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The Improbable Meet-Cute #6
Royal Valentine
Valentine’s Day becomes a Roman holiday for a princess in disguise in a dizzyingly romantic short story about making wishes come true by the USA Today bestselling author of The Chemistry of Love.
Princess Ilaria has had it up to her tiara with the paparazzi, her own wild reputation, and the public eye. Trading places with her assistant, Ilaria wants just one blissfully ordinary weekend. Then a handsome photographer with a sexy Scottish burr offers to be her guide. Sparks fly, but how long can they last? Ilaria’s secret has to come out—and it could ruin a perfectly serendipitous romance.
Sariah Wilson’s Royal Valentine is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s make a date of it.
Princess Ilaria has had it up to her tiara with the paparazzi, her own wild reputation, and the public eye. Trading places with her assistant, Ilaria wants just one blissfully ordinary weekend. Then a handsome photographer with a sexy Scottish burr offers to be her guide. Sparks fly, but how long can they last? Ilaria’s secret has to come out—and it could ruin a perfectly serendipitous romance.
Sariah Wilson’s Royal Valentine is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s make a date of it.
71 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,961 reviews
January 31, 2024
Out: writing how the accent sounds. In: literally anything else
February 14, 2024
A third act breakup in a 70 page novella is insane.
January 23, 2024
1.5⭐
So I was going to rate this 3-stars, but then there was a third-act breakup that was actually terrible. Also, how can a 70-page story have that🤦♀️? The rest in this series didn't. Anyway, let me tell you that it ruined the whole book. The mmc literally was basically disgusted the she was actually a princess and then was like, “I thought you were just this American girl that would mean nothing🙄.” Blah blah blah. Then going on and saying that he doesn't want a relationship especially not with someone like her. The audacity of this man.
“This was what I’d been waiting for. A man willing to fight for me, to stand by my side, to accept all of me.” Girl, what he literally just left you and then came back because his family told him to🙅♀️.
So I was going to rate this 3-stars, but then there was a third-act breakup that was actually terrible. Also, how can a 70-page story have that🤦♀️? The rest in this series didn't. Anyway, let me tell you that it ruined the whole book. The mmc literally was basically disgusted the she was actually a princess and then was like, “I thought you were just this American girl that would mean nothing🙄.” Blah blah blah. Then going on and saying that he doesn't want a relationship especially not with someone like her. The audacity of this man.
“This was what I’d been waiting for. A man willing to fight for me, to stand by my side, to accept all of me.” Girl, what he literally just left you and then came back because his family told him to🙅♀️.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2025
╰┈➤ 2 stars!
an easy read!! why were the words written in his accent though?
an easy read!! why were the words written in his accent though?
January 26, 2024
This one felt like at any moment there would be a Vanessa Hudgins jump scare.
February 7, 2025
In a Nutshell: More “Improbable” than “Meet-Cute.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
This is the sixth standalone story in 'The Improbable Meet-Cute’ series, described on Amazon as “irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it.” This is the last story of the above series, but as each can be read independently and the best-rated story is the first one, I will be reading the series in reverse order.
On reading the above Plot Preview, some of you might have instantly recollected the classic movie starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn: ‘Roman Holiday.’ This short-ish tale is mostly similar to the movie, except for two major changes: the royalty-commoner swap and the identity of the rescuing hero. As such, most of this story gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. But not in a good way. 😬
I asked for mindless fluff. I got mindless fluff. So I shouldn’t complain too much, right? Yeah, right!
Woohoos:
🥳 The Roman setting.
🥳 Easy to zoom through. Finished 70 pages within 45 minutes.
🥳 Didn’t spend a single extra rupee on this beyond my Prime subscription.
🥳 I start this series with a 1-star, so things can only improve from here. (I hope I’m not jinxing anything by declaring this openly.)
Mehs:
🙄 The similarity to ‘Roman Holiday’. Why write a story that has so much in common with a popular classic movie? The ending is changed to better suit a romance, but it is too contrived.
🙄 The repeated whining about poor-me-the-wealthy-and-gorgeous-princess.
🙄 The repeated thoughts about the physical attractiveness of the MMC.
