Princess Ever After

Written by Rachel Hauck

Narrated by Eleni Pappageorge

Regina Beswick doesn’t know she was born to be a princess. 

The second book in the Royal Wedding series from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck!

Regina Beswick is content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her—one that will leap from the pages of her grandmother’s hand-painted book of fairytales.

Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation’s future—and his own.

Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever.

Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she’s destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together—with a little divine intervention—Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love. 

“Hauck can be counted on for captivating, page-turning stories and sincere characters with heart.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Apr 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9780310366591

Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pet and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at RachelHauck.com; Facebook: RachelHauck; Twitter: @RachelHauck; Instagram: @rachelhauck.

Reviews for Princess Ever After

[karenvg3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this second book in the trilogy. I found this one more entertaining than the first. It had more action and kept me reading more than the first. I enjoyed Reggie and her down to earth ways. Would have liked a bit more about the twins.

[vonze-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Princess Ever After is a fun, light read. The main character, Regina, is a Tallahassee girl with a hick side, who just recently left her job as a CPA to restore cars. I enjoyed that her character traits and background were both strong and original. I don't see too many female mechanics in any romance genre.

Little does Regina know, her Gram was actually a princess who had to flee her country, making Regina the rightful heir to the throne. Although the idea has been done before and is a little far-fetched, Rachel Hauck successfully makes the plot as realistic as possible. Regina has doubts, identity issues, and not everyone in the country is ready to welcome her as the monarch with open arms.

The romance in the novel was very sweet, especially if you like love-at-first-sight. Regina and her love interest, Tanner, seemed to be drawn to one another from the beginning.

Personally, I recommend reading the first book in the Royal Wedding Series, "Once Upon A Prince," before picking this one up. I think the politics and history of the imaginary countries of Hessenberg and Brighton are best explained in "Once Upon A Prince," helping the reader to understand why the stakes are so high for Regina and the other characters in this novel.

I hope this isn't the last book in the series. Maybe Hauck will write about the younger sister of Susanna from "Once Upon A Prince" or the twin girls from this story, aging them up, with cameos from other characters.

[judyg54 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was just an all around feel good story about a small-town girl finding out she is really a princess. Regina Beswick thinks she is content running a classic auto restoration shop in Florida until Tanner Burkhardt shows up. Tanner is the Minister of Culture in Hessenberg and is in Florida to tell Regina that she needs to come to Hessenberg and reclaim the throne for her country. Of course Regina must now decide whether to stay and restore cars or go and take over a nation. Quite the dilemma. But Tanner will be there with her every step of the way, and that together time will lead to a very enjoyable romantic plot to this story.I really enjoyed my time with Regina and Tanner and both characters were fun to get to know and they made quite the perfect couple. Who hasn't dreamed of being a princess as a little girl. For Regina, her dreams will come true and the princess stories her Gram told her will come to life.This could easily be read as a stand alone story, but you will get to catch up a little from friends in book one if you read the stories in the order they were written.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Could not get into this story of the "lost princess" and its highly predictable ending. A little too sweet and seemed superficial. I could not get interested in the characters or situations. I finally skipped to the ending.

[lyssa73 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Better than the first, but still a little too sugary sweet. Very reminiscent of the princess diaries. If you loved those movies or the series, you might love this book. Or you might be offended at the attempt.

I really enjoyed the added elements of history and mystery and the christian challenges (although some of the experiences felt a little hoaky to me). Unfortunately it was the romance that didn't sweep me away. It felt forced, superficial, and too quick. One minute, Reggie (ugh, name) is understandable rebuffing Tanner because, although she is interested, it's just too much all at once; she needs to focus on the princess thing first. She tells Susanna that she's not in love. The next day, she's madly in love and they are both declaring their feelings and talking about how they've loved each other from the first moment. Mm, no. no, no, no. too much, too soon. And let me just say, that falling in love, gradually, weeks, months, even years after meeting someone is no less powerful or romantic than love at first sight. And what I witnessed from their initial meeting was *lust* at first sight. Their romance had me shaking my head with the artificially sweet cliches.

And Reggie irked me sometimes. She's almost thirty, but often acting like a 14 year old girl, giggling and taking issue with being a princess. And her frequent lack of professionalism is not the only way to have compassion and humility. I really thought someone of her age and experience could understand and respect some of the expectations of her position, but instead she often represented a stereotypical american in the worst way.

To sum it up, this is a fairly light, fun read; some of the attempts at depth fell short for me.

