I came to Mariah Stewart via her Wyndham Beach series which I absutely adore. I think that she writes women beautifully.
This is the story of a 40+ divorced woman who is living with her kids doing ordinary stuff, getting the kids to school, when she receives the news about her family’s connection to a small European country called Saint GIlbert. Her late Grandmother was the exiled ruler and now Annie is next in line…

Annie is another strong female character and this is a book to tempt fans of stories like The Princess Diaries. I am not a romance fan but if anyone can make me enjoy romance it is Mariah Stewart.

With many thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for my digital copy.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

I loved this book. It was so unique. Nothing like finding out you're grandmother was the exiled ruler of a small island the size of Rhode Island. Annie is a divorced mother of two teenagers in PH. She becomes Duchess. Needless to say she was shocked. Annie is next in line to wear the crown and restore the monarchy. The would-be grand duchess of the Grand Duchy of Saint Gilbert has vacation time coming, enough to take a quick trip to check it out. This whole situation is like a fairy tale and the castle itself is too.

She ends up enjoying her time there and her "security" detail who she met in the states is Max and I have a feeling that something is going to happen. He shows her the country, etc. She starts thinking what she can do with the funds, if she can get them, to help tourism, improve the roads, do something with the wine, and cheese, and sheep's wool they produce and try to get it to the states to help the economy and the owners. I want some of that violet/goat soap that erased all lines in people's faces and the residents who used it who looked 20 years younger. Annie took it back to the states and noticed when she used it her "11" lines were gone and then she started giving it to her sisters (Roe and Ceil, who are a riot and total opposites from each other and Annie), and they noticed a big difference too.

Will she become a Duchess? It took approximately just over 50% of the book to find out.

I loved Juliette (Jules) and Ralphie, her kids from her ex Ralph, both in high school and how they were pretty mature for their age.

This book was a combination of serious and funny because of the job of Duchess she had, a big responsibility, and funny because who would have ever thought she'd be living a fairy tale with her sisters and kids?

Then things took a turn -- first for the worst and then for the better thankfully.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Head that Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Loved this book as it was such a fun read. Light hearted but keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can as it's that cute. Great escape from the craziness in our lives right now. Read it asap!

In Mariah Stewart's The Head That Wears the Crown, Annie Gilberti's life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers her royal heritage. This heartwarming novel follows her journey of self-discovery as she navigates the complexities of her newfound identity and strengthens her family bonds. It's a quick and engaging read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐.5
SPICE: 🔥

Annie Gilberti was just a mom trying to navigate South Philadelphia, survive a thankless job, and co-parent two teens with her ex who has set up a whole new family for himself. When a mysterious George Clooney-lookalike started shadowing her, she was not expecting that he would change her life forever.

It turns out that Annie is actually Grand Duchy Annaliese of Saint Gilbert. Saint Gilbert is a small European monarchy long forgotten after Germany -- and eventually Russia -- took it over during World War Two. Now they are looking for the descendants of the monarchy that once ruled the land, and it looks like Annie and her sisters are it.

With "George" who turns out to be Maximillien Belleme, head of Saint Gilbert's royal security, escorting Annie back to Saint Gilbert, she spends a couple of weeks getting to know the land and the people that her family once ruled over. She is given the choice to claim the crown, but is she willing to relocate her family and take on the responsibility of rebuilding the kingdom?

This story was meant to be a grown-up version of the Princess Diaries, but if you're expecting a royal romance, I have to say you would be disappointed.

Annie's story focuses more on finding her roots. She learns more about the struggles of her family ruling over Saint Gilbert, including how her seemingly proper grandmother escaped the war to continue their legacy. My favorite part is how she strengthens the bonds with her sisters and kids as a result of her decision over the crown.

To me, the love story between Annie and Max takes a serious backseat to everything else. I felt that their chemistry was built more on friendship and love of country than actual love. The spice is behind closed doors if that is what you're looking for, and the culmination certainly felt rushed.

Did I enjoy the read? Sure, but it wasn't what I had expected jumping into. I liked the theme of bonding with family and finding who you are, but if you are looking for romance, this did not quite meet that mark.

I absolutely loved this captivating book! The characters are great, the development of the story is wonderful, and I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Philly mom Annalise has no idea where her life will go when a stranger tells her that she is the grand Duchess of a small European state. ARC from NetGalley.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc. This was a great story with very likable characters. I enjoyed it immensely.

If you are looking for a fun, whimsical but still heartfelt novel The Head That Wears the Crown is a perfect choice. Featuring 40-something divorced mom Annie, her teenage children and lively younger sisters fans of The Princess Diaries will enjoy this more adult take on a beloved theme. I enjoy the history Mariah Stewart provides in her novel that serves as both a backdrop and motive for a lot of the events. This is a fun read, where an American woman discovers she's heir to a small duchy (and I would absolutely visit Giliberti if possible), and is tasked to decide if she accepts her birth-right and if she should uproot her whole family-while learning that not every citizen wanted to restore the monarchy.
With a dash of romance, humor and light this is a delightful read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I can sit here and tell youthis story from beginning to end without a struggle. I won't becausre I want everyone to read it. It is one of the best books I have read in a while.
Annie is a divorced mom with the support of her sisters. Little does she know, that her grandmother was holding a huge secret. A secret that will change her life forever in a good way.
This book was a fast read. It has all the emotions in it and it was fabulous.