🙄 The repeated mentions of the physical attractiveness of the FMC.
🙄 The unbelievably instantaneous love connection thanks to the physical attractiveness of the MMC and the FMC.
🙄 "Tomorrow was Valentine's Day"? What kind of grammar is this?
🙄 The surprise reveal is not at all a surprise, it is SO obvious.
🙄 The contradictions in the actions. Imagine not wanting anyone to recognise you and still willingly roaming in public and even attending large get-togethers with strangers, while still hoping that no one recognises you!
🙄 Super-fast romantic speed especially for a 70-page short story: a meet-up, a love-up, a break-up, and a patch-up within just three days. (The first three happen on a single day!)
🙄 Writing the MMC’s conversations phonetically in a Scottish “accent” – sheesh! I *cannae* understand this distracting decision. (The phrase ‘I ken…’ was used fourteen times! In a short story!)
🙄 Imagine having a Scottish MMC and still finding him abhorrent! His actions in the final third were nonsensical.
🙄 On that note, the final third – plunged a 2.5-star story to the 1-star level due to some questionable character decisions and actions by the MMC and FMC.
I shouldn’t crib too much because I went in with low expectations and expected only a light fluffy read. But even a fluffy read should generate warmth in the heart or at least a smile on the face, not heartburn in the chest. Such stories are the reason I don’t often read contemporary romance, which seems to rely more and more on physical connections than on soulful ones. What a sad start to my first-ever attempt at a Valentine’s month romance reading!
I haven’t ever read this author before (which shouldn’t really be a surprise as I haven’t read MOST contemporary romance authors), but just in case any royal romance lovers are interested in giving this a shot, you might like to know that this story has the same setting as her ‘Royals of Monterra’ series.
Basically, a no from me, unless you are a die-hard insta-romance fan. Those who are more like me, better watch ‘Roman Holiday’ instead.
1 star.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘The Improbable Meet-Cute’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
With any luck, I’ll have better luck with the next story, “With Any Luck.” Wish me luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Princess Ilaria of Monterra (probably the fictional equivalent of Monaco) is fed up of the paparazzi watching her every move. A day before Valentine’s, when she is in Rome for a royal obligation, all she wants is one normal day without anyone’s judgemental stares or intrusive photos. So she gets her PR assistant to swap places with her for the weekend. Her first day as a “commoner” on the streets of Rome gets off to a shaky start, but a Scottish photographer swoops in for the rescue. There is an instant (🤦🏻♀️) connection between the two, but can there be any future to such a liaison when she has royal duties awaiting her?
The story comes to us in Ilaria’s first-person perspective.
This is the sixth standalone story in 'The Improbable Meet-Cute’ series, described on Amazon as “irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it.” This is the last story of the above series, but as each can be read independently and the best-rated story is the first one, I will be reading the series in reverse order.
On reading the above Plot Preview, some of you might have instantly recollected the classic movie starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn: ‘Roman Holiday.’ This short-ish tale is mostly similar to the movie, except for two major changes: the royalty-commoner swap and the identity of the rescuing hero. As such, most of this story gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. But not in a good way. 😬
I asked for mindless fluff. I got mindless fluff. So I shouldn’t complain too much, right? Yeah, right!
Woohoos:
🥳 The Roman setting.
🥳 Easy to zoom through. Finished 70 pages within 45 minutes.
🥳 Didn’t spend a single extra rupee on this beyond my Prime subscription.
🥳 I start this series with a 1-star, so things can only improve from here. (I hope I’m not jinxing anything by declaring this openly.)
Mehs:
🙄 The similarity to ‘Roman Holiday’. Why write a story that has so much in common with a popular classic movie? The ending is changed to better suit a romance, but it is too contrived.
🙄 The repeated whining about poor-me-the-wealthy-and-gorgeous-princess.
🙄 The repeated thoughts about the physical attractiveness of the MMC.
🙄 The repeated mentions of the physical attractiveness of the FMC.
🙄 The unbelievably instantaneous love connection thanks to the physical attractiveness of the MMC and the FMC.
