Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Royally Roma {ends 8/1}

Julia pulled the hood of her own green rain poncho over her upswept hair. The silly ensemble suited her a fair bit better than it did him. She looked rather cute, actually. Misty-eyed, rain-kissed, and infinitely kissable. Or maybe Niccolo was still drunk. It was the only explanation for the vexation that had crept upon him since she'd first come into view on the hotel's piazza.

She blinked up at him, seemingly oblivious to the effect she was having. "Okay, then. Shall we get started on our adventure?"

Above them the umbrella pines swayed. The bruised sky wept misty Roman tears. And Niccolo got the distinct feeling that he was only beginning to know what it meant to truly lose himself.

"Absolutely."

This book is actually only available in e-book format, but I was able to read it in paper galley format (and if you win a copy of the book, you will receive it in paper galley format, too, unless you prefer an e-book). It's loosely based on the movie Roman Holiday, and it's a cute summer/beach read.

Official synopsis:

In this charming, modern retelling of the classic Audrey Hepburn film Roman Holiday, a royal prince tries to escape his hectic and rigid life and ends up leading a young graduate student on a chase through the Eternal City.

Julia Costa is too busy trying to complete her Ph.D. while also holding down a full-time job as a private tour guide in Rome to keep up with celebrity gossip. So when she crosses paths with a real, actual prince, she mistakes him for a client and takes him on a daylong tour of the city.

Intrigued by the idea of spending time with someone who obviously has no idea who he is, and delighted at the prospect of a day free of royal obligations, Niccolo La Torre, Crown Prince of Lazaretto, acts on impulse and assumes the role of Julia’s client. He swears to himself that he’ll return to his royal duties after only half a day ... but he’s having the time of his life.

Until Julia presents him with the bill. Since he snuck out of the hotel without so much as a dime, he tries to escape, only to discover that she won’t let him out of her sight until he can pay her back. She’s determined to get her money ... and perhaps more, from the handsome stranger she’s fallen for.

Italy has been on my bucket list for forever, so it was fun to kind-of experience it in this book, as Julia is a tour guide who leads Niccolo around Rome. Because Julia doesn't really use social media, she doesn't recognize that Niccolo is a prince (not of Rome, but of a different city), and he's able to go incognito with her during the tour. 

The problem comes at the end, when it's time to pay for the tour, as Niccolo never keeps cash on him ... 

I found this to be a fun read—it's ideal for the beach or for a quick summer read. Some of the writing, especially near the end, was rather cliche, but we get extensive backstories for both Julia and Niccolo, which is helpful. This book is the first in The Royals series, the second being Royally Romanov, which I also have in my possession to review. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book if you're looking for a quick, not-too-serious read.

3.5 stars out of 5.

{Click here to purchase}

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a print galley of this book!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Tuesday, August 1st, at 11:59pm EST, and winner will be notified the next day via email and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

Royally Roma print galley