Queen Agnesse has just become Queen after the death of her father. She is the first woman to hold this position in her own right and is concerned, to the point of having panic attacks, that she won’t live up to the job. Prince Sebastian is part of the royal family of a neighbouring country, They vaguely know each other. He accompanies her to a gala as a favour to his cousin, the one person in his family who made him feel welcome in his family as he had a lonely childhood.
As he is the second son of the second wife he will never become king and so he has trained in mental health. He helps A when she has a panic attack at the gala.
They have a ONS, there is a pregnancy, marriage then sadly a miscarriage.
Whilst most of the novel’s storyline is predictable I do like the fact that it is the heroine who holds the major role as Queen. I think this is also the first M&B book that has mentioned mental health and the affect it can have and so for these two points alone I would recommend this book,

Rivals At The Royal Alter will keep you turning the pages to the end.

The royal meet cause the spot light to be drawn to their public spat not once but twice, with a seducing, sexy interlude inbetween.

A hastily arranged marriage after their pregnancy discovery and during the Royal mourning period follows, but alas a painful miscarriage, both emotionally and physically tests their already fragile relationship.

True love wins through, with a happy ever after ending.

I didn't really like the heroine Agnesse and I didn't feel much chemistry between her and Sebastian. The story was very predictable.

I haven't read this author before but didn't think she did a very good job of writing Royalty.

I really am increasingly fed up with the ‘Royal’ stories that keep emerging with monotonous regularity from the Mills and Boon production line.

I find that with very few exceptions, the royal world building is exceptionally poor and the lack of credibility is very off putting.. I know it’s category romance but if authors like Caitlin Crws and Jackie Ashenden can create believable monarchies - why can’t the newer authors? The story was pedestrian and predictable.

I disliked Agness for much of the book.. this woman is supposed to have been trained to acquire the behaviour and veneer of a Queen. Instead she behaves like a petulant adolescent much of the time. Sebastian was in contrast, such an interesting and adult hero, I couldn’t imagine him falling in love with Agnesse

I’m sorry but I struggled with this one - simply not my cup of tea.

I've been a fan of Mills & Boon for years, have lost count the amount of books I've read of there's and this one surely doesn't disappoint. When Prince Sebastien and Queen Agnesse spend the night together, they suddenly find themselves with a bit of a scandal of their hands.

Can two people who doesn't think love exist, actually be proven wrong and become one mighty power couple? Find in this novel from Julieanne Howells - another new author for me. After all who can't love a royalty romance book when we are on the brink of a coronation?