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Rescuing the Prince

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If the slipper fits…

Prince Cor of Seingalt is about to announce his engagement. The court, the country and the world are waiting to meet his fiancée. The trouble is, he hasn’t got one. He needs a fake, and fast.

Rhian Rothe is trapped. With her dreams of stage stardom in tatters, she needs a new opportunity—enough to agree to play Cinderella to an arrogant prince. But this is no fairytale, and Rhian’s not the one who needs to be rescued. If Prince Less-Than-Charming wants her help, he’d better start acting like it.

Sparks fly as soon as the pair meet at the palace, and it turns out that the only thing Cor hates more than lying to his country is working with Rhian. But nothing is as it seems in the royal court—and, no matter what, the show must go on.

Rescuing the Prince is a sweet contemporary romance novel for fans of fairytales, tiaras and happy endings.

Unknown Binding

First published April 20, 2018

83 people are currently reading
76 people want to read

About the author

Victoria Leybourne

7 books110 followers

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5 stars
54 (31%)
4 stars
67 (38%)
3 stars
40 (22%)
2 stars
8 (4%)
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5 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for mith.
929 reviews305 followers
April 19, 2019
am i a liar or is "review to come" code for "a review that will never be posted because i'm a bad person"?

I don't know. either way, this is me: attempting to fix the error of my ways.

i'd like to thank victoria leybourne for a copy of this book! of course, this doesn't affect my opinions on the book in any way!

i am a sucker for royal romances. i love royalty, but reading about them in fantasy--which is usually the same variation of the same plot over and over--gets so tiring. when i heard about laybourne's new book being about a contemporary romance, i was sold. i already love her writing and her romances so this was perfect.

for the most part, i did like this! but i just... never really got into it? i thought rhian was an interesting character and i loved her development in the novel. i liked her sense of humour and how levelheaded she was. i'm also extremely happy that her best friend was a part of her story, even after everything that was going on!

i also thought everything leybourne wrote about prince cor's kingdom was fantastic. as far as i know, it's fictional, but leybourne really makes seingalt seem like a real place, giving it history and politics.

it was just a little difficult getting into the romance of the book. i wasn't really a fan of prince cor, even after everything. considering it was a big point in the book, it just... fell a little flat for me.

overall! rescuing the prince definitely has the royal appeal so many readers should enjoy. i'd recommend this for those looking for a fun, quick read!
Profile Image for ✶Rachelle✶ .
266 reviews140 followers
May 6, 2018
2 stars

I was super intrigued by the plot of this book (can we say Pride and Prejudice look-alike?), and was super excited to pick it up. I love hate-to-love tropes, and I'm a huge sucker for a royal romance. However, I felt like this one fell a little short of my expectations.

The story started out strong and really grabbed my attention, but as it went on it became weaker and I slowly lost interest. It's really irritating to me when there's the "miscommunication/not talking to each other" moment, and unfortuately this book had several of those. I also didn't feel any chemistry between the two main characters. There wasn't much interaction between the two except for two or three key moments, and for me that's just not enough to feel the spark between them. Because of that, there wasn't much keeping me in the story, and I didn't feel invested in the characters' lives.

One thing this book did really well was show the close female friendship between Jaya and Rhian. In a romance book, I really enjoying see more of a character's life than just her romantic one. Jaya was great, and the interactions between her and Rhian were a lot of fun.

Overall, this book just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel invested enough, and I had a hard time connecting with the characters or the story. I loved the premise, and with more depth I feel like it could have been a winner.
Profile Image for Isha Coleman.
8,709 reviews168 followers
April 24, 2018
Leybourne has some fun with the fairytale fantasy and makes it her own, without chipping away at the appeal. Rescuing the Prince turns the table on the fairytale we know, to create the one we want. Not only is there a prince, but a feisty heroine with a lot to say. Rhian and Cor want the dream. Yet circumstances send them in each other's direction as a necessity. A sweet modern intro to a charming author equals romance gold.
Profile Image for Anne Oftedahl.
484 reviews51 followers
October 13, 2021
I mean... the whole "plot twist" was pretty obvious from the start, but it was still a very enjoyable cutesy read
1 review
January 14, 2025
I have read and listened to a lot of books on Kindle Unlimited and Audible, and this is hands down one of my faves that I keep coming back to. To me, Victoria Leybourne hits a home run with this novel.

