“A perfect combination of sweet and sexy moments makes A Princess for Christmas an unputdownable read!”–Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling authorFrom USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday comes a modern fairy tale just in time for Christmas about a tough New Yorker from the other side of the tracks who falls for a princess from the other side of the world.Leo Ricci’s already handling all he … side of the world.
Leo Ricci’s already handling all he can, between taking care of his little sister Gabby, driving a cab, and being the super of his apartment building in the Bronx. But when Gabby spots a “princess” in a gown outside of the UN trying to hail a cab, she begs her brother to stop and help. Before he knows it, he’s got a real-life damsel in distress in the backseat of his car.
Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn’t be hailing a cab, or even be out and about. But after her mother’s death, her father has plunged into a devastating depression and the fate of her small Alpine country has fallen on Marie’s shoulders. She’s taken aback by the gruff but devastatingly handsome driver who shows her more kindness than she’s seen in a long time.
When Marie asks Leo to be her driver for the rest of her trip, he agrees, thinking he’ll squire a rich miss around for a while and make more money than he has in months. He doesn’t expect to like and start longing for the unpredictable Marie. And when he and Gabby end up in Eldovia for Christmas, he discovers the princess who is all wrong for him is also the woman who is his perfect match.
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Jenny Holiday has crafted a smart, sexy, hilarious Christmas rom-com that made me laugh, cry, and then sigh with pure contentment. A Princess for Christmas is the perfect holiday treat that readers will want to curl up with and read over and over again.
Delightfully sexy and sweet… the perfect combination of sexual tension and happily-ever-after.
A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday was so much fun! It is at times laugh out loud funny. Yes, this is a happy ever after story, but the author gives the reader so much more. The story begins when a princess from Eldovia visits New York and hails a taxi. Of course the driver is handsome but the author quickly goes deeper. The driver describes the princess as a “cake topper” because she is dressed so fancy. That hints at the humor. The taxi driver is on his way home from picking up his twelve year-old sister from school. He has full custody as their parents have died. He works two jobs as he takes his responsibility of providing a loving home very seriously. I fell in love with the taxi driver right away. The princess is also not what she seems. This is the perfect read for anytime of the year.
A delight! A Princess for Christmas is warm, cozy, hopeful, and so funny! A charming opposites attract romance between a Princess and a cab driver, but what really shines here is Jenny Holiday’s magical touch in creating deep, realistic characters who learn that anything is possible.
A perfect combination of sweet and sexy moments makes A Princess for Christmas an unputdownable read!
In this enchanting story infused with humor, honesty, and heat, Jenny Holiday will make you fall in love with fairy tales all over again.
A Hallmark Christmas movie with the heat turned up is how this book is described and it’s right on the money. Funny, loving, romantic, heartwarming, and a happily ever after for every royalty-loving heart.
AHHHHHHH So freaking delightful
I loved this book, it was so charming, soft and funny. Sexier than what the cover gives to think, which I’m not complaining, I enjoyed that and I’m just stating a fact. Btw, I LOVE the cover.
The characters were cute and charismatic, just everything I love in my books. Can’t wait to read Dani’s book
For someone who used to be obsessed with royals as me, it was perfect
I can’t get over the soap situation and neither could Leo lol.
3.5 stars
I have a soft spot for stories set during Christmas. I also have a soft spot for slightly-unrealistic romances, the ones you know will end happily no matter what. This book seemed like a no-brainer and I was absolutely right.
It’s like a delicious mug of hot cocoa! (I thought I’d keep with the theme.) It’s warm and sweet, but not something you want all the time. It was exactly what I was craving, between the grittiness of NYC and the winter wonderland of Eldovia. The relationships between all the characters were very realistic. It was like getting a peek behind the curtain of a fairytale…and seeing the steamier aspects of fairytale life.
I’d recommend this to anyone who is looking for a relaxing escape from reality!
