I absolutely loved this series. These are such quick reads and you hardly want to put them down. Such a fun and adventurous story.

This was such a lovely story that I really enjoyed. Loved the setting and the characters.Can’t wait to read more in this series.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

Interests have changed - no longer going to review this book as its bo my cup of tea any longer - sorry

This had all the makings of a book I would love, but at 12% I still wasn't feeling it. I could never put my finger on what the problem was, it just wasn't for me. I had planned to only set it aside for a little while, but that was in 2017 and I hadn't thought about this book since until I started going through my Netgalley books to update my thoughts on them.

This book is loosely based on The Roman Holiday and as much as I enjoyed it at times, I didn't end up loving it! Personally I think the development of the relationship between the leads, Julia and Niccolo was too swift. I didn't really understand what Julia saw in him either. But, I guess if you're looking for a light, fluffy read then this would be worth a try.

Julia had a prince in her bed and julia was a commoner or actually she was pretty much an outcast in American social circles. But in Rome she was just a nobody and julia loved that. It had been a while since Julia had looked at any kind of tabloid not since her father was the embezzler lucas Costa. Julia had sworn off all social media since her family’s turmoil had been a trending topic.Once again Julia had fallen for the wrong man her ex fiance had stolen all her money when everything came out about her dad. Julia was now a tour guide while she studied for her PhD in Archeaology. Julia had mistaken the Prince for her next client an toike him on a private tour. When Julia looked at Harry she forgot to breathe. She needed more time to absorb this bizarre turn of events. Time to figure out what to do with him. Julia’s closest friend was Chiara. Julia hated anyone thinking she was naive, she had already played the role of the trusting innocent. She definitely wasn’t naive anymore. Just when things were turning around for Julia. Just when she thought fate may at last be on her side she met a prince and didn’t even know it at first. He had lied to her , got her fired from her job, and owed her money. He had lead Julia on a wild-goose chase through Rome. Then he made her want dangerous things and now it would all be front page news. She’d be the laughing stock of Italy. Reduced to little more than scandal again. Her face would be on every newsstand on every corner in all of Europe. They would dig up her family history and say she was trying to extort the prince. Worst of all they would say julia threw herself at Harry. This was more about a pressing need than sex. This was about self respect and money. He owed her a lot- 1000 Euros. She wasn’t letting Harry out of her sight until he paid her. She had gave him a full day’s guided private tour. Then harry told he never carried money. What had the past two days meant to Harry- was she some royal joke? Niccolo/ Nico threw the front page of Repubblica on a pile of newspapers on the table. His Royal Highness Crown Prince of lazaretto. Nico was grandson to the king, heir to the throne, lord of the manor, duke of a few small territories. Sometimes Nico lost track of the royal titles. There were a lot. Out of all his various roles, one was a standup as far as grief it caused him , every headache, bout of insomnia, every clench of his jaw could be attributed to his one position only- older brother to Cassian La Torre - more often than not the role weighed on Nico more than all the others combined. Nico was the face of the Torre family. He was the P R man, the one who went from country to country shaking hands, cutting ribbons, supporting every charity under the sun and more often than not cleaning up after his younger brother. Nico was tired of covering up for his brother. So needing a break from his responsibilities he takes advantage of Julia’s mistaken identity of him as her next tour. But then Nico could not pay his bill and then his identity came out andher past is revealed.
I had mixed feelings on this book. The first chapter was on the present and then went to the near past in the next chapter and I didn’t really care for that. I did like the plot and fast pace for the most part. This was a light easy read. I would have liked more build up to the romance but also understood that Nico really didn’t have much time. I did enjoy how the author described things. I also enjoyed the adventure. Very unrealistic and I felt there should have been at least some realism. It very annoying a prince out and about with no money at all. Then took advantage of Julia’s mistake and went for an all day private tour and even cost ehr the tour job. I did chuckle at times though I did like the passion julia showed for the history and archaeology of rome since I have visited there. This did somehow managed to drag for me at times. I also felt the ending was just to abrupt. But as I said I had mixed feelings about this book.

The first in a series where each book is self contained, it is a remake of a story, but maybe with a little twist. This book was a remake of Roman Holiday and from the beginning I was swept up into this grand story. A prince is mistaken by a tour guide for her private tour of the day and as he wants to get out of his duties, he decides to go along for the ride.

From the beginning, I loved Julia Costa the tour guide. She was fun and spunky and I just loved her energy. I almost wanted to try to get a plane to Rome and have her by my tour guide for the day, I loved that she was trying to do the tour guide thing to pay the bills while getting a degree that bled into her tour guide life. The prince was fantastic. He was the brother that never got into trouble and always followed what was told and for one day he wanted to throw caution to the wind and make his own decisions - I loved it.

I just adored this book and the writing and the pace. The characters were right on point and with all things royal, I loved it. This one is completely romance so if that isn't your jam you may not like it. It definitely had some sexy times, but they weren't unwarranted or weirdly placed, they were just right.

5 out of 5 stars!! After feeling beaten down by his own royal responsibilities, Niccolo (Nico/Mano) the heir to the Lazaretto throne decides on escaping his gilded cage by pretending to be someone else when he meets Julia. Julia is an American tour guide living in Rome, who is running from her own notorious past and is in the midst of pulling her life together when she meets Niccolo. Their attraction is instantaneous and is blooming into something more by the minute. Yet when Niccolo’s “quick getaway” turns into something a whole lot more and into a bigger fiasco then he originally planned, will he still be able to go back to his “real” life after all is said and done; or will he be able to change his life for the better with the help of Julia by his side?

Okay truth time … this novel is said to be a modern retelling of the classic Audrey Hepburn film ‘Roman Holiday,’ and though I have heard of it I have never watched it so I really didn’t know what it was about. Yet I can definitely say I was not disappointed in the least as I was hooked by Chapter 2. It was the banter between Niccolo and Julia that reeled me in, especially how it seemed that Julia could get to the heart of any situation which made her be able to handle and understand Niccolo better than most people. Together they seemed to light up each page as you learned about their unusual meetup and budding romance. Though both were resistant to the possibility of something more between them because of the reality of their lives it seemed like fate wanted them together no matter what. It was very charming to see them both succumb to fate.

I recommend this novel 100% to anyone looking for a quirky contemporary new adult romance! My only regrets, though they didn’t tarnish my love for this novel, was that given today’s technology I kept thinking that Niccolo’s security would find him because of his cell phone AND I wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt. And yet I still HIGHLY recommend it! 😊

Review By: From Me to You ... Video, Photography, & Book Reviews
-- read more of this review and TWO TEASERS on my blog: frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com --

Need the quintessential breezy summer read? Pick up “Royally Roma” by Teri Wilson.

The premise is a gender-swapped, modern “Roman Holiday,” which I adore. That movie is style and a whirlwind romance, which is what this story gets right. Do not go into this assuming it’s a copy of the Audrey Hepburn film, appreciate that it’s really inspired by the story and honors the spirit of it.

Julia Costa is the complicated heroine, acting as a tour guide to make money, working toward a better life and trying to escape memories of exes. Niccolo la Torre, Crown Prince of Lazaretto, is ready for an adventure, though he’d never admit it. The fates are at work when Niccolo decides to act on a whim and lie to Julie in order to escape another hard day as a prince.

The story zips us through the streets of Rome, assuaging any wanderlust a reader may be having this summer. Julia wows Niccolo with her knowledge of the area and history, while Julia is trying to keep her cool with this dreamy man just inches from her, hanging on her every word.

The prince’s keepers are after him, Julia’s job is upset she was a no-show for her scheduled tour and sooner than later the truth has to come out.

I read this book while flying to Florida and it was a joy. It’s short, it’s sweet and it screams “make me into a movie.” I was hooked from the start and loved the nods to the movie that inspired it. The story takes place over days, so the excellerated romance may be jarring, but it’s pretty standard to suspend disbelief around that when it comes to romance novels.

Who should read this: Audrey fans and those wishing they could take a vacation this summer, but stuck at home.

What you should drink with this: Chilled white wine.

Link: https://drunkausten.wordpress.com/2017/06/22/book-review-royally-roma/

Review: Royally Roma by Teri Wilson is a sexy contemporary romance. One that knows how to get under readers’ skin like it did with mine. This was the first novel I have read by Teri Wilson. I wasn’t sure what to expect from her. The cover spoke to me as did the synopsis. Captivated, I read the book. It was then, that I realized how well Teri Wilson can write. The book spoke about finding the happily ever after that usually never comes for most. Yet, here, I got to see two fascinating characters get a chance of having it.

Teri Wilson has created a heroine that has a lot of spunk. Her determination despite her past situations and present struggles hooked me immediately. I wanted to know more about her. In fact, I was rooting for the whole way through. Julia has been hurt by men including her lying father. A father who turned out to be the worst parent one could imagine. Julia left home and found a new life for herself in Rome. Here, she works as a tour guide. No one knows about her or her father. That’s what she likes. Then, suddenly her new life goes up in flames. Her new customer turns out to be more than who he plays to be. This leads to be sexy and disastrous for Julia. Absolutely, funny, sweet, and charming.

