Series: Regency Royals #5
Author: Jess Michaels
Published March 15th 2022 by The Passionate Pen LLC
Goodreads Synopsis
The final book in the Regency Royals series by USA TODAY Bestselling Author Jess Michaels.
Queen Giabella of Athawick should be happy. Her children are all married and in love, her land is at last at peace and she’s about to have more freedom than she’s experienced in her whole life. And yet she’s…restless. Only one man has been able to settle her during times of trouble: her longtime personal secretary, Dashiell Talbot. So when they’re asked to do a tour of Athawick to celebrate their upcoming democratic elections, she knows she’ll be well taken care of. And she agrees.
Dash has served his queen for a decade and it has been the joy of his life. And the challenge, considering all he ever wants to do is touch her. But that is not his place and he has always been able to control himself before, nothing will be different now. Except that Gia is starting to have trouble controlling her own desires and everything that has been hidden, suppressed, denied is about to bubble to the surface with an explosion of powerful passion. Will they be able to find a path to a real future? Or will the past keep them apart once again?
Heat Level: A passion worth waiting for!
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
As her country is in the dawn of a new era, Queen Giabella of Athawick starts to look at her future. As the queen mother, she has had to hold herself aloof from her country, and only the love of her people, her children, and her loyal advisor, Dashiell Talbot, is what keeps her going. Since he joined her service 15 years ago, Giabella has loved Dash, but being married to the despot king, and also thinking herself too old to deserve happiness, she's never acted on her feelings. But now that she has been asked to tour the south of the country, with Dash by her side, she can't hold back, and she wants to explore her feelings and desires, especially as she sees them reflected in Dash. Dash, for himself, has loved Gia from the moment he set eyes on her, and seeing her love for Sasha, the orphaned child he's come to love as his own, and that Gia adopted, and her other children, made him want her more. Being by her side, day by day, is tough, but he would do everything to be with her, and sees himself as too low to be with a queen. Can they both allow themselves the chance for happiness - either only for a few days, or for the long term - before their lives change completely?
I've been waiting for this book ever since I read To Protect a Princess. Every time we saw Gia and Dash, we could see the longing and love between them, but forces have pulled them apart for so long. Now that all of the children are happily married, and starting their own lives and futures, Gia should be able to find her peace - but Dash is always in her thoughts, and she can't reconcile herself with being the queen, and being with him. She has hang ups from her marriage to the late king, and Dash seems too perfect for her. But learning that he wants to leave her side, and join the newly formed government, she feels loss and pain, and will do anything she can to be with him, even only for a few nights. This relationship has got to be one of the slowest burners ever - lasting over 15 years, but it was executed perfectly. Because of how well they both know each other, it's easy, once they get over their demons, for them to love each other. One of my favourite scenes - apart from the epilogue - was when King Grantham spoke to Dash, and I adore how well Dash is thought of, and loved, as a family member. In my opinion, the perfect ending to the series, and I can't wait for Jess' 100th book!
Dates Read:
February 24, 2022
Rating
4 Stars
