Beauty and the Playboy Prince

by Justine Lewis

Unexpected sparks fly when two best friends are stuck in a small Parisian apartment together… One of them is a royal—will duty get in their way? Read on in Justine Lewis’s romance inspired by "Beauty and the Beast"!

SOMETHING THERE THAT WASN’T THERE BEFORE?

Simone’s quiet life in her Parisian bookshop is upended when best friend, Prince Edouard, arrives on her doorstep to hide from a royal scandal! Despite her embarrassing teenage crush on the playboy prince, she’s always seen the man beneath his facade. Trapped together until the storm blows over, their friendship unexpectedly gives way to indescribable passion! Simone knows it’s only temporary, but can’t help dreaming of a happy-ever-after…

From Harlequin Be swept away by glamorous and heartfelt love stories.

If the Fairy Tale Fits...

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 23, 2024

About the author

Justine Lewis is the award-winning author of fun, contemporary romances. She has spent her professional life writing legal advice—which some may say is similar to creative writing—but the lack of sexy heroes and happy endings led her to try writing romance.

She loves Earl Grey tea, talking about which of Jane Austen's novels is her favourite and searching for the perfect frock. She will read anything, but loves romance most of all.

You can find out more and connect with her at justinelewis.com.

Reviews

[Susan in Perthshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Mills and Boon. My views are my own.

Well this was different and there were parts that I really enjoyed. But, I am so fed up of the royal tropes. It seems every other M&B romance is set in some minute, fictitious European country and it has become utterly boring for me.

Ed was a lovely if somewhat blind hero for a lot of the time, but at least willing to take a risk. Simone however was a a rather irritating heroine with her continual doubts and angst. But I did enjoy the way they showed each other their love.

I thought it was interesting that the author decided to make social media bullying one of her themes but I felt there was too much of the book devoted to the effects of bullying on 16 year old Simone and not enough on the romance.

I would have loved a more dramatic and satisfying comeuppance for the PM and his mistress at the end of the book.
The author has a really individual voice so I’ll look out for more of her books.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simone grew up in the palace of Florena, a small fictional European country near France. Her mother, Alea took a position in the royal kitchen after the death of Simone's father, when Simone was only four years old.

She's built a life in Paris, France since she was sent there to boarding school when she was 16.

When she first moved into the place, she was delighted to wander the palace gardens, play with the puppies and her new friend, Ed. Ed was close to her in age and although she didn't realize it at first, he was the prince.

They quickly became each other's playmate and eventually, best friend. She's been in love with him forever but knows that nothing will ever come of it, because he's royalty and he only sees her as a friend. They keep in touch, through phone calls, texts, emails and an occasional visit.

Then one day he shows up at her door, requesting she take him in for the night. Since they haven't had much interaction in person in awhile, Ed hadn't really seen Simone as an adult before now, and he suddenly sees how beautiful she is. Once he's summoned back to the palace, he asks her to come with him, as something more than friends. Simone is afraid of the Internet trolls and doesn't think her home country wants her back.

Can they figure out what is growing between them? Will their parents previous actions keep them apart? Will Ed be able to break his ancestors' habit of heartbreak and causing scandal? Ed has vowed to never we'd, nor have children but could he have this with Simone?

A wonderfully written story, nicely paced, with plenty of obstacles between this pair. I enjoyed learning of their long friendship, and Ed's possible change of feelings. I read hoping that Ed would realize he's not his father, he's not the playboy prince the media portrays him as and hoping Simone will be brave enough to want to go home to be with him.

This is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her work!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice friends-to-lovers story with the added twist that one of them is royalty. Simone and Edouard grew up together in the tiny kingdom of Florena as the only two children in the palace. Edouard is a prince and the heir to the throne, while Simone is the daughter of the palace chef. They were inseparable as children, but they rarely see each other as adults. Edouard is busy with his royal duties, and Simone moved to Paris, where she runs a bookstore.

Simone is shocked when Edouard appears on her doorstep, looking for a place to hide from a family scandal. Simone thought she was long past her teenage crush on him until the forced proximity brought those feelings back to life. Meanwhile, Edouard notices that his best buddy has grown into a beautiful woman, and spending time with her raises feelings he doesn't want after watching his parents' marriage. But when he suddenly becomes king, Edouard desperately wants Simone to return to Florena with him. She's the only one who sees the real him behind the royal façade.

Simone is reluctant because she knows she needs to protect her heart, but she goes anyway. I liked seeing Simone give Edouard the support he needed but ached for her as her feelings for him grew stronger. She knows that the gap between them is too wide for anything to come of it. She also has a heartbreaking incident in her past that affects how she looks at life in the royal spotlight. I liked Edouard's appreciation for everything Simone does for him. He is oblivious to her feelings for him for most of the book. It isn't until his feelings for her change that he believes she cares for him, too. Both must face their fears before they can hope to find happiness together.

