The Duchess Effect: A Novel

by Tracey Livesay

Overview

Tracey Livesay returns in this seriously sexy sequel to American Royalty, following Duchess and Prince Jameson as they strive to turn their romance into a relationship, beneath the relentless glare of the spotlight.

Against all odds, sexy American rapper, Danielle “Duchess” Nelson and brilliant reclusive royal Prince Jameson have fallen in love! They’ve decided to take their relationship public and find a way to make their two worlds coexist. On their terms.

Unfortunately, falling in love was the easy part. 

Jameson and Dani’s love story has made them the most popular royals since Prince John, but that popularity comes with a price. Dani looks forward to signing the deal with a major cosmetics company that will make her skin care line, Mela-Skin, a force in the industry, and finally grant her the control over her life she’s craved since childhood. But the company wants to take advantage of their fame and involve Jameson in Mela-Skin’s marketing campaign. Dani is outraged! Her company has nothing to do with Jameson.

After stepping up for the royal family, Jameson yearns to retreat back into academia. But he’s fired when his university raises concerns about his newfound notoriety. And suddenly the queen, initially against the relationship, backtracks, seeking their cooperation when the family is embroiled in yet another scandal. This isn’t the quiet life Jameson was hoping for.

Dani and Jameson truly love each other. But under the scrutiny of the international spotlight, when the doubts, compromises, and secrets begin to take their toll, will their love be enough?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063084575
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/11/2023
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

A former criminal defense attorney, TRACEY LIVESAY finds crafting believable happily ever afters slightly more challenging than protecting our constitutional rights, but she's never regretted following her heart instead of her law degree. She has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, the Washington Post, and CBS This Morning. Tracey lives in Virginia with her husband-who she met on the very first day of law school--and their three children.

 

Editorial Reviews

05/22/2023

Hip-hop star turned beauty mogul Danielle “Duchess” Nelson and Prince Jameson Lloyd of England navigate dating in the public eye in Livesay’s sizzling sequel to American Royalty. Duchess and Jameson aim to keep their relationship out of the spotlight as much as possible, but outside pressure jeopardizes their plan. Unbeknownst to Jameson, the investors in Duchess’s new makeup line insist she use her relationship with the prince to market the product. Meanwhile, the queen demands Jameson and Duchess attend royal family events, hoping the positive publicity surrounding their love will help gloss over the dynasty’s latest scandal. Livesay again gets a lot of mileage out of American and British culture clash, with Duchess’s modern behavior putting her at odds with the uptight royals. It’s only after Duchess starts to conform—even allowing the royal stylist to dress her—that Jameson becomes suspicious of her willingness to go along with his family. Will communication issues and contrasting goals tear the couple apart? Jameson’s devotion to Duchess is as swoonworthy as ever, though some readers will be disappointed that it isn’t fully reciprocated by the more aloof heroine. Still, it’s a joy to revisit this royally cute couple. Agent: Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Assoc. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Tracey Livesay delivers an authentic, sexy royal romance that we all desperately needed. An instant chart-topper.”   — Nisha Sharma, award-winning author, on American Royalty

“Tracey Livesay gets better and better. With American Royalty, Livesay delivers a scandalous, absolutely swoon-worthy romance that injects a straight shot of joy right into readers’ hearts. With a superstar heroine who knows her worth and isn’t afraid to speak it, and a hero who falls crown-over-heels for her, just as he should, American Royalty is everything a royal romance should be…a sharp, sexy, romantic ride culminating in one of the finest happily ever afters I’ve ever read. Tracey Livesay is one of the very best.”  — Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author

“American Royalty is an epic romance that captivated me from the first page to the very last sentence. It’s sexy, swoony, and heartfelt, and I didn’t want it to end. I promise you: Dani and Jameson are going to knock your socks off!”   — Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man

“Livesay gives us a love story that is as deliciously swoony and scorching hot, as it is firmly grounded in the world we live in. Resonant, romantic and with swag for days...Duchess is the heroine I’ve been waiting for since I read my first romance in middle school.”  — Adriana Herrera, USA Today bestselling author, on American Royalty

“American Royalty by Tracey Livesay is one of the most anticipated novels of 2022 for a good reason: It’s a sexy royal romance with just the right amount of social commentary.”   — PopSugar

From the Publisher

05/19/2023

This sequel picks up shortly after the conclusion of American Royalty. American rapper Dani, whose stage name, Duchess, unexpectedly led to her newfound love with Britain's Prince Jameson, is excited to finalize the deal that will take her skincare company to the next level. However, Jameson and Dani's pairing has unforeseen consequences on their professional lives, leaving them vulnerable in ways they never imagined. When the queen, the UK's monarch first and Jameson's grandmother second, decides to use Jameson and Dani's popularity to distract from her heir's scandals, the couple will have to work hard to protect the life they're building. While their backgrounds are extremely different, their painful pasts remain central to their present-day decision making, leading to secrets and conflict. These factors, plus interference from familiar antagonists and fickle media on both sides of the Atlantic, make Dani and Jameson's path even more fraught. VERDICT Sexy and insightful, this title should be popular with fans of multicultural, interracial, and royal, and romance novels.—Nicole Williams

Library Journal

2023-04-24
The continuing adventures of an American rapper’s romance with an English prince.

Danielle “Duchess” Nelson and Prince Jameson, grandson to the queen of England, had a whirlwind romance in the first book of the series, American Royalty (2022). This second novel is a contemporary romance rarity: a full-on sequel that features the same characters, not starting from a cliffhanger or breakup but instead picking up from the previous book’s happily-ever-after. The plot focuses on Dani and Jameson’s new relationship. Given that they are both global celebrities, they make a pledge to keep their relationship separate from their jobs and professional duties. The plot shows them facing a series of difficulties, many of them carried over from the first book and summarized with a fair amount of exposition. Jameson’s family is pressuring him to stay in his public role in the hopes of distracting the press from his uncle’s latest scandal. His grandmother resorts to blackmail to ensure Jameson remains a working member of the royal family even though he hates catering to the voracious British tabloids. The shady businessman acquiring Dani’s skin-care company now insists that Jameson’s presence is part of the deal, hoping to keep riding the wave of free publicity. The book relies heavily on guilt, secrets, and miscommunication to cause strife between the lovers. Dani knows it’s wrong to keep the details about her deal a secret from Jameson, especially since he’s so sensitive to being in the public eye. Readers will be frustrated and mystified as to why the confident, assured woman from the first book acts so out of character.

An unusual romance novel that tells the story after the happily-ever-after fails to deliver.

Kirkus Reviews