Dedication
For medical professionals the world over:
While the rest of us sit on our couches and whine about feeling ‘cooped up,’ you’re showing up every day, whether at a hospital or a converted hotel, working yourselves to exhaustion.
You show up, even though there will be too many patients, too many horrific decisions, and too many tears.
You show up knowing there won’t be nearly enough of everything you need to save each person who looks up at you with fear and hope in their eyes.
You show up knowing you’re risking your own life and whatever beautiful future lies ahead for you.
I hope when this nightmare ends, you’ll still be here so the rest of us can thank you in person.
With immeasurable gratitude,
Melanie
A Letter From The Author
Dear Reader,
It’s been just over two years since we left the Langdon family—Prince Arthur, Tessa, Princess Arabella, Gran, and King Winston. I knew I wanted to write a book (or two) about the lovely, sweet Arabella, who desperately needs to break out of her shell. But for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out who her perfect match would be. Then one day, while working on the Paradise Bay series, it struck me like lightning—Will Banks! And I just knew.
I had planned on making the third Paradise Bay book about him, but as soon as I knew who he was meant for, it was also clear to me that these two would need their own series. There is just too much deliciously rich conflict for them to sort through. #evilauthorfun
Anyhoo, you can most definitely read this book as a standalone. No problem with that at all. It should make you laugh, swoon a little, and feel good. BUT, if you’re a person who likes to read in order so you’re in on all the private jokes, and can say to yourself, “Well, that comment is just so Gran, isn’t it?” then I recommend going back and reading the following books in the following order first: The Royal Treatment, The Royal Wedding, The Royal Delivery, The Honeymooner, Whisked Away, and The Suite Life. That will bring you up to speed on everything that’s happened in the crazy, fun, romantic world I’ve created. But if you’re all, “Hey, Mel, that’s too many books, and I just want to read this one, mmkay?” that’s cool too. You go, girl. Or boy. Or they. You go, too. Do your thang. Read what you want to read in whatever order you want to read it. S’all good.
Okay, I’ll sign off now because you didn’t buy this book so you could read some boring letter from me. You bought it so you can escape the real world, which can be kind of scary and sometimes a little nasty. And escape you shall, my friend …
All the very best in life to you and yours,
Melanie
P.S. I’ve read that the prince formerly known as Prince Harry had a nickname given to him by his friends from school. Apparently, they call him Spike, which is something you’ll need to know in about two pages. ;)
Breaking News
Avonian Broadcast Network Morning Newscast Featuring Veronica Platt
Tuesday, April 7th - Valcourt, Avonia
“Good day and welcome to Avonia This Morning. I'm Veronica Platt. Today’s top story—the global toilet paper shortage is causing bidets to go flying off shelves at hardware stores all over Europe, and things are about to get messy.” Veronica, the beautiful brunette anchor dressed in a white button-up shirt and ivory pearls, pauses dramatically. “But first, the entire kingdom has wedding fever, and no, it's not a royal wedding this time, but it might as well be, because Avonia’s own king of fiction, Pierce Davenport, is set to marry here in Valcourt in just four days’ time. Giles Bigly is live on location in front of St. Stephen’s Church. Giles, would you like to tell us what's going on?”
The screen splits into two halves, showing Giles on the left and Veronica on the right.
“Well, Veronica, as usual, you just did.” Giles laughs maniacally. “Yes, the big news around the kingdom is the wedding of the second son of Lord Alistair and Lady Bunny Davenport. His grandfather, of course, was the founder of Davenport Communications, the U.K.’s largest telecom, digital cable, and satellite provider. He may come from one of the most powerful families in the kingdom, but Pierce is a force to be reckoned with in his own right. He’s the author of the immensely popular Clash of Crowns fantasy series that has been turned into one of the world’s most-watched television series. This Saturday, he’ll be right here in St. Stephen’s behind me, marrying his long-time girlfriend, Emma Banks, renowned chef and inventor of the Carib-Asian food craze. The happy couple live in the Benavente islands near her family’s resort, where she works as head chef.”
“Yes, Giles, I know that,” Veronica says in a sugary tone. “I’ve actually been there to feature the Paradise Bay Resort, as well as Emma Banks, on our show.”
Giles stiffens slightly. “I’m fully aware of that, Veronica. It was the one time you agreed to go live on location. In the Caribbean. Instead of, say, that time I had to go to the Canadian Arctic in the dead of winter to do that piece on the effects of climate change on polar bears. I was merely providing Ms. Banks’s backstory to our viewers who may have missed your hard-hitting piece on an all-inclusive resort.”
Veronica laughs gaily. “Righto. Of course. Now, Giles, any word as to why they decided to get married here, rather than in Emma's home country?” Veronica asks.
“Actually, Veronica, Ms. Banks was born here in Avonia. She moved to the Caribbean at the age of seven when her parents were killed in an automobile accident. Her uncle, the original owner of the resort, took her and her brothers in, and raised them.”
“Oh, how sad. Is that why they’ve come back here for the big day? To bring Emma back in touch with her roots?”
“Not sure, really. Pierce Davenport is notoriously private, so the couple hasn’t made any type of public statement. But one could speculate that it’s perhaps a way to appease the Davenports since Pierce and Emma live full time on Santa Valentina Island. Or it could simply be that it's much easier to have a few people travel halfway across the world than to expect hundreds of people to do so. It’s rumoured that several members of the royal family will be in attendance, as well as the entire cast and crew of NBO’s Clash of Crowns, which will make Valcourt quite the spot for stargazing, if you will.”
“Speaking of stars, we here at ABN have a special connection with Ms. Banks’s younger brother, Will. He’s the host of The Wild World, which, for those who haven’t seen it yet, offers an exciting blend of extreme sports, survival tips, and a chance to get a look at some of the most remote and dangerous places on the planet.” Veronica grins at the camera. “Will can really do it all—with his in-depth knowledge of nature and his penchant for risk-taking. They start filming the third season in the next few weeks, and I, for one, cannot wait to see what death-defying things he’ll get up to this time around.”
“If you’re lucky, perhaps he'll pop into to the studio to say hello,” Giles says. “I'm sure you’d love that, Veronica.”