Review: Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt

Paper Princess

(The Royals #1)
by Erin Watt
April 4, 2016

370 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

 

Review

This book first caught my eye with its simple shiny cover. I remember being interested but didn't give it a second thought. It's not until I saw Amanda @ Stuck in YA Books 's Instagram picture and read her review that I decided to pick up Paper Princess.

 

When the book first starts off, I found myself comparing it to the mega popular manga/anime/tv series Hana Yori Dango. The uncanny similarity of rich boys ruling a luxurious private school had me worried. Thankfully that's where the similarities ended. The focus was on the characters and their growing relationships rather than on any bullying acts. Sure some if it was typical but it was entertaining as hell. I gobbled it all up.

 

Ella has been independent practically all her life. When her mother dies and she's left all alone, she does what she has to do to survive. Most of it was less than ideal but good for her for not letting any one shame her about it. Those rich pricks can take a hike because this girl can hold her own.

 

Reed was a real jerk. There's no other way to put it. He's arrogant, rude, attractive- the whole package. I know he sounds like any other NA male lead but trust me when I say you want to get to know him. I don't want to dress it up and say he's wonderful but underneath the scowls and jeers, he's a good guy and an excellent brother. There's no doubt he's broken but I want to see how Ella will fix him because I firmly believe she will. The two of them deserves a HEA together.

 

I'm not as interested with the drama among the older generation so I hope that bit concludes quickly and we can focus on the Royal boys. The other Royal brothers were just as infuriating and hypnotizing as Reed.  I'm super curious about Gideon. I was just as surprised as Ella to hear of his past with Savannah and I find I like the pairing so I want to know what happened to them. Then there's Easton. I need to know what the deal is with him too. The twins also obviously have some issues to work out. I really hope we hear each of their stories and have them figured out by the end of the series.

 

So Paper Princess is technically Young Adult even though I see elements of New Adult in it. Maybe because Erin Watt is two NA authors? It's a little bit tamer in terms of the physicals but it definitely doesn't lack in the tension department, sexual or not. I kid you not when I say I was constantly holding my breath and cocooning my heart for some big bomb(s) to be dropped. Do any drop? Maybe. Possibly. Highly likely. But really, you'll have to read the book yourself to find out :P

 

I will say though that ending was so gutting. I knew it was a cliffhanger but even knowing beforehand and being prepared for it didn't make it any less agonizing. Theories were immediately popping up all around in my head to justify that shock. I know Reed must be protecting Ella. Even if he did sleep with Brooke in the past, I don't believe he still is after meeting Ella. Not for one minute do I believe he would do that to her. Brooke must be threatening Reed with outing some Royal secrets to make Reed comply. It must be a ploy to drive Ella away so she can't get her inheritance. I'm sticking with this theory until I'm proven otherwise because I refuse to believe Reed would intentionally hurt Ella.

 

This book with its golden cover and The Royals will catch you by surprise. Honestly the Royals have ruined me (as they promised). I'm addicted. You will be too if when you pick up Paper Princess.