Older is better!

What's a brat to do but fall for his older, more experienced valet?? Barely Regal is the story of Prince Renford. Wren is a brat that needs someone to keep him in line and keep him out of trouble. That's what Thom is hired to do and has been doing it for years. Thom has been in the same role before and has been burned before by a younger man and he vows to never do it again. What he doesn't bank on is the utter attraction he feels for the Prince despite the 16 year age difference. Despite his rule of never putting himself in the same position as in the past, he can't resist the charms and the needs Wren shows every time he's in the same room with him. What does he do? He gives in and makes the rules Wren needs in order to have the discipline needed to show his family he can be the Prince he's meant to be.

The daddy/boy kink is mild in this story but the dynamic of the two characters is magnificent. You feel the attraction between the two characters from the start, but Davies gives the reader the angst needed to make the story as steamy as the characters. I love daddy/boy kink and I will say there was just enough in this story to keep me reading and not feel it was overdone.

The narration of Kieran Flitton was as phenomenal in this book as it was in the others. I would most definitely recommend this book and would read it again.

I received this ARC as a part of the Gay Romance Review program for an honest review.

1 person found this helpful

Didn't want to stop listening

This was an absolutely amazing audiobook. I had already read & loved the book by E. Davies, but Kieran Flitton makes even better, if that's possible. This is my second audiobook in this series, and Kieran did a great job keeping the voices straight for the characters that have appeared in both. Even though this is book 5, it can be listened to in any order.

1 person found this helpful

Really enjoyed this series.

The first book was a little to whiny but I just had to know if the next story was better. It was but I think I enjoyed the last two books the best. Loved finding out with each story what was going on behind the scenes. Thought it was sad at how the brothers didn’t communicate and that the parents supported this way of thinking. But they did muddle through even though they still end the end had their secrets. So basically it was a slow burn series hitting the crescendo on the 4th book and bring it around on the 5th one. I did enjoy the narration of them all.

The youngest meets his match

I highly recommend reading this one last as it covers the most time and has another perspective of Leo's wedding (book 1).

There is some mild Daddy/boy kink but it was still a very fun book. Wren is such a brat and I loved hearing about his exploits in all the other stories and this was just a fun addition to the hijinks. Thom is such a great match for him and because of his history, it's great to see the support that they both get from both sides of the family.

I really love listening to Kieran's voice and he's done all the audios for the series so far and does a great job, however, I'm not really a fan of the intimate scenes. They seem a litlle too campy for my liking.

bratty prince finds his daddy

Barely Regal is book 5 in the Rosavia Royals series. I have really enjoyed this series and this book just might be my favorite. I do love age gap stories. Wren, the youngest prince has found the man he wants, now he just has to convince Thom. Wren is a bit of a brat and knows that Thom will be a good daddy for him. I love Wren and Thom's dynamic. I love how caring Thom is in giving Wren what he needs and not just what he wants. I also love how Wren took to his royal duties caring for the roses. I like how each book takes place at the same time and you get little bits of the other books mixed in.
Definitely recommend this book and series.
Narrator Kieran Flitton does another fabulous job. I've really his narration of this series.

Best of the series

This is the final book in a quintet of concurrent stories, a unique setup where each story focuses on one of five brothers (the Princes of Rosavia), but includes references to the others’ respective stories which are all taking place at the same time. The books are numbered in order from eldest to youngest Prince, but the stories can be read in any order.

This story focuses on the youngest, Prince Renford (“Wren”), 5th in line for the throne, significantly younger than his eldest brothers and not taken seriously. Wren and his long-time valet, Thom Pierce, have always had an “intimate” although not sexual relationship, able to anticipate each other's needs, read each other's expressions and understand the other’s thoughts and feelings without having to be told. This story picks up with Wren, now age 19, no longer a child, but chafing against the restrictions on him, which are altogether too little and too much at the same time. He’s struggling to understand what’s missing, acting up and acting out, until he realizes what he’s desperate for is the structure, guidance and protection of a Daddy - a particular Daddy, inherently sensing the Dom latent in Thom. The story tracks the metamorphosis of their relationship as it expands and transforms into something similar to what they’ve been to each other all along, and yet not at all the same and so much more. All of the books have the theme of the Princes finding the person that completes them - two puzzle pieces that perfectly fit together, and it is prominent in this one as well.

The characters are relatable and highly likeable, particularly Wren, which is an interesting trick given that in the prior four books, all we saw was his “brattiness”. If the books are read in sequence, it should be a tough sell to find him endearing here. Credit to the author for creating a complex character with some depth.