Worth the reading time
This was a light, fun read, with a minimum of steam. All the characters are well done, and the story has the right amount of tension. Loved Leo and Gabby, and the Princess, Marie has an innocence that makes her character someone to root for. The supporting characters are interesting also, and maybe the author will expand further on them in the future. Loved the setting; the Alps at Christmas made a special setting for the bulk of the book. Jenny Holiday’s next book in this series doesn’t arrive until November 2021, and I am anticipating it with hope for more of the same. 5 stars for a book that made me feel good.
A Princess for Christmas
By Jenny Holiday
Who doesn’t want to be a princess – and for Christmas that is… I love royal anything and this sub genre is just something I obsess about. So when this book came in the mail, I could not help but squeal a little – ok fine a lot! I did enjoy this amazing read and a little steam too. Leo and Marie were the perfect characters for me to start this holiday season with. I also enjoyed the dual POV’s which allowed me to learn about the characters more and did I love them both. A quick and easy read I loved and enjoyed. Highly recommend.
Since I’ve enjoyed Jenny Holiday’s stories previously, I was excited to pick up her newest release, A Princess for Christmas. I enjoy Christmas reads year-round and can be reliably counted on to swoon during fairy tales which feature a handsome prince or lovely princess falling in love with a commoner. I’m happy to report that I found A Princess for Christmas to be a heartwarming tale with delightful characters.
Leo Ricci fills the shoes of our jaundiced Bronx cabbie hero and Princess Marie of Eldovia is our enchanting heroine. Leo gave up everything after his parents died around the holidays to take care of his younger sister. He’s a good man who takes his responsibilities seriously. He doesn’t complain about his responsibilities, but time for dating or for a relationship is non-existent.
Marie has been betrothed to a friend since her birth so she knows that true love is not in her future. After losing her Mom around the holidays, Marie has been taking on more royal responsibilities to cover for her dad, the King, who has never recovered from the loss. She is a smart, caring princess who has great ideas to help her country, but her father won’t consider them leaving her frustrated.
The initial 40% of the story takes place in the Bronx which holds its own special charm. The rest is set in Eldovia, a tiny watch-making country tucked away in the vicinity of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Germany. Eldovia’s views are majestically picturesque; the accommodations are cozily plush; the people are friendly; and daily life is laid-back. AND, to seal the sale, there’s chocolate galore in Eldovia!!!!! They even have soap that mimics chocolate and looks good enough to eat! I want to vacation there. Heck! I want to live there.
As the story begins, Marie has just given a speech at the UN, and now must quickly make her way to a dreaded party. But her car service has cancelled at the last minute. Then, fate intervenes, and a cab pulls up with a driver, a preteen girl, and a dog. The cabbie is Leo Ricci. He’s having a difficult day, but his sister is adamant that they help this woman (Marie) who looks like a princess in a white party dress. Marie makes Leo an offer he can’t refuse. And another… and another… Sparks fly from the get-go and we embark on a wonderful romp reminiscent of a Hallmark movie but with dirty talk AND sex! Ooh la la!
I would be woefully remiss if I didn’t mention a few supporting characters. First, there’s Gabby, Leo’s lively and precocious eleven-year-old sister. She’s a bundle of energy and totally steals many scenes. Then, there’s Dani, a close almost-family friend to both Leo and Gabby. I’m betting we’ll see her again in a future book. AND, finally, we have two characters named Max. One is a lovable pooch and one is Marie’s betrothed and a Duke-to-be. I’m thinking the second Max may feature in a future book too. I hope my predictions aren’t proven wrong because Dani and Max-the-almost-Duke deserve their own stories.
Also, I’d like to commend the author for interweaving a humanitarian movement into her story. The Princess champions a cause dear to her heart, the European refugees’ crisis, at the UN and in multiple situations later. She strongly believes that Eldovia needs to step up and help alleviate the catastrophe. Her overtures are educational and touching.
