Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Spotlight on "A Most Unfortunate Prince"

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


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