Queen Shanti and King Sanyu are in an arranged marriage and intensely drawn to each other. Unfortunately for Shanti, even though she is more than capable of helping the kingdom of Nazju and assisting Sanyu in ruling if they would just listen to her ideas. Nazju is country recovering from European colonialism and imperialism. I find this a fascinating addition to the story. Even if I found some of the politically driven plot a little tiring. Shanti has to face a country that has a lot of deeply rooted misogyny, toxic masculinity and patriarchal pressure. And also a country that does not want to accept her. All of this of course, affects their marriage. Sanyu has to learn what is best for his country and how to love his queen. I had a hard time connecting to these characters and this story. The plot sometime moved pretty slow and was politically driven. I also was incredibly disappointed in the acceptance of the villain by the end of this book. Maybe the intent of his character was to be more of an antagonist but I didn't see much change or growth of this character to warrant that kind of acceptance. This just wasn't one my favorites. But, I love Alyssa Cole so I will give others a chance.

This was good, as I expected considering it's Alyssa Cole, but I have one major qualm, one that made me take longer to pick up the book in the first place, and that was the synopsis of the book. It says something that doesn't occur until 84% in, and while it didn't ruin the book for me, it definitely brought it down a bit.
I really did enjoy most everything else about this book though.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

Not a review I want to write. Alyssa is a favorite author and it sucks to have a book not fully hit for me from her.

I tried to go in with not too many expectations but this really did not do it. The bleak moments were numerous and we spent so much time away from the couple. I needed more time with the couple. A bigger grovel from Sanyu as well.

This is not the review I wanted to write of my first Alyssa Cole romance. So many of my favorite recommenders love her, and I liked A Princess in Theory when I started it, but I got sidetracked by an overdue library book. Finally, though, I got an advance copy of How to Catch a Queen and read it with my book club, right around the release date!

I'm so sorry, so very sorry to say that I quite strongly disliked this book.

Shanti has always wanted to be a queen, and she has shaped her whole life around this ambition--learning about governance and philanthropy. Sanyu has only ever wanted to be anything but the king of the country he will inherit from his father. The RoyalMatch.com dating website brings Shanti to Njaza to marry Sanyu by his father's deathbed. But she only has three months to prove herself to be the True Queen or be sent away, like so many of Sanyu's father's queens.

Where to begin? The point of the book is that Sanyu has been damaged by a lot of toxic masculinity in the people who raised him--his father and his father's closest adviser, Musoke. But the problem is that he spends the whole book so broken and dull that I couldn't root for him at all. He's got serious anxiety about messing up his father's legacy, so he doesn't do anything at all--doesn't talk in meetings, doesn't have ideas. He's the king he thinks he's supposed to be--mean to people who imply he's anything but perfect, completely subservient to his chief advisor.

He spends fully three quarters of the book being just what he thinks a king should be--and hating it. I think I'm supposed to pity the poor man for having to be so miserable when he just wants to love and be loved. I don't. I feel bad for how he treats Shanti, yeah, but I'm ragingly angry at him for not taking better care of his kingdom. He knows better.

So I spent most of the book angry at him. The romance mainly consisted of descriptions of uncontrollable physical attraction in moments when two people are having an awkward, or practical, or uncomfortable conversation. I didn't find it all that convincing, that he was so hot she wanted him even when he was being a jerk to her. I've never met anyone that hot.

I did read Cole's thriller, When No One Is Watching, and found it absolutely skin-crawlingly creepy. I promise to try another of her romances soon. Probably A Duke by Default, because some of the characters from that appear in this one, and Portia seems pretty great.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the book, and I'm sorry, Ms. Cole and all her fans, that I wasn't able to love this book better.

I wanted to read the Reluctant Royals series before reading this book, and I'm glad I did, because it was fun to see the characters pop up again. However, this can certainly be read as a standalone.

This novel is very politics-oriented, and while I did find that interesting, the romance felt underdeveloped in comparison. I didn't feel the chemistry between the characters, because I didn't feel like they actually got to know each other very well, and that didn't leave me too invested in their romance.

