I was hoping for Jeff’s POV in this book to be honest, as I continued to find him a singularly annoying character – though there is a little more insight into his situation and some character development too. Rivals continues to follow the same 4 POVs of Beatrice, Nina, Sam and Daphne. I initially assumed it referred to Nina and Daphne – which it does, but it also applies to Beatrice and Sam in different ways for the situations they are going through and learning to handle too. Rivals is an interesting choice of title for this book. The plot was engaging though I found the pacing in the first half or so of the book a little slow. Between the League of Kings conference, which seemed to mostly be a bunch of parties with some debates and politics thrown in, Sam finishing up a royal tour, and Nina and Jeff in college, this book felt more light hearted at times than the first two, and the change in setting from the palace was certainly welcome. What I liked best about this book was the more in depth look we got at the larger world these characters live in, from what the situation is like for the nobility in America through Sam and Marshall’s storyline, to the royals from other countries and the politics of the whole situation. Once rivals in pursuit of Prince Jefferson, things take a surprising turn when Nina and Daphne find themselves on the same side as a greater threat appears in the form of Lady Gabriella Madison, and they must find a way to work together to take her down. Sam, as the ‘spare’, is now her sister’s heir, is struggling with her new situation even as her relationship with Marshall grows more serious. The League of Kings, a conference in which royalty from around the world participate, is approaching, and Beatrice is to host this time. Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.īeatrice has now fully stepped into her role as queen, but her next challenge is already around the corner. Can these enemies join forces, or will old rivalries stand in the way? Now they have something in common: they both want to take down manipulative Lady Gabriella Madison. Nina and Daphne have spent years competing for Prince Jefferson. When she meets a glamorous foreign princess, she gets drawn into the inner circle…but at what cost? Is Sam destined to repeat her string of broken relationships…and this time will the broken heart be her own?īeatrice is representing America at the greatest convocation of kings and queens in the world. Princess Samantha is in love with Lord Marshall Davis – but the more serious they get, the more complicated things become. Synopsis: Beatrice is queen, and for the American royal family, everything is about to change. Published: May 31st, 2022 (Random House BYR)

Rivals katharine mcgee