Alyssa Cole's 'Reluctant Royals' series is one of the best contemporary romance series that I've read. Each book and novella tie together so perfectly that readers are able to see what's happened to their favorite characters while still focusing on the new ones. The characters have depth, the story hooks you in immediately, and I find them nearly impossible to put down!

Of all of the books in the series, A Prince on Paper is my favorite. We've seen Nya and Johan in past books and it was so exciting to see their story play out!. Their relationship was so well written and I loved watching Nya find herself and her voice as the book progressed. I really love stories that feature fake relationships that become real so this one was bound to be a success!

Alyssa Cole has definitely become an instant buy author for me after this series.

I've enjoyed many of the books in this series, and I thought this one would be the same, but it fell a little short for me.

At first, I couldn't remember who Nya was, but there were enough hints in the story to jog my memory. Once I could remember her, I wasn't that impressed by her. She felt lacking to me in the character development department, which made her hard to connect with. I also felt like she used the dating sim app as a crutch rather than pursuing an actual relationship with someone. She did have some good ideas though, when it came to the issues the country was embroiled in, so she did redeem things a bit in that manner.

I enjoyed Johan as a character! His one flaw for me was how much of a "little boy lost" he was, in amongst his bad boy persona. Sometimes his actions felt torn between one of the two camps and wound up being disjointed or seemingly out of character.

The story flowed well and was definitely entertaining! I can't wait to see what else the author has in store!

Reading A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole is like being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket. It’s filled with some of my favorite tropes, demonstrates enthusiastic opt-in consent, and features the heroine’s network of supportive female friends. It was great until I reached the end, which felt too rushed.

You don’t have to read the other Reluctant Royals books before you start A Prince on Paper (this is book three), but they will introduce the supporting cast and set up some context.

When the book opens Nya Jerami is returning to her home country of Thesolo for the royal wedding between her friend Ledi and Prince Thabiso (the couple from the first book, A Princess in Theory). Returning to Thesolo is difficult for Nya; her father is in prison after trying to poison Ledi. In fact, Nya is re-examining her childhood and realizing that her father was manipulative, abusive, and used to make her sick with poison as a means of control. She grew up feeling weak and chronically ill, and so she believed she would always have to depend on him.

Now Nya is free from her father, but she’s still working through her trauma, and she’s a source of gossip back in Thesolo.

Also attending the wedding is Johan von Braustein of Liechtienbourg. Johan is the step-brother to Lukas, heir to the Liechtienbourg throne. Johan is a notorious playboy, a role that he plays for the paparazzi to keep the spotlight off his younger brother. He meets Nya on the way to the wedding and they do some heavy-duty flirting. It’s apparent that there’s an intense attraction between them.

What a great book! I really liked how they both came to love and trust each other over the course of the book. I wasn't sure how much I was going to like Johan when the book first started, but he ended up being great. I also really liked his family members they were all really awesome. Nya was also really well developed and awesome. I liked how the book didn't make her perfect, and showed her failing at first. I also love that she didn't have the best experience in New York, but still kept trying.

This is an absolutely charming romance and a worthy finish to the Reluctant Royals series -- which, if you like contemporary romance and somehow haven't gotten to yet, you absolutely should! Johan is a cinnamon roll pretending to be a sinnamon roll, which can be frustrating in a POV character (if you're so emotionally self-aware, why can't you tell anybody how you feel??? DUMBASS) but Nya is a delight, and there are cameos from everyone I know and love from the previous books in the series, even Fabiola and Likotsi. I do think, unlike with many romance series, you really have to start at the beginning with A Princess in Theory. A Prince on Paper probably wouldn't work too well as an entry point since the first half is based so closely on events from the previous books, but unexpected fake dating and nonbinary rep await you once you get going! If you've ever wished the fancy dress fantasy of historical romance could be blended with a real awareness of contemporary social justice, this is the series for you. (And THOSE COVERS. Avon, please, why aren't all your covers this good? I have never loved the covers for an entire series like this before. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.)

This was sweet, but felt more like women's fiction than romance. The cover is beautiful. Her covers are always beautifully!

Yet another amazing book in this amazing series. Alyssa Cole just blows me away, book after book. I can't even do this one justice so here's my recommendation - JUST GO READ IT! You don't want to miss this series, you don't want to miss this book. Coming into this book, I was so curious how she was going to make Nya and Johan's story come together. And she did it so beautifully. The way she addresses sexuality, gender and colonialism is superb. You don't want to miss this series - she's a great writer and knows how to tell a story. I highly recommend this series and this book. And, frankly, anything Alyssa's written. She delivers every time.

A sensitive, sweet heroine who finds strength in herself and love. A hero trying his best to shield his brother even if it leaves him lonely and isolated. I loved their sweet love story.

Alyssa Cole never disappoints! Though I had fallen for Johan from the previous books, I did not feel as connected with Nya. Up until this book, she did feel like a few lines in a group text. Since she is an AC character, I knew I was going to love her, but not as much as Ledi or Portia, unfortunately.
I did enjoy watching Nya discover Johan's inner sweetness, as well as the treatment of Nya's relationship with her father. Overall, I am so glad to continue to experience the world AC built, and to see her characters end up happy but not perfect. A solid romance novel that I will happily recommend.

I'd been anticipating this book since I finished reading the previous title in the series, and it certainly lived up to expectations. Like the rest of the series, the characters were excellent and I felt very invested in their journeys. I particularly felt the settings stood out throughout the book and really grounded the story.

I found the overall experience of reading this book to be enjoyable, with both plot and character elements that unfolded nicely and with forward momentum. While not the best book I have ever read, I would pass this title along to other readers and librarians.

