Their Christmas Royal Wedding

Terrific Cinderella story. Gabi first made her appearance in the first book of the series, Cinderella’s Prince Under the Mistletoe, as the heroine’s best friend. At that time, Gabi was struggling, but no one knew why. When Gabi’s aunt and uncle died, she discovered that her mother had been married to a king, making Gabi the heir to the throne of Casavalle. At the beginning of this book, Gabi is still adjusting to her new role and feeling woefully out of her depth. Seeking comfort in the stables, she runs into a handsome and kind stranger who stirs something in her.

Cesar, Prince of Aguilarez, is the third son of his family and the diplomat in the family “business.” Even as a child he knew that there was no love or passion between his parents; that duty ruled over everything they did. He believes that love has no place in his life, and is content with brief affairs. He has no plans to marry until his parents call him home from his latest ambassador post and inform him that he is to woo and wed Princess Gabriella. Cesar isn’t happy but knows his duty. He arrives at the palace with plans to meet her unofficially but doesn’t expect to find her in the stables in the middle of the night. When she mistakes him for staff, he uses the error to spend some anonymous time with her.

I liked the first meeting between Gabi and Cesar. The sparks are immediate, and neither one knows quite how to handle them. Gabi is aware of her position but enjoys talking to someone who seems so understanding. Cesar is taken aback by the fire she stirs in him, and by the protectiveness he feels toward her. I liked the way that he showed such confidence in her abilities. I appreciated that he felt guilty over the deception and tried to make it right before their official meeting the next night. Gabi’s hurt and anger were understandable, but she also took Cesar’s advice to heart.

I enjoyed the development of Gabi and Cesar’s relationship. Both are aware of their duty, though Gabi has a harder time with it. I liked Cesar’s honesty as he told her that marriage between them would be beneficial for their countries, that he would be a good and faithful husband, but that love was not in the cards. I ached for Gabi, who still had the hope of love living in a corner of her heart. I liked seeing the two of them get to know each other. There were some emotional scenes as they shared events of their pasts that had influenced who they were now. There were also some delightful scenes as Cesar found activities that would make Gabi happy. It was fun to see Gabi work her way into his heart without him realizing it. Though neither one spoke of love, it was easy to see the caring that was between them, so when Cesar proposed, she said yes. Things looked so promising until their wedding reception when part of Cesar’s past came calling. I hurt for Gabi because what she heard reinforced all of her fears. Cesar’s big moment at the end was sweet and powerful as he opened himself up to all the emotions he had denied for so long. The epilogue was great. I especially loved seeing the gifts they picked out for their family members.