The Cost of the Crown by Joy Crain is a unique contemporary, royal romance. I loved how different this story was from other royal romances I’ve read. Most of this book’s unique qualities stem from two things: the beautiful Asian culture behind the setting and characters and the special backstory of the crown prince, Aiden. Aiden’s past left him with some serious, deep wounds, and I found it interesting that Missy played such a big role in his healing. It was a nice role reversal of sorts from typical romances. And it didn’t make either one seem weak but stronger together. I really enjoyed their relationship from beginning to end!
This story is so well crafted and will keep you guessing until the end. The characters are fantastic. The setting is creative, beautiful, and woven with interesting aspects of Asian culture. It’s a great escape into the royal court of Andelar!
And the characters show great growth in their faith throughout the story. Aiden is a true inspiration on forgiveness, and I loved watching he and Missy learn to trust God with different aspects of their life.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! What a wonderful debut novel from Joy Crain. And since this is the first book in the Royals of Andelar series, I’m looking forward to reading the stories of the other royal siblings, too! The author did such a great job of building these characters and giving us little hints about their lives, that I’m ready to read the whole story!
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )

"He couldn't shake his past, but he could shape his future."

Bravo to Joy Crain for this excellent debut novel. I love royalty books and this one had it all - grandeur and opulence tied with royalty but also the need for balance between tradition and progress. Missy and Aiden were such lovable characters. Their common bond of mixed heritage and not really feeling like they fit in anywhere was heartbreakingly raw and real. Faith thread and the theme of forgiveness were strong throughout the story and Missy's spiritual growth was satisfying, even as she struggled against sense of abandonment. Aiden's backstory made me cry and his journey to finding his true self while battling nightmares, insecurities, perceived failures, and expectations made him a valiant hero and prince.

I really enjoyed the fictional Asian island country of Andelar in the South Pacific. The island was beautiful and the culture, food, language, and political layout were intriguing and captivating. The author addressed some issues within the Asian culture like stigma of adoption and neglect of the homeless, poor, and orphaned, which broke my heart.

It's a book that will leave your heart filled and happy at the end. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of WhiteCrown Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. ( )