Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: The Best-Laid Plans
SERIES: Plans, #2
AUTHOR: Addison Albright
PUBLISHER: JMS Books
LENGTH: 28,200 words
RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2019
BLURB:
A death that wasn’t what it seemed … A kidnapping that isn’t what it seems … Time is running out.
The morning after his wedding night, Prince Marcelo thought he’d be embarking on a journey to his own personal fairytale happily ever after with his husband Efren, the crown prince of Zioneven. But when news arrives indicating his sister’s death wasn’t as accidental as previously thought, that journey becomes fraught with danger.
Enmeshed in political intrigue, death, and a kidnapping that might not be what it seems, will Efren untangle the web of misleading clues in time to save the naïve young man he’s already come to admire? Or will Marcelo dig deep to discover a previously untapped inner strength and determination to facilitate his own survival?
REVIEW:
Note: This is the second part of a series which should be read in order as this book and review contain spoilers for the events of the first book.
This lovely sequel picks back up directly after the events of The Contingency Plan. Princes Efren and Marcelo have started to build trust and enjoyed their wedding night. But as they prepare to leave Marcelo’s family and head back to Efren’s kingdom of Zioneven, they receive word that the circumstances of Marcelo’s sister’s death were perhaps not the accident that everyone assumes. Additional precautions are taken for security during the journey and the set off on their trip.
During the journey, Marcelo feels annoyed that he is not more self-sufficient. In his matriarchal society, he has been little more than an afterthought to his family. His education and skills, or rather lack thereof, are a source of embarrassment to him. However, he is determined to learn and being naturally clever and curious, he watched, studies and learns as they travel. For his part, Efren is quite impressed at the early strides that Marcelo is making and he endeavors to help him in any way he can.
When things go horribly awry, it seems that the scheming neighbor who is trying to sow the seeds of unrest is not done tampering with Efren and Marcelo. But just when we think we know who may behind the latest attack, there is a twist that may result in dire consequences for Marcelo if he can’t figure a way out of the mess he finds himself in.
I really really liked this series. Marcelo is a young rather naïve prince who is more than pleasantly surprised at the turn of fate when his deceased twin’s fiance chooses him as her replacement. He starts out as a sheltered young man who doesn’t understand political motivations and ends up an astute prince who realizes he can’t wait to be saved – he will need to save himself! Efren is definitely the older, wiser, more experienced (in every way) partner in this relationship, but he values Marcelo for his heart and his courage. They are very sweet and supportive to each other. They are just at the beginning of their relationship, so the tenderness and consideration is very apparent – particularly on Efren’s part. Over this short time, they have begun to build a solid foundation for their marriage with a bright future ahead of them – definitely a HFN ending 😊 A lot happens in these two shorter stories of this series but I thought the pacing and the detail were perfect for a quick enjoyable tale.
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[…] Sadonna at Love Bytes Reviews said, “Over this short time, they have begun to build a solid foundation for their marriage with a bright future ahead of them – definitely a HFN ending 😊 A lot happens in these two shorter stories of this series but I thought the pacing and the detail were perfect for a quick enjoyable tale.” […]