The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle Book Review
“And where did you find this man again?
Oh right, the royals next door.”
(pg. 287)
About
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: New Adult Rom-Com
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Synopsis
Piper Evans: elementary school teacher by day–avid romance reader and anonymous podcaster by night. She lives a quiet, reclusive life, taking care of her mother, who struggles with mental illness, avoiding her regrettable ex, who bartends in town, and trying to make inroads in the tight-knit island community that still sees her, five years in, as an outsider.
And she’s happy with how things are–really–until British royals rent the property next to hers and their brooding bodyguard decides she’s a security threat. Piper quickly realizes that one person’s fairy tale is an ordinary woman’s nightmare as a media frenzy takes over the island and each run-in with Harrison Cole is hotter and more confusing than the last. But beneath Harrison’s no-nonsense exterior lies a soft heart, one that could tempt a woman who’s sworn off attachments into believing in white knights.
But when Piper finds herself smack in the middle of a royal scandal that rocks the island she’ll need more than Harrison’s strong arms to shield her–she’ll have to do a little rescuing herself. With careers, hearts, and friendships on the line, Piper and Harrison will have to decide what they’re willing to give up for a chance at their own happily ever after
Review
Spoilers Contained Below
Dear royal lovers,
I love love love a royal book with princesses, princes, queens, kings, the whole shebang. I don’t know if that’s the inner Disney lover in me or what, but I love stories with the whole royalty plot, and this book was such. fun time 💙. I enjoyed every second of it and laughed like a weirdo to myself and grinned like a fool at all the cute parts. I could also relate a lot to Piper except the part where I live next door to royals (I wish) and had a hot bodyguard dude that I fell in love with (I REALLY wish) 😂. Wouldn’t that be the life?
I related a lot to Piper based on the fact that she was a second grade teacher or a teacher in general. I student taught for second grade so when I read the first couple of sentences, I giggled to myself because I understood where Piper was coming from. There hasn’t been a truer sentence the the fact that second graders do have an uncanny love for Mercy Watson 😂. Also, unfortunately I have also experienced a student who threw up, not in my purse but in the classroom and it’s definitely a weird situation in the way that no one tells you whether or not you have to clean up said puke, but it’s not like you want the puke to stay in the classroom for everyone to see and smell. I just went on a puke tangent and I digress .
Anyway, I just really liked Piper because she was a teacher and a loving, caring, and joyful person. No one really talks about this but teachers are human beings and have real lives outside of school that others might not understand or like. Piper had a podcast—Romancing the Podcast—–where she talked about her love of smutty books, which we LOVE. But I understood Piper’s anonymity with the podcast because of the expectations teacher’s have to be ethical and moral role models. If others—-especially parents—discovered that a teacher recorded a smutty podcast they would probably question her morality because teachers are put on a pedestal equivalent to an actress or actor where we have to be careful what we say or do. It’s funny because when I read The Royals Next Door, in one of my student teaching seminars, we were discussing the ethical principles of educators and I saw absolutely nothing wrong with Piper recording her podcast because it was a hobby and passion she had outside of school, and it wasn’t harming anyone and it wasn’t crude or brash. It was just her feelings and opinions about a book. That’s it. It’s not that deep. But it also made me sad that Piper did feel the need to hide her identity and I would have felt the same because you could still lose your job even if something as a simple podcast about books was not taken in the best light by others. It’s tricky to be a teacher.
Piper also lived with anxiety. She had difficulty breathing or she always needed to remind herself to take a deep breath because she would get overwhelmed about situations. She was also a compulsive Tic Tac buyer and eater, which seemed like a comfort habit.
Piper also lived with her mom .
“It’s hard to rise out of your old roles in life when you’re still so tied to your parents.”
(pg. 30)
The mom lived with dependent personality disorder (DPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Because the mom’s personality and moods fluctuated a lot, Piper lived with her mom in a secluded area so the mom would find peace and not be overwhelmed. I also felt like Piper felt obligated to be with her mom and take care of her, not in the wya that Piper felt like it was a burden to take care of her mom because it was obvious Piper loved her mom, but as an adult, I do believe that your relationship with living with your parents is a lot more complicated because you want freedom and independence but you’re also living under your parents roof, so it’s difficult to feel like you have that or like you are an adult when you are tied to your parents home. There’s nothing wrong with being older and living with your parents, it’s just difficult to find your own person when you feel like you are still a child who has to listen to your parents. In Piper’s case, I felt like she was the type of person who gave more of herself than she did for her own needs, so I understood why she sometimes felt disconnected from herself and that her podcast was the only thing that made her feel human and like she had connections.
But Piper did take care of her mom out of love because she wanted her mom to be more happy than not. I kind of wondered about the mom’s backstory with the dad. I know that later on it was mentioned that the mom and da fought and the dad would say he didn’t believe in DPD and BPD, which had to be difficult for Piper and the mom to hear because mental health was real and it’s not like the mom could turn it on and off. I also wondered if DPD and BPD is genetic or it’s something that can develop from a person’s circumstances—-environment. I just felt like there was something that I would have liked to understand more about what the mom felt and why Piper felt the need to not so much coddle her, but protect her so much. I should research.
But Piper’s dynamic with her mom was definitely complex because I could tell Piper didn’t want to feel needed by her mom so much and that she could put herself out there. However, she didn’t want to leave her mom and also Piper sometimes used her mom as an excuse or a shield for the real fear she felt with getting back out there. I’ll talk more about their dynamic later when I say more things that make sense.
But Piper sure had her work cut out for her with the royals moving next door!
Honestly, if someone told me Meghan Markle was going to be my neighbor I would freak the freak out because how flipping cool would it be to live next to ROYALS 🤔. I mean, I think the only downside would be the invasion of privacy and people invading your house or your property because they want to get near the royals. I would feel unsafe and uncomfortable if I had my privacy invaded or had all these people trying to come near my home, but I think it would still be cool to get to know the royals and understand their life.
The royals were Prince Edward and Monica Black. Prince Edward was the youngest son of the queen and he fell in love with a Grammy-winning singer named Monica Black. Monica Black was controversial because she was an American singer and some of her music videos were on some Cardi B energy or Dojo Cat risqué and the UK media were quick to shame or ridicule her. Prince Edward and Monica’s situation was not the same as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but it gave me the same vibe because Monica was American and not the typical “princess” and many people had differing opinions of her. Also, both took a break and left the home country. Edward and Monica left for a small island in British Columbia where Piper lived, and I think it was exciting and a good fit for them to go somewhere smaller and personal away from the prying and judgmental eyes of the media.
