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Royal Ruin by Jessica Peterson
Flings with Kings
Contemporary Romance
Peterson Paperbacks
January 18, 2018
244
SUBJECT: Engagement Contract (Marked Confidential)
From The Desk of His Royal Highness Prince Christopher
Emily—Thank you for joining me for dinner tonight. And for agreeing to my proposal, as ludicrous as it is. Desperate times call for fake engagements. At least in my family.
I am attaching the contract we discussed. Our lawyers asked that I highlight the following clauses:
• The engagement shall last ninety days
• Both parties are to appear genuinely in love at all royal appearances
• Beyond required public displays of affection, there shall be no contact of any kind between the parties
The first half of your payment will be deposited into your account upon the signing of this contract. Be sure to note your ring size. We would like to make prompt delivery of the family emerald. The Queen and I thank you in advance for your discretion.
Cheers,
Kit
P.S.—Sorry to hear about your divorce. Your ex sounds like a proper knob head.
P.P.S—You looked stunning tonight.
I want to be with you, love. Really, honestly be with you. 
I
f you are a sucker for a royal romance then this will be right up your alley. And if you have typically shied away from stories with princes and a HEA, then this will be the book that convinces you to do otherwise!
Emily Kilpatrick has had her heart broken and her business dreams crushed. She’s lost both the ability to trust men and to keep her company afloat. And worse, she can’t bear to be touched. It reminds her too much of intimacy destroyed. But while she’s in London for one last project, she runs into someone from her past. Someone she never quite forgot. And he’s now next in line to the throne. A surprising proposal could be the saving grace for her interior design firm, but she can NOT let her heart become involved. 
Kit Thorne is the Ice Prince. Since the death of his parents, he’s thrown himself into work- championing the Arts Foundation his parents felt so strongly about. He’s also been known to drown his sorrows and worries in the “brown liquor”. And he’s pretty much resigned himself to a life of loneliness and duty. So when he stumbles into an interview being conducted by his sister, Jane, the last person he expects to see with her is Emily. Their one physical encounter, a decade ago, left him reeling in a sea of overwhelming feelings and he’s long since shut emotions off. So why does his heart start to beat harder just seeing her there? Bottom line. The monarchy needs help in the form of an entertaining distraction. Something that will make the people both adore and respect them. And the Queen has just the thing. But it’s for looks only. Feelings need not apply.
Can Kit and Emily carry out this charade for Queen and country without hearts once again being shattered? Is it possible that the touch of the Ice Prince could actually thaw Emily’s fear? And in the end, can two people figure out how to merge emotion and obligation?
This romance by Jessica Peterson will have you hooked from the first chapter. It had me alternately laughing, sighing, gasping, swooning, sobbing, fanning myself and hissing. And I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Bloody brilliant!
