Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review an advanced copy of ‘A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale’ by Karen Schaler.

Ok, I love Hallmark Christmas movies, and this book fits the mold perfectly. Kaylie Karlyle (a good TV investigative reporter name) is having a great Christmas season. Her latest expose has aired and she is looking forward to a permanent segment in the near future when her world collapses and she no longer even has a job. Her former boss tells her there is a freelance story available, and she finds herself on an airplane to an unknown destination in eastern Europe. When she is dropped off at a ‘fairy tale’ castle in the picturesque town/country of Tolvania, she is met at the door by 10 year old Princess Anna, her grandmother Queen Isabella., and also an unhappy and gruff Prince Alexander. After getting off on the wrong foot, she is told she is there to write a Christmas fairy tale for the Princess (based on their Christmas traditions), something she feels totally unqualified to do. However, a snowstorm keeps her from leaving, and eventually she ends up staying.

This story continues with Kaylie and Prince Alex (a widower) slowly getting to like each other, getting into situations with lots of typical conflict, and enjoying magical Christmas traditions in a setting that would melt any Scrooge’s heart.

This was a great story and I can’t wait for the movie.

If you want a great Christmas love story to read then this is the one for you. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

I was honestly surprised with just how much I ended up enjoying this charming and sweet holiday themed romance, and it left me wanting to read more of this author's sweet Christmas stories.

There's something special about reading royal romances, but even more so when it's also a Christmas romance. This book truly captures so much of the beauty of Christmas, and reminds us all to reevaluate the importance of family and friends during the busy holiday season. Kaylie started out as a protagonist that I didn't immediately warm to, but she definitely won me over in the end. As she goes along experiencing the magic of Tolvania's many Christmas traditions, the things she thought were most important start to change, and the reader gets a firsthand view into the entire process.

The romance is sweet and even though it's definitely rushed, it never feels unbelievable or like insta lust, and I really enjoyed it. I loved the setting, and the way this entire book reads like a made for TV Christmas movie come to life on the page. It was definitely an added bonus having a few recipes included at the end, and I look forward to trying them closer to the Christmas season.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and would recommend it as a great choice to get yourself into the Christmas spirit. Charming, sweet, and fairly clean, it was a pleasant surprise and one that I can definitely see myself rereading during future holiday seasons.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Hawktale Publishing for allowing me to advance read and review this.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Hawktale Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book!! It was so beautifully written and is full of Christmas spirit. This book grabs you on the first page and doesn't let go. If you are looking for a beautifully written Christmas book, grab this book. You will fall in love with the little Princess, she was such a sweetheart. I can't say enough good things about this book! Thank you HawkTale Publishing via NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kaylie Karlyle is a New York City reporter who suddenly finds herself without a job.  When her former boss recommends her for a freelance assignment in Europe right before Christmas, she has no reason to say no.  When she arrives at her final destination, she’s surprised to see that she’s been dropped off in front of a castle. She is greeted by the Queen who she finds is charming, and the less friendly Prince and his daughter.

Kaylie learns her assignment is to write a fairy tale for the young Princess highlighting the many Christmas traditions of the royal family. The young Princess has missed out on Christmases at the castle since the passing of her mother two years before. But the Prince is unhappy that his mother has hired a reporter to write this story.  His relationship with the press has not been amicable for quite some time.  When his mother requests that he show Kaylie around the castle and introduce her to their Christmas traditions, he is unfriendly and task-oriented. As the days leading up to Christmas pass and the Prince and Kaylie learn more about each other, they begin having feelings for one another.

I enjoyed this book.  Not only does the book read like a fairy tale, but the descriptions of the castle and the surrounding town at Christmas are magical.  I adore Christmas traditions and this one has several that are unique to this royal family. The characters are all highly likeable.

There are several humorous moments in the book which I found to be charming.  You will also find some magical scenes including several in which decadent gifts were given to Kaylie.  As with any good fairy tale, there were also a few surprises in the story.  Without giving anything away,  Kaylie’s professional ethics during one significant point in the book were quite shocking.  This concern abated, however, as the story progressed.

What I Liked:

- The presentation of the story as a fairy tale
- The descriptions of Christmas traditions in the castle and town
- The theme of believing in yourself to find happiness

The perfect read if Hallmark has nothing on to watch as you have seen all Hallmark movies! This one, written by Karen Schaler, is probably on its way to movie-land as the author has written other Christmas movies for Netflix. We all need some sweet romance and Schaler offers it in A Royal Christmas Tale.

As you would expect, the book is a feel-good story featuring investigative reporter Kaylie who loses her job right before Christmas but given the chance to do a free-lance job by her former boss. Not given much information other than she is going to interview a family about Christmas traditions, Kaylie arrives in a (made up) country only to discover the family is the royal family. Their request, or the queen's request, is for Kaylie to learn their family traditions for the holidays then write a fairy tale for the 10-year-old princess.

