Paper Princess: A Novel (The Royals, 1)

Holy sh$t. Holy sh%t. Holy sh#t. Are you kidding me??!?!?! What WAS that?!? What. Was. That? Infuriating. Intoxicating. Obliterating. Those are my thoughts as I closed this book. I seriously... I... I'm stunned. I have no words. I freaking loved that. I freaking hated that. I need more of that and I need it NOW. That was beautiful and brutal and OMG. This book is perfection, Erin Watt... freaking perfection. Ugly, painful, hopeful, despicable, sensual perfection. The Royals are orphans... all of them. Callum Royal and his five sons were left blowing in the wind after the untimely death of Callum's wife. Callum may be the king of the castle, but he is virtually clueless about how to keep his family together after losing his queen. The privileged princes are each spiralling in their own ways while their father struggles to hold on to the fraying edges of the Royal kingdom. That is until the lost boys find their Wendy in the form of Ella Harper. Too bad they hate her... Ella Harper is caught between worlds in this book. She's a young girl in a world where she's had to be a grown up, doing grown up things, for a long time. She's a girl used to suffering in squalor who's suddenly thrust into a life of splendor. She's unwanted yet craved, invisible yet stalked, hated yet envied all at once. She's a teenager in an adult world who puts on a brave face each day to walk the halls of an elite prep school, all while her young life is in complete disarray. She's thrust into this family, this wealth, this lifestyle that couldn't be more different from everything she knows. The way this story evolves kept me glued, mesmerized, captivated, hooked from the very beginning. The Royal princes, Gideon, Reed, Easton, Sebastian and Sawyer, are ruthless in their disdain for Ella Harper. They despise her. They don't want her in their house, around their father, at their school, near their friends and they do everything they possibly can to hurt the girl that doesn't want to be there anymore than they want her there. Jerks are my favorite. I realized a long time ago that one of my absolute favorite themes in romance... the trope I'll go to the end of the earth to find... is love hate relationships. I love a bully. I love cruelty. I love when a character does terrible, awful, mean spirited things to a girl he'd eventually come to love. I love to hate the bad boy. The interesting thing here, with Paper Princess, is that I honestly could not imagine there being another side to Reed Royal, a side that would make me want Ella to care for him, a side where I could fathom him caring for anyone. He's that callous, that hateful, that mean. And that only made me love him more. And, boy, did he slay me. Still, as much as I loved to hate him and hated to love him, I NEVER expected the twists and turns this book would take. When this book hit my radar, I didn't even hesitate to add it to my TBR. I'm a huge fan of these authors, each of them writing absorbing, sexy romances on their own. But this... this love child born to Erin Watt, this writing pair... well my mind is blown. This writing pair is comprised of two authors that I've been auto-buying for quite a while. They are my go-to authors for steamy, sexy, lighthearted romances. So, of course, it was no question that I'd jump all over their love child. Brace yourselves... I think I loved this book more than anything I've read from either author before. (Yes, I know... that's crazy, right? It's true!) I loved this book so hard. It hit me in all the places I love to be hit while reading a book and a few places I didn't know I had. The pacing and timing and character development and writing style in this story were just spot on. The gut punches that completely KILLED me at the most unexpected moments. The swoon-worthy guys and their terrible antics... all of it. This book is everything. Gritty, angsty, steamy, and rife with scandal and secrecy, Paper Princess is the kind of book you hope EVERY book will be when you open it. The kind you can't put down, can't forget about. This book consumed me and thanks to that crazy ending, I won't be moving on from this book for a good long while.

