6 Royal Romances to Read Before the Royal Wedding

Royals, by Rachel Hawkins
Daisy Winters wants nothing to do with the paparazzi spotlight dragged upon her by her sister, who just had to go and get engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. She certainly doesn’t want to deal with Sebastian, the prince’s scandalous younger brother, or Miles, the friend who has been charged with turning her into a lady. Will Daisy be able to withstand the attention of royalty, the growing tension between her and her sister, and the scandals Sebastian keeps forcing her to weather? Better read it and find out.

​The Heir and the Spare, by Emily Albright
Looking for a delightful royal romance with a hint of mystery? In The Heir and the Spare, Evie sets off to follow the instructions of a letter from her deceased grandmother. Included: enroll at Oxford University, and discover more about her heritage. She doesn’t plan to meet Edmund, who steals her heart—and who happens to be second in line to the English throne. Princes can’t marry commoners…but why did Evie’s grandmother so badly want her to look into her family history? This light, sparklingly implausible read is perfect for those who want to breeze through a fun contemporary romp.

Girls Made of Snow and Glass, by Melissa Bashardoust
You’ll fall in love with Bashardoust’s writing style in this one, a slow, lush thing you can sink into—and, since her debut is a retelling of Snow White, it also happens to feature a royal romance. Though half of the book follows Mina, the woman who grows up to be the evil queen, the other half follows Lynet, a perfect replica of her deceased mother, created by a magician out of snow at the request of her grieving father. Though the story focuses on their relationship and doomed rivalry, Lynet begins to fall for Nadia, a healer, and it makes the already beautiful story even sweeter.

Of Fire and Stars, by Audrey Coulthurst
Audrey Coulthurst’s debut released in 2016, and it’s a delightful light fantasy that’s a perfect stepping stone for younger readers finding their way into young adult. Princess Dennaleia is headed to Mynaria for the first time to meet the man she has been betrothed to since childhood: that country’s crown prince. But there’s one little snag: she has an Affinity for fire, and Mynaria is a kingdom where magic is forbidden. Oh, and she might be falling for Princess Amaranthine, her betrothed’s unconventional sister. Then there’s the assassination that has turned the entire kingdom on its head, leaving Denna and Mare to figure out what, exactly, is going on. Easy, right? Of Fire and Stars features horses and horseback riding all over the place, so if you were the horse girl in your elementary school, this is definitely the royal read for you.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
Am I including this book on the list just because I’m obsessed with the new paperback cover? No, of course not—but I am going to take the opportunity to shove it in everybody’s faces when I can. (It’s GORGEOUS.) Shazi is out for revenge in this reimagining of A Thousand and One Nights after her cousin ends up the king’s latest victim. Every night, he takes a new bride and kills her by dawn, but Shazi is determined to stop him—even if it means sacrificing herself. When telling him stories keeps her alive night after night, she uses her days to dig further into the mysteries of the palace, and why Khalid—whom she’s unwillingly developing feelings for—is compelled to murder his wives. Ahdieh’s writing is dramatic and lush and instantly transporting.

The Rules of Ever After by Killian B. Brewer
Boy meets boy—or, rather, Prince Charming meets Prince Charming—in this charming, under the radar read. It’s a riff on The Princess and the Pea that ultimately finds the Princes Phillip and Daniel thrown together in a mashed up fairy tale, trying to solve Phillip’s problem of finding the perfect partner (who will definitely not be one of the princesses his stepmother is attempting to throw at him).