Alyssa Cole can do it all, but I think romance is where she really shines. This unique story of a King & Queen where the Queen is the one with the brilliant ideas is a feminist twist on the old story. I love the character development and the sparks really fly between the main couple. Not to be missed!

Alyssa Cole is hands down the most ambitious romance author out there. This book is tackling so much: colonial history, forgotten and pushed aside women, legacies of trauma, and what good governance is. To that end, where it kept me from being fully in love is that the romance itself was not always at the top of the heap. It's a legitimately tough question, how to balance a partnership that has political weight but also emotional weight, and the scales tilted in a way that was not my favorite reading experience. I would not recommend jumping into this book without having read the previous Reluctant Royals series. There's so much worldbuilding that it's a lot if you aren't already familiar with places and people and ideas. As always, Alyssa Cole shines for me when characters are group texting and displaying funny, sparkly personalities.

Shanti Mohapi has always dreamed of becoming a queen. Not because of the jewels or the media attention, but because she wants to enact positive change like her role model, Queen Ramatla of Thesolo. So when she gets a chance to marry the new king of Njaza she dives in headfirst. But King Sanyu II and his people don't want a powerful co-ruler - they want someone who will stay silent and out of the way. Will Shanti realize her dream or fade into the background?

This is the first book in Alyssa Cole's new Runaway Royals series. Fans of Reluctant Royals will be happy to know that characters from the latter series pop up in group texts, and some may even remember Shanti's appearance in A Princess in Theory. Reluctant Royals has been one of my favorite recent contemporary romance series and I was excited to see where Cole would go next.

How to Catch a Queen has everything fans of her work will enjoy: feisty, smart, and independent women; fun and supportive friend groups; and steamy scenes between the leads. I particularly liked Shanti's character and the women she seeks out in her quest to change Njaza for the better. The plot device that brought Shanti to Njaza was a bit silly - but then, the same goes for many romance novels! I thought Cole developed the history of the country and its monarchy well, although Sanyu wasn't my favorite of her male romantic leads. Overall this was an enjoyable first spinoff of the Reluctant Royals series. I look forward to seeing more from Cole!

This latest installment in the Reluctant Royals is a wonderful addition to the series. It's a slower burn than some of the others, but keeps it steamy while exploring a more nuanced and complicated relationship. This book feels more serious with a little less levity, exploring themes of leadership, communication, tradition, and gendered expectations/limitations. Fans of Alyssa Cole and her court of modern and complicated royalty should enjoy this new volume. (And if you haven't read the series, you have something to look forward to reading!)

How to Catch a Queen is, as always, a really well-written book with several passages that had me stopping to highlight them. It also has the really funny, banter-filled text message threads between various Royals and Royal-adjacents (Portia, light of my life!!!) that I've so loved from A Duke by Default and A Prince on Paper. Sanyu and Shanti are really, really well drawn characters whose internal motivations make so much sense and the mental health representation of both the grief, anxiety, and trauma informed patterns Sanyu has are exquisite. The introduction of one of the love interests for the next book was impeccable and I cannot wait to have her story. And, of course, Alyssa Cole's world-building is so well done, I think I hate this Royal Advisor nearly as much as I dislike some of the elected politicians in the real world. She has created such a rich history for her made up country that I wound up feeling like my thoughts and concerns for the citizens of Njaza whose voices weren't being heard overshadowed the relationship development between Sanyu and Shanti.

It is easy to see how reading this book in the time and place that I did (November 2020, in the United States) may have impacted my reading of a King who doesn't really know how to lead and keeps letting other people tell him what to do. And, honestly, as much as I liked Sanyu, as much as I think all of his decisions and thought processes made sense given his backstory and anxiety, he is not a good king at the start of this book. Which is, I guess, where Shanti steps in, because Shanti has been training to be a Queen basically her entire life. But Shanti is treated horribly by everyone in this dang palace except for one guard who deserves her own HEA for the record. And it's probably unfair of me, but not only did I want Sanyu to do more within the pages of the book to stand up for his people and to listen to his people, with guidance from Shanti, I also wanted Sanyu to kick out his advisers for being horrifically mean to Shanti.

I wound up feeling like Shanti and Sanyu really do have great teamwork and they'll probably wind up being good and decent rulers for Njaza, but when the country is on the brink of collapse, it's worrisome to see so much progress still needing to be made and (view spoiler) Again, reading this in November 2020 means that I wasn't able to read this with the ability to put on political blinders and just read for fun. And, honestly, I don't think it's written for you to be able to do that because there is so much on the page about politics for Njaza. So a lot of these feelings are probably from resentments in real life, but they bled over onto the page so I was left feeling dissatisfied with the book as a romance. Tbh, Shanti deserves better and her HEA needed to include more groveling from basically everyone. That said, this is a really well-written book that I think a lot of people will really love.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to read and review this book pre-publication!

The first book in a new series from forever favorite Alyssa Cole, HOW TO CATCH A QUEEN is a wonderful marriage of convenience royal romance.

Alyssa Cole spins off her Reluctant Royals series (the hero and heroine in this story both appeared in A Prince on Paper) into a brand new set of tales, starting with How to Catch a Queen, a beautiful story about a woman who’s always wanted to be a queen, a man who never wanted to be king, and the way they both have to adjust their lives to accept each other’s love – and learn how to govern as a team.

Prince Sanyu stands to inherit the throne of Njaza on the death of his terminally ill father – which is imminent - but secretly believes that he’s not strong enough to rule, especially in light of his father’s achievements (he led the kingdom to independence) during his reign. When informed by Musoke, his head advisor, that he must marry to secure the line, Sanyu can only remember the long string of women his father married and ultimately discarded, refusing both their love and their advice, each one declared unworthy and sent packing for trying to rule his heart or his kingdom.

Sanyu, his only child, is the product of his father’s union with his twentieth wife.  Many came after her, and Sanyu can’t remember what any of them looked like, let alone the face of his own mother.  Understandably, he isn’t thrilled about the notion of marriage for himself, and is determined to take his father’s advice to never let his wife rule him or fall in love with her, but he vows to do his duty and produce heirs for the crown.  Then he meets Shanti, and everything changes.

Although not of the nobility, Shanti Mohapti has been groomed to be a suitable royal bride all her life, and has longed to become a queen ever since meeting the queen of her own kingdom, Thesolo. when Shanti was a child.  She’s grown into an ideal consort but endured the slings and arrows of rejection from multiple other crowned principalities before landing in a marriage with Sanyu via an emergency virtual matching on the RoyalMatch dating app (introduced in Cole's Reluctant Royals series, the app matches members of royalty with accomplished commoners or those of royal blood). Though there is a rivalry between the people of Thesolo and the land of Njaza, Shanti wants to make a go of it, to make positive changes in the world.

Shanti and Sanyu are married at the bedside of the dying king moments after meeting face to face, and soon find themselves at odds with their expectations. Shanti is determined to help Njaza in any way she can, but unfortunately, everything and everyone seems to stand in her way.  Her suggestions to improve the kingdom are met with rejection by the royal council, led by Musoke and Minister Masane, who looks after the finances of Njaza, and Sanyu’s icy behavior is not encouraging.  She has a hard time adjusting to the cultural requirements of the kingdom or convincing it to modernize or let in the outside world, even Thesolo. She soon learns a Njaza queen is expected to be silent and, if she doesn’t please her husband, can be easily divorced in favor of another in four month’s time.  Three months have passed. Shanti has only four weeks to convince Sanyu to make the marriage True.

Sanyu loves Shanti’s outspokenness, but his loyalty to his father’s way of governing – to Njaza’s traditions – keeps him from supporting her publicly. He begins to take advice from her in secret during nighttime meetings, which slowly transforms him into a more confident ruler as he steps out of his father’s shadow and into his own light.  Respect blossoms into sexual attraction, but will Sanyu and Shanti make the final leap toward love?

How to Catch a Queen is a cracking good tale.  Cole’s worldbuilding is, as always, perfection, helped along by some engaging characters.

Sanyu is in an impossible position, and it’s impossible not to sympathize with him.  It takes him a while to break away from the silent, cold shell he wears to protect himself, but Shanti is no quitter.  When he finally starts becoming more himself, he becomes a delight.

Shanti’s sureness is delightful. Though lonely and isolated, she manages to draw others close to her (we have visits from Nya and Portia from A Duke by Default, who form her inner circle here).  Portia is still my favorite Cole contemporary heroine, but Shanti is a delight all her own.

The romance slowly builds throughout the book, and has its complications, as Shanti develops a relationship with activists from Njaza Rise Up – a movement determined to bring equality to the kingdom, which is opposed by Sanyu’s advisors - and becomes fascinated with the equally silenced and stifled Anise, the first queen of Njaza.  How and if Njaza embraces its neighbors and its former queens, I will leave for the reader to find out.  But the passion of Shanti and Sanyu is so vivid, memorable and easy to believe in.

And oh, is it worth reading.  How to Catch a Queen is one of the best romances of the year, and it is a special delight worth indulging in.

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5/5 ⭐️

Alyssa Cole delivers again her first installment of the Runaway Royals series, How to Catch a Queen!

In this arranged marriage plot, Shanti has agreed to marry Prince Sanyu II, a requirement of becoming King of Njaza, with a customary 4 month marriage trial. Although Shanti has prepared her entire life for this role, she is tucked away in the Queen's wing of the palace with no responsibilities and no expectations that she will become Njaza's True Queen, as none of the women before her were able to accomplish. Until one day her Husband ventures to her corner of the palace and they begin spending their evenings together. While their secret meetings seem to be opening up the heart of King Sanyu, Shanti isn't sure it's enough for him to declare her his True Queen, allowing her to stay and rule Njaza alongside him. She also isn't convinced he is willing to make necessary changes in the kingdom, and she's not sure this what she wants if she isn't going to be allowed an actual say in this struggling, isolated country.

I absolutely love Cole's writing and she has quickly become a favorite author of mine! I devoured her Reluctant Royals series, and we even get to see a familiar face or two in this latest novel. Cole has yet to disappoint me and I'm so excited to have a new series to jump into!

Thank you Avon and Netgalley for this free digital review copy.

How to Catch a Queen is an arranged marriage romance which is one of THE BEST TROPES EVER if you want to know my humble opinion. But beyond that, this book is an important exploration of what lies at the rotten core of Toxic Masculinity.

So Sanyu is the King of Njaza, a isolationist nation with a ruling class that prizes “strong men”, particularly in its King. Sanyu has been raised to bury his emotions and bear the weight of the throne without flinching. Shanti is commoner from Thesolo who has dreamed of becoming a queen so that she could make a difference in the world. Obviously, she’s everything Sanyu has ever needed.

So to be honest there were moments in this book that were hard to read for me. AC does a fantastic job diving into the heart of the deep, painful insecurity and fear that drive Toxic Masculinity culture. She nails it. But it was difficult to watch Sanyu struggle through those feelings. And sometimes it frustrated me to see Shanti having to guide him out of that mindset. I mean…it’s real. That’s so often how this dynamic plays out. But it really highlights the burden women carry and the way TM produces so many broken men.

Thank you Avon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC copy of this book available to me.

A typically fun Alyssa Cole book in her "Royals" world. Because of how some of the old guard characters were introduced and described I had expected there to be some real potential deadly circumstances, but they just kind of fizzled out in the end. It was enjoyable to see several characters from previous books pop up in this one though. One little quibble is that while the characters portrayed on the cover are quite attractive, there should be a large height differential between them as they are described in the book, and I don't remember his hair being portrayed as so... mohawk-y..

I enjoyed this story because while it incorporates warrior gods, goddesses, ancient tales, myths, and temples into the storyline, it is a story that is set in the 21st Century. Social Media is alive and well. RoyalMatch.com is the site that Shanti employs to post pictures and achievements while she updates her profile in the “Ready to Wed” section. It’s a brilliant blend of old and new that makes this story so compelling. All the elements of a great story are present, and Ms Cole’s storytelling talent comes through.
HOW TO CATCH A QUEEN is an enjoyable and entertaining story, and I recommend it for your reading pleasure.

Alyssa Cole is quickly becoming my favorite romance writer. I love this new series and the way she writes about the characters and the politics of the royalty and the different countries. Shanti was an absolutely phenomenal heroine -- she was smart and sassy and way ahead of her time and dammit, she just wanted to help people but no one would let her because she was just a lowly woman. Shantu was a man who would love not to be king and he has panic attacks, which just made him such a stronger character, in my opinion. The author did a great job of showing how his childhood and the things he was taught could affect him as a man and his relationship with Shanti. These two people had a great relationship that started out very rocky and then became more of a friendship than just merely two people forced into marriage. I did think the synopsis gave way too much information about the plot of the book, so don't even bother reading it. Just know that it's about two people in an arranged marriage. Then, you can enjoy the incredible story!

Shanti has been training her whole life to be queen. She gets her chance and marries Sanyu, the King of Njaza. She wants nothing more than to lead the country and make positive changes, but Njaza is not a country that values women. In fact, she only has four months to prove she is the “True Queen” before she is replaced. Sanyu has been raised to believe that almost every human emotion and act is a weakness when exhibited by a king. He would like nothing more than to run from his duty, but is instead a puppet for his council.

