A full-length STANDALONE romantic comedy from USA TODAY bestselling author R.S. Grey.I’ve spent eight years wishing I’d fall out of love with Derek Knightley. Blowing out birthday candles, chasing after shooting stars, making it rain spare change into mall fountains—every time it’s the same wish: forget about Derek.But the day he walks back into my life, I realize there are two things time has … there are two things time has yet to soften: my feelings for him and his chiseled jawline.
It’s infuriating that my heart still races when he walks into a room. I refuse to fall prey to old unrequited love, so I decide the less I’m around him, the better. Avoidance is key.
Unfortunately, Derek isn’t going to make it easy. As a teenager, I would have crawled on my hands and knees to attract his attention. Now I can’t seem to escape it.
I’m not sure why he’s bothering. He’s not just out of my league—he’s out of my tax bracket. As the sole heir to the Knightley Company, he’s as close to American royalty as you can get. As for me, I’m just a part-time princess at Knightley’s flagship magical theme park.
I spend my days playing make-believe, but Derek has no use for fairytales. His unwavering confidence makes it clear he thinks I’ll surrender in the end.
He’s just biding his time.
Making me sweat.
His Royal Highness always gets what he wants.
And he wants me.
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I’m a big fan of R.S. Grey and I’ve read a lot of her books.
Overall, this was a good book but it wasn’t one of my favorites.
Whitney met Derek when she was 18 and he was 28. She was young and just got placed in a mentorship program at the theme park she works at. She instantly falls for him, but just as soon as she does, he is whisked away to London to oversee another theme park opening there. What he doesn’t realize is that he left Whitney wounded, he seemed a little oblivious to her feelings. This part didn’t bother me because she was so young and he probably thought it was just a cute little crush.
Fast forward to 8 years later. Whitney has become very close with the theme park’s owner Cal Knightly and thinks of him as her family. She has not been close with her family in sometime and Cal is all she has. Cal is also Derek’s grandfather. So when Derek comes back, Cal can’t help but put the two together in hopes of playing a bit of matchmaker. The truth is, he really didn’t have to because as soon as Derek sees Whitney again, he realizes she isn’t the 18 year old he left behind and he falls for her fast.
Whitney however, is another story because she still feels hurt by him disregarding her feelings so many years ago. This book is an adorable dance of the two of them trying to navigate feelings and quite possibly, love, in one of the most magical places.
There were so many “Disney-like” references it honestly felt like I was there watching the whole book transpire. I fell in love Cal pretty early on. Taking Whitney under his wing like he did just stole my heart. This book was light but did have just the right amount of drama thrown in there. I can always trust Rachel to give me a great romance with some laugh out loud moments.
What a fun imaginative story. First, I have to admit that I love Disney World and I think that R.S. Grey did an amazing job describing the day to day grind of the Fairytale Kingdom. I wish this theme park existed- I’d love to visit with my children.
Now to the story, what a beautiful, fun story. Whitney and Derek have a history- he is her one big crush from when she was a teenager just starting to get entrenched in the Fairytale Kingdom and he was assigned as her mentor. Derek had to go to London and while he abruptly left, Whitney wasn’t able to completely get over him. The story then fast forwards 8 years.
Derek is the ultimate book boyfriend- caring and sweet, I loved the flashback and seeing how their relationship started and how patient and kind he was to her. Their history really made me invested in the relationship. Even though Whitney is in her mid-20s, she was written as very innocent, naive and a little immature but that leads to the fun banter between the characters. I went through a range of emotions with this book but the final feeling of happiness with how the story played out will be how I remember this story. I’ll definitely be revisiting this story when I want a low angst happy story with fun, relatable characters.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased review.
Whitney and Derek’s story was so much fun, deliciously slow burn, while slightly emotional and super cute in such an incredible setting. I seriously loved all the behind the scenes aspects them working in a Theme Park and I really felt like I was there along for it all
Whitney was adorable, awkward, a little bit quirky but so much fun while also being slightly insecure and vulnerable. She is the type of girl who falls fast and hard but at the same time she falls safe, always going for the options she knows wont end up hurting even if its not what her heart truly wants. There will be times she frustrate’s you, your heart will break for her, she will make you laugh and you will most certainly fall in love with her. She was such a well written character and watching her character grow, break down some of those safety walls she puts up while still remaining true to herself was a joy to read.
