From New York Times Bestselling Author, Claire Contreras, comes a new, sexy, 100% stand-alone novel . . . If you had any ties to Marbella, it was impossible for you not to have heard the stories about Prince Elias and his debauchery. Every summer he arrived with his security detail and friends in tow and rented out a row of cottages near the water. Cottages that belonged to my family. Each of … family.
Each of those summers, my parents sent me away – summer camp and later, boarding school. Anything to keep me away from the royals and their partying.
I hadn’t been home in years, but when I finally come back for the summer, I see that not much has changed. Like all the summers I’d been gone, Prince Elias is back, but this time with an incognito security detail and no friends. This time, there is no partying, no noise, no crowds. No reason at all to even think he was there.
I’m given strict orders not to talk to him, not to even look in his direction, but he makes this an impossible task. I may be doing everything in my power to stay away from him, but there is no one in the world who can say no to the future King of France.
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This standalone is full of heart! Kind of a second chance situation, but with a fun spin. Love Claire’s words. Great read.
4.25 Stars
In the prologue we see how 18 year old Adeline meets a mysterious stranger at a summer party in her hometown of Marbella, Spain.
Insta attraction … which leads to her losing her virginity to him.
Him being – as she finds out in the papers the next morning – the future King of France!
Whoopsie.
Fast forward five years and Adeline is back in town after a tiny little scandal chased her out of London.
And the Prince is back too … but he might be announcing his engagement any day now!
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ….
What will happen to Adeline & Elias?
Will there be a HEA?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
Adorable!
I love to read one of those fairy tale / far from reality kinds of stories every once in a while.
Who didn’t want to be a princess as a little girl – or boy?
The Prince of France. LOL.
It was definitely a cute romance.
The cover is super hot and I love the colors!
And our Prince is very yummy too! And so sweet and grumpy and adorable!
Addie is great too!
And the friends and siblings too!
It was a really adorable little fairy tale with lots of funny and sexy moments. And some serious royal moments.
The whole Spain-France thing was a bit weird. It didn’t make sense. Why didn’t the royal family summer in the South of France instead of Marbella??? And you can’t drive to Versailles from Marbella in two hours. Or from Paris to the beach in Spain in two hours.
Maybe Claire should’ve stayed in France with her story. The Spain part didn’t make any sense and it didn’t have a thing to do with the story!
BUT – I really liked the book. When you overlook a few little details you’ll get a great little fairy tale!
And I will definitely be back to read the royal siblings’ stories!
THE SINFUL KING was an adorable french royal fairy tale love story! Run to your nearest amazon for your own ELIAS – this one is MINE!!!
In the classic fairy tales, when a prince or princess falls in love or even just lust with a commoner, the situation never seems too dire nor does a relationship seem impossible, but in Claire Contreras’ modern-day royal story, anything significant developing between Prince Elias and Adeline Bouchard appears to be beyond impossible and not just because of their differing social statuses or the demands placed on Elias as the future King of Paris.
I don’t think there’s a single romance reader who hasn’t at least once contemplated what it would be like to be part of a royal family, to live in a castle, to experience everything that comes with the highest social position in society. But our dreams don’t truly match up with the reality of such a status, and Contreras illustrates what goes on behind the scenes and just how much pressure there is to carry oneself in the correct light as to not tarnish the crown or the name.
My perception of Prince Elias from the beginning of the story until the end constantly changed due to his temperament, his outside appearance, and the way he handled an unending list of demands that it seemed, at times, he was not ready for and given the fact that he finds himself in a position to take on that role much earlier than expected definitely shakes his very foundation. Elias’ life has truly never been his own, and so it makes sense that he enjoys his time away in Marbella. But he can’t hideout forever, nor can he pretend that his life will not always be dictated by the crown that he is destined to wear.
The fact that Adeline and Elias share a bit of a past and then find themselves together again 5 years later seems to be indicative of the fact that they were meant to share a connection. With Adeline, Elias can just be him…Elias…a single guy who feels strongly about this beautiful woman he wants to get to know, not worrying about her social status or what the public would think about a relationship between them. But as much as they both want that, it’s not something that can ever be their reality, not when he’s the future king and she’s a lowly commoner who doesn’t fit into his world or into his life, at least that’s how some people see things.