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reggie is living the life she has dreamed about. She is restoring old cars in a garage. She is twenty-nine, single, college educated, and secure with herself and life in general.That is, secure until Tanner comes to tell her of her heritage. She is a long lost Princess of a Kingdom. In order to become a sovereign country, they need heir to come and reclaim the throne to end an entail that has been in place for 100 years. To say she is reluctant is to understate her predicament.I loved reading this book. It was fun to peek into the life of Regina and Tanner. To see how a normal, everyday woman can embrace destiny and become a Princess for the people. The romance part was great. It didn't feel rushed, even though attraction was instantaneous, romance was not.The book had great pacing and I loved the dialogue. This book is a good, clean romance that has a "and they lived happily ever after" quality to it.

[nise_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Regina is not princess material, and that makes her such a wonderful character. She has just had her first success restoring a car and her business is taking off. Tanner's news throws a wrench into her continued plans. He has committed to helping her fulfill her grandmother's legacy, while struggling with regrets from his past. Both characters are easy to relate to and it was not hard to love them both. Of course, since this is a fairy tale, things do work out in the end, but it was a bumpy, emotional and enjoyable ride.

[barbjan10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Normally, I have shied away from fairytales or anything fantasy like. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to read Princess Ever After, but determined that perhaps my scope of reading was stilted and needed some refreshing. Oh boy…did I ever get refreshed!! Congratulations to Rachel Hauck for taking me out of my doldrums and enlightening new genre interests of the unordinary. Another exception to reading this unlikely story is that I have little interest in restoring of old cars, antique, fancy, racing, or otherwise – although I realize significant history has taken automobiles far and beyond what my 75 year old mind can comprehend, when I finally grasped the importance of cars or a particular car to this story – my total perspective was changed.Imagine young Reggie Beswick at work underneath a car getting covered with oil and grease when Tanner Burkhardt walked into Reggie’s business garage located in Florida and identified himself as the Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg with shocking news that Reggie is the lost princess of Hessenberg. Yep, Reggie is actually Regina, a girl, not a boy as her name might have first suggested. Hold onto your tiaras from here on, readers, for as Forrest Gump told us, “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”The story becomes more curious when we meet Reggie’s great-grandmother Alice in flashbacks to her life in Hessenberg before the war forced her and her family to flee. Alice writes lovingly of her family and country, with dreams of returning one day to Hessenburg. Reggie loved her Grandmother incessantly and remembers fondly the fairytale often read to her from a book actually written and artistically illustrated by Gram. Rachel Hauck obviously has done a great deal of research and used her information wisely and delightfully. Her characters and their roles add the interest of conflict, adoration, charm and a bit of evilness to the story typical of fairytales. I loved them all…well, almost all. They are very well assigned. Will Reggie find out what gram was telling her through the fairytale book – never audibly hearing it from her lips?Rachel Hauck penned much humor and plight of mystery between the pages of Princess Ever After. Romance was on the minds of Reggie and Tanner from the beginning. Tanner is in for double trouble as the story proceeds. Will Princess Reggie be able to restore the precious duchy to this tiny island? One revelation to me is that fairytales can be likened to parables - good against evil as God wills. Faith and trust in God was so perceptive in the spirituality of Reggie, Tanner and all concerned, that I admire how subtly author Rachel Hauck wrote her deepest faith between the lines. The oil that covered Reggie’s face underneath the car in the beginning of this sweet story is truly symbolic of the warm holy oil essence that came over her understanding that she was who God meant her to be. What wonderful things I’ve learned from this fairytale and it certainly was not a fantasy. Thank you Rachel Hauck for this blessed lesson. I look forward excitedly to your next book. Now, reader, are you not curious as to what I have learned from Ms. Hauck? Well then….get your copy now!I received a copy of Princess Ever After from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you want great romance, your go-to author should be Rachel Hauck. Princess Ever After, the second book in The Royal Wedding series, features a fairy tale princess, a wonderfully detailed and imagined kingdom, and a romance with definite sparks. But this is no fantasy. The novel, though set in the fictional Duchy of Hessenberg, presents real life problems and obstacles that can be overcome with God’s plans and purposes. Highly recommended for romance fans.Regina (Reggie) Beswick believes she is living her dream. The CPA turned classic auto restorer loves her family, her hometown and her job. But is she really living or merely existing? She is forced to examine what she is made for when Tanner Burkhardt, the Minister of Culture of Hessenberg, turns her world and her perception of herself upside down. Soon she is in Hessenberg wrestling with the responsibility of royalty and God’s leading. Her attraction to Tanner is another complication she is unwilling to overlook.Princess Ever After really does have a fairy tale feel. There seems to be some magic involved or is it God working in His people’s lives? I loved how Reggie feels God’s presence along with His anointing of her choices. There are plenty of real-life situations too – political intrigue, family complications and struggles with regrets and decisions.Though this is the second in the series, Princess Ever After can be read as a standalone. But book 1, Once Upon A Prince, was so good, I would start there. I am absolutely looking forward to more from Rachel Hauck.Highly Recommended.(I received this book courtesy of LitFuse. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Talk about a life changing moment! Living your whole life, and never knowing you are royalty!This is what is about to happen to Regina [Reggie] Beswick. An educated CPA, turned auto restorer. As a little girl, like a lot of little girls, she played being a princess, and now??I loved that most of the people in this story, lived their faith, and have a personal relationship with God. There is even a surprise, from the beginning of the book, that ends up at the end. Loved it!Be ready for reading and feeling you are there in the picturesque country of Hessenberg. Look forward to some wild rides, and a bit of romance thrown in.Can you imagine such a family secret? Also putting rare jewels in the attic, and not even knowing they are there? Also love the jetting around!! How about some high tea?Such a sweet and enjoyable story, I hated for it to end. Enjoy!I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Rachel Hauck brings every girls dream to life in this funny, charming, and romantic novel insisting that fairy tales can come true. Regina Beswick is just your average girl next door (that is, if your girl next door was a super beautiful accountant turned car shop owner, who has never been kissed) until one day she finds out that she is heir to a throne and destined to be a princess. She has to find out if she can handle what God has in store for her, because she would be perfectly happy restoring classic cars for the rest of her life. Does she have the courage to become a princess, to rule people, and leave her family behind? The beginning was a tad long, but I suspect that was because the author was trying to paint a believable picture and make the whole thing seem more realistic. It's not every day someone finds out they are heir to a throne thousands of miles away. The romance between Regina and the Minister of Culture, Tanner, is cute but happens a little fast for my taste. Let's just say I wish that I found my true love and confessed my feelings for that person in less than a week. Overall, the story was cute, the cover artwork adorable, and this book will have christian romance fans clamoring for more in the royal wedding series (this is the second). I received this book for free from LitFuse Publicity in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

