Regina Beswick loves nothing more than restoring old cars and being a Southern woman. When Tanner Burkhardt shows up with a letter from a king telling her she is the long-lost princess, Regina is shocked. As the memories of her family resurface though, and an old box is found, Regina knows she has to at least go to the country she is supposed to inherit and see what she can do. When she gets there, she will find she isn't the only one hesitant about a returning royal.

While PRINCESS EVER AFTER by Rachel Hauck is a really cute and clean romantic read, I have several mixed feelings about it. Regina is a nice main character with great backbone and a big heart. I love how real Hauck makes the situation feel, since finding out you're a princess is something that might not happen even one in a million times. I also adore how Regina starts to fall in love with the country of her heritage, while still staying true to her dreams and what she loves.

However, for me, the romance is a little cheesy. Tanner is an interesting character, but I never really saw why he and Regina started having feelings for one another. They use a lot of heavy romantic vocabulary, and it just isn't my taste. Regina also is almost thirty and hasn't had her first kiss, and I don't find that realistic for a contemporary romance.

Even though there were several things I had issues with, I absolutely think this could be a favorite for someone else. Rachel Hauck is a really good writer, and PRINCESS EVER AFTER is an enjoyable story, just not one that fits my tastes. I would completely recommend PRINCESS EVER AFTER to readers who want a strong, clean romance with splashes of a real-life fairy tale.

Book Summary

Regina Beswick was born to be a princess. But she's content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her grandmother's hand-painted book of fairytales.

Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation's future---and his own. Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever. Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she's destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love.