I thoroughly enjoyed Elias and Adeline’s story; it has all the components of a Contreras story as well as some fresh twists to the modern royal romance. And while Prince Elias and Adeline definitely had more than their fair share of obstacles, the fact that they endured…that they worked incredibly hard to stay strong, to stay bonded, to stay together despite everything that meant to tear them apart is exactly the kind of fairy tale send off that these two deserved.
4.5 Poison Apples
I’d pack my bags and move to France now if Elias is there waiting for me. Claire Contreras’s take on royals is absolutely amazing. The way she’s created this world had me hooked from the very first page.
While Elias seems like the party boy that goes through women like tissue, there is so much more to him. Adeline was always close but never close enough to actually partake in any of the royal shenanigans. All it takes is one meeting and it’s unforgettable.
Elias is what dreams are made of. The Sinful King is full of love and romance. I could read this book over and over and never get tired of it. The writing is perfect. I never wanted to put the book down. The characters she’s created are so addictive.
When she wrote The Player, I thought I’d never love one of her books more, The Sinful King has definitely given Warren a run for his money. I can’t wait for the other books in the series.
“Are you not my King?”
“Are you not my world?”
And that right there, mah lovely peeps, is why you should be reading THE SINFUL KING by Claire Contreras. Yes, I just bought this book yesterday on the 5th when it released. And yep, I’m writing about it this morning because I finished it that quick. The Sinful King is the magical fairy tale we all love. It’s the story behind the glass slipper or the fancy ball that the Grimm brothers didn’t cover. It’s the beauty, the angst, love, romance, passion, struggle, the challenges, fear, insecurity and the hard-fought-for happily ever after that reminds me why I fell in love with romance books in the first place.
Adeline and Elias met one night, and these two strangers connected, physically and emotionally, sensing kindred spirits in one another. It wasn’t until the next morning, as she headed back to the US to start college, did she realize she’d spent an unforgettable night with the future king of France. Fast forward five years, and Adeline is back in Marbella, the seaside village where she spent summers as a child, the playground for the French princes and where she met Elias. Only now, she’s back to hide out from life for a little while after a scandal that’s landed her in the tabloids. And it places her right back in contact with Elias. Adeline is still infatuated by the man, the prince, she’s never been able to forget. What follows is a story of push and pull, emotional connection, the heaviness of duty, responsibilities and tradition and how love is powerful but sometimes, might not be enough.
Adeline was awesome. Even though she was licking her wounds, by no means was she cowed. Herr father might have been a member of the French cabinet, but she was independent, spoke her mind, was both fearless and vulnerable and possessed the kindest spirit. Elias was a dream prince. Strong, principled, honorable with a deep love for family and country. Not that he wasn’t without his faults. He’d grown up knowing that one day he would be king. And though he had wealth and power, they didn’t come without costs. They were privacy, a freedom to make his own choices and of living a life that didn’t belong to the crown. Then he meets Adeline. And suddenly his life has more meaning than the country he would one day rule. But with his father’s declining health, a critical cabinet–one of the most vocal members being Adeline’s father–an on-the-cusp-of-rioting people, an impending engagement and pressure from his family, a fairy tale ending doesn’t seem in his and Adeline’s future. And there were times when I wondered how in the world they would be together. But the journey was so well worth traveling with them to get there!
I remember how I felt when I found out that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were dating, and then later were getting engaged and married. It was like watching a fairy tale unfold before my eyes. Only better because it was real and I got to witness it. It felt…magical, in some ways. And that’s how I felt while reading The Sinful King. It wasn’t all pretty or smooth what Elias and Adeline had to endure to be together. They faced opposition from all sides, even their friends and family, who cared about them and were concerned for their well-being. We saw that being royal isn’t easy but fighting for the person you love, who sees past the persona to the soul beneath makes wearing that mantle of responsibility and scrutiny and authority easier. And worth it. I rooted for Elias and Adeline not just as a couple because they deserved to be together, but for each of them as individuals. I wanted Elias to be the king his father wasn’t, to be successful and loved by his people. I wanted Adeline to be loved unconditionally and accepted for who she was, imperfections and all. They were magnificent together and all by themselves. And I have all my fingers crossed there will be books for Aramis and Pilar!
