Description
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?
Tiffany Hersh –
An excellent read! It’s been a while since I have read a “princess” story. I must say, it was a nice change of pace, and this was way better than all those fairy tales we read as kids! The characters were amazing. Although Kenna was brought up in a palace among the royal family, she was still a regular person. When the Princess becomes engaged, she is forced to return to the life of a commoner. It was interesting to see her try to adapt to her new lifestyle. I also loved the way the author weaved salvation into this story. I loved how Kenna comes to believe. It truly was an amazingly unique princess story. I highly recommend this one. Now I need to find the rest of the series!
**I received this book for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Claire B –
If you enjoy fairytales, sweet tales of royalty, fantastical lands, heartache, love, and deep lessons, then pick up Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie. This book is first in her Daughters of Peverell series, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series! I am new to Ms. Currie’s writing, but I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy her stories. Every time I have read one of her books, I have been struck with how well they flowed, how easily I could understand and relate to the characters, as well as how much I appreciated the messages and lessons of faith, character, and how to live life. I found Heart of a Royal to be a wonderfully refreshing tale of faith and integrity amidst the heavy social pressures of the day. While Heart of a Royal is set in a fictional world and time, I believe Ms. Currie’s lessons can be applied to readers of the past, present, and future. I highly recommend Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie. I hope you have the chance to read it and enjoy it as much as I have!
Mackenna Sparrow (such a perfect name, by the way;) has always known life as a royal, though she is the companion of the princess. When Princess Alina’s engagement is announced, Kenna realizes that it signals the end of her entire way of life. Kenna must return to the life of a commoner. While at the palace Kenna enjoyed close friendship with the prince and princess and had even entertained a slight crush on Prince Thoraben. After Kenna is booted out of the castle, she and her parents begin their lives outside of the royal palace. Every day away from the castle, Kenna learns more about what in life is really true and lasting. Kenna soon discovers that there is far more going on behind the scenes than she was aware. Can Kenna trust that she has a future beyond being a companion to the princess? Will she be able to find love? Read Heart of a Royal to find out for yourself! I appreciated the whole package this book brought, great plot, adventure, strong and honorable characters, romance, faith, and so much more. This genuinely was an outstanding book that drew me in from the first page! Pick up Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie to go on an excellent and captivating tale! Happy readings!
Disclaimer: White Crown Publishing graciously provided me with a copy of this book . All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.
Mackenzie –
I couldn’t put this one down! I loved the storyline and the character interactions. The author did a great job with descriptions of detail, especially in regard to the fun royal apparel. It made me want to wear several of the dresses the main characters wore. The overall storyline reminded me of snippets from The Selection, but without all of the women being chosen as a bride. I can’t wait to read the other two books in this series!!!
I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
MelissasBookshelf –
Isn’t this cover gorgeous? I’ll admit it’s what first drew me to this book, but the story is what kept me completely engaged. I loved Heart of a Royal! I’m a huge fan of royal romances and thoroughly enjoyed this story! It reminded me a bit of the Selection series, but I’m happy to say it’s its own unique story that I liked even more. No annoying love triangles, a likable heroine, and a prince that’s a prince in every way.
MacKenna “Kenna” Sparrow grew up alongside the King’s son and daughter since the death of the Queen. As the attendant to Princess Alina, she’s been treated as a princess herself and gained the respect of the people. Her close friendship with Crown Prince Thoraben starts rumors that she might be the future queen. As rebels threaten the Kingdom, the king’s determined to have both his children marry well. When his daughter becomes engaged, he wants MacKenna and her family gone from the palace, but, Prince Thoraben, “Ben” doesn’t want her to leave. Will their relationship survive?
Told exclusively from Kenna’s point of view, this story grabbed me from the first and I had a hard time putting it down. I easily connected with her and enjoyed her first person narration. I was intrigued by her relationship with the prince, Ben, and couldn’t wait to see what would happen between them. Kenna’s a bit clueless at first. It’s obvious Ben’s in love with her, but she doesn’t see it. I loved how he convinces her of his feelings.
There are several twists and turns which I didn’t see coming. I’m intrigued by the rebels and how they will affect the Kingdom. I loved the swoon-worthy romance but also the relationships between Kenna and her parents. While the King makes a good villain, he’s made sympathetic by what happened in the past and his misguided love for his children.
The ending left me satisfied though I still had several questions. I can’t wait to see what happens in future books. Though this is considered YA Christian fiction, there’s very little mention of faith until close to the end and I enjoyed the clever way it’s introduced. It’s also a clean romance that teen YA readers and their parents will especially enjoy.
Highly recommend to those who love royal romances with a touch of faith. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.
lanabobana –
This delightful story takes the reader on a journey to a new country that feels both modern and medieval. The shiny and dazzling side of royalty is showcased, bringing little girl dreams of palaces and glamour to life. The characters give life to this sweet story with the depth of their relationships and self discovery. Their flaws make the whole thing realistic and just add to the story. I loved how every relationship McKenna had showed her how to learn through the hard times and grow. I also loved how God and faith were woven easily through the story and the interactions the characters had.
This is a sweet romance that checks all the right boxes. There were enough twists that even if you guessed the ending, the trip there was interesting and engaging. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series to learn more about each character I met in this first book. If you are looking for a royal book that will entertain and draw you into a wonderful story, do not hesitate to start this book. And be ready to binge read through the entire story! Through it all is a wonderful example of learning and leaning into the love of the One who reigns supreme. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
ptrollan7 –
Everyone loves a princess story, right?!?
Well. This is not your ordinary princess story and by that I mean she’s not really a princess. Not a fake identity story and not a sappy story, Heart of a Royal spins an original tale with oh so many fairytale feels. The sparkle, the tiaras and dresses, a castle with a tower and a charming prince or two, all fit rather nicely within the pages of this book. What’s not to love!!
At almost eighteen, “Kenna” contemplates the reality of her future…which ends up being very different from what she expected. This book is a perfect YA romance, yet I am a much older reader and adored it as well. I loved Currie’s writing style, characters and inclusion of a strong spiritual arc so much that I want to read the whole series! You will too!
This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.
Candide Weekes –
“Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner.
But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?”
Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie is one of my favourite books.
I already read it more than once since I discovered it a couple years ago !
Hannah did a great job developping the characters and it was really easy for me to relate to Mackenna and her story.
I really enjoyed how the author told the story through the eyes of both the main characters. it was great to be able to “see” and “feel” what the two characters were feeling and going through.
I know I will re-re-re read this story again soon 🙂
Meagan Myhren-Bennett –
Heart of a Royal
Daughters of Peverell #1
By Hannah Currie
Heart of a Royal is a lovely book and perfect for Valentine’s. For more than 17 years, Mackenna (Kenna) Sparrow has lived the life of a princess. When Princess Alina’s mother died shortly after her birth, Kenna was raised alongside her when her mother stepped in to help care for the motherless baby. But though she has lived the life of a royal, Kenna knows that it will all end when Alina marries.
But what Kenna never knew was just how much certain people resented her, though most adored her. And with her final days living as a royal coming to an end, she is torn by her feelings. Her friendships with Princess Alina and Prince Thoraben are seemingly at an end. The fact of which is more painful than she had expected. What does a nearly 18-year-old former princess’s companion do for the rest of her life? With questions and no answers in sight, she needs to untangle what she does and doesn’t know about those closest to her before she can move forward into her new life as a commoner.
This is the first book in the Daughters of Peverell series, and my goodness, it is filled with secrets and dangers. The land is under threat from rebels and has been to Kenna’s knowledge all her life and even before. In fact, a former friend was even expelled from the kingdom because of her rebellious leanings and refusal to see the error of her beliefs! With danger so close, there are fears that Kenna could be a target because of her close association with the royals.
But there is so much more to the story than what first appears, and it is interesting to see how everything unfolds. And believe me, there is a real doozie of a twist. There are actually a couple of twists that reveal some interesting facts about the various characters. It is also interesting how one decision can change the course of a life or even a kingdom. After reading this book, I really need to know what comes next. This book ends not on a cliffhanger, but it is obvious that there is so much more to the story. Overall this is a sweet read and one that explores family, responsibility, and truth. I feel that this is a clean read for teens looking for an alternative to the normal romance that is readily available today.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Karen Waide –
Heart of a Royal by Hannah Currie is not your usual royal romance type story. I’ve seen where the girl finds out she’s a princess. Or the girl isn’t a princess but falls in love with a guy and then finds out he is a prince. In this story the girl, Mackenna Sparrow, knows the guy is the prince. She’s been brought up in the castle with Prince Thoraben and Princess Alina, they are close friends, and Kenna has been treated almost like royalty herself. However, once Princess Alina gets engaged, it’s back to being a commoner for Kenna. What she didn’t anticipate was the way she was going to be treated. She also didn’t realize she was falling in love with the prince, Thoraben, or Ben. Though she keeps trying to deny it. And of course she feels inadequate and believes there is no way the prince could love her. Could he?
One of the things that sort of drove me nuts in this book was the lack of communication between Ben and Kenna, and all the jumping to conclusions. I also didn’t understand why Kenna was hated by a certain character so much.
During this time the kingdom of Peverell is threatened by rebels, and has been for years. At least that is what Kenna believes and worries about, especially after she is no longer protected by the walls of the castle.
Kenna at times seemed to be so prone to crying. Though I guess I may react the same way if my life was upended the way hers was. She supposedly has characteristics that make the people think she will make a great future queen. I just wish we had gotten to see more of that side of her. I guess there are just some things that don’t add up for me.
I also questioned throughout the majority of the book how the book was actually Christian fiction. There wasn’t any mention of God until the very end. Oh, it is a clean book where morals take precedence. But I was confused when it came to the lack of mention of God. However, once you get to the end of the book, all is made clear. So yes, this is Christian fiction. It is meant for young adults, but I really enjoyed it. There are a couple of instances of leering looks, so I may prefer to have my older teens read it as opposed to my younger teen.
I can’t wait to read the remainder of the series. It’s definitely grabbed my attention.
I received a copy of this book as a member of the review team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.