1) The main characters, Rhian and Cor, are the classic enemies-to-lovers, like Elizabeth and Darcy. The tension is so strong between these two that you might be convinced there is no hope of them ever being friends.

2) Cor's plight with needing a fake fiancée on top of his heartbreak from his former fiancée makes you feel bad for him. Sure, he's the next heir in the monarchy, but he's a human with feelings. I love stories where I can feel compassion for the person you want to hate.

3) Rhian's struggle to deal with the challenging shift in her life is inspiring. She goes from aspiring actress to caretaker to complacent florist to pretend royal fiancée. She has gone through so many struggles and things outside of her control, but she still has a lovely heart and looks for ways to help others.

4) ***Spoiler here*** It's a HEA. The raw emotion in her confrontation with Cor outside his office about how she was feeling alone and unprotected breaks my heart every time. But I was so happy with that being a major catalyst in their relationship moving forward. The blatant honesty from Rhian. The efforts Cor took to restore honesty in his life with his friends, parents and the country show his growth. Then of course, Rhian's confession of love to the press, and Cor's reciprocation on the tarmac was gorgeous. Such descriptive words about their environment, emotions, and word choice is so beautiful. I love, love, love how this book ends.

Again, can't recommend this book enough. I left out several things in my review so I don't spoil the mysteries within. Happy reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nikki.
734 reviews7 followers
April 23, 2018
Rescuing the Prince by Victoria Leybourne is a 5 star read.
Prince Cornelius of Seingalt is in a bit of a bind, his country are expecting an announcement of his engagement any day now, the only problem is his fiancée dumped him and he left it so long to tell his parents that everyone around him has decided he should find a fake fiancée, so with the King and Queen on board he feels he has no other choice and agrees to it happening.
Rhian Rothe was raised by her grandmother after being dumped by both her parents, she has put college on hold twice after her grandmother had accidents that meant she needed Rhian to take care of her. When her best friend Jaya goes for an audition for a musical Rhian goes along for moral support but before she I knows it she’s actually auditioning too, not expecting to get the part she’s shocked when she’s offered a different part that will change her life.
I loved this story, my heart really felt for Prince Cor and although he was rather grumpy I could see him and Rhian had some chemistry and this made the story unputdownable. I really hope there will be more stories about this family especially he twins.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
1,264 reviews3 followers
April 24, 2018
There is Cornelius (Cor for short), who is a prince and is supposed to be getting engaged but his long term on again, off again girlfriend dumped him. Then there is Rhian, who is the girl next door type that would do anything for those she loves. She gave up going away to drama school or university when her gran got hurt. She auditioned for a play so she could be there to support her best friend who really wanted the part. You get the idea. Rhain agrees to be Cor's fake fiancé to save face for the royal family. Will it work? Will Cor put up with it? Can she pull off being upper soceity and acting with royalty even though she never went to drama school? This is a sweet story with good character development and a good read. Enjoy.

I voluntarily wrote this review from reading an advanced copy of this book.
Profile Image for Nadine.
1,900 reviews2 followers
April 27, 2018
Royal fun; I really, really liked it!

Rhian lives a quiet life, safe in her little world. A bit dull, maybe? But then… there is this new job opportunity… and it’s going to change her life in ways she can’t even imagine! She’s going to be the fake fiancée of a crown prince. A very arrogant crown prince…

It’s a lighthearted book. Rhian is very good at the self-deprecating thing; she doesn’t think much of herself. But she’s actually very likeable. Cor is not so likeable… disdainful and moody. A Royal Pain in the …