The book is obviously based on a Dom/sub, Daddy/boy relationship and, as advertised, there’s some light BDSM kink throughout. It’s inoffensive though, and well balanced by some serious sexual tension that crackles throughout the book, particularly the first half, making it difficult to put down. This story is different in tone and feel than the other 4 books and definitely worth a read.

Kieran Flitton’s narration here is, as usual, very good, with excellent diction and good pacing. I thought the emotional delivery was better here than in some of the other books in this series. The distinction between the characters was also more pronounced than in the other books. Overall, this book as well as the audiobook, are the strongest in the series.

* I received an advanced reader copy of this book and voluntarily agreed to provide my review, which reflects my independent opinion.

wonderful and sweet

I loved this story! I tried this book because I love E Davies even though I'm not a huge daddy fan. I'm glad I did. I though the story was excellent! Wren and Thom(Tom?) were a wonderful couple. the narration was excellent!

A Kinky Prince

Every Prince needs a Daddy, The romance starts off slow, but when it hits it's hot.
The narration was good, an excellent telling of a good book.
Who knew blueberries were sexy...

Who's your daddy

Prince Ren is always getting into mischief and being the youngest of 5 is rarely taken seriously. For this reason he is very put out when put in charge of the royal roses instead of something he thinks more befitting his station. Pierce, his loyal valet, tries to smooth the way and make this easier for the prince as he does with everything. What Ren needs is a firm hand and someone to take control. This is where Tom (Pierce's first name) comes into play. He is a dominant and can give Ren all the support he needs. This role reversal was so unexpected that it took a little time to get into it. This turned into such a sweet yet sexy story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator was spot on. Having listened to 3 of these books now it is time to grab the last two and get the whole story!

Growing up stinks! BUT More toys PLEASE!🤣😍

Barely Regal: Rosavia Royals Book Five ~by~ E. Davies
MMy Thoughts Confessions and Review:

Lawd how I love when a good series comes together. Although I've not finished this one quite yet, (even though this is the third book I've listened to in this series ONLY because there are two remaining to be released to audio- more on that later) this is gearing up to be one of my favorite “Happy-Place” series since I started this beloved journey.


Our two MCs in Barely Regal belong in a class all by themselves. This age-gap, daddy/ boy slow-burn love story melted my heart and made my soul smile. Power exchange in these types of relationships is a heady thing and can make or break a person. This was almost the case for Captain Tom Pearce who serves as Valet to His Royal Brattiness, Ren, fifth in line to the throne of Rosavia.

When a Kingdom has an Heir and four spares, why shouldn't the youngest in line flirt, be the Jokester, push his Valet to the limits of any sane man with his all too skinny jeans and tight t-shirts, his flying innuendoes that cause dignitaries to blush and other such disparaging disruptions at royal functions?

Now he's finally reached adult status within the palace walls and his father, the king, deigns to tell him his lifelong career and job for the people of the kingdom is reduced to something menial and unrewarding. So, he responds in the only way a brat can by throwing a torrential tantrum. Thus, leaving his Valet, who has kept his inner daddy locked away too long, bursting at the seams to be set free.


The Bratty Prince and the Captain, oh MMy Sweet Baby Cheeses Captain was sooooo good. With chemistry, and friendship that has grown out of ten years of Captain Tom Pearce taking Care of Prince Ren, the slow burn off this one had me wishing for naughty things to happen long before they did. I must confess; however, the build-up of small teases and flirtations was so heady, I found myself love drunk from these two Men.

I found the background story of the Valet just sad enough you understood its validity in how it related to the overall arc. Often themes like this can take hard left turns down Angsty Avenue. However, Davies saves us from too much background gut-wrenching we need a fairytale cartoon to help balance us out again.


I also loved the new characters that were added. The figures of the older and younger woman who worked side by side with Ren added another layer to the buildup and pushing the story forward. They were a bit like the Fates, only not as "haggy" witch-like and more virgin/ crone. It was a cool concept whether it was planned that way or not.


Though part of a series, this one can be read on its own.

So much fun to read (listen to). This new to me narrator (Kieran Flitton) is quite good. At least my ears find his voice quite attractive... It makes for some REALLY good sMMexy time scenes. I'm unsure why the audiobooks were released in the order they were. I was out of the office that day. 🤣 Hopefully, the wait won't be too long for the final two.

The Story: Ed Rawked It! 4.50 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.✨
The Narration: 4.50 🌟🌟🌟🌟.✨
Overall: 4.50 🌟🌟🌟🌟.✨

Sharonica Logic: love-blooms-only-when-planted-stars
🌟🌟🌟🌟.✨


I received a complimentary audio copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for a copy of my review.


Sharonica Logic💋