American Prince: New Camelot, Book 2

Dramatically eloquent & endearing, with an erotic sharp edge! These books have been on my TBR for awhile. I knew of Sierra Simone’s capability to create a very risqué storyline after reading Priest. Yet nothing could have prepared me for this impressive trilogy! It’s scandalous. It’s witty. It’s angsty. It’s super-sexy-hot! I binged these books over the course of the last few days and I’m a wreck and in complete awe. Not only is the prose so beautiful and descriptive, there’s a heaping measure of pure wit and intelligence that delves deep into the complexities of human behavior and love. The woven metaphors of mythological references tied with legend - particularly that of King Arthur and his Knights - make a formidable backbone to this story. The imagery spectacularly detailed, my mind swirled with so many conjured-up scenes. “I’ve become one of those damsels in the legends that I teach about at Georgetown, one of those women in the stories who represents sex or virtue or deceit or any number of things to the gallant knight she’s entreating for help. To complain that these women are passive is to miss the point; they aren’t women at all. They’re symbols, defined by the meaning the knights make of them, recognizable only as the role they play in the knight’s adventure.” The varied points of views created so many layers, opening revelations and shrouding mystery at the same time. I am a conflicted pile of feelings I can’t even begin to articulate. I felt hate and love and…

American Prince is essentially Embrey’s story. In essence it is about the ongoing sacrifices he makes for the ones he loves. Suggestion, coercion and manipulation are steering Embrey down a painful path of nobility echoing his selfless determination to protect the people he loves. The story is told through past and present chapters as well as multiple PoVs from both Ash and Greer. While the depth of detail continues to flesh out the trilogy building a steady supply of suspense, it began to frustrate me. Repercussions from each new twist in the story blocks Ash, Greer and Embrey’s happiness. I questioned again who was running the country and reminded myself that facts can be stranger than fiction. Maybe my expectations of elected public figures are higher than the reality if there is an ounce of realism to be found in this story. Therefore, the setting is of no consequence to me and remains focused on the tangled relationship heavily influenced by the desire of others to have the people they want making the decisions. Being Embrey’s book, there’s a heavy MM take on the romance. Then with the ménage aspect placed on hold, there is a heavy air of unrequited love. All in all, I became a tad frustrated with the void created by the bitter behaviour of one character in particular. I love the trio together, but in isolation or paired the heat level went begging. For a lover of dark reads, I started to slip into a sombre mood the further I ventured into American Prince. And yet…