by: Whitney Dineen
Series: Seven Brides for Seven Mothers
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 14, 2022
Queen Charlotte of Malquar has a talent. She’s already helped two of her children find mates, and now she’s convinced her daughter’s new secretary would be a perfect partner for her remaining single son.
Agnes Dupuis has a plan. She’s going to work for the royal family for a couple of years before opening her own upscale employment agency. When she starts her job with Princess Aubrey, she knows everything is on track. After a short time, she gets transferred to the crown prince’s staff, and she couldn’t be more ecstatic.
At thirty-five, Prince Andrew knows it’s past time for him to find a bride. Unfortunately, it’s a nearly impossible task. While he would like to marry for love, it doesn’t look like that will be an option. His future wife will be queen one day and she must have all the necessary skill sets to thrive in that role.
Sparks fly when Agnes and Drew start to work together. Drew fights his attraction for his new secretary as hard as he can. Meanwhile, Agnes doesn’t know what she’s doing wrong. She can’t seem to do anything to make the prince happy.
Will Queen Charlotte be responsible for another match? Or are Agnes and Drew destined to forever butt heads.
Find out in the deliciously fun sixth installment of the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Series.
* All books in this series read as standalones.
Agnes Dupuis is going to drive me insane. It’s not that she doesn’t do her job well—she certainly does that. It’s just that she’s so, so … I hate to admit this to myself, but it’s because she’s so beautiful. Spending time with her preoccupies me to the point where it’s become difficult for me to focus on whatever task is at hand.
I know a lot of people think that being a prince is no big deal as far as work goes. In their eyes it’s just one big party after another. But being the heir is an entirely different story. While my siblings host, show up to, or lend their names to certain events, that’s all they have to do.
Meanwhile, I have actual governmental responsibilities in addition to being seen at all major affairs in our capitol. Now, I’ve gone and made my life even more stressful by scheduling more time with my secretary.
Agnes had every right to storm out of my office this afternoon. I behaved like a cad. The truth is, I revere women like only a son of an extraordinary woman can. I know they can do anything they set their minds to. I realize they are the stronger sex in many ways. So why couldn’t I just leave well enough alone and let Agnes have one small win?
I’ll tell you why: I’m afraid one small win will lead to my undoing. I’m attracted to Agnes, and I cannot be with her.
There’s been enough gossip circulating about my family ever since my dad married my mother. My grandparents were not in favor of their match, so the headlines were particularly scathing. Speculation over Mum’s capability lasted a very long time.
Luckily, the queen has proven herself again and again to our country as a highly competent ruler, as well as a loving wife and mother. But then her six kids grew up.
My youngest sister, Chérie, is married to her wife, Brigitte. They live in Paris with their daughter. And while Chérie was the first of us to settle down, she was also a wild child with a chip on her shoulder the size of a moon crater. She made a spectacle of herself in the press from the time she knew what flipping the bird meant. And believe me when I say, her shocking behavior only grew from there.
My brother Geoffrey wanted nothing to do with being a prince, so he went to the States for university before going to culinary school there. Instead of coming home and picking up some of the royal slack, he got a job at a lodge in Oregon and pretended to be someone else.
My brother Alistair has finally settled down, but not before parading every woman he could get his hands on in front of the press. My sister Aubrey was a particular nightmare in the love department, but she’s settled down as well. Now there’s just me and Sophie.
Sophie had been engaged to Baron Harquardt. It was thought to be a love match until Thomas informed my sister that he had no intention of getting rid of his mistress once they were wed. Sophie broke off the engagement and has been so despondent ever since, I fear she’s given up on the thought of marrying at all.
With all the theatrics that have gone on before me, is it any wonder I want to marry a woman who won’t have all the tongues on the continent wagging with conjecture and disapproval? The only problem is, I can’t seem to find someone to fit the bill who doesn’t bore me to death.
Enter my sister’s secretary, Agnes Dupuis. Bree suggested Agnes take McMillian’s place when he got sick, and before I could find my own man, my mother jumped on board and made sure Agnes got the job. You’d think a queen would have more pressing matters to take care of.
Now I’m stuck with a confoundingly beautiful and skilled assistant who’s charged with making my life run smoothly. And while Agnes keeps a tight calendar and makes sure I’m where I’m meant to be when I’m meant to be there, she’s having a sizable impact on my blood pressure.
Picking up the telephone on my desk, I punch in the three-digit code that will connect me with the Master of Household.
My call is answered after only one ring. “Your Highness, how may I be of assistance?” Bennet asks.
“I’d like to know why Agnes Dupuis was made my permanent secretary without anyone asking me first.”
“Sir, I assure you I did not make that call on my own. I suggested discussing the matter with you, but your mother said it wouldn’t be necessary. She told me you were delighted by the job Ms. Dupuis was doing, so she went ahead and made her title official.”
Of course she did. “I see. Well, in that case, I should mention that Agnes will be arriving to work early as of tomorrow. I would like for you to let her know that if she’s not here by seven thirty every morning, she will only be given one warning before her employment is terminated.”
“Oh … uh … yes. I’ll see to it. May I ask what additional duties Ms. Dupuis is meant to execute so I can better keep an eye on her?”
