Title: A Princess for Christmas (Christmas in Eldovia #1)
Author: Jenny Holiday
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday comes a modern fairy tale just in time for Christmas about a tough New Yorker from the other side of the tracks who falls for a princess from the other side of the world.
Leo Ricci’s already handling all he can, between taking care of his little sister Gabby, driving a cab, and being the super of his apartment building in the Bronx. But when Gabby spots a “princess” in a gown outside of the UN trying to hail a cab, she begs her brother to stop and help. Before he knows it, he’s got a real-life damsel in distress in the backseat of his car.
Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn’t be hailing a cab, or even be out and about. But after her mother’s death, her father has plunged into a devastating depression and the fate of her small Alpine country has fallen on Marie’s shoulders. She’s taken aback by the gruff but devastatingly handsome driver who shows her more kindness than she’s seen in a long time.
When Marie asks Leo to be her driver for the rest of her trip, he agrees, thinking he’ll squire a rich miss around for a while and make more money than he has in months. He doesn’t expect to like and start longing for the unpredictable Marie. And when he and Gabby end up in Eldovia for Christmas, he discovers the princess who is all wrong for him is also the woman who is his perfect match.
Review:
Leo Ricci is busy driving a cab in New York and being the sole caregiver for his little sister after the death of his parents. One day while they are driving home, his sister notices a woman in a gown trying to hail a cab outside of the UN. She insists they stop and help the woman, who turns out to be the Princess of Eldovia, a small country in Europe. Princess Marie has had to take on a lot of responsibility for the country following the death of her mother. When she gets into Leo’s cab, he is kind to her in a way she hasn’t experienced in a long time. He offers to personally drive her around New York while she’s visiting. Marie appreciates his help so much that she invites Leo and his sister to Eldovia for Christmas. Leo and Marie can’t deny the attraction they feel, but Marie has expectations for her future marriage, so it can only be a holiday fling, unless they can find a way to break the rules.
This story was like an adult version of The Princess Diaries. Marie had an innocence about her, since she hadn’t been exposed to a lot outside of the palace. Leo was gruff, but kind, especially when it came to his sister. Marie and Leo had a steamy romance, and I was hoping they would find a way to be together. I’m so glad this is the start of a series because I really enjoyed reading about these characters.
A Princess for Christmas is a sweet holiday read.
Content warnings: death of parents, car accident (off page), cancer
Other books in the series:
- Duke, Actually (Christmas in Eldovia #2)
- So This is Christmas (Christmas in Eldovia #3)
Have you read A Princess for Christmas? What did you think of it?
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