My sincere thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart. I give my unbiased opinion of the book in the following review.

I have loved so many of Mariah Stewart's books in the past that I was excited to have a chance to read an ARC of The Head That Wears the Crown which is essentially an adult version of The Princess Diaries. Unfortunately, I just didn't love this book. It is a departure from what I would call Stewart's normal type of book. That is not necessarily a bad thing because I'm sure there are many readers who will love this fairy tale story. As for me, it just didn't catch my interest. I skimmed some and had a hard time picking up the book. When I read a fairy tale, I want to get lost in the world of the story so much so that I forget that it is a fairy talk and not really based in reality. Even with some tension and a little suspense at the end I just couldn't get lost in this one. I didn't believe it. That being said, I am still a fan of Mariah Stewart and will no doubt read more of her books in the future.

How would you react to the news that you are royalty?

Yes, after the belly laugh and gasps. How’d you react?

This is the premise that author Mariah Stewart explores when she questions if this discovery would be really worth uprooting one’s family and totally changing one’s way of life.

John-Paul Laurent, Marcel Barsotti, and Maximillien Belleme are on a mission; their sole focus is to convince Her Royal Highness, Grand Duchess Annaliese Emelie Sophia Elizabet of the Grand Duchy of Saint Gilbert, to return to Castle Blanc and re-establish the monarchy in Saint Gilbert.

The thing is, Her Royal Highness doesn’t know she’s royalty.

She’s just plain old Annaliese Gilberti Cancelmi, divorced and struggling mom of two teens.

Stewart takes her readers on an enchanting journey of a middle-aged ordinary woman who is given the opportunity to become extraordinary and carry the torch of the Gilberti legacy. I was spellbound as Steward ignited my love of fairytales and had me instantly smiling and nodding my head at her authentic representation of a modern family. Her characters are wonderful and I loved the ‘what if’ aspect, even if I had to suspend my disbelief at times.

This story about love, loss, duty and family bonds is pure escapism and needs to be on your reading list.

Did you enjoy The Princess Diaries? Roman Holiday? Then you’ll enjoy this one.

I was gifted this copy by Montlake and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A South Philly single mom of two finds out she is heir to a small country. Annie travels to St. Gilbert and falls in love with the country, people and cultural. She moves with her teenagers there, and her sisters and best friend follow. She becomes the Grand Duchy and is given task of bringing this country up to date. The country has no hotel so no tourism. The Council is set up of older men who have not been accountable and have been left to their own agendas. Roads are deplorable, young people are leaving and castles are crumbling….what’s a Duchy to do?

Princess Diaries meets Hallmark movies. A cute, quick read, but I did find myself rolling my eyes quite a few times. I can’t imagine two teenage kids jumping at the chance to move halfway around the world with no push back of leaving their friends and everything they know. It was refreshing to see the close relationship they had with their Mom, but these kids were just too good to be true. The relationship between the sisters is strong, but again, they leave willingly to take on strong roles within the country. Very little growing pains for the family. The Council basically accepts this new Duchy with little drama. How is English the main language? Yes, there is a twist about 3/4 of the way in. I was expecting a twist, but not this one. Of course there is a hunky Captain who has captured Annie’s eye. Since I live 30 miles from Philly, I loved all the references to the city and the surrounding area, including the attitude and slang. Was this a fun little read, yes. Perfect light read for vacation or weekend home. I’ve read this author before and have enjoyed her previous books more, but this was a cute escape.

Thanks to Montlake Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

This was mostly a fun, quirky story about an American, single mom who finds out she is actually a direct descendant and next in line to the Duchy of Saint Gilbert. At times, serious, and other times over the top fantastical, there was plenty of levity as the main character Anneliese directs ger off the wall comments to us, her audience. I loved the Philly references as I'll be visiting this weekend, lol. A bit of fluff for the most part but I actually needed that right now.

Loved this story. This is every little girl's dream. To become a princess. Annie is just living her life in South Philly when she is approached by three men. They have a fantastic story, and it will upend her whole world. Not only her world, but that of her family too. Annie didn't know that her grandmother was a grand duchess. How did she not know this? The oldest daughter is the one to inherit the crown and as Annie's mother has died, the crown goes to her. What!? She is a divorced woman with two teenagers, how can she rule a country? After she decides to give it a try, she enlists her sisters and best friend to help. Can they bring the country into this century? Will Saint Gilbert ever feel like home? When danger lands at their door, will Annie and her family decide to stay and fight, or go back to South Philly?

If I could give this book 10 stars I would. Loved everything about this story. I laughed, I cried (but they were happy tears).