Alyssa Cole has her finger on the pulse of the romance genre. Her books are rich and developed, well written and quick to read. I always recommend this author for people looking for something new from the romance genre.

Okay, where to start with this? The book was so focused on the royalty and politics that I had a hard time connecting to the characters and their romance. Sanyu was a bit frustrating for me and how he would blindly follow his advisor. While I do understand that was how he was raised, I wished the resolution to that problem made more sense.

I did enjoy Shanti's character a lot actually, but I wasn't that interested in the romance between Shanti and Sanyu. There was just something missing for me and I wasn't sold on their undying love for one another. While I wanted to love this, the pacing and the romance just didn't do it for me.

**Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

I was so looking forward to this romance. Alyssa Cole is absolutely killing it with these gorgeous covers and I love her Reluctant Royals series.

Unfortunately, I felt like the romance and plot was just too much of a slowburn. I love the idea of Shanti using a website to find a royal husband. But it doesn't quite work out as planned when she discovers that Sanyu is very traditional and wants a wife who is more ornament than partner. The politics of this world really bogged down the story. I felt extremely frustrated by Sanyu's tendency to listen to his advisors even if that was how he was raised. Shanti was such a powerful heroine. I loved how she wanted to make a difference and actually take on an active role as ruler. But the romance didn't feel like it was the focus of the book. In the end, it was hard to be invested in Shanti and Sanyu as a couple.

I love Alyssa Cole but this was one of those instances where the book came to me at not the right time. I really tried to love this but I just could not get past the hyper-masculine love interest and the incredible misogynistic villain. This is obviously not Cole herself condoning such things and I am 100% sure it would all be resolved in the end, I just did not care enough to push through.

I loooooved this until near the end, where it got real NOTTING HILL real fast and the pacing was thrown off. Still, I'm handselling it to a lot of people (already got one person to buy it this week!) and reviewed it on goodreads. Thank you for sharing!

FULL REVIEW ON FRESH FICTION

A modern-day fairy tale! HOW TO CATCH A QUEEN by Alyssa Cole is the first book in her new Runaway Royals series, a spin-off of her beloved Reluctant Royals series. Shanti and Sanyu are two characters whose lives have depended on tradition. Shanti wants to be a queen, much like the queens she has grown up admiring and aspiring to be, and her family fully supports this dream. But Shanti doesn’t merely want to wear pretty dresses and live in a fabulous palace, she wants to use the power of being queen to do good in the world. Sanyu has been raised to strive to be the absolute best and work to lead his country well. But he feels woefully unprepared and like a constant disappointment to his father and to his father’s most trusted advisor, Musoke.

At first, Shanti and Sanyu seem to have little in common, and not much to say to one another, and it takes a while for this novel to gain momentum and for the two lead characters to really come to a place of understanding. They fall for each other hard and fast, which was a little unbelievable, but this is supposed to be a modern fairy tale, of course! There’s plenty of palace intrigue about what happened to the legendary first True Queen of Njaza; no one knows what happened to her or what has happened to all of the queens who did not pass their marriage trials. . . Njaza is vividly portrayed as a country ready for change--there are glimpses into what everyday people really think about their king and the monarchy that rules over them. It’s not always positive, and it’s interesting to see how Sanyu handles this aspect, as well as the secrets that are revealed when he spends time with his fellow citizens. For fans of the Reluctant Royals, previous characters do make a few delightful cameos. HOW TO CATCH A QUEEN by Alyssa Cole is a well-written, sexy, royal romance.