🙄 "Tomorrow was Valentine's Day"? What kind of grammar is this?
🙄 The surprise reveal is not at all a surprise, it is SO obvious.
🙄 The contradictions in the actions. Imagine not wanting anyone to recognise you and still willingly roaming in public and even attending large get-togethers with strangers, while still hoping that no one recognises you!
🙄 Super-fast romantic speed especially for a 70-page short story: a meet-up, a love-up, a break-up, and a patch-up within just three days. (The first three happen on a single day!)
🙄 Writing the MMC’s conversations phonetically in a Scottish “accent” – sheesh! I *cannae* understand this distracting decision. (The phrase ‘I ken…’ was used fourteen times! In a short story!)
🙄 Imagine having a Scottish MMC and still finding him abhorrent! His actions in the final third were nonsensical.
🙄 On that note, the final third – plunged a 2.5-star story to the 1-star level due to some questionable character decisions and actions by the MMC and FMC.
I shouldn’t crib too much because I went in with low expectations and expected only a light fluffy read. But even a fluffy read should generate warmth in the heart or at least a smile on the face, not heartburn in the chest. Such stories are the reason I don’t often read contemporary romance, which seems to rely more and more on physical connections than on soulful ones. What a sad start to my first-ever attempt at a Valentine’s month romance reading!
I haven’t ever read this author before (which shouldn’t really be a surprise as I haven’t read MOST contemporary romance authors), but just in case any royal romance lovers are interested in giving this a shot, you might like to know that this story has the same setting as her ‘Royals of Monterra’ series.
Basically, a no from me, unless you are a die-hard insta-romance fan. Those who are more like me, better watch ‘Roman Holiday’ instead.
1 star.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘The Improbable Meet-Cute’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
With any luck, I’ll have better luck with the next story, “With Any Luck.” Wish me luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
February 17, 2024
2.5🌟
New author and narrator for me. Just didn’t work.
Least favorite. Wish I could have ended the collection on a high note. I almost DNF but it's a short story so...
Oh well…
Now onto the next audio short story collection! So many to choose from…where shall I start!?🤷🏼♀️
New author and narrator for me. Just didn’t work.
Least favorite. Wish I could have ended the collection on a high note. I almost DNF but it's a short story so...
Oh well…
Now onto the next audio short story collection! So many to choose from…where shall I start!?🤷🏼♀️
December 31, 2024
⁀➷ .75
🩰
✦ Everytime the author phonetically spelled out the mmc’s scottish accent, I wanted to kms.
🩰
✦ Everytime the author phonetically spelled out the mmc’s scottish accent, I wanted to kms.
January 25, 2024
Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson
Improbable Meet Cute Collection series. Contemporary romance novella. Six short stories with a Valentine theme, a meet cute, and a person, object or place in common with one of the other novellas but not connected.
Princess Ilaria is tired of the paparazzi following her around. Hoping to escape for just a couple of days, she trades places with her assistant Anne and goes out in Rome as if she is any other American tourist. A handsome Scottish photographer comes to her rescue and they spend Valentine’s Day at famous Rome locations and then have dinner with his roommates family eating pasta and dancing in a small courtyard. Is it enough for her or does she want more?
Sweet and flirty. They both enjoy the day but they both have secrets. Endearing.
References back to UW-Madison and Callum in the first book in the series.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Improbable Meet Cute Collection series. Contemporary romance novella. Six short stories with a Valentine theme, a meet cute, and a person, object or place in common with one of the other novellas but not connected.
Princess Ilaria is tired of the paparazzi following her around. Hoping to escape for just a couple of days, she trades places with her assistant Anne and goes out in Rome as if she is any other American tourist. A handsome Scottish photographer comes to her rescue and they spend Valentine’s Day at famous Rome locations and then have dinner with his roommates family eating pasta and dancing in a small courtyard. Is it enough for her or does she want more?
Sweet and flirty. They both enjoy the day but they both have secrets. Endearing.