Because they were Piper’s new neighbors, they came of course, with their personal protection officers (PPO) or bodyguards, if you will.
One of them being Harrison Cole, who the media ate up because of how hot he was, which I mean, if I saw a cute bodyguard floating around the internet, I would be invested in his life just as much as the royals. Not in a creepy way, but you know a supportive way. Like my obsession and supportive love of Harry Styles. You know, like a fan. It’s because we care 😆. It’s not creepy.
My first reaction to Harrison Cole was that this was definitely going to be an enemies to lovers situation because he was giving me cool, calm, collected, and cold vibes. I think there are cardboard cutouts with more personality than Harrison (when we first met him). The dude was stoic and intimidating as heck. But I freaking loved how Piper never felt intimidated by him, but irritated. We love that for her. It surely made for really good banter and I loved it. I loved how she had to pause outside her neighborhood because he was always there, checking to see if she actually lived there and then she went on a whole tangent about how she didn’t have her ID or license because a kid threw up in her purse or how she didn’t have her registration. She was not looking so good and like she belonged there. Harrison really said this woman was bonkers and was going to be the stick up my butt.
But I also loved it when he tried to act all hospitable—in a Harrison way—-to invite Piper and her mom for dinner at the royals. I would have FLIPPED out if I was invited to a ROYAL’S HOUSE. I could only imagine how grand the place would seem and how decadent the food would have been. I also could tell from the very minute Monica walked into the room and said she didn’t want a drink that the SIS WAS PREGNANT 👏🏼!!!!!
It was blatantly obvious.
I mean, first they moved to a secluded place to slow down—-subcontract read: so Monica could take it easy on her pregnancy journey and also possibly raise their child there—-and two, a sis wasn’t drinking and she probably was doing that because she didn’t want to with her FETUS. And after all the other dinners too where she declined a drink, I was like, she is really really pregnant 😂.
I quite liked Edward and Monica because they seemed like normal and kind people. They were also super sweet to Piper’s mom when they met her and didn’t make her all freaked out. But I was excited that Piper’s mom was excited to meet them and help them out too. Edward and Monica also weren’t too ostentatious or prudish and they really wanted to get to know the community but they didn’t really know how to explore without people following them around and invading their privacy. But I liked how they had Piper who showed them around and helped them out whenever they needed something—-very friendly and neighborly of Piper.
Because Piper was getting closer to Edward and Monica, that also meant she saw more of Harrison and got to know the PPO better. I liked the scene when she went out on the dock with a piece of cake because she saw that he wasn’t really part of the festivities, which might have been because it wasn’t his duty to be part of the party. He was a big duty guy, which I’ll talk more about later. But what I loved about the moment was the vulnerable conversation they had about why Piper left her ex Joey at the alter. We don’t like lying, cheating LOSERS like Joey. What really made me peezed off was the fact that yet again, more people thought the guy in this situation was innocent rather than the woman. Hello, Joey was the one who cheated so I don’t understand why everyone made Piper a pariah when it wasn’t her fault But it was the small-town mentality or connection that made people side with Joey. And he was also rich, so it didn’t surprise me that people sided with a rich white male 🙄 over an innocent woman. But I just didn’t like the way people made Piper feel like trash for it.
However, I did like that Harrison cared enough to ask Piper what really happened to see her side of the story. It also helped that he was impartial because he wasn’t from this community to have an opinion. But you know, he was a freaking gentleman to at least acknowledge and know how screwed up another man’s actions were. We love that for him.
But this conversation really felt like they were starting to get along or at least understand each other, which would help when building a deeper relationship. I also liked how she asked him if he ever got days off because Harrison was again very dedicated to his job or he had a huge responsibility looking after royalty.
I really enjoyed all the moments they did simple, but wholesome things together that made them like each other even more. I loved whenever they were in a car together and Harrison would tease Piper about her Tic Tac fetish or her poor driving skills. I also calked at their conversation about music and when Piper said, “What din fo music do souls people listen to?” (pg. 139). And then Piper feigned shock that Harrison was asking her questions about herself like he wanted to get to know her.
They had genuinely good banter that was so cute and lovable. I also really liked how I could feel that Harrison liked talking to Piper because she was so open, funny, and honest—-so easy to talk to. As someone who had to be a bit more reserved and tight lipped because of his job, I felt like it was refreshing to be around someone so full of life and authenticity that it was hard not to like her and smile. I also really wanted Harrison to open up more to Piper because it did feel like Piper was offering more information and was more of an open book than Harrison, which made sense, but I also thought it would be special and fun to see Harrison’s walls break down for her.
I also had to say, what a SWOON-worthy moment when he protected her 🥺👏🏼!!!!! I mean, Piper didn’t need a white knight, but gosh we love a DEFEND-HER-HONOR HARRISON!!!
“You think I won’t protect you?”
“It’s not your job.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ve now made it my job.” He title his head, examining me. “Do you have a problem with that?”
(pg. 136)
DEFEND HER HonOR. Protect her Harrison. We all know that if he protected her that meant he cared and that meant in turn he also LIKED her 😆 and yes I am a kangaroo jumping into all kind of conclusions. But wow wow wow when that photographer person tried to harass Piper, we loved that Harrison was there to up that guy in his place and defend Piper. Also, I would not want to be on the receiving end of Harrison’s anger or death glare. Oh my goodness, I also wanted to say how much I loved the fact that Harrison had this mysterious PPO thing going on with his dark sunglasses 😉. I knew that when he took his sunglasses off, his eyes would be penetrating and deathly good looking because there’s no way that he just wore sunglasses to look cool, but his eyes had to be cool too.
I also freaking smiled when they went grocery shopping together. It was so funny because it’s like Harrison had never been grocery shopping before. But I loved loved loved when they went to Costco and Piper was like, “You have to try the Costco hot dogs.” 😂
“Okay, but you’re going to need to have a hot dog.”
His brow quirks up in amusement. “A hot dog?”
“Yes. they do awesome hot dogs.”
“You bloody Americans and your hot dogs.”
I smack him on the chest. “You’re in Canada. You’re going to get a poutine dog if you’re not careful.”
(pg. 141)
We love American food. I also freaking loved how excited and curious Harrison was by Costco samples 😂. Everyone loves Costco samples because everyone loves free food.
“I feel victimized,” he says. “They bait you first with the free samples, then they swindle you into buying it.”
