Royally Deceived

By: JD Carothers

Narrated by: John Hartley, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Prince Xander has one job to do: become king. Unfortunately, that means the confirmed bachelor must find a bride.

Engaging the help of an elite matchmaking service guarantees finding a suitable wife. What he didn’t expect was to be friend-zoned by one of the ladies...especially when she’s the first woman to spark his soul.

When Ariana loses her job in a NYC PR firm, she heads to London following her dream of becoming a romance writer. A friend’s matchmaking service is the perfect starting spot for research into royal love lives. Swearing off men was supposed to be easy, until Prince Xander asks for help.

Monarchy, matchmaking, and murder entangle Xander and Ariana in a dangerous plot. Will it turn their friendship into forever love, or will fate keep them apart?

This is book two in the series, but it can be listened to as a stand-alone. HEA guaranteed.

©2023 Dreamlific Publishing (P)2023 Dreamlific Publishing

Great second book.

This is the second book in the series and I really enjoyed it. This book has really made great improvements in the storytelling, character building, and the spice level that took this from a Hallmarkesque story to a book that really satisfied my need for a fully actualized relationship. I am a sucker for a royal hero and this book hit the spot.

John Hartley and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker were brilliant and brought these characters and this story to life just as I needed and wanted.

Royalty need to be together

First story I listen from JD Carothers
Second in the series, but it stands alone very well. There is lots of surprises in this story, a murder , the main hero ( a prince ) Xander who likes to go by Alex and the heroine Ariana Arianna her real name has known Xander only as Alex and Xander knows Arianna by her other name
Xander is caught in a bind ,he is the heir to the throne of a European island nation and his father wants to retire, so Xander needs to marry in three weeks. That’s where the matchmaking comes in . Xander has to pick from the ten ladies 4 to take them home to the kingdom to see how they react. Arianna is picked but she has something else happening, she doesn’t want to marry. Grab it and see do they find out they know each other , what is happening, why was someone murdered. , why does Xander father want him to marry Lady Harper. You really need to listen

The performance of John Hartley, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was fantastic. Love how they brought the characters to life. Their voices are strong and clear

Matchmaking, Mystery and Murder ❤️

This was a fun story with a bit of suspense and mystery, and feels like The Bachelor mixed with a mistaken identity trope. Maybe throw in a little we're-just-friends-vibe as well ☺️

This was my first experience with JD but after this I clearly need to go find book 1. I enjoyed the surprises in this book & went in without reading the blurb so I really didn't see anything coming, which for me worked out great. I knew I would still get my HEA but I really like getting to play the who-done-it game and finding out who would come out on top at the end. Ariana was fun and up for almost anything in the name of research 😉 while Xander was struggling with life changing decisions about a future he might not be ready for. The friendship that developed between these 2 was quick but sweet.

I really enjoyed the narration here. John's smokey sultry Xander worked very well with Stephanie's smooth and engaging Ariana (This was my first by Stephanie and I can't believe I haven't listened to her before-time for a deep dive 🤗) They gave lovely performances and I found their styles and pacing worked great for me.

Great story with excellent narration!

Royally Deceived is a slow burn royal romantic thriller full of intrigue, deception, and unexpected romance under extreme pressure. I was engaged from the beginning with some excitement that had me on the edge of my seat! There is a lot more to Xander than just a crown prince, and peeling back the layers was a pleasure. The clock is ticking for him to find his queen. Ariana is a beautifully perfect soul who just fits and softens all of his jagged edges. Their friendship is refreshing. As they unravel the mystery and navigate the restraints of life as a royal the sparks fly and the slow burn catches fire. I enjoyed book 2 more than book 1, but I look forward to listening to more of this author’s work in the future for sure.

Narration by John Hartley and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was really excellent! They are both favorites, and this was yet another example of why. They are such fantastic performers!

Engaging and endearing!!

My first book by JDC and I will definitely come back for more. The story takes off immediately with a lively heroine and engaging premise. The hero's humanity shows through from the start, such a sympathetic character. I would categorize this as a slow burn, but not frustrating as some stories can be. Relationship develops organically, emotional roller coasters are relatable, and resolution oh-so satisfying. The loving supporting cast and social commentary also lend depth and perspective to the story, which I appreciated. Murder mystery was a fun puzzle, with plot twists that kept me guessing along with the characters. Narration by John Hartley and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was first rate. I looked forward to having free time to listen, and forewent some tasks to finish. ;) Recommend enthusiastically!

Enjoyed this royal romance with a touch of suspense!

Royally Deceived by J.D. Carothers was a royal romantic suspenseful ride full of swoony twists and gripping turns that kept me guessing till the very end. This is book two of Carothers' Murder and Romance Are on the Menu series, and it is taken the top spot for me in the series so far. Royally Deceived can be enjoyed as a complete stand-alone.

Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and John Hartley narrate the audiobook, and this was the first time I'd heard these two paired together. Stephanie brought grace and poise to her performance of Ariana highlighting her passionate, dedicated, and determined persona. Plus, all of her accents were on point! (Yes, lady!) John's portrayal of Prince Xander was regal and dignified emphasizing his loyal loving and charismatic persona to the crown and Ariana perfectly. The slow-burning chemistry between Ariana and Xander was magnetic and undeniable in audio!

