A gruff prince in need of a wifeA commoner impersonating a princessAnd a bridal competition gone terribly awry… “win” this barbaric game set up by my crafty mother? By figuring out how to save the kingdom’s faltering economy through a series of challenges. This undignified circus is beneath a man of my stature! Proof being that a saucy, ill-mannered woman wearing body-hugging clothes is in the lead. I could never love someone like that, let alone marry her.
Anna
The plan sounded simple.
I pose as my friend, pick up her inheritance, and return with the cash to keep her out of jail. (Apparently, being a princess in hiding is no excuse for identity theft.) So, yeah, I’m not exactly royal. I’m an orphan, a self-made woman, and proud of it. Suddenly I’m in a battle royale with a bunch of crazy competitive women for “riches beyond our dreams.” I’m in a time crunch, which means I need to win this competition fast. Only, that means winning over the judge; the smoldering hot grim-faced Gabriel. And now I find myself wanting to compete for more than just the money. But could a royal prince ever fall for a commoner like me?
The Rourkes Series
Royal Catch (Book 1)
Royal Hottie (Book 2)
Royal Darling (Book 3)
Royal Charmer (Book 4)
Royal Player (Book 5)
Royal Shark (Book 6)
more
I received a review copy of the book before release for an honest review.
This was a very different book than I have read from this author before. It is a cross between survivor and the bachelor but with a royalty slant. Prince Gabriel is going to be king and his sick father and th queen invite a bunch of princeses so he can pick his new bride/queen.
Anne is NOT royalty but she is good friends with a princess, princess Polly who needs her to win the prize so she can use the money to defend her against some fraud charges. So Anne pretends to be Polly for most of the book and meets hot and sexy prince Gabriel and has lotsa shenanigans with him.
But she is no princess even if the prince really likes her a lot. Who will he choose Polly or the queens top contender?
This was definitely an original take on the whole royalty romance trope. It really was not my thing. I don’t tend to like romances when there is a reality show trope used and while this one was for the king and queen and not for the masses I found the trope silly.
While I did not love that aspect of the story I did enjoy the characters, even the king and queen and especially Gabriel and Polly. The characters really saved this story and I really enjoyed this royalty romance.
A Crown Prince with a sense of humor but it is hidden within because a sense of duty to his family and a crown. The lenths he will go to give his father some peace in a very trying time. But he also learns of things that he wants that he didn’t even know that he wanted. He must figure out a way to get what he wants but also stay in touch with what his family needs of him. Can he deal with his mother’s plan?
Anna, undercover agent? Leading a double life to help her cousin. How far will she go to save a family member that she only has known for a short time? But when things get to heavy for the heart she must choose her family or her own desires.
Read on as these two stumble on with what they want in their own lives but also how they can get what they want without defying orders.
Gabriel Rourke is the crown prince of Villroy and must quickly find a suitable wife to be his future queen due to his father’s failing health. His mother is making a mockery of the situation by planning a contest among ten princesses from around the world, the winner wins a lifetime with Prince Gabriel.
Commoner Anna Hebert is brash, outspoken and definitely not a princess. But her very distant cousin is and when her cousin convinces Anna to go to the small island in her place to win her the funds necessay to keep her out of jail Anna can’t turn her back on the only famiy she has.
Hilarious days and dark sultry nights will ensue as these two attempt the fight of their lives to have the HEA they so hope for.
I received an ARC and voluntarily offer this review.
I’ve been wondering what was going to happen to Gabriel since reading A Happy Endings Wedding. He was a fascinating character — all stiff and starchy. Since Gabriel is so serious, I thought his story would be, too. Nope!
Anna blows in and turns everything upside down, and it was absolutely hilarious! She is the perfect match for Gabriel. They have the same core values, but Anna has a spark that nothing can put out. Gabriel needs her fun and zest. They have chemistry from the first moment she walks into the palace. They know they can’t be together, but they can’t stay away. I loved that! Also, Anna has a terrific sense of humor, so she kept me laughing.
It’s hard to describe the rest of the story. It’s kind of a reality show-fairy tale-royalty romance mash-up. Hard to describe but it definitely works. The challenges are crazy, so I kept wondering what would be next. I laughed so much at the other princesses and Anna’s reactions to them. Then the scenes switch to Gabriel and Anna together, and those scenes are romantic and hot. Totally swoony. The whole thing was very entertaining, and I can’t wait for all the siblings’ books!
