Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 4/19/2019 + 2548 more book reviews

Good book. Gabriel was the younger of the two Montoros sons, and the one with the reputation as a fun-loving, carefree playboy. When the family's homeland asked them to return to lead the country, Gabriel was happy that it was Rafe who would be stuck being the king, leaving him to continue his preferred lifestyle. That all came to a screeching halt when Rafe abdicated the throne to marry the woman he loved and the mother of his baby (Carrying a King's Child). Gabe had a very short time to learn what he needs to know, so he hired childhood friend and former crush Serafia to bring him up to speed. The former supermodel left the catwalk behind for a calmer, simpler life. She was happy with her consulting job and staying out of the spotlight. The last thing she expected was to find herself playing Pygmalion to a prince.

I really liked both Gabe and Serafia. In spite of the royalty/supermodel personas, both characters felt like real people with relatable issues. Gabe is one of those guys who seems to be the life of the party, and who everyone wants to be friends with. Though he gave a good impression of being carefree, Gabe suffered from some well-hidden fears. Years earlier he was kidnapped and held for ransom for a week before finding a way to escape. He now suffers from claustrophobia and panic attacks, something he doesn't talk about to anyone. Serafia was at the top of her profession when stress-induced health issues forced her to quit. The only way to avoid a relapse is to maintain rigid control over her feelings and actions.

I liked the development of their relationship. Gabe's reluctance to become king was glaringly obvious, and Serafia had no trouble calling him out for what she saw as his selfishness. The sparks flew between them as Serafia attempted to turn Gabe into the king that his people needed, while Gabe resisted at every turn. It wasn't until they arrived in Alma that Gabe seemed to finally accept what was happening. As they worked together on Gabe's transformation friendship and trust grew between them as well as passion. It wasn't long before Gabe realized that he wanted more, but Serafia feared what the spotlight would do to her. Challenges arose that played on their fears, and Gabe lashed out at Serafia with hurtful accusations. I wanted to shake him for the things he said and felt that he deserved every minute of the misery he felt. I liked his big moment at the end as he did a pretty good job of groveling. There was an interesting twist involving Serafia's father that put a new light on the rumors that had caused part of the blowup.

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