Derek was charming, sexy, flirty, confident while slightly arrogant and stubborn but he knows what he wants and wont stop until he gets it. He was dedicated to his job and the love he had for his grandfather Cal was truly special. He was so supportive of whitney and always wanted what waw best for her and honeslty i think I’m still swooning
This was more than just a romance and I loved every minute of it
I’ve read a number of R.S. Grey’s books in the past and loved them all because of their humor and wonderful characters, but I have especially been looking forward to reading “His Royal Highness” ever since it was announced. There aren’t many things in this world that I love as much as romance novels, but Disney is one of them, so the fact that this story features a theme park loosely based on Walt Disney World made my Mickey-loving heart nearly explode with anticipation and glee.
I adored both of the main characters, Whitney and Derek. When the story began, Whitney definitely seemed stuck; she was still living in the same dorm room from her college days and doing the exact same job playing Princess Elena in the theme park. Derek’s return and their growing relationship shook Whitney out of her rut and made her realize that she needed to make some changes in her life. When she finally decided what she wanted to do next in her career, I nearly squealed because the job was so perfect for her.
I’m generally a fan of workplace romances, and this story features one of the best ones I’ve ever read. Even though Derek was Whitney’s former mentor and technically her current boss, the fact that he took a temporary job in the park with her made it seem more like they were on equal footing, so it never felt like he was using his position to force her into a relationship. Derek made his interest in Whitney clear, but he was never overly pushy. He respected boundaries and it never felt like he was crossing a line into sexual harassment, which I very much appreciated.
Overall, I loved this book every bit as much as (if not more than) I expected to, and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what R.S. Grey publishes next!
I liked this book because it was different. Whitney works at a Disney-like theme park off the Georgia coast. She’s worked there since she was a teenager and has climbed the ranks in the management program. Whitney had a school-girl crush on Derek, the heir to the theme park, eight years ago. She let her feelings be known and was humiliated when Derek did not return them. Derek has been living overseas opening up theme parks abroad but returns to Georgia to take the reigns from his grandfather. And now Whitney is all grown up!
The author put a lot of detail into her description of the theme park and the ups and downs of that type of job. There were also some really entertaining secondary characters.
I love R S Grey books, and this one was no exception. If you love Fairytale endings and princesses then this book will be your bag.
The book is about Whitney, a young woman who enters an internship at Fairytale Kingdom, a magical world where dreams come true, and kids can capture all the magic of princes and princesses.
Whitney is lucky and is given Derek Knightly, the owners grandson as her mentor. He is ten years her senior, and they instantly connect over their passion to do well. Whitney develops a teenage crush, a one she doesn’t fully understand. But when Derek rejects her invitation to drop the mentor/mentee labels, and ends up travelling to London, Whitney is devastated. Uncertain that she will ever get her fairytale ending.
I love the magical work of Fairytale Kingdom, it reminds me of a well thought out fictional Disney, where Whitney is the famous Princess Elena who gets to make all the children who visit the parks dreams come true.
Whitney is passionate, loving and wants to do well. But when Derek returns, she can’t help but feel embarrassed, angry and not so sure he is the man she initially became smitten with. But with Derek attempting to learn the ropes of the kingdom, she is forced to bear his company more than expected, and could be turn out to be her real fairytale prince.
Entertaining read that had lots of good moments and the chemistry between the main characters is believable. I loved the plot, and thought the idea of a fictional Disney was clever and I couldn’t wait to see what Grey had in store for her characters.
A romance set-up in a theme park? YES! And while a few chapters, in the beginning, did hold my interest, unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t.
I loved the theme park, the description, the setting — it was nothing short of magical. Sadly, I can’t say the same about the leads.
Whitney, I have to say, is the first Grey heroine that I didn’t enjoy. Her reasons for being mad at Derek, her lashing out at him, it was simply put, stupid as hell.
Derek was 28 to her 18 when he left and at the time, her mentor to her mentee and the attraction was one-sided but the way Whitney reacted to Derek not replying to an email or not having the same feelings as her is bizarre! So bizarre that she held that over him for 8 years!