[Ellie (On a break, mostly rereading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty and the Playboy Prince is a standalone romance by Justine Lewis. This is a very sweet book, that tackles the genre of a prince, a servants daughter, their enduring friendship in childhood and becoming so much more now that they are adults.

Simone has settled into a quiet life in Paris, running a book store, after having grown up in the European Kingdom of Floren. At the start of the book there's a news report of a cheating scandal of the King, and the next minute her childhood best friend friend, the prince, Edouard, is at her doorstep.

The friendship between Simone and Ed is absolutely sweet and wonderful, and it is absolutely everything that makes a person warm and fuzzy. It's what gets them through as Ed leans on Simone for support as the fall out of his father's scandal directly impacts and takes over his life. Ed is beginning to realise that he loves his best friend. Simone loves Ed too, however, the whole royal thing and an embarrassing event as a teen has Simone convinced that they could never be anything more than friends or lovers.

I think what I appreciate most about this royal romance is that Ed isn't an arrogant, over confident man willing to use his power as a prince. Instead, he is a man with vulnerabilities and it definitely humanised his character and made him relatable.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Justine Lewis' Beauty and the Playboy Prince is a gorgeous friends-to-lovers royal romance guaranteed to touch every reader's heart.

Simone and Edouard have been best friends for years. While Edouard is a prince, Simone lives a quiet and uneventful life running her bookshop in Paris. While the word sees Edouard as a playboy royal, Simone has always been able to see the real man behind the façade. Although she's had a crush on him as a teenager, Simone knows that she can never be more than a friend to Edouard - until he turns up on her doorstep needing somewhere to lie low and she finds herself thrust into very close proximity with him!

Hiding in her apartment while the storm blows over, the two start getting closer and closer. As inhibitions are lowered and old secrets come to light will they give into the attraction that has flared between them? Or are they better off as just friends?

A spellbinding contemporary romance imbued with humor, warmth, magic and emotion, Beauty and the Playboy Prince is a poignant and uplifting read from a writer destined to be a star of the Harlequin Romance line: Justine Lewis.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[L H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simone grew up in the palace, the daughter of someone who worked in the kitchen as the only other child on the premises she and Ed became close as children. She was sent away to school as a teenager and never returned to live in Florena building a life in Paris for herself within her means and reminding herself to not fall in love with her friend the prince. But then a scandal occurs and Ed shows up where she is living to hide out and take a break from the attention. He starts to feel the attraction too now that he is back in the presence of his childhood friend who is now an adult. I have to admit that as I was reading this I wanted them to find one another and build a more realistic but happy life together giving the demands of being royals. The belief that all will be well because they love was not the most important thing in this story that made me root for them. The fact that they have history, grew up together and respect and care for one another felt like something good to grow on. This was well told because that author addressed the bumps along the way and still they got there.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simone and Ed who is a prince grew up together in and around the palace as her mother worked in the royal kitchen. Simone and Ed became good friends and each-others companions. Simone has been in love with for Ed some time now. She has moved into her own place and the two have kept in contact. One day out of the blue Ed shows up at Simone’s home wanting a place to stay for the night. Simone knows that there could nothing between her Ed because he is the royal prince and he is known as the royal playboy prince by the media. Ed has to go back home and he wants Simone to accompany him as more than friends. Simone is reluctant to accompany Ed she knows that media will put a spin on their relationship that she does not want.

Can Ed and Simone become more than friends, will Simone be able to handle the media and bad publicity that she will more than like receive, will Simone be accepted by the royal family, is there an HEA in store for Simone and Ed?

I received an ARC via Booksprout and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming romance with all sorts of possibilities!
I feel for Simone who believes she was sent away to boarding school in embarrassment after singing karaoke at Prince Ed’s party where she was trying to reveal her feelings for him after all the years they played on the palace grounds. Fast forward some years and Ed shows up on her doorstep to hide after his father’s latest mistress snafu leads the headlines. What follows is childhood friends becoming something quite more as Simone helps Ed find some quiet time while adjusting to his new role. Will Ed be able to convince Simone to stay in her home country where she doesn’t feel comfortable with her past? You have to read to find out and will be rooting for their happily ever after!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love royal romances and this one by Justine is absolutely superb. Ed is a kind hearted man who escapes a royal scandal involving his father ( the king) and lands on Simone’s doorstep in Paris. Simone fled after a vicious online attack when she was a teenager, giving herself space from the man she’s always loved and the vicious trolls. I just loved these two characters and the very real issue of online bullying and the ongoing issues it causes. I loved this peek into the lives of royalty, the scandal and the strong message about intolerance toward online bullying in any shape or form. Justine deals with these issues with sensitivity and gives a sense of hope and love and strength.

[Fleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed and Sim have known each other since forever, they both grew up at the palace but at opposites, she being the child of the help and he royalty. Now a scandal has brought the two together again but the secret as to why Sim was sent to boarding school is at the top of Ed's though while both of them try to pretend their feelings for each other are more than as friends.
You really can not beat a friends to lovers story and add in royalty long with a fairy tale curse and your left with a great read that has you wanting Ed and Sim to get the HEA they were destine for.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty and the Playboy Prince is the romance between Prince Ed and Simone, who is the daughter of a kitchen helper at the palace, who grew up together and became best friends until she was sent to a Paris school at 16 years of age. Simone sets up her life in Paris while still keeping in touch with Ed. Surprisingly, Ed appears at her door and requests to temporarily stay with her in order to get away from the attention and scrutiny upon him. Their royal story has great characters, a complicated plot, and a love which grows from friendship.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this story about Simone and Ed being childhood best friends to finding how strong they have been, are, and always will be. It was written so well and made my heart for them as they were so deniable in thoughts of what could happen and then what really happened.

This was the first book I have read written by Justine Lewis and am already planning to read more!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simone has had a crush on her best friend and prince Ed for years but he doesn’t notice her that way until he’s hiding in her apartment after his father causes a scandal. I could see why he was against marrying with his parents as example and why she wouldn’t want to be in the public eye as being humiliated and threatened. Their relationship escalates pretty quickly in this steamy across social classes best friends to lovers romance.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beauty and the Playboy Prince by Justine Lewis is a good, and enjoyable fairytale best friends to lovers royal romance read. The story has a good world building story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. This story is an entertaining sweet royal romance read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely friends to more story about a prince and his best friend. The story is about Ed and Simone. They grew up playing together and now she leads a quiet life in France. When a media storm and scandal hit he shows up at her door. I enjoyed this story and the vulnerabilities of both characters. I liked how their story develops and their romance and feelings grow. This is a fairly new writer for me and I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Eleanor Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - it was full of surprises! While I was pretty sure they'd end up together, the story kept me guessing the whole time with all the obstacles and impediments in the main characters way to their happy ever after. The settings of a quirky bookshop in Paris and a traditional European kingdom were magical and full of glamour. Highly recommended!

[Kyareth14 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nice story with a very entertaining plot. Simone and Ed met when they were little, but between them there could only be a friendship because he was a prince and she was the daughter of an employee. They remained friends until they met again and Ed noticed the attraction between them. This beautiful story has a happy ending.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth story in the If the Fairy Tale Fits... another great story in this series. Simone and her best friend, Prince Edouard end up living together when he tries to get away from a royal scandal! I enjoyed seeing these two with the twists and turns they went through get a HEA. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of two childhood best friends who fall in love with each other. These two definitely belong together and this is the perfect time for them to fall in love with each other. The only thing standing between them is the internet trolls trying to keep them apart. If you're looking for a feel good love story with a HEA then this is the story for you.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this story is really great this romance novel is very well written a real page turner I very much enjoyed reading this novel.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun interpretation of a classic story. Great characters to follow along as they fight the attraction that they feel. Like the setting of the story. There are several twists and turns along the way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable.

[Harlequin Books]

Contemporary Romance, Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology
Miniseries
If the Fairy Tale Fits...

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Ed and Simone’s story. It was a sweet, heartfelt read. And was a new author, for me. Am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern day fairytale that delivers heart and heat without losing sight of the humor. Lewis turns maybe this time into happily ever after.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I'm glad that Simone and Ed finally get the courage to trust in their love and marry.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book in The Fairy Tale Fits : A Mills and Boon True Love series and it is Simone and Edouard’s story. Simone and Edouard have been best friends for a long but with him being a prince his duties always seem to take him away from their friendship so even though Simone has always had a bit of a crush on him she knows that nothing will ever come of it. Simone lives a quiet life and has her bookshop to keep her busy but when her best friend Edouard arrives to hideout from a scandal they end up spending a lot of time together and then the attraction and chemistry seems to light up around them but will them coming from different places and societies and also his duties that will always have to come first and takes him away at a moments notice will they ever stand a chance to see what could happen and if they can have a future together or will it all just be a temporary situation between them. I enjoyed reading this book but not as much as other books that have been written by this author as I found the characters lacking a the storyline a bit off but I still would like to read more books in the to see what is written next.

[Kathleen Ryder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very slow burn friends to more romance. The plot is a very common one, and being a Mills and Boon book, you already know the formula of the book, it is utterly predictable, which is half the fun.

I found the characters slightly lacking, and the pacing a bit slow.

A lightweight read that I finished in under an hour. Another reason I love M+B books so much lol.

Thank you to BookSprout for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.