The Toad Prince

Cowboy Fairytales, Book 3

By: Lacy Williams

Narrated by: Lara Asmundson

Prince Pieter of Glorvaird has never met his royal cousins, but he's determined to find a way to hurt them the way he's been hurt. On his mission for revenge, he finds himself traveling a stretch of Texas highway, where he finds a beautiful and stranded young woman. The last thing he needs is a distraction, but McKenna is guileless, nothing like the women who chase his title. He is instantly drawn to her.

Hometown girl McKenna Cline has hedged all her bets on becoming rodeo queen. Four events are all that stand between her and the scholarship she needs to start living her dream of attending law school. She accepts Pieter's offer of help and can't help falling for the man who exudes confidence but has given her glimpses of his vulnerable side.

When the rodeo princess kisses the toad, will he become the prince he was born to be?

©2016 Lacy Williams (P)2016 Lacy Williams

Enjoyable Series: Book 3

If you want an "easy to listen" audiobook that doesn't put a damper on your day or leave you with high levels of anxiety, then this is the series for you!! I would rate it PG, and all of the books so far (I've listened to 1-3) would be suitable for teenagers through adults. These books written by Lacy Williams and narrated by Lara Asmundson all end happily, which leaves you with a feeling of joy, rather than some I have read that left me confused, sad, or grossed out! There are no sex scenes (always just a kiss), and there is no cussing/swearing. The plot flows nicely and opens with a conflict that draws the reader/listener in right away. As you could guess, someone in each story falls in love fairly quickly (because the stories are only around 3 hours). However, if I met these people, I'd fall in love too! :-) For now, I'll have to continue on with my semi-boring life and hope for the best. Haha!

Although it would be a better experience for the listener to start at the beginning of the series, it is not necessary. I, however, am happy I started at the beginning because my favorite couple from Book 1, also makes their appearance in Books 2 and 3 so far! This is because all of the characters are connected together, even though it isn't always told how they are connected, right away. In case you don't start at the beginning with Book 1, a bit of background is provided throughout each story to avoid any confusion as to why the characters make certain decisions or act in specific ways. As you listen, you, too, will have your favorite couple. As an added perk, the author gives you instructions on how to get a free surprise/bonus at the end of this book, too...so listen all the way through! So nice of her! Of all the books I have listened to, these are the ones that I have had an author extend an invitation (of sorts) to the readers. Thank you for that!!

I rate this series 5 stars for these reasons:
-Appeals to a large audience (you do not need to listen with your teen daughter supervising her as she listens....I teach high school and I would not say this if I didn't mean it)
-They are of shorter length (great for an afternoon listen...even though I like to spread it out so I can enjoy it longer)
-The bonus at the end of the book...again, listen all the way to end for your gift!
-At the end of each book, there is a chapter available for the listener for the next book in the series (to see if you want to buy that one...which so far has been the reason I keep coming back for more!)
-The writing flows nicely and the characters are relatable (even though some of them are of Royalty, the others are everyday people, like me)
-The narrator is awesome! Her voice is perfect...her tone, inflection, speed, and pronunciation are right on. She does a fantastic job. In some books I've listened to, I don't think the voice of the narrator matches what the characters would sound like...she does! I can't think of anyone I would rather listen to more than her for this series. Great job!

I plan to continue with this series and hope you give it a chance, too. This is not my usual genre (I am a lover of mysteries and non-fiction), but I am thrilled I gave this series a chance! I think you, too, will feel the same. I have never met the author or narrator, but if I had the chance, I would tell them both great job and thank you for introducing me to the world of romance! :-) If you made it to the end of my review (I know it's long....it's the teacher in me!!), thanks for reading and I hope it helped! :-)

The Toad Prince

This is a wonderful addition to this series! This sweet and innocent young lady meets a broken prince, who has only ever need love and trust! Together the 2 fill so many empty spots in each other's hearts! Great story I can't wait to see what's next for the royal family!

Pleasant addition to the series but too short

This is Book 3 in Lacy Williams' Cowboy Fairy Tales series. It is about a fictitious European royal family finding love, usually with cowboys in Texas. The idea is silly but I think really pleasant. It is a "clean" romance series (no sex, just kissing) in which each book focuses on a different couple finding love. In this one, Peter is a prince who has never been recognized by his cousins and uncle in the royal family because his crazy mother has been ostracized for decades. Peter intends to find a way to cause trouble for his royal cousin Alesandra living in Texas. However, Peter meets Texas girl McKenna Hastings, who wants to win scholarship money as a rodeo queen. She makes quite an impression on Peter, our "toad prince". FYI, this series is best read in order because some story arcs continue from book to book.
I really enjoyed Books 1 and 2. I liked this one, but I found it a bit disappointing. I wish it was a little longer so that Peter and McKenna had more time together growing their relationship. The ending of the book was a little abrupt, feeling like "happy for now" but not complete enough for a "happily ever after". I hope that this couple gets some more page time in upcoming books. Also, McKenna's pair of cousins were too one-dimensional in their villainous behavior. Lastly, the audiobook was somewhat disappointing because the narrator started to get on my nerves a little with her over-emphasis of words in sentences. She is not the most expert narrator ever, but I had been pleased with her in the last two books. She is pretty good at male and female voices and Texas accents, though. Her European accent is a little lame but passable. I recommend that potential readers definitely listen to the sample before they buy it.
I still plan on listening to the next book in the series. The continuing story arcs really intrigue me, and I am looking forward to hearing about the scarred princess, who is like the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. I really like all 3 couples that we have met so far. In addition, I enjoy the Texas setting. The rodeo setting in Austin seemed very vivid. It was clear that the author has experienced rodeos first hand. I also love the cheerful tone to the series as a whole.
I received a free copy from the author, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

Enjoyable Addition to the Series

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend it to them if they have read the other two books before it in the series. I can be listened to as a stand alone, but will work better as the middle book in the entire series.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Toad Prince?

The first kiss!

Which scene was your favorite?

Around the time Pieter found McKenna planning to sleep in the horse trailer.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, but I did enjoy the story.

4 Stars

(4.5 Stars - First Half
3.5 Stars - Second Half)

The Toad Prince is book three in the Cowboy Fairytales Series. This third book focuses on Prince Pieter, cousin to Allesandra and Mia from the previous books. As a child, Pieter's mother was exiled by the king. Now an adult, He is feeling angry and shafted and seeks to exact revenge on the Royal family. Yet, while on his mission, he meets rodeo princess McKenna.

I enjoyed the premise of the story and backstory. The first half of the book developed the characters nicely and gave valid reasons for their actions. Allesandra and Gideon play a large role in this book as they continue to look for the "lost princess" and plan their wedding. I only wish less time was spent on their story so that more time could have been devoted to Pieter and McKenna. In the second half of The Toad Prince, everything rushed to a happily-for-now ending. Unlike the previous books, Pieter and McKenna's story didn't tie up as nicely. That being said, I still enjoyed the inclusion of Pieter's story in the Cowboy Fairytales series and look forward to the next book.

Audiobook Rating = 4 Stars

The Toad Prince employs the same narrator as the previous books in the series. She has done a fine job, but I really didn't like the voice, tone and cadence she used for Pieter. I truly felt if I had been reading, I would have liked his character much more. Unfortunately, the narrator made him sound pompous and unlikable even as he started falling for McKenna and changed his vengeful demeanor.