You’re in luck if you grew up with the movies or books based on Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries or if you found the epic romances of Diana Bridgerton and have been craving more royal love stories ever since. A love tale contains a unique event that can alter the future of a whole nation (or planet?). When both sets of parents are actively trying to sway their children’s marriage decisions, the dangers of a forbidden relationship increase. Stories thrive when their protagonists have strong feelings about something, even if those feelings are negative or neutral toward the protagonist’s own nation (or planet). The greatest love is that shared by a prince and a princess. Even if you’re not into history, reading about royal relationships is fascinating. This collection of novels about royal couples includes works of fantasy, science fiction, and even noir. You could find the perfect cup of tea here. Wanna get immersed in the world of the royals? Check out LordPing.co.uk!
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
My natural inclination is to emulate them. They seem like they were made in the holy fire of heaven. They’ll be immortal. Cardan, in particular, stands out as much more stunning. He is the person I despise the most. When I think about how much I despise him, it makes it hard to take a deep breath. When Jude and her two sisters were just seven years old, their parents were brutally killed, and they were abducted and taken to the dangerous High Court of Faerie. Jude, who is now ten years older, is still desperate to join that group. Yet, many fey have contempt towards humans. In particular, the youngest and most depraved son of the High King, Prince Cardan. She must resist him if she is to have any chance of being accepted to the Court. As a result, she finds herself entangled in court intrigues and deceptions, where she learns to control her own bloodlust. Nevertheless, Jude will have to sacrifice her life in a perilous alliance to save her sisters and the Courts of Faerie from the turmoil that is threatening to engulf them in civil war.
Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
The twisty cat-and-mouse of Killing Eve and the beautifully conceived fantasy universe of Furyborn and Ember in the Ashes come together in this Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut about two hostile witches who must engage into a lethal alliance to take down a mutual adversary. Sequence-wise separation. Motivated by shared resentment. Iraya has spent her whole life behind bars, but she is getting closer to freedom and exacting her revenge with each passing day. Unlike her sister before her, Jazmyne, the Queen’s daughter, has no desire to sacrifice herself in order to increase the monarchy’s might. These two witches, sworn adversaries, form an uneasy partnership to eliminate a common foe. Yet power is addictive, vengeance is a terrible pursuit, and there is no guarantee of anything except that they would stop at nothing to achieve victory.
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
Bestseller in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly! The first book of an epic romantic trilogy by Tahereh Mafi, inspired by Persian mythology and replete with imperial intrigue, forbidden love, and a lost queen destined to redeem her people. Alizeh is just a throwaway servant to everyone else, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn empire. Kamran, the crown prince, is aware of the predictions concerning his father’s demise. Yet he had no idea that the girl in the servant’s quarters with the odd eyes would one day soon shake the foundations of his kingdom and the world as he knew it.
So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens
After fulfilling the prophesy that predicted he would save the Kingdom of Ere from its terrible king, Arek didn’t give it much attention. His ragtag bunch of quest companions are at a loss for what to do now that he has (very awkwardly) beheaded the wicked king (it turns out that magical swords snatched from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened). To protect the rightful heir until she can be rescued from her tower, Arek’s best friend and wizard, Matt, persuades him to take the kingdom. Except she’s already dead. Now that Arek is king, he must fulfill a mystical condition or else he would wither away and disappear on his eighteenth birthday. Three months before his eighteenth birthday, with only Matt knowing the truth, Arek sets out on a journey to preserve his life by finding a wife. Yet his awkward and amusing attempts to charm his pals all fall flat… till he sees the possibility of love there in front of his eyes.
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
Somewhere in the past, I had a sister. Once upon a time, in a country governed by strong warrior queens, a great empire was created on the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary warriors who flew through the air on fiery wings—until a fight between two sisters tore it all apart. I assured her that being on the throne would not stand between us. Now, sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who longs to fulfill her destiny as a legendary Phoenix Rider. Veronyka’s overbearing sister betrays her, and she decides to go it alone in her search for the Riders, even if it means dressing as a guy to join their ranks. It’s unfortunate, but death is an inevitable part of existence. You must either rule or be ruled. Just as Veronyka begins to feel like a part of the group, her sister appears and unravels the web of falsehoods that has been woven between them. The new empire, meanwhile, is aware of the Riders’ reappearance and plans to wipe them out completely. Queen is a title that is occasionally used. It’s a necessary evil at times.
Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
A former con and the heir to a criminal dynasty engage in a fight of wits and hearts in the latest young adult novel by Mary E. Pearson, Dance of Thieves, set in the world of her New York Times bestselling Remnant Chronicles series. Jase, the patriarch’s son, takes over the Ballenger business after his father passes away. This renegade dynasty has always set its own standards for governance, to the point where even neighboring kingdoms have to respect its power. A new age, however, has been put in action by a young queen, making her the target of the wrath and anger of the dynasty. At the same time, the famed former street thief Kazi is dispatched by the queen to look into crimes committed against the new communities. Kazi discovers a different side of Jase during her arrival in the Ballengers’ hostile territory. When random circumstances force them closer together, they continue to engage in a cat-and-mouse game of deception in order to further their own goals.
The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross
Brienna has but two goals in life: to become an expert in her field, and to catch the eye of a wealthy patron. She should have been ready because she grew up in Valenia’s famous Magnalia House. While Brienna first had trouble deciding which of the five passions—art, music, theatre, wit, and knowledge—to pursue, she eventually settled on knowledge. Yet the worst thing Brienna feared really happened: she lost her sponsor. A disgraced lord offers her patronage months later, and her life takes an unexpected turn. She agrees hesitatingly, suspecting his motives. There’s more to the story, though; a terrible conspiracy is afoot to depose the king of Maevana, Valenia’s rival country, and reinstate the true queen and her magic. War is looming, and Brienna must decide whether to follow her heart or her family’s blood. Don’t forget to check out the equally exciting sequel, The Queen’s Resistance!
