Royally Rebellious

by Maude Winters, Daniel Flaspohler (editor)

She wants her life back... but will she marry the rake?

Alexandra became Queen of Neandia at fourteen, but she lives under the iron fist of a cruel regent, her grandmother Celeste. After Alexandra pleads her case, Celeste agrees to end the regency.

The catch? Alexandra must marry Celeste's choice of husband, a fixer-upper rake of a prince - Rikard. Also known as Rick the Prick, he’s a bad boy in need of an image rehab. While he’s first wary of Alexandra’s scheme, he relents when scandal catches up with him. He must marry Alexandra or bring ruin to his family.

Will their union be a fairy-tale or a nightmare? Despite culture and age differences, the two must learn to live together. This slow burn will enchant readers, proving that even opposites can attract and even the rake can be redeemed.

Content warning:
Control of the Deschamps sisters (includes emotional abuse, restrictions of diets and activities).
Loss of parents (none on the page)
Mentions of mental illness and suicide of a family member (none on the page)
Mentions of physical abuse (none on the page)

Genres: Royalty, Marriage Of Convenience, Royal Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance

246 pages, Hardcover

Published May 10, 2024

About the author

Maude Winters is an pansexual, disabled author of open-door sapphic and billionaire romance. She’s a horse girl through and through. Though raised in Chicagoland, she lives in Michigan with her husband, a horse-obsessed child, and three dogs. Maude loves to write strong female characters who challenge institutions. A weird theater kid and competitive choir devotee in a past life, she brings camp into all her stories.

Reviews

[Alina · Rating 1 out of 5]

girl finds out boy lied to her about why they're getting married and finds out it's all a plan to cover his scandal with a married woman that he LOVED.
he loved the married woman then boom he suddenly loves the fmc too after only a few months of being away from the ow 😐
girl is mad and says she will never take him back.
girl 2 chapters later :
“The dress is ruined. I have no idea how to fix it. Just look at me.”
He approached, looking me up and down, curious. Rick shook his head.
“You are beautiful as ever, but this thing does you no favours. You will always be stunning, mind you, but if this is not what you want, we gotta fix it.”
His words made me melt. I wanted to kiss him again, to hear he loved me, and I wanted to love him back.

THIS? this is what makes her melt seriously,?? mind you he didn't even want to help at all. her sister forced him lol.

then 2 more chapters and bam they're in bed together lol

to make matters worst, this man is a spoiled manwhore who is with ow during the book
no actually what's worst, is that the married woman called him at 60% when he was in a full blown engagement with the fmc, and when she offered for them to run away together this man had the audacity to say he was TEMPTED, this was literally a couples chapters before the fmc finds out and he says he loves her 🙄🙄 YEAH RIGHT

I was at my own home missing Alexandra when my ex rang me up, wanting to chat. It had been months and now I was engaged. She had no business calling. Struggling to resist, I agreed to take the call and waited to hear her sexy, husky voice on the other end of the line.

“Bridget, we aren’t together. I am engaged. I am living abroad—soon to move to Neandia permanently.”
“Are you? Because we could run away together. Wouldn’t you like that?”
It was so tempting. Even two months ago, I would have left forever. Now, I thought about my parents and their earned happiness. I thought about leaving my brother with an exploding box of kittens if I did that—the scandal that would haunt this court forever and a day. But mostly, I thought about breaking Alexandra’s heart in pieces. It hurt. I was sure if she knew I was speaking to my ex, she’d be upset.

[Kez Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gave me princess diaries vibes which I loved, with a hint of Cinderella. Instead of the evil stepmother there is a vindictive and controlling grandmother, who is ruining their lives and dictating everything they do.
With an arranged marriage between the young Queen and a notorious Prince, their personalities clash but they agree to a scheme that will help them both out. The sweet slow burn romance comes with lots of drama, but despite their differences they balance each other well, Alexandra gains courage, and Rikard gains compassion and empathy. It's a sweet opposites attract under forced proximity romantic adventure, and I loved the sisters sassyness and banter.

