Stevie‘s review of Royal Court (A Royal Romance, Book 3) by Jenny Frame
Contemporary Bisexual and Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 15 Jan 19
While I greatly enjoyed the first book in this series, I felt slightly short-changed by the second due to its split focus covering two couples, the new romance between the main protagonists and the ongoing romance between the two Queens. Not that George and Bea aren’t adorable, but I did feel that I’d like to get to know the other women in their entourage just as thoroughly – in the way that can only be done by devoting the whole of a book to each pair. Notwithstanding my doubts about how much mileage could be got from a series that devoted so much time to a marital unit with little strife, I was keen to renew my acquaintance with Bea and George’s friends once more in this third book. Sadly skipping over the romance between Bea’s friend Lali and George’s friend Cammy, this book follows the last singletons out of the two friends’ groups, Holly Weaver and Captain Quincy.
On the day she receives the Victoria Cross for her part in a top-secret Royal Marines mission, Quincy lands herself in trouble by using a rather unnecessary level of force to stop a sexual assault from being perpetrated by one of the men who also took part – though with less valour – in the same mission. Her previous record, and her mother’s high Naval rank, keep Quincy from being court martialed. However, she is transferred to a new role as a Royal Protection Officer with specific responsibilities relating to Queen Beatrice. This new assignment also puts Quincy in close proximity to Holly, Bea’s dresser, whose friends have always assumed to be straight, in spite of teasing her about her crush on the lesbian action movie star, Story St. John.
In actual fact, Holly’s first real love was a woman, and when that relationship fell through, she decided to celebrate her bisexuality by having lots of casual flings with men, while always assuming that one day she would settle down with a woman – if she were to find one whom she trusted with her heart. Holly is already crushing on Quincy when they start working together, having seen her at a charity polo match the year before, and she soon makes it her mission to get the dour captain to lighten up and start enjoying her rare moments of off-duty time. While on a royal tour of the United States, Holly’s friends conspire to win her a date with Story St. John in a charity auction, and soon Holly is seeing a different side of life – and fame – to anything she has experienced with Bea and the gang. Meanwhile, her friendship with Quincy continues to develop, and she comes to realise that some crushes have more potential to mature into real relationships than others.
Once again, I loved the characters at the centre of this story, Quincy the virgin butch and Holly who embraces even the geekiest of Quincy’s outside interests, and so was disappointed that so many chapters of the book were given over to George and Bea, even though Bea’s attempts at matchmaking for Holly and Quincy were very sweet. I was also cross – not just disappointed – that we’ve seen so little of how Lali and Cammy’s relationship has progressed over the course of the series. It feels like a potentially interesting relationship has been glossed over in favour of one that mostly mirrors George and Bea’s, albeit without the Royalty aspect.
Grade: C
Summary:
Captain Quincy is a steady and reliable Royal Marines officer, decorated for gallantry after a mission that nearly killed her and the men under her command. At a crossroads in her career, Quincy reluctantly accepts when her old comrade, Queen Georgina, asks her to join the Royal Protection Command as the Queen Consort’s new protection officer.
Holly Weaver, Royal Dresser and self-confessed man-eater, starts to question her sexuality when she has a girl-crush on famous actor, Story St. John and, then, polo player and friend of George’s, Captain Quincy.
The good-looking captain’s emotionless personality is the opposite of Holly’s exuberant lust for life. When a threat to the Queen Consort emerges, Quincy and Holly clash over the best way to protect her. As the fiery passion they can’t deny begins to melt Quincy’s heart, Holly must decide how much of her own she is willing to risk.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
