It’s been a little bit since I’ve read a book by Addison Albright so I was really happy to sign up for this blog tour so I would finally read the last book in this series. I read the first two as they were released and loved them. In each review I said something like: I’d like to read more about this couple. The first book was pretty short (31 pages per Amazon) so although it didn’t end on a cliffhanger, I really wanted to read more. The second book was a bit longer at 101 pages (still no cliffhanger) and this third book is 121 pages.

I actually bought a copy of the third book when it first came out and never got around to reading it. ☹ I almost never re-read books but because it has been over two years since I read the first book, I decided to break with my normal unwritten no re-read policy 😊 and start from the beginning. I’m glad I did because I was reminded again of how much I enjoyed reading about these two princes.

Prince Marcelo comes from a matriarchal society where women rule and men are considered to be inferior. He’ll never be much of anything in his home of Sheburat where his mother is queen. When Crown Prince Efren of Zioneven selects him to be his husband, he is shocked, as are the people of Sheburat. Prince Efren has always preferred men and wasn’t looking forward to his arranged marriage to Prince Marcelo’s twin sister. Fate stepped in and he was able to invoke the contingency plan and choose Marcelo.

I could make this a really long review but I’ll try to keep it shorter by just linking to my review of The Contingency Plan and The Best Laid Plans. What I want to say about the third book is that Addison Albright came up with an inventive way to give the princes amnesia and I loved it. It was very heartwarming to read how much Marcelo is valued and loved by Efren’s family, even if he can’t remember that.

While the first two books had satisfying endings there was a bit of a mystery unsolved (it didn’t seem that important to me in those books). Change of Plans goes into more detail about the mystery and wraps things up. Addison Albright really has a creative mind; with the way Change of Plans twisted and turned I never saw it coming when all was revealed.

I really enjoyed this series!

Reviews for Addison Albright

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With everyone now in attendance, Queen Giselle stepped forward. “Your Royal Highness, Ladies and Lords, and people of Zioneven, please accept our warm welcome to Sheburat, and I hope you’ll accept our sincere apology for the chaos in which you find us today.”

Prince Efren inclined his head. “Of course, Your Majesty. On behalf of Zioneven, I offer our heartfelt condolences on the loss of your beloved daughter.”

“Thank you,” Queen Giselle replied. “Sadly, our loss yesterday affects more than simply causing us private pain.”

“Indeed.” Prince Efren kept his reply short, perhaps diplomatically leaving it to Queen Giselle to either further the conversation toward whether or not he was ready to choose his alternate, or to wait for a time when her grief would be less immediate.

His mother would put diplomacy first, Marcelo didn’t doubt that. The conversation may or may not happen today, but it would occur during this visit. Diplomacy always came ahead of personal concerns.

“Although disappointment caused by the cancellation of the wedding we’d expected tomorrow is unavoidable,” Queen Giselle said. “I hope you’ll find a small comfort in knowing that you may now make your own choice of your future bride from among my younger daughters rather than the arrangement made on your behalf at the tender age of five.”

Again, Prince Efren inclined his head. “Sibling.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Sibling. The terms of the treaty specify I may choose an alternate from among Princess Marcela’s younger siblings. It didn’t restrict the choice to daughters.”

Marcelo stiffened. What in the world could Prince Efren mean by that? Men didn’t marry men. At least, he’d never heard of such a thing occurring in Sheburat. Marcelo wasn’t alone in his bewilderment. Everyone on his side of the room stilled. None of the faces opposite them exhibited confusion. Was that an acceptable option in Zioneven’s culture?

It was only by mere minutes, but Marcelo did qualify as a younger sibling to Marcela.

For the first time in Marcelo’s recollection, his mother faltered. “Do…surely…but…”

Marcelo turned his head toward her, his wide eyes silently imploring her to voice an objection. Kemble may have recently grown complacent thinking herself in the clear, but she’d at least spent her life knowing she was the likely backup plan.

As a royal son in this matriarchal society, Marcelo had grown up knowing he would never marry. Never. Royal sons did not marry. Period.

He’d been perfectly happy with that knowledge because he’d never experienced the attraction that men outside the royal family felt toward women. In fact, he’d enjoyed knowing he would not have to merge his life with a woman’s with the expectation of having to bed her.

His gaze flicked back and forth between Queen Giselle and Prince Efren before settling on the prince. Prince Efren had kept his eyes locked with the queen’s, but as if sensing Marcelo’s scrutiny, his head turned to reflect Marcelo’s regard.

Marcelo’s heart thudded so vigorously in his chest, surely everyone in the room must hear it. His respiration quickened. That single word uttered by Prince Efren had shattered Marcelo’s understanding of everything he knew about the world and had expected in his life.

Queen Giselle remained frozen for a few more moments, her brows drawn together as she processed the unexpected direction of this discussion. She cast a brief, apologetic glance toward Marcelo, then lifted her shoulders in a barely visible shrug. “The treaty does indeed use that word. Prince Efren, the choice is yours.”

Marcelo’s stomach dropped as her words echoed through the silent hall even though he’d known in his heart that she’d put Sheburat before her son’s individual concerns. So, he felt no personal betrayal. It was who is mother had to be.

Prince Efren continued to stare at Marcelo as he firmly stated, “I choose His Royal Highness, Prince Marcelo. The wedding will proceed tomorrow as planned.”

Marcelo swayed as the blood drained from his face. How could this be? How did such a marriage work? Would he be expected to—

“Marcelo?” Suky’s whispered tone voiced her concern. “Are you unwell?”

She repeated the words, but from farther away. Or did her voice only seem distant? He wobbled as the people around him faded, and then, thankfully, this nightmare all went away.

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