❤️"I hope he's less wanker and more benevolent patriarch - for your sake and ours"
❤️"That man loves you. He may be misguided, a bit of a dickhead, and very self obsessed, but he loves you"
❤️"I fell for the rake. Good girl gone bad"

[WhippedStitchReads (J.A.Y) SEMI-HIATUS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating 2⭐
Spice 👑.5
Audio Narration 2⭐

ALC REVIEW

Honestly, I think the book had a lot of potential but I really hate it with the whole "lying" by omission trope. Specifically with this story, I felt this could have done it a lot more different in my opinion. I would have liked it a lot more if we saw better interactions with the characters on page to see the 'romance' blossom.

Regarding to the spice...You can't tell me it's open door spice when the spice isnt even that spicing!! LIKE GIVE ME THE FILTHY SMUT WE DESERVE. Maybe i had a higher expectations out of the spice, but I'm just a pure degen sooo yeaaaah

The audio narration was okay. The female narrator absolutely was NOT good. She sounded sooo boring and dull when she narrates. The male narrator did a better job and he wasn't that great either.

I received the ALC through NaughtyNookPR. This review is my true and honest thoughts

[AW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Resplendent Royals series sets up a charming start. The chapter headings add a fun touch, and the duet narration by Daphne Winters and Dameon Knight works beautifully for the shifting perspectives.

Rick’s early single‑minded focus on hooking up and Alexandra’s sheltered outlook both evolve in believable ways, and their flaws end up shaping the heart of the book. Their relationship unfolds with a steady slow burn that fits the story.

A light, enjoyable royal romance with arranged marriage tension, opposites‑attract energy, and a cozy dose of forced proximity.

Huge thanks to Daphne Winters for the audiobook review copy!

[Christina Gizzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read many of Maude Winters' other books, I knew I was in for a treat. This book brought me into a different setting of royal life. Alexandra is forced into a sort of hiding by her grandmother, even though she longs for the freedom other royals have. Celeste is the most controlling person for no reason other than the fact that she wants power and refuses to give it to Alexandra even though she is the rightful queen. In order to gain her freedom, Alex agrees to marry Rikard even though she does not think she could ever love him. He is not my favorite character, but does prove that he can grow as a character. He learns to fall in love and that people can believe in his good nature even if he does not. I think the two are perfect for each other. Rick gives Alex the courage to stand up for herself and shows that she is not wanted just for her virginity. I am glad Alex was able to come out of her shell and how she learned so much about herself. I think this is my favorite book of Maude's. It provides so much of the story without going into great detail about the setting. There is a good amount of conflict and groveling, both of which I love. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Hazel · Rating 1 out of 5]

save your money

Save your time and money trust me. Unless you’re into a man who says if that’s what you want when asked that she wants them to be exclusive. Like seriously. And when he hurts her he decides to sit and say I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to forgive me. Someone had to drag him and tell him to grow a pair and act like a real man. Their honeymoon was a disaster the oh so gentleman decided to make solo activities apart he believed she needed space. Seriously? Not to mention the intimate time ugh. But maybe this is something amazing for someone else and will see this story differently

[Novels & Needles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received as an ARC in return for my honest review.

👑 Arranged marriage
👑 Forced proximity
👑 Opposites attract

This is the first book in a new series from Maude and I found it really sweet. It did feel a little more like a palette cleanser than a book I could really get my teeth into but sometimes that’s just what you need if you’re not in the headspace to tackle something taxing.

It gave me Cinderella/Princess Diaries vibes in a way I just wish the world building had been more hashed out, there was a lot of potential to really immerse the reader in this aspect of things but it was just lacking sadly. It wouldn’t stop me from reading more in this series however.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad. There were some editing errors. A few opened doors that no one walked through. Like the phone, it was brought up twice, within the same 10 pages before it was never mentioned again. It would have been cute to see his pining messages to her while he was trying to win her back. I probably would have liked a little more world building, a little more context clues to the happenings. A lot of things were "and we did this for 2 weeks, and it was great". There could have been over all a little more character development, development of their relationship was kind of lacking along with that. I wanted to watch their relationship grow I feel like it didn't really get to happen. And talk about zero to 60 with it comes to the spice level, that I'm not complaining about. Over all, it was an enjoyable book, it was a nice little "read in a day" palate cleanser honestly.