Next there’s the hot alpha male hero. Niccolo La Torre is a crowned prince. One who takes his responsibilities seriously. However, he feels that his demanding grandfather is pushing him too hard. It wasn’t his fault that his younger brother has brought bad attention to their family. Why does he, have to do it all alone. Wanting an escape from duties while in Rome, Nic finds himself attracted to a beautiful tour woman. He soon lets her take him on a tour of Rome. Nic uses this time to escape reporters and his guards. But being with Julia makes him feel bad about lying to her. But then again, can he trust her to not ruin his name…

Royally Roma is a grand adventure that swallowed me whole. Took me from my seat and deep into the place of history, culture, and romance. When in Rome…is a phrase that could be used to describe both Julia and Nic’s time together. Readers have to dig in and find out what will happen…to both. I loved reading this tale. Well-written, engaging, and entertaining from beginning to end. Overall, I highly recommend Royally Roma to all.

I really enjoyed this one. It's a fast read, just over 250 pages, but it packs a big punch.

Both Julia and Niccolo have secrets they can't escape. Niccolo is at a breaking point. He's been the responsible one, the one that cleans up the messes, who does the hard thing, but when he sees the woman with the red painted mouth, who doesn't know who he is, mistakes him for her client he seizes the opportunity to escape himself - at least for a few hours.

Julia is a strong person too. Her life was upended and she moved to Rome to start over, to make a life for herself there. I loved Niccolo and Julia together, the way they build off of each other, they're better together. I loved the setting, the sightseeing, journeying around with Julia and Niccolo on the Vespa, seeing all the famous sights.

There were a few misses for me, I didn't like the beginning, I would rather have started without the glimpse of the future, and the ending felt too abrupt. I wish there had been more after the grand gesture, but I guess that's a good thing, leaving us wanting more. Overall I enjoyed Royally Roma and am excited to learn that the next book in the series, another retelling, will be available soon.

Royally Roma is an energetic, charming read. Teri Wilson consistently writes great modern-day retellings and her take on Roman Holiday had wonderful nods to the Audrey Hepburn/Gregory Peck classic while still maintaining its own identity.

Put aside your disbelief and enjoy a modern day fairytale where a dutiful prince in dire need of taking a break from cleaning up his brother’s messes impulsively takes off and explores the wonders of Rome with his beautiful American tour guide. I held off on writing this review for a couple of days because I was a bit torn about this book. Nico and Julia are both likeable characters who brighten up the page when they’re together. I loved how Ms. Wilson made Rome come alive on the page as Julia and Nico zipped from place to place. Even the more serious moments of Royally Roma couldn’t dampen the story’s sunny appeal. That being said, what took the book down a few notches for me was the romance. I really liked Nico and Julia together and given the whirlwind nature of the source material the breakneck speed of the romance wasn’t an issue for me. What did bother me was that Nico starts out the story keeping his identity a secret from Julia and this goes on for so long that it did make the romance a bit hard to swallow. If their falling in love had been a bit more drawn out or if Julia had gotten to know all of Nico’s character for more of the book, then I would have been more satisfied. You can have either a whirlwind romance or a secret identity, but both together is a bit much. Added to that the ending was abrupt and left me wanting more. If there had at least been an epilogue I would have satisfied. Even with these issues I found Royally Roma to be a lively, charming story and I’m looking forward to reading the next Royals book.

Royally Roma takes place in one of my most favorite cities in the world, Rome. How can anyone not love Rome? It has all of the best things in the world including architecture, art, language, food and people, in no specific order. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for review. Julia Costa makes her living in Rome conducting guided tours around the city while earning her PhD. She arrives at her next scheduled personal guided tour appointment to pick up her client. She sees a man who appears to be waiting for someone and mistakes him for her client. Niccolo, a crown prince, knows that Julia has mistaken him for someone else as he waits to leave the hotel for the next stop on his business for his country, but, he is intrigued by the fact that she has no idea who he is and plays along as if he is the client for her tour. They spend the entire day going from one amazing spot of Rome to the next when things start to get weird as Niccolo's security team is looking for him and typically it is his brother is the one that pretty much does anything he wants. Niccolo has decided for once he will throw out responsibility and do what he wants and creates a huge fiasco. The tour ends and Niccolo has no cash. Julia doesn't believe him and intends to ensure Niccolo doesn't leave her sight until the fee is paid. Her job is on the line. Of course, at some point the actual client turns up at the agreed upon spot waiting for his tour guide which creates a huge headache for Julia.

Niccolo is the prince that always does what is right. He follows the letter of the rules for which a prince must act while his brother does everything that is the height of improper behavior spending more time with his photo in tabloids doing some of the most outrageous things. Niccolo finally wants time off for himself. He has seen his schedule and it involves him moving from one place to another without seeing home, having time for himself or even time for a relationship with someone of his own choosing. As a matter of fact, he was scheduled for an event in Rome at the exact time he was running across Rome with Julia. Julia cannot afford to lose her job and not receiving payment for the tour is the least of her problems. An angry boss who has to guide the tour that Julia was supposed to give is right up there with not receiving payment. Of course they fall for each other. Niccolo is not ready to go back to his life but, he has to find a way to pay Julia and set right the mess he has caused by disappearing. When the truth comes out about his true identity will Julia forgive him? Is there a future for them? If the press finds out about how and why Niccolo avoided his duty it could cause an international incident. Royally Roma is a great character study of how far someone is willing to go when they have been pushed too far and do not ever have a moment to themselves. It is a great start to The Royals series and I look forward to the next book! Review can also be seen at LadyTechie's Book Musings ladytechiesbookmusings.blogspot.com.