Overall, I enjoyed this book! If you are a fan of a royal romance with a hunky heroic prince, a fierce brave novelist, monarchy, matchmaking, suspense, murder, slow burn steamy times, mistaken identity, deception, plot twists, and a HEA that is crown worthy, then you will love Ariana and Xander's story. I look forward to more from J.D. Carothers.

Loved Ariana & Xander’s story

I enjoyed this story so much. The writing was wonderful and add in the fantastic narration from John Hartley and Stephanie Nemeth-Parker pushed it over the top. I am definitely going to have to add more of them to my listening list.

Xander must find a wife but he has no desire to ever get married. He was burned by a girlfriend years ago and he just can't risk his heart anymore. So he turns to the services of a matchmaker. She finds him several suitable candidates and then he must narrow this group down so that he can spend time with them and figure out who is best suited for the future role of Queen.

Ariana just lost her job and decided to use some of her savings and inheritance to travel to London and finally write that book she has been putting off. She has sworn off men because of her last few relationships have truly hurt her. Thanks to her friend, she is included in the group of women that Prince Xander must choose between.

Ariana and Xander become fast friends and when murder and mystery surround the matchmaking for the Prince, they must work together to try and figure out who is out to harm everyone involved.

This story really kept me guessing for most of the book. By the time the reveal happens, I had narrowed it down to two suspects. I loved that I was wrong for most of the story. It almost felt like a game of Clue (which I loved playing when I was younger). This was such a fun story and I really can't wait for the next one.

Prince Xander is so swoony!

When Prince Xander is told his father, the king wants to retire soon, he’s been in denial for quite a while. As is law in his kingdom, in order to become king, he must be married. So Xander thinks of an efficient route of enlisting a matchmaker service to help him find his bride.

Having been newly fired from her PR job, Ariana has traveled to London to move forward with her dream of becoming a romance author. Turns out a friend of Ariana’s family runs the matchmaking service that Xander enlists to help him. A cocktail party is planned with the potential matches, including Ariana to meet Xander. Although she has no plans to be in the running for the future king’s marriage plans, there’s an almost immediate chemistry between them when they meet. Although she has told Xander she doesn’t want to include herself in the group, he still invites her to join the others in spending a couple weeks on his island. Xander would like Ariana’s help in determining who would be an appropriate choice to be the future queen.

Twist to the prince’s bride-finding mission, someone is out to hurt him and/or his prospective brides. And since the authorities aren’t moving as fast in solving the case as Xander would like them to, he and Ariana begin some sleuthing of their own. Guised as one of the candidate dates, he and Ariana work to find out who the villain is. As they spend more time together, they find they have quite a lot in common, and of course feelings develop. I enjoyed the matchmaking dates, along with the mystery of solving the bad behavior, and Xander and Ariana learning how their past relationships have clouded their view of the possibility of meeting the right person.

This is my first book by JD Carothers, and what a wonderful aural treat it was. John Hartley has quickly become a top favorite narrator of mine, and fairly new-to-me narrator Stephanie Nemeth-Parker did a wonderful job alongside John.

Love and intrigue!

Prince Xander is a modern prince: he's very interested in environmental issues and, under an alias, supports several causes that helped save the planet. When his father decides to "retire" (something his country's laws allow), he can only do so if the heir to the throne is married. All this has to be done before the King's 65th birthday that's fast approaching. Now, the modern price sees himself in a very non-modern situation - finding a suitable bride through an elite matchmaking business. 
Ariana has just lost her job at a NYC PR company and has decided to use the small inheritance her nana left her to head to London and write her first book, a romance novel about royals. When a friend offers her the opportunity to research in loco about royals by attending her matchmaking party, Ariana decides to attend. What she wasn't expecting was that she'd be in the running to become the prince's bride. But nefarious things are happening around the prince, including a murder...
I had great fun listening to this one but I must confess that the pacing of the first third of the book threw me off a little, but when things finally started happening it was a thrilling ride all the way to their HEA. 
I'm notorious for guessing plots in mystery books and I wasn't too far off what was happening and why, but it's very well written and pretty entertaining. I'm now very curious about the prince's brother and his story too! This is book two in the series and it can definitely be read as a standalone, but now I really want to know what happened in book 1!
Narration: If you get all tingly with a British accent, you're in a for a treat! John Hartley is very regal and posh and swoony in this one. Stephanie Nemeth-Parker is amazing as Ariana and she also goes through several accents flawlessly. Great listen! 

Excellent story & performances!

I was very impressed by book 2 in relation to book 1. I enjoyed this book so much more. I loved the storyline, and how Xander and Ariana meet and grown their friendship into more. The flow of this book was great and kept the story moving as well as it kept me on the edge of my seat! Xander made me mad with how angry he was with her when he literally did the same thing! My only real complaint with this one was the exhausting food explanations. I'm all for explaining why a food sparks special memories and all that but explaining every single ingredient and how it's prepared is not necessary. Unless the characters are actually cooking, this lengthy description is boring.
Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and John Hartley were really fantastic in this audiobook. Both just took these characters and made them their own. Great casting choices.