Following please find a few of my favorite lines from A Princess for Christmas:
“Girls need love, not braids.”
—
“He did not want to escape. So he surrendered to this madness, this beautiful madness. This wanting. Let himself melt, as heat shot through his body despite the cold. It had been so long since he’d kissed anyone, and having that heart-shaped mouth under his was so improbable and, frankly, it was making him crazy. So was the no-holds-barred enthusiasm with which she was returning his kiss.”
—
“Christmas is big business in Eldovia. We have an annual Cocoa Fest on Christmas Eve day. Restaurants and pubs participate, and so does the palace. We make big cauldrons of different kinds of cocoa and serve them outside on the grounds.”
“Are you kidding me?” Gabby demanded.
Marie laughed. “I am entirely in earnest. And there’s a Cocoa Ball in the evening—though that’s not for children.” She wasn’t sure why she added that qualifier. It wasn’t as if Gabby, whose eyes had grown comically wide, would be around to be told she couldn’t attend the ball.
“Oh my god, you are from a fake Hallmark country,” Leo deadpanned.
In the book’s acknowledgements, Jenny writes that the book will be one of three. I was able to confirm with her that she doesn’t consider the trilogy to be a series – so there is not an official series’ name – but there will be a set of three loosely-connected stories. As long as we get more books like A Princess for Christmas, I’m in!
A Princess for Christmas is a well written page-turner. It is entertaining, magical and romantic with oodles of delicious adult moments. I can’t wait to return to the Bronx and Eldovia with Jenny Holiday next year.
Thank you Avon Books for #gifting me a copy of this book.
5/5 Stars
4/5 Steamy
After my last holiday book flop, this was just what I needed. This book read like a Hallmark movie that accidentally got aired on Showtime While the characters, settings, and overall premise of the story could make a wonderful Hallmark movie, there were also periods for deliciously steamy scenes you’d never approve of being aired on a family channel
Taxi driver Leo is a hard working pseudodad to his young sister Gabby, after the death of their parents. Marie is a real life Princess, in NYC on a mission to save her family’s business. Marie hires Leo as her driver while in town, and soon the sparks begin to fly.
I loved everything about this story. I enjoyed Leo’s character and his unwavering support of both his sister and Marie. I loved the sweet fairytale vibes that went along the steam; the author did an amazing job at writing it in a way that made it feel authentic and unforced. Leo’s little sister Gabby was charming and really helped keep the story light and attributed to that wholesome feel.
This story was told from the POV of both Marie & Leo; it was easy to follow through the transitions and gave us insight into both of their insecurities and struggles. The story was written at the perfect pace; just slow enough that you could enjoy the scenery but it moved fast enough to keep your attention from the opening page until the end.
I am so excited to see that the next book will be about Dani & Max! I hope that Marie, Leo, and Gabby will get an appearance too in that story too.
The perfect romance to escape with at the holidays. I loved that this princess story gently poked fun at itself for how adorably Hallmark-perfect the tiny made up European kingdom was. Humor, romance, and wonderful characters for a Christmas win.
This holiday romance is written in third person from a dual POV. It is Hallmark romance ++. I loved that Leo and Marie have both had loss in their lives that allows them to relate to each other despite being literally worlds apart. I love that Leo and Marie are both doing everything they can to meet the expectations the world has set for them. I love the friendship they form almost immediately. Their attraction to each other is off the charts, eventually leading to steamy scenes when they come together. I love that Leo sees Marie as a person and not a princess, and that it meets a need she never realized she had. I love that Marie sees Leo beyond the working man front he puts up for the good and honorable man that he is. The relationship each of them have with Gabby, Leo’s sister, is something truly special. The secondary characters: the palace staff and their friends, sucked me into the world completely. Their black moment is not too bad, though going in I was terrified it was going to break my heart. It did not. They both just had to realize that their love was worth fighting for. The big romantic moment was ALL THAT and I loved it. Their HEA is sweet and I really enjoyed this book.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving a free copy of this book through a give away on Goodreads.