Wow with a prologue like this had you know you’re in for a few surprises. Adeline Bouchard use to be sent away every year when a certain royal came to stay at her families villas in France. One of those years she was home! Fast forward five years after attending college and Adeline has to come home to escape a scandal. It also happens to be the exact same time that a certain Royal, Prince Elias, happens to be staying there. She is supposed to plan a gala for the royals but can she stay way from the prince? They are from very different worlds after all. Sometimes though you can’t fight the pull towards that one special person. This was a wonderfully written modern Royal Romance that makes you believe dreams do come true. I loved the interactions between Elias & Adeline and their banter. It’s not easy when you’re suppose to be the future king and you want something more. Your own life outside of the rules. “I only feel free when I’m with you.” Swoon!!! What a beautiful story about the obligations you have and the one you fall for can’t exist in the same world. Can you follow your heart or do you follow the rules? A very enjoyable book that will make you want the fairytale too. Told mostly in Adeline’s POV with a few chapters in Elias POV.
„Love is a game. You need to play to your heart’s advantage.”
This book is a dream come true for all lovers of modern royalty! I can’t resist love stories about princes and commoners and Claire Contreras brought to life one of my childhood fantasies. The Sinful King is an enchanting story of epic love and it utterly and completely swept me off my feet. With the perfect amount of tension, sweet moments, angst and sinfully hot scenes Claire made me unable to stop reading this book even for a second!
Even though this story has all the elements of a classic fairytale with the prince making the common girl fall in love with him, it’s perfectly realistic with imperfect and fascinating characters.
I absolutely adored Adeline, she’s an amazing heroine. She gives as much as she gets, not caring about the status of the person that treats her poorly. She knows her worth and doesn’t settle for anything less. She’s smart, level-headed, kind, humble and instantly loveable. Elias is honorable, romantic, and so incredibly sexy! Everything from his words to his actions proves that he’s a real good man, although sometimes his mood got the better of him. But even when he does something the reader isn’t happy with, it’s easy to understand his choices. He knows what his obligations are and he tries to fulfil the expectations of the nation.
The relationship between Adeline and Elias is developed perfectly, spanning the time and resulting in an authenticity between them that instantly feels more than simple lust. I could feel their undeniable chemistry, the longing, their passion and even sorrow. Their intense romance made my heart flutter and I needed them to be together just as much as they needed it themselves.
Apart from them, I really enjoyed all the secondary characters. I loved the cheeky prince Aramis, young Princess Pilar and even the Queen. I adored Adeline’s relationship with her friends, Etienne and Joslyn. I just loved the dynamic between Elias and his friend/bodyguard/secretary Pierre. All of these characters are well developed and I’d love to read their stories.
The Sinful King is a sexy, heart-pounding romance. This unputdownable and unforgettable tale is amazingly written and although it’s a modern fairytale, it’s authentic and packed with amazing twists that will leave you breathless. In addition to the epic love story, good drama and flawless prose, Claire gives us wonderful characters that prove that all’s fair in love and war. This book is addictive, passionate, and absolutely fantastic!
Adeline and Elias spend one night together. No names. Five years later, they once again come face to face but now she knows exactly who he his. He’s not just Elias, the man who rocked her world but Prince Elias, soon to be king. Oh boy, the tension between Addie and Elias is . There were moments I wanted to punch Elias but swooned every step of the way to his redemption. Fun, flirty, fast paced. If you have an afternoon to snuggle up with something sinful, gooooo and pick this up! You won’t be disappointed.
The Sinful King has been on my TBR for what seems like forever. I’ve been meaning to read it since it first released, but life happens and I kept pushing it aside. I actually read the novella first, which is Pillar’s story and I wanted to finally read the stories of her brothers, Elias and Aramis.
In The Sinful King, we have Elias’ story, the future king, his path is set. And one night with Adeline changes all of that. A woman he can’t really have or have a future with. But there’s something more between them, it’s undeniable, so how will they make it work?
From the royal romances that I’ve read, I’ve generally loved every single one of them. But this one really gives it all on the emotions. I was not expecting that at all and it might be one of the most emotional books I’ve read by Claire, well maybe after the Hearts series.
EVERYTHING between Maribella and Elias was there, the connection was so strong, but how would they get their happily ever after?! Gosh, it drove me nuts that they were always so close, but just not able to get what they both wanted. Elias is bound to his country, tradition, and responsibilities. I loved that Adeline constantly challenged him, she knew the stakes, but she still fell so deeply for him. No matter what anyone told her.
Gahhhh, I loved this story so much and now I’m going to re-read with the audiobook! I can’t wait until we get Aramis’ story.
Claire Contreras
This was such a great book! I loved Adeline. She was headstrong and determined. She had just been humiliated but is still determined to make her business a success. She’s hiding out but with the help of her friends, she’s still able to get out and do things. A one night stand changes her life one faithful night and the rest is history. This was a great story with characters you will love!
I love Claire’s writing. I’m not usually a fan of Royal romances but this one was beautiful. I really loved Elias. Him and Adelaide were so cute together. I cant say I understood the French language in this book but it made it that more special. Beautiful book and great love story.
I’m honestly really disappointed atm
This book started off really good
Honestly I was enjoying Elias And Adeline together
It was just the last few chapters that ruined the book for me, It was to rushed and boring and cringe and a no from me.
Adeline first met Elias when she was 18 at one of his parties and lost her virginity to him, she didn’t know it was Elias until the next day because it was a masquerade party and when the did the deed the room was dark she could hardly see his face.
Anyway fast forward 5 years, Adeline is running a successful even planning business (in London) until she is caught is a sex tape scandal and goes to france to escape the media, where she meets Elias again. I really enjoyed their chemistry but Elias had to ruin it by following traditions and got engaged to the princess of Austria.
Now until this point I was enjoying the story, Adeline was trying to stay clear of Elias because the crown will always come first for him, she even bought the ex from her tape when she got to know Elias will be with a date.
So yeah up till then I enjoyed the story until Elias decided to end things with the princess and publicly court Adeline. You must me thinking I should be happy at this point? That finally he is thinking about Adeline.
Technically he was but he told everyone he is going to court a commoner so that it looks good in the public and people against the monarch might start taking his side and accept him as the king.
He could have just told Adeline that he loves her and wants to be with her and this is all an act he is telling his mother etc. No, which led to Adeline finding out later and then came the boring drama and she forgave him also so easily.
Basically after they were publicly together the book became boring and Adeline just annoyed me because she stopped being herself and started following the “monarch” way. Like I know she was trying to blend in an all but still! She is a successful business woman and she just turned into this poor girl who loves the king but can’t do anything about it.
One scene where the queen ask Adeline to plan the wedding for Elias and Emily and she said okay because it will be good for her business and also her mom will be pissed at her if she says no. Elias got upset and this is what he said
I’m not trying to dictate your life. I’m trying to save you some heartache.
LONG LIVE KING ELIAS
My Rating: ****
Type: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Narration: Dual POV
Primary Characters: Adeline & Elias
Source: Free in KU
Before I start the review, I have 2 things to highlight here. Its only my personal opinion and has definitely not affected my review in any ways just because of my opinion on below points
1) According to me it’s not at all an enemies to lovers book, they were just two unknown people. My definition of enemies is totally different than that of author.
2) I still don’t understand why she has given the title as “Naughty Royals”. I totally get the word Royals, but Naughty, that too Elias, he didn’t seem that type to me at all in the entire book.
Prince Elias along with his friends, rent the entire waterfront villa in Marbella owned by Adeline parents every year summer. Their tales of debauchery is popular around the town. One summer Elias and Adeline meet. Post that they go different ways. Fast forward few years Adeline comes back to Marbella looking for a peaceful time away from her scandal and spotlight. She meets Elias again. Elias is having a relaxed time in same place before taking over the crown. That’s the only time they can escape the tabloids and paparazzi and relax.
“Your father is in the king’s Cabinet”
“Don’t worry, you wont be beheaded for having your own thoughts. Not anymore anyway”.
Elias is grumpy, responsible and mature. Elias has been groomed and prepared to be king his entire life. We learn of all that weighs on his shoulders and his impending future. He is trying to find a balance between tradition, duty, responsibility, and appearances. Adeline Bouchard is now an independent event planner in London. Her father works for the cabinet of Prince’s father and he opposes and voices his opinion on Monarchy.
“You dont have to be a king to change history”
“No, I suppose not. He smiled. You can be a queen.”
I liked the conversation between Elias and Adeline on Monarchy Vs Democracy. Their conversation on economic crisis and how to fix that. They build a strange connection and start liking each other. Adeline struggles between what she wants and what she can have. He’s a man she can never have, but she still wants him. When things between them turn complicated will she be forced to let him go, or will she get her fairy-tale ending?
“He seemed like a man who carried loss well, but felt the burden of it nonetheless”
Author has already told that, this plot is a fairy tale, so you can guess how it ends, yet the entire journey to each that point was good. Plot that will have you wondering what the final choice will be and if you’re going to walk away broken-hearted! Plot moved in a study pace. Loved some secondary characters. Pilar and Aramis were intriguing enough. Pierre was totally loveable. Would like to see more of him in some other book someday.
Overall, it captured the essence of royalty but also making it modern to today’s society. Enjoy this fairy tale romance.
This was a quick read that really kept my interest. I have been reading the same kind of romance stories lately, so this was refreshing. Adeline is a “commoner” and Elias is a prince (soon to be king) when they meet. She has no idea who he is when they share a one night stand. Several years later, they meet again and she finds out who he really is. Elias is a powerful man who knows what he wants and goes after it, tradition or not. I really enjoyed it and hope to read more about this royal family!!
If you’re into modern royal romance then this is for you! Elias the future king is so taken by Adeline a commoner that staying away becomes challenge. The Sinful King has a little of everything that you’re looking for romance, royalty, angst and great secondary characters! The story takes place in France five years after the prologue which Adeline is back after a scandal that had her running from the life she’s established for herself in London. This is a quick read that is sweet at its core and has those heated moments we all love.
It was a sweet and lovely story. I recommend this book, and this author.
Modern trends become intertwined with tradition to deliver a contemporary narrative different from what we’re accustomed to in this genre. With current flairs and somewhat distinct qualities, Claire Contreras delivered a modern royal romance lighthearted in nature. However, with little to no emotion it became difficult to love or connect with both characters, as well as have a fondness for The Sinful King.
“You don’t curtsy to me,” he said into my ear.
“Are you not my King?”
“Are you not my world?”
King Elias is an allurement no one’s able to resist. But given the title and the way he’s described, I thought we’d have a more open manwhore hero with some asshole tendencies. Rather than be seen as devilish or wicked, King Elias is more soft, mellow and romantic, the absolute opposite of what we assume this hero to be. Adeline Bouchard has created a success for herself, but it’s unfortunate she’s kind of timid and naive instead of someone with tenacious grit.
“You have me now.”
“I want you always.”
Adeline and Elias’ first encounter felt stunted and rushed and awkward. It wasn’t allowed to flourish or create intense chemistry. Even when they reconnected five years later, Adeline and Elias’ romance didn’t contain that flicker and twinkle of earnestness and enthusiasm. Serious disillusionment! However, what irritated me most is its unbelievable, almost instant-love nature and the way the scenario unfolded.
This was so cute!
The Sinful King was definitely a swoony and sexy and royal romance. There’s something about a prince falling in love with a commoner that I just adore in a romance. I loved Elias and Adeline together, their relationship was perfectly paced and the chemistry was on point. It certainly helped that Prince Elias was utterly delicious as well *sigh*….
It shows this as the first book in the “Naughty Royals” series, so I CANNOT wait for the next book in this world. Fans of the royal trope, or even fans of Claire Contreras in general, will love this book!
Many of my favorites were all rolled into one book, The Sinful King. Romance – check, Royal – check, Virgin Romance – check, written by Claire Contreras – hell yeah check! I cannot say how incredibly addicting this story was from the very first word! It had me giddy and excited like I haven’t been in a long time because it had all my favorites rolled into one beautiful story.
Adeline is charming yet incredibly strong and intelligent. This gal doesn’t just roll over for anyone. I loved her character and everything she stands for. Elias is smart and incredibly difficult at times but he’s a man that knows what he wants and doesn’t know how he’s going to make it happen. He was absolutely delicious in every way and had me drooling and wishing for more even when I turned the last page.
If you haven’t met The Sinful King, what are you waiting for? This was one of my top reads by Ms. Contreras and that’s saying something! She just keeps topping her previous releases and I’m so incredibly grateful! 5 addicting and perfection stars!
Prince Elias would come to party with his friends in tow at the summer camp Adeline’s family own. Adeline was always sent away so she wouldn’t have contact with the scandalous prince of Marbella. Years later, Addie is home for the first time in years to avoid the scandal. Elias is there to get away from all the stresses of his sick father and pressures of royal life. The two have insane chemistry and are dynamic together. A wonderful read about royalty, love and second chances.