Teri Wilson's "Royally Roma" (first in her "The Royals" series) is a retelling of Audrey Hepburn's famed "Roman Holiday". Hepburn's stand-in here is PhD archaeology student Julia Costa, who also works full-time as a private tour guide in Rome. She has a scandalous past. And the royal who soon upends her life is Niccolo La Torre, Crown Prince of Lazaretto. It's all rather light, fun and fluffy, with a Roman tour as a bonus.

I have a few confused feelings about this book and the story it contained. Although, I liked the light-hearted romance of it and the nod to a familiar movie, there were some things that bothered me about it. I hope that I can do the story justice.
Julia Costa fled the United States to get away from a family scandal. She works as a tour guide in Rome and likes her job. Then she meets a man who uses her services as a guide for a day. At the end of the day, he refuses to pay her, she loses her job and she doesn’t really know what to do. Keeping him with her is the only solution she can think of.
Niccolo La Torre, Crown Prince of Lazaretto, just wants a day away from the duties of being a royal. When he is mistaken for the client on a tour, he goes along with it. It doesn’t hurt that the guide is an attractive young woman. At the end of the day, his grandfather, the king, is hunting for him, people think he has been kidnapped and he has no money.
The things that I liked most about this story were its lightheartedness and the fun vibe. This is not a story that takes itself seriously or expects the readers to do so. The story is a quick read and perfect for taking to the beach.
What bothered me about it was that we start the story 2 days after Niccolo and Julia meet. Julia recaps the story for us and then we backtrack to go through the adventure with them. We already know what happens so the flashback felt redundant. I also had trouble with the fact that they fall madly in love in the span of 48 hours. It is definitely not realistic. It makes it hard to buy into their romance.
I like Teri Wilson’s writing style and will definitely pick up another book by her.

Royally Roma intrigued me from the beginning, although I can't remember warching Roman Holiday, Italy is on my dream holiday list, throw in a royal romance to have me hooked.

Julia has escaped a family scandal in America, where she was thrust into the media spotlight against her will because of her father's misdeeds. Making a new life for herself in Rome as a tour guide while completing her master's degree in history. Unfortunately, she also fell foul of an Italian gigolo upon her move, creating additional mistrust of men with charm.

Niccolo (Nico) is a European Prince, groomed to become King, his life is not his own especially as he is considered the public face of the monarchy in his small country. At a time when monarchies are considered archaic, Nico walks a tightrope with his duties under the scrutiny of his countries government and the threat of abolishing the monarchy. There are hints of a scandal involving Nico's father which Nico now has to carry the burden of as well as putting out the media fires his playboy brother creates. Overwhelmed and discouraged, when Nico sees Julia in the hotel he is staying in while in Rome, he assumes the identity of the person who has booked the private tour with the company Julia works for. Unable to explain his actions, even to himself, Nico finds himself on an unexpected holiday where he is able to gain a different perspective on his life. Confronting issues from his past and his present making him achieve a self-awareness he desperately needed.

While their social status couldn't be more different, Julia and Nico compliment each other beautifully, bringing out the best in each other. Although their personal problems are exaggerated when added together. the romance is initially a slow burn through the narrative, Although there is no denying the attraction between Julia and Nico, they both try to fight it. When they do succumb to temptation the connection between them escalates at a rapid pace. Although they both refuse to consider a future together. In all honesty, the romance between Julia and Nico didn't really work for me; three-quarters of the story was spent in a will they/won't they scenario, so when they do become intimate there was very little in the way of development to their relationship that would make the rapid depth of emotion believable. The resolution to their problems also felt rather abrupt, I would really have liked to see where their relationship would have gone beyond where Royally Roma left off. I can only hope that Julia and Nico's story will be progressed as the series continues.

While the romance didn't really work for me in Royally Roma have to say the writing was beautiful, the descriptions of Rome and the fascinating historic facts scattered through the narrative made it feel as if you were right there with Julia and Nico.

This is a bit of a different side of Ms. Wilson in my opinion. I've read almost all of her books and even own several of her small press titles (what can I say, I read my first book by her and was hooked). My comment is meant in the best sense!

Ms. Wilson writes with such humor and heart and Royally Roma does not disappoint. There's also some extra zip to this novel.

I love the setting and the way that Ms. Wilson really makes it all come alive. The characters are well developed too and I can't wait for more of these charming novels.