This started out so cute and then fell apart at the end for me. I loved the incorporation of Korean tradition and customs into the story and the bonus of a royal pretending to be anything but a la Roman Holiday was intriguing. I enjoyed watching them fall in love and try to work out their differences. The writing flowed well and made it easy to get caught up in the story and then the ending got so cheesy that it ruined it for me, a trend I have noticed has bothered me with this author in the past. I get that the happy ever after has to happen a certain way, but it was overdone and made it hard to rate this higher than a 3.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
That Prince Is Mine releases July 30, 2024

2.75

Emma and Michel are both destined to find their romantic partner through an arranged marriage, though that’s not what either of them want.

Emma is a culinary instructor, specializing in teaching others how to cook Korean royal court cuisine. Her godmother is a renowned matchmaker, but trouble arises when her matchmaking rivals start to suspect that Emma is a spinster. This leads to Emma going on a set of prearranged dates.

Michel is a visiting professor at USC and the future King of his country, though he’s keeping his royal identity a secret while he’s in America. After running into Emma at a café on numerous occasions, he’s convinced that the serendipitous fate he’s been looking for this whole time has finally manifested, and he must see it through despite how rusty he is with dating.

I enjoyed the circumstances that the main characters were in, and the side characters were a great addition, but the book was so lengthy.
There was a strong message of having to give up your dreams for love, both with Emma/Michel and Gabriel/Sophie, and I don’t think that should be the case.
Emma and Michel’s relationship was definitely more sex-forward and explicit than I was expecting.

Recommend if you like the royal trope/secret identity, and lots of Korean cuisine.

Reading this one was odd for me - I definitely enjoyed it while reading it, but I don't think it will stick with me. Overall, it was just fine.

I always love a romance that has some sort of cultural representation - particularly when that involves detailed and delicious descriptions of food! Additionally, I do think the setting of this book, LA, was really brought to life - it was descriptive and really helped you visual the area.

However, if I heard our FMC say one more time about how she was with the MMC just to prove incompatibility one more time...like we get it - it didn't need to be harped on that much. As such, I feel like the relationship wasn't truly developed - because we were only getting their motivations (prove incompatibility and choose his own spouse) over and over again. It felt like the feelings were developed out of thin air because so much time was given to the other motives.

The characters! The pacing! The romance! It was so easy to get lost in this book. My only critique is I feel like there is a disconnect between the title and the story, but the title IS catchy, so I get it. But it was so easy to fall in love with these characters and this story. Plus, I very much wanted to snack on almost every Korean dish Emma made.

Emma Yoon is proud of her heritage and teaches Korean Royal Court Cuisine to prospective brides. She loves cooking and her goal is to open a cooking school where she can teach more than one student at a time. To that end, her godmother (Imo) who is a Madame Ddu or matchmaker refers clients to her. There is one thing threatening that right now, Emma is approaching what is considered to be the age of a spinster and has up to this point no desire to seek a match. This can impact both their businesses. With that in mind Emma and having always planned on an arranged marriage, Emma tells her godmother to find her a husband.

We meet Michel as he sits with his cousin Gabriel in the café at his hotel. Gabriel doesn't understand why his cousin prefers living in this hotel, the café is a big part of that. It's the perfect place to deal with issues back home and plan out his lectures. What no one here knows is that Dr. Michel Chevalier, expert on International Relations is also the Crown Prince of Rouleme. He's here on a personal mission, hoping to find a match based on him not his crown. Something that isn't possible back home. His cousin is Dr. Gabriel Laurent a philosophy professor who helped Michel get the position of guest lecturer.

Michel also likes to people watch and the café is perfect for that as well. This is how he meets Emma. He's watched her meet with dates several times now and each time the men have left with a bow. Now she's back again looking as beautiful as ever. When her date leaves, Michel sends her a plate of madeleines and pays her check via their waitress Anne.

Emma is surprised enough to approach him and the ensuing conversation is fun and a bit flirty.

One of the things I love about this book is the descriptive dishes Emma prepares with her students. From ingredients to history a culinary delight.

Then there's the slow but steady relationship that builds between Michel and Emma. The only problem there is he isn't being open about who he is.

A surprise in this one is a twist with his cousin Gabriel, I really liked that one.

This is a delightful read with twists, romance and surprises.

