Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck
Series: Royal Wedding #1
Published by Zondervan
Publish Date: May 7, 2013
Source: Book – Bought, Audiobook – Bought
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon
Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess—just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.
The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon’s Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love.
Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation. It’s the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God’s will or their own? (excerpt from Goodreads)
Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck
My Thoughts: OHHHH this is one of my favorites! I’ve actually read Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck three times and I’m finally getting around to putting some words down about this book. It is positively refreshing and delightful in so many ways — starting with the cover. The smile on the cover model is an exact depiction of how this story makes me feel.
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Meet Susanna Truitt: Straight out of a twelve-year relationship/engagement, now brokenhearted. Susanna is cautious, unsure of where her life is taking her since she is no longer getting married. Meets Nate and thinks he is very handsome and also nice. Soon to find out that he is an honest-to-goodness Prince. Begins to fall in love with Nate.
Meet Nate Kenneth: Also known as Prince Nathaniel of Brighton, soon to be crowned King. Vacationing in St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, when he runs into Susanna. Nate is drawn to Susanna and they end up striking up a fun fledgling friendship while he is vacationing, which causes a stir back home in Brighton. Begins to fall in love with Susanna but has to leave Georgia very abruptly due to a family emergency.
Okay, so I have a soft spot for fairy tale-type stories which is EXACTLY THIS. Who wouldn’t want to find a prince and fall in love?
Things are progressing nicely for Susanna and Nate until Nate has to leave Georgia abruptly due to a family emergency…then he ends up extremely busy in Brighton for a while. Now on opposite ends of the ocean and missing each other a ton, both begin to wonder about the state of their relationship and if there is a future for them together BECAUSE:
- Nate is unable to marry Susanna because there are laws in place to protect the monarchy.
- This would mean Nate needs to marry someone else.
- Nate does not want to marry anyone else. He doesn’t want to be untrue to the woman he loves.
A little bit of secret family meddling brings Susanna to Brighton, with the idea that it would make him realize that he needs to let Susanna go and marry like he should, within the bounds of the law. Nate knows that this is what is required of him and Susanna knows that this is what is required of him, but if this happens, how will true love win?
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I absolutely love this book. The romance between Susanna and Nate is sweet and fun. Since Susanna is fresh off the heals of massive disappointment in the way of romance, she is very cautious in how she hands out her heart. This is SO INTERESTING because if a Prince came calling at my door, I’d probably forget everything I know and run away with him! Nate probably would have moved things along more quickly in the way of their relationship, but 1) he respected Susanna immensely and 2) he had that pesky political issue to iron out before he could pursue her appropriately. You know, those marriage laws prohibiting them to be together…
While Nate was back in Brighton working feverishly on being a new King, he was also working to update outdated laws so that he could marry the woman he chooses, even if she comes from a different country (this would also serve to benefit generations after him). For the time that Susanna doesn’t hear much from him while they are geographically separated, she is working hard to move on with her life – because REALLY why would a Prince fall in love with her? She does not believe they could possibly work out. There is a real treat for light romance-fans in the way that everything plays out in the end. Because things do work out and there is a happily ever after-it just takes a little while.
Once Upon A Prince is one of those books that I have hugged over and over – I kept checking it out from the library until I finally gave up a couple of days ago and just bought a Kindle copy for myself…then immediately bought the audiobook as well. (I also bought Princess Ever After, the second installment in this series, in both Kindle and audiobook because of my bazillion library loans. Enough is enough and I needed copies for myself.) I get SO EXCITED when I find books that I enjoy so much, with happy endings and positive, uplifting messages. Besides a lovely romance, Author Rachel Hauck brings us reminders of God’s grace, faith, and love throughout the story plus plenty of laughs, especially during the scenes surrounding Susanna’s family and Nate’s mother. I recommend Once Upon A Prince for fans of fairy-tales, clean romances, great settings, and great family relationships.
While Nate was back in Brighton working feverishly on being a new King, he was also working to update outdated laws so that he could marry the woman he chooses, even if she comes from a different country (this would also serve to benefit generations after him). For the time that Susanna doesn’t hear much from him while they are geographically separated, she is working hard to move on with her life – because REALLY why would a Prince fall in love with her? She does not believe they could possibly work out. There is a real treat for light romance-fans in the way that everything plays out in the end. Because things do work out and there is a happily ever after-it just takes a little while.
Once Upon A Prince is one of those books that I have hugged over and over – I kept checking it out from the library until I finally gave up a couple of days ago and just bought a Kindle copy for myself…then immediately bought the audiobook as well. (I also bought Princess Ever After, the second installment in this series, in both Kindle and audiobook because of my bazillion library loans. Enough is enough and I needed copies for myself.) I get SO EXCITED when I find books that I enjoy so much, with happy endings and positive, uplifting messages. Besides a lovely romance, Author Rachel Hauck brings us reminders of God’s grace, faith, and love throughout the story plus plenty of laughs, especially during the scenes surrounding Susanna’s family and Nate’s mother. I recommend Once Upon A Prince for fans of fairy-tales, clean romances, great settings, and great family relationships.
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Once Upon A Prince will appeal to fans of:
Adult Contemporary Romance
Romance: Slowly Developing, No Triangle
Great Setting(s)
Great Family Relationships
HEA!
HEA!
Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck
is currently available for purchase.
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A March Bride by Rachel Hauck
A March Bride by Rachel Hauck
A March Bride by Rachel Hauck
Series: A Year of Weddings #4
Published by Zondervan
Publish Date: February 25, 2014
Source: Publisher
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon
Series: A Year of Weddings #4
Published by Zondervan
Publish Date: February 25, 2014
Source: Publisher
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon
Susanna has found her true prince, and their happily ever after is just around the corner. But when Nate asks her to give up something precious to her, Susanna can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign that their love is not meant to be.
Susanna Truitt (Once Upon A Prince) is three weeks from royalty. She’ll soon marry King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. But when the government insists she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, coupled with the lack of involvement by family and friends, her heart begins to doubt whether this marriage is God’s plan for her.
Nathaniel would do anything for his bride-to-be. But he knows his position requires that she give up a lot to be with him. Her life will never be her own — right down to her very identity. When she travels home to St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, right before the wedding, Nathaniel fears she won’t return. Gathering his courage, he devises a plan to win his bride all over again, and together they seek out a kingdom to treasure above all. (excerpt from Goodreads)
Part of the A Year of Weddings novella series, A March Bride is an addition to the story of Susanna and Nate, WHICH I LOVE. Basically, I just cannot get enough of these two. I’ve read this novella twice.
In my review of Once Upon A Prince above, I mentioned that one thing that stands in the way of these two marrying is a certain very old Brightonian law that was put in place long ago to protect the monarchy and country. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in a more modern era – like now, when the King wants to marry a foreign lady – this law is problematic. No spoilers for the novel, but at the end of the book, an agreement is reached that makes everyone happy (don’t assume things!) and the happily ever after is in place.
In A March Bride, the story continues…Susanna is told that she must become a full citizen of Brighton before she can marry Nate. Susanna has already given up everything to be with the man she loves – now she has to give up her American citizenship too? Susanna decides she needs to think on this and pray about it, so she heads back to Georgia for a change of scenery and advice. This gives Nate a chance to make some plans to KEEP his lady. The two better make their decisions and plans fast – they only have three weeks until the wedding date!
Reading the novel first gave me all of the information about Susanna and Nate that I needed to understand why the citizenship issue was such a hard thing for Susanna to accept and also why Nate fought so hard to keep her. HOWEVER, I think that people that decide to read this novella first will be perfectly fine – it will likely make them want to grab Once Upon A Prince and check out the entire story of Susanna and Nate. (The ending of this novalla is AWESOME and I feel like I know them in-real-life by now.)
In my review of Once Upon A Prince above, I mentioned that one thing that stands in the way of these two marrying is a certain very old Brightonian law that was put in place long ago to protect the monarchy and country. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in a more modern era – like now, when the King wants to marry a foreign lady – this law is problematic. No spoilers for the novel, but at the end of the book, an agreement is reached that makes everyone happy (don’t assume things!) and the happily ever after is in place.
In A March Bride, the story continues…Susanna is told that she must become a full citizen of Brighton before she can marry Nate. Susanna has already given up everything to be with the man she loves – now she has to give up her American citizenship too? Susanna decides she needs to think on this and pray about it, so she heads back to Georgia for a change of scenery and advice. This gives Nate a chance to make some plans to KEEP his lady. The two better make their decisions and plans fast – they only have three weeks until the wedding date!
Reading the novel first gave me all of the information about Susanna and Nate that I needed to understand why the citizenship issue was such a hard thing for Susanna to accept and also why Nate fought so hard to keep her. HOWEVER, I think that people that decide to read this novella first will be perfectly fine – it will likely make them want to grab Once Upon A Prince and check out the entire story of Susanna and Nate. (The ending of this novalla is AWESOME and I feel like I know them in-real-life by now.)
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A March Bride will appeal to fans of:
Adult Contemporary Romance/ChickLit
Romance: Already-Established.
Novellas/Short Stories
HEA!
HEA!
A March Bride by Rachel Hauck
is currently available for purchase.
**I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts and they are my own! Thank you Zondervan!
**I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts and they are my own! Thank you Zondervan!
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The Royal Wedding Series:
These are some of my favorite comfort reads!
These are some of my favorite comfort reads!
Aren’t they beautiful?
I love the both the print and the audio formats!
About Asheley
Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.
You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.
Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!
I'll admit that clean romances are not something I read, but these reviews make me want to pick up this series! Sometimes we need something sweet, fun, and just delightful. Thanks, Asheley!
This is such a fun fairy-tale romance. I've read it several times and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. I can't wait for the third book to come out (because I've read the second too and loved it even more, I think). Sweet, fun, and delightful is a perfect way to describe this one. (: