Royals (1) - Paper Princess by Erin Watt
The first part of the breathtaking Royals trilogy: Paper Princess by Erin Watt (not translated, German review). I read the 370 pages in English, originally published 2016. Girls (boys), 18-death. Adult.
The day Callum Royal appears in Ella's life will change her forever. Claiming to be her dead father's best friend, he now bribes her into his home... a palace, not fit for a stripper like her. As Callum's sons remind her constantly. But Ella's not the one that's messed up, in that household. While she tries to survive the elite and snobby school ruled by her new and insanely attractive stepbrothers, she can't help but loose her heart to one of them... and stumble about the twisted family secrets.
I read the preview on Amazon in April. In July, I still knew the 30 pages by heart, nearly word by word. That's how tense this series is. The main character gives a new definition of the word “tough”... and “family”.
First of all, let me make something clear. I didn't know that this was Adult. Okay, I should have guessed because it's clear that Ella, the main character, is a stripper. But due to the fairy tale references, I simply didn't think of this. But the sex scenes are necessary, especially the ones about sexual harassment the boys try on her when she arrived... and wouldn't stand down for them. I like how the effects of that are described, and how she defends herself. He he! The scene on the boat! Reed so deserved that!
Let me describe the characters for you. Ella has been raised by a striper, never lived anywhere longer than two years – and that was only in the hospice in which her mother died. She started stripping to help pay the bills for her mother's medicaments, and continued to support herself after she died so she could get a decent education and make something off her life. She ran from social services and her mother's boyfriends, she learned never to trust anyone or anything besides herself. Least of all someone who gives her presents, like Callum Royal. As you can see, Ella is a survivalist. She also takes no shit from nobody and knows how to defend herself. She has a sharp tongue and no fear of humiliation... or to humiliate someone else, if necessary.
Callum is her dad's best friend. He lost his wife two years ago, which destroyed the fragile relationship to his five sons completely. He has a girlfriend called Brooke, who was once a prostitute and is very nervous about loosing him – or rather, the money he invests in her. She want to tie the bond, while ogling after Gideon, his oldest son.
Gideon is the most quiet and most absent Royal. He's in college and as protective as each and everyone of them. He doesn't like Ella at first, but he doesn't like his brothers' show either. It's clear that he has a secret that's eating him up.
Easton is the darling and middle child of the family. He loves gambling, sex and alcohol, but he's also charming as hell... he and Ella are friends pretty quickly. He sees himself as her protective big brother, even though he knows she doesn't need his protection... and that she's actually tougher than himself. But he has some issues too, which aren't anywhere near pretty.
The identical twins are the youngest in the bunch. Sebastian and Sawyer share a girlfriend (for real), otherwise you don't learn much.
This family is so twisted. Seriously, does anyone spend a day not thinking about sex? But, no matter how twisted they are, they're still likeable, good and, most importantly, realistic. That can be also said about the last Royal
Now, you might have noticed that I've skipped one brother, the second oldest. Reed. That's because he's kind of the most important one. He's the ring leader, in school as well as in family, and Ella's biggest enemy.
Spoiler:
Until Codeword Molly. His reaction and everything is actually quite sweet, especially how he shows his vulnerable side... and how proud he is later on when it's about payback. I like the evolving relationship between them, especially how much Ella suffers when she thinks he's still in love with Jordan's friend. And the “Mine” scene...
So, guess what else he is. Well. He hates that she'd ruin the family's “good” name, but he also can't help but be drawn in by her. He's absolutely convinced she'd do anything to destroy the family, so he spends a lot of time watching her... and realising that she's way different from what he expected. And that she so does not like being ordered around.
The only other important person in this would be Valerie. She's an outcast as the school as well, but more because she's not rich enough and because of some personal issues. She's Ella's first real friend and the two of them have lots of fun. She's not judgemental and good at pay back, just like Ella. She's also Jordan's cousin and lives at her house – Jordan is Ella's enemy Nr. 2, she wants to get in every one of the Royal's pants and is the ringleader of the girls in school. She tries to humiliate Ella every chance she gets...
And Ella's pay back for that! So, so so so so gorgeous! I love that girl! You need courage for something like that!
Okay. Now that I've gone into detail about the character, let me tell you why this book deserves an epic rating. As I already pointed out, it is tense as hell. There are no mistakes in either content or characters, which is gorgeous, and the ideas are original.
Besides that, this is the first non-fantasy, non-Science Fiction and non-historical, meaning the first real-life book that could catch my interest for more than two hours. The way this culture shock of Ella's is executed is so gorgeous! You get to know the insane poverty and insane richness in America, how this can co-exist, you understand the querks in both social layers. The hopelessness in one and the extreme backstabbing in the other. But what I like best is how Ella manages to be so tough, even if everyone tries to break her, how she manages to be herself in spite of everything... and how she thus manages to make you fall in love with her. She develops from an absolute unwelcome and hated outcast in the Royal household to the heart of it, just in a few weeks. I also likes how honest she is – how she goes to Reed and apologises after the boat, as soon as she realised what an effect her actions had on him. And the “Mine” scene. That can stop someone in his tracks, for real! I like how determined she is and how she orders the boys when she tried to get pay-back for codeword Molly, the thing that made the Royals start working together again – and with her, the thing that earned her their respect. Ella inspires strength everywhere she goes... and she manages to redeem Callum, almost without trying to.
Additionally, in this book, every character has layers within layers within layers. No one is exactly who he seems. Well, except for Lucy, maybe. And the woman who throws the household of the mansion. This makes this book extremely tense and absolutely fascinating.
And the cliffhanger is mean.
In brief:
I give stars for style, characters, ideas, content, the extreme social differences and last but not least the strength inspiring and layers-withing-layers Ella herself.
Sequel: