Stolen Princess by J. Saman is live!

Tangled fans rejoice! In this Rapunzel retelling that relates closely to the Disney movie, we have a morally grey Flynn Rider-type hero, a strong heroine desperate to live her own life, and a gorgeous enemies-to-lovers, age gap, forced proximity road trip romance that stole my heart! This is a beautiful story and a fantastic addition to the Once Upon Ever After series, and I loved this book!

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Blurb

All my life, I’ve dreamed of experiencing the outside world. Then he stumbled upon my tower.

Carrying a stolen necklace and a charming smile on his gorgeous face, he’s my ticket to freedom. My plan is simple: Sneak out undetected, go to the festival for the stolen princess to see the floating lanterns, and return home safely.

I know I shouldn’t do this, but I’m so desperate for it that nothing else seems to matter.

Not my mother, who keeps me here. Not the dangers she promises are out there waiting for me. Not even the thief who tells me not to trust him.

And for a moment, it’s incredible.

Including the man I can’t seem to stay away from. The one I want to shatter every remaining piece of my innocence.

The thief who isn’t as evil as he believes, but brings new meaning to the phrase, touch her and die.

But when we’re dragged headfirst into a web of death and deceit, we quickly learn no one is who they seem. Including me.

Secrets unravel. Lives fall apart. And yet with my thief, I’ve never felt more alive.

They say there’s an ancient curse on the royal family of Messalina. That when the princess was stolen, it was only the beginning.

We’re about to find out.

Stolen Princess is a STEAMY, suspenseful, and dark contemporary (not paranormal or romantasy) royalty, fairytale retelling. It is a standalone HEA for our couple but has a continuous underlying plot and the series is best read in order.

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Review

5 stars

You can technically read this book as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Not only is there build up to this story in the previous books of the series, but this book contains massive spoilers for the first two books. To fully appreciate the royal family of Messalina, the curse upon them and the drama and mystery surrounding their background, I definitely recommend reading these books in order.

Genevieve has lived alone in a quiet house in the forest (complete with tower), with only her mother’s once-a-week visits for company. She is desperate to escape her isolation and explore the world, and when a thief breaks into her home, she knows this is her opportunity to escape. Needing somebody to help get her to the outside world, she convinces her thief to not only get her out of the forest, but to escort her to the festival she’s been dreaming of attending her whole life.

Ferrin is a jewel thief on his last job before he can retire in comfort. He never expected Genevieve, but when she blackmails him into helping her, he has little choice but to follow her lead. But he never expected his life to be completely derailed by the mysterious but courageous young woman.

I can’t touch her. I won’t touch her. She’s not the sort of girl you mess about. She’d give me her heart, and I wouldn’t know the first thing to do with that, nor is it something she should give to a man like me.
I’ll do right by her, and then I’ll let her go.

In a wonderful journey of exploration, we see Genevieve get to experience the real world for the first time. Not just the environment, but social interactions, a very memorable trip to the sea, and her very real chemistry with her travelling companion. And oh, holy hotness, this book is seriously steamy! It’s a bit of a weird dynamic, with Genevieve being so sheltered, but she’s a confident young woman who knows what she wants. She’s brave and bold, and she leads the way, and with their attraction raging, their coming together is inevitable.

“I’m ready. But…”
“But what?”
‘Will you tell me if I don’t do it right or if I should do something else?”
If possible, his eyes grow even darker. “You want me to teach you how to fuck?”
I nibble on the corner of my lip. “Yes.” I want to learn everything. All of it.
“Oh, princess. We’re going to fuck each other so good.”

Ferrin’s side of the story is beautifully told. He may be a ruthless criminal, but from the very beginning we can see his huge heart, and his softness towards Genevieve is so gorgeous. He knows he’s not a good guy, but he genuinely cares for Genevieve and he protects her with his life. He wants to do right by her, but he also can’t deny their attraction, and he takes to his role of showing her all that she’s missed with great enthusiasm.

“I sure as fuck don’t deserve this, but I want it. I want you.”

The story moves at a quick pace, but the romance has the feeling of a slow burn, with wonderful build-up of everything between them. Their physical connection is wild, but their emotional journey is so beautifully written, and I was fully on board with all of it. Their coming together feels real and heartfelt, and despite their differences and the chaotic state of their lives, I could feel everything between them, and loved watching them fall so hopelessly for each other.

“Yes, you’re the first person and the first man I met … Maybe I’m young and naïve, but don’t tell me I don’t know my heart or what I want.”

I love these characters so much. Their story is both a beautiful reflection of the fairytale, but also a high-stakes suspense story with action and intensity. And the romance is both wildly sexy and beautifully emotional, and I was so effortlessly wrapped up in all of it.

“I’m not marrying a prince. I seem to like the villain more.”
His eyes turn soft, his lips tilting down. “You shouldn’t.”
“But I do. I don’t want this to be the end.”

Genevieve’s past has an unexpected but direct link to Ferrin’s, which brings a nice twist and creates additional mystery. And the tie-in with the royal family and the rest of the series had my heart pounding as it all unfolded. The suspense, the action, the beautifully sweet family moments, and of course the big climax of the love story (no pun intended) brings big declarations, sexy time and lots of swoon.

“I love you with everything that I am. I love you completely. You’ve rewritten every part of me into the best version I never imagined I was capable of being … I want to make your every dream come true because that’s exactly what you’ve done for me.”

This is such a gorgeous read which brings great progress for the series. I loved seeing the characters from previous books and watching their family story continue to unfold. There is more mystery ahead, and I am so excited to continue on.

I loved this one – 5 stars.

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.