References back to UW-Madison and Callum in the first book in the series.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
October 1, 2024
4 ⭐
Omg that one as so cuuutee!! 😭💗
I'm glad to know that I don't end this series with a bad taste in my mouth. The protagonists were super adorable 💗💗
Now I need more recommendations on royal romances, so if you know of some I would greatly appreciate it :)
Omg that one as so cuuutee!! 😭💗
I'm glad to know that I don't end this series with a bad taste in my mouth. The protagonists were super adorable 💗💗
Now I need more recommendations on royal romances, so if you know of some I would greatly appreciate it :)
February 5, 2024
Royal end to the meet cuteness novellas 🥰🤗 This was a fun valentines flight of love!
July 12, 2024
So I like didn’t like this one it was just TOO cheesy & stereotypical for me. But like the breakup did still make my stomach hurt but im just sensitive 😂
February 18, 2024
Couldn’t cope with the Scottish accent in this, made me cringe so much 😫
February 19, 2024
Imagine writing a novella and having a third arc break-up.
June 9, 2024
Quick, cute, clean, no language, will probably never think about it again.
January 23, 2024
A cute take on a classic story. A Royal Princess trades places with a commoner (her assistant) for one weekend to see what life is like without the pressures of a crown. She quickly develops a crush on a cute local who doesn't recognize her true identity. This one felt like a mix of a Hallmark holiday movie and an early 2000's romcom.
3.75 stars
3.75 stars
December 22, 2025
ㅤㅤ── ★★★☆☆ .ᐟ
❛ i’ll always come for you. you’re my princess. it’s my duty to wake you with a kiss every morning. it’s required that i make certain you have your fairy-tale ending ❜
⌗⠀، started: dec 21 ⌗⠀، finished: dec 21
────୨ৎ────
📖┆ mini review:
if this was a full novel i would’ve gone insane (in a good way)
────୨ৎ────
୨୧ ﹒ ﹒ pre-read . ౿
— prediction ⋮ 4 ★
⌗⠀، ROMAN HOLIDAY U SAY?? this better be good…
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
❛ i’ll always come for you. you’re my princess. it’s my duty to wake you with a kiss every morning. it’s required that i make certain you have your fairy-tale ending ❜
⌗⠀، started: dec 21 ⌗⠀، finished: dec 21
────୨ৎ────
📖┆ mini review:
if this was a full novel i would’ve gone insane (in a good way)
────୨ৎ────
୨୧ ﹒ ﹒ pre-read . ౿
— prediction ⋮ 4 ★
⌗⠀، ROMAN HOLIDAY U SAY?? this better be good…
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
February 10, 2024
•| ⊱✿⊰ |• 2,9 Stars •| ⊱✿⊰ |•
Ilaria is a princess who wants to enjoy a weekend as a normal person.
This is such a cliché…
She trades place with her assistant.
She meets a photographer that has his own secrets too.
February 16, 2024
3 stars
This started so cute but I wasn’t happy that there was a . Overall I’ve enjoyed these Valentine’s shorts.
This started so cute but I wasn’t happy that there was a . Overall I’ve enjoyed these Valentine’s shorts.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3 stars
Narrators: Jesse Vilinsky
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 2h 01m
February 17, 2024
It probably isn’t necessarily “1” level bad…but I enjoyed it at the “1” level. Even 70 pages was too long for me on this one. Absolutely nothing new to the “princess trying to escape life as a princess” trope here. I didn’t like the MC. Really didn’t like her love interest (he “wasn’t looking for a relationship right now” but totally was when he thought she was some American nobody? Very dumb. There was horrible insta-love. There was a third act break up for no good reason (all in a LESS THAN 100 PAGE BOOK. Hooooow?!? *Why*?!?!) I’m glad it wasn’t longer, though. Overdone trope. Nothing unique. Nothing believable or romantic IMO.
February 5, 2024
Not engaging
The writing and dialogue was very stiff. I also didn't care about the main couple at all. I assume this character part of a series, but I found the female heroine blah. I have just never got into secret royal romance stories set in the modern era. I don't mind historical novels with secret dukes, counts, etc., it just makes more sense back then.
The writing and dialogue was very stiff. I also didn't care about the main couple at all. I assume this character part of a series, but I found the female heroine blah. I have just never got into secret royal romance stories set in the modern era. I don't mind historical novels with secret dukes, counts, etc., it just makes more sense back then.
