The Princess Trap is a novel by Talia Hibbert.
Finished on: 15.3.2024

Content Note: child abuse

Plot:
Cherry Neita thought that she would get a nice, hot flirt and maybe more with the guy who has an appointment at her office. But when the two of them are caught kissing by paparazzi, Cherry realizes that Ruben isn’t just any guy, he is the Prince of Helgmøre. To get out of the reputation disaster that the paparazzi pictures would cause, Ruben introduces Cherry as his fiancée. But that actually causes more issues, and much to her dismay, Cherry finds herself fake engaged to the hottest, most infuriating guy in Helgmøre.

The Princess Trap is a fun read that ticks a lot of the boxes I am looking for in a romance but I didn’t completely love it, I have to say. That being said, I can see myself checking out more of Hibbert’s writing in the future.

The Princess Trap is wonderfully diverse – Cherry is fat and Black, Ruben is bi, and the supporting cast has a lot to offer as well. So that was already a major selling point for me. I also don’t mind at all that the sex scenes are a bit kinky (slight D/s, not outright BDSM), especially since Hibbert takes care to include consent talk. So, all of that is pretty damn great.

The thing that wasn’t so great for me was the relationship progression between Ruben and Cherry. I do like fake dating (or friends to lovers, or second chance romances) precisely because the couples tend to know each other for a while before suddenly falling in love. The HEA within two weeks (or something) is just too fast for my taste and I have trouble suspending my disbelief for it. I am not saying it never works for me, but more often than not, I feel like shouting “HOLD YOUR HORSES”. With Ruben and Cherry, despite the fake dating, it felt like that for me. Their love came too quickly, I just didn’t buy it.

Plus, Ruben’s tragic backstory was a tad heavy for the otherwise fun, breezy space the book successfully inhabits. But I might be saying that because I’m just a little royaled out at the moment – there is an overwhelming amount of stories about poor rich people, some royal, some not, and I think I need a break from it.

I can definitely see myself picking up more of Hibberts novels in the future, but after reading this one, I am not rushing to get there despite the book’s many good qualities.

Summarizing: more fun than not.