This book was one of the best books I have read in a long long time. It was so real and the author has such a great way of making the story like you are right there with them.

Loved it Mariah. I have read slot of your books but this one is my favorite one of them all.

I’m a big fan of Stewart’s work and the Wyndham Beach series is one of my absolute favorites.
The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart was a
Mariah Stewart is an excellent writer and this is a very satisfying read.
I loved following Anna's journey.
I adored the characters, they were fun and had such amazing depth.
The setting, the supporting characters, and the story was a fun, exciting and entertaining read.
The writing is amazing as usual. Stewart always sucks me in so quickly and leaves me with the best feeling when I’ve finished her stories .

I would like to thank NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. Usually when you are a forty something woman, you know that being a princess is just a dream that you had as a child. This was not so for Annaliese "Annie" Gilberti who lives in South Philadelphia with her 2 teenage children. She is a divorced mom who holds a regular 9 to 5 job with 2 sisters that she loves. Imagine her surprise when she finds out her late grandmother was a part of a royal family many moons ago before she fled her family's royal home during the war. This little country has been looking for a predecessor for many years. They have found Annie and she is heir to the throne of Saint Gilbert. She thinks it is a big joke at first until she learns more of her grandmother's story, a story that will bring you to tears. She is invited to visit Saint Gilbert to see if she will accept the crown.

This story has all of the makings of a grown up fairy tale including a castle with turrets and secret passageways. Things are not all roses and tiaras as Annie finds a country in dire need of an upgrade that needs to be brought into this century. Her task will be momentous, so the question is can an insurance adjuster from America solve the problems of a small country? As adults we know this is the stuff of fairy tales, but so what, that is why it is called fiction. It is always fun to dive into a book and lose yourself for a little while in a world of make believe, which is why I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would call this Princess Diaries 2.0, which delighted my soul. I think this was a beautifully written story of love, loss, and family dynamics that will brighten your day, if you will just allow yourself to escape for a little while into the world of lost royalty. The characters were likable and the book was just a joy to read. If you want to real life, turn on the news. If you want to enjoy a fun afternoon of reading and letting your imagination fly away to a world far, far away, you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Annaliese Gilberti get every young girls dream!

I think it has been every young girls dream to be royalty but Annaliese Gilberti found out that it was true when the Duchy of Saint Gilbert told her that her grandmother had been the last Grand Duchess before the Germans and Russians devastated the country. Saint Gilbert needs help and hopefully Annaliese (Annie) Gilberti and her sisters will get them into the twenty-first century.

The Head That Wears the Crown was so darn fun to read because Annie and her family figure out that with a little help that Saint Gilbert is their home.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart is a fairy tale story, albeit a little different. Think Princess Diaries with an older heroine.

Annalise, a single mom living in South Philly, is completely unaware of her family's legacy. One day, she is given a very important piece of information where she is told that she is a Grand Duchess of a relatively unknown country. Apart from this information, she is being told that she is responsible for bringing this country into the modern era.

This story is fairy talesque and has a touch of magical realism. And I am not complaining. I loved the characters of this story. Annalise is strong and, at the same time, vulnerable. She is surrounded by her wonderful family, especially her sisters, and I loved their bonding. It's a perfect book when we all need that goodness in our lives. Believing in fairy tales is my favorite thing!

What a wonderful book this is! Kind of like a contemporary Cinderella story and very worthy of immersing yourself in for some hours of 'get away from it all' reading.

Annaliese, a hard working single mom from South Philly, finds out she is the presumptive heir to the thrown of a little known Duchy in Europe. Deciding to go to Saint Gilbert, if only to see where her family originated, she falls in love with the country. Many decisions later, Annie decides to take the leap and become the Grand Duchess.

There are so many parts to this book, each one building on the other. I loved this story. You MUST suspend belief and just go with the storyline to give yourself permission to believe that the tasks Annie and her family take on are doable. This is a contemporary fairytale after all! I loved the characters, the way the country is being brought back to international standing, and the romantic ending. The epilogue gave more understanding of what was going on in the lives of the main characters, but, I'm SO HOPING there will be another book based in Saint Gilbert. We have some peripheral characters that need to have their stories told!

Although not written in the usual Mariah Stewart style, this book was engaging, entertaining, and fun. I mean, what woman hasn't thought about the ability to make change for many and do good things! Highly recommend.

