After loving the 'a sweet mess' series, I was looking forward into hopping into this royal romance! The story was engaging, but lacked depth, the MCs weren't insufferable and you wanted to root for them, Emma and Michel had undeniable chemistry from the get go and a smattering of loveable side characters for a story that should have been everything the reader is looking for and it, kind of just, wasn't? I've loved how food has been incorporated in this author's other books and this one was no exception, everything sounded so good and I loved the 'firsts' that they got to share around LA! Buuuut. The focus was more on everything else and not going into depth of Emma and Michel falling for each other and feelings building feelings and growing together and what it was they fell for in each other, we get none of that which felt a little odd to me.

While this book didn't quite hit the mark for me, I truly can't wait to read this author's next book. I spent most of this one rooting for Sophie and Gabriel's HEA and would *love* to read about their love story.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I really, really enjoyed this opposites attract, dual POV, royal romance that was the PERFECT book for anyone as obsessed as I was with the Julia Stiles movie, The prince & me. The book features Emma, a Korean American cuisine instructor and Michel, a professor slash secret European prince, who couldn't have been more different.

Emma isn't looking for love after witnessing her parents go through a messy divorce and is instead dedicated to the more traditional matchmaking process of finding her partner. Whereas, Michel is trying to fall in love before he has to accept the arranged marriage set up for him in order to inherit the crown.

This was a steamy slow burn full of great banter and excellent audio narration and I loved every minute! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

That Prince is Mine
By: Jayci Lee
Narrated By: Olivia Song
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•Emma’s relationship with her Dad is so sweet!

•I want to go to some of Emma’s cooking classes!

•Michel and Emma’s romance is so sweet.

•Lee does a great job of showcasing different cultures, and how that can impact how you live your life.

————

That Prince is Mine was kindly provided as an ARC by St. Martin's Press. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: Out Now!

Y’all, this was such a fun book. Emma and Michel have the perfect slow burn. I loved watching their relationship evolve!

Every character in this book is dynamic and purposeful, and really add to the book. I loved learning about Emma and Michel and their family and friends.

Lee does such a great job of pointing out how different cultures can impact your childhood, and therefor what you look for as an adult. I really felt all of Emma and Michel’s emotions, and how they juggled their whirlwind romance.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

Somehow I ended up reading 3 secret royal books at once, which works great to review it seems. I did enjoy the story although it does have made-for-TV or Netflix original vibes to it. It's a cute fluffy, book which is what I wanted it to be.

"That Prince is Mine" by Jacyi Lee is a whirlwind into modern-day royalty and romance. Lee’s writing brings out the sweet, humorous vibe between Emma and Prince Michel, and their banter is on point. However, some parts felt a tad predictable, which took away some of the excitement. Also, I wished Emma and Michel had more natural chemistry; at times, it felt like they were trying too hard to click. Despite that, Lee’s smooth storytelling kept me hooked late into the night. Overall, "That Prince is Mine" is great for fans of light romance with a royal twist—cute, fun, and ideal for a lazy afternoon read.

📚That Prince is Mine📚

I loved this book! I am not surprised because I have loved every book I have read from Jayci Lee.

I love that this book was dual point of view. Those are my favorite to read.

I loved how Michel and Emma first met.

I love that Michel fell in love first. Those types of romances are always so much fun to read.

Opposites attract romances are a favorite of mine to read. I love how Emma came to realize that she does not have to have so much in common with her future husband. Michel and Emma are just perfect for one another.

I can't wait to read what Jayci publishes next!

That Prince is Mine comes out on July 30th. Thank you St. Martin's Griffin for the arc!

Read if you like:
👑 Secret Royals
🥙 Lots of Food Chat
☁️ Light & Fluffy Reads
🇰🇷 Korean Culture

If you are hungry, maybe get something to eat before you start reading this romance, as its food descriptions were so yummy and made me want to try allllll of the food!!!

I really loved the passion around her culture and food that the FMC displayed and I think this had to be my favorite part of the book!