[susangibsonsnodgrss · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Rachel Hauck's books. Ever since I read her first, I've always looked forward to her next. This book was no exception. It was definitely worth the wait. This book was so delightful that, every time I put it down to do an errand or chore, I thought about it the entire time I was away, longing to bury myself back in the pages. I wanted to read it fast to see what happened, yet at the same time, wanted to slowly savor each word.Regina Beswick lives in Tallahassee, Florida, and restores old cars. This is what she feels she was born to do and loves her job! Then one day, Tanner Burkhardt, Minister of Culture, from a tiny North Sea island called Hessenberg, shows up at her shop and tells her she is the heir to the tiny kingdom and must come with him to Hessenberg in the next day or two. Phew! What's a girl to think? How can she just leave everybody and everything she knows to go off into an unknown future? This is a Christian book, make no mistake about that. We read of Abraham, patriarch of the faith, being told by God to do just that very thing: leave his family and friends and set out for an unknown future. Regina has a very close relationship with God, so she prays about this dilemma. She goes to Hessenberg with Tanner, who, by the way, already feels something for her and she him. But Tanner's had some terrible hurts and losses in his life and has closed his heart off to anything that could possibly hurt him again. Regina's never even been kissed.Rachel Hauck creates characters that are so vibrant and real, that you wish you could just throw your arms around them and give them a big ole hug! She does this so well that, only a few pages into the book, and sometimes not even that long, you know these folks! And it's not just this book, either. It's all her books.Hauck also writes the spiritual very well. I love the element of the Divine she puts in these books. I can't help but feel that her own walk with God is extraordinary. I feel her heart for God and she doesn't hesitate to pour it into her books. That's a huge part of why I love her books so much. They are spiritually nourishing. Regina is quite a character, and living in the south as I do, I enjoyed reading all the expressions Regina used because I use them myself! Regina was a delightful character and Tanner was just awesome! I loved him from the start.It was wonderful to watch how God worked in the lives of these characters, and how He showed Himself true to them.Now I'm left longing for the next book! Rachel Hauck rocks! flag Reading Progress.