Only in LA...

Can a romance adverse Korean, Emma Yoon, try to appease her matchmaking grandmother.
Enter Prince Michel Chevalier...the clock is ticking for him to find someone to wed for love, tick tock. Emma doesn't know he's a prince. To her, he's a professor (that's hot, not that he's a prince.)
This was a fun and lively read. Total Crazy Rich Asian vibes.

As a little girl, I used to imagine meeting a prince and becoming a princess. It was hard not as I grew up when Prince William was all the rage. In “That Prince is Mine”, I don’t think Emma Yoon had the same day dreams. As a child of a broken marriage, she wasn’t eager to find love, nor did she really believe love could last. Instead she wanted to live a quiet life teaching others how to make Korean royal court cuisine. When her godmother told her that the matching making business she runs is in danger of closing since Emma is 28 and unmarried, she tells her godmother to set her up on dates to find her “perfect on paper” match.

Emma meets her dates at a local cafe in a hotel. This is where Michael Chevalier sees her for the first time. He immediately wants to get to know her and approaches her. He tells Emma he is a visiting professor at USC, so their time together would be only for two months. Wanting to finally have some fun, she agrees to put her matchmaking dates on hold. What she doesn’t know is Michael is a crown Prince wanting to find true love to get out of the arranged engagement he is in. Can two people with two different end goals come together?

This was such a cute romcom. I love anything with royalty and food! Don’t read this book on an empty stomach! I loved learning more about the Korean culture via Emma and her family. I loved how Emma and Michael try to figure out what they truly want and need. Family and a sense of duty is prevalent for both of them, and it was so touching. I loved the side characters so much as well, especially Sophie (Michael’s bodyguard) and his cousin, Gabriel. I would love to have a book on them!

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee is the cutest feel good Royal Romance!! Arranged marriage, American culture meets Korean culture as Prince Michel and Emma Yoon cross paths. This is a Disney HEA in the pages of a book !!! Absolutely amazing and adorable!!! A must read ..... 🩷🩷🩷🩷
4.5🌟

Gives Hallmark vibes but with spice. I really enjoyed the Korean culture in this book. The dialogue wasn’t great, it ranged from cheesy to cringey at times. The storyline was a bit boring and the writing was overly descriptive. I liked the FMC but didn’t care for the MMC.

That Prince is Mine is a steamy and thoughtful romance. Two people of very different backgrounds face-off against their expectations- family and their own. With undeniable chemistry can they ignore everything against them? I love that they so into each other. I love that he's a Prince. That adds a lot of headaches to the relationship. The food descriptions are amazing. My only negative was that at times it seemed a little long. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC!

"That Prince is Mine" by Jayci Lee is a sweet and steamy romance that makes for a perfect beach read. The story follows Emma Yoon, a Korean royal court cuisine instructor, and Prince Michel Chevalier, a professor in disguise. Emma dreams of opening a culinary school and needs to find a perfect-on-paper husband to save her godmother's reputation. Michel, on the other hand, escapes an arranged engagement to find true love.
Their slow-burn romance is engaging, although some parts felt over the top or unrealistic. Despite this, both characters are likable, and their chemistry is undeniable. The book could have been a bit shorter, but overall, it’s a delightful read with charming characters and a heartwarming story. If you enjoy light, romantic tales with a bit of steam, this one is worth picking up.

A quick read about a prince wanting to escape an arranged marriage who wants to marry for love and a Korean chef/instructor who wants a husband. They only have a summer to see if they can make it work before the prince needs to marry and take over as king of his county, will it work? I'm not telling! :)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Emma Upon hopes to open her own culinary school one day in the meantime she teaches Korean royal court food to brides who hope to marry into the upper-crust of Korean society. Things are going well thanks to her grandmothers matchmaking business making her future dreams look doable. When another matchmaker pops up and starts plotting against them she knows she must do whatever she can to help her grandmother. She knows she must find someone to marry even if love isn't in the cards. She meets Michel Chevalier and he is definitely not in her cards. Michel is destined to marry someone his parents have chosen for him so he runs to Los Angeles in hopes of finding his own bride. Follow along as these two both want something but isn't sure if the other is quite right. Will the two fall in love and have a happy ending?

That Prine Is Mine by Jayci Lee is a romantic story that follows Emma Yoon and Michel. It is cute and is a good book to cozy up after reading heavy stories.

Emma Yoon doesn't believe that a relationship can last without compatibility and wants to get married to only a man who is compatible with her in every way. Whereas Michel believes in love and wants to marry a woman whom he connects with as a soulmate. Will both of these different people find each other?

This is a love at first sight sort of story. The best part is the Korean cuisine that has been featured in the whole book. The attraction between both the main characters is the main plotline, and though Emma's story has been explored a lot, Michel's story didn't have much depth. The subplot was very interesting, and I would have loved to read about these characters. This book is a fluffy read, and readers who love hallmark movies will definitely like it.