Moreover, while Whitney and Derek had a few steamy moments but them being the perfect couple didn’t seem convincing.
The progression of their relationship didn’t seem natural, it was more like a literal jump.
Overall, it comes down to not being a fan of the relationship or Whitney and her reaction to everything in general (well, apart from her reaction to her parents. That one was justified.)
I just didn’t expect this book to turn out the way it did. I was hoping to love this book but I didn’t.
2.5 Stars!
NO SPOILERS!
His Royal Highness swept me off my feet and was a sweet, romantic, and swoon-worthy standalone romantic comedy of “royal” fairy tale proportions from R.S. Grey!
The storyline was incredibly unique and I loved the concept of the plot. I loved the characters. Derek and Whitney (and several others) stole my heart, and I absolutely loved reading their story from beginning to end. The only negative was that I wanted even more of Derek and Whitney, but I was still very happy with what I received and was pleased with the ending.
His Royal Highness was a sweet, swoon-worthy, and romantic MUST READ from R.S. Grey, and I already can’t wait to devour whatever she releases next!
This is a fairy tale story with a twist, they work at a theme park where they met.
Derek is the heir apparent to the kingdom and Whitney is his princess in all ways.
This was a fun friends to lovers romance with a slight age gap. I am always happy when reading a RS Grey rom-com as she knows how to make us laugh. Whitney was a sweet young candidate who was a little innocent. She got flustered in a few situations and it was endearing. Derek was respectful and honorable with Whitney’s situation of being younger. But being away for eight years, he can see she has definitely grown up. At times it was a little heavier than the norm from this author and quite descriptive with details. But there’s plenty of dialogue between them that will keep you turning the page. The secondary couple were sweet to get to know as well.
Remember your teenage crush on that older guy? What if eight years later, you’re still single and he walks back into your life and it all comes flooding back? What a fun read. RS Grey has some lines that made me laugh out loud and what a cool backdrop of the Fairytale Kingdom. Enjoyed this one a lot!
I always look forward to Rachel’s books. They are entertaining, well written, and she is a go to author for me. Already craving the next one.
Standalone | Romantic Comedy
Don’t you just love Rachel’s covers? I am always looking forward to seeing which colors and people she will use next in them! They are eye catching, adorable, and are really what led me to her books in the first place. I know, you SHOULDN’T judge a book by it’s cover. And really, I’m not judging it at all! I am simply stating that gorgeous, eye catching covers like these are what make me want to read the books! His Royal Highness certainly caught my eye, and the story inside is just as sweet as this cover.
R.S. Grey has written a magical book with His Royal Highness. At first I thought it was going to be a royal romance (see the title) but was pleasantly surprised it wasn’t! I’m not really a fan of royal romances but would have read it if R.S. Grey wrote it. Thankfully, I didn’t have to! This is a story about two people who work in a magical theme park filled with princesses, castles, and knights in shining armor. Whitney is the most magical princess in the kingdom and has been working at this park for a really long time. She loves her job and happily plays the part of Princess Elena which brings smiles to all the children’s faces. But she has a little problem. A bit of unrequited love that she can’t shake. I mean, she LOVES, LOVE. She wants to fall hopelessly in love with her own prince but she just can’t figure out WHO to choose (don’t worry, this is NOT a love triangle in any sense). Perhaps Ryan, the knight who protects her during work? Or the fudge guy. Can’t go wrong there. Or maybe, just maybe, the guy she has been crushing on for nearly a decade who comes swooping back in her life unexpected? I guess you’ll have to read it and find out who she picks!
Readers, this is such a cute story filled with all the romance, laughs, and swoons! I loved Whitney so much and Derek wasn’t hard to read about either. If you want to be enchanted and taken to a land filled with magic and hope then you won’t want to miss HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS!
Rachel has once again take us and pulled is into the magical world of Whitney & Derek . This romantic comedy is taking place in the fictional theme park that reminds of the most magical place on earth! Whitney is sweet, smart, driven and kind of on her own. She began her internship at 18 in this most magical place and soon had Derek Knightly as her mentor . Yes he was older and the prodigal grandson of the park owners but she soon developed a crush.
