Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing an inside look at the making of A Most
Unfortunate Prince. This book is the third story in the Royal Desires trilogy
that began with A Most Unusual Princess and A Most Intriguing Temptation.
Together, they make up a fun series, but each story stands alone as a separate
read. Why? Because when I wrote A Most Unusual Princess, I never knew I was
writing a trilogy.
When I wrote A Most Intriguing Temptation, I introduced
readers to Prince Allan. He’s basically the male version of his sister,
Princess Elara—hedonistic, selfish, and utterly wild at times. I enjoyed
creating the character and it was fun to set him free in a pleasure palace
completely without limitations. As I was finishing A Most Intriguing
Temptation, I realized Allan needed a book of his own, so I wrote A Most
Unfortunate Prince. (Several readers also asked me if Allan’s story would be
told, and I was happy to oblige!)
But before I wrote a word, I knew that Allan was going to
have to face the music for his bad behavior. At the start of the book (yes,
right there on page 1) Allan is banished for his actions stemming from A Most
Intriguing Temptation. His father kicks him out into the real world alone and
broke, and he’s forced to make his own way in life.
I decided to take this carefree, roguish prince and turn his
world upside down. I asked myself: How bad can you make things for him? He has
nothing: no food, no fancy clothes, certainly no job skills, and no real sense
of identity. He had lived a pampered life where everything was handed to him on
a silver platter (literally), and now was in for a rude awakening. I really put
the screws to poor Allan and at times left him broken, sad, and utterly
miserable.
Over the course of the book, Allan suffers life’s lessons at
the hands of his evil employer and falls in love—twice. The story introduces us
to Claudette, a sassy seamstress who fancies Allan and helps him adjust to the
life of a commoner. Although Claudette appears innocent, she has a secret past
and a bit of a naughty side, as well.
Although A Most Unfortunate Prince has a happy ending, it is
a bit darker than the other two books in the series. I wanted to contrast
Allan’s former easy-going pampered life with his current harsh and gritty
existence. (And it broke my heart to kill off a secondary character that I
utterly adored. But I found a way to bring him back—at least for a little
while!) Readers may also be surprised to discover a few things about Allan, as
well. (Even I was shocked when certain events in the story took place—and I was
the one writing it!)
Allan’s “fall from grace” and the journey of self-discovery
that he undergoes are some of the reasons I love this book. It has something
for everyone: hot love scenes, tender moments, mystery, adventure, and
suspense.
But what about Dalton and Elara (from A Most Unusual
Princess and A Most Intriguing Temptation)? They’re in the book too, as minor
characters. Elara and Dalton play important roles in the finale of the story,
and we get to see how these lovebirds are adapting to their married life.
(Again, there’s a secret I don’t want to give away!) I can tell you that this
book wraps up the trilogy in a neat package and everyone is left in a good
place.
Links to the complete trilogy are at the end of the post.
Here’s the book summary:
A Most Unfortunate Prince
This time, it’s all about Allan… and he never expected to
fall in love!
Banished by the Royal Family, pampered Prince Allan is
forced to abandon his life of luxury. The former Royal Shipmaster General is
sent to the worst part of the kingdom and manages to find work at the docks.
Lost in a commoner’s world, Allan is miserable—until he has an unusual
encounter with a saucy shop girl named Claudette.
Allan must earn the respect of the woman he loves while
keeping his true identity a secret. In an effort to redeem himself in his
father’s eyes, he exposes a dangerous smuggling operation involving the Royal
Fleet. But his loyalty to duty comes with a deadly price.
Can he keep Claudette and his royal title? Or will he lose
her forever when she discovers his secret?
Read the Royal Desires series from the start:
Book 1: A Most Unusual Princess:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CBX43D8
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/me00L9
Read reviews here:
https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unusual-princess
Book 2: A Most Intriguing Temptation:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8P8604
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/47kkvj
Read reviews here:
https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-intriguing-temptation
Book 3: A Most Unfortunate Prince:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Most-Unfortunate-Prince-Historical-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B01DMBYJ6E
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3yPPM6
Read reviews here:
https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unfortunate-prince
I hope you’ll check out one (or all) of the books in the
series. They’re a fun read with a blend of spicy love scenes, humor, and
suspense.
If you’ve read the trilogy, let me know what you think. What
was your favorite book? Which scenes did you like best? You can contact me via
the contact form on my site or on social media.
Stay tuned to next week's blog - I'm having an August book
sale!
Happy Reading!
Kelli A. Wilkins