This series is a spin-off from Gilmore’s Happy Endings Book Club series, but it stands on its own. New readers will have no trouble understanding what is going on. Now is the time to jump in!
Loved!! I love Royal stories and I couldn’t wait for this one! Such a great book! Rom-Com with a lot of heat and so much heart! Anna and Gabriel are everything!! I cannot wait for more!! FIVE STARS!
Spare some time to read this book as you won’t want to put it down! This is an amazing, funny, romantic, steamy love story. The best royal one I’ve read. Gabriel was raised to become the king and accept his duty diligently. He is uptight, responsible, tense and very worried about his kingdom and family’s destiny. But when Anna appears taking him from a butler and showing her hot body and unpolished manners, he can’t stop thinking and cheering for her on the most stupid royal treasure hunt his parents created to find him a wife. The gaming scenes are hilarious, the plot is very creative, full of layers and carry a depth that make this love story convincing and very very romantic. I can’t wait to read the rest of the family stories!!
Gabriel, heir to the throne, does everything expected of him, even being the judge to a princess event with him as the prize. Anna takes Polly’s place in the event at her desperate need of assistance. Gabriel has hidden depths, not even his family sees. Hilarious read with terrifying princesses
Imagine you are impersonating your newly discovered distant relative, who happens to also be a princess. Then you meet a grumpy prince who you mistake for a butler. The inheritance you are promised are actually winning a bridal competition to marry said prince. Oh and this bridal competition is actually a version of Survivor meets the Bachelor. Also, those real princesses, don’t necessarily act princess-y when competing to win the prize of this handsome prince. That is the premise of Royal Catch by Kylie Gilmore, the first book in her new series, The Rourkes.
Orphan and foster home survivor Anna Hebert agrees to pose as Princess Polly in order to pick up her inheritance and return with the cash in order to keep her out of jail. Instead of an inheritance she finds herself in the middle of the battle of the royals with a bunch of crazy, competitive Princesses. Knowing that she has to win, she goes all out. Anna not being a royal or a princess is evident from day one. She doesn’t dress demurely, wearing body hugging clothes, nor know how to curtsey or talk correctly to the royals. Gabriel Rourke is the crown prince of Villroy, heir to the throne, duty bound to marry and produce an heir. He expected that his bride would be found by a quiet arrangement through “royal channels” not through a competition of barbaric games created by the Queen, his mother. Anna, as Polly, might be besting the other contestants but she is definitely not on the Queen’s list of potential finalist brides. The problem, Anna has fallen for the royal prince and knows he would never fall for a commoner like her. Or would he?
Ms. Gilmore wrote a wonderfully very humorous, sexy, and moving tale filled with sexual chemistry, hysterical situations, and endearing characters that is not to be missed. I loved how she allowed Anna and Gabriel to see through the layers being covered up to underneath and the true people they were. I highly recommend Royal Catch to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Royal Catch was a very fun and entertaining story by the ever so talented Kylie Gilmore. I Love this authors style of writing she just has a great way with her words that keeps you hooked and turning the pages quickly. This is the first in her new series The Rourkes about Royals and who doesn’t love a great story with kings and queens, or prince and princesses.
This is Gabriel and Anna’s story, he is the crown prince of Villroy and is expected to marry and have an heir, his mother decides to take matters into her own hands to help Gabriel find that suitable match by inviting some eligible princesses to Villory. Anna is filling in as her long lost relative who just so happens to be a princess. Let me just say this is where the real fun and excitement starts. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t put this book down. The characters are so much fun and I couldn’t help but loving Gabriel and Anna.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good this story was and I cannot wait for more.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and I absolutely loved and highly recommend this great book.
So Kylie Gilmore has decided to write a Royal series, and I am so glad she did. Gabriel is tall, dark and handsome, upright, stern, and totally royal, and (Polly) Anna is an orphaned, commoner, pretending to be royal to help a distant cousin in trouble with the law. It’s not love at first sight, but it’s close. This story is everything, full on emotions, heat that burns the pages, and heartache. I couldn’t put it down. I am in love with the Royals of Villroy, and can’t wait to read Phillip’s story. A definite 5 stars.
I give Royal Catch by Kylie Gilmore 5 Stars. This is book one of The Rourkes’s series and it was an easy quick read. If you love fairy tales with a twist you will love this book! It was not only romantic and steamy but it was also funny. The main characters you will fall in love with immediately. If you are a fan of reality TV shows you will absolutely love this book.
Gabriel Rourke is the next in line for the throne which means this gruff prince is in desperate need of a wife to be his queen. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe that his queen would be picked from a group of princesses that have to participate in barbaric games in order to even have a chance at a marriage with him. Let alone having one of these princesses being ill-mannered, out spoken, saucy in a body hugging wardrobe.
Anna thought the easiest way to help her friend was to pretend she was her in order to get the cash to help keep her out of jail. Little did she know that pretending to be a princesses was a lot hard then she thought. This simple plan they had developed landed Anna right into a battle royale with a bunch of competitive princesses. The only way to win the money she needs is to win the judges over which includes the grim-faced Gabriel.
Will Anna finish what she started and help her friend out? Will she get Gabriel on her side? Which Princess wins? You have to read the book to find out!
Kylie Gilmore introduces her Rourkes series with Royal Catch, a royal romantic comedy about the surly crown prince of Villroy and the vivacious commoner posing as a princess.
Anna’s plan was simple enough: show up at Villroy Island pretending to be her friend Polly, get her inheritance and return to save her friend. Once she gets there though, she’s informed that to get “riches beyond her dreams” she’ll have to compete against nine other princesses in a “Survivor meets the Bachelor royal style” contest where the judge is none other than the gorgeous brooding prince Gabriel himself. Can this orphan beautician stick to the plan? Win the money without losing her heart?
Gilmore crafts a laugh out loud, lighthearted, and sexy tale full of everything I love in a romance novel. Witty banter, a smart and determined heroine, a swoony alpha hero, touching moments and steamy sexy times.
Both Anna and Gabriel are equally charming characters. Anna is brash, feisty and funny. Her inner monologue made me smile from start to finish (how can you resist Anna girding her loins and doing her best to be a knight-ess in shining armor?). The weight of Gabriel’s responsibility was palpable and so was his sense of duty and loyalty. I loved how he recognized his need to have an open and affectionate partner. His perfect counterbalance. Their story drew me in and kept me flipping pages wanting to know how this bridal competition would be resolved and then wanting to read the rest of what promises to be a wonderful royal rom-com series.
Royal Catch is book #1 of The Rourkes series by Kylie Gilmore. It is a standalone, steamy and hilarious romance, told from both points of view, and has a happy ending.
This new story from Kylie Gilmore is so much fun and so very engaging. Anna, a free spirit, posing as her cousin a princess, is just trying to get the inheritance to keep the princess out of jail. Gabriel the stuffy royal, thinking his parents have a royal princess for him to marry as is his duty. But when Anna meets Gabriel mistaking him for the butler things get crazy. I really enjoyed this story, think Survivor meets the bachelor. Fun and funny with all the feels of course.
WOW! Love Kylie Gilmore new series of the Rourkes. The Royal Catch is an humorous entertaining story of the King and Queen of Villroy inviting princesses to castle to have them participate in a contest similar to Survivors and the Bachelor. They invite them to the castle under the guise of the princesses receiving a small inheritance but they are looking to find a royal wife for their son the heir to the throne, Prince Gabriel. Anna, a beautician from Tampa is pretending to be her cousin Princess Polly to claim Polly’s “inheritance”. Unbeknown to the Princess, Prince Gabriel will be their inheritance for the winner. The princess games were creative and funny. I throughly enjoyed reading the romantic interactions between Anna and Prince Gabriel throughout the Royal Catch and look forward to reading the next book in the series. I received this book as an arc for an honest review of it.
THIS BOOK!!!
This book is SO GOOD. Don’t let the RomCom genre fool you; this book, though light and containing several laugh-out-loud moments, is SMOKING HOT. But I’ve come to expect this from Kylie, along with the “I can’t put this down”-esque quality all of her books have…especially this one!
Anna is my FAVORITE. Extremely likeable and honest (well, except for that one thing…), she is who she is and doesn’t apologize for it. What I liked the most was that she said and did what she wanted to when it came to Gabriel. She gave him what he needed in some key moments, be it comfort, laughter, hope. Because of that, she and Gabriel established and grew a relationship that was built on way more than just lust. They had an actual friendship as well, which I LOVED reading.
Like, I read this book in one day. It consumed me.
This was a truly exceptional way to start a series…I seriously can’t put into words how much I enjoyed this story!!!
This is such a great start to this new series!!