(pg. 141)
It just made my heart all giggly and warm imagining Harrison trying free samples and then feeling cheated that if he liked the sample he had to buy the whole thing. I mean, that is how they get you. What is a Costco sample that got you? One sample that had me was a chip dip—-Bi***in’ dip, if you know what that is. It’s good. I recommend.
Anyway, I digress. My heart literally swooned when Harrison got Piper peonies as a thank you for showing him around and going grocery shopping with him. Like, get you a partner who appreciates you 🥺 !!! I just really loved how whole the scene was and very cute.
Harrison was a big teddy bear on the inside and you couldn’t deny that.
I also loved when he requested time off to hang out with Piper that one night to see her ex in concert. Harrison never asked for a night off, so Eddie and Monica were excited for Harrison and wanted to go. But it said a lot that out of all his years of service, that he chose to take a night off for Piper because he DEFINITELY liked her. If a person wants to spend time with you or make time for you, that means they care and want to be with you.
I cracked up when Harrison went to Piper’s house and the mom was basically ogling him 😂. The mom knew what was up.
“Mr. Cole. You seem different. My goodness. Your tattoos. Look at them all. Why would you do that to yourself.”
(pg. 148)
That was such a mom thing to say 😂.
But I would have reacted the same way but with a gosh-darn factor and not a disbelief factor. The dude was ripped, wore aviators over his shocking beautiful blue eyes, and he had kick a** tattoos that added to his hotness. Let’s go Harrison 👏🏼🤪!!! If Piper wasn’t drooling over him, I think we need to talk because my gosh he sounded like a catch. He was great, a gentleman, had some personality, he liked to bake, and he was protective over those he loved.
Oh my gosh, don’t even get me started on Baker Harrison 😁. I swear, I called it when I said this guy had many depths that would be fun to uncover. I loved loved loved that Harrison loved to bake and dabble in the culinary side of things. I loved that he gave tips and tricks to Piper’s mom because Piper’s mom liked to bake to take her mind off things. I also fully enjoyed the scene later in the book where Harrison baked with Piper’s mom because it was so wholesome and Harrison just radiated such peace and happiness 💙. Piper didn’t think her mom was the best baker, so it meant a lot when Harrison was super sweet to Piper’s mom in giving her tips and tricks of what to try to perfect her baking, rather than making her feel like her skills weren’t good enough.
I thought it was so cool that he liked to bake because it’s not what most would say is the “manliest” thing to do, but baking is for everyone and it’s an art of the heart. I also liked how baking was something that I could feel made Harrison’s heart genuinely happy because he lit up whenever he baked or talked about baking. He enjoyed protecting Eddie and Monica, but he always had to be on guard about his job where else baking gave him reprieve to relax and control what was in the kitchen. I just really loved that he loved baking and I really could see him doing something with baking in the future 💙.
But back to their night out. I liked how we saw a looser side to Harrison, but also a very on guard person when he wanted to be. I loved that he gave a searing, passionate, tense look to Piper with his lethal eyes, which again, were incredible. Or I could imagine how incredibly captivating his eyes were. I also freaking loved snarky Harrison. I didn’t like that Amy chick who was the town gossip and up in everyone’s business. She didn’t treat Piper with kindness and honestly she had it coming for her that Harrison was going to defend Piper. Also, drunk Harrison was a complete mood 😂.
“‘I don’t give a flying f*** who your family is,’ Harrison says. ‘But I will let go of you . . . And if you ever insult me or Piper again, or any other customer who has come in here on a Friday night to give you business, then I’ll make sure the world knows about it.”
(pg. 166)
LET’S GO HARRISON!!!! 👏🏼
Joey can eat trash because he is trash and he deserved Harrison’s wrath for all the shiz he caused in Piper’s life for the past few years. I felt like Harrison talking Joey off was so much more terrifying than actually getting pummeled by Harrison because you could tell Harrison meant business. Also, I just wanted to say I understood why Piper wanted to go out to see her ex to show that she was okay and better without him, but still she didn’t need to prove anything to him. But I think going out was to prove something to herself more so.
“And there’s a moment when fear no longer serves you, no longer protects you. It harms you and holds you back. I might be at one of those thresholds, where my desire to keep myself and my mother safe from harm, specifically the harm of others’ opinions and thoughts, might actually do more damage in the long run . . . I think it’s healthier for me to put myself out there, even if there’s a chance doing so might hurt me.”
(pg. 163-4)
I know Piper was talking about this in the context of her mom and the Joey backlash, but I couldn’t help but relate deeply to her thoughts. I know for me a big fear I have had in the past few years is going out because of everything with the pandemic and being scared to put myself out there with the health battles people face everyday. And that fear has weighed on my chest and mind for such a long time and it still does, and if I am being honest with myself, it had been holding me back and I don’t know if it serves or protects me. I mean, I do believe it has and does, but there’s also this part of me that wonders if I use the pandemic and my fear to hold me back from actually going out and experiencing the things that I want to as a young adult—-it I am letting my fear hold me back. And I agree that if we let our fear hold us back, there is a point where it does harm us because we aren’t doing what makes us genuinely happy or what we want to do because we are scared of what will happen when we do. I also agree that it does more damage in the long run to give in to that fear for a long time because it stops us from living the life we want to and being the people we want to. Yes, listen to your heart and mind and don’t do things that are completely unsafe, but also don’t let fear rule your life and take away opportunities you would have had if you just did it.
And when Piper mentioned her thoughts above, I felt it in my heart because it’s the visceral emotions I have been feeling for a while. I think in different ways, we can all relate to how Piper felt—–scared to put ourselves out there and feeling obligated to certain situations as a front not to try again or get hurt. Fear can hold us back, but it honest have to.
I liked that moment later on when Piper owned her fair of going out because she was done hiding and being scared. She went out by herself and got some groceries and stood up to that rude barista bar lady chick, Amy when Amy was being mean to her. I was so proud of Piper for pushing herself out of her comfort zone and her fear. Go her
Anyway, that night, Harrison also had a way of dropping subtle lines that made me think he liked her as more than a friend.
“‘I hadn’t considered that . . .I’d just been focused on you.’
I’d just been so focused on you.
That’s what he just said.
I that that some part of me is absolutely melting, just the notion that someone has been paying attention, and the someone is him.”
(pg. 157)
I would have been melting and combusting too because what else was she supposed to do or feel when he basically said he paid attention to her, which made it sound like he cared a lot about her?!!?!?! He was giving her the signals but I don’t know if he even knew it.
Let’s talk about Harrisons’ depth as a person because we talked about the lighthearted things, but there was more to him than we first knew—-the real things we wanted to know.
Harrison had a complex background.
He never knew his dad and his mom had different relationships with different men who never stayed around. He didn’t really keep in touch with his family, which was sad. I think because he didn’t feel really connected to his family, he kept his secrets and himself guarded because he wasn’t used to confiding in anyone. Also, he didn’t have a father figure growing up to guide him, so that was another reason I felt Harrison felt guarded. But then he went to the military to clean up his act and take responsibility after drinking and substance abuse; het got himself together. Harrison’s story made me think about how Harrison always had to be the caretaker for his mom and siblings that he wasn’t used to others taking care of him or receiving that kind of love. And even now with him literally being a bodyguard and taking care of Monica and Eddie, he didn’t even give the love and care he needed to himself. I also felt like he was scared to slip up and go back to his foldaways of drinking and dugs and that was why he was so diligent about his duty. I understood his fear in not wanting to mess up and be the person he was, but I also think he. needed to be easier on himself because he had to basically raise and take care of himself that falling into what he did when he was younger was not entirely his fault. He just didn’t know what to turn to or who to turn to. But he was older now and he was taking care of himself, and even though we didn’t know his whole life story, I knew enough to know that Harrison didn’t seem like he would fall back into those old habits because he was a good guy in a difficult situation. He needed to give himself more grace.
Harrison also used to be in the army where he was friends with Eddie. Harrison got injured at one point and left the army, so Eddie contacted him one day and asked him if Harrison could work for him. So Harrison became a PPO for Eddie. After the. night where Harrison got drunk, Piper saw a vulnerable side to Harrison that I don’t think he wanted her to see, but Piper was taking care of him that night. But he had a nightmare and was shaky. That made me wonder if he battled military PTSD because it was obvious that he was shaken about something and given that he was in the military, I could only imagine the things he had to see or live through. There was that moment where Harrison thanked Piper for caring for him through the night before he left for Eddie’s and Monica’s. It broke my heart that he felt the need to think her for doing something as humane as looking out for him when he was drunk because he’s not used to other’s taking care of him.
Later, Harrison did open up about his dreams and how they were related to the army.
Harrison left the army because he made a mistake when a friend under his command passed away. Harrison was sent home and that was why Eddie offered him a job. Harrisons’ sorry gave me Archie Andrew’s in Riverdale when he came back from the army and experienced a similar guilt. I cannot even begin to imagine what Harrison or others who have experienced something similar must feel. I could understand why a person would feel guilt and like their friend was their responsibility and like they failed that friend because of what they did. But that is not a weight any person should have to carry for the rest of their life because things happen and it’s not a person’s fault. But I felt like Harrison carried that guilt and remorse with him to be diligent at his job because he also didn’t want to fail anyone else—-that is why he is dutiful. I understand where Harrison was coming from and why he was the way he was, but also he didn’t deserve to feel that way because it wasn’t all on him. I really hoped he knew that. Things happened and it was not his fault. I can’t even imagine. But I could understand.
Piper also understood where Harrison was coming from and I loved that she reassured him that his feelings were valid but that he didn’t need to feel guilt, but to make peace. He really needed to forgive himself, which goes back to how I said he was very hard on himself. But as human beings, we forgive everyone else before we forgive ourselves because we feel like we don’t deserve it because we control what we do and who we are. But we do deserve to forgive ourselves because we are human and we make mistakes and we learn from them. We also should create ourselves as a friend in the way that if a friend messed up, we learn to forgive them, so we should do ourselves the same courtesy. I believe it’s also hard to push past that guilt because we will always remember ti as opposed to someone else where they won’t remember it as much as you do down the line. But peace is how we move on and forward.
“I have learned that the past can hold us back and mold us, drown us in its depths. And the person who comes out of that past is a product of everything it was subjected to. But you can get past it, out of it. You can recognize your patterns and behaviors and stop blaming yourself. Just accept it. . . You know why you are the way you are, and you want to change it. You should be proud of yourself.”
(pg. 259)
Piper said the so well 💙.
We all have things that we have been through that have taken us to the darkest crevices of our minds and beings—-significant moments that have shaped us. Who we come out of this situation will be part of the person we choose to become. But we can always always always be more than the darkness that lives within us and the past that hurt us. It is about recognizing patterns and behaviors that trigger that hurt or harm and learning to be kind enough to say, “No, I am more than this feeling or that experience,” and trying to move on. I think if we all reflected on our darkest moments and how far we’ve come from them, we would all be incredibly proud of who we are and where we are.
It’s something I think about all the time because I’ve had my share of absolutely rock bottom moments—moments I never thought I’d get through or recover from—-but here I am today, wiser, stronger, and more compassionate with others and myself because of them. Be proud of yourself and forgive yourself.
Getting to know Harrison more, made me have a deeper love and appreciation for him because he had been through a lot and is still processing things, but he still chose to be honorable, respectable, and kind. It takes a lot to choose to be good, and I was proud of him for chaining his life around and for continuing to do good work even if it didn’t feel like he was.
The one thing I didn’t understand was whenever Monica would swear Piper off Harrison.
First of all, Piper and Harrison were two grown ups and could choose to be in a relationship if they wanted to. But second, I understood that Monica was his boss and she was also a Duchess so her word meant a lot. But also, IT WASN’T HER BUSINESS 😂🙈!!!!! I mean, why the freak did she care who Harrison dated?!?!?!?! Sure, the new might go back to the royals, but my gosh, who cares what Harrison does, let the dude live his life!!!!!! He already felt guilty for so many things and does absolutely nothing, let him have this 😆.
It was also just weird that after everything Monica supported, Piper not dating Harrison was not one of them. I thought she would feel excited that her best friend neighbor and her PPO were dating, but she was like it would be a disaster. LIKE that was HARSH and AMBIGUOUS 😅. What do you mean Harrison and Piper would be a disaster?!?!?!?!? Was she calling them a disaster tighter because Piper was a disaster or Harrison was a disaster? Why would they not work out??????? She didn’t have a solid reason in her body for why Harrison’s and Piper were not the next it couple. I didn’t understand.
Who cared what she thought because I was team Harrison and Piper getting it on 🤪!!!!
“‘I annoy you,’ I tell him. ‘There’s a difference.’
‘You don’t annoy me,’ he says. ‘You . . . transfix me.'”
