For a few minutes, Nicola Landino had it all. He was in line to become the next monarch of Calina and inherit the wealth that would maintain his flashy lifestyle, but Derek took that away from him. Now, Nic sinks into debt by the day. Rather than sit around and wait for the inevitable, he decides to return home and seek his brother’s help, but he finds Derek has more significant problems on his hands. Calina is in the middle of a stormy transition, which could spell the end of the monarchy. Nic sees an opportunity to reclaim what was lost, but it comes at a terrible price. Find out what action he takes in Ace Bryann’s False Impressions.

The importance of family is one of the cornerstones of Ace Bryann’s romantic offering. In a welcome departure from the classic romance storyline, Bryann takes the typical boy meets girl arc and replaces that with high-stakes politics and palace intrigue. The pace is sedate, which is unusual for a novel with so much going on simultaneously. I would put this down to impressive storytelling and Bryann wanting to ensure every reader completely understands the complex plot and the motivations of the central characters. Nic and Derek’s verbal jousting is entertaining as the siblings justify their romantic and official decisions in an atmosphere of distrust. The conversations between the characters are well-crafted and engaging, outdone only by the steamy sexual encounters that leave nothing to the imagination. Including the referendum on the European Union decision is a masterstroke that gives the storyline an appealing modern-day feel. False Impressions is one novel you will not be in a hurry to finish.

False Impressions by Ace Bryann is the eventful sequel to Pictures Don’t Lie. The story follows Nicola, Derek Landino's brother. While Derek was now the reigning monarch of Calina, Nicola (Nic) was struggling in New York City. With Derek gone and the business handed over to Gregory, Nic was without money and in trouble with some shady people. Even though he resented his brother, Nic knew he could count on Derek to help him out. So, Nic packed his bags and moved to Calina as the prince. Suddenly, he had new responsibilities and pressure that he did not want. However, that changed when he met the dashing Taya Mariano. Taya was everything he needed. She was a politician, driven and ready to take charge. Falling for her was easy, but keeping her safe was proving to be tough. The politics in Calina were getting deadly, and being attached to Nic was putting Taya in danger. Does Nic have what it takes to protect Taya and Calina?

False Impressions had everything I love: romance, passion, great characters, incredible plot, suspense, and fantastic world-building. From the moment I started reading, I knew I would love it. Ace Bryann is an outstanding storyteller. The author made sure readers paid attention to the story until the end. The details were rich, the imagery was vivid, and the narrative style was superb. I loved the multiple POVs and how well they were handled. There was never a disconnect, and I never felt lost. While Nic and Taya were the main attractions of the story, I enjoyed how the author gave equal attention to Derek and Christine. I enjoyed how each one had enough page space to share their story. I loved the mystery, the action, and the overall feel of the narrative. I was glad when the story ended on that particular note; it means I have more to look forward to. Highly recommended!