A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

• Series: Royal Wedding Series
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (October 18, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310344530
• ISBN-13: 978-0310344537

About the Book:

Avery Truitt aches for true love—the kind she once shared with Prince Colin. Can she dare to hope for happily ever after, or is a fairy-tale ending beyond reach?

College volleyball star Avery Truitt has not seen her former flame, Prince Colin of Brighton Kingdom, since he suddenly pushed her away five years ago. But now, the sadness of losing her father and the joy of her sister Susanna’s pregnancy have brought Avery back to Brighton just in time for Cathedral City’s enchanting Christmas season.

Avery knows she can’t avoid seeing Colin—now the Kingdom’s most eligible bachelor—whether or not her heart is ready to relive the pain. But seeing him again might bring her the closure she needs after all this time.

When Colin finds himself at the center of a centuries-old Brighton tradition, he must decide whether to follow the path laid out before him or follow his heart to the only woman for whom he would ring the Pembroke Chapel Bell.

Can Colin convince Avery to meet him at the chapel on Christmas morning—as tradition dictates—or will Avery run back to her St. Simons home and pursue a coaching career as planned?

In the fourth installment of the Royal Wedding Series, New York Times bestselling novelist, Rachel Hauck, weaves a charming story of holiday romance as two broken hearts seek the love they once knew.

My Thoughts:

Move over, Disney!  There's a new modern day fairy tale queen in town!  Her name is Rachel Hauck, and wow, can she tell a story!

I've been a fan of Rachel Hauck's novels for over a decade.  I still remember the first book I read about a young woman trying to make her way in the music industry of Nashville.  Rachel has a natural gift for story, and her characters are memorable and easy to identify with in the midst of their story.

But the Royal Wedding Series is more than great reading.  It is outstanding reading.  Rachel takes the best of our favorite fairy tales, weaves a modern-day thread throughout, and sprinkles in just the right amount of faith to craft a completely unique reading experience that lingers in the imagination for a very long time.

Avery is the younger sister of our first 'married to a prince' heroine, Susannah Truitt.  I loved "Once Upon a Prince" and it's become one of my favorite re-reads.  Avery was a fun character then, and as she comes into her own story it's great to see how she's grown--and she isn't even real!

Rachel makes it difficult to remember that this is all make-believe, that there isn't a kingdom called Brighton ruled by a kind royal family with a strong faith in God.  That Susannah, Regina, Corina and Avery aren't strong women with a deep capacity for love and loyalty, and that the royals who capture their hearts aren't ruling somewhere out there.

One thing I didn't care for was this: "A Royal Christmas Wedding" felt too much like goodbye, and I'm not ready for the series to end!  From the gorgeous covers to the story concept to the final page of each book, every element fit neatly together to craft a delicious reading experience.

That's why, with my thanks to my friends at Zondervan Publishing for my advance copy, given with no obligation on my part, I'm giving "A Royal Christmas Wedding" my 'O, The Feels' award, and encouraging you to get the entire series.

You'll be glad you did!  Here's to hoping Rachel has at least one more Royal Wedding novel coming our way.  Until then...

Mark Your Place,

Deena