How to Catch a Prince - Leanne Banks (HSE #2247 - Mar 2013)

Series: Royal Babies (Book 3)

THE RELUCTANT ROYAL

Ever-practical Maxwell Carter was used to designing highways and streets for VIP motorcades-not waving from the head limo! So when he discovered he was actually a prince of Chantaine by birth, he wasn't impressed-or interested in getting to know his royal family. But his assistant, Sophie Taylor, insisted he give the royals a chance-and Sophie was usually right!

As soon as she stepped into paradise and into the hands of Maxwell's matchmaking half sisters, staid Sophie became sexy Sophie. It wasn't long before a strictly business relationship became personal...as personal as another royal-baby-to-be! Would Maxwell's sense of duty doom their new love from the start, or could this reluctant prince fling caution to the wind and give his heart to his Cinderella? 

I liked this book even better than the last one.  Max wasn't at all impressed by his newly discovered royal heritage.  Nor was he particularly interested in getting to know his new family, but his assistant Sophie wasn't going to give him a moment's peace until he made an effort.  Once he was there he found himself getting involved, offering to help build a new road on part of the island.  Sophie's arrival made his life easier and harder all at the same time.  Easier because she was a miracle worker of an assistant and didn't seem to mind working the same long hours he did.  Harder because as she got more involved in life on Chantaine he became more aware of her as a woman.

 I really liked both Sophie and Max.  Sophie was a hard worker who was very happy with her job.  A large part of that happiness was because she was working with Max.  She had been attracted to him from the time she was hired but he never seemed to notice her that way.  So she worked the way she did so she could be close to him.  When she arrived on Chantaine she continued the way she had been until his royal half sisters got into the act.  Suddenly she found herself dressing up and going on dates with a charming man who wasn't Max.  She thought maybe that would help her realize that nothing would ever happen with him.  Then suddenly Max was paying attention to her in a whole new way.  She knew that he was unlikely to want anything permanent but she couldn't stop herself from hoping.  When she found herself pregnant, Max wanted to do the right thing for the sake of the baby, but Sophie wanted him to want her for herself.

Max was an intriguing guy.  Because his adoptive parents had had a volatile marriage he had a very cynical view of love and kept himself closed off emotionally.  He made sure that any woman he got involved with knew that he didn't do commitments.  He appreciated Sophie for the outstanding assistant that she was but refused to even think about going any further than that.  When she nagged him into meeting his new siblings he wasn't expecting to like them at all, but found he couldn't help it.  He was impressed with the way that they cared about their people and how hard they worked to improve things.  He wasn't real happy when his sisters started dragging Sophie away from work and encouraging her to date.  He started to realize how important she was to him and he began to take things to a personal level.  He still tried to convince himself that he wasn't capable of anything permanent.  I really liked the way that he got involved with the local charity and how obvious it was that he was capable of great caring.  He tried very hard to make his proposal sound like a business merger rather than an expression of their love.  His fears nearly split them apart forever, but he came through in a fantastic way.  

I really liked seeing Max interact with his royal siblings and how he learned that they were people too.  There were a lot of similarities between them and him.  I especially loved it when Sophie told Max that his sister Bridget was a female version of him which just showed more how he was part of the family whether he wanted to be or not. There are some other really great moments with Max and the rest of the family  I can't wait for the next one! 

A Home for Nobody's Princess - Leanne Banks (HSE #2216 - Oct 2012)

Series: Royal Babies (Book 2)

"HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A PRINCESS?"

Coco Jordan wished she knew the answer. Discovering she was the illegitimate daughter of the prince of Chantaine took some getting used to--especially when she was working as a nanny on a Texas ranch As much as she tried to focus on caring for baby Emma, her newfound fame kept getting in the way. Until help arrived from an unexpected--and handsome--source...

Widowed rancher Benjamin Garner would do anything for his daughter--even fake an engagement to Coco to keep the paparazzi at bay. Princess or not, Coco's the best woman for his child's needs--and though he doesn't dare think about it too much, probably his own. Soon their "royal romance" is making headlines--but can their all-too-real love survive the pressure?

Very good book.  Coco is working as a nanny after the death of her mother.  When she learns that her birth father was a prince she is stunned.  She also finds out that she has six royal half siblings and a full brother.  She would like to get to know her siblings but she is intimidated by the idea of them.  She is also being inundated by paparazzi.  When Benjamin offers to play the fiance to protect her she takes him up on it.

I really liked both Coco and Benjamin.  Coco is a fantastic nanny and is trying very hard to get little Emma used to being around her daddy.   She is also trying to get Benjamin used to Emma.  The news of her birth parents has surprised her but she doesn't expect it to make a real difference in her life.   She would like to get to know her new siblings since they are the only family she has left, but she really doesn't expect anything.  The influx of paparazzi has made it hard to do her job and she accepts Benjamin's offer of help.  When she is invited to go to Chantaine to meet the family he goes along to support her.  I loved her down to earth point of view and how honest she is.  She was really disappointed with her first meeting with her sisters and brother.  In previous books I really liked them, but in this one Stefan especially was a real stinker.  I didn't like the way he didn't bother to try to get to know her.  The second meeting went a little better, but Coco was very happy when they left to go back to Texas.  Another thing she had to deal with were her growing feelings for Benjamin.  There is a strong attraction between them and she has come to love the way he cares for Emma.  She also senses that he is trying to resist that attraction.  I loved the way that she tries to put Emma and Benjamin first, ahead of the way she feels.  

Benjamin is very happy that Coco is there.  He got custody of Emma when her mother died and is having a terrible time bonding with her.  She screams when she sees him which makes him feel terrible.  I loved the conversations he and Coco had about his hat and its effect on Emma.  Since his brief affair with Emma's mother he has avoided any kind of emotional relationship with a woman, but being around Coco does something to him.  I really liked the way that he offers a pretend engagement to help her with the paparazzi.  What he didn't expect was to start developing feelings for her.  He could deal with the attraction but the emotions she brought out scared him.  He couldn't resist being there to support her.  I really liked the way that he faced down Stefan on her behalf.  It took him awhile but he finally realized how much he needed her in his life.