This book is not for me but will probably appeal to another audience. I did like Emma Yoon's connection to her family and her culture, but I didn't connect with the characters and found the story a little stiff. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

Title: That Prince is Mine
Author: Jayci Lee
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Emma Yoon runs a small business as a culinary instructor in Los Angeles teaching Korean royal court cuisine to young ladies striving to marry into the exclusive upper crust Korean families. She has built her business alongside her renowned Korean matchmaker godmother, which brings her one step closer to her dream of opening up a culinary school on her own. But when her godmother’s fellow matchmakers decide to meddle in Emma’s love life in a bid to sabotage her godmother, and indirectly push Emma's dream out of her reach, she must go on a series of arranged first dates and find herself the perfect-on-paper husband to help save both, her godmother's reputation and her dream--even if she's not ready for love. But when she meets Michel Aubert, a professor at USC, after a series of disastrous first dates, she wonders if she might reevaluate her position on love.

Prince Michel Aubert is bound by duty and responsibility to his country, but an arranged marriage is the last thing he wants. If he is going to spend the rest of his life in service of his people, then he at least wants someone he loves and trusts by his side while doing it. He needs to find a woman who loves him for who he is before his engagement to his handpicked bride is announced. Emma Yoon might be just the woman he is looking for.

This was a fun read! A prince in disguise, a girl who doesn’t believe in love, and lots of yummy-sounding food combine to keep the reader invested and entertained. Emma’s cynicism regarding love is understandable, and I enjoyed how she slowly became open to changing her mind about it. The secondary characters were a lot of fun here, and I’d be happy to read more about them.

Jayci Lee lives in California. That Prince is Mine is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

"You are radiant and full of life. You are strong-willed but kind. You are...I have never met anyone quite like you".

To be honest, when I first got this ARC, I thought it was going to be another royal romance (not that I don't love my royalty romances), but boy was I wrong. Michel is not your average royalty man at all😂 A cooking teacher from Los Angeles who helps other Korean women learn how to cook so they can get married off to good suitors, Emma's got her career right on track, with her hopes of opening her own cooking school not being too far away. However, her godmother's matchmaking business has been at risk, especially since other matchmakers are realizing that Emma's love life hasn't been the greatest recently, so to fix things on her godmother's end, Emma starts going on dates with her godmother's chosen matches. Not only does her godmother's reputation get saved when she finds the perfect husband, but Emma's culinary dreams will also come true. After all, in Emma's world, arranged marriages with checkboxes are the way to go. However, when she runs into Michel, a professor at USC (and a secret prince) during one of her disastrous dates, Emma starts to question whether true love comes from picture-perfect suitors or from the man who makes her feel seen. Meanwhile, Michel doesn't believe in arranged marriages at all. Even if that's what royalty wants out of him. He knows he has a position of being there for his people, but he wants to do all of that while experiencing true love. Meaning, he wants someone who will love him regardless of his title in society. In comes Emma Yoon. But, if Emma ends up with Michel, then Emma's godmother's reputation may go down the drain. A lot is at stake here. This is definitely the perfect book to read this summer. SUCH A GOOD BOOK PEOPLE GO READ IT!

This book is so much fun. I love Emma and Michel. Both characters are a mix of confident and shy. The book is a quick read and is a perfect mix of romance and comedy It really pulled me into the story and kept me turning pages. It's a perfect summer read. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

So nice, I read it twice! lol! No, really… I read it a couple months ago (during my AAPI Heritage Month reading spree) and didn’t write my review at the time, so I re-read it a couple days before release, realizing I hadn’t done this yet. How bad of me!

I enjoyed this mixed race, secret identity, royalty romance quite a lot! I’ve always enjoyed Jayci Lee’s books and I think this one might be my favorite (though I’d have to go back and refresh my memory on the other ones because I know I really liked them all, too). She writes very well, with dynamic characters, great chemistry, good steam, and pretty realistic plots - though this one is a lot more far-fetched with the Prince lead character!

Michel is a very good leading man, except for his hidden, secret, royal identity which he keeps under-wraps a bit too long. Emma is absolutely adorable and very family oriented, being so close to her Korean dad and aunties. I loved their meet-cute and how the relationship develops so organically (he frequents the hotel cafe where he’s staying, and where she meets the dates her auntie is setting up for her, from a matchmaking business). I also love that this storyline is so unique and really interesting and I was able to do a re-read a couple months later and it felt fresh again and I was still hooked to my kindle the whole time, even though I knew how it was going to play out.

I definitely recommend everyone reads this one - such a great story, and I don’t often re-read, especially so soon (that’s the mark of a good book). I give it 4.5-stars for creativity and originality and diversity. Well written and definitely worth grabbing!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and this is my honest feedback.

