About the Book
Book: Heart Of A Royal
Author: Hannah Currie
Genre: Young Adult/Royalty
Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers – that of a commoner. But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?
My Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book and love that is a start of a series as I cannot wait to read more by this author and hopefully some of these characters! Life a Royal fascinates me as it is so fairy tale like, it makes me feel like a little girl again and loving the princess movies and way of life.
"Heart of a Royal" did not disappoint in any way. Mackenna has lived a life of royalty, but without the title as she has lived as a companion to the princess. However, this chapter of her life is over. Prince Thoraben and Kenna are both amazing main characters and I loved their journeys of personal growth, and their journeys and growth in faith and trust. This story flowed so nicely with a few twists and turns that kept me anxiously turning the pages all the way to the end. I am looking forward to book #2 in this series!
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Aussie author, Hannah Currie, loves God, family, people (in small numbers, let’s not go crazy here!) and writing. She and her husband live with their three adorable kids in sunny Queensland, where it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Except, maybe, during heatwaves. They’re not so fun. She loves to connect with readers at www.hannahcurrie.com.
More from Hannah
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by royalty. Real ones like Queen Elizabeth II, who is such an incredible woman and a total hero of mine (not to mention, as a proud Australian and member of the Commonwealth, my monarch) but also the not-so-real ones. Those found in fairytales. Romances. Narnia.
I’m one of those people who blocks out an entire day to watch a royal wedding, sighs like a hopeless romantic through cheesy princess movies, reads just about any novel I find with a crown on the front and loves a full-spread photo souvenir magazine. I may have even written a short story starring a princess for an English assignment at school. More than once. [Side note, if you’re going to write a story about a princess who is totally adorable but can’t spell, don’t use a misspelled word as the title. It takes a
lot of explaining to make sure the teacher knows you did it on purpose and doesn’t mark you down for it… sorry Ninth Grade English teacher!].
The glamor draws me in, the beautiful clothes, the history and romance of it all, but it’s the expectations they have on them which hold me there. Every title comes with a million expectations, whether or not they’re realistic. We expect royals, both real and fictional, to behave in a certain way. To be honourable (assuming they’re the good guys). To care for their people and put them first. To always be there. Yes, even to be beautiful.
But what happens when they’re not? When they’re shy? Fight anxiety? Hate the spotlight? Are blemished in some way? What happens when what’s best for the people isn’t what’s best for them? Or when they make a mistake? Something which, for anyone else, would be easily fixed or glossed over but for a royal, gets written into the history books forever. Purely because of their title.
Kenna, the main character in
Heart of a Royal, never meant to be a princess. She wasn’t born into royalty, neither did she choose it. And yet, due to circumstances far beyond her control, there she is. Living in a palace. Part of that life.
Very few of us are royalty but I think we all know how heavy expectations can be and the pain of being thrust into situations beyond our control.
And yet, even in those moments and seasons, just like Kenna, we have choices. They might seem small, maybe even insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they’re there. Who we put our trust in. What we do with the circumstances we’ve been given. Where we go from there.
Heart of a Royal is as much my story as it is Kenna’s. No, I’m not a princess (thankfully!) but I have struggled through finding hope and purpose when life flies out of control and the expectations prove too much. And here’s what I’ve found – God is good. There is hope and God is good. I hope, through Kenna’s story, you are reminded of that too.
Blog Stops
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour Hannah is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Ruth is one of my favorite books and characters in the Bible. This is also a book of the Bible that I feel like I learn something new every time I heard a sermon focusing on it. I felt the same way while working through the Bible study: "Ruth: redemption for the broken," part of the gospel-centered life in the Bible study series. This Bible study works through the story beginning with life falling apart for Ruth and Naomi as their husbands are dead, but then blessings occur, plans are made and the ending with a wedding. Each lesson focuses on a specific aspect of the story and I love the readings that are included and the discussion prompts. I enjoyed working through this on my own, but I am really hoping to be able to work through this as part of a group as there is so much that can come from group discussion and learning. My favorite chapter is the third focusing on grace. The lists and comparisons of a lifestyle of receiving grace and a lifestyle of giving grace really stood out to me while reading. I highly recommend this study!
