Title: Royal Disaster
Author: Parker Smith
Publisher/Year: Grand Central Publishing 4/4/17
Length: 268 Pages
Series: Royal Scandal #2
Overview
“He’s not who you think he is . . .
“Meeting Dylan Hale has turned my life upside down. I’m dating an actual duke who’s devastatingly handsome and deliciously naughty. On the surface, I’m living the high life. But this surreal world of royalty and paparazzi is getting out of control.
Someone knows way too much about Dylan and me-about the moments when we’re alone, about how his hands leave a trail of fire over my skin . . . about the complete control he has over me between the sheets. And worse, it’s starting to become clear that Dylan’s keeping secrets from me, too . . .
My Thoughts
So to be completely honest here, it’s been quite some time since i read the first installment, that i couldn’t quite remember what the story was all about. Thankfully i went back and read my review and remembered all over again how great of a series this was off to becoming and was happy to jump into book number 2.
So here we are, in london with Lydia and Dylan who are trying to make their no longer private romance work all while living up to the expectations of everyone around them.
Lydia is coming to terms with the idea that she’s with a man who’s as in demand as Dylan, while also trying to understand what his life is all about and how she can fit into it while she’s just a commoner. It’s not easy, but the upside to it all is that she’s now seeing doors open for her that never were before. Professionally she’s coming into her own, convincing her boss Hannah that she can help take them to the next level by opening a store for her designs. The fact that Lydia will be constantly photographed in Hannah’s designs doesn’t hurt either.
Dylan on the other hand seems to be biting off more than he can chew in life. He still wants to be able to do what he loves – design buildings while being with Hannah even though he knows that his family won’t accept her.
The journey for this couple is quite the roller coaster since there are so many forces trying to pull them apart. If that weren’t enough, there’s also the fact that there’s someone who’s trying to scare and blackmail them – sending Lydia threatening emails and videos. We spend so much of the story wondering who’s behind it that you know that it will be a wild goose chase.
Similar in nature to the first book, we see that there’s a high chance that love just isn’t enough. Because Lydia is ‘American’ – she’ll never be accepted and that means that their relationship isn’t destined to be a long lasting one. You have to wonder if all the chemistry in the world (which they seem to have) will be even enough to make what time they have worth it.
What we get in this 2nd book is a death, a betrayal, a blackmail, friendships torn apart, and a big question mark of whether Lydia should even be in London anymore.
Where we are left off in this story is bittersweet. We know what we want to see happen, but it seems unlikely based on the path we’re on. I still wonder who Lydia’s mother is – that’s one fact that i keep hoping will pop up and surprise us, but still nope. not happening. maybe in book 3. As for Dylan – we know what he wants out of his life but it seems like he’s just not able to fight forces to get there – so i’m hopeful that we’ll see him turn a corner in book 3. and on that note – enjoy!