Maybe the story wasn’t very original nor very surprising, but I thought it was a pleasant read. Completely unlikely to happen IRL, but fun! LOL. I really, really liked it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems and voluntarily posted an honest review.
1,616 reviews15 followers
April 22, 2018
I enjoyed this book. Prince Cor had been engaged, but it had broken off - he just didn't tell anyone until plans were in the works for press conferences, parties, announcements, etc. So, his "friend" Hugo talks him into having a fake engagement. Hugo picks Rhian at an audition, but Cor is not sold. He doesn't help her much adjusting and is surly quite a bit of the time. This story involves, a broken engagement, princes that are not in line for the throne anymore, a supposed friend and a friendship that grows into love. All in all, pretty good. I got this book from Hidden Gems for an honest review
Profile Image for The Mysterious Reader.
3,588 reviews66 followers
January 7, 2019
Victoria Leybourne’s Rescuing the Prince is a totally fun romp that a wonderful delight for any fan of royal romance.
Rhian and Prince Cor May seem destined to fight at first but watching their relationship evolve from artificial to lovingly real is a total pleasure. This is quite simply a fun, and well written, book with a great plot and an equally great cast of characters. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend.
Profile Image for Maddie .
18 reviews
May 26, 2019
Pleasantly surprised

I really like this book!

I read a lot and lately have had a few romance duds where I could barely make it past a single chapter. I loved the writing style. The author did a great job of not sounding too cliche and creating an ingesting plot line, while still being a light romance book.

Any book that leaves me not wanting to set it down until I’ve finished is a winner for me!
Profile Image for Marliz.
104 reviews
August 30, 2020
More than your average Prince

This book is a new favorite. The story of girl meets surly prince, takes the challenge of pulling off a fake engagement is not new. This version is different in how you fall for the
characters, find intrigue and fall in love with twins(Remy & Sebastian 😉). I was left with a smile and wanting to read more about Rhian, Cor, the twins and the rest of the House if Astor, you will too!
Profile Image for Pansy.
2,170 reviews24 followers
June 5, 2018
*sigh*

A lovely twist on my all-time favorite fairytale. I love this contemporary take, as well as adding the "fake fiance" trope to the story. Inspired. I could not put it down. Good job.
Profile Image for Victoria Zigler.
Author 62 books235 followers
May 22, 2018
A wonderful and beautifully written story, with some sweet moments, some entertaining moments, an interesting plot, and a great cast of characters.
Profile Image for Brian Davis.
939 reviews5 followers
July 24, 2018
☺☺☺☺

A nice romance, with almost an enemies to love story. Everything isn't nearly tied up by the end, but the feel is positive.
Profile Image for LadyTechie.
784 reviews52 followers
September 6, 2018
This was a funny, sweet romance with a nice gradual growth of friendship and more between Prince Cor and Rhian. My particular favorites were the twins. They were hilarious!
155 reviews
September 7, 2018
Enjoyed the book

A sweet and romantic Cinderella story about a Prince and a commoner who find love and palace intrigue on the way to their happily ever after.




Profile Image for Michelle.
3 reviews
January 21, 2019
Great book

This book had not only romance but a mystery to solve. I love how this book flows with the desire to keep reading.
Profile Image for Love.
1,747 reviews5 followers
July 10, 2021
Fun Romance

This is a good story with loveable and charming characters and a few twists and turns that will definitely keep you on your feet as this love story unfold.
Profile Image for Kai.
805 reviews5 followers
October 25, 2019
I really wanted to enjoy this book as love royal romances the problem was that this story was a repeat of what I have read before. I loved hoe Leybourne wrote about the kingd okm making it really come alive. I also liked Rhian and following her in the story the problem was that I didn't really like the Prince. Overall I found this was a nice easy royal romance the problem was it was similar to so kany other royal romances. I'd recommend this for those looking for a fun, quick royal romance.
Profile Image for Emma.
2,864 reviews36 followers
April 26, 2018
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review. I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review. This was a very clean and sweet story about a Cinderella situation with a twist. The prince needed to be rescued. Rhian was a sweet, honest, loving person who worked and lived with her grandmother in a town outside of London. Her best friend Jaya was about to audition for a musical when Rhian got mixed up and ended up auditioning herself. Well that was the start of her relationship with Hugo and Prince Cornelius/Cor of Seingalt. Rhian did not know what she was in for; she was a pawn in a conspiracy to overthrow the monarchy of Seingalt. But the truth shall set you free. This was an interesting read that was full of surprises, twists and turns and the forming of a budding relationship between Cor and Rhian. Recommend.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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