Ever since I learned about the “marriage of convenience” trope, it has been one of my favorites. I’m also (as you may know) as fan of princesses, magic, and horrible disappearing curses that force dashing princes to resort to underhanded ways in order to save their kingdom.
Oddly specific, I know.
Façade has all of this and more. With pages full of witty dialogue and characters multiple dimensions, it presents a well-crafted story and a magical world for Camille Peter’s new series.
Princess Evelyn has spent her entire life striving to be the proper princess expected of her…only to suddenly discover that she’s merely a decoy.
She stumbles upon whispers that the true princess’s betrothed is plotting to use his upcoming marriage to steal her kingdom’s rare and precious magic. Evelyn comes up with a plan to marry the prince before he learns that she’s a fake in order to protect the kingdom she still cares for. Prince Ryland has his own reasons for agreeing to the hasty union, for the magic in the princess’s royal bloodline is his last chance to save his kingdom from ruin. As the two navigate the façades threatening them, the lines between enemies and lovers soon begin to blur…yet their growing love comes at a price.
Treasure Maps
Although the cover alone drew me in to this story, I must say that the first chapter had me hooked. A princess… who isn’t actually a princess?!? The concept of a decoy princess was very fresh; I haven’t read anything quite like it before. The idea put a nice spin on the story and the plot and added conflict for Eveyln throughout the tale.
Prince Ryland is wonderful. Despite his flaws (which make him a realistic and relatable character), he is always so sweet and caring to those he is around. I always looked forward to reading his POV, and every time he was forced to make a difficult choice I was waiting with bated breath. His need for magic drives his bad decisions, but I never thought he acted out of character to achieve his goals.
As the first book in the series, Façade also does a good job of leaving the story open for more books and mapping out other interesting characters to pull in the reader.
Poisoned Apples:
The violence is minor, with scenes like a man who is killed (nondescriptly) in the street, or a person trying to strangle one of the characters. Nothing is overly described. The romance is light and clean, but there are some suggestions of what occurs between a husband and wife after marriage. L1 profanity.
Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
This book does not have any spiritual references, but trust is a prevailing theme. Romans1:12 says this: “That is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Trust is key to lifting each other up and encouraging others during difficult times, as Ryland and Evelyn learn to trust each other.
The Frog Prince
Façade is an excellent story of love, magic, and self-worth. It was a great start to a new series; I can definitely see all the new stories that can and will take place in this world! Both the female and male main characters had POVs that had me hooked. The plot was interesting and had nice twists. I loved how the story taught trust was essential for a strong relationship. All in all, a wonderful enemies-to-lovers romance with just a sprinkling of magical curses, warm milk with cinnamon, and assassins. I enjoyed every page and may or may not have sacrificed a couple hours of sleep to finish it. A perfect story to pick up during the Valentine’s Day season!
You can buy Façade here.
𝑀𝒶𝓇𝒾𝑒