A hardened woman, softening her heart.
A dangerous conspiracy, putting them both in the line of fire.
A playboy prince ready for love.
A hardened woman, softening her heart.
A dangerous conspiracy, putting them both in the line of fire.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Barbara Caiazza “Great story!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Jennifer Schreiber “It is well written and a joy to read. The characters are full bodied and the plot is well thought out.”
MAIN TROPES
A playboy prince ready for love.
Prince Nathaniel, Valleria’s newest Minister of Finance and Treasury, likes it when numbers add up. What doesn’t add up is his attraction to Charlotte, a woman whose kisses are as sweet and addictive as her desserts and whose tough exterior hides a painful past. It’s true he’s been dubbed the ‘Playboy Prince’, but Nate may be ready to settle down – if only he can convince Charlie to take a chance on him.
A hardened woman, softening her heart.
Charlotte Wyler has worked long and hard to overcome a tough American upbringing to become one of the top chefs at Valleria’s royal palace. Charlie’s used to the heat of the kitchen, but not of Nate’s lips against hers. Even though his easygoing attitude and irresistible smile unnerve her, she doesn’t want to be another notch in his – or anyone’s – bedpost.
A dangerous conspiracy, putting them both in the line of fire.
Just when Nate and Charlie begin connecting on a deeper level, scandal ensues. Discrepancies in the royal coffers means Valleria is deeply in debt, placing both Charlie’s and Nate’s jobs in jeopardy. As Nate prepares to deliver a controversial austerity budget to the Royal Council, both he and Charlie also begin to unravel deception near the highest levels of government.
When Charlie becomes a pawn in a dangerous game, will Nate be able to save both her and Valleria from destruction?
This novel features a love between a stubborn and supremely talented American chef who loves vibrators and a sexy and smart European prince, a royal family that loves one another (even while they annoy each other), and a look behind fictional palace walls.
With a soft, satisfied sigh—the sigh of one who had just finished something and finished it well—she picked up the cake stand, holding it high, and made her way across the small kitchen. Charlie decided that it would look better if she brought the cake straight to Coco for review; it would prove that she’d done the job and within the time allotted.
Just as she turned a corner, she was so focused on keeping the cake upright that she didn’t see the other person coming.
She didn’t see when he stepped in her path.
She didn’t even notice who it was, at first.
The only thing she saw was one corner of the cake bumping against a dark-suited chest and scruffy chin.
Then, her arms and his stumbled to catch the cake and shift its stand upright again.
But it was too late.
The cake was pushed higher.
Directly into someone’s face.
Time slowed.
One moment lasted a lifetime.
In that one moment, the beautifully decorated three-layer cake slipped again.
This time, it completely smashed onto the floor, coating the man’s shoes.
And then she saw who it was.
Prince Nathaniel.
Soft cake and creamy filling was
crushed and crumbled over the chiseled edges of his square face, and stuck to his shadowed stubble and straight eyebrows. He stood stunned but for his light brown eyes, which blinked in an effort to shake away the offending cake stuck to his long eyelashes.
As chunks of cake fell away from his broad shoulders and lean body onto the floor, the entire kitchen stopped and gasped. She wouldn’t be surprised if the entire world had just stopped, just for one moment, to witness her complete and utter carelessness, and what was sure to be the beginning of her demise.
Her heart stopped, too. She was almost sure of it. Any minute she would find herself on the floor, passed out from her own ineptitude.
But if it had stopped, why was it
beating so furiously now? Why did it speed up as the Prince’s tongue slipped from his full, pink lips and licked the buttercream at the corner of his mouth?
“Well, if I had to be covered in cake, at least it was a delicious one,” Nate said wryly, his low voice coating her as the cake had done to him—completely and effortlessly.
She lifted her eyes to his and their gazes locked; hers wide and afraid, his stunned and bemused.
“Shit. Holy shit. Oh my God. I’m sorry.” She dropped the cake stand and it shattered on the floor, mixing with the mess and ruin of the cake. She stepped back. “I’m so sorry.” She stepped back again just as Coco called out to her.
“Charlotte Wyler! What have you done?”
Charlie broke her gaze with the Prince—the Prince!—and turned to watch as Coco stormed closer, working her way around the
stunned kitchen staff who had witnessed everything and stood stock still, watching the scene as though she were an accident on the side of a highway.
Her breath was coming faster. Coco would punish her, and she would be fired for sure. “I’m sorry,” Charlie whispered as she continued to move back, as if she could run away.
CW: kidnapping physical assault (not by either of the main couple),
dangerous situations that threaten life, discussion of previous traumatic car
accident, sexual harassment (not by either of the main couple), gunshots and
gunshot wounds, hospitals and hospital stay.
All of Marianne Knightly's books feature sexy scenes and swearing
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