The synopsis of this story is what originally attracted me to this book - I am such a sucker for a story about an American "commoner" and a Royal (of any kind) falling in love. While this book technically gave us that...it felt more focuses on the angst of the two characters internal conflicts and less about their actual love story. Instalove books definitely have a place, but it didn't feel like this story was ready for instalove, especially for how long it was. I also felt like there was more description regarding the foods Emma (FMC) was making than anything else - and while I appreciate the descriptions as I've never had any of those foods, it did make the story feel like it was dragged out longer than necessary.

All in all, this was just an okay book for me. I didn't hate it - but I didn't love it, either.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is not my favorite Jayci Lee book. I enjoyed it but the romance just felt kind of forced and I truly didn’t love the main characters. I honestly enjoyed Gabriel and Sophia more and wish we got more of them. However, I did enjoy learning about all the Korean food and culture.

The story starts off pretty cute but after a while I had a hard time keeping engaged with the characters. I wanted to know more about Michel and his situation besides the bare minimum. I also wish we saw more friction from the pressure Emma claimed to be under that really didn’t exist. Also, what sane person thinks they will find a love match in three months? I guess I hoped for more chemistry and more of a connection than the story provided. It was a decent read others should check out but not a favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is my second Jayci Lee book and, unlike A Sweet Mess, That Prince Is Mine didn't really hit the spot. It was off to a good start when meeting the main female character (Emma) and her aspirations to own a culinary school. In the meantime, she was offering Korean Royal Court cuisine to plenty of young Korean female in and around Los Angeles. No man in her life, and no intentions on looking for one. Until her godmother who is a famous Korean matchmaker breaks it to her that she needs to find her the perfect husband because the competition is trying to disqualify her as a successful matchmaker by spreading rumor around about her goddaughter being a spinster at the age of 29. Emma is forced to go through several rounds of speed dating, which she does not enjoy. At the coffee shop where those dates are held, she locks eyes with Michel, and sparks fly!

This book pursues the love story between Emma and Michel. It was cutesy, but too predictable and perfect. It reminded me of Red, While, and Royal Blue a lot, and I did not like that book. They fall in love too quickly, everything is too perfect, the 3rd act breakup is a joke, and the male love interest Michel has no depth.

This is a fail for me but I am still giving it 2.5 stars because it was well written, and I found the story cute.

Very sweet and fun to read! The matchmaking aspect is always fun and add in a prince in hiding for a little something extra!

Emma is a chef, hoping to open her own culinary school. She doesn’t believe in love as related to marriage as her parents were in love and it didn’t last. When she is ready, she will go to her godmother to find a good match for her. Michel is a visiting professor, temporarily living in the US. Unbeknownst to everyone, he is actually a prince, soon to become a king upon his father’s retirement. He has a woman in his country that his parents have picked for him, but he is not interested in an arranged marriage. He is looking for true love. They meet in a café and there is an attraction there. Michel is determined to get to know her, but Emma is not interested. This is a delightful love story, and the characters are well developed and complex. I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful romance

Also reviewed on B&N under IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

I was so excited when I received an ARC copy of this book but unfortunately it fell completely flat for me. I tried hard to push through this book hoping it would get better but around 40% I DNFed.

I am usually a huge fan of instant love but this just didn't hit the mark for me. The MMC is infatuated with the FMC while she looks for any and every reason to not like him.

What I did read was long and slow. This isn't a book I'd recommend.

“That Prince is Mine” by Jayci Lee is a fun and easy, slow burn romance that centers around the vibrant Emma Yoon, a Korean royal court cuisine instructor who hopes to open her own restaurant one day. She has her godmother playing matchmaker and wants to find someone to date that’s just for fun. Then there is the irresistibly charming Prince Michel Chevalier, who is moonlighting as a visiting professor at USC for three months. Prince Michel is taking a break from his royal responsibilities to try and find true love the old-fashioned way - no fancy titles or royal interference allowed!

Their meet-cute quickly ignites and amidst the romance, there’s just the right amount of drama and engaging side plot that all leads up to a happy ending.

