A Royal Pain

by Megan Mulry

Wow, this is the worst attempt at chick lit that I’ve read in a long time! Note to author: in order to write a successful chick lit novel, you need to create a likeable heroine. Trust me on this.

Instead, Ms. Mulry has created the most hate-able female in chick lit history. Bronte Talbot is smart, ambitious, and driven. She is also foul-mouthed and bitter. Very bitter.

After a break-up, Bronte meets a totally awesome Brit. Unfortunately, she deems him TM (Transition Man). Max is not her TM; he is The One. Of course, Bronte fails to acknowledge this. Time and time again. Her stupid behavior with Max, who turns out to be a duke, is just plain annoying.

There is nothing believable about anything in this novel. The characters are not well-drawn, and the author is terrible when it comes to the novel’s setting. Max and Bronte meet in Chicago, but you’d never know it because the author has only a vague sense of the city. It is Chicago, and the author allegedly attended Northwestern—she should be able to write about the city. But no.

I think there was a good idea or two somewhere in this mess, but I cannot get past the bad writing. And the bad sex scenes.

This was a royal pain in the neck to read. Not recommended.

1/23/13