I was not expecting this book to be so good! It was such a sweet love story and also features multiple LGBTQIA+ characters and perspectives. I really enjoyed this read! Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series now.

A Prince on Paper is the third book in the Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole. I don't usually do this but I read out of order. What had happened was I started reading the first eBook of series, A Princess in Theory, when I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of the newest book, A Prince on Paper. So I put the first book on hold and dived into the third. Yes, completely skipping the second book but I was surprisingly not lost.

Nya Jerami is looking for her Prince Charming. So far he only exists in a virtual dating game. But when Nya returns home to Thesolo for a royal wedding, she finds the real-life celebrity prince she loves to hate. Meanwhile, Johan von Braustein is playing games with paparazzzi. He even creates a fake engagement! Readers will root for their fake romance to become a happily-ever-after.

The series jumped left. It is no fault to the author though; the writing is on point. It was the characters and main storyline that barely held my attention. Maybe because I was so into the first book when I put it aside to start this one. For lack of a better word, A Prince on Paper felt silly. I am a series addict but this is not the book for me. Regardless...

Happy New Pub, Alyssa Cole! A Prince on Paper is now available.

LiteraryMarie

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole is the third in the Reluctant Royals series, following Nya Jerami and Johan von Braustein. It hits all the fun romance tropes, fake dating, secret pining, only 1 bed, etc, and does them well.

I enjoyed this and will be reading more in the series.

3/5 stars

I was given this ARC prior to reading the first two books and would have read it without reading them if not for my best friend loaning me her coveted Alyssa Cole novels. Each book consecutively gets better and better! I adored this novel as Nya is a character I can empathize with, in regards to her introverted-ness. This book teaches the reader that our public face is not necessarily who we really are.

Both of the main characters in this novel, Johan and Nya were introduced in the first two books, but we really get to see them shine here. I whole-heartedly recommend this book, but more importantly the whole series!

I adore how beautifully the author writes her characters that just pulled me into their story and journey right from the first page. The characters of Nya and Johan are utterly lovable and made me root for their romance right from the get go. Their romance is sexy, hot and sweet, all at the same time. The author also is a master in describing the scenes along with the story. It gave me such a beautiful immersive experience and made me feel like I was part of the story. This is book three in The Reluctant Royals series and although this can be read as a stand-alone, I would highly encourage reading it as part of the series especially book 1 and 2. The characters are awesome and there are parts of this book that are part of a suspense murder plot in book one.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I honestly don't know how I feel about "A Prince on Paper". While it is a book that I would definitely recommend as well written, funny and interesting, for me, it didn't have the same emotional impact as "A Princess in Theory" even though, "APOP" arguably deals with darker subject matter.

Nya Jerami, (cousin to the heroine of "APIT" is searching for a purpose in life. After the events of "APIT" she moved to New York to get more polish and education and is on her way back to Thesolo for her cousins wedding. On the plane to Thesolo she runs into Johan von Braustein, the scandal laden step prince of Liechtienbourg. They have a flirtatious conversation that demonstrates their capacity for friendship and possibly more.

(Vague review because of spoilers)

Johan is a "secretly honorable" hero, (one of my favorite tropes) who draws paparazzi attention as a way to give his younger sibling a breather as they grow up to become the heir to the throne. Johan gives freely of his time and money privately while forcing a narrative of a party prince in public. These actions leave him feeling stuck, as he cannot grow as an individual or seek out authentic companionship as long as maintains the ruse he feels helps his family.

Nya was a bit of blander character. A lot of her problems/issues were ones that were put on her, and honestly while they caused her some angst, those problems would have been solved by her taking a stand for herself and/or pretty basic therapy.

I felt some chemistry between the main characters but mostly I read deep affection and compatibility. It wasn't burn the sheets fire but I believed in the connections between the two of them. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to readers (but I would recommend "APIT" first as I think the book is a better representation of what Cole is capable of.)

I'm not super into Alyssa Cole, I think. I know so many people who love her books, and I really tried with this one, but I just couldn't get into it. I think it's a case of it just not fitting my personal preference. But I also think a lot of people would love this book, and I'd recommend it to romance readers.

A Prince on Paper is the the third book in Alyssa Cole's Reluctant Royals series, and my favorite book by far! The entire series is amazing, and each installment gets better and better. I didn't know I could love the series more after finishing A Duke by Default, but wow this book surprised me and I could."He'd ignored her with a  strength matched only by Europe ignoring migrants and America ignoring creeping fascism."This third book follows Nya and Prince Johan. I remember Johan from the second book, and knew he was going to be an interesting character to learn more about, but Nya was pretty new to me. I  know she was in the first book, but I read that so long ago that I didn't really remember her much. She made a cameo in the second book, but I didn't really get to know her until this book. I'm so glad she got her own book, because I loved her.Nya and Johan were such amazing characters. They are both going through difficult stuff in their lives, and are constantly hiding parts of themselves to please others, and are surprised to learn that they can trust each other with their emotions and difficulties. I love that Nya is super into video games, and that it's brought up multiple times throughout the story. Johan was also a great character, everyone thinks he's this playboy who has no care in the world, but he actually acts out and does ridiculous things to protect the people he cares about."She wanted to talk to him about anything and everything, even if he was exactly the last man in the world she should get ideas about."A Prince on Paper was such a swoony romance, with some angst, and I ate it all up. This book also had one of my favorite tropes, fake dating. I was surprised that this didn't happen until about halfway through the book, but even before that I loved seeing these two characters interact and get to know each other better.There was also non binary rep here, I thought it was done well but I cannot attest to how accurate the description is.

This book was the best in an already great series. I was so excited to get Johan's book and it did not disappoint.