The Head That Wears the Crown

By: Mariah Stewart

Narrated by: Marni Penning

A fortysomething woman’s ordinary life takes a royal detour in an engaging novel about embracing a family legacy and stepping up when it matters most by New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart.

Annaliese—Annie—Gilberti is a divorced South Philadelphia mother of two with a nine-to-five job when a shocking discovery turns another average day upside down: her late grandmother was the exiled ruler of a small European country, and Annie is next in line to wear the crown and restore the monarchy. The would-be grand duchess of the Grand Duchy of Saint Gilbert has vacation time coming, enough to take a quick trip to check it out.

It’s easy to fall in love with Saint Gilbert’s villagers; its mysteries (why does everyone look decades younger than they claim to be?); her family’s ancestral home, Castle Blanc (so many hidden rooms and passages!); and maybe—just a little—with the dashing Maximilien Belleme, the captain of the castle guard. Never one to walk away from a challenge, Annie steps up, determined to be worthy of the crown that’s been offered. As she, her sisters, and her children work to bring Saint Gilbert into the modern age, Annie discovers a legacy of courageous women and that no threat is too great to deny the grand duchess’s right to the throne.

©2024 Marti Robb (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Stewart has penned a brilliant grown-up fairy tale filled with unforgettable characters and a magical setting. I loved every word!”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr

good clean read

I really enjoyed reading this author.  I look forward to reading more books by this author in the near future.

Great Story, Fantastic Narrator! Want a sequel.

There are too few books today that do more than tell a good story. They must push something 😖

This was a terrific story, and the narration made it pop!

Please tell me that book two is already here or right around the corner; we must hear the rest of this modern fairytale.

5 stars

I enjoyed every minute of this light read. The narrator was phenomenal and I’ll look for more from both of these artists

What an amazing book

This is the first time I have read anything by this author and was not prepared for the details and depth that went into this story. What an amazing author. It really was The Princess Bride, Princess Diaries a little Pretty Woman and a great economics lesson. I could not stop listening to this book. The narrator, Marni Penning truly makes the characters come to life. I did not know what to expect when I started this book, and truly felt like I intimately knew the family as the story came to a close. This is just a great “feel good” story, and something we desperately need these days.

I was transported; tasteful and beautifully written.

I had a smile on my face throughout the whole book. At first glance one would think it was the cliche royal storyline - but ever so cleverly written with scrupulous detail and wit. I felt I was there! Such a fun, enjoyable relaxing book. The narrator was wonderful.