Review: A Merry Royal Layover - Terri Wilson
Review: A Merry Royal Layover - Teri Wilson - October 2021
There are some books that feel like curling up on the couch with a hot chocolate, a Christmas movie playing in the background, and absolutely no intention of taking life too seriously. A Merry Royal Layover by Terri Wilson is exactly that kind of book. It’s cute, festive, romantic and completely unapologetic about leaning into all the things we love about holiday rom-coms.
As soon as I started reading this novella, I was getting major Love Actually vibes. In fact, there are so many little references and nods to the movie that I couldn't help but smile, especially the infamous Christmas lobster claws. If you know, you know! I love it when an author manages to weave in those little pop-culture moments without making them feel forced, and this book absolutely delivered on that front.
But Love Actually isn't the only movie that came to mind. I was also getting strong The Prince and Me vibes, which just happens to be another one of my favourite movies. Give me Julia Stiles, an unexpected royal romance and a handsome prince, and I'm already sold. Add in the snowy Christmas setting and a heroine who finds herself somewhere completely unexpected, and I'm basically ready to book my own flight!
And then there are all those wonderfully predictable Christmas Hallmark movies where an ordinary woman heads off to some tiny European country for a job, accidentally meets a prince or king, and somehow finds herself falling in love while surrounded by snow, Christmas decorations and enough festive magic to power an entire village. A Merry Royal Layover feels like all of those movies wrapped up into one quick, adorable novella.
Our heroine is a veterinarian travelling to a remote European village to volunteer at an animal shelter over Christmas. Things take an unexpected turn when she receives a first-class upgrade and meets a charming stranger in an airport lounge. Of course, there is a little question of whether this mysterious man might actually be the country's crown prince!
The fact that the story takes place over just a couple of days gives it that wonderfully fast-paced, movie-like quality. It's not trying to be complicated or overly dramatic. Instead, it's a sweet little festive escape filled with romance, humour, Christmas magic and just enough royal fantasy to make you believe that maybe, just maybe, your own Heathrow layover could turn into something magical.
Sometimes you don't need a book that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes you just need a cute Christmas romance that makes you grin from beginning to end.
A Merry Royal Layover was exactly that for me a little festive pick-me-up, a whole lot of movie nostalgia and the perfect quick Christmas read.
Comments
Post a Comment