October 5, 2025
1 ⭐️
Nothing about this story felt realistic, but I have to admit, I enjoyed the plot twist, lol! 😂
Nothing about this story felt realistic, but I have to admit, I enjoyed the plot twist, lol! 😂
February 4, 2024
The Improbable Meet-Cute is a collection of six short stories involving improbable first encounters which all take place on Valentine’s Day. This was a sweet and enjoyable way to start my February.
• The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren (4 stars)
• Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez (4.5 stars)
• Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne (3 stars)
• Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory (3 stars)
• With Any Luck by Ashley Position (4 stars)
• Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson (3 stars)
Read or listen for free with Kindle Unlimited.
• The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren (4 stars)
• Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez (4.5 stars)
• Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne (3 stars)
• Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory (3 stars)
• With Any Luck by Ashley Position (4 stars)
• Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson (3 stars)
Read or listen for free with Kindle Unlimited.
December 11, 2024
3.5⭐️!AWWW THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!!🥺🥰🫶🏻
Finished the series!!💁🏻♀️💁🏻♀️
Finished the series!!💁🏻♀️💁🏻♀️
August 4, 2024
This is just not the story or author for me. I recognize I'm not the target audience for this novella, because I really dislike royalty romance stories and usually only tolerate them in the occasional Harlequin Presents, where the editors seem to think we're all still stuck in 6-year-old-I-wanna-be-a-princess mode. But I'd just read the rest of the (mostly) fun Improbable Meet-Cute stories so thought I'd just finish off the series, hoping to be pleasantly surprised. But it wasn't to be.
I'm grateful this wasn't a full-on retelling of Roman Holiday, not only because it's one of my favorite films, but because it was so fresh in my mind after rewatching it literally just hours beforehand at a Valentine's Day event at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. But even without a play by play rehash, the story is dull, the characters are barely sketched in, there’s no real spark between them, and the dialogue is painfully juvenile. His getting mad 3/4 of the way through the story FOR SOMETHING HE WAS ALSO DOING also irritated the shit out of me. I would be more outraged by it, except I'm not a huge fan of hers either.
Several of the other books in this series have surprised me and I very much liked 4 out of the 6. But it's disappointing to have the series end on such low notes.
I'm grateful this wasn't a full-on retelling of Roman Holiday, not only because it's one of my favorite films, but because it was so fresh in my mind after rewatching it literally just hours beforehand at a Valentine's Day event at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. But even without a play by play rehash, the story is dull, the characters are barely sketched in, there’s no real spark between them, and the dialogue is painfully juvenile. His getting mad 3/4 of the way through the story FOR SOMETHING HE WAS ALSO DOING also irritated the shit out of me. I would be more outraged by it, except I'm not a huge fan of hers either.
Several of the other books in this series have surprised me and I very much liked 4 out of the 6. But it's disappointing to have the series end on such low notes.
February 26, 2024
my least favourite out of all six. this one felt very rushed. though the plot seemed interesting, the execution was poor. the accent-ed dialogues were unnecessary and it took me over 50 pages to realise that ken meant know. either way, i really enjoyed this sweet series.
May 22, 2024
they talking about spending the rest of their lives together when they met that same fucking morning. ALSO him being mad at her for having a secret when he HAD THE EXACT SAME SECRET ?????
June 7, 2024
this series was so damn disappointing
June 9, 2025
this is going straight to my next favourite novella list.
I am awestruck with this story.
I've always liked unexpected meet-cute, from strangers to lover's and this is just the perfect mix of all I ever wanted in a book.
even though it was a novella but it definitely made its place to my heart.
now I'm looking forward to read more of this author's writings.
I am awestruck with this story.
I've always liked unexpected meet-cute, from strangers to lover's and this is just the perfect mix of all I ever wanted in a book.
even though it was a novella but it definitely made its place to my heart.
now I'm looking forward to read more of this author's writings.
December 21, 2025
why do i do this to myself but at least i finally finished the novella series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,961 reviews