Maybe I read too many books with similar notes and it happened to bad timing but this leaves me feeling “meh”. It is predictable but lacks the humor or needed chemistry between me and the characters to deliver more of the happy “feels”.
While Leo is snarky – which I generally love – he isn’t the hero for me. His backstory could use more flushing out to invest me in his character. And Marie is a bit bland. The potential is there for me to care but the power behind the execution is lacking.
Overall, I wish the focus had been more on the character growth and development as a couple as opposed to sweet fluff in the first half and spicy in the latter.
That being said, I do have a tendency to compare books if I read them close together and I read some really great ones recently. Plus, as other reviews show, my feelings are not the norm.
Leo Ricci is navigating life as best as he can. With the loss of his parents a few years ago – he’s not quite sure if he’s doing the parenting thing right with his little sister Gabby. When Gabby and Leo accidentally stumble upon a real life princess who needs a cab lift and Leo happens to be driving his cab he reluctantly says yes.
Princess Marie has her own issues to worry about. After making a UN speech in New York she’s on some “unofficial” business for her father, the King of Eldovia. This is her chance to shine, her chance to finally prove to her father that she is also a good businesswoman as well as a princess. Marie finally gets Leo to agree to escort her around New York while she is there on business. Will their unlikely business transaction turn into something more?
I adored this sweet and sexy romance between Leo and Marie! I’ve seen this book described as a sexy hallmark movie and I would completely agree. The chemistry between Marie and Leo was so believable and sweet. The sexy times were smoking hot and I loved our dirty talking hero!
Although this romance comes across as cute and sweet, there are also a lot of deeper issues that were discussed. The loss of a loved one can emotionally devastate a person and both Leo and Marie were trying to balance their losses in their own ways. The way they understood these feelings in each other was so sweet and another reason why I was rooting for these two to end up together!
Overall, I really enjoyed A Princess for Christmas and can’t wait to read the next book in the series (I’m hoping it’s Dani & Max!).
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
I enjoyed this Christmas romance. I received this for free and I voluntarily chose to review it. This is not for the under 18 readers and I’ve given it a 4* rating. Lots of twists and turns in this and a lot of characters to keep sorted included a dog. This takes place in New York, with a part time taxi driver for the hero, who’s more than a little rough around the edges. It was fun and serious at the same time. The heroine, is a princess from a little known country in Europe, making a speech at the UN for her country. It goes from there. There is sexual content and unfiltered speaking on the hero’s part. Could have read this without some of that but a interesting story for this Christmas season.
I’ve been striking out hard with holiday reads, they’re not books I gravitate towards, but every year I want to give them a chance. And this was going to be the year that I called it quits on holiday reads.
However, A Princess for Christmas won me over completely and it wasn’t like some other holiday reads I’ve read before. I’ll be honest, I judged this book hard by its cover, which we all know we shouldn’t do. But I always get a bit skeptical with illustrated covers. As far as holiday reads go, this is definitely the steamiest and that is completely OK with me. I love steam 🙂
So I did a combo of listening to the audiobook and reading the ebook. I loved that Leo was such a grumpy hero, but I was completely intrigued by him. Even with his grumpy demeanor, he always gave into Marie’s charm, and that was downright adorable.
Marie was very much a royal princess type of character that I imagined her to be. But there was nothing to dislike about her.
These two had an instant connection and I just couldn’t wait to see what would come of it despite all the hurdles they’d face.
Definitely, my favorite holiday read of the season and can’t wait for more!
An enjoyable holiday read by a new to me author. I felt like I was visiting a town out of a Hallmark holiday move (admittedly one with a lot more spicy). Loved how Leo stepped up and was there for Gabby. His bumbling thoughts had me laughing. The relationship between Leo and Marie unfolded in a way that seemed organic and not forced. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC received via NetGalley.