In "That Prince Is Mine," Jayci Lee weaves a delightful tale of love, food, and unexpected connections. Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles, this romance novel is a feel-good read that leaves you with a smile.

Meet Emma Yoon: a Korean royal court cuisine instructor with a practical, heartbreak-proof plan for her life. Emma dreams of opening her own culinary school, but meddling matchmakers threaten her aspirations. To save her godmother's reputation and her own dreams, Emma embarks on a series of arranged first dates in search of the perfect-on-paper husband.

Meet Prince Michel Aubert: a professor at USC who is bound by duty to his country. Michel longs for a love that transcends duty and responsibility. When he meets Emma, he wonders if she might be the woman he's been searching for. As their paths intertwine, secrets are revealed, and love blooms unexpectedly.

Lee's writing is both heartwarming and engaging. She skillfully combines romance with culinary delights, making the food come alive on the pages. The incorporation of Korean royal court cuisine adds depth to the story, and readers will find themselves craving the dishes described. From savoury bulgogi to delicate banchan, the culinary journey is as satisfying as the romance itself.

Emma and Michel are well-drawn characters, each with their own vulnerabilities and dreams. Their chemistry is palpable, and their banter is both witty and endearing. While the love between them may start as an arrangement, it soon evolves into something deeper, forming a connection that defies societal expectations.

The pacing is spot-on, with just the right balance of tension, humour, and heartache. Lee's attention to detail immerses readers in the world of Korean culture, from traditional customs to modern LA life. And yes, there's even a delightful shout-out to H-Mart. It’s a nod that will resonate with foodies and fans of Asian cuisine.

"That Prince Is Mine" is a reminder that love can be found in unexpected places, even when duty and tradition seem to dictate otherwise. If you're looking for a charming read that combines love, food, and a touch of royalty, this book is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4/4.25 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this story. it is more of a lighthearted read, the topics don’t get too in depth and there isn’t any really heavy topics.

You’re following Emma and Michel and i felt like Emma’s character had a lot of depth. It was hard not to relate to her in some way and enjoy her character. Michel didn’t feel like he had much depth to me. You learned basically who he was - but not much else about his background.

I really enjoyed the romance, and I would love a book about Sophie and Gabriel. I wished the book was dual POV and not third but still enjoyed it!

Sweet story and how fortunate that Emma is a chef of royal Korean cuisine! The food references were so yummy and I loved that there was even a dictionary of the terms we would be reading throughout the story. While I felt like the characters weren't that well fleshed out, I did enjoy this story for the sweet characters, the gentle pacing and the overall low angst of the story.

Prepare to be swept off your feet in Jayci Lee's enchanting romance, 'The Prince is Mine.' In this delightful tale, Lee introduces us to Emma Yoon, a culinary enthusiast who dreams of opening a culinary school. As she navigates the world of Korean royal court cuisine and assists hopeful brides, Emma finds herself entangled in a plot orchestrated by rival matchmakers.

Forced to save her godmother's reputation and her dreams, Emma embarks on a quest to find the perfect husband, even if love isn't on her agenda. Enter Michel Chevalier, a charming and irresistible professor who also happens to be a real-life prince, who disrupts Emma's plans. Only months until his arranged engagement is announced, Michel is determined to find a bride who loves him for who he is, not his crown.

Lee's engaging storytelling shines through as she weaves a tale of finding love when and where you least expect it. From the bustling streets of Los Angeles to the opulent world of royalty, 'The Prince is Mine' is a captivating journey filled with twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

What a cute storyline! If you are into “a prince meets average girl and falls in love “ then this book is for you. It was a light fluffy, feel good read. :) I loved it and wouldn’t mind reading it again. Perfect to change things up

This is a great quick read for someone who wants a cute predictable contemporary romance with a secret prince. I enjoyed the dual POV, side character plots, and the insight into Korean culture and cuisine. The MMC could have been more well rounded as I felt like his only personality trait was "loving" the FMC (instalove from his side). That being said if you just want to turn your brain off for awhile and read a cute romance with a little spice this is still a good read.

I will never not love a "royal in disguise" romcom, and this one delivered that trope along with plenty of foodie fun. I really enjoyed this book!

I read this book as an impulse offer. I haven't read any of Jayci Lee's previous books but I loved this book. It was cute and I love the style of writing. If anybody is on the fence of buying, I'd tell you it is worth the cost.

Emma and Michel come from two different worlds: she aspires to open a culinary school in L.A. and Michel is the crown prince of a European country. They both feel pressure from their families to marry someone they don't know and don't love. Can they make it work?

I enjoyed this fun, contemporary romance. There was a good amount of fluff and substance, and I really liked our main characters. Their relationship was insta-love, but I didn't mind that in this instance. It was interesting learning about Korean culture and food.

I'm glad we got a dual POV, and I also liked the side characters Sophie and Gabriel. I hope there will be a book focusing on their romance!

Overall this is a sold contemporary romance that I would recommend to my patrons.

