Krissy Kringle’s dream of owning her own business and settling into a community with her daughter, Merry, came alive when she moved to Charmington—the small Christmas village in the Adirondacks. Hard work, sacrifice, and a bucket-load of luck make her dream come true—Kringle’s Diner exists, business is booming, and above all else, she and Merry are happy. She’s also weary beyond words, doing the work of three people.

So, she hires a man who wanders into the diner. He needs work, or so it seems. He comes with a huge Bernese Mountain dog named Prince, who takes up residence in the diner’s corner booth every day with Merry. Krissy can deal with it—help in the kitchen trumps dog germs. Right?

Contrary to popular belief around Charmington, Max Alexander (aka Alex Maxwell) is not homeless. In fact, he is royalty. Alexander Henrik Vincent Maxwell III, Prince of Beldova, heir apparent to the throne, is searching for something. Incognito, of course.

That “something” is Krissy.

Twenty years earlier, as awkward pre-teens, the two shared a magical summer vacation on a lake in Wisconsin. The next year, circumstances change both of their lives forever—and they never see each other again. Years later, finding Krissy becomes a mission for Alex—before he takes the permanent step toward becoming King.

Krissy and Alex have worked together for several weeks. Their attraction for each other grows, but Alex never tells Krissy he is the boy from the lake. He understands her need for community with the security of home, and he doesn’t want to disrupt her happiness. Besides, his future is uncertain. Will he become King? Or not?

When Alex must suddenly return to Beldova, a rapid unraveling of entangled truths reveals his reality to Krissy. Can they untangle the omissions and half-truths, and recover the magic of that one special summer for the holidays?

Titles in The Charming Holiday series include:  Home for Christmas ~ Miracle at Holly Hill Inn ~ The Last Christmas at Holly Hill Inn ~ Charming the Prince ~

This is a no-spice romance, perhaps with closed-door or fade-to-black scenes. Tension and kisses might be involved.

Title:  Charming the Prince
Series:  The Charming Holiday #4
Author:  Maddie James
Published:  October 10, 2022
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Charming the Prince is the fourth title in The Charming Holiday series, and brings us the delightful holiday romance of Krissy and Max, or is it Alex?  Hmm.  It’s complicated, sorta kinda.  Everything you could possibly need to know before picking up this story is in the Cover Description.  What that won’t show you are the emotions this story will bring forth for you as Krissy and her daughter, Merry, discover that one supposedly homeless man and his huge, adorable, matchmaking Bermese Mountain Dog, Prince, are about to change lives… and perhaps have that classic happy ever after ending for them all.

First of all, how in the world did I miss this Christmas/Holiday series?  I don’t know, but you can be sure I’m picking up the rest of this story now.  I can read a holiday story any time of the year, and Charming the Prince is just the type of romance I love.  Alex (Max) is a real-life prince, perhaps, soon to be king, who is on a mission to find one specific woman whom he has fond memories of during a summer long, long ago.  Yes, he’s left out some vital bits of information from their conversations.  Yet, he needs to find her before he must eventually take on his responsibilities as king.  The fact that he isn’t really certain he even wants that title, that responsibility, is obvious.  The spark of attraction between them grows, with perhaps a bit of help from Prince, Alex’s dog, until his future comes crashing into the present and Alex must return home.  Only then will certain facts become clear to Krissy… and only then will she have to make some difficult choices.

I loved everything about Charming the Prince.  And if for one second you think that one adorable Bermese Mountain pup isn’t just as important a main character as the others… well, think again.  Prince has personality, pup shenaghans galore, and I loved him almost as much as Krissy and Alex.  This found-family story is well-written, funny, witty, and full of emotion.  I completely enjoyed myself and would not hesitate to recommend this holiday romance any time of the year.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

 

This title is available at Amazon