Derek is a man that has done anything for the family business . Where ever that he is needed he goes. When he connects with young Whitney and then is quickly relocated their may some feeling left hanging. Derek has returned but Whitney is now all grown up and she has certainly become more than he could have imagined . She is no longer the 18 year old intern but a beautiful, sweet, sassy woman that still may have a riff with him. I loved their slow sizzle, witty banter, and the courting that Derek gives this wonderful gal!
Get ready for the whimsical magical journey with Whitney & Derek ! 4.5 magical stars !!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
I have never read R.S. Grey, but when the opportunity came up to read an early copy of this book, I read the description and I was sold. This was such a cute read and it could not have come at a more appropriate time for me as I am heading to Disney in a week and a half. it gave me all the Disney feels.
I really enjoyed Ms. Grey’s writing. She had me hooked from the beginning.
I am kicking myself for not reading Ms. Grey sooner. This is definitely a must read!
Unrequited love…it’s definitely something that most people feel at some point during their teenage years, and for R.S. Grey’s newest heroine, Whitney Atwood, her time came at the age of 18; her one-sided feelings for Derek Knightley, a guy 10 years her senior, was something she wished she never felt and never struggled to get over because from their very first interaction when Derek becomes Whitney’s mentor at Fairytale Kingdom, she knows she doesn’t stand a chance with him because he’s about as far out of her league as any one person could be. But as the old saying goes, the heart wants what the heart wants, Whitney’s crush never fully dissipates, not after Derek leaves and his gone for 8 years and not after he returns and begins to show interest in the 26 year old version of her either.
The way that R.S. Grey sets up His Royal Highness: the backdrop of the amusement park meant to be magical days for those who visit; the unique circumstances that Whitney finds herself in when she first begins working for the Knightley Fairytale Kingdom and the subsequent years that follow; the way that Grey crafts both Whitney and Derek’s characters so that it’s clear just how much chemistry they have, despite their age difference, and just how deserving they both are to have their fairy tale endings come true.
There’s a freshness to R.S. Grey’s storytelling; even when some of her plot points appear to utilize the traditional components of the tropes she blends together, she always adds her own flair to what would be predictable scenes in any other romance story and that originality stems from the wit and humor that she infuses into the pages of her books and it is built up slowly, demonstrating just how much push and pull is between the hero and heroine and how good it could truly be if they took a leap of faith and trusted that, for once, it would all end up exactly how it was meant to be.
R.S. Grey’s newest release uses a unique setting for its backdrop and with the environment she creates, it allows the magic of the amusement park to merge with the reality of her characters’ lives, allowing readers the opportunity to make a wish upon a star and hope that it all comes true for our fair maiden and the man who has always been her prince charming, even when it didn’t know he was.
4.5 Poison Apples
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK!!
His Royal Highness is an age-gap, employee/boss, unrequited love, enemies to lovers (sort-of), second-chance, slow-burn modern fairytale, that will have even the most skeptical person believe in a Happily Ever After!
I want to give the amazing, R. S. Grey, a huge SHOUT-OUT for creating this masterpiece; this extraordinary story with wonderful characters in a unique and enchanting setting. From beginning to end each this page captivated me. Not only was I able to imagine the characters and setting vividly, but with each word I read I was transported into the magical world of Fairytale Kingdom.
This is the story of Derek, heir to the magical theme park, Fairytale Kingdom and Whitney, a hopeless romantic who grew up surrounded by the magic the theme park; the one place she called home. They first met through a mentorship program at Fairytale Kingdom when Derek was assigned as Whitney’s mentor. From their first encounter there was an obvious connection between the the two of them. They develop a mentor/mentee relationship and became somewhat friends, but when life unexpectedly takes Derek in a different direction, Whitney finds herself in a place that was too familiar to her. Eight years later, Derek returns to the one place that had become Whitney’s home – Fairytale Kingdom.