Also, I’m a sucker for royal romances as my guilty pleasure so I loved that aspect too, especially where our Royal was a secret royal of a small European nation.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC and ALC copies in exchange for my review!

That Prince is Mine Gives you all the Royal drama And food love You can ask for. Prince Michel Wants to marry for love, but unfortunately that’s not in the cards for him according to the throne instead he hatches a plan to go to America and find a bride himself naturally. On the other hand Emma wants to be set up by her godmother who is a professional matchmaker.
I should’ve.DNFed This book since I did not like either of the main characters. The overly cheesy plot lines and unlikable characters are too much for me. That said - It is not for me, but if you like predictable and overly cheesy romcoms This might be for you

This is a lovely and romantic story. Michel is a real life prince visiting Los Angeles and looking for his princess. Emma is a fun and lively character that will delight readers. The plot of the story is very interesting as it relates to the relationship between the characters. The dialogue was appropriate to the setting and was alternately witty and funny. It is an easy and page turning book to read with some sexy and romantic scenes.

This charming love story unfolds like a scene from a Hallmark film, with Emma, a teacher of Korean cooking, accidentally falling for Michel, a prince in disguise. As their bond deepens, she learns she could be the next ruler of a made-up European nation, but does she truly want that role?
Emma approaches love with a rational mind, while Michel is steadfast in his belief that their love can overcome any obstacles. Their adventure is peppered with delightful exchanges, touching moments, and cultural discoveries. Despite some flaws, such as the absence of realistic ties and complexity, the book is a delightful, light-hearted read that strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and excitement. Fans of contemporary royal love stories and Hallmark films will find this delightful story appealing.

What a cute prince and commoner story! Michel and Emma fall hard for each other pretty quickly but luckily it didn’t feel like inst-love. I wish that Emma had accomplished her dreams even if she moved for Michele. I felt like she could have remedied that a bit in the epilogue. I really enjoyed Emma’s relationship with Jeremy and Michele’s relationship with Sophie and Gabriel. I’m a sucker for side characters and Sophie and Gabriel were perfect. I loved the addition of their love story. Overall, a cute read.

Thank you Jayci Lee & Netgalley for the e-arc. All reviews are my own.

I honestly think the only reason why I finished this book was because I was listening to it. The storyline got to be too long, and moved too slow for my taste.

Narrator was great, however!

I absolutely adored this book. I loved how Jayci wrote Michael and Emma. The book was so cute, it had me smiling with every page. I love royal romances so I knew I wanted to pick up this book. I loved the dynamic between Michael and Emma and the book overall was such a fun read!

Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC. Even though this was a fast read and I liked and enjoyed the concept and the food sounded delish. It just wasnt for me. I didnt enjoy the FMC I found her behavior to be rash and childish even though she was almost 30. I really tried to get on board but I couldn't.

A culinary instructor agrees to have her matchmaker godmother find her a husband. In a series of disastrous dates, Emma meets Michel, a charming prince in disguise who is lucky enough to witness Emma sabotaging said dates. They fall in love and, of course, conflict ensues.

There were some missed opportunities to get the matchmaking godmother to be more involved, but it was an enjoyable romance read.

Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin's Press for the eARC!

A cute light romance. Emma is a young Korean-American woman living in LA, who teaches people how to make Korean royal cuisine and dreams of having her own culinary school. She also is planning to let her matchmaker godmother make an arranged marriage match for her as she is skeptical of love after seeing her parents divorce. The other main character, Michel, is the crown prince of a small fictional European country, currently a visiting professor at USC as he attempts to put off his own arranged marriage. And when Emma and Michel meet, it might just change everything for both of them.

This was a fun read with a cute and sweet romance though it definitely got a bit spicy for me. The cover is definitely misleading - yes she’s a cook and he’s a prince but that has nothing to do with how they meet and in fact she doesn’t know he’s a prince for much of the book. I enjoyed how this book actually gave explanations for why the characters acted the way they did, and didn’t throw up unnecessary obstacles or a gigantic third act breakup - yes the characters have their issues and fights but they make up pretty quickly. Perhaps unrealistically so, but hey, it made for a fun read. And the descriptions of the food Emma cooks were so enticing!