Are you in the mood to burn down the patriarchy? (Always.) This book is for you! I definitely don’t want to ruin the plot for anyone, because at around 80-85% I was internally glowing while reading this book. So, I’m just going to talk about some of my favorite aspects of this book:

Shanti and Sanyu’s relationship is based on teamwork. Sanyu has had no example of a “good” relationship, since there has been a revolving door of queens throughout his life. He is afraid to get attached, since every queen has left. Shanti has to make him see the supportive partnership they could have. They are goals.
Sanyu is absolutely an example of what happens when toxic masculinity raises a child. He is constantly ridiculed and told he is not good enough. This has nearly destroyed his psyche and given him severe anxiety. Therapy is mentioned more than once in this book, with the underlying message - seeking help is not a weakness!
Cole has created the country of Njaza, where strength and strategy are deemed most important (obviously women have neither). A country where women have no voice and should remain in their place. As a result of the narrow minded thinking of the leaders, the country is on the brink of failure. I don’t want to speak in depth about how the role of women changes throughout this book (this is when I started glowing while reading), but this is therapeutic to read for anyone who has survived living in the United States the past four years. Decency is not weakness. Empathy is not weakness. Love is not weakness. These are vital to a person’s survival and a country’s survival.

Alyssa Cole continues to prove herself to be one of the greatest authors of all time. This was absolutely therapeutic to read after the insanity of the 2020 election process. How to Catch a Queen is one of my favorite reads of 2020 and you should preorder immediately!

I enjoyed this story immensely. Shanti is an incredible character who is very intelligent and tremendously strong. When we met her in Princess in Theory and even in the beginning of this book, she was portrayed as a crown chaser who just seemed to want a title and didn't have much substance. Which, yes, she has known from a young age that she wanted to be a Queen and didn't have her heart set on where. But she has put a lot of work into achieving that goal and there is a great depth to that desire beyond what was initially perceived as a desire to hold a fancy title and look pretty. She wants to make impactful and lasting change on a country, to change lives for the better and leave behind a legacy she can be proud of. And she has all the smarts and skills to achieve that goal if given the chance. Unfortunately for her, in her new arranged marriage, she is not given much of a chance for the first 3 months.

Sanyu has been trained and shaped to be a strong king by his father and his father's closest advisor. From his child, he has been lectured on how not to show weakness and criticized whenever he doesn't live up to high expectations. This has caused him to have great anxiety that leads him to shut down when he needs to express his opinions or confront someone about an issue. Add to this the grief over his father's death at the beginning of the novel, he has a lot to work through during his and Shanti's four month "wedding trial." Even then, the first 3 months pass without much if any events happening, so all of the action really happens in the last month. Watching his growth as a person and as a king throughout this book was rewarding and was all largely due to Shanti. This woman is the boss.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it!

Well. This was everything.

I love love loved Shanti. She’s smart and driven and a little sassy. Sanyu is a little gruff and uncertain. Together they have instant intrigue and chemistry. There are a few other characters, but they seem a bit on the fringes.

Plot wise, it was so satisfying. I loved the slow burn of their relationship and the growth of the kingdom. The conflict of the wedding added a slight angst, but nothing that was horrible. I could have done with a million more scenes between Shanti and Sanyu, but I’m being greedy.

Overall, this was a delicious start to a new series and I cannot wait to see the next book.

**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**

I thoroughly enjoyed this slow-burning, sexy, and socially engaged series opener, with cameos from some “Reluctant Royals” characters, featuring a whip-smart queen and a shy but sexy king. Cole has a well-deserved reputation for writing intelligent, inclusive novels, and also for writing open door romance, so heads up for several such scenes.

This story is the first in the new Runaway Royals series that centers around King Sanyu II reluctantly taking the throne after his father's death and meeting his new (too good for him in my opinion) RoyalMatch.com bride Queen Shanti.

The book touches on some very compelling topics: foreign policy, the role of women in government, tradition and legacy. Shanti is a foreigner to the country of her new husband but is tenacious. When her lifelong goal to be a queen that makes a difference presents itself, she jumps at the opportunity not fully understanding what awaits. From day one, she is shunned, dismissed and disrespected for the majority of her marriage term.