(pg. 201)
Kate Sharwma walked so Harrison could run 😂,
“A man who keeps his control behind a barrier is now baring himself for me to see.”
(pg. 201)
Not going to lie, that was a hot fire sentence; let’s go Karina Hale 🔥!!!
I loved how he also basically called her the diamond in the water—-and yes, I do still have Bridgerton on the brain!!! But Harrison could not just say she was a rare and precious thing and my mind not go to Piper being a diamond in the water!!!! The fact that Harrison also felt the need to apologize on behalf of all shizzy men—we love a self aware king. They had been kind of avoiding each other for days because of what happened on their night out and Monica’s warning. Harrison obviously liked her but he didn’t want to act on those feelings for fear of a scandal and and that backfiring on Eddie and Monica. He also wanted to protect Piper, so basically it was all about doing his duty again, which was sad because this dude really deserved love and to live his life and put himself first.
I have to say, I love a good kiss moment in a book, but give me the tender knuckle kiss moments and when he tells you to look at him. Or when he cups your hand to your face in a gentle caress. OOOH, gets me every time 😅.
You know what GOT me? This whole lesser man thing.
“If I were a lesser man, I’d kiss you right now . . . if I were a lesser man, I’d gladly lose control . . . I would trow all caution to the wind and I would never look back. . .But I don’t want to be that man. That’s not who I am; that’s not who I’ve worked all my life to be. You deserve the best Piper, but I can’t give you the best, can’t give you what you really need. It’s better if I stay away.”
(pg. 204)
Okay, this is the only time I’m going to say this, but BE THE LESSER MAN!!!!!!!!
Do it, I dare you 😂!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who cares about honor now, just kiss her right now!!!! Like I understand why he wanted to be respectful and everything and he had his properity to think about as a royal guard and he didn’t want a scandal to arise from dating Piper, but my GOSH why couldn’t they just be together and say screw properity and scandal!!! Everyone loves a good scandal 🤪.
Then they avoided each other for however many days, and they kept doing this tango of trying not to see each other in the washer room, but gosh when they were there that one day , I COULD JUST FEEL THE TENSION building to them making out.
And when SIS called him out????? I WAS HERE FOR IT!
“‘You said you’d be a lesser man if you kissed me. I think you’re a lesser man for running away.’
His nostrils flare at that. It’s a sore spot.
And I decided to poke at it again.
‘You need to f***ing man up,” I add snidely
(pg. 212)
One, we love how she turned this around and made him feel like less of a man.
Two, we loved that he got angry at being called less of a man for running away because he knew she was right.
Three, when she threw that f***ing in there, I was like, “It’s OVER!!!” He’s going to MAN UP 😂👏🏼!!!!!!!!!
He gave the readers what they WANTED. I freaking laughed with how they macked out on a washer and dryer 😂. Talk about shaking and steaminess. Also, I could not with this description of him feeling like concrete and velvet and then Piper mixing up her metaphors with this whole rocket ship analogy 😂. She said blast off when things escalated in that laundry room 🙈. Harrison also said I’m going to take you to another planet 🙈. I WAS SCREAMING.
“My brain barely conjured a thought.”
(pg. 212)
Girl, same.
After that laundry-rocket ship metaphor moment, I could feel an ease in Harrison, a light-heartiness if you will. He just seemed more at peace, which I felt came from finally acting on his feelings and putting himself first by admitting he liked Piper. . . and you know, doing other things 😅.
They were just so happy and the mad meme happy.
“Giddy.
That’s the only word to describe what I feel like.
It’s probably one our earliest emotions—I mean, what toddler hasn’t gotten giddy after a first bite of ice cream? What child hasn’t gotten giddy thinking about Disneyland? Or going on a pony ride? Or Christmas morning?
But as we get older, the giddiness fades. We become more cynical. the excitement, the increased heart rate, the swarm fuzzy feeling in our stomach? It morphs into anxiety. We become nervous. The joy is removed, and all we’re left with is worry. the joy is something that belonged to the past, to when we were more innocent, when we had things to get excited and happy about.
So this, this giddiness, makes me feel like a child all over again. Like I’ve been reborn, picked up and washed off and polished to a shine and then set back down into this world.
All I can think about is Harrison. He’s taken over my thoughts and my heart and everything in between.”
(pg. 263)
That was soooo incredibly sweet and real and I was too happy for her 🥺💙.
Love is a giddy feeling—–pure innocent joy.
They were literally SO CUTE together. I loved how she would look at him and be like, “I want to jump him,” (pg. 231), which made sense. I also COULD NOT with how Harrison started calling her love 🥺💙. Dang, I need someone to call me love. I love love loved that. I also loved how they snuck into her room and then they were going to get into some dirty business because the dog started barking and then Harrison literally snuck out of her window like a teenager 😂. I could just imagine a grown man that was as big and buff as Harrison squeezing himself through a window to not risk being caught. And not them being saved by the pie when the mom saw him outside the house and wondered why he was over so quickly 😂. Gosh knows if the mom didn’t make pie, we would have loved to know what his excuse was. I also loved that Harrison tried to read smutty books for Piper—-we LOVE.
I think if people knew what romance readers read, they would be surpassed by what a wild bunch we are 😂.
Wild and proud.
Speaking of wild and proud, we cannot forget the infamous moment when they went naked and proud in a lake.
They wanted to go out to a secluded area to spend time together rather than sneak around, so Piper took him to this closed lake that used to be private property but was closed down or something. When they got to the lake, Harrison really said body confidence when eh stripped down like nothing and just walked into that lake all naked 🤪. He also served I-don’t-care-what-diseases-are-in-this-lake vibes. Gosh, but he met have known wha ta fine specimen he was to just do that.
I really did like how natural they were together when given the space to be who they are. They really did have insane banter and chemistry. I also loved the way he held her and kept her safe 🥺 because he always seemed to protect her and care for her. They also had a very intimate conversation at the lake that I loved.
“‘Then you’ll have to make room for me,’ he says. ‘Just because I am a certain way doesn’t mean that’s no the result of something else.'”
(pg. 257)
I liked when Harrison said this because it made me think of the sentiment about how when you love someone you have to love and accept all their parts—-some are dark and heavy and to love them through that or make room for it. I think that iw as beautiful that Harrison opened up about why he left the army—-the real reason I discussed earlier—-because at this point he fully trusted Piper to let her in and know the truth about his dark past and his darkness. And that’s something you tell someone if you love them and I loved that in this moment he attested to that with his truth. I also just loved how so many walls were broken down that day at the lake for them to just be. Talking about intimate and vulnerable things withal being intimate and vulnerable defiantly bonded them closer.
