The Royals Upstairs by Karina Halle-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK : Release Date September 10, 2024

He’s the royal bodyguard. She’s the royal nanny. The annoyingly hot attraction that simmers between them—that’s a royal pain.

James Hunter has made a tactical error. His new role as protection officer to Prince Magnus of Norway was supposed to be an exciting change. Instead he’s marooned on a royal estate in the middle of nowhere charged with chasing after demon children and dodging the machinations of meddling staff. And the crowning jewel in this little drama—the children’s nanny is none other than Laila Bruset. The woman whose heart he broke. The woman who still holds his.

When Laila took the job as a nanny for the Norwegian royal children in order to be closer to her ailing grandmother in Oslo, the last thing she expected was to have her life turned upside down—again. But as much as James gets on her nerves, he’s also getting under her skin, and the tension between them sizzles just as devastatingly as before.

As undeniable sparks turn James and Laila’s battle royal into a more serious game of hearts, nanny and bodyguard will have to decide just how much they’re willing to risk for a second chance at love.

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REVIEW:THE ROYALS UPSTAIRS by Karina Halle is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, erotic, romance story line set in the author’s Nordic Royals world. This is thirty-four year old, royal body guard James Hunters, and twenty-eight year old Norwegian nanny Laila Bruset’s story line. THE ROYALS UPSTAIRS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Laila and James work for Crown Prince Magnus and his wife Princess Isabella (THE WILD HEIR).

Told from dual first person perspectives (Laila and James) using present day and memories from the past, THE ROYALS UPSTAIRS follows the second chance relationship between our story line couple. Scotsman James Hunter has worked for several European families, and in doing so met royal nanny Laila Bruset. A brief affair years earlier ended with Laila’s broken heart, and the two never thought they would meet again. Fast forward to present day, Norwegian born Laila Bruset is the nanny to Crown Prince Magnus and Princess Ella’s children, a position that brings her up close and personal with Magnus’ new security James Hunter, the man who broke her heart. James is hoping to rekindle their relationship if only as friends but Laila is struggling with betrayal from the past. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between our story line couple, a rebuild helped by the Crown Prince and his wife.

The world building focuses on past sins and betrayal; previous royal employment; a rambunctious young prince whose antics often threaten the safety of our story line couple; and of one woman’s struggle to let go of the past.

The relationship between Laila and James is one of second chances. James broken Laila’s heart, having kept his own life a secret from our story line heroine, a woman who had fallen for a man who could not fall in return. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word in my romance story line.

We are reintroduced to Crown Prince Magnus, and his wife Princess Ella; their children Bjorn and Tor; driver Ottar; Ella’s personal assistant Lady Jane, as well as Laila’s ailing grandmother.

THE ROYALS UPSTAIRS is a story of second chances; of secrets and lies; family and loss; relationships and love. The premise is emotional and engaging;the romance is provocative and seductive; the characters are determined and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy