Suddenly Royal (Suddenly #1) by Nichole Chase

You think the life of a royal is all hunky dory? Money and a title can fix everything, right? Not so... This book serves to remind us--in an entertaining, fun way--that even royals aren't immune to tragedy.

I expected this to be a piece of fluff, a Cinderella story. I didn't expect much of it, to be honest, but I was sucked in by the Audrey Hepburn-like cover. I'm so glad I gave this a chance. It made me laugh and cry and think deeply. This isn't your average romance.

It is a Cinderella story...girl struggling to put herself through college discovers she's a long-lost royal with an estate and millions to her name, and while it comes across as preposterous and somewhat cheesy at first, the story unfolds in a believable, realistic way. Samantha never loses sight of who she really is. That's something I think many people need to be reminded of--whether they're obtaining a supervisor position or just coming into some good fortune or whatever.

We have a heroine with a huge heart and an incredible inner strength. She also has a terrific sense of humor.

"Sorry, the Bentley is being detailed." (When she pulls up in an old falling-apart truck)

"And you can apologize when you get back with your tail between your legs." Operation Pissed was coming into play.

There wasn't a mystery or murder plot or anything major, but I found myself riveted just the same. There was never any doubt in my mind the hero and heroine would end up together either. This is simply a story about a spunky girl who discovers she's a duchess, travels to her "new" country, and while being overwhelmed and frightened, makes the most of it and tries her best to always do the right thing, even at a cost to herself.

Well done!