If you know me then you know that I don't read YA, and I really have no desire to. So for me to read this book is really weird. Well, I read the blurb that came with the sign ups for arc's (which was different then) and it didn't sound like a YA book, but it sounded good so I requested it. Luckily I went into this blind and didn't realize until I started that the characters were so young. I'm actually happy that I gave this book a chance because I ended up enjoying it a lot. Ella Harper has had a bad life. No dad, a mom who liked to date creepy deadbeats, and then she ends up on her own when her mother dies. Running from social services she supports herself by stripping and working two other jobs. She doesn't need anyone else to take care of her, so when Callum Royal shows up claiming to be her guardian she wants nothing to do with him. She does want a future that doesn't involve dollar bills being shoved down her G-string, though. So when Callum offers her ten grand a month until she turns eighteen to stay with him, she isn't stupid enough to turn it down. But she never expected she would have to put up with his sons, none of whom like her and make it their life mission to make her life a living hell. The Royal's have no idea what war they just brought on themselves. Ella kicked some butt in this book and I loved her from the very first page. It takes a lot for me to like a heroine, and I usually end up hating them or just tolerating them. But with Ella there wasn't much that I didn't like about her. She was strong for a seventeen year old girl, and held her own against the jerks she was supposed to see as "brothers" for a year. I think one of the reasons I liked her character so much was because she was so real. There was no bulls*** try to make her invincible, she was just a girl who had been through a lot of things and had to find the best way to survive. She had feelings that got hurt, or that she didn't fully understand - which I'm sure is something all of us can relate to. This isn't our typical sweet romance, and it's not even the typical jerk hero type of romance either. Reed was the "leader" of the Royal brothers and they all took their cues from him. So when he decided Ella was not to be trusted, they did too. When he said she needs to go, they jumped on board in helping push her away. Under that hate he hid his real feelings, feelings that he was too scared to show. But when those feelings slipped out into the open, my heart fluttered for him. His and Ella's romance was far from conventional, but it had me enthralled with them, and the sexual tension was Hot with a capital H. I can't really say there was suspense to the story but from the time Ella showed up at the Royal's house there was a bit of mystery to the family. I was so captivated by them and needed to find out all the dirty laundry they had hidden in their pasts.These Royal's will make you hate them, understand them, and like them all in the course of this one book. Each Royal brother has their own issues and it was very interesting to try and figure them out. These authors did not hold back with this book. It was an in-your-face, intense story that will hold you captive and make you fall in love with all of these characters. The family dynamic kept the story intriguing and I think everyone that reads this will think the same thing. I urge everyone to read this book, even if you're hesitant because of the genre because I promise it will be worth it. Warning: This book is highly addictive. Make sure you start it when you have a few hours to do nothing but read while you ignore real life.

Loved it

Il y a longtemps que j'avais envie de découvrir la plume d'Erin Watt ( une auteur que vous connaissez toutes et tous sous un autre pseudo) et j'avais plusieurs amies qui m'avaient parlé en bien de cette saga. Je l'ai dévoré en une après midi et j'ai été conquise. Erin Watt nous ouvre les portes de la demeure de Callum Royal et ses fils n'ont pas fini de nous offrir des aventures sulfureuses qui ne peuvent pas nous laisser indifférent. Ella Harper est une jeune fille de 17 ans qui dès l'âge de 15 ans a compris que la vie ne serait pas un long fleuve tranquille. Elle n'a jamais connu son père dont elle ne connaît que le prénom et elle vient de perdre sa mère. Sa vie n'a jamais donc été toute rose mais pourtant elle ne s'est jamais laissée aller et elle a relevé les manches pour se sortir du ruisseau. Elle a dû avoir recours à des moyens pas forcément glorieux pour s'en sortir mais quand à 17 ans , on cumule 3 jobs afin de pouvoir survivre, cela ne peut que forcer l'admiration. Mais sa vie va basculer du tout au tout quand elle sera "kidnappée" par Callum Royal qui va devenir son tuteur et qui va lui permettre d'en apprendre plus sur son père. Elle va donc rejoindre la demeure familiale et sera encore plus en danger qu'auparavant car les enfants Royal ne lui réservent pas un super comité d'accueil, bien au contraire. Ella va devoir engager un nouveau combat pour survivre à Aston Park, ce lycée élitiste où les Royals font la loi. Ce que Reed Royal a décidé, le petit peuple va appliquer et Ella va morfler. Dès les premiers pas dans ce lycée, elle va bien comprendre qu'elle n'est pas la bien bienvenue. Son désir est simple : finir ses études et obtenir son diplôme mais même cela , les Royals et leur cour ne lui permettront pas. Mais Ella a une sacrée force de résilience et elle combattra toujours les coups bas de Jordan Carrington en autres. Callum ne verra rien et poussera la jeune fille à se socialiser et à sortir avec ses frères mais chaque fête est un nouveau terrain de jeu très dangereux et elle devra se méfier de tout le monde pour ne pas s'écraser au sol. Elle aura une seule amie en la personne Valerie Carrington, la cousin de Jordan , qui porte un regard acéré sur la mini société qui l'entoure. Elle connait tous leur secrets et potins et sera une vraie aide pour la jeune femme. Ella parviendra t-elle à découvrir le passé de son père? Saura t-elle rester loin de Reed Royal, cet être aussi attirant que dangereux? La famille Royal compte parmi ses membres un père Callum et cinq fils , Reed, Easton, Gideon et les jumeaux Sawyer et Sebastian. J'ai bien aimé le personnage de Callum car je pense qu'il est simplement un homme dépassé par les événements . Il a perdu la femme de sa vie , Maria, et sa cellule familiale a depuis implosé. Il n'a plus aucune prise sur ses enfants et ça le brise encore plus. Que dire de sa relation avec Brooke Davidson? Elle compense un manque mais l'amour n'est surement pas présent . Callum est un homme loyal et fidèle que ce soit en amour mais surtout en amitié, une valeur qu'il a dû acquérir pendant ses années de SEAL. Avec Steve O'Halloran, il a fondé une société d'aviation et son métier est toute sa vie. La perte de son ami a été aussi une blessure profonde et c'est sans doute pour cela qu'il tient tant à s'occuper de la fille de son ami. On ne sait que peu de choses au sujet des jumeaux et ce sont eux les moins développés au niveau de l'intrigue mais je suis sûre que les prochains tomes nous en diront plus à leur sujet. Gideon a quitté le lycée mais revient tous les week ends voir ses frères. Nageur sublime, il détient des secrets familiaux qu'on a envie de découvrir. Nous découvrons donc plus amplement dans ce tome Easton et Reed qui sont à l'exact opposé. En effet Easton est un jeune bout en train qui ne prend jamais rien à la légère. Il est clairement l'aspect comique de l'intrigue même si son attitude flirte aussi très souvent avec le danger. Il n'est pas blanc comme neige mais une fois qu'Ella aura gagné sa confiance , elle pourra compter sur lui en tant que frère. Ce qui est très intéressant dans ce tome est le fait que nous ayons tous les chapitres écrits du point de vue d'Ella et ainsi le lecteur est dans la même position que la jeune femme à savoir que nous nous posons des tas de questions à propos de Reed. C'est un jeune homme très sombre, très fermé qui aboie ses ordres et si on ne s'y plie pas, il faut prendre garde au retour de bâton. La perte de sa mère a eu un impact indéniable sur l'homme qu'il est devenu . Malgré ses attitudes détestables, on parvient à l'apprécier et à s'attacher à lui. Nous avons envie de découvrir ce qu'il nous cache et pourquoi il agit de la sorte. Parviendra t-il à accepter la présence d'Ella? Quelles mauvaises surprises nous réserve t-il encore? Bref, ne passez pas à côté de ce premier tome palpitant. Erin Watt a posé les bases de son intrigue et nous aurons le loisir de découvrir la suite des événements dans les prochains tomes. Les personnages sont très intéressants et attachants et même les personnages secondaires ont un rôle à jouer. La fin est juste comme il faut car elle nous promet un nouveau rebondissement tout en suscitant des tas de questions. Vous n'avez pas fini d'adorer détester les Royals.