[Audio book lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

👑💍 A reluctant queen, a scandalous prince, and a marriage neither of them wanted… at first. 💍👑

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3,5/5)
Spice-meter: 🌶️🌶️☆☆☆ (2/5)
Audiobook: 🎧 Duet
Series: Resplendent Royals, Book 1 (interconnected standalone)
HEA: Yes

Royally Rebellious is a sweet, slow-burn royal romance that leans into arranged marriage tension, opposites-attract chemistry, and a coming-of-age journey for a young queen finding her voice. Maude Winters sets up a promising new series with a story that focuses more on emotional growth and relationship building than high drama or heavy spice.

This was my first book by Maude Winters, and it’s a charming start to the Resplendent Royals series.

The Story

Alexandra has been queen since she was fourteen, but her life has never truly been her own. Controlled by her strict and manipulative grandmother, she finally sees a chance to claim her independence.

There’s just one condition. Marriage.

Enter Prince Rikard, better known (and not affectionately) as “Rick the Prick.” A scandal-prone rake in desperate need of an image makeover, Rikard is the last person anyone would expect to become a suitable royal husband.

But when his own reputation begins to threaten his family, he has little choice but to accept the arrangement.

What follows is a classic marriage of convenience that slowly transforms into something more. Forced into close quarters, Alexandra and Rikard must navigate their differences, cultural expectations, and personal baggage while learning how to coexist and eventually, how to trust each other.

The romance is a true slow burn. Their connection builds gradually, starting with tension and banter before evolving into friendship and, finally, something deeper. It’s a satisfying progression that makes the eventual shift feel earned.

What I Loved

✔️ Strong arranged marriage foundation
✔️ Opposites attract dynamic
✔️ Slow-burn romance that develops naturally
✔️ Character growth, especially for the FMC
✔️ Royal setting with Cinderella-like vibes

Alexandra’s journey stands out the most. Watching her grow from sheltered and controlled into someone who begins to take ownership of her life adds emotional weight to the story. Rikard, beneath his rakish exterior, brings charm and vulnerability that balance her character well.

🎧 Narration

Performed in duet by Daphne Winters and Dameon Knight. The narration truly elevates the story.

Daphne Winters is a standout, especially in her portrayal of Alexandra. She captures her softness, uncertainty, and eventual strength beautifully. Her range is impressive, giving each female character a distinct voice her performance of the cold, controlling Celeste is particularly memorable.

Dameon Knight brings the perfect energy to Rikard, balancing his roguish charm with the emotional depth underneath. Together, they create a dynamic listening experience that enhances both the tension and the quieter character moments.

Tropes & Vibes

✔️ Arranged Marriage
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Royal Romance
✔️ Slow Burn
✔️ Rake x Innocent Queen
✔️ Coming-of-Age Growth

Final Thoughts

Royally Rebellious is a gentle, character-driven romance that focuses on growth, trust, and the slow evolution of love. It doesn’t rush the relationship, instead allowing the connection to build in a way that feels natural and believable.

While it leans more toward sweet than intense, it delivers a satisfying marriage-of-convenience story with strong narration and a solid emotional core.

A lovely start to a new royal series and I’m curious to see where it goes next.

