The Royal Bastard

By: Nicole Burnham

Narrated by: Hollis McCarthy

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

A brilliant man with a profound secret....

Rocco Cornaro dedicates his life to creating innovative, life-saving medical devices...and in the process has become a wealthy man. However, he harbors a deep secret: his mother was once the lover of Sarcaccia's King Carlo Barrali, and Rocco is the product of their illicit affair.

Leaves a marriage on the edge and a royal family in jeopardy.

Trained from birth to keep his royal parentage quiet, Rocco cannot even trust his beloved wife with his secret, and his silence drives her away. When Russian thugs kidnap Justine and hold her for ransom, he must risk everything - his siblings' security, his life's work, and the reputation of a royal family - to save the woman he loves. But when he reveals his secret - and confronts a new, horrible truth - will Rocco break Justine's trust forever?

©2015 Nicole Burnham (P)2016 Nicole Burnham

Great addition to the Series

If you could sum up The Royal Bastard in three words, what would they be?
scandal, thugs, surprise

Which character – as performed by Hollis McCarthy – was your favorite?
Rocco Cornaro - enjoyed listening to her voices for these characters

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
many surprises

Any additional comments?
Enjoyed this latest entry into the Royal Scandals series. This one is about the illegitimate son of the king of a small Mediterranean island country. If his existence becomes known, it could destabilize the country. He is also a medical doctor and device manufacturer which plays into the first part of the story. He needs to protect his estranged wife from potential kidnappers and ends up needing the King's assistance. You learn more about the other siblings. I look forward to finding out more about the rest of the family.

#GlobeTrotting #GlobeTrotting #HappyEnding #Celebrity #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Love this series!

I've enjoyed this series in print, but this is the first audio I've tried. So glad I did! Nicole Burnham writes characters you care about and the world she's built is a fabulous escape. Love this royal family and I'm anxious for the next book. Great narration, too!

Love, honor and secrets collide ...

If you could sum up The Royal Bastard in three words, what would they be?

Secrets can wound.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Royal Bastard?

There's something about a man who is willing to risk everything in the name of love. There was no question Justine held his heart. Would he risk his safety for hers?

Which scene was your favorite?

There were a number of surprising twists but my favorite moment was when Rocco admitted he couldn't stay an island. That opened the way for his marriage to heal and his heart to mend.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment where Rocco realizes his heart belongs to his wife. His hurt and anguish was like a siren call to the heart.

Any additional comments?

The Royal Scandals collection modernizes the fantasy of Royalty but with real emotions and realistic scenarioshe. Ms. McCarthy brings a genuiness to every performance.

Suspense and Secrets! Winning Combination!

The Royal Bastard: Royal Scandals Book 4 by Nicole Burnham. Although this book is part of a series it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. However, you will get a better understanding of the action of the characters if you have read/listened to prior books in the series. Rocco Cornaro is a wealthy man – he is on the cutting edge of inventing and implementing life-saving medical technology and devices. BUT, Rocco Cornaro has a secret. In keeping this secret, he has alienated his wife, Justine. Although they live separately, Rocco still feels deeply for Justine. When Justine is kidnapped by the Russian enforcers and held for ransom will Rocco reveal his secret and risk everything to save her? This has been my favorite book of this series. The plot is fast paced. The characters are interesting and their interactions are believable and sometimes intense.

Hollis McCarthy did an excellent job narrating this book. She kept a good pace and the chapters seemed to flow together well. There were no noticeable miscues, pauses or issues with the narrating of this story. Ms. McCarthy, as usual, did a great job with the accents and characters – she seemed to be able to flow from one to the other without issue. At times you felt that you were feeling what the characters were.

another great story in the royal scandals series

If you could sum up The Royal Bastard in three words, what would they be?

Once again Hollis McCarthy has a fun performance, this time as a champion skier and her somewhat royal husband. While the premise of the story is a stretch, the characters are lovable and fun. I look forward to reading the next one!!!

Second Chances

This is by far my favorite book in the Royal Scandal Series. In Rocco's story we learn about the secrets that he and his mother are keeping. The fact that he and his twin brother and sister are the illegitimate children of King Carlo. Through keeping this secret Rocco's wife Justine has left him. When Justine is kidnapped by the Russian Mob and held for ransom, Rocco must reveal his secrets in order to save her. The plot is fast paced the characters and their relationships keep you entranced as Hollis McCarthy keeps you entranced through the entire novel.

My favorite of the series...so far.

This series has been a favorite of mine. I've completely enjoyed it. I don't have a lot of time to listen to audio books, so it's a treat. At first I wasn't as into this story. I'm not sure why. I think I wanted for Nicole Burnham to move forward with the "known" Barrali children's stories. I had no attachment Rocco. But after the first quarter, I was frustrated to not be able to get back to listening. I intend to listen to this again knowing I'll feel differently about the beginning since Rocco has become a favorite. With the twists revealed in this book, it turned into my favorite book so far.

I just love Hollis McCarthy's voice. She performs these books perfectly.