This was a DNF for me. I'm sorry. I just didn't like the kidnapping. I know this sort of story was common for M&Bs in the 70s and 80s, but I really thought we had moved on from that.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

5 Word Review: Family, expectation, responsibility, friendship, love.


I have to be honest and admit - when I first picked up this book I put it down after one chapter. I didn't like the vibes, I hated the kidnapping scene and the immediate aftermath.

It wasn't until I read His Stolen Innocent's Vow that I decided to give this book another chance, and oh boy did I warm to it. By the end I absolutely loved Stolen to Wear His Crown, and I regret not pushing past the first chapter when I first picked it up. Because that first chapter is absolutely essential to the rest of the story, yet completely different all at once.

Mina is a fantastic romantic heroine. She's so sure and accomplished, while at the same time remaining vulnerable. She's haunted by grief, forcing herself into an "academic" mould that has her hiding away in too-big and shapeless clothes. She really grows into herself and flourishes as the story unfolds.

Zayn is... Well he needs a shake and to use his words. At the beginning I utterly detested him, but I did very quickly fall as much in love with him as Mina. He is very cleverly written, with more depth than you'd imagine at first glance.

For all that their marriage is pretty much immediate, the romance between Mina and Zayn feels like a slow burn. I loved the slow thawing of their feelings for each other, how resentment turned to respect.

There were so many sweet scenes between them in the build up to them finally admitting their feelings, and it left me with a huge smile on my face. There's a scene where they're alone in a remote cabin and she cooks for him, and he's thrilled by the idea that she's cooking for him not because that's what he has to do. It added layers of humanity and normalcy to what they are going through. And lets face it, a king and his kidnapped commoner queen is anything other than normal.

Now I am very much looking forward to Pregnant After One Forbidden Night, the third book in the The Queen's Guard series/collection.

I wanted to love this. The cover, the blurb, the mood I’m in for romance of late.

However, I couldn’t.

I feel uncomfortable reading this as, while I’m intrigued, the idea of our main lead - a woman of colour - being arrested by Police for no reason (by force), and then forced into a secret marriage against her consent (in the current climate) sits badly with me and I feel that I won’t be reading this, even though I know this will end with a Mills & Boon Happily Ever After.

Stolen To Wear His Crown is the first in the Royal Guard M&B trilogy and the first book to be be published by Marcella Bell, congratulations on your success!
Mina has gone to the palace in Cyrano to accept the position of chief scientific advisor. She is snatched from the interview room and taken immediately to the Chapel where she is told she must wed King Zayn. Zayn doesn’t want to marry someone he doesn’t know but knows he must in order to protect the monarchy, even though Mina is unsuitable to be queen.

Zayn is cold and stand offish without being cruel whilst Mina is an innocent hardworking book worm who has never been kissed. Although the kidnapping part of the book is rather unrealistic, the part where Zayn goes on a chat show to declare his love does appear more so with the upcoming Oprah/Harry/Megan interview.

As a first book this was well thought out and evenly paced. It didn’t drag and new ideas were introduced - the chat show. Although unrealistic in places, the author shows promise and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley #gifted

I really wanted to enjoy this book but could not connect with the storyline or the characters so eventually abandoned it.

Wanted to like this book, but the start itself (the riot team abduction of the future queen done with a knee forced in the middle of her back to put her into zip ties? Seriously?) just felt so off-putting, and the whole thing just didn't make sense. I get the marriage on convenience angle, but this is the modern world, and that's how the future queen was treated? Just no for me, sadly. Couldn't get past that, no matter how hunky the king was supposed to be

Stolen to wear his crown by Marcella Bell.
Mina has finally achieved her dream of becoming chief scientific advisor of Cyrano when she’s stolen from the interview room! She’s taken directly to the palace chapel where the terms of a secret betrothal mean she must marry the King – immediately.
Very good read. Good story and characters. Read this in one sitting. 4*.

Dr Mina is smart and intelligent and has spent years working towards the achievement of her dream of being accepted into the kings council, now just as she is finally ready to achieve her goal she is kidnapped by the king himself and told that she has been betrothed to him and must now marry him.
After the death of his father Zayn has now become King and is shocked to find out that he was promised to Mina before he was even born but accepts that Mina is now his future and marries her at once. Now married Zayn finds himself falling in love with his wife but needs to focus on his country as well as his love.
I enjoyed this book even though I found parts to be unbelievable, I can't imagine a king or Queen going on a talk show to talk about their love life or fighting at a royal dinner but if you can look past the unbelievable it remains an enjoyable read.

A fictional kingdom, an unusual heroine, and a determined king make this an interesting romance. The world created is pure fantasy but with some realistic elements. Mina is an intelligent but unworldly woman, fixated on her career and just about to achieve her objective. Zayn knows his duty and will never let his personal feelings get in the way of it.

There are elements in this story that defy belief, but if you accept them and Zayn's often autocratic behaviour, this is a good romance with strong characters full of conflict, glamour and the chance of love.

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Stolen to Wear His Crown was a quick read, if a bit abrupt in parts. It was a somewhat different 'arranged marriage' based story, but somewhat unrealistic in a lot of ways. However, it is fiction, so unrealistic can work in a plot. Despite that, I enjoyed the characters and overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

A great read
I got through this really quickly - a good sign - and couldn't put down
Great characters, well written and developed

Really enjoyed this

I thought that this was a good, fast paced story and very enjoyable!

The story was easy to read and it had a great flow to it.

The characters on the story were strong and well developed as were the feelings that they shared.

This was a lovely romance as I always expect from a Mills & Boon book!

It is 5 stars from me for this one, very highly recommended!

Mina has been studying and preparing her whole life to become a member of the Royal Council. Finally she is invited to attend a reviewed for her chance at the role. Moments after finding out that she was successful a SWAT team arrives and she is taken away
Kidnapped and taken to another part of the Palace. Meeting the king for the first time along with the archbishop ready for them to be married.

Zayn has had a turbulent few years, with his father being assassinatrd, him becoming king, discovering the plot behind hid fathers death involving his uncle and the finding out that his father has betrothed him to Mina before they were even born. Taking three months to track her down when he finds out that she's in the Palace and acts immediately.

Although the arranged marriage was something that they did not know about they attempt to navigate the demands of royal and married life. Mina adjusting from academic life to one filled with organising balls, fashion and events. As they soend time together they discover a spark between them. However, Zayn is reluctant to put love before his role as king. Putting his kingdom and his people before his own happiness and marriage.

Will this simply be a marriage of convenience? Or can they find a way to make it a partnership?

This romance was sometimes fairy tale land with unflowing royal protocols, then girlie dialogue that didn't suit the sensible, mature nature of the female character.

For example a newly married queen stripping down to her underwear and then nude, for a make over, with no consultation or consent, in front of several people including a male hair stylist. Just not realistic or appropriate,

Then sexual scenes with dialogue and descriptive positions that seems out of place for a virgin novice.

Did finish the book but was disappointed with the standard, of this Mills and Boon story. I felt it needs to be edited to make it flow better.

This story had a lot of potential but I wasn't hooked. I really enjoy reading a story about royalty and especially with the 'marriage of convenience' angle but this one didn't do the trick.
While there were some great parts which were really well written and I quite liked the different settings within the book, I didn't really fall in love with the characters.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I know we're supposed to suspend disbelief when reading category romances but personally, I do need the story to be grounded in a reality that I can accept and understand. Is it too much to expect that writers create believable worlds and do research to ensure their story is supported by factual underpinning? Mina's surname is found almost exclusively in the Americas, specifically Mexico. and yet her ancestors go back generations on Cyrano.

Cyrano is meant to be a forward-looking, modern monarchy, yet the 36 year old, experienced, statesmanlike King sends the equivalent of a SWAT team to drag Mina out of the chamber? what? they push her to her knees and bind her wrists? I mean- seriously?

Where on earth was Cyrano meant to be? we're told it's a Mediterranean kingdom. The suggestion that Mina's father has Moorish ancestors suggests a close link to the ottoman empire, so definitely a southern Mediterranean location - close to Morocco or Tunisia perhaps. King, Zayn has an Arabic name, but he is not Muslim because the marriage is conducted by an Archbishop. These things kept preoccupying my mind and throwing me out of the story. Also, considering Mills and Boon has a strong European market, I was surprised at the xenophobia displayed in the writing. The British Ambassador is a pretentious letch and the son of the Felden representative a sexually predatory man who doesn't know how to behave in diplomatic circles? . (German-speaking,? Chancellor? - are we starting to see a pattern?)


Zayn was simply unbelievable. Truly, his behaviour in the first part of the book stretched my credulity to its absolute limits. He wasn't just a jerk, he was an abusive, bad-mannered bully of the worst kind.

Having been so critical, I must then add that the author has a nice touch and I really liked her writing. The dialogue was sparky and witty and intelligent. The developing relationship and character development were well done and very engaging. I enjoyed the latter two-thirds of the book much better than the first third and I thought the journey to their happy ending was beautifully done. The author also writes great sex scenes!

I think this is an author to keep an eye on and I look forward to her next book.