Fairly decent book. A different take on the whole royal thing. A couple of things writing wise held it back for me. The sense of time was vague. I think a lot of time passed in the book but the author did not account for it well. There was a dirth of words like "three weeks later" etc. Also at the end suddenly she was using poetic phrasing like "Gone were the days in which..." "Soft was the hand that..." You either need to write the whole book like that, in which case it really doesn't fit the HP line stylistically or just don't. I vote for just don't.

The story was pretty fun. I liked that the heroine was having trouble adjusting to royal life. It seemed pretty realistic. I didn't like that it took the hero quite so long to realise he loved her. He was an ass in places and stood up for her in other places. I just wish I had gotten the feeling that he was standing up for her because he loved her. It was fun to see her shut him down sexually though. He was pretty frustrated by her.

My second book by this author. Not as strong as [b:A Shameful Consequence|12512441|A Shameful Consequence|Carol Marinelli|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341965560s/12512441.jpg|17498239], but I am totally up for more by this author. ( )

Allegra agrees to a sham engagement to Alex, a Crown Prince, who is expected to marry— duty—not love dictates his actions. Neither of them planned on falling in love. So—it’s a Harlequin—it has all the trappings of what I read when I was younger. Sweet virgin girl falls for a man who shows his second face after he’s trapped her into complying w/his plan to accomplish his goal. He takes the whole book to realize she’s exactly what he really needs. HEA ensues. And yet, for some reason, Allegra drew me in and I felt for her. I must have been in the right mood for a tearjerker, because it got to me, and I read the whole thing in an evening.

NetGalley ARC, Harlequin romance, prince, fake engagement. ( )

Allegra Jackson refuses advances from her boss and she is terminated. She desperately searches for another job, and this leads to a chance meeting with Prince Alessandro Santina. She absentmindedly wanders into a private club to sit and gather her thoughts and is later confronted by a waitress for not signing in. Prince Alessandro, or Alex, as he calls himself, steps in to save her from embarrassment. He is very somber himself because he is being forced to return to Santina to get married and fulfill his royal duties. After some honest conversation about each of their predicaments, Alex wants Allegra to agree to pretend to be his fiance in order to have an excuse to break off his arranged marriage, allowing him a little more time to accomplish his personal goals in London. Then after a short period of time, they could break the engagement. He would pay her handsomely to do so, which would alleviate the burdens she faced being unemployed. It seems like a good idea....at first. By the next morning Allegra is experiencing regrets but the Prince makes it perfectly clear that it is already too late to change her mind when they are all over the media. Her regrets only get stronger as one thing after another goes totally opposite from what the Prince had planned, and Allegra's tabloid headline grabbing family get mixed in the deal. The struggle to merge their worlds, overcome standards and expectations to be their own person, and of course falling in love along the way, makes a great story.

Playing The Royal Game is a delightful distraction from every day reality. This modern day fairy tale is just whimsical enough to draw you in, but not too far over the top. I enjoyed the read. I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Playing the Royal Game by Carol Marinelli
4 STARS

Playing the Royal Game is the last book in the The Santina Crown series I believe. It is the first one I have read and now I wish I had read the others. They sound interesting and fun.
Allegra Jackson was having a rotten day. She has been looking for work and after having no luck entered a bar and decided to have a bottle of champagne. She was fired because the boss wanted personal favors from her.
Prince Alessandro Santina runs his own company. He is engaged at home in a arranged marriage that he does not want. When the waitress had just come to realize that Allegra was not signed in at the private club was going to kick her out when Alex stepped in.
Alex got the idea if she played his fiance and it would break off the one his father set in place. Then after a few days or weeks when the public cry out because Allegra is not suitable they will end thier relationship and Alex can stay in England longer running his buisness. He will pay her a lot of money for the job.
Allegra could than right the truthful story about her father exfootball player.
She agrees then everything goes wrong with thier plans. Alex's people love Allegra.
His father the King of Santina wants an engagement party thrown right away and thier wedding date annouced.
It is a fun charming story. With a lot of characters that I think have had thier own stories told in the former books of the series.
I was glad that Allegra stood up for her family and for what she wants to do.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest reviews from Netgalley.
Publisher: Harlequin Presents (December 1, 2012) ISBN: 0373131089 186 pages ( )