The Royal Conquest by Stacy Reid -a Review

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Description:
His dark seduction will be her undoing…

After being cruelly jilted by a lord who claimed to adore her, Miss Payton Peppiwell swore her future husband would be as ordinary as she. Now if only her family would listen to her. Then she meets Mikhail Konstantinovich, an untitled horse breeder, in a highly improper and scandalous encounter. Never had Payton expected to be so attracted to the dark, intriguing man, who seduces her to recklessness with a mere stare.

Mikhail abhors anything to do with intimacy. Yet Miss Peppiwell stirs hunger and a need long forgotten in him. But Mikhail has a dark past—one that means his lust must be sated in a way entirely unsuitable for a lady. But his biggest secret will be the hardest for Payton to overcome: Mikhail is not only titled, he’s a prince…

Review;

The Royal Conquest by Stacy Reid is the 4^th book in her Scandalous House of Calydon series. I’ve had the pleasure of reading the previous book in this series, and was happy to have the chance to read yet another one of Stacy’s books. The Royal Conquest was a fast read that had me hooked from the first chapter. Miss Reid just dives right into the story, setting the stage for our hero and heroine from that first moment. She creates an air of mystery and intrigue that surrounds our couple from the get go, and it continues on throughout the story, which to me served as the catalyst that kept my attention and interest piqued towards our couple throughout the book.  

Our hero Mikhail is a dark and brooding character, who at first is very mysterious and keeps his identity a secret from not only Payton, but society as well. He doesn’t care for all the pomp and circumstance that comes from being a Prince, nor does he care for the way women throw themselves at him because of his title. He wants a normal life, one away from all the commotion of being a Prince. On top of all that, he carries with him a dark secret from his past that has become a problem for him in regards to relationships. For that matter, he hasn’t had much luck when it comes to finding love, and has pretty much given up on that notion until that fateful night where he stumbles upon one very sassy and attractive Payton Peppiwell. If that isn’t a fun name for a heroine then I don’t know what would be. Her name doesn’t just sound bright and cheery, Payton really is a bright and cheery individual. She’s a woman of her own means, and to hell with society, the haute monde and their silly ways. Payton grooves to the beat of her own drum, society be damned. That’s one of the things I love about Miss. Reid’s stories, her heroines are a ray of sunshine in a stuffy world. They have their own minds, ideas, and aren’t afraid to stand up to their alpha male, or fight for them no matter what. This is exactly what Payton does when Mikhail finally tells her the truth about himself and his past. When Payton learns that he can’t stand to be touched and must be in control at all times during sex, thanks to a harrowing kidnapping at the hands of Lady Anya when he was younger, Payton doesn’t shun him or turn away, instead she embraces that part of him and allows him what he needs. This is another aspect of Ms. Reid’s writing that I like. She creates a mutual respect between her couple, and allows them the time to learn each other, understand each other and come to respect one another. It isn’t a case of just throwing a couple together, she lets them grow and blossom as individuals finding there own way, and then as a couple.   Both help each other overcome their own issues when it comes to relationships and society. Mikhail and Payton are an excellent fit for a couple.

I do believe The Royal Conquest will be another hit for Stacy Reid. Even though it is a fast paced read, filled with action, suspense, a brooding hero and sassy heroine, the story is well defined, and carried out by our couple. The story takes flight from the first chapter and doesn’t stop until the last page. Mikhail and Payton are characters you want to cheer for and hope they can overcome their individual issues, so that they can succeed as a couple. For anyone who’s a fan of not only Stacy Reid, but historical romances, The Royal Conquest is a must read.

Until next time, happy reading!!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher