There’s something about the second book in a series…
Love Starts With Elle in the Lowcountry Novels. Softly and Tenderly in the Songbird Novels. Princess Ever After in the Royal Wedding Series.
… that really resonates with me.
And I think in some ways resonate with readers.
Princess Ever After really set well with me.
I like Regina’s story.
I wanted to be the girl going about her business who gets a surprise visit from a stranger with a foreign accent who tells me, “You’re our long, lost princess.”
I’m super fascinated by this.
What good I could do from that throne of grace and authority.
I also relate to Regina because she lives in Tallahassee. I lived in Tallahassee.
In fact, Regina’s house is the first house where my family lived when we first arrived in Tallahassee.
My brothers worked on cars when we were teens.
Regina thought she knew what she wanted in life but had this subtle feeling there was something more.
I’ve always felt “there’s something more.”
I think mine relates to knowing God more. I think I can have all of Him I want to have. I can be a royal in HIs kingdom.
I AM a royal in His kingdom.
I loved Regina’s connection to her great Gram. I loved the discovery of who she really was through the power of words.
One of the metaphors, for me, of the fairytale story Gram wrote for Regina was the power of God’s Word given to us.
He left us with the Holy Spirit and the Divinely inspired scriptures to tell us who we are — kings and priest before His royal throne.
While Regina wrestles with, “Why didn’t Gram tell me who I am,” Tanner speaks truth to her.
“She told you, in the fairytale.”
Why scripture is often elusive to understand, full of symbols in some places (Song of Song anyone?) it’s God speaking to us in every layer of our human composition.
Mind, will, emotions.
It’s up to us to dig in and figure it out.
And that’s what Regina does. She sees a clue in the fairytale and pricks her heart to say, “Hey, maybe this is real.”
The living Word of God does the same for us as we read and study, meditating on His Word.
Some restoration layers kept presenting themselves. I didn’t start out seeing so many layers but the Lord has a great way of inserting Himself into the story.
A piece of Tanner’s life is restored. Seamus is restored or rather redeemed.
The nation is restored. The history and the old evening song.
Even the classic Starfire #89 car came back to life.
I loved inventing a car for this book!
I loved that Regina found heirlooms in the secret place in the forest.
I don’t have a lot of physical/material family heirlooms and it’s something I would like to have. Just didn’t work out in my world.
But I have heirlooms of love and faith and family!
I loved the Oath ceremony because I think that’s how we ALL are before the Lord. Not just a “real” royal in this world but as “real” royals in His kingdom.
I mean, think about it. We are heirs to the King of King. We are His bride! That’s amazing.
We should start living like we are rulers and reigners.
Think of a situation in your life. Can you take authority over it in the name of your king? YES!
If the situation doesn’t changer per say, YOU change.
I refuse to walk in less than what the Lord has promised me in this life.
The fruit of the Holy Spirit!
Anyway, that’s a small snap shot of Princess Ever After for me.
Hope you all enjoy this book. I did!
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