I really wanted to love How To Catch A Queen as much as I love Once Ghosted, Twice Shy written by Alyssa Cole. The problem is I liked both main characters in Once Ghosted, and I do not really care for Sanyu. In the beginning of the book we meet Sanyu who is 32-years-old and he is running away from his responsibilities, stating that he is never returning, while his father lays dying. He feels like running for most of the book. He could have just abdicated the throne and let Musoke rule. Sanyu just does not seem worthy of Shanti who has prepared her whole life to help people. Shanti takes a lot of abuse (patriarchal verbal insults), yet she holds her head up and finds another way to do things. Shanti is a fabulous heroine and one that is easy to fall for. Her drive, humor, and perseverance make How To Catch A Queen worth reading..

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

How to Catch a Queen is the first book in Cole's new Runaway Royals series and I think it's one of her best. I liked the entire set up of a reluctant and self-doubting king who has to govern a country built upon the legacy of his father, and at the same time learn how to be a husband to a wife he hardly knows.

Sanyu and Shanti couldn't be more dissimilar upon their first meeting. He wants to run away from his responsibilities and the overwhelming expectations while she willingly walks into that. He's unsure how to lead or make decisions whereas she craves opportunities to do so. Shanti is severely disappointed to find out that she's not allowed to play an integral part of helping her husband to govern their country. Women have been traditionally sidelined in Njaza so Shanti's opinions do not matter. None of the queens in the past were treated well, either. The queens are simply disposable. Since she can't help her husband, much less see him, she finds other ways to help her newly adopted country. She attends secret meetings in disguise outside of the palace. People who want to bring positive change in Njaza gather together to discuss how they can do so. Shanti brings her many skills and years of studies to guide her new friends and offer perspective.

Sanyu has no idea what his wife has been up to. He's ignored her for the first few months of their marriage as he's been busy trying unsuccessfully to figure out how to rule. He has advisors but he doesn't have a firm voice. That's his biggest problem: he hears so many voices that he doubts his own ideas. Who hasn't been there? One day, after a rare and unexpected display of public defiance from Shati, Sanyu seeks her out realizing that she might actually be someone who could help him. Their relationship is one that grows throughout the story and it's rather slow burn. Sanyu seems almost lost compared to Shanti's bold certainty of who she is and what she wants. It's quite remarkable to read how his perception of her changes form one of suspicion (because, really who would walk into a marriage so blindly?) to one of wonderment. For her turn, Shanti sees Sanyu's potential. All she wants is to embolden him so he can trust his vision for his country and believe that he can make a proper ruler.

The true standout of this novel is Njaza. Cole has outdone herself with the world-building and she's seen to every detail from its landscape and geography, to its religion and culture, to its history and customs, to its myths and legends ... you get the idea. She's painted an incredibly vivid picture for readers. This is a country that's shedding its colonial past and now seeks to build a bright future that integrates its pre-colonial history with a present that all its people - men and women - can be proud of. I was dazzled by all of it!

How to Catch a Queen was such pleasurable reading. I enjoyed the romance but I was taken in by the power play dynamics of running a kingdom that Sanyu was gradually becoming accustomed to. Both he and Shanti are impressive characters, and as I said already, Njaza is absolutely captivating!

~ Bel

Despite his anxiety and trepidation over the role, Sanyu has just been crowned king of Njaza. But right before he is crowned, tradition dictates that he must marry. In a hurried, arranged match, he marries Shanti - a woman from a neighboring country whose life goal has always been to be queen. While Shanti is at first excited by fulfilling her dream of becoming a queen, she soon finds that it's not all that she's dreamed - she doesn't have any power and even her husband doesn't seem interested in her. That changes when Sanyu begins visiting his wife and queen in the evenings to discuss politics - and maybe more...

How to Catch a Queen was a perfect mix of wild, out-of-the-box royalty plotlines and earnest desire to discuss how politics affect everyday citizens in a very real sense. Cole brings her characters to life, but, perhaps more impressively, brings the country they are in to life. The reader gets the sense that Njaza is a real place with real traditions and history. Shanti, the curious outsider, is the perfect way for the reader to get to know more about this new space. Sanyu, the new king rooted in tradition, keeps the country grounded for the reader. It is a pleasure to read the characters' relationships not only to each other but to the kingdom that they are to be ruling.