Not only did I absolutely love Derek and Whitney, but I also loved the secondary characters who all played a significant role. Their interaction throughout the story made me laugh, cry sigh and cheer out loud. This book had it all, hilarious banter, undeniable chemistry, a hot first kiss, an intimate shower scene, a princess, a prince, an enchanted place – everything you would want from a fairytale; however, this story was so much more than that. It was of friends who become your family and family who become strangers. It was a story of finding a place of comfort and belonging; a story of exploring vulnerability, letting go of the past and taking a chance at life and love.
His Royal Highness is definitely one of my favorite books of 2019.
**An ARC of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**
I’ve said it before: I’ve been a long-time fan of R.S. Grey (since her first book Behind His Lens), and there hasn’t been one book she’s released that I haven’t loved, and this new release is no exception!
One of the reasons Ms. Grey’s stories work so well is that her characters have fantastic chemistry, and the same can be said for Derek and Whitney. These two have a history already prior to the start of the book (one thing that helps the realism of the story). Another reason this book works is that we don’t have a lot of reading time dedicated to the back story of Derek and Whitney and the reason they’re back in the same proximity, yet the details provided at the start are enough to be able to visualize the events as they happen. I will say that learning more about Whitney’s childhood made me sad for her, how she was unintentionally treated by her parents.
Side note: I always picture Ms. Grey and her husband as the characters for each of her releases lol.
Anyhoo, back to the chemistry between these two (Derek and Whitney, I can’t speak on the chemistry between Ms. Grey and her husband). We get to see them as they were when they first met 8 years prior to the start of the book, when Whitney was a college freshman paired up with Derek through the Knightley Corporation’s mentor program. It’s easy to see how Whitney developed her crush on Derek: he’s older and mature, confident without being cocky, yet somehow humble. I thought their occupations were definitely unique, not one I’ve read about before, but having been to the Happiest Place on Earth quite a few times, it was easy to envision the scenarios described throughout this story.
I loved the slow burn romance between them, and it’s easy to see how perfect they are for each other. Sweet without being mushy, sexy without being aggressively over the top. This story is a perfect way to relax and enjoy yourself and I highly recommend it!
Whitney and Derek met when he was her mentor. He’s ten years older than her and she had the biggest crush on him but he didn’t know. Fast forward 8 years and he’s back and her feelings are all over the place. She’s still harboring the “rejection” from years ago that he obviously wasn’t aware of. Now he sees her as s as n adult and is clearly interested but she plays hard to get, lol. Lots of funny moments and also sad moments. Derek helps her with her relationship with her parents. Derek’s grandfather always liked Whitney and kind of had his hand in bringing them together. Their relationship wasn’t easy but Derek got his princess and never let go.
My queen of rom coms has done it again! His Royal Highness is an absolute gem. The setting, the characters, everything about it was magical.
This might seem like a weird time to confess I’ve never been to Disney, but there you have it. (I’ve also not ever been all that interested in going. Don’t at me. ) I can still get behind the idea of a romance set between the characters of a Disney-esque theme park though. And boy, did I ever love this one. Does it help that it’s a second chance romance that started with an unrequited schoolgirl crush on her mentor? And that it comes with some groveling and a wonderful slow burn? Heck yes. I was all in on Whitney, Derek and all things Fairtytale Kingdom.
His Royal Highness was the latest in a long list of Rachel’s books that I’ve found utterly charming. I loved Whitney, and Derek turned out to be much swoonier than I anticipated from the blurb. This book had me giggling and grinning like a fool while I read, which is exactly what I expect from a great rom com. Rachel paints a vivid picture and I felt like I was right there with all the characters, both In Character and not, the entire time. If you’re looking for a funny and sweet second chance romance with a bit of spice and some feels, look no further.
Favorite Quotes:
I don’t know how a soul finds its mate, why it seemed like mine had latched onto someone who was the least logical choice. All I know is it’s been eight years and I’m still not over my silly crush on Derek Knightley. But hopefully, I will be soon.
I’m going to accept my fate as Fairytale Kingdom’s new prince, and Whitney will be my princess. We’ll work on the happily ever after part come Monday.
I can’t go on. This week has lasted four hundred years. I’m barely sleeping. Caffeine has lost its effect on me.
Derek has always sat heavy in my heart like a jagged piece of shrapnel, the cost of removal always outweighing the pain of letting him stay.