“The next woman I married would actually want me for me, not what I could give her. And I didn’t plan to compromise on that.”
I was pleasantly surprised to receive a free copy of this book from the author, and I’m excited to review it! A Princess for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos is the third book in her First Comes Love series, which follows a group of friends as they find love via a matchmaking service and dating app. Although this was my first read by Mastorakos, I didn’t feel like I was lost or missing any information; but I definitely want to check out the rest of the books in her series now!
As with any romance, the story is not really about the plot…but about the characters. And both Huck and Zara live up to their fairytale romance. In particular, Huck and his relationship with his family, including his mom and deaf sister, Alice, were incredibly captivating. I wanted Alice in every scene, as she just seemed ready to jump off the page and upstage our two main characters at times! I thought the description of how she interacts with the world around her and as she builds a relationship with Zara was astounding. Huck is the perfect older brother: encouraging, protective, and delightfully teasing as well.
Zara for me was the less interesting character, but she certainly grows out of her naïveté as she moves through the book. It was slightly heartbreaking to see her revel in the joy of freedom as opposed to the strict rules she’s lived by up until this point. But I totally LOVED her exploration of American food. Tacos, cheese curds, and waffle cones? Yes, please!
One person I wish I could have heard more from was the “almost fiance” of hers, the Duke whose name is only mentioned in passing. I felt like he deserved so much more than a singular conversation with Huck. Who is this guy? What’s his story? I know, I know, the story is really about Huck and Zara; but I felt a little bad that this guy barely managed a footnote.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of sweet romance! Five out of five stars from me, and I can’t wait to go back and read the rest of the books in the series.
Kathleen Bird 