The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart

A fortysomething woman’s ordinary life takes a royal detour in an engaging novel about embracing a family legacy and stepping up when it matters most by New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart.

Annaliese—Annie—Gilberti is a divorced South Philadelphia mother of two with a nine-to-five job when a shocking discovery turns another average day upside down: her late grandmother was the exiled ruler of a small European country, and Annie is next in line to wear the crown and restore the monarchy. The would-be grand duchess of the Grand Duchy of Saint Gilbert has vacation time coming, enough to take a quick trip to check it out.

It’s easy to fall in love with Saint Gilbert’s villagers; its mysteries (why does everyone look decades younger than they claim to be?); her family’s ancestral home, Castle Blanc (so many hidden rooms and passages!); and maybe—just a little—with the dashing Maximilien Belleme, the captain of the castle guard. Never one to walk away from a challenge, Annie steps up, determined to be worthy of the crown that’s been offered. As she, her sisters, and her children work to bring Saint Gilbert into the modern age, Annie discovers a legacy of courageous women and that no threat is too great to deny the grand duchess’s right to the throne.

 

 

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)
~ Also Available to Read & Listen with KindleUnlimited ~

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars rounded up

If you read the postscript, you will learn that this was written as an escape from the crazy that we all experienced in 2020/21. I had wondered that before I got to it, because this is a fun fantasy that is designed to take someone out of the everyday and give them a fabulous, crazy daydream.

Annie is a middle-aged single mum who discovers that she is the heir to a small Duchy in Europe which needs her. Her family escaped during WWII and have lived incognito in the USA ever since. Now she needs to take her place in the country and restore its fortunes.

From the fabulous castles, the magical soap, and the divine bodyguard, Max, Annie is gathering her family and friends around her to take on the task of a lifetime.

Great escapist read!

 

 

MARIAH STEWART is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of several series, including Wyndham Beach, the Chesapeake Diaries, and the Hudson Sisters, as well as stand-alone novels, novellas, and short stories.

A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and one sleepy rescued black-and-tan coonhound amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she savors country life, tends her gardens, and works on her next novel. She’s the proud mama of two fabulous daughters and six adorable (and, yes, fabulous) granddarlings.

Connect with Mariah Stewart!

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

ARC provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided with a free copy of The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart to read and review.