This is a fun book to get immersed in and escape reality. What a surprise when Annaliese Gilberti finds out that she descended from royalty. Her grandmother was next in line for the Grand Duchess of a small European country before her family sent her away as a teenager, right before the Germans killed her family. Now Annie is next in line to become the Grand Duchess of this country that has been in control of Germans and then Russians for many years. The Duke's Council has researched to find the next descendant and found Annie. So, Annie, a hard-working divorced mom of two teenagers from South Philly and her family, including two sisters, rip up their roots and head to Saint Gilberti for a new life of living as royals. What fun! Annie and her sisters throw themselves into helping the country become self-sufficient and give back to the country of their ancestors. This is an enjoyable read with history, a little mystery, emotion, new beginnings, family, and romance. I have read Mariah Stewart's books for many years and especially loved her suspense books, so this is different but a fun read.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

I’d never want to be royalty .Annie finds she’s the next in line to rule a small European country.She leaves her every day life to travel to learn about Saint Gilbert.Her daughter is so excited at the thought of having the throne someday.Read the book to learn more.

I was a skeptic when I read the blurb for this more adult take on the Princess Diaries but you know what? it's a delight! Annie never knew about Saint Gilbert or her family history and now she's living life as a Grand Duchess. This is sweet it's funny, and it's got a nice romance. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

a sweet modern day fairy tale, this was a quick sweet story., it was a little far fetched, but i loved it.

This was a departure from the typical Mariah Stewart book. But I absolutely loved it! To be honest, what is not to love about a fairy tale come true. The characters were well developed and the storyline kept you invested from the first page to the last. I loved the Gilberti sisters. They had different personalities but their relationship was touching. And then you factor in the Head of Security, Max. He was such a wonderful addition to the story … good looking but he had a heart of gold and was a man of character. The twists and turns of how Annie became the Grand Duchess of Saint Gilbert will have you flipping through the pages. The setting is delightful and I so wish this was a real story and I could escape to visit with the people. While a touch of romance, there is so much more to the story … the strength of women, the love and dedication of family, and willingness to explore a new beginning. I cannot encourage you enough to get lost in this entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

The Head that Wears the Crown is a delightfully entertaining royal romance.

Annaliese—Annie—Gilberti is a divorced South Philadelphia mother of two with a nine-to-five job. Annie begins to feel as if she is being followed when she spots several well-dressed men following her. She confronts them and agrees to meet with them at a coffee shop nearby. Max reveals her past regarding her grandmother had been forced to leave the country of Saint Gilbert. The truth comes out that due to the Nazi's attempting to gain power their small country was in danger and many of her relatives were killed, leaving Annie the first-born daughter to be the heir. Overcome by the reveal she agrees to go to Saint Gilbert and see for herself what her grandmother left behind.

I thought this was great fun to read. It was a little like The Princess Diaries, but there was history and fantasy woven together for a great story. This is a really fun page turner, worth reading. Sometimes we all want to be taken away from our reality. This will put a smile on your face as you read.

a good modern fairy tale. the dialogue was funny and charming. very good writing and I was hooked and loved the ending

"The Head That Wears the Crown" by Mariah Stewart seems to be a delightful and engaging novel that offers readers a unique blend of contemporary life and royal intrigue. The story's premise, centered around an ordinary woman discovering her royal heritage and stepping into a newfound role, promises an exciting and heartwarming tale.

Annie Gilberti, the relatable protagonist, is instantly relatable to readers as a divorced mother navigating the challenges of everyday life. The unexpected revelation that she's the heir to a European monarchy adds an intriguing twist to her character arc. Annie's journey of self-discovery and determination to be worthy of her newfound title is likely to resonate with readers who enjoy stories of personal growth and transformation.

The setting of Saint Gilbert and its charming villagers, along with the mysteries surrounding the town, create an enchanting backdrop for the narrative. The ancestral home, Castle Blanc, with its hidden rooms and passages, adds an element of mystery and adventure to the story.

The potential for romance with Maximilien Belleme, the captain of the castle guard, adds an exciting dimension to the plot. Readers who appreciate a touch of romance in their stories are likely to be drawn to Annie's budding relationship.

Overall, "The Head That Wears the Crown" appears to be a heartwarming and captivating tale of a woman unexpectedly thrust into royalty, and her journey to embrace her new role while uncovering the legacy of courageous women in her family. This novel seems to offer a perfect blend of contemporary life, romance, and royal intrigue, making it an appealing choice for readers looking for an engaging and uplifting story.

Cute modern day fairy tale. A bit far fetched, but that's why we read, to escape our normal lives. The characters were likable and the dialogue was funny at times. If you like family, royalty and light romance, this will be a good choice. Many thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.