“No, you may not. I will let you know if her performance is up to snuff, and nothing my mother can say will contradict that. Have I made myself clear?”
“Yes, Your Highness. I shall refer to you for all future staffing concerns.”
“Only the ones that directly relate to me, please.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Thank you, Bennet.” I hang up the telephone before he can say anything else.
My gaze travels to the door Agnes recently walked through. I don’t need her to stay until six tonight, but I’m not going to tell her that. Let her use the time to think about how much she really wants this job. Hopefully, after tomorrow morning, she’ll decide on her own that working for me is more trouble than it’s worth.
I know a lot of people think that being a prince is no big deal as far as work goes. In their eyes it’s just one big party after another. But being the heir is an entirely different story. While my siblings host, show up to, or lend their names to certain events, that’s all they have to do.
Meanwhile, I have actual governmental responsibilities in addition to being seen at all major affairs in our capitol. Now, I’ve gone and made my life even more stressful by scheduling more time with my secretary.
Agnes had every right to storm out of my office this afternoon. I behaved like a cad. The truth is, I revere women like only a son of an extraordinary woman can. I know they can do anything they set their minds to. I realize they are the stronger sex in many ways. So why couldn’t I just leave well enough alone and let Agnes have one small win?
I’ll tell you why: I’m afraid one small win will lead to my undoing. I’m attracted to Agnes, and I cannot be with her.
There’s been enough gossip circulating about my family ever since my dad married my mother. My grandparents were not in favor of their match, so the headlines were particularly scathing. Speculation over Mum’s capability lasted a very long time.
Luckily, the queen has proven herself again and again to our country as a highly competent ruler, as well as a loving wife and mother. But then her six kids grew up.
My youngest sister, Chérie, is married to her wife, Brigitte. They live in Paris with their daughter. And while Chérie was the first of us to settle down, she was also a wild child with a chip on her shoulder the size of a moon crater. She made a spectacle of herself in the press from the time she knew what flipping the bird meant. And believe me when I say, her shocking behavior only grew from there.
My brother Geoffrey wanted nothing to do with being a prince, so he went to the States for university before going to culinary school there. Instead of coming home and picking up some of the royal slack, he got a job at a lodge in Oregon and pretended to be someone else.
My brother Alistair has finally settled down, but not before parading every woman he could get his hands on in front of the press. My sister Aubrey was a particular nightmare in the love department, but she’s settled down as well. Now there’s just me and Sophie.
Sophie had been engaged to Baron Harquardt. It was thought to be a love match until Thomas informed my sister that he had no intention of getting rid of his mistress once they were wed. Sophie broke off the engagement and has been so despondent ever since, I fear she’s given up on the thought of marrying at all.
With all the theatrics that have gone on before me, is it any wonder I want to marry a woman who won’t have all the tongues on the continent wagging with conjecture and disapproval? The only problem is, I can’t seem to find someone to fit the bill who doesn’t bore me to death.
Enter my sister’s secretary, Agnes Dupuis. Bree suggested Agnes take McMillian’s place when he got sick, and before I could find my own man, my mother jumped on board and made sure Agnes got the job. You’d think a queen would have more pressing matters to take care of.
Now I’m stuck with a confoundingly beautiful and skilled assistant who’s charged with making my life run smoothly. And while Agnes keeps a tight calendar and makes sure I’m where I’m meant to be when I’m meant to be there, she’s having a sizable impact on my blood pressure.
Picking up the telephone on my desk, I punch in the three-digit code that will connect me with the Master of Household.
My call is answered after only one ring. “Your Highness, how may I be of assistance?” Bennet asks.
“I’d like to know why Agnes Dupuis was made my permanent secretary without anyone asking me first.”
“Sir, I assure you I did not make that call on my own. I suggested discussing the matter with you, but your mother said it wouldn’t be necessary. She told me you were delighted by the job Ms. Dupuis was doing, so she went ahead and made her title official.”
Of course she did. “I see. Well, in that case, I should mention that Agnes will be arriving to work early as of tomorrow. I would like for you to let her know that if she’s not here by seven thirty every morning, she will only be given one warning before her employment is terminated.”
“Oh … uh … yes. I’ll see to it. May I ask what additional duties Ms. Dupuis is meant to execute so I can better keep an eye on her?”
“No, you may not. I will let you know if her performance is up to snuff, and nothing my mother can say will contradict that. Have I made myself clear?”
“Yes, Your Highness. I shall refer to you for all future staffing concerns.”
“Only the ones that directly relate to me, please.”
“Of course, sir.”
“Thank you, Bennet.” I hang up the telephone before he can say anything else.
My gaze travels to the door Agnes recently walked through. I don’t need her to stay until six tonight, but I’m not going to tell her that. Let her use the time to think about how much she really wants this job. Hopefully, after tomorrow morning, she’ll decide on her own that working for me is more trouble than it’s worth.
Purchase Queen of Hearts from:
The Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Series:
At Last releases February 1, 2023
Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.
She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.
Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.
Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.
Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.
Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017
Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017
Places to find Whitney Dineen:
love a royal romance and this sounds fab!
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