[Elizabeth Roth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually love a good age-gap, royalty, arranged-marriage trope, but I don’t think this one was totally for me. A few things kept happening that were never fully explained. For example, Rick got Alexandra a secret phone, but then it was never mentioned again.
It gave off Princess Diaries 2 vibes at first, especially with the arranged marriage of a future ruler. Then it shifted into a Cinderella-like setup, with the grandmother as the manipulative, mean figure. That thread also seemed to disappear—was she power-hungry, or just cruel and unstable?
I would have liked more world-building and context for some of what was described. So much was handled through time lapses (e.g., “we did XYZ for two weeks” or “ABC for six months”). I wanted to know what actually happened during that time. Showing those moments would have done more to demonstrate their deepening connection rather than simply telling us it was happening.
One of my favorite parts of books like this is watching the relationship grow on-page, and I didn’t really get that here. Then they finally get married, she forgives him for his mistakes (which could have happened sooner if she hadn’t gone with the childish silent treatment), and they go on their honeymoon—where, all of a sudden, the shy virgin is now a sex know-it-all. She’d never spoken to anyone about it, had no friends to discuss things with, and didn’t read or watch TV about it. It just didn’t track for me.
Overall, it was a decent book—more of a palate cleanser than a must-read for me. The lying-by-omission trope especially annoyed me because it’s the kind of issue that could be solved by simple communication. Can there still be drama and action if the MCs just talk? Yes. I’m always hoping for stories where the main characters act like adults and work through issues instead of ignoring them until everything blows up.
I did really enjoy seeing Alexandra’s growth from a meek, shy ward of her manipulative grandmother into a powerful queen in her own right. Rickard’s arc, on the other hand, felt more predictable—going from scandal-prone rake to sensitive, loving husband.
The duet narration by Daphne Winters and Dameon Knight was amazing. Whenever Daphne voiced Celeste, I was so irritated I could hardly stand her—which, to me, is a mark of an excellent narrator: she elicited such a strong reaction.

[Thebiblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contemporary royal romance was exactly the fun, easy read I needed this week. Large age-gaps can be hit or miss for me, but there was no denying how much fun Alexandra and Rickards story was.

Alexandra is the young queen of Neandia, trapped and controlled by her grandmother. The only way she can secure her freedom and her younger sisters’ is through marriage. Enter the morally gray, very scandalous rake Prince Rickard, aka “Rick the Prick,” who’s trying to recover from his latest scandal involving a married woman. Rick is far from ideal husband material, but he’s summoned as a suitor for Alexandra. If they can convince everyone their engagement is real and go through with the marriage, all their problems could be solved.

Honestly, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at Rick at first, his nickname absolutely fits but as the story progressed and his goodness started to show, he and Alexandra became a couple you couldn’t help but root for. Alexandra is smart and witty, but she definitely has the naivety of someone who’s been sheltered from real life. I loved her close relationship with her siblings and her determination to secure their freedom, even at the cost of her own.

The audiobook was well done, especially as a duet. My only complaint is that the female narrator sounded very young, which made the age gap feel larger than just ten years.

This one is a slow burn, but it’s satisfying with the friendship building naturally into something more. Even though Alexandra is immediately attracted to Rick, it’s especially rewarding to watch him fall for her. Overall, this was a fun, one-sitting read that I’d recommend to anyone who loves a modern royal love story.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am already so madly in love with this series!! Maude had taken her royal romance game up a notch, giving us the story of Alexandra and Rick (Prickard -if you know, you know), as they come to an understanding about their futures and the futures of their families.

We are started off, straight out the gate, with a misunderstanding, which always gets things off to a great impression. It is absolutely brilliant to watch as the relationship between them unfolds, and especially as things start to become very st Amy and then into spicy, and you cannot help but truly feel the steam rising off of them, as you enjoy their heated scenes, and trust me, you will enjoy them, a lot.

Getting to know the two of them has been absolutely brilliant. They are two vastly different characters, and the way Maude wrote them,.you will struggle not to completely fall for both of them. There is someone you won't fall for though, her royal bawbag Celeste herself. She is beyond horrific and is an absolute bee and takes the cake on being the most horrible evil grand mama ever. She will have you seething with hate and you will see why Lex will do anything to get her Wallace moment. (FREEDOM!!!!)

I honestly could not have loved this book more. The entire royal family creation and the country details are all well done and detailed. The romance is believable and steamy. The hatred is all encompassing and you will.not be able to stop reading. You will, however, hate Maude for the ending, but the next book is out soon! I'm counting the days.

