Welcome to my tour stop! Read my review of this
author's newest and enter the tour giveaway below...
To Save A King
(True Blue Royal #2)
By Rachel Hauck
Christian Contemporary Romance, Royal
Paperback & ebook, 364 Pages
May 8, 2021 by Hauck House
Summary
A modern-day fairytale of rescue and hope from NYT bestselling author Rachel Hauck
Growing up in small town Hearts Bend, Tennessee, Gemma Stone had big dreams. So she headed to Hollywood to make her mark in the world.
But dreams have a way of becoming nightmares. When she returns home twelve years later, she’s limping through life and harboring a dark secret.
Running a rescue ranch and raising her friends’ orphaned daughter is her sole mission now. All the while she’s well aware these defenseless ones are also rescuing her.
HRH Crown Prince John has learned a royal title cannot shield him from heartbreak. He had the perfect life as heir to the revered House of Blue, the royal dynasty of Lauchtenland, and married the love of his life. Then tragedy changed everything. Is there any way to be saved from a life of grief?
When he finds himself in Hearts Bend on a mission for his mother, Queen Catherine, he catches up with a good friend–country music great Buck Mathews. He has no intention of joining the 4th of July fun until he’s cajoled into a three-legged race with the beautiful Gemma Stone.
The disastrous race leads to a quick friendship. They are easy and comfortable around one another because love is absolutely not an option.
John desperately wants to hold onto the memories of his wife while Gemma refuses to trust her heart to any man. Even a prince.
When trouble in Lauchtenland calls the prince home, he realizes how much Gemma has rescued him. Saved him and restored his hope for his role as future king.
For Gemma, falling in love with the prince must be quenched. If it weren’t for her past, she’d give him her heart in a second. How could she risk bringing her shame to the House of Blue and the world stage?
However, she’s not the only one who can rescue and heal the wound. If she saved Prince John, why can’t he save her? And when he tries, will she have the courage to say yes to the best role of her life?
“Another compelling royal story by the master of princely tales!” Susan May Warren, USA Today bestselling, RITA award-winning novelist
My Review
TO SAVE A KING is a story about two individuals who feel broken and surprisingly find friendship and the chance for more with each other. It's a story about second chances, about blood and found family, about duty versus the heart, and about forgiveness and faith. Readers of the author will love this newest royal romance!
I loved Gemma and John from the start! They're just great characters and I think anyone can relate in some small way to both or either of them. Plus, John is so irresistibly charming that you can't help but fall in love with him. Then there are the puppies! That whole situation was adorable. I also loved all the side characters, including cameos from characters in other books from other series. Hauck adds her usual angel characters who help to steer these two when they need a bit of a push or reassurance. I also love that this story is about second chances and romance, but more than that it's about forgiving oneself and letting the sacrifice of the Savior wipe your sins away. There are some beautiful moments when the characters feel God's love and feel the forgiveness and acceptance they need.
The only major issue I had with this story was John's mom, Queen Catherine. This is a slight spoiler, so highlight to read. I could understand her prior choices, but coming forward a generation and still sticking to just marrying for pedigree and trying to force a marriage seemed rather inconsistent. It didn't seem to fit under the circumstances and having raised her two princes with their histories. I think having owned up to her own mistakes she would have been much more open to change or at least not trying to force someone into marriage when they hardly know each other and where there is no love. It took John to pass along a certain man's message for her to be okay with John's choice.
In the end, was it what I wished for?
Content: Some references to past mistakes and innuendo, but would consider this clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Other Books in the Series
(Linked to my review.)
About the Author
Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner. Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie. Three more of her titles are under film contract.
Rachel was awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.
A retired member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Executive Board, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.
In the real world, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.
A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.
She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.
More from Rachel
One of the biggest challenges in a series is keeping the reader interested. Even more of a challenge is writing in a trope like royals.
I never set out to write a second royal series. With five stories in the Royal Wedding Series, I thought I’d explored the topic to my satisfactions.
Yet when readers asked for more, and when I found myself in a season to produce my own stories, another royal series seemed like the perfect fit.
But can I be honest? Really honest? Come close. I’ll tell you a secret. Closer…
Royals can be a bit boring. At least to write. You laugh but I’m serious.
What do we really know of their day to day lives? They attend national functions, patron charities, represent the nation on walkabouts around the world. They are ambassadors with no real political agenda. They champion causes.
But what exactly do they do with their days? What are the inner workings of palace life? What are the real expectations? Do they call the queen “her majesty” when talking among themselves? When talking to her? Are they as formal as it seems on television?
Yet royals are the most documented people in history. So there is a lot to glean from when I make up my worlds.
But at the end of it all, they key for me in writing royal characters is to make them real, everyday people. The prince is the kind of chap you want to chat with over tea. The heroine is the sort of girl you’d love to see become a princess. Maybe even see a bit of yourself in her.
In To Save A King, Crown Prince John is trying to emerge for a year of grief. Gemma Stone is desperate to escape her past.
Gemma’s story has some what of an edge to it. In her attempt to achieve her goals, she walked a path she never thought she’d walk when she was a girl growing up in Hearts Bend, Tennessee. And it proved her undoing.
While we may have never faced a past like Gemma’s, we can all relate to personal betrayal of our values from gossip to immorality. I hope Gemma’s story reminds us the nearness of love and forgiveness.
On a lighter side, I recently learned British society has moved away from chap and bloke, replacing it with the American term “guy.” Isn’t that funny. Louise Lee, my narrator, said it was funny to read those words in To Love A Prince since there were more her parents’ generation. Ah, the signs of a more global society.
Well, I didn’t care if they have gone out of style for young people. I used them anyway. I like them. Maybe we should adopt “chap” and “bloke” over here. What do you say, guys?
I hope you enjoy To Save A King, book two in the True Blue Royal series and find your heart cheering on broken, wounded characters to a happily ever after worthy of a prince and princess.
Tour Schedule
Godly Book Reviews, May 8
Locks, Hooks and Books, May 8
Britt Reads Fiction, May 9
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 9
Blogging With Carol, May 9
Worthy2Read, May 9
For Him and My Family, May 10
Genesis 5020, May 10
The Book Chic Blog, May 10
CarpeDiem, May 10
Hebrews 12 Endurance, May 11
Splashes of Joy, May 11
Cultivating Us, May 11
Texas Book-aholic, May 12
Just Writing, May 12
Kayem Reads, May 12
Blossoms and Blessings, May 13
Betti Mace, May 13
Inklings and notions, May 13
deb’s Book Review, May 14
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, May 14
Inside the Wong Mind, May 14
Moments, May 14
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 15
Rachael’s Inkwell, May 15
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 15
Connect in Fiction, May 15
The Christian Fiction Girl, May 16
Kathleen’s Blog, May 16
Remembrancy, May 16
Mary Hake, May 16
Where Faith and Books Meet, May 17
She Lives To Read, May 17
Wishful Endings, May 17
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 18
Back Porch Reads, May 18
All-of-a-kind Mom, May 18
Livin’ Lit, May 18
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 19
Simple Harvest Reads, May 19 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Bizwings Blog, May 19
Mamma Loves Books, May 19
By The Book, May 20
The Sacred Line, May 20
Daysong Reflections, May 20
Through the fire blogs, May 21
Artistic Nobody, May 21 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Tour-Wide Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize of a Kindle Fire!!
*May be different than one pictured.
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
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