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee is a charming romance between two people who are looking to marry for love. Emma Yoon, a Korean royal court cuisine instructor in Los Angeles, is determined to achieve her dreams of opening a culinary school. Her godmother is a Korean matchmaker who needs Emma to find a husband in order to save face and help her business, and in turn might also help Emma’s business. Her encounters with disastrous arranged dates add humor and tension to her journey. Despite her love-averse nature, her eventual meeting with Michel Aubert sets the stage for a heartwarming exploration of love and duty. Michel is a visiting professor at USC, in international relations, who happens to be the crown prince of a European nation, of Rouleme; but is hiding his royal heritage. Michel is also looking for someone to marry for love otherwise he will have an arranged marriage; with a friend who is like a sister to him. Emma dates Michel thinking it will get him out of her system, except it brings these two closer together. These two were fun together but their miscommunication was frustrating. His bodyguard Sophie and his cousin Gabriel are both super fun supporting characters. I enjoyed learning about the Korean culture, especially in regards to cooking.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC of That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I enjoyed this cute rom-com. I'm a sucker for books involving food, so this was right up my alley. I appreciated that this book incorporated not only Korean culture with the different types of foods introduced but also French culture. I was rooting for this couple and I'm glad they got their happily ever after.

Love Jayci Lee's books and recommend you pick this one up if you enjoy cute HEAs!

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee
Contemporary romance. Diverse, own voices, Asian. Royals away from home, or Royal on vacation troupe.
Emma Yoon is a culinary instructor in Los Angeles teaching Korean royal court cuisine. She hopes to eventually open a culinary school of her own. Emma agrees to go on a series of dates to protect her godmother’s reputation in the matchmaking business but by date five is feeling inpatient. These men aren’t what she wants in life. But there is man that catches her interest at the cafe and he seems just as interested in Emma.
Prince Michel Aubert is an adjunct visiting professor at the University of California. He’s been watching with amusement, Emma’s seeming disastrous and one-time only dates at the cafe with different men each time. He’s like his own chance at chatting with her but he knows he is bound by duty and responsibility to return to his own country. Gathering his courage, he asks Emma for a date and realizes that perhaps he can choose his own bride instead of settling for an arranged marriage back home.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narrative was performed by Olivia Song and was marvelous. There were very distinct voices for Emma vs. Michel and his cousin, that were consistently easy to tell apart. The few phrases in French sounded authentic and were understandable in the moment. The humor, longing and angst were clear expressed while drunk Michel was amusing to hear.
The audiobook was a great experience. I listened to it my usual speed of 1.5.
Between the two formats, I preferred the audiobook because it kept me listening and committed. The ebook had me slightly inattentive at times and I might have been tempted to skip ahead a few pages occasionally.

Entertaining story overall. A smidge too much angst and indecisiveness for me in a slightly longer length than typical. I enjoyed the secondary characters and their intertwined romance and was glad they were resolved too. The body guard was unique and made feelings known simply by using his title which was delightful. HEA twice. Yeah!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

I enjoyed this sweet romance. It was the break I needed from thrillers and suspense novels. 

Emma is a woman after my own heart. She loves to cook and teaches Korean Royal Court cuisine. There are a lot of Korean words thrown into the story, but I loved watching the process evolve and want to attend this school to learn how to cook these delicacies. 

Michel is trying to escape an arranged marriage, so he comes to California to find his true love. I wonder why he chose California versus anywhere else since he is a Prince, but perhaps it is because his cousin lives here, and he would have someone in his corner.

I really enjoyed watching the story unfold as Emma and Michel fight their feelings for one another. It does seem rushed, but they do have limited time to discover if they are right for one another. Of course, Emma fights it the most as she believes that her perfect match will be perfect on paper. But she decides to throw caution to the wind and see what happens with Michel.

One of my favorite characters is Michel's bodyguard, Sofie. She is his friend, but she is also there to protect him. From what I am not sure because he is using a different last name, and it doesn't seem like anyone really knows who he is. But that could change at any moment. 

There are some wonderful family dynamics, and the interactions between all of the characters feel honest and true.

If you like "royalty in disguise" romance novels, you might enjoy this one. We give it 4 paws up.

No need to give you the brief plot of That Prince is Mine but in this one, the female character has a godmother who is a matchmaker and the prince needs to find love while he is in LA or he is bound by a prearranged marriage. Yup. You can imagine how it plays out. Their chemistry was spot on and they were just cute together. I also enjoyed the side characters - their friends, family and bodyguard. So it was totally predicable and formulaic but it was entertaining and cute. Pub day is Tuesday. Thank you to Griffin for my gifted copy.

I usually love this authors work, but this one there was just something missing for me. The relationship was good and believable. But there was a lot a food discussion. I get that the FMC is a cooking teacher, but I think the book would a been more streamlined and definitely shorter without the in depth descriptions of almost everything they ate.

<spoiler>I also wasn't a huge fan of the ending. The FMC completely gave up her dream of running a cooking school, with no further discussion about it!</spoiler>

3.5 stars
2 spice

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.