It goes without saying that there will be an immediate physical attraction between Kaylie and the prince, young Princess Anne's widowed father, but as expected, the realtionship doesn't become real until the end of the book and it does have its ups and downs. Of course, the book is "clean" so the reader has a sweet story without crazy sex scenes....how can you have a sweet holiday story with those?!!

I definitely won't go into the story any further but would say that there is a bonus of recipes at the end of the book for ones the royal family particularly enjoys. I definitely want to try the biscuits--flavored for the holidays.

There are characters in the book that could become another story. I want to know what happens with Chef Jake and Elsa and maybe Thomas and his family. They were important in the story.

As always, NetGalley asked about use of this book in a school setting. Oddly enough,I answered yes, that I could see using it. If I was doing something where I might be dissussing elements of specific types of stories, including fairy tales, this book could be included. I think, these days, one could almost call Hallmark movies a style of stories now, so this is obviously that style. If not using as an example of a literature style, it could be a book to recommend probably to middle school up since it is a safe recommendation.

I did receive this book via #NetGalley and HawkTale Publishing.
#ARoyalChristmasFairyTaleKarenSchaler #NetGalley

A beautifully written heartfelt
& emotional book that will pull
at your heart-strings.
Kaylie, an investigative reporter,
lived in New York. When changes
were made where is worked,
she was devastated.
Kaylie's mentor offered her a
2 day job. Arriving at her destination,
she was surprised at being in such
a magical winter wonderland.
Wonderful characters & a story
of love, hope, forgiveness & understanding. Captivated me
from the first to the last page.
If you love holiday romances,
I highly recommend this book!!

This is the first book I have read by this author and will definitely be looking for others she has written. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves Hallmark type stories.

Christmas traditions, royalty, investigative reporting, fairy tales, and relationships all make this a wonderful book you will definitely want to add to your list of Christmas books to read this season.

I received a copy of this book from HawkTale Publishing and NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

A sweet, clean, lovely Christmas story. It has the bah-humbugs meeting and becoming Christmas lovers. Royalty becomes more in tune with the commoners and the couple become the country's favourite couple. A great holiday feel good story.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for my unpaid, honest review.

i love every single christmas book this woman has put out into the world. and this one was no different!! it's so sweet and precious and hallmark movie sweet. i just adore it so much!!

A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale is a wonderful look at Christmas traditions and of rediscovering one’s own traditions and joy of the season. Kaylie Karlyle is expecting a promotion when what she gets is the television station being sold and her out of a job as an investigative reporter. When her former boss offers her an opportunity to travel to Europe to do a piece for a magazine on Christmas traditions she’s not thrilled but needs the money so off she goes. She and her family have not celebrated Christmas together for some time as Kaylie and her sister are always working so her parents go on vacation. When she arrives at her destination she discovers she been deceived about the assignment and she is really meant to write a fairy tale which she is very unsure about. Will she stay and make new discoveries about herself? This is a great Christmas story of love, joy, peace, family and traditions. It would be a very nice early gift for someone special, especially one who may need a bit of cheer or has lost their Christmas spirit. It is also a great read for all those who completely embrace the holiday season. The characters are so realistic. The storyline is sweet with a happy ending of course.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I quite enjoyed this book despite it being very predictable throughout! Characters were all quite pleasant and the descriptions of the Royal Palace and village were lovely, so Christmassy. I felt the story did go on a bit and I got a bit restless towards the end but overall I enjoyed it and it had a ‘feel good and festive’ factor to it!

Reporter Kaylie Karlyle finds herself embarking on a new assignment which takes her to Europe. Little does she know that the people she is with are the royal family of Tolvania. While in the charming Christmas village, the queen asks her to write a Christmas story for the young princess. Kaylie learns the family’s traditions and finds inspiration from her surroundings, especially with the help of Prince Alexander.

This book is the epitome of a feel good Christmas novel. I can imagine this would be the perfect read at Christmas with a hot drink and cosy blanket. The story is easy to follow and is just what you want to fully enjoy each page. The descriptions convey a proper Christmas setting and leaves the reader feeling content and nostalgia. I did get A Christmas Prince vibe, which is unsurprising as Schaler was the writer of that and is a Netflix Christmas film I rewatch often!

Schaler beautifully transports the reader to Tolvania and the Christmas village, vividly enhancing all the Christmas details and it really excited me for Christmas this year. I loved reading all the traditions of the royal family and Kaylie’s involvement while learning them all. I felt lost in the world Schaler depicted and didn’t want to leave. I finished reading this story with the wish for these idyllic places to be real and I would love to visit all the shops described – especially the snow globe shop. Learning about the royal family’s Christmas traditions really made me think of what I do at Christmas and the traditions my family has. I think this really is the most magical and wonderful time of the year, and any book set in a true Christmas environment is an automatic win for me.

