Into The Night Book Reviews: Paperback Release Blog Tour: Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

Suddenly Royal by the fabulous Nichole Chase is now available in paperback!!

And what better way to celebrate than with a blog tour?

We get to share with you Nichole's dream cast for the gorgeous story, along with Tami's review.

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working on a master's degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it's to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed . . .

As crown prince of Lilaria, Alex D'Lynsal has had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures in the press have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She's stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone's front-page news. While Sam tries to navigate her new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

Suddenly Royal Dream Cast

It’s always tricky picking out who I envision playing the characters in my books. Honestly, it’s almost impossible to get a perfect match. These are people (ahem, characters) that live in my head! They are a jumble of thoughts and images. Different celebrities or people thrown together in the blender I call a brain. If I were to try and piece them together it would look like one of those pictures made of cut up magazine bits. Which… would be kind of creepy to share with people… So, instead, I’m going to give you the closest thing I can find. And well, while some are harder than others… some characters actually were a teensy bit inspired by actors. Rather, one character may have been inspired by a certain muscled actor…

It’s difficult to pick out the right face, the right personality…Well, it’s usually difficult. His Royal Highness Alexander Patrick Fitzwilliam, the Duke of D’Lynsal and heir to the crown of Lilaria (A.K.A Alex or Prince Yummy) has always had a very clear face in my mind. I’m not really sure why, he just fits the character. Okay, okay. I have a teensy bit of an idea why this actor may have inspired a sexy prince. My ideal Alex would be played by none other than Chris Hemsworth. I mean, look at him. He’s the perfect naughty prince, right down to the twinkle in his blue eyes. He looks great in everything…and nothing (I’m guessing here). ;) He’s charming, but a little bit devilish.

(Ahem, I may have several inspiration pictures saved on my Pinterest board, for research purposes.)

(That last one is just for fun. Because, well… just imagine you’re Samantha!)

Samantha is a little more difficult. She needs to be someone tough enough to work out in the field with raptors—someone that can hold her place in a male dominated field. But, she also needs to have a soft, vulnerable side. I have to admit, I went back and forth with Samantha… no one really fit what I had in my head. Until. Until I realized that there *is* an actress that I can see in this role. She’s funny and real—her interviews crack me up. She’s gorgeous without feeling distant. She’s also not a tiny twig of an actress. She’s a real woman! And I love that! It's Jennifer Lawrence, we just need to get her some brown contacts!

Jess is Sam’s best friend. A self-proclaimed fashionista. She is loyal, funny, and smart—working toward her doctorate.

Laura Ramsey is a pretty close fit for Jess.

Bert, Jess’s boyfriend, and Sams friend, is a psych major with a large sense of humor. I’ve always been a fan of the NBC show, Chuck, and that’s where I first found Zac Levi. He’s a bit swoony, if you ask me.

Catherine, Alex’s younger sister, is smart, sassy, and can give killer puppy dog eyes. She quickly befriends Sam during her difficult transition. I have to admit that I have loved Teresa Palmer in everything I’ve seen her in and I think she would make an excellent Cathy. There’s a sweetness and sincerity to her acting, with just a wee bit of snark. It’s perfect.

Chadwick is a riot. He has a dry sense of humor and a soft heart. Writing the scenes with him and Sam were always easy. Those characters had a very natural rhythym. He’s detail orientated and spends a lot of time trying to help Sam feel comfortable, while she does her best to keep up with everything. He never gets offended when she teases him or throws out a snark-barb. I wish I had a Chadwick in my life! Who doesn’t, right? Since this is my ‘dream cast’ I’m going with a younger Jude Law. He even has the reddish hair in this picture!

Sam’s step-father is a very important part of the story—even if he isn’t in every scene or chapter. He is the last of her physical family. A retired military man, I picture him with an attitude and a big heart. He likes things done his way, but his way is usually meant to keep the people he loves safe.

Suddenly Royal is a fairytale romance from start to finish - a gorgeous read with a love story that warmed my heart.

The last thing Samantha Rousseau expected in her life was to be discovered as a long lost descendent of the Royal family of Lilaria. Working hard to complete her master's degree and care for her father who is battling cancer, Samantha can't understand all the fuss when the crown prince of Lilaria, Alex D'Lynsal and his aunt visit Minnesota. Well that's not entirely true, she is female after all and there are many things about Alex worthy of note, beyond his princely title. When invited to dinner by Duchess Rose Sverelle of Dollange, Samantha anticipates a donation to the raptor program she interns at but instead what she gets is dinner with Prince Alex and his aunt and all the details of her family lineage, right down to the estate and fortune she is set to inherit.

Samantha was such a fabulous character. Down to earth, snarky, funny. The last thing she wanted in life was the lime light so she seriously struggled with becoming "Americas Princess". Right from their first meeting there was a spark between Alex and Sam. As the story progresses and Sam grapples with her new, very public, role Alex is the one constant she can rely on. Their feelings develop, despite Sam's resistance and it is a delight to watch their relationship unfold.

Alex was gorgeous, gorgeous. His nickname "Prince Yummy" was most fitting and he was the proverbial knight in shining armour for Sam on more than one occasion. The banter between the two was wonderful to read and added a true sense of normalcy to their relationship.

What I really loved about Suddenly Royal is that there was no angst filled drama. It was a light read - a love story in the true sense of the term. It was also a bit of a rite of passage story for Sam as she navigated her new responsibilities and sought to reconcile those with her 'old' life. A key message throughout the story was the importance of family and Sam's love and respect for her father was clearly evident. There was also a very strong familial bond between Alex and his sister Catherine and both characters were really not what I expected as a prince and princess.

If you've not read Nichole Chase before you are definitely missing out. I absolutely loved her Dark Betrayal Trilogy - which was a very different style to Suddenly Royal She has a hypnotic writing style and creates characters that you can't help but fall in love with. There are so many characters in Suddenly Royal that I really want to know more about and I'm thrilled to see that Catherine will get her story told in Recklessly Royal. But don't let the prospect of a second book put you off, there is a start, middle and end to Suddenly Royal that will not disappoint you.

4 out of 5 stars

Nichole Chase is a daydreamer. No, really, just ask any of the math teachers that had the misfortune of seeing her name appear on their class schedule.
For years she has had story lines and characters begging for attention, but she resolutely pushed them aside to focus on more normal (read, boring) jobs.

Well, no longer! She is currently heeding the voices in her head and frantically writing their stories. Ms. Chase is the author of the Dark Betrayal Trilogy, Flukes, and Suddenly Royal (including several short stories).

Nichole resides in South Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, dog, tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you may find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.