Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot

Published by Pan Macmillan on June 4th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Girls & Women, Love & Romance, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Goodreads


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From Meg Cabot, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Diaries series, comes the very first new adult instalment, featuring the now grown-up Princess Mia! Royal Wedding follows Princess Mia and her Prince Charming as they plan their fairy tale wedding - but a few poisoned apples could turn this happily-ever-after into a royal nightmare.For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community centre, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements, Mia's gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn't need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother's leaked "fake" wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia's father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone - especially herself - that she's not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?

I should probably start this by admitting just how much I love Meg Cabot. I’ve been reading her books for over a decade. I remember back in senior physics almost failing because I spent most of the year reading her Mediator series under the desk rather than learning about gravitational pull and the importance of vectors (two concepts I’m still not quite sure on). I’ve read everything she’s published even those books which were originally under pen names – i loved them without even knowing they were Meg’s! From ghosts to pop stars-turned-residential-hall-managers, I adore Meg Cabot’s work.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise I was excited to read Royal Wedding, the latest chapter in the Princess Mia of Genovia story.

For those of you unfamiliar with Mia’s story, you don’t need to have any prior knowledge to enjoy this story. There’s enough information given for you to jump right in and follow Mia’s current adventure. Mia is about to turn twenty six, working in New York City, dodging paparazzi and waiting to see if her long time boyfriend Michael will pop the question. And she’s not the only one wondering. Her family are still rather eccentric with her father causing international incidents and her fiendish grand-mere is as manipulative as ever.

One of the lovely things about this book is it works no matter how familiar you are with Mia’s story (superfans to Mia newcomers) – there is something in Royal Wedding for everyone. There’s enough little inside jokes for those who have followed Mia throughout her life to enjoy but not to the stage where it alienates newcomers. Mia maintains her distinctive style throughout which has matured since her school days yet is authentic to the characters.

This book was wonderfully easy to read. It’s fast paced without feeling rushed and modern with Mia and her friends keeping with the times and embracing social media. There are surprises and complications with Mia’s romantic life and the struggle to balance her normal life with that of being heir to the throne of a European country. I loved the role her friends and family played in her life and the new developments in their own lives. The romance is so very Mia and Michael yet with a more grown up aspect. As for Mia’s family? They add some wonderfully dramatic flair to Mia’s life and show that whilst everything can change, sometimes things never really change at all.

Royal Wedding is perfect for anyone who wants a light hearted entertaining read. It’s romantic at the right spots and full of the humour Meg Cabot fans love. This book is appropriate for older fans who never read Mia’s teen years but also for those who have loved her all along.

 

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy.