Revelation: 'Royally Forbidden' book #2

May 17, 2026

Revelation: 'Royally Forbidden' book #2 - ARC Book Review

**Thank you to the author, Cleo White, for providing me with an e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**

✨️ Book Title: Revelation
✨️ Author: Cleo White
✨️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
✨️ Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, age gap, disability representation (dyslexia), secret identity, bratty FMC, heiress x bodyguard

⭐️ Star Rating: 4 / 5 stars

🌶 Spice Level: 3 / 5 peppers

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Explicit language, slut-shaming, tabloid style public humiliation, toxic family dynamics, mention of prior drug and alcohol usage (off-page), degrading language, antagonistic banter, home invasion/ threat of intruder, verbal criticism related to academic struggle and learning disability symptoms, depression and self-destructive thoughts, explicit sexual content (sexual power dynamics, rough sex, spanking and degrading language), mentions of body image (on page, toxic comments made to a MC), death of a parent and family member (off page, discussed on page), infidelity (not between MC’s)

📅 Release Date: April 24, 2026

“Yes, Blair. Well spotted. I am your father’s secret lover, and he gave me this job so I could make myself more available to him. He likes to be the little spoon, in case you were wondering.”

After a topless crowd-surfing incident is photographed and published for the world to see, the last thing Blair Porter expects is for her father to summon her home to their family estate. Faced with his threats of cutting her off for “jeopardizing” his high-profile election campaign, Blair has little choice but to accept her punishment: house arrest at the family estate for the duration of the campaign... which will last no less than eight months. As if this wasn't enough, Blair's only company is an incredibly unpleasant (although incredibly attractive) and condescending bodyguard, Damien Mallory.

Will the two be able to set aside their differences to survive this prison sentence, or will they clash at every turn?

Cleo White, you have done it again!! Between the witty romance and the sizzling spice, I was hooked right from the beginning! I was immediately invested in Damien’s character from the beginning (and with the information brought to light for the readers at the beginning, how could you not be!?). I was left with so many questions from the start that no matter what, I had to see what happened with his character.

To pair with Damien’s strong and stubborn personality, the FMC, Blair, brought even more depth and curiosity to the story. Her equally strong and stubborn personality matched so well with Damien, making the witty banter and the tension between them that much better.

It wasn’t all banter and stubborn tension though. Cleo woven in so much depth to the characters and their background that it made you fall in love with them even more (or hate them even more, depending on which character you’re looking at). To seal the deal on Blair and Damien’s relationship, I can’t forget to mention the gift Damien gave Blair in the end; it was such a perfect mic-drop moment. I am absolutely obsessed with it!

I also have to applaud how well dyslexia was woven into the storyline. Representation is so important, and I can’t wait to add this to my list of books I recommend with great examples of disability representation.

To finish it off, readers are treated to an appearance from one of my favourite couples in the romance industry - Queen Zelda and King Ben (with their undoubtedly adorable newest edition, Princess Alice)! I love them from Coronation, and the way Zelda treats Damien and Blair at the end of the book just reaffirms how much I adore her.

All in all, I cannot wait to devour the third and final book in the Royally Forbidden series. I have so much more I want to know about Prince Leo. Revelation is an amazing read for fans of an age gap, heiress x bodyguard, hate-to-love romance with witty banter and sizzling spice!