The Bachelor and the Beauty Queen

Once Upon a Tiara #1

by Carolyn Hector

Spotlight on temptation The tall, sexy stranger who just barged into Lexi Pendergrass's shop looks like a perfect ten to her. But not only does Stephen Reyes accuse the former beauty queen of selling his young niece a scandalous dress, he then prevents Lexi from buying her dream property next door. Not exactly Mr. Congeniality. Even still, beneath their bickering simmers an inconvenient chemistry that's shaking Lexi's legendary poise to the core. Real estate mogul Stephen has had his world rocked twice in recent months. First, he became guardian to his late brother's children. Now he's falling for a feisty Southern beauty who, when she isn't coaching his pageant-crazy niece, is schooling him in desire. He misjudged her once. Now he's using all his seductive talents to win Lexi for now and forever…

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 16, 2016

Reviews

[Dorel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I read by Carolyn Hector. This book's storyline was okay. I liked Lexi's character. I liked Stephen's character. I liked the family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 scenes. I liked the ending.

[Bobbi Romans · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich story featuring all kinds of levels of sinful decadence! The simmering love story bakes to utter perfection!

[Shone · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW !! What growth between her debut novel in 2015. The story line was fresh and engaging, watching two bachelors trying to balance raising a 5 year old and a teenager in addition to dealing with the drama of a beauty queen. These characters made me laugh and I felt the anger.

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

stephen and chloe story was funny how they met and they grow to fall in love with each other .
I'll say with the help of stephen nieces.

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have ranted so much about this book to my friends that I am all ranted out. The writing, at the beginning, was pretty engaging. The heroine and the location is really interesting. I didn't know a lot about pageantry. But. Enter the hero. The horrible, anger filled, never redeemed, reactionary, prejudiced, hero. I felt so much anxiety reading this book because the characters stepped on eggshells around him. The main conflict in the book was keeping a relatively minor secret from the hero because they were afraid of his temper towards a 16 year old girl if he found out. He called the heroine horrible names in the beginning, decided she needed to be destroyed and actually really did derail her dreams over a very minor thing (not a spoiler but the 16 year old wore an inappropriate dress and ALMOST got attacked after sneaking into a nightclub, he blames the heroine as her shop supposedly sold the dress to the minor. Supposedly. He also installed bars on the 16 year olds bedroom window). He is part guardian to his nieces and AWFUL at it. He burns their food so doesn't feed them, then takes a long nap and leaves the two girls alone where the 5 year old is starving and the 16 year old sneaks out.

He is kind of sorta nice to the heroine once he realises he wants to sleep with her. The author skips over the courting months. A few months later they finally sleep together and bam. Horrible hero WITHIN MINUTES returns and is cold and horrible to the heroine. Never contacts her. Has dinner with very publicly with his ex. Mocks the pageant and the families participating. Has a huge sulk because heroine then refuses to dance with him when he asks her to, gets super drunk and starts shoving chairs around and sulking and shoving around 16 year olds and calling the heroine names again. The next day he just feels like he was justified because everyone ganged up on him. Then he ends up punching a 16 year old who is kissing the 16 year old niece. They are going out. Nope, no guilt or recrimination from that either.

The ONLY time he feels bad is when his niece finally comes clean and says she STOLE the dress from the heroine and the heroine was keeping her secret and he realises he misjudged the heroine. He had no internal revelations that his behaviour was awful, that he was being horrible to the heroine for no reason... no. When he was finally proved wrong THEN he realised he was going to lose her over a misunderstanding. Acknowledging to himself that he WOULD have gone nuclear on the 16 year old niece ( who is recently orphaned, btw) so maybe that was the best plan. The heroine forgives him, the end.

Except in the epilogue (where it is revealed he doesn't even stay to help look after the nieces anymore and just has them over for visits), I kept thinking "Yeah but... until you spend too long at work, or are seen talking to another guy, or another misheard phone call, or he doesn't like something you do or wear or say..."

Abusive, horrible man.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolyn Hector was a new to me author, and I started with the first book in her Once Upon a Tiara series. I usually read historical romance and historical fiction, with some contemporary thrown in, so it's fun to branch out. The world of beauty pageants is not one I know, either in fiction or real life, though I have a little family experience with GRITS (Girls Raised in the South). :D Lexi and Stephen meet when he erroneously believes she sold an inappropriate dress to his 16 year old niece. From there, Lexi shows her heart of gold and breaks down Stephen's assumptions. I really liked Lexi, and it was easy to cheer for her. She owns her mistakes, is vulnerable at the pain of being estranged from her parents or judged by her small town, and is still strong in the face of small town gossip, mean moms at pageants, and the assuming and rude behavior that Stephen starts with and still throws out whenever he feels threatened. Stephen could use a lesson in humility and Lexi (and his brother and nieces) gives it to him. I liked how the story took place over a longer time frame, and not just a quick one weekend, we are suddenly in love. This gives time for the ups and downs of life and love, and it works. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Verity W · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up after a friend mentioned it on a romance facebook group. And mostly I quite liked it. The idea is good and the set up is cute, but sometimes it didn't quite gel together for me. SOme of the character development seemed a little rushed/out of the blue and I didn't love some of the language choices in the sex scenes. But I'll keep my eye open for more from this author as I liked the ideas.

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now on to read book # in Once Upon A Tiara Series "His Southern Sweetheart" Nate Reyes and Amelia Marlow.

[Lichaun Trotter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book

I did really enjoy the book. It was a nice read, I enjoyed reading about these characters. It did start out a bit slow but the book eventually pick up.

[JeaNida Luckie-Weatherall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book I've read by this author,but definitely won't be my last. Loved the chemistry between Stephen and Lexi from the beginning sparks were flying. Explosive. Love the characters and how she developed each character and this made a steady flow. Totally different from my usual reads and I love it.Total page-tuner and I couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the next book within this series. Highly recommend this book. Job well done Carolyn Hector.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexi Pendergrass and Stephen Reyes are hilarious. She's a former beauty queen trying to make a success of her business. Stephen is a real estate mogul who's over-protective of his nieces and jumps to conclusions about Lexi. Even when they're bickering you can sense that there's a chemistry between them.
I was delighted with their story; would love to know Nate's story.

[Harlequin Books]

"Hector provides a glimpse into the pageant world and the struggles of a man thrust into fatherhood. The minimal love scenes work in the story’s favor and place the emphasis on the two characters’ growth as people and as a couple" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).

Miniseries: Once Upon a Tiara

[Marquesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky,delightful man meets his match story. If stubbornest get the guy, it would be a no-brainier for me. Great quick read and your get your HEA in spades.

[Edrenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This was my first time reading a book from this author. It was surprisingly good & well written. I will read more from this author yes I would recommend.