Goodness, I really really enjoyed this book! I didn't really know what to expect, apart from it had been recommended to me as 'one to read'. I had read the blurb and thought I would give it a go, especially when I realised that Erin Watt was actually the pseudonym for authors Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick. Admittedly I've not actually read anything by Jen Frederick, but I have read Elle's books in the past and loved them so I went in with high hopes! And it did not disappoint...at all! Seventeen year old Ella Harper is getting though each day making ends meet, working extra jobs, as well as going to school and living completely alone. She has never known her Dad and her Mum passed away recently. Although not ideal, it's working for her, it's all she knows, and all she wants to do is get an education to go to college, finish her studies and get a decent job. Then out of the blue, Callum Royal appears, whisks her away and pops her right into his life, in his mansion, with his 5 sons...... who really don't want her there!! The boys don't trust her motives as to why she is there and there are a lot of background stories with their father too. These Royal brothers are HOT!! And they all have fantastic character, from the identical twins, to the eldest at college, which leads to excitement on every page. At times the boys are brutal and mean, and Ella is introduced on the receiving end of that. Although not the oldest, Reed is the 'leader' of the brothers and they all look to him for direction. You'll dislike like the brothers, then you'll like them and then you'll hate them again! This book is written with fantastic pace, so there is never a dull moment. I loved Ella's character. She was a really strong female character, simply because she's always had to be. So when she is given certain obstacles or things come up against her, she doesn't let it get in her way and will say it exactly how it is. And Ella & Reed.... phew! You could cut that tension (sexual or otherwise) with a knife! Eeeeek! This book is funny! There were some really great parts, especially where those brothers are involved. It's a book of friendship, trust, betrayal, love, anger, heat, passion, and angst! It really does have it all. I read it really quickly and devoured every page and before I knew it I had got to the end.... and OMG!!! Cliffhanger... But such a FANTASTIC one! Honestly, it was so good and I cannot wait until book number 2 is released!

This book is like crack. Highly addictive, hard to quit, and bad for you (Like seriously very very bad...)

A wonderful book for contemporary YA readers that like a little bit of NA. A perfect blend of Self respect, betrayal, secrets and romance... a must read for ACOTAR fans....