's why.One star off for the rushed ending. There is SO MUCH slow build up for our lovers. This isn't Happens usual style, much more RS Grey. I wanted to see them together, see how they stayed together. Those were interesting obstacles but they were just tied up neatly in the epilogue. Too much off-page resolution.Yes, Harrison building rapport with Paper's mom was sweet. It's great he can bake, always sexy in anyone. We get small glimpses of his past...but all in dialogue b/c we're not in his head. Okay, one very hot laundry room scene was delightful. But this had MUCH less sexy times than Halle's usual work. Weird.This book doesn't hide from its Harry & Meghan trope, and that's fine. Except here, "Meghan" is Monica/MRed and a Cardinal B wannabe and not an actress...except she's extremely well-spoken, has no odd habits or affectations. Maybe I'm stereotyping, but I think Monica would've been more believable AND interesting if she had some personality and sparkle from her singer persona.The next book should be fun, especially getting reunited with Prince Magnus.

OK, I'm going to come clean and admit that I always and enjoy KH's books. But that's not to say that my 5 stars mean less! Only that they may be biased.Now let's go to the good stuff here: this is probably Karina's most "preachy" book - not in a bad way at all. Just that she brought on a LOT of themes onto this love story and I agree with every single one. Some I'm still working on, others I have conquered.So the Royal couple is a fictional Harry & Megan and just like me, she's very much FOR the couple and AGAINST the nasty media/racism making their life hell. Even though I live in the UK, I'm on their side all day long. So if you are against that, this book may trigger you - best to avoid 😉Other important themes are more of a personal journey both for myself and the author.There's a lot of talk about community and fitting in and made to feel an outsider. So yeah, even if you are not Canadian living in a small island you can still relate to it. Even if you just moved to a new city or in my case a new country & culture.Another theme very dear to me is about fear, hiding and feeling unable to move forward because of said fear. Allowing it to control your life and the fight and struggle to conquer that. With a lot of kindness and self-awareness and therapy. *chef's kiss* Thank you Karina ❤️The hero is hot, kind, misterious and adorable once you see his exterior wall of protection melt. The heroine talks a lot when nervous (hello from babbling land, nice to meet you!) and although she doesn't trust herself, she's strong and kind. The royal couple doesn't hog the page but whenever they are around you like them. Heroines mom is a secondary character that grows on you. I thought she was going to be antagonistic but no, she's just someone misunderstood, judged and healing.There's a HEA and lots of steamy sex but the icing and cherry on top of that cake is that at the end you get the first few chapters of KH's next book in the series. So get ready because you'll see some of the old nordic gods (did I say gods? I meant to say royals 😂) as this series is looking like we'll revisit all those lovely couples and see their lovely team fall in love.The Royals Next Door is a stand alone book and I imagine the next one in the series will be too. But it was good to see Magnus again in the opening chapters.Recommended to folks who like romance, steamy sex, HEAs, characters going on a "personal growth journey".Anything I didn't like? Yeap. The "villains" (which I will say mother & daughter) are there only to cause trouble and maybe that's why they aren't as well developed as I wished. We as humans aren't all good or all bad. We like to think of ourselves as the good guys, generally! But turns out we aren't always the good guys. If we look deep, we can be the bad guy in someone' story. Anyway, I know it's a romance and that the characters were there just to cause trouble for the heroine to help her on her journey and growth. But still... Typically that would make me take a star out. But all the themes approached in this book, including mental health, are so dear to me that reinforces that 5th star up there.Give it a try and see if you like it too 😉

Karina Halle is a new writer to me and I’m not sure how I stumbled across this book, but sometimes you just get lucky.It’s a light-hearted, “what-if” story. What if you were a school-teacher, struggling with loneliness, feeling isolated from your community and worried about your mother and then everything changes? What-if your new neighbours were two of the most famous people in the world? And what-if they had a brooding hunk of a bodyguard?This is a fun book, lighthearted and often very funny, but with some depth and heart.A sub-plot, which is a spirited defence of romantic fiction, will ring a bell with anyone who has ever felt the need to justify their reading habits.All in all a satisfying and enjoyable book, underpinned by Karina Halle’s talented writing and skilful characterisation.First Karina Halle for me, but certainly not my last.

It’s like a wholesome light hearted chick flick in book form. Nothing really deeper than surface level. The prior relationships are a bit glossed over then are a focal point for reasoning and the mental health aspects are a bit uneducated/harsh/maybe not well thought out? But the two main characters are likeable and it does end up being a feel good story with a HEA.

This one didn’t knock my socks off, however; it was still a good easy, fluffy read. Still enjoyed it! If you’re looking for an extra light, easy peasy fun read, this is the book for you.

The writing style is good, with good turns of phrase which evoked a smile at times. While the story intrigues at first, it soon spirals down hill with an unbelievable plot, shallow characters and bad language. It promises class but delivers only mediocrity.