Trigger warning: I just realized in the end, we’re dealing with a serial killer in this one. It gets graphic at times, but it didn’t put me off. Just wanted to point out to potential readers.
This was a great way to end the series. I would have loved one more book in the series, but there was really no one else left to follow. I loved the characters of Alesandra and Colin and thought they worked great together. The ending of the book was well done (I loved how the “trick” worked) and you can just imagine all of the couples having a happily ever after.
“Castles” follows Princess Alesandra, who is back in England doing her best to not get kidnapped by her own countrymen. Alesandra was living in a convent, but due to the threat to her, goes to find her guardian who is the Duke of Williamshire, who is Colin’s father. Colin’s whole family can’t help though due to them all getting a stomach illness which ends up with him in charge of keeping Alesandra safe. But for her to be safe, she has to marry, and the whole “bachelor” list scene will go down in the books for how funny it was to me. In the end, Colin has to marry her (due to a really funny scene) and the remaining part of the story follows the two of them getting to know each other, while Colin starts to unravel Alesandra’s family past.
I thought this was an interesting way to take on a romance. Alesandra and Colin both are apprehensive about being married to each other and no there’s no insta-love her. They take some time to even get there with each other though we get love scenes. Colin’s people at his home fall for Alesandra quite fast and call her “our princess” and it made me smile. And I loved the callbacks to Colin’s injury and his nightmares as well.
The writing was great, and we get really funny scenes in this one too. The traveling “illness” at the beginning of the book was funny, especially with Colin thinking everyone is lying about it to set him up to be married and everyone else is trying very hard to not die. LOL. The bachelor list scene that I mentioned was funny too. I also cracked up when Colin realized how much Alesandra gets up to without him knowing.
We do get Caine, Jade, Colin’s parents, Nathan, Sara, and Sir Richards too.
The ending in this one was sweet, and there is a wrap up to the whole serial killer plot-line too.
I also read this for Cannonball Read 14 Book Bingo. This fits the following bingo circle:
- Shadow: Could involve spies, mysteries, or shadow governments; could involve a person who casts a long shadow or creatures who live in the shadows; could be about psychology.
- This book involves spies (Colin) and another spy who is a serial killer. Also this whole series is called “Crown’s Spies” so it definitely fits that part of the bingo too 🙂