Book review: Daughters of Peverell princess series by Hannah Currie

Every book lover knows that summer is a great time to catch up on fun reads. So as the school year winds down and you start planning what to read next, one collection worth adding to your list is the three-book Daughters of Peverell series by Hannah Currie: Heart of a Royal, Heart of a Princess, and Heart of the Crown.

These contemporary princess books are set in the fictional kingdom of Peverell, where everyone’s lives revolve around the royal family. They can be read as standalones since each has a different girl as the main character, but you would still want to read them in order since characters and their stories connect across the books. Here’s the back cover copy for each.

Heart of a Royal

Brought to the palace as a newborn, the royal life bestowed upon Mackenna Sparrow was never meant to last forever. With Princess Alina engaged to be married, Mackenna’s presence as companion is no longer required and, like it or not, she must return to the birthright which should have been hers — that of a commoner.

But not everyone at the palace wants her gone. When the truths she’s based her life on start crumbling as fast as her future, will she find the courage to trust, both herself and the prince she’s fallen in love with?

Heart of a Princess

To the watching world, Princess Alina has it all — maids to serve her, a kingdom to revere her, a prince to marry her, and a wardrobe filled with enough frills, flounces and shades of pink to rival a flower shop. But behind the smiles and designer clothes, Alina has a secret. She’s barely holding it together. 

After a moment of panic almost ends in tragedy, Alina is sent to a refuge far from the palace to recuperate. Her family claim it’s for her own good but — faced with cows, knife-beaked ducks and far too many of her own insecurities — Alina is pretty sure it will kill her first. And Joha Samson, infuriating man that he is, will laugh as it does.  Only there’s more to Joha than she realizes, and more to herself too. When the time comes to make a stand, will she find the courage?

Heart of the Crown

The last place Lady Wenderley Davis ever expected to find herself after swearing off princes forever was living in a palace with two of them. Even if it is only temporary. And she did agree to it. Kind of. Against her better judgment.

But then, she’s never been one to hide her heart, nor hold back help from anyone who needs it. And if ever there’s a family who need help, it’s this one. As two weeks stretch to more, Wenderley throws all she has into showing the princes and their family how to smile again, and she’s loving every moment of it. Which is a problem. Because she’s very quickly becoming attached, and — as the man she’d rather forget keeps reminding her — the one thing she can’t do is stay.

What you can expect:

Each of the Daughter of Peverell books is a fun read about young women who are growing up and learning about love with humor, spunk, and individuality. They’re far from perfect, but want to become better. They’re relatable in their disappointments and their happiness, and I was definitely cheering for each of them to find their HEA (happily ever after). The romance in each is sweet, but not spicy. Faith is woven throughout each story in a way that is evident and makes you think about things in your own life without being cheesy or preachy. It’s an important element throughout the series but seems more integral to Wenderley (probably because she’s not as new to faith in her story as Kenna and Alina are in theirs).

Who should read the series:

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and would recommend it for any upper middle school or teen reader. The stories are clean and sweet enough for younger readers but interesting enough for someone older who wants a story with more depth and interesting, relatable characters.

The entire Daughters of Peverell series was so good that I read the first two books back-to-back over a long weekend and immediately bought Heart of the Crown. I don’t often reread books (because there are always so many new ones waiting to be discovered!), but I could see myself reading this series again when I’m in the mood for something with light romance and fun.

If you enjoy princess tales like The Selection Series by Kiera Cass, chances are you’ll also like these “Heart” books. You should also check out Unbetrothed and Untamed by Storyteller Squad author Candice Pedraza Yamnitz — Princess Beatriz is a feisty adventurer worth spending time with!

What books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

Leave a comment below so we can all expand our lists!