ARC Book Review: A Stolen Kiss by Kelsey Keating

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Publisher: Swanifide Publishing

Series: Stolen Royals #1

Published: March 2016

Pages: 346

Summary

In her debut novel, Ms Keating takes us on an adventure journey filled with magical surprises.

A stolen kiss. An unstable curse. One big mess in the making.

Derric Harver never expected to amount to anything more than the palace stableboy, but when Princess Maria's curse keeps her from accepting a prince's proposal, she turns to him for help, and he doesn't dare refuse. With the help of a lady's maid and a prince, Derric and Maria embark on a dangerous adventure to find the sorceress who cast the curse. Along the way they battle deadly creatures and make new friends -- all the while struggling with the undeniable chemistry between them. Reaching their destination won't be easy, butt he true danger peril in the truths they've fought for years to keep hidden.

A Stolen Kiss is the first in the Stolen Royals series -- an adventure with magical creatures, dangerous lies and being true to the power within.

My Thoughts...

I really enjoyed reading A Stolen Kiss! I was definitely in the mood for a feel-good, funny read when I started this, and it was exactly what I got. A light-hearted fairy tale, filled with unforgettable characters and lessons on accepting yourself and realising your true worth, A Stolen Kiss is definitely a book I'd recommend you curl up with on a rainy afternoon.

I fell in love with the characters immediately. Each of them is unique in his or her personality, fears, hopes and dreams, and they are all sooo well drawn that I couldn't pick a favourite if I tried! I adored the tone of this book, too. I tend to love books that make fun of themselves and the genre, and this was no exception. I really enjoyed all the references to classical fairy tales, and how this book never took itself too seriously. Sure, there were some tense moments that added momentum to the story, but in general it was fairly light and in that it precisely met my expectations.

One thing that really made this book stand out, for me, were the messages spread out throughout. Given that the intended target is only slightly definitely younger than me, I applaud the fact that all the characters in this book learn to grow though the difficulties they are faced with. From accepting one's origin and talents to learning to fight for their dreams or their family, each and every one of the main characters learns to go beyond their assigned role in society to realise their full potential and achieve happiness. In particular, I was very glad to see a princess learn to save herself for once!

Overall, this is a very light and enjoyable read, perfect for getting you in a good mood and relaxing in a stressful period, without having to give up on quality character development, powerful messages and the unmissable happy ending!

Rating: 4/5