A wish-fulfillment fantasy, in which a divorced middle-aged mother of two from South Philly learns that she is the heir to the throne of a tiny European country which has thrown off Russian rule and voted to restore the monarchy. Annie decides to accept, because she wants to make a difference for the country and bring it into the 21st century. Castle life doesn't hurt, either. Nor does the extremely handsome captain of the guard.

I am not the target audience for this book. It is well-written, as expected from Mariah Stewart, and the characters are reasonably rounded. Everything goes far too smoothly but, as I said, wish-fulfillment fantasy.

I loved this one! It’s every girls dream to discover she’s a lost princess so right there I was hooked. I loved that she was a single mom and kind of a rags to riches underlying theme. I would say the plot is fairly predictable but I knew that going in.

Imagine you’re a divorced working mom in Philadelphia with 2 teenagers and you notice you’re being followed by the best looking man you’ve ever seen. He and his friends tell you that your grandmother was the last Grand Duchess of a tiny European country, San Gilberti, and that you, Annie Gilberti, are the next in line now that the country has voted to reestablish the monarchy.

This is the entertaining plot of The Head That Wears the Crown. When Annie finds out, she’s shocked but not totally surprised, her grandmother didn’t talk about escaping WWII and coming to the US.
Annie goes to San Gilberti where she finds a beautiful and charming place that has very little infrastructure or economy of its own.

Annie needs to decide if she will become the Grand Duchess with all the responsibilities that come with the title. She’ll have to move her family, and she’s concerned about her kids, especially when she finds out that not everyone in San Gilberti is excited about restoring the monarchy.

I really enjoyed this book, and I loved Annie’s family and friends. This is fun escapist fiction at its best

4 stars.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Annaliese and Max. Annaliese is a divorced mother of two teenagers. Max is a duke who is looking for the duchess they need to rule a European country. Max traces the bloodlines and find Annaliese. There is an instant attraction. She flies with Max back to see his country. She finds out about her grandmother and her great grandparents. She goes back and packs up her family and moves to the European country. Annaliese and Max fall in love.

A South Philly single mom of two finds out she is heir to a small country called St. Gilbert. Annie travels to St. Gilbert, falls in love with the country, and moves there with her teenagers, followed by her sisters and best friend. She becomes the Grand Duchess and is tasked with modernizing the country, which lacks tourism infrastructure and has an ineffective council. Despite some eye-rolling moments and unrealistic aspects, such as the smooth transition for Annie's family and the council's acceptance of the new Duchess, the novel offers a cute and quick read reminiscent of a mix between Princess Diaries and Hallmark movies. The story includes a twist three-quarters of the way through and a romantic subplot with a hunky captain. Overall, it's a fun and light read, perfect for a vacation or weekend escape.

The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart is such a delightful read. I have read many novels featuring royalty. This book felt the most realistic by far. I loved the age of the main character and the circumstances in which she discovered her royal identity. This is a really fun, engrossing read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This was a cute and sweet story of a single mom in her 40s having a Princess Diaries experience. Annaliese (Annie) Gilberti discovers that her grandmother was next in line to the throne of a small country in Europe when she was forced to flee as a teen during World War II. Decades later, the country is looking to reinstall the monarchy, and Annie is the heir to the throne.

This was a story of Annie's journey to the country of St. Gilbert and the transition into a leadership role while trying to bring the country into modern times and boost its economy. The country certainly had its charm and interesting history and ties to her ancestors, though sometimes the details got a bit muddy.

Overall it was a nice story, and her captain of the guard, Maximilien Belleme, was quite the protector. Aside from a little suspense towards the end, there was very little angst and only a dabble of romance. But if you're looking for a sweet, low angst book, this may be right up your alley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the arc.

Overall, "The head that wears the crown" is a beautifully written and emotionally powerful romance that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a book that will sweep them off their feet. Stewart is a truly talented author, and I can't wait to see what they write next. Five stars all the way!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

A story that's as sweet as a Hallmark movie but moving in a much sloooower pace. I'm sorry to say that I was very bored since nothing really happened and I put i down :(.

I was so excited to read this book- a grown up Princess Diaries featuring a mom of two kids and in her 40’s (just like me). But unfortunately I could not get into it and ended up not finishing halfway through. It’s not a bad book by any means, it’s just not much has happened other than a pampering trip to her new country. I am not seeing the humor and love that I was hoping to see early on and maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for a slow burn. I might pick it back up later though.