But of course, there had to be some DRAMA.
From the minute Harrison walked into that room with regret on his face, I could tell that something was up and they were caught. Because they kind of trespassed to this lake and also there were houses around and unless someone had a paparazzi type camera, they shouldn’t’ have been able to see their naked butts making out in a lake. Honestly, if they did, it was none of they business.
“‘They took some photos of us.’
‘And? So?’ Eddie says. Then he chuckles, ‘Were you naked or something?’
Harrison swallows. ‘I was.'”
(pg. 274)
Not Harrison literally saying he was naked to his boss 😂. I cracked up with how Eddie joked about it first. I also loved how Monica chose at that moment to apologize for being rude to Piper about the relationship thing with Harrison and Piper being a disaster. Monica was just looking out for Harrison because she didn’t want him to get hurt, which was a kind friend thing to do. But still, you don’t tell someone that they are going to be in a disaster relationship with someone else.
Obviously, we knew it was that mean barista bar person lady, Amy because she had an axe to grind with Piper for no reason and that lady’s mom was no better.
But also, not going to lie, Harrison’s naked picture online wasn’t going to get as much bad news as Piper because first of all Harrison was a man and men tend to unfairly get away with things in society, and two Piper was a teacher.
A teacher who had ethical and moral principles to up carry. Knowing that Piper was a teacher put a whole other level or drama and pressure on her, so when the school board called her to question her job, I felt for Piper because I could feel that having a teacher’s naked lake photo swimming around the internet would put her in question.
Honestly, as a teacher it makes me furious because this is Piper’s life and she’s a freaking human being and what she does in her own time is her business, so I don’t give a flying f*** what she does outside of school because she is not on hours. That’s her time. So if she wants to kiss her man in a lake naked, then let her LIVE 👏🏼😆!!!!! Gosh darn. And I get that she trespassed and that’s not moral or legal but it’s not like she got arrested. And besides, this lake was confusing as heck, was it private property was it not???? Someone needed to make things clear because it’s not her fault if she wanted to swim in a lake that was being confusing as heck. Also, what every happened to prviacy because if a person is literally watching and taking pictures of Piper and Harrison getting on in a lake, that sounds more illegal to me that those people didn’t mind their freaking business to let them be. Let people keep the romance alive where they want without us being creeps about it. If it had been anyone else in that lake, I don’t think the barista, bar lady would have cared. But she had a bone to pick with Piper.
I was FURIOUS.
It was wrong.
This whole on trial thing was DUMB too.
The panel was obviously out to get her. Especially that woman Banaba Mischky was her name. Does she not have enough of a life to have anything better to do than watch people make out in a lake 🤪? Why don’t we put her on trial? I just thought it sucked because Piper talked a lot about wanting to make friends in this town throughout the the book but the people were not welcoming because they were entirely presumptuous about Piper without getting to know her. I mean, Piper did have that one teacher friend, but they weren’t super close, but I liked that she at least had someone who was nice to her. It’s hard when you move somewhere new because you don’t know anyone and you need human connection and the people don’t even want to connect with you. It feels like you’re stuck on an island by yourself with people floating by on boats but they ignore you and carry on.
“But it feels disconnected. It’s so much easier to bond with my students. Easier than making friends among teachers.”
(pg. 186)
I related to this as a fellow outcast and teacher.
I don’t know, I was always the type of person who made friends easier with adults, but when I was younger. However, when I got older, it was difficult to make friends my age and easier to bond with my students. Maybe it’s because students are more accepting and loving, but it’s hard to connect with people my age because I feel like everyone is doing their own thing or they are only my friend through association like work or club. I miss human connection to.
Piper said the above quote when she was chatting with Monica one night and I liked how they could relate to both feeling like they felt disconnected and like they were hiding from people but wanted to put themselves out there and feel loved and accepted. Because doesn’t everyone?
It’s wild what people can relate to when we actually sit down and converse with them and realize that they have the very same issues—that we aren’t alone.
So it sucked that Piper felt like she didn’t belong in a community where she should have felt like she had a place in. And I LOVED when she called them all out for being bullies in outcasting her or making her feel like an outsider ever since she moved there.
“‘But why am I a hermit? Because I don’t feel welcome here. I feel like if I’m myself, I’ll be judged and pushed to the side. It’s hard to see it when you’re in it, but since I still feel like an outsider, I’l explain to you what I see, from the outside looking in.
‘Why do people move to a small town or island? . . . They want peace. They want privacy. They want a sense of community, a place where they can both be themselves and belong. But that’s not what they get anymore. . . There is no community when people are made to feel like outsiders. We should be protecting each other, looking out for each other, respecting each other. But that doesn’t happen.'”
(pg. 294-5)
You tell them Piper 👏🏼!!!!!
Because darn right was she right!
They all treated her like nothing and it’s not her fault if she felt ashamed or uncomfortable for hanging out with everyone in town because they didn’t make her feel welcome to do so. If I was in Piper’s shoes, I would have felt hesitant to talk to anyone in town if they treated me like I didn’t belong. I would have hid or stayed away too because I wouldn’t want to be with people who didn’t want to be with me. it’s not her fault. This was a community and communities were supposed to look out for each other and work together, but here they were trying to bring Piper down for a picture that was taken without her consent or knowledge and spread around all because she was in love and wanted to have some fun. Sue her 🙄.
Good for everyone in that room who felt bad for not knowing Piper or shriveling at her words because they knew she was right. How could they question Piper’s morals when they didn’t even know her, and the people who did knew that she was a good person? Honestly, let a sis live!!!!! If she wanted to jump in a lake with her boo thang, who are we to judge love??????
Also, the fact that they brought up her podcast as an allegation against her was BEYOND ME 😡.
As a teacher, I know the ethical and moral pirnciples and reading smut book and talking about them is not wrong. Honestly, teachers are people and it sucks that they feel like they have to hide parts of themselves that are human just because, yes, they do work with kids and they should be responsible role models. But still, they are people. Teachers drink, they party, they do crazy things, they read smut. But if it’s not taken too far or illegal or something like that, there is no wrong with what they are doing because they still need to live their life and be themselves. I don’t know any other profession except maybe acting or singing where a person has to tip-toe at every corner to protect an innocent image.
