Royal Player

I underestimated my emotional connection to this series. The Rourke men are dropping like flies and taking my heart along for the ride. Kylie Gilmore blends her sense of humor with heartwarming romance and an abundance of charm to keep readers coming back for more. There's been enough sitting on the sidelines, now it's Polly's turn to shine. Forget tradition, Polly has a spirit that needs to be in the spotlight. Weighed down by responsibilities, it will take an overlooked Prince to show her that the road less traveled, could be a perfect fit for love. The Princess that started it all is about to claim heart's everywhere. Smart, funny, sexy and sweet. Royal Player is a winner in my eyes.

Polly has a big personality and can be impulsive, and this has caused her some trouble in the past. She doesn't fit into the role her country has set for royal women, but she is ready to demonstrate her skills. She sums up the book's conflict at the end of chapter one: "I'm still going to attempt the impossible -- gaining the throne on my own terms while keeping my family and my kingdom safe. Who better to tackle the impossible than the person who's been labeled impossible?" Watching her do that was awesome. Oscar has the opposite problem. He has nothing to do since an injury forced him out of professional soccer. His siblings are finding their roles in life, and he is at loose ends. Polly shows up and bowls him over, and then a new idea comes about that could give Oscar the purpose he is looking for. The problem is that he seems to be in love with the one woman he can't have. She confides her problems to him, and he is compelled to be her hero. He is very sweet about it, and I loved the way he respected Polly's wishes for her future. I thought Polly and Oscar had great chemistry and complemented each other very well. I thought I knew where the plot was going, and that would have been nice but not great. Then stuff got serious, and Polly and Oscar got to show their true colors. The last half of the book was terrific. I loved the way the narrators brought the book to life. I think this one is my favorite by this pair.