3.75 stars

Thank you SMP Romance for my #gifted ARC and thank you Macmillan Audio for my #gifted listening copy of That Prince Is Mine! #MacAudio2024 #smpromance #SMPInfluencers #ThatPrinceIsMine #JayciLee

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐜𝐢 𝐋𝐞𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★

I thought this was a super fun and engaging book! A prince in disguise meets a career-driven woman, who are quite opposite and they fall in love. It was entertaining and spicy and an overall fun one! While I’ve always wanted to read a book by Jayci Lee, this was my first book by her and I would definitely read another one. I loved reading about Korean culture and cuisine and thought it was just such a fun read! The chemistry between Emma and Michel was amazing and I don’t think I’ve read a book with a prince in disguise trope before and I really enjoyed this one! There was some matchmaking involved and some miscommunication too, but I thought it was done well! Overall, I thought it was a fun one!

⏲️Prince In Disguise
⏲️Opposites Attract
⏲️He Falls First
⏲️A Rom-Com for Foodies
⏲️Lots of Spice

🎧I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Olivia Song. I really loved my time listening to Song and felt like she was an excellent pick for this audiobook! This was my first time listening to an audiobook narrated by Song and I would definitely listen to her again. I highly recommend this one on audio!

Posted on Goodreads on July 23, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 24, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 30, 2024
**-will post on designated date

I like to start by thanking the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book. Everything I love about Hallmark movies in book form!

I was immediately drawn to “That Prince is Mine” because I love a royal story. It is great to see cultures and lives intersect in an Opposites-Attract romance like this one. I wanted to be more excited about this book but I personally could not stay engaged with the story. I may try to pick it up another time for a reread.

For those who enjoy:
👑 Opposites Attract
👑 Chef + Prince
👑 Royalty
👑 Korean Culture
👑 Contemporary Romance
👑 Open Door

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee is a delightful contemporary romance that combines the allure of royalty with the warmth of cultural tradition. The story follows Emma Yoon, a talented Korean royal court cuisine instructor, who is deeply committed to her culinary art and her family’s expectations. Enter Michel Chevalier, a charming professor with a hidden identity – he is actually the crown prince of the fictional European nation of Rouleme.

Emma's dedication to her career and her belief in arranged marriages set the stage for an interesting dynamic when she meets Michel. Their initial interactions are marked by mutual respect and a growing attraction, even as Emma remains unaware of Michel's true identity. The chemistry between them is electric, and Lee does a fantastic job of building their relationship with authenticity and depth.

As the plot unfolds, Emma’s world is turned upside down when she discovers Michel’s royal status. The revelation brings its own set of challenges and misunderstandings. The novel explores themes of duty versus desire, and the struggle to balance personal dreams with familial obligations. Emma’s journey is particularly compelling as she navigates her feelings for Michel while staying true to her cultural roots and personal ambitions.

The inclusion of Korean royal court cuisine adds a unique and rich cultural layer to the story. Emma’s passion for her craft is vividly portrayed, making the reader almost taste the intricate dishes she prepares. This cultural backdrop not only enriches the narrative but also provides a beautiful contrast to Michel's royal background.

Michel is a well-crafted love interest – respectful, kind, and just different enough from Emma to make their relationship dynamic and believable. His struggles with his royal duties and his genuine affection for Emma make him a multifaceted and engaging character.

The book is paced well, with a good balance of romantic development, personal growth, and the inevitable conflicts that arise from Michel’s hidden identity. The climax and resolution are satisfying, tying up the loose ends and providing a heartwarming conclusion to Emma and Michel’s story.

In summary, That Prince is Mine is a charming and heartwarming romance that stands out for its rich cultural elements and well-developed characters. Jayci Lee has crafted a story that is both sweet and swoon-worthy, making it a perfect read for fans of contemporary romance with a royal twist.