Review: A Crowned Hope

I was in the mood for something hopeful recently, so I took a dive back into the Hope Ever After multi-author series of fairy tale retellings. A Crowned Hope by Kayla Eshbaugh is the sixth book I've read from this series, and I don't even think I've covered half of them yet. This book is a sweet retelling of The Prince(ss) and the Pauper with cozy romantic vibes. Although the book has a villain, he is a minor part of the story and only appears in a few scenes. Overall, it is a pleasant escape from reality with a humble protagonist who is loved by many people.

Keira is a peasant girl who owes money on her cottage to a greedy noble named Lord Roth, who threatens to force her to marry him if she can't pay it off. She just happens to be good friends with Princess Anna and shares a strong enough resemblance to her. Because of Anna's trauma over a recent lost love, she asks Keira to impersonate her to deter the affections of a foreign prince who has come to court her. It works so well that Prince Oliver is completely taken in by Keira's humility, grace, and horse grooming skills. When he eventually learns her secret, he holds no ill will toward her and instead swears revenge on Lord Roth for his ill treatment of the beloved pauper.

This is a cozy and romantic story that takes place in an unnecessarily complicated world. The prologue tells of a magical race called the Ancients and a wicked king's curse from the distant past, but none of that is important to Keira and Oliver's story. Due to being a descendant of the wicked king, Oliver believes his bloodline is cursed to only have one child each, yet the curse already seems to have broken because he has a brother. As a reader, I did not see the problem with the royal lineage having one child each because that means they would always have an heir. Yet, this was something that Oliver was concerned about when he decided to marry Keira. The magical backdrop also played little part in the setting, aside from some pretty multi-colored seashells in Keira's kingdom.

Despite her low status, Keira is treated well by everyone in the story except Lord Roth, making it a pleasant read for someone who is feeling low. There is barely any conflict in the story. When there is, Lord Roth seems completely unjustified in his actions, leaving no room for remorse in his punishment. Most of Keira's struggles revolve around her low self-esteem in thinking that she does not deserve to marry a prince. However, practically everyone in the book is on her side, especially Princess Anna. It was great to see such a supportive cast of characters. I also liked how Anna and Keira's names subtly reference two different Barbie movies that were inspired by the same story.

A Crowned Hope is a heartwarming and romantic retelling of The Prince and the Pauper that offers a pleasant escape from reality. With its cozy atmosphere, humble protagonist, and supportive cast of characters, this book is a great choice for readers looking for a feel-good story. Although the world-building could be tighter, the romance and character relationships shine through, making it a delightful read for those looking for some hope in their lives. The Hope Ever After series has a lot of diversity in terms of tone and setting, so it was interesting to see how much this one differed from the others I've read so far.