[Felecia Rodney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio Review:
Duet Narration by Daphne Winters and Dameon Knight

Tropes:
Royal Romance
Arranged Marriage
Forced Proximity
Opposites Attract
Slow Burn

Alexandra became Queen of Neandia at just fourteen, but her life has never truly been her own. Under the iron rule of her cruel regent—her grandmother Celeste—she has been little more than a figurehead. When Alexandra finally convinces Celeste to end the regency, there’s a catch: she must marry the man Celeste chooses for her. Enter Prince Rikard—a morally grey, scandal-plagued bad boy who desperately needs to repair his image. When scandal threatens his family, marrying Alexandra becomes the only solution for both of them.

What follows is a slow burn romance full of tension, banter, and undeniable chemistry that eventually turns deliciously spicy. I was absolutely hooked on Alexandra and Rikard’s story. And let me just say… there is a certain old bat of a character I desperately wanted to disappear forever because she was a truly horrible human being.

The narration by Daphne Winters and Dameon Knight was fantastic. Daphne Winters’ performances especially of Alexandra, Astrid, and especially the wicked Celeste were standout moments. She gave each character a unique voice and personality. Dameon Knight brought the perfect voice and personality to Rikard.

This story pulled me in, and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series in audio. Huge thanks to Naughty Nook PR and the author for this ALC.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rebellious rebel man, and a virgin Queen - what could they possibly have in common? The Dowager Queen hopes nothing, but just enough that her granddaughter, the Queen, will agree to marry him. Celeste, the Dowager Queen is controlling, and Queen Alexandra will do anything in her power to get out from under her spell, including thinking about marrying.

"I could find a man who would let me be me and would mostly keep to himself, I Could tolerate it."

Watching Rick and Alex get to know each other in this book is a struggle. Their energies are so similar to each other, but they don't realize it. They mesh so well, but they're both so stubborn and doing it for what they think are the right reasons. Watching them grow together was an enjoyable journey!

"He was a kind-hearted asshole."

It took me no time to read this book - while it took me a chapter or two to get into it, once I got to know the characters I was absolutely rooting for the FMC & MMC to get their happy ending and throw Celeste out.

"Her candour surprised me. It was also kind of hot."

I received an advanced copy and these are my honest thoughts. Thank you to Maude Winters

[Stephanies.books_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
🌶️🌶️

It took me awhile to really get into the story. Prince Rikard is a loose cannon and needs someone who can rein him in. After he falls in love with someone he shouldn't have his family shortens his lease. No more scandals Prince.

Queen Alexandra wants freedom for her sister's and herself. She's willing to do just about anything to get from under her tirant Grandmother. And evil is the Grandmother.

“𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭—𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟—𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭.”

Rikard did become protective of Alexandra and her sisters as the book went on. They both got wrapped up in getting to know each other that when their feelings morphed into more is wasn't much of a shock.

At the beginning I wasn't particularly fond of Queen Alexandra. She was stuck up and really put down Rikard in a way that made him seem very dumb.

The writing wasn't particularly my style, which played a huge roll into why I had a hard time reading this book.

“𝐎𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫! 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭. 𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭.” “𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐆𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲?” 𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝. “𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

▫️ Arranged Marriage/ Marriage of Convenience
▫️ Evil Grandmother
▫️ Enemies to Lovers
▫️ Virgin
▫️ Pregnancy

[Michelle Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Royally Rebellious is a beautiful arranged royal relationship/marriage between Queen Alexandra and Prince Rikard. It is a fabulous start to the Resplendent Royals series. Queen Alexandra of Neandia, now 21, has been controlled by her cruel grandmother Celeste for years. She wants to dissolve the regency that is holding her hostage. To do so, she agrees to an arranged marriage. Of course, Celeste insists on choosing the groom. Enter Prince Rikard, fresh out of a serious relationship with a married woman. To say, his reputation is not the best is an understatement. What will happen between these two opposites? Can they make a relationship work? How will Celeste respond?
The duet narration by Daphne Winters and Dameon Knight was stupendous. Daphne Winters was spectacular as sweet, kind, somewhat naive Alexandra. I could feel all of her hurt, pain, uncertainty, as well as her genuine happiness, passion and love through her voice. She gave every female character a unique voice. Her cruel, menacing tone for Celeste was absolutely phenomenal. Dameon Knight was delightful as heartbroken, rakish Rikard. He was so sweet, caring and thoughtful with Alexandra and her sisters. I love how he protected them-especially from Celeste. These two talented voice actors brought this story to life magnificently. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.
Thanks to the author and Naughty Nook PR for the ALC.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Story 4 stars Narration 5 stars

[Kerdesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the Royally Rebellious audiobook. I’m a big fan of duet narration, and this one delivered perfectly. The narrators really brought the story to life, the accents felt natural, and it was so easy to get pulled into the world.