That is not to say the relationship between Shanti and Sanyu is to be ignored. The characters are the perfect opposite for one another - one an ambitious go-getter, the other a more grounded force. Their relationship struggles - coupled with different backgrounds, traumas, and traditions - while based in outlandish plot points are very real. No, I may not rule a country, but I do know what it is like to disagree with a partner on how something should be done.

This is such a fun, wonderful romantic novel. The plot, the characters, and the setting all bring this novel to life.

Shanti’s goal in life is to become a Queen. Sanyu doesn’t want to be King, but as the sole heir to the throne he has no choice. These two made quite a pair. I liked both characters individually, but it did take me longer to feel their connection as a couple. I really enjoyed seeing Shanti put her foot down and letting her voice be heard. She’s the Queen. Period. Bow down.
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I liked Sanyu and I could relate to him not wanting to let people he’s looked up to down, but at a certain point you have to do what’s best for you and forge your own path. Doing things differently than your parents isn’t disrespectful. Seeing the growth in Sanyu made me very happy. He truly learned what it means a to be a King AND a husband and how to balance both titles without one area suffering all of the time. Sanyu also suffers from anxiety and I respected how it was handle and how therapy was brought up as well.
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I enjoyed seeing couples from the previous series make an appearance in this story and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

I've been in a romance slump lately, so this was a refreshing read (even though I put it off for a while; not sure why). I wasn't sure how Shanti--the social-climbing young woman briefly and unflatteringly featured in A Princess in Theory--would be redeemed here, but I grew to like her and her strong will; I can empathize with wanting to make one's situation in life better. Sanyu was not as fearsome as the back matter suggested he would be--he was incredibly sensitive, actually--but I appreciated how their relationship and teamwork (hehe) progressed throughout the book. Cole's world-building has depth, as usual; I always enjoy learning about the realms depicted in her series, and Njaza was no exception.

Shanti has achieved her childhood dream of becoming a queen—but there's a catch: there's a 4-month trial period. No queen in the country's history has been invited to stay permanently.

Sanyu II is mourning the death of his father and convinced he has no chance of succeeding as absolute monarch of the kingdom he inherited. He agreed to the arranged marriage because it was his father's dying wish. Sanyu has no desire to get attached to his bride, when all the queens before her were forced to leave.

But Shanti has different ideas. She doesn't need love, but she does want to help Sanyu come into his own as monarch, and bring his country into the twenty-first century. But will she get the chance, when the patriarchal system insists on her silence?

Alyssa Cole has created a fascinating world in this fictional African kingdom. She did a brilliant job of depicting a despotic monarch who's driven by fear of failure—and the wise wife who helps him find his strength and his identity as a compassionate leader.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.

First off, this cover is GORGEOUS. Cole has really been blessed with covers, as she should be!

But the book itself . . . didn't quite work for me. And by that I just mean it was a bit of a giant "meh". I didn't hate anything, but I didn't love anything. I like some parts, and Cole certainly knows how to write well, but I was often either uninterested in what was going on or sometimes a bit lost about who was who and what was going on. It was just an okay read for me, far from my favorite book from Cole. But that's okay! Not every one can be a hit for every reader. I'm still a Cole fan, and will continue to be. But for me, How to Catch a Queen was merely an okay read and one that won't be sticking around in my memory.

Cole is an author who can genuinely do it all — from terse thrillers to deftly-plotted romances, she’s become an auto-buy for me, and part of the fun of following her as a reader is discovering the brilliance of whatever future novels she has in store for us. It takes skill to tell a story like this one — a modern-day marriage of convenience! — and for it to genuinely resonate because of its tropes and how they’re reenvisioned. Shanti and Sanyu are a couple to root for because they’re equally strong characters in their perspectives and respective issues, especially in terms of how they have to navigate their marriage months after the fact when it comes to finally getting to know one another. I love the way Cole allows you to understand both the hero and the heroine in equal measure here, which makes their resulting HEA all the more satisfying.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.