February 1, 2019
Gr 6 Up-This series follows seemingly typical American teenagers as they discover they are part of the royal Valmont family from the small (and imaginary) European nation of Evonia. In Next in Line, Carly travels to Evonia after learning that she is royalty and in line to someday be queen. While she is initially excited, she struggles with being away from her American family and the newfound attention she receives as a national figurehead. Noah is shocked to learn his mother has inherited the title of Duchess of Rotherham in Royal Pain. When his family travels to Evonia for the summer, Noah begins to develop feelings for Tori, who is not part of an elite family, against his grandmother's wishes. VERDICT Hi-lo readers at a fourth grade level will enjoy these fish-out-of-water stories about ordinary teens grappling with the wealth and formalities that accompany unexpected royal duties.
Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 1, 2018
Seventeen-year-old Noah's life is turned upside down when his grandfather dies, forcing his family to move to his mother's home country, where she must assume her duties as part of the royal family. In Evonia, Noah must endure elaborate table manners, a never-ending itinerary of royal duties, and his grandmother's matchmaking efforts. He is miserable in his new role until he meets Tori, a dynamic and beautiful girl who shares his passion for archaeology. When he learns that he is in line to assume the throne, he is faced with the most difficult decision of his life. The other titles in this reluctant reader series feature other teens forced to Evonia to assume their royal duties. In Becoming Prince Charming, by Loren Bailey, 17-year-old Mason discovers that being a slacker holds little charm for his new hardworking royal friends. In Royal Treatment by K.R. Coleman (Truth or Dare, 2017, etc.), 16-year-old Grace must trade in her blue hair and nose ring for updos and royal jewels, but she maintains her individuality when it comes to romance. In Next in Line by Vanessa Acton (Vortex, 2017, etc.), Carly, a high school junior, discovers she is a princess and only two places from the throne. In these stories linked only by location and familial ties, the focus is on individuality, personal responsibility, and moral character. Diversity is lacking, but the focus on family dynamics as more than angst-y teenager versus clueless parents is refreshing. Romance is present but limited to chaste kisses and some hand-holding. Formulaic plots and flat characters detract from the otherwise entertaining series, but readers who dream of one day being whisked away from their ordinary lives to a world of opulence will gobble these stories up.High-concept, easy-to-read romances with feel-good messages. (Fiction. 12-18)
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