#eric watt

A Glasgow building during demolition (1972), showing soot trails to chimneys.

Paper Princess by Eric Watt

Rating: 4/5 stars

um wow???

Paper Princess is about Ella, a girl doing what she can to survive on her own after her mother's death, even if that means pretending to be a 35-year-old and stripping. Her world is rocked when Callum Royal enters her life and says he's her legal guardian now. Ella is very independent and didn't want any sort of help but Callum gave her an offer she could not refuse. Ella ends up living with Callum Royal and his five sons. Immediately, these too-hot-for-their-own-good assholes hate Ella and work to make sure her life in the Royal mansion is hell.

LET ME TELL YOU. THIS BOOK IS MESSY

But I love it.

I understand why people would hate this book. It is very problematic and the relationships are toxic as fuck. Some of the events seem unrealistic too, like straight out of Gossip Girl. I heard some people compare it to Cruel Intentions also and I can see that. Usually, I stay away from books like these because the borderline abusive behavior makes me too angry and is just a huge book turn off. But this book was different? It had me hooked. I wasn't expecting that at all. I stayed up till 5 in the morning to finish this book and I regret nothing. My jaw was on the floor the entire time. I haven't been so invested in a book in a long time and it was a great feeling. Even if the book tore me up.

The growth of some of these characters made my heart melt. Easton. Easton motherfucking Royal. This boy grossed me out in the beginning. He was horny, mean, twisted, and I hated him. But he grew on me a lot and I enjoyed the bond he and Ella created later on in the book.  (I heard he has a book later in the series and I cannot wait). And Ella! She's a badass. She is also kind of impulsive and gets her in sticky situations but hey, no character is perfect. That's what's so great about all these characters; they all have flaws and even if they look perfect, they are all far from it. And Reed Royal is probably the farthest. Just when you start to see him open up and grow, he breaks your heart. That is exactly how I felt after the cliffhanger: heartbroken.

"These Royals will ruin you" And they sure did.