All the characters in this story are likeable, adding to the heartwarming quality the novel possesses. I especially loved the little princess and I think the Christmas story Kaylie was writing was made extra special for her. There are moments of humour with Kaylie as she settles in to the royal family’s household. There may be Christmas movie clichés but all is forgiven as I think this adds to the genre and is what is so lovable about these stories. There are funny moments and really lovely ones. The love story element is developed in a predictable yet undeniably romantic way. This is definitely the kind of story to leave your heart feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Overall, this is a feel good, Christmas read and I am hoping to see this one adapted into a film. I can imagine the Christmas village being the best place ever.

This review will be published on my blog www.fortheliterature.wordpress.com on 4/10/21

This is a delightful, feel-good, heartwarming love story that is sure to warm your heart and put you in the Christmas Spirit! It is predictable but enjoyable and I never felt "bored" while reading. The characters are unique and likable and the story was just what I needed to lift my spirits in a dreary time of year! Highly Recommend!

This is such a cosy, adorable and uplifting read. it truly was a fairy tale that was delicious from start to finish, The cover si also stunning

Feel good with a Christmas Story
Karen Schaler, Emmy Award-winning storyteller, screenwriter, author, journalist, and national TV host, presents another Christmas romance entitled "A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale. A heartwarming feel good Christmas romance from writer of Netflix's A Christmas Prince", published by HawkTale Publishing. New York City investigative television reporter Kaylie Karlyle's freelance assignment in Europe does not turn out as she has expected, but she cannot be choosy since she lost her job just before the end of the year. The queen of Tolvania charges her son to introduce Kaylie to as many local Christmas traditions as possible which he does not like to do at all due to previous negative contacts with the media. The queens task for Kaylie is to create a Christmas fairy tale based on this traditions for the queens only granddaughter.
This was the second book by Karen Schaler and by HawkTale Publishing which I read. I really love the book with its twist and turns and its realistic and believable characters. I highly recommend it to all readers who love Christmas romance novels. I also appreciated the Bonus Content in the form of recipes and activities that were included in the book and I am looking forward to read more from this author and this publisher.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#ARoyalChristianFairyTale #NetGalley

I am a sucker for Christmas themed books, which is ironic given that I'm not especially keen on the movies?

Anyway!

Being a person who reads a LOT of Christmas themed books, I knew this was going to follow a typical pattern which is fine and expected. I just didn't expect it to be so predictable down to every single beat. It was really really really easy to guess what was going to happen not long after the main story gets underway.

I did love the side characters - especially the princess and queen. They are both well done and even the dog was charming!

The prince... eh but the MC was just someone I was shaking my head at a lot. Some of the plot points involving her just were lazy IMO and I wished it had gone a different way to get to the end point at times.

I did finish it but it was a bit of a slog for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

If I’m totally honest this was just a little toooo schmaltzy for my taste. I get that it is supposed to be a fairy tale but it was very very predictable and to go from hating each other to falling into each other’s arms in a matter of hours was just a bit too much for me!
Having said that, I enjoyed the descriptions of Tolvenia and it was certainly very festive so if you like Christmas and the idea of (very quickly!) falling in love with a Prince then this is the book for you!

Perfection was marred with a couple of issues on this otherwise delightful story by Karen Schaler. How did Bob know the Queen and how weak the precipitating event was that caused Kaylie's family to cease celebrating Christmas. Even after ending the book these questions haunt me. Other than that I want to visit Tolvania and experience the complete devotion to all things Christmas exhibited there. I was grateful when Kaylie softened up, I felt like she had too many sharp edges and language in the book. The ending is completely heartwarming and I look forward to a movie.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

As a big (big) lover of A Christmas Prince (and similar films), I was so excited to find this one written by the same author. It had everything I look for in a cozy novel, a spunky grandma, a witty 10-year old, a brooding but ultimately incredibly funny prince, and a 30-something MC who couldn't be more like me if she tried (bah humbug... but with a heart that's easier to melt than we would like others to believe).

Is this an incredibly predictable story? Totally! Is it still worth your time reading? Absolutely! Karen Schaler has a way with words that makes you want to disappear into the world she is painting. Hop on that sleigh, taste those yummy foods (spicy hot chocolates, gingerbread pancakes... yes!) or jump in the snow to make snow angels. What I loved most about this book is the beautiful descriptions of (Christmas) traditions, both royal, local and familial, they made this somewhat recipe-book plot new and inventive. This was a lovely read full of fuzzy feelings, an early Christmas present really!