I ended up listening nonstop and finished it in just one day. After reading something a bit darker and more complex, this felt like such a refreshing, lighter read even though it dealt with some heavy themes.

Alexandra and Rikard’s relationship developed so beautifully. I liked that it didn’t start off all sweet. Honestly, their first meeting was not great at all lol. What began as a situation where they were both just trying to fix their own problems slowly turned into a friendship, and then something deeper. That progression felt natural and real.

Their connection, including the steamy moments, felt genuine rather than over-the-top or unrealistic, which was honestly refreshing.

I did feel like the storyline with her grandmother, especially toward the ending, could have been developed a bit more. But since this is the first book in the series, I’m hoping we get more depth on that in the next installments.

This is my first book from this author, and now I’m interested to see how her sisters stories unfold. I can’t wait for the rest of the series to be released in audio.

[S Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 1 in a series. The 21 YO Queen of Neadia, Alexandria, is trying to escape, her Regency, her grandmother, and general her life of caged obscurity. When she gets a chance to attend a royal event she take advantage of her limited freedom and runs into Prince Rikard under less than ideal circumstances. Rik is nursing a broken heart after a scandalous affair with a married woman is discovered by her husband. When his father insists that he go to Neadia and meet with the young Queen he is initially opposed. Little does he know that the Queen is determined to gain her freedom, even if it means marrying a man she thinks very little of. They form an unlikely agreement and they end up learning more about each other and themselves.

This is a really cute book. I sometimes dislike the “innocent” FMC troupe because often it’s written in an unbelievable way but everything about Alexandria is believable, relatable, and fun to read. I loved how real she is and her reactions to being both sheltered and a royal makes Total sense. I loved that she written to be little self conscious in social settings and nervous when figuring out her feelings even while trying to make her own way and discover her wants and needs. Really great start to a series I can’t wait to read more.

[Anita Fuhrmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Royal world that author, Maude Winters, has created for her readers. In this book we get to delve into the lives of Alexandra, a Queen who is not allowed to rule her kingdom, and lives such a restrictive life under the domineering control of her grandmother, that she has no real knowledge of the outside world, or everyday society's behavior. Enter Prince Rikard of a neighboring kingdom, who has a serious image problem due to his terrible reputation. A union between the two of them is seen as a one-bird two-stone solution. This was a very moving story in that, we get to see an emotionally neglected young woman learn to develop confidence with herself, and become the strong, loving person she was always meant to be. Surprisingly, Rik has the most influential hand in achieving her transformation, discovering the mature, dependable person hiding within himself also. Of course, a HEA is achieved, and the seed for a future story featuring the second-oldest sister, Astrid. Yes, it looks like there are going to be at least a total of four books in this series, I hope! Yippee!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a sweet first book to a new series. As a fan of The Princess Diaries growing up, I loved that this had a lot of those same feels but with a bit of the tension the evil stepmother causes in Cinderella. Only the princess is already queen and the evil stepmother is a bitter grandmother who finds joy in being a b***h. The bond that Alexandra has with her sisters is a strong plot point for the first two sections of the book. I believe this will continue throughout the series. And Rick? He’s very much the presumed bad boy who will do anything for his other half once he finds her. This story had a little of everything including a marriage of convenience, a rebellious heroine, and happily ever after. I do wish the editing and world building had been stronger. There were a few grammatical errors and the characters felt a little immature and not fully developed. I will admit, I wasn’t sucked in like I usually am. Overall, this was a quick and sweet read that could be read as a stand alone.

[sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
💋 Enemies to Lovers
✨ Slow Burn
🍓 Royal Romance
🌁 Found Family

This book is the perfect escape for anyone who's looking for an escape to world of hot rakes, independent women who take control and a royally fabulous kingdom! 🌹🌅

I liked this book! Maude's writing style is really quite unique and it was very refreshing to read through. I was very much enjoying this from the get go, she has a way to reel you in and it makes for a dangerous situation when you're reading before bed since you'll be up until 2 am. (totally not what happened to me) 🐞

I would've liked more groveling since it felt like the MMC was forgiven quickly, but that's more of a personal preference thing. The way Rick acted in the beginning kinda gave me the ick but he did have his redemption arc in the end so I'm down with Rick the Prick now. I'm very excited to see what Maude will write in the future and it'll be so much fun to watch her grow!

Thank you Maude Winters for the physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ❤️

[Hailey Moreira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maude Winters truly had me captivated in the world of the Royals. She has created such a beautiful place and family in Neandia. Each of the sisters is unique, and I am dying to get their stories as well!
Queen Alexandra has lived a very restricted and sheltered life. Everything she does is controlled by her grandmother, the Queen Dowager Celeste, which leads Alexandra to form a union with Prince Rikard of Lundhavn. This alliance, though starting off rocky, becomes crucial to both of their lives.
When we first met Rikard, I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about him. I was actually a little worried about where this alliance was going to go.
The character development they each go through is what drove me to read on. They both have such different struggles that they work so hard on to improve. The HEA was well worth the wait, and each and every character (except Celeste) has a little spot in my heart. I can't WAIT for the next one!
I received a free advanced review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

[Amber Hodits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook..

Royally Rebellious is adorable! Lex and Rick are absolute chaos in the best way—their banter had me snorting more than once. And can we talk about his nickname, “Rick the Prick”? Some days it’s subtle…other days it shines bright 😂. He’s possessive, he’s ridiculous, and somehow I adore him anyway.

Daphne Winters gave Lex the perfect posh, royal vibes—she owns every line, and I was living for it. Dameon Knight brought Rick to life with that confident, commanding voice—he really captured Rick’s mischievous, possessive charm. There were moments I wished he leaned a tiny bit more into the story, but honestly, his performance still made Rick utterly unforgettable.

And oh my god, Celeste, her grandmother…I loathe her with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. Every interaction made me cheer for Lex (and secretly for Rick).

This audiobook has it all: royal sass, romance, laughs, nicknames that hit different, and characters you can’t help but root for. Fun, flirty, and slightly chaotic—highly recommend!

[Sharon Hudrlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to book siren and the author for this amazing opportunity for this arc.
It was such a good book. I read it faster than I thought I would.
It’s a slow burn.
Spice I give it 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The book it’s very slow, at the beginning. After 50 pages it started to get good.
There’s some, misspelled words, some words I had to guess what she meant to write, but I got it at the end.
It’s a dual point of view.
Rick it’s a jerk at the beginning, then he turns and becomes someone great.
Alexandra. She’s innocent minded because she has been verbally, emotionally and physically abused by her grandmother. Which it’s not okay, how she treated her and ruing everything. Like oh my gosh! She pissed me off so much!
I can relate to Alexandra. In many ways. Not the royal part, but the rest. I’m glad that someone writes about a woman, who has gone through so much but still level headed.
I can’t wait for book 2. 😁

[Dana Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫4.5/5 stars

I absolutely love a royal romance story. This one gave me all the fairytale vibes with arranged marriage, opposites attract, slow burn, culture, and age differences, bad boy turned good guy, virgin FMC, and all the swoony banter.

You will love to hate the Queen’s grandmother, Celeste. she’s controlling and domineering. All she wants is the power of that crown Alexandria the queen agrees to the arranged marriage to get out from underneath her grandmother’s control. She agrees to marry Rick the Prick— Prince Rikard.

The way Rick and Alex relationship develops was a beautiful journey. I’m a fool for a bad guy/jerk turned good guy and Maude Winters had me swooning over Rick.