One of the highlights for me was Emma's love for food, and I felt the descriptions of her authentic Korean cooking added a rich layer to the story. Although I really could have done without the miscommunication and third act breakup, this book is charming which makes it the perfect lighthearted read for a summer day.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Jayci Lee and NetGalley for the ebook ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I've been a Lee fan since day one and a royal romance lover, so I was thrilled when That Price is Mine came across my email. The characters are well-rounded and interesting. The subplot was every bit as intriguing as the main love story (I'm hoping a parallel book is coming out soon). The sex scenes were well-done. I can't wait to see what Lee comes up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. I also was granted access to the audiobook.

This was a delightful novel that takes a spin on the small town girl falling in love with a royal. Jayci Lee knows how to write a good romance. This book was sexy and fun. I loved reading this book and witnessing Michel and Emma falling in love.

This book was narrated by Olivia Song, whose voice may be familiar to you if you have listened to some of the books by Colleen Hoover. She was a great fit for this audiobook.

Overall this book was so adorable and swoonworthy and was really cute. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what Jayci Lee writes next!

PS: this book may make you hungry, so be sure to have some snacks around!




Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I enjoyed this story and getting to know Michel and Emma. While I did find it difficult to get invested at first, by the end I needed to know what was going to happen. Both characters were a little repetitive and there were times I wanted to scream at them. The fact that they had two vastly different lifestyles and beliefs about marriage (at least they thought they did) they truly were perfect for each other.

Gabriel was a nice character and I wouldn’t mind reading more about him and his true love. It was interesting to read about another culture and try to pronounce the words (even with the help at the beginning of the book, I know I failed). Overall, I enjoyed this book, I just didn’t like how repetitive it was. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

This book is an incredibly cute read!

I started this book a bit apprehensive due to the, use of their person. Which, it turns out, I don’t actually mind at all now!

I absolutely loved this book! It’s was cute and fun, the characters had me swooning, and the spotlight on Korean culture was so great to see! The plot was engaging and I was interested from the very first page.

I am so excited to read more from Jayci Lee!

I enjoyed reading That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Emma Yoon wants to open a culinary school in Los Angeles. To do so, she earns money teaching Korean royal court cuisine, a prerequisite to marrying into the exclusive upper crust Korean families. Her godmother is a renowned Korean matchmaker, but Emma doesn’t have the time or the wish to settle down herself. Rival matchmakers threaten her godmother’s reputation with Emma’s single status. To save them both, Emma dates, but it's a disaster. It's even worse once she meets Michel Chevalier, a professor at USC and most definitely not her ideal match on paper.

We learn about the matchmaking culture, and the rumors about Emma’s godmother, as she's unmarried at nearly 29. She doesn't click with the first few men, but has the instant spark with Michel. It's silly to think a few dates will shake that spark and make her see that the two are incompatible. She and Michel continue to be a good match, understanding each others' emotional needs. His cousin and bodyguard have history as well, and serve as a counter to their budding romance. Years ago when Michel's cousin came to California, he left without a word, thinking that duty was more important. This becomes the comparison for the reader, even if the characters don't really see that it's the road not taken for Michel and Emma if they don't stay together.

I like the very real concerns about cultural differences, finances, the role of family in their lives and what the future holds for them. LA also felt like a character thanks to all of the dates they went on, giving Michel a picture of ordinary life with Emma. The two click and continue to work well, and we can root for their happily ever after with every step of the way.

- she doesn't want love
- he's a hopeless romantic
- love at first sight (him)
- crown prince x culinary instructor
- secret identity
- single pov 3rd person
- interracial couple

This was a fun little romcom. I really liked the concept of this story - it felt very much like a movie I would have watched when I was younger, however I didn't love the execution. At times, the writing felt a little choppy and a lot of the sentence structure felt repetitive. This could be in part, because it is written in third person.

The relationship between the MCs was very focused on the physical, which is completely fine with me, but I would have liked to have developed a deeper emotional connection. Particularly, because that emotional connection was something we knew the FMC struggled with and is exactly what the MMC so desperately wanted. Every time they were together, there was very limited conversation about anything let alone any important conversations of substance, but they couldn't keep their hands off one another.

I also found the believability of a crown prince (of a small country mind you) is making such big waves internationally in some of the political moves he's making is able to fly under the radar in a city like LA of all places. Where paparazzi are on every corner?

Overall, I liked the characters, but would have liked some more character development and growth from the FMC in particular. I also really liked the story, and the Korean heritage representation.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jayci Lee and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.