I LOVED when Piper clapped back about reading smut 😂👏🏼!!!!! She preached on behalf of smut readers everywhere.
“‘My podcast,’ I begin, my voice tight, ‘is directed to a mature audience. To the romance-reading audience. It’s okay to read about sex. It’s okay to have a book that’s focused on both people falling in love and the woman’s own pleasure. The genre has a lot of stigma attached to it, but only because some people are afraid of a women’s empowerment and sexuality.’
‘It’s smut,’ she practically spits out.
‘It’s smut, and it’s wonderful,’ I tell her. ‘What’s so wrong with smut?'”
(pg. 292)
“It’s smut.” DARN RIGHT IT IS 👏🏼.
Smut reader and proud.
But seriously, there is nothing wrong about reading smutty romance because it gives us pleasure or teaches us about love or gives us hope about love. Also, Piper’s right that movies, shows, and music all have it’s form of sex in it, that somehow when a person reads smut it’s wrong??????? I don’t think so. Smut shouldn’t have a stigma as being gross or weird or those who read it being those things, because it really is just about love and empowerment. I mean, if you’re of age, I recommend reading smut. It’s a great time 😂. not going to lie. You learn things about love and relationships and it’s not all just fun time, you know.
BUT I COULD NOT when this woman equated SMUT TO prostitution 🙄. That was a baseball thrown to China. She couldn’t be more wrong. First of all, these characters are fictional and second of all what the heck?!?!?!?! I don’t know. That was dumb that she called it prostitution and a porno. She obviously has not read smut 🤪.
I knew after her trial that Piper won because she did have a right to privacy and she brought up fair and reasonable points that didn’t go against anything I knew. That Barbara lady needs to mind her own business and get a life rather than try to take down an innocent teacher who was obviously getting more action than she was 🙃.
YIKES.
I also loved loved loved how Harrison was supportive of Piper throughout the entire trial—-that the conflict wasn’t so much focused on them but this outside issue that they were fighting together as a united front. I loved to see that.
I want to circle back to Piper’s mom. Piper hid this whole trial and her relationship with Harrison from her because she was scared of what the mom would think. Her mom kind of made Piper feel inferior in the past about her relationships because it seemed Piper couldn’t choose good men; The mom made was hard on her for her choices. So I understood why Piper wanted to keep her relationship with Harrison a secret.
But I could also tell that the mom was onto them because mother’s know, you know. I was also onto the mom for liking that security guard guy, Bert, who always sat in his cop car out front 😂. I felt some chemistry there, you know.
But I think because they had such a complex relationship, it was difficult for Piper to open up to her mom in fear of judgment or triggering her mom. But I also thought that Piper needed to know that her mom was much stronger than she gave her credit for.
“It’s an island in every sense of the word, letting you yourself become an island too. But I’ve come to realize that you can’t hide and shrink for the res of your life. You have to embrace change and welcome it, or you’ll never get better. If there is no push, there is no growth, and that is the [dang] truth.”
(pg. 267-8)
I loved what the mom said here because it went back to that hiding and fear conversation Piper and Monica had earlier. But when you also isolate yourself and hide away, you become like an island all by yourself to the point where other people naturally drift from you because they are used to you being alone that they don’t want to disturb you or whatever peace you have. But we shouldn’t let ourselves become so isolated and hide fro the rest of our lives because life is about change. Every day, things change and we have to go with what happens even if it is not what we want but what we need.
There is no change if there is no growth.
I also loved when the mom said:
“The last few years, the both of us have become so tightly wound that we’ve become dependent on each other. It’s not just me being dependent on you. It’s the other way around too. Only now, with you spreading your wings a bit, I’ve been able to find my own footing. You worry about me sweetie, and I don’t blame you. But you have to let me live and find my own growth too. On my own.”
(pg. 269)
Piper’s mom deserved more credit or more talking parts because she was coming in hot with the wisdom!
But in all seriousness, I teared up reading this part because I 1000% understood what Piper and the mom felt because it was similar to the relationship I had for the longest time with my dad.
My dad was a single dad and I always worried about him and his happiness after my parents divorced because even though he seemed okay, I felt like deep down he carried this sorrow and heartbreak that he didn’t want his kids to see. So I worried about his health and happiness because I didn’t know who else would care or worry about him when my brother and sister were off at college. I also worried about his happiness so much that it felt like my responsibility to make my dad happy after everything he sacrificed and went through for us. I mean, how do I repay the person who supported me througouht my whole life. So I was always nervous to leave him alone, scared he’d feel alone and that be my fault or that he’d be sad and that be my fault. I connately carried the guilt tangled with the fear and it made me unhappy deep down because I felt like everything was on my shoulders .I wasn’t focused on myself and my happiness or my needs. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I even realized how angry and sad I was because of how much I’ve been carrying in trying to make him and everyone around me happy. I was angry because I felt like I was doing everything myself and I had no one to talk to who would udnerstand the pressure of caring for a parent who is divorced because you’re worried about them. I also was angry because I felt like my brother and sister weren’t helping out and it all fell on my shoulders. I was also sad because I realized how all that worry and responsibility made me so dependent and attached to my dad in an unhealthy way.
Because he was a grown man and I was older now. He could take care of himself because I needed to take care of myself.
I think we become dependent on people who we feel are dependent on us because part of us wants to feel needed or loved or like someone cares about. I also think that when we care for someone so much we become so dependent or used to them needing us that we forget that we need ourselves more than ever—-to check in with us.
It wasn’t even until March of this year that my dad found someone and I had the time and space to focus on myself. It was an unusual and uncomfortable transition because I wasn’t used to not having this constant pressure on my chest to make him happy. I had to focus on taking care of myself and making myself happy, which I wasn’t used to. And I finally feel like maybe I am finding a place where I am okay with taking care of myself and making myself happy, although I sure do have my days where I am lost. But I never realized how much I depdnened on my dad like Piper depended on her mom. That Piper and I were both using them as crutches and shields of fear to hide when we always had a fire within us that wanted to feel adventure or love. And now that we have both spread our wings, it did allow the mom and my dad to do things for them. The worry has eased up.
At the end of the day, I do believe that we all have to do our own things and what is best for us because if we are constantly worried or pouring our love and care into others, we leave nothing for us. That creates an unhealthy relationship where you are hurt and angry all the time wanting the love and care you gave so freely back when they don’t recuperate it. But I was happy that Piper and her mom did have this conversation because the mom was strong on her own and Piper needed to be reminded that the mom was going to be okay—-she could take care of herself.