This was pretty disappointing for me. The premise sounded great to me but I really struggled to connect to the characters and their story:

Jayci Lee usually NEVER disappoints, and That Prince is Mine seemed like it would absolutely be something I would love, but I struggled to connect with Emma and Michael and their story.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫
If you are in the mood for a Royal romance with some interesting information about Korean culture, this is a book you might enjoy. I think the cultural information is likely what will stick with me the most. This book is good for anyone looking for a quick, predictable, light read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher for the ARC of this book.

Ok why does this cover give me YA vibes more than anything? I requested the title a long while back and dove in without remembering the premise, so that's the first thing I'd like to say. The novel is indisputably an adult romance and has a good number of explicit scenes, so definitely not recommended for clean romance lovers.

I enjoyed the story, but not the romance so much. The writing style flowed beautifully, so I finished the book quickly, but I there's nothing I was invested in about the MCs romance. I find myself more interested in the side characters, and the connection between Michel's royal bodyguard Sophie, and his cousin Gabriel. I don't yet know whether this book is part of a series, but I'd love to read Sophie and Gabriel's story.

When I first discovered this book, I was quite excited. There's few romances I will read unless they catch my eye like this one. This, however, is a did not finish for me. Perhaps it is unfair to rate a book I didn't finish and I agree, but I also wanted my opinion to be shared. This book starts off with our main female character on the phone with her mother. I can't remember if she is Chinese, Japanese, or something similar but it is important to note because of the culture. Now I understand that that culture is different in terms of romance than western areas but it actually bothered me quite a lot to read. MC is just down for a forced marriage, wanting to please her family and culture, even though she's being sold off. Obviously, this isn't going to happen and she will meet our male MC but I just couldn't stomach it. How happy she was to give up everything for a stranger. Again, I understand this is the culture, and I know she will eventually follow her heart, but I don't have to like it. If this is something you don't mind reading, I'm sure this book will be fantastic. It's just not for me, the whole forced marriage thing.

This was such a cute book, Jayci has always a amazing way with words and this is a example. This was fun and super easy to read, finished incredibly fast couldn’t put it down . Definitely will be recommending

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee
Overall Rating: 3/5 ⭐
Publishing Date: July 30 2024

This was a really cute read. It took me a bit to get into it but it is a very classic royal romance.

I did find that sometimes the story was a bit hard to stay invested in and that some parts were a bit too cringey for me. It was a decent book and if you are looking for a sweet royal romance this would be a great book for you.

I loved the descriptions of food and cooking and thought there were a lot of cute moments between the main characters.

3⭐️

File this under the category 'had so much promise'. Unfortunately this just wasn't for me. Sometimes insta-love works and sometimes it doesn't- here, it doesn't. Michel literally said 'you're not like anyone I've ever met' the SECOND time him and Emma talk. Like they've met twice and he says this.

I also think I need to stop reading royal romances, because the inaccuracies bother me too much. Like it's the authors world and Michel's royal title and country are made up, but at least make it more believable? The crown prince of a European kingdom, teaching at a university in California? And no one knows? Like maybe if he were flying under the radar as a student, keeping his head down. But a professor? In a lecture hall of 200+ students? And you're telling me, not ONE of those students googled the country their new, attractive, accented professor hails from? His secret would've been out of the bag within the first week of class.

This was cute and fluffy and if you want a sweet, angst-free story than this is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a royal romance! This book about a culinary instructor who unknowingly falls for a crown prince was super sweet,

Emma teaches royal cuisine to young ladies and the food descriptions in the book are so good. I was hungry the entire time I was reading lol This was one of my favorite parts of the book.

*He falls first- which is always a favorite of mine! *

I enjoyed the story overall. It was a fun easy to read romance that I consumed quickly. I would have liked was a little bit more conflict. This book just felt easy and I like a little bit of drama, angst etc. with my romance. Although, I did like the characters I felt I wanted more to them. I wanted to feel more connected to them and I didn't have that.

If insta-love isn't your thing. This may not be the book for you.

I would recommend to anyone that enjoys a light fluffy romance!

"That Prince is Mine" has some cute elements that make this book quite enjoyable! Emma is a California-born culinary instructor whose overbearing Korean godmother is continuously setting her up on disastrous dates, all in the attempt to find her perfect match. On one such disastrous date, Emma's eye is caught by an attractive, confident man across the room: Michel. Emma takes her dating life into her own hands, and asks Michel out on a date. The two quickly hit it off and are very happy together. But Michel is hiding a pretty big secret: he's the prince of a not-well-known European country, and his devotion to his country must always come first. What will happen when Emma discovers his secret?

I thought this was a cute, if predictable, novel. It was a quick read and the characters were easy to root for. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffith for this advanced copy! You can pick up That Prince is Mine on July 30, 2024.

I really thought this would be the book to pull me out of my reading slump, but I'm afraid it didn't work. While the premise sounds enjoyable, the writing really pulled me out of the story and made it difficult to connect to the characters. We were told so much information right in the first 5% of the book, and I wish we could've been shown these scenes to feel more immersed in the story.

There's definitely an audience for this story, though! This is literally like that 2000s movie The Prince and Me, but with a Korean culinary chef and professor/prince in disguise. If that's the vibe you're looking for, this is def for you!