Review: "Her Secret Prince" by Madeline Ash (Royal Holiday #2)

Note: This ebook was provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dee Johnson and Jed Brown were best friends at sixteen, but on the night that they were both ready to take their friendship to the next level, a mysterious man comes to Jed's home, scaring Jed's mother and forcing Dee to head home. The next day, Dee is devastated to learn that Jed and his mother have left, leaving nothing behind except Dee's broken heart and years of worrying about where Jed is and what's happened to him. He was the first boy she ever loved and the one she never forgot about.

Ten years later, Jed Brown's search for Dee Johnson finally ends successfully. He needs answers to his questions regarding the night he and his mother disappeared just as much as she wants answers to her many questions about the very same night and what's happened to him since. They may be ten years older but the pull to one another is still there. Jed makes a promise to be by Dee's side this time around, but will have to break that promise when the truth behind his parentage finally comes to light?

Her Secret Prince by Madeline Ash is the second book in the multi-authored Royal Holiday series and is a friends to lovers and second chance contemporary romance. I absolutely adored this book and fell in love with both Dee and Jed and their story of young heartbreak and renewed love. I liked that Jed was the one who searched for her because it was the perfect counterpoint to his disappearing a decade ago. They seemed to be the same people, only older and with more maturity compared to before.

Dee and Jed balanced each other out perfectly, and even though Jed's honesty in answering Dee's questions were painful for Dee to hear (and had my heart squeezing in empathy as I read), it felt more realistic. If they were both pining for one another all this time, not being able to move on in any fashion, it would have been too fantastical and would have had me arching a brow in disbelief. The hesitation they had highlighted that the teenage trauma of losing each other had to be acknowledged.

This novella had everything you could want in a modern fairy tale. I love stories that have a sense of simplicity to them but are not overly simplified. This was sweet with a hint of steam and there was nothing overdone about either the story or characters. I ended this book with a sappy but satisfied smile on my face and I would highly recommend this standalone to anyone who's ever dreamed of finding their Prince Charming. Her Secret Prince is a 2015 favorite and I'm happy to give it five stars. ♥

Date Read: 12 April 2015

Learn more about Madeline Ash here.

Purchase Her Secret Prince on Amazon.