King Sanyu II is the sole heir to the throne and was raised by a strong, loving father in King Sanyu I and a harsh, distant father figure in Musoke, the King's best friend and advisor. Grieving the loss of his father, young Sanyu is silent and shuns his duties as King believing he'll never be as good as his father; a message he's been told his entire life by Musoke. The elderly Advisor is stuck in the old ways of the country, makes decisions on behalf of the young King and constantly undermines him due to what he perceives as his weaknesses.

Things turn a corner when Shanti stands up to the outdated Advisor Musoke in the face of a King that turns into a scared child in the presence of Musoke. Sanyu realizes that he has ideas of his own and begins to express himself motivated & coached by Shanti, of course. They're relationship begins to blossom but not without it's trials and tribulations.

My first issue is that Musoke is forgiven after one conversation with Sanyu. He's done and said awful things to Shanti, basically committed treason and doesn't have to atone for his actions. He makes one statement about knowing he's headstrong and blah blah blah and that's it. There was no resolution. Then we cut to 5 years in the future where Musoke is playing grandpa to the prince and all is right with the world. Second, Sanyu was just pitiful. He was spineless, selfish and naive. I had a hard time rooting for him. It always seemed like he was whining like a child. Shunning his friends and his wife until he needed them. He did turn a corner but I was 1000% more interested in Queen Shanti and her story. I would have loved to learn more about the discoveries Queen Shanti made in reference to the former queens. Alyssa is great at world building, at times I wanted to book a flight to Njaza and explore. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series as we are introduced to that character here and she was a delight!


***I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***

How to Catch a Queen is the first book in Alyssa Cole's Runaway Royals series and my first read from this author.

Shanti Mohapi agrees to wed Sanyu, king of Njaza to fulfill her lifelong dream to become a queen. After working all her life and preparing for this role, the reality is not what she expected. She is immediately physically attracted to her new husband but she is viewed as an outsider and her marriage has an end date before it has even began.

Sanyu is an unwilling king and only marries Shanti because it is required. He wants to run away from the kingship which he feels stifles him. Sanyu will never be the king his father was. Njaza is in trouble and Sanyu doubts he will be able to help his country out of their political struggle. He desires his wife but has been taught love should not be a part of this equation.

This story was a slow build. Both characters had issues to work on and it was good to see their development. Shanti was a brilliant woman and I did wonder why she would have such a goal to be a queen. But, I loved her wit and her skill and the fact that she learned to rely on her personal strength.

Sanyu had the physical but not the mental brawn. It was good to him come to accept and view himself as king and act accordingly. But he did try my patience as times. Though I loved him.

The passion between the characters was believable and I absolutely loved reading about them working together.

My biggest issue was another character. He was positively evil and a perfectly crafted bad guy. I would have liked to see him really get his comeuppance. But, I guess, everyone deserves a second chance.

Alyssa Cole is a dynamic and masterful writer. I was sucked into the story. I will definitely read more from this author.

I really enjoyed Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series and was excited to try this new spin-off series. Unfortunately, How To Catch A Queen fell a little flat for me. I struggled to get invested in the characters and the story. To be fair, I read this book in the weeks leading up to and the days immediately following the 2020 election. It absolutely could be a “it’s not you, it’s me and my existential dread” issue. And it’s not that I didn’t like this book. My expectations were just a lot higher than what I experienced.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what didn’t work for me, and I keep coming back to this: I just never got attached to the romance between the MCs. It felt like they spent more time on their own fighting their own battles than together on the page. In a marriage of convenience/arranged marriage trope, I need the MCs to spend a lot of time learning about each other and exploring the potential of their relationship. I didn’t feel that happened here. It’s like I was told they fall in love rather than watching it happen.

I’m probably being harsher in my review because my expectations were so high. I still liked a lot about How To Catch A Queen: the pointed commentary about toxic masculinity, global progress, equality and respect, the damage wrought by European imperialism. I just wish the romance itself packed more of a punch. I think there was more room to show how Sanyu and Shanti’s developing relationship could help them move forward with their political agendas.

A solid mid-star read for me. Enjoyable enough, but nothing I’d go back to.

Alyssa Cole is just a treasure. She’s one of those writers that you just feel good about supporting and giving money to.
How to Catch a Queen is a wonderful start to Cole’s new Runaway Royals series. I love how she’s able to mix old romance tropes (like arranged marriage) into a modern setting and mood. It’s done deftly and without pandering to the reader. You don’t have to suspend your disbelief even though Cole uses fictional countries and inserts kings and queens into the book. It’s still thoroughly modern and poignant.