We get a glimpse of the Rourkes in the last two books of The Happy Endings Book Club series. Gabriel & Anna are drawn to each other from the very first meeting but they both have goals they are working towards that don’t really match up.
The Survivor meets The Bachelor competition to find a bride is a hoot from the beginning.
I can’t wait to see all the things Anna comes up with to save her new kingdom!
The beautician and the Princess
a funny, romantic version of the prince and the pauper, with adult content.
Author Kylie Gilmore is new to me so I was happy with this laugh out loud situations our heroine brings to this kingdom, while she survives a win the prince contest, a not so charming prince who turns into a swoony romantic falling for the most unlikely woman, that teaches him to love her loud personality and loyal heart. I’ll definitely will be looking for more books by this author.
This book caught my emotions unaware, and captured my heart. I thought this would be a silly book, a quick and fun read with no substance. But I was unprepared for the raw emotion and heartfelt humanity that the book provided. I’ve never read a book by this author before, and I can say that I will be remedying that oversight.
We’ve got a Prince who needs a mate, and a commoner who needs a treasure. It seemed like a pithy plot, where the “haughty and arrogant” royal would of course fall for the “brash” young woman who somehow crashed the palace; but the overriding plot is that love and family and hope and positivity are needed.
When we are first introduced to Gabriel and Anna, they lack depth and it’s hard to understand their actions. But as we’re slowly given background, we fall in love with each of them; along with the royal family and Anna’s friends. Each fighting for their way of life and their family. Both are given unconventional backgrounds and plot twists, which makes for a most interesting story line! And the father figures and Queen Mother! They were all fun to get to know.
Our characters had a fun meet-cute, where we cringe on Anna’s behalf; but she’s also immediately attracted to Gabriel. Meanwhile Gabriel takes a bit more time to come to terms with the less than Princess-like qualities Anna possesses. But the pull between the two is strong, and despite the circumstances between them, they find themselves in each other’s company and then fighting for a relationship. One based on more than just the red hot sex, but also of comfort and shared experience. Well done!
The writing style of this book drew me in, slowly at first, then I devoured the last two-thirds as fast as I could! And the entire story was woven in such a creative and detailed way I felt I had a map of the palace and was sitting front row for the Queen’s reality show as well. Inventive use of the royal and Hollywood plot tropes!
This book was laugh out loud funny, but also tragic in the loss and suffering, and the author did a great job of conveying all the emotions. I’m not invested as a reader, and will be forced to follow the series to see how the rest of the Royal family fares with love and how the kingdom of Villroy fares in the future.
Favorite Quotes:
“You jolted me back to life from a dull zombie existence.”
“It’s so important for people to feel recognized. And a little positivity goes a long way.”
“I’m sitting by a fountain in the moonlight, pressed against a future king, and all I want to do is hug him.”
“I take solace in the fact that the leopard is my spirit animal, which is why it’s so heavily represented in my wardrobe. Leopards are strong, bold, and persistent”
Star Ratings:
Plot = 5/5 Characters = 4/5 Heat = 4/5 Writing Style = 4/5 Overall Rating = 4/5
This is an enjoyable royal rom-com.
Gabriel Roarke, the heir apparent to the island of Villroy is being forced to wed. His parents embark on inviting “suitable” candidates and putting them through a competition to ferret out the perfect wife. Think Survivor meets the Bachelor.
Anna Herbert, a commoner from Tampa assumes the role of her cousin, a real princess named Polly who is in a bit of trouble. Anna assumes Polly’s place in order to help her back in the states.
Gabriel was unprepared to meet “Polly”. She was so non-royal but the lure was there from the first look. Anna was a free spirit and beat to her won drum. It was fun to watch them navigate their relationship with their personalities and class levels.
I am excited to read the next story to see what new antics ensue.
Title: Royal Catch
Author: Kylie Gilmore
Format: kindle
Genre: Romance – comedy, royalty
Standalone: yes
Part of a Series: yes Book 1 of The Rourkes series
POV: Anna and Gabriel
Steam Level: slow burn to toasty
5/5
Royal Catch is one of the books I debated about reading. It sounded cute but I wasn’t sure if I would have time in my schedule. Well I’m really glad that I picked it up. Royal Catch was super cute. Anna was hilarious, a great character full of life and sass. Anna popped off the page as a friend you’d love to have. Gabriel’s transformation from irritable and upright to smiling, loving and laughing (at least in private) was swoon-worthy. I cannot wait to read more in this series!
I received an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.