I really enjoyed Maude’s writing style. She draws you in and has you rooting for the main characters. The slow burn had all the angst and eventually all the spicy goodness.

I loved this enchanting read, I highly recommend this beautiful book.

[Ashley Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! Alexandra and Rikard were an interesting duo! At the beginning Queen Alexandra and Prince Rikard did not like each other (though Alex did find his appearance to be attractive) but throughout their arranged engagement, they fell hard. Having an arranged marriage was definitely something that neither would have wanted but they both needed this marriage to work out. Alexandra needed to get married to gain freedom for herself and her three little sisters from their dictator of a Grandmother and Rikard needed to save his family by using the engagement as a way of keeping the press to not publish about an affair that he had had with a married woman before the book had started. Over time, the two get close and fall for each other hard! And while this is by far a slow burn, once you get to the slide scenes… wow! Definitely would recommend to read this!

[Jacqueline Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew royals had so much drama 😂. I sure didn’t. This books is so good from beginning to end the story had me hooked. We have a Queen Alexandra wants to be like everyone else, independent and making her own decisions. She is so desperate for it she agrees to a marriage of convenience to be able to be free and obtain the power entitled to her. Rikard gave me vibes of the guy who thinks everyone’s wants him. He definitely is an acquired stated but since he helps Alex thrive in to her regain her voice you sort of kinda start to like him. As mc’s both are great independently but together they have great banter. Alex is a virgin and Rikard proves he isn’t in it just for that he started to show his true self. Number 1 enemy Queen Celeste she is not a nice person and had serious control issues and is power hungry.

[Barbara Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise is instantly compelling and it delivers a satisfying blend of royal drama, reluctant romance, and slow-burn character growth. Their dynamic starts out tense and wary, which makes the gradual shift toward trust and understanding especially rewarding. The court politics and reputation management plotlines add an engaging layer beyond the romance. Celeste makes a strong antagonist—her control over Alexandra’s life is frustrating in a way that feels very real, even within a fictional monarchy. The themes of manipulation and emotional pressure are handled thoughtfully, especially considering the content warnings. At times the pacing lags a little in the middle, and some secondary characters could have used more development. However, the emotional stakes and the central relationship keep the pages turning.I feel like it does run a little long. Like there is the glimpse into the start of the marriage and it may be the want of the author to see the "villain" have their comupenance, but then this part also feels at short. Almost would have been be tter not to include it. I received an advance listening copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this one. Rick and Alex were the absolute best. I laughed at the dinner when Rick was just not getting along there. in the beginning, I couldn't stand him. he was awful. and Alex, she was an absolute doll, but so naive, complements of her grandmother. she's a whole other story on her own... but I fell in love with Rick as him and Alex moved forward with their wedding. he redeemed himself so quickly. the way he stood up for her, protected her. his was such a wonderful man. he won me over when he stood up to Celeste. he was in Alex's corner every step of the way.
and the families. his mom and dad. her sisters. they were all so amazing.
I laughed. I got angry. I enjoyed this too the fullest.
and we can't forget the narrators. they were prefect! they played the roles so well. they really brought this story to life.

[Nefeli Atmn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, the story felt quite unique (as to how the heroin was held back by her grandmother and how they get to arrange their arranged marriage with the troubled mmc) but it felt a little flat for me. I would've liked more world building to be honest because as it was, it was a little confusing: we have quite conservative ideas and traditions but then the mmc brings in a phone? Which is also mentioned like once or twice and then it's not mentioned again. The chemistry between the main characters felt a little bit forced at times and they both went 0 to 100 from one chapter to the next ( like they're just becoming friends and then BAM they suddendly know they love each other, or the fact that she is a sheltered virgin but suddenly BAM she is thirsty over the mmc? And last but not least the surprise pregnancy plot twist) I feel like there was more telling than showing throughout the book and that was what made everything feel a little bit rushed and held me back from connecting to the characters. In general it was a fun quite pleasing light read.

So grateful to have received an advance review copy for free! My opinion above is unbiased though!