Book Review: Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Reluctant Royals 2.5) by Alyssa Cole

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Reluctant Royals 2.5)   

Author: Alyssa Cole

Publisher: Avon Impulse

American release date: February 19, 2019

Format/Genre/Length: eBook/Contemporary Romance/LGBT/384 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Being the personal assistant to a prince has its ups and downs, even for the very efficient Likotski Adele. One of the downsides is that her personal life, what little she has, tends to suffer. At one time, she didn’t mind so much, but ever since she met Fabiola C on an Internet dating site, life has not been the same. From the moment she’d seen Fab’s picture, Likotski had been intrigued, and meeting her did nothing to change her opinion. Everything was great… until it wasn’t. Until Fab coldly and unexpectedly broke up with her, citing Likotski’s leaving as the reason.

Now Likotski is back in New York with the prince and his princess, and she can’t stop thinking of Fab.

The past is past, and Likotski is determined to let go, aided by the new shoes given her by her father for Christmas. His note said: New shoes point toward the future…. But how can she think of the future when her heart lies in the past? Now Likotski is taking some time for herself, visiting a list of places she’s made up for herself. While on the subway, she receives an unexpected text from a source she does not recognize. Is Fate so cruel that she should run into the one woman she is trying to forget in a city the size of New York? Or is it that Fate is not done with them yet and has something else to say?

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is a Reluctant Royals novella, and it packs a sweet punch in its short length. In the first book, A Princess in Theory, we see Likotski secretly and happily but love, but something goes horribly wrong, although she never reveals what that is. In this novella, we find out exactly what that something was, and who it involved. A chance meeting on the subway brings Likotski and Fab back together, but can they get past the things that kept them apart before? Communication is key to any good relationship, but neither one is very forthcoming. Something has to change if they have a change of making it together.

This was a very sweet story, very romantic. I hope we see more of this couple in future books, but this novella was just perfect, and I enjoyed it greatly. I recommend it to anyone who is reading the series.