It was also a reminder I needed—that my dad was going to be okay and I needed to take care of myself. I also needed to finally spread my wings. The 18 year old me who dormed for the first time in college didn’t like her independence, but now I enjoy it more. And I think we all go through different phases where something feels right at the moment. When I was 18, being independent felt like too much but now it feels like something I am interested in navigating more.
Life has changes and we go with them.
I really could see Piper and the mom’s dynamic changing after their multiple conversations because Piper knew her mom was going to be okay even if she battled mental health issues.
I also liked how the mom slowly opened up about going back to therapy. I loved that for her. I know the mom was reluctant and didn’t want to talk about it with Piper earlier on, but it was great that the mom was getting the help she needed in our own way and time.
But back to Harrison and Piper.
Harrison was going to stay with Piper and Eddie and Monica who were with child was going to go back to London because it was closer to Monica’s due date and they knew the Queen would not like it if the royal baby was not born in London. But I thought it was incredibly sweet that Harrison was going to choose love and himself. I was proud of him because he was so tied to duty and feeling like he always had to protect everyone to make up for his past mistakes, but he was deciding to heal by staying with Piper and possibly (hopefully) opening a bakery to slow down and enjoy life more. I loved that for him and them.
I freaking love an accidental I love you that just slips right off the tongue 💙. Another trope that gets me every time. I loved how embarrassed Piper was that she said ti so early in their relationship.
But of course Harrison had to melt us all to goo by one upping Piper’s I love you 🥺.
“‘Piper, look at me.’
Hesitantly I open my eyes.
I’m immediately lost in the burning intensity of his.
‘Piper, I love you and I’m in love with you too,’ he murmurs.
. . . ‘I am madly, aggravatingly, desperately in love with you.'”
(pg. 312)
It he”s not madly, aggravatingly, and desperately in love with you, I don’t want it 👏🏼🤪!!!!!
I mean, HARRISON!!!! Stop setting my expectations for men so high. So high like a rocket ship 🤪. If you know, you know.
“That’s what this feeling is.
It’s like that giddiness combined with clouds and rainbows and fizzling champagne bubbles that lift. you higher and higher and. . . .
[Heck]. Maybe this is just love.”
(pg. 313)
Such a well written description that captured their connection beautifully 💙.
I just really loved them. And I was in love with them too.
See what I did there.
Personally, I felt the two month time jump with the epilogue was rushed and didn’t give the wholesome ending or epilogue peace I wanted. I thought it was very quick to mention that they moved, that Harrison opened up a bakery (which I loved for him), and how Piper was also teaching still. I liked how it was mentioned that Piper had built more of a community, but I wanted to know more about how she and the community built their relationship after the trial. I also loved that the mom and Bert were together. We loved that the mom also had a sense of happily ever after.
Also, it was thrown in that Harrison and Piper were engaged and living together and that Harrison had a tell all book out. I’m sorry when did he want to writ a book 🤪???? I thought he just wanted to open a bakery. I mean, he could do whatever he wanted, I just didn’t know he wanted to writ a book. But good for him because I know writing is a form of healing and it made my heart happy that Harrison went form a closed book to literally having a memoir.
I also just wanted more details about their engagement and how it was like to live together. I feel like if the epilogue just focused on one thing, it would have been nicer rather than throw all these things at the end and putting a band-aid over all the loose ends in the book. I really also wanted to feel what was happening in the epilogue because it felt like we’re were told most of the things like a life update, which it was. But I wanted to be present in the events rather than a recount. I mean, how cute would a proposal scene between Harrison and Piper would have been. I could imagine he put the ring in a box of Tic-Tacs and he had her shake it out and then he popped the question. Or maybe at a washer and dryer or a lake when they’re you know 🙈. I don’t know, anything cute.
Other things that I wanted more of was a a grand gesture from Harrison. I don’t know, I’m a sucker for a conflict and a grand gesture. However, I knew that there was not too big of a conflict between them, but I think if there was, it could have elevated their character arcs and growth to be where they were now. Maybe something with Joey wanting her back or something and then Harrison making a move to man up or something. I also wanted more resolution with the community issues because there wasn’t any real conversation afterwards. All we knew was things kind of got better, but I wanted to know how. I also wanted to know more about Harrison like his parents, where id he grow up and a bit more about his personality. I just felt like there was more we could unwrap with his character.
Another thing I wanted was more conversations about the mo’s mental health because I felt like we only touched the surface of what the mom wen through or how she felt. I think if we had gone deeper, it would have been interesting to see Piper and the mom’s dynamic and how they got through it together. But I understand that this book wasn’t about the mom’s mental health, but I think there could have been more said to better representations those who battle what the mom did.
I also wanted more teacher things or teacher struggles because I am a teacher and I just wanted to laugh and relate to Piper 😂. But this suggestion was more of a me thing.
Overall, I genuinely enjoyed The Royals Next Door because it was spicy, it had amazing banter and an incredible romance. I also loved the real and vulnerable conversations mentioned because it made me reflect and think as a reader. Also, reading this book was just a great time and that’s what reading is all about you know. I am definitely a fan of Karina Halle now and can’t wait to read her other books 💙.
Anyway, what was your favorite part of the book? Least favorite part? What did you think of the book?
Who would you want as neighbors to move in next to you?
That’s such a fun question, honestly, maybe Taylor Swift so I can become besties with her and overhear her music when she sings. Or maybe Zendaya because I love her and she’s such a poise, funny, and kind-hearted person who I would love to be friends with. Another choice is Harry Styles because DUH it’s Harry Freaking Styles. Or Selena Gomez because she’s my idol and I think it would be fun if we could cook together and become friends 😊.
Let me know below in the comments as I love hearing from you all 💕
I hope you have a beautiful day whenever and wherever you might be reading this 😊.
And as always, with love,
Rating
4.67 Full Bloom Flowers
Characters: I love love Piper because she’s such a fun, bold, and relatable character. I also loved Harrison because we got to see him open up before our eyes, which was great for understanding him.
Plot: I loved the idea of royals moving in next door and falling in love with their bodygaurd. I didn’t read the synopsis before I bought the book so I thought the main character was going to fall in love with a prince or something, but I did enjoy the direction the book took. Also, so many fun and sweet moments.
Writing: Karina Halle writes so many beautiful descriptions that capture the emotion of a scene, and also there was very good lead up and unfolding of plots.
Romance: UGH, where do I find me a Harrison Cole?????