Although this is an addictive read, like all of Cole's works, this is not her strongest outing. The story is relatively predictable--nevertheless, the likeability of the characters and the strength of Cole's writing carries the book. Worth a read if interested in a light, fun romance.

Alyssa Cole is a stunning, creative author who never disappoints. This queer retelling of the Anastasia story lit my inner teenage aflame. I loved it and highly recommend it.

This was my first time to read Alyssa Cole, who has been at the top of the TBR author pile for too long. I enjoyed her writing very much.

I would say this book is a re-telling of Anastasia. Bez, the woman entrusted to get the long lost Princess back to her country but also against the advice of her superiors and then Makeda, the long lost Princess who doesn’t want to be royalty. Cole did a wonderful giving voice to two characters who are incredibly similar but making them each different and unique.

The book and interactions between Bez and Makeda were very entertaining. The only drawback was that the ending was very rushed. There should definitely have been some stuff cut from the beginning so that the ending could be given its due. I also wouldn’t necessarily call this a romance which it’s labeled as. We get the tension between the two women and a couple kisses for 95% of the book then two scenes are crammed into at the last minute.

I would recommend this book to those who love a sapphic romance and a Princess retelling. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC copy in exchange for a honest review.

— Staci McIntyre

3.5. This book was not at all what I anticipated in a really great way. I had enjoyed Cole's previous Runaway Royals book but was really looking forward to reading this newest one described by many as a "sapphic Anastasia." That is what I was banking on and what I got was that but also way more.

Makeda Hicks is a people pleaser to the highest degree. We start with her at her lowest point as she is struggling in her personal and professional life and with her beloved grandmother's B&B in danger because of how much of a people pleaser she is. Chaos agent Beznaria enters the picture and from there on the book is a whirlwind of unexpected events. Beznaria needs to find the missing heir to the monarchy in Ibarania in order to clear her family's name and she thinks it might be Makeda.

The two of them embark on one of the most ridiculous but also at times hilarious journeys. Some of it (ok most of it) is not believable in the slightest but I was along for the ride. The ending also has quite the twist. At one point I thought to myself, how can they possibly wrap this book up in one chapter and sure enough Cole does it in a funny and clever way.

I would be very interested in hearing more about the character of AK and his journey...don't leave me hanging!

Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was great. I loved Makeda and Bez. I do kind of wish there were more sex scenes, but I guess we can't have everything.

It's by Alyssa Cole, so there was no question I was going to love this -- but add in cargo ship forced proximity, only one bed, and a fake marriage between two very different but equally lovable heroines, and you pretty much have my ideal contemporary romance. I loved the supporting cast, especially the folks on the ship, and the setup for the next runaway royal (I presume). The ending felt a touch rushed, but maybe I just wanted to spend more time with these characters. Highly recommended.

Alyssa Cole knows how to write characters and for that I give her an A+. I really felt like she painted a very distinct picture of both Makeda and Beznaria but I can't say that I was a huge fan of either. I did like the slow burn nature of the story and once they did connect I got a bit more into it. I didn't know that this was meant to be an Anastasia retelling and that also was clever. I think anyone who is a fan of Alyssa will enjoy this but if you've never read her before, try one of the other stories in this series.

I received an e-arc of this from the publisher through NetGalley.

4.5 Rounded Up

I received a reviewer copy of How to Find a Princess from the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Mentions of Addiction and Bullying. Parent who acts like child. Obsessive Personality. Betrayal. Financial Ruin. Neurodivergent character (as a non-neurodivergent person, I cannot speak to how accurate the representation is (I think its well done) and want to make sure you know.

What It’s About: Pitched as a modern day Anastasia story. Makeda is always going above and beyond for everyone and never appreciated, in fact she finds herself left with many burdens. She lost her job, girlfriend, and is on the hook for a loan she cosigned. As if things couldn't be worse, her grandmother makes her aware of an heir search for the crown of Ibarania. You see Makeda's grandpa claimed to be a prince from Ibarania and her mother, in the past, was obsessed with her potential princess status and led to a alcohol fueled toxicity. Bez, an investigator thinks that Makeda could be the heir and finding her would fix her family's ruin, too bad Makeda has no interest in being a princess.

What I Loved: I loved this book! This might be my favorite of Alyssa Cole's yet. I loved both Makeda and Bez so much. I really loved that this book was set in New Jersey initially as I am originally from there. As someone who hates disappointing people, I really connected with Makeda who is constantly trying to fix things and make sure everyone is happy that she really sacrifices herself. I love that this book is a queer love story but the fact that the characters are queer is never a problem or really a plot point (it's just accepted and I love that). Makeda's grandma is such a tough badass and loved her. Bez is also delightful and I loved that she was so self aware and also so honest and blunt at the same time (she's aware of the challenges she faces in communication but not necessarily very aware of how to interact with others). I loved the characters chemistry and I loved the comedy of errors that occurs. The romantic tropes are delightful (fake marriage, forced proximity etc. ) I giggled so much and just looked forward to reading this at night and wanted more.

What I Didn't Like So Much: Honestly, the only thing that I didn't love was the ending. I thought it ended abruptly and I was left with many questions at the end and felt like we needed more time to tie up the plotlines

Who Should Read This: People who love great romance books. People who love queer romance. People who want diversity in their romances. People who love royal ties in their book. People who loved Anastasia.

Quick Summary: A story of a reluctant potential heir to the throne and the investigator who wants to make sure she claims the throne.

In How to Find a Princess, plucky, scene stealing royal investigator Beznaria Chetchevaliere (How to Catch a Queen) finds her match in the unlucky in love Makeda Hicks. Makeda grew up in humble circumstances in Atlantic City with a mother who was obsessed with her supposed long lost royal roots. But all those stories ever got her mother was heartache so she wants nothing to do with it no matter what Beznaria has to say. It’s nice to finally get a true Royal skeptic in one of these stories. The love story felt a bit accelerated and uneven, but the satire is strong. One of the strongest features of this novel is its frequently funny, biting and candid social critique. It’s not Cole’s greatest but it still delivers a dose of wit and warmth.

This is the second book in the Reluctant Royals series and features one of my favorite minor characters from the first book. Honestly, if I had any complaint about this book, it's that I wish it had been a little bit longer as the ending was fairly abrupt.

Bez and Makeda seem like a bit of an odd couple. Bez self-describes as being too much, while Makeda is quiet and fixes peoples problems. I really liked the way that Bez's too-muchness was described, and how her thought pattern showed that off. I also enjoyed that so much of Makeda's story is growing into a person that realizes she doesn't need to fix things for other people, but that fixing things could be fun.

The twist at the end, as I mentioned before, was a little bit abrupt. It felt like there should have been one more chapter or an epilogue, although given the way this series works, it's likely we'll get at least a little bit of that in a future book. I'd really like to know how Bez will ultimately run things.

Cole does it again! This novel is full of suspense, and love. Cole is an incredible writer whose characters experience the full arc of romance: the great meet, the decisions, the mistakes. Read this novel!

Book Review for How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole
Full review for this title will be posted at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

This was a fun read. I found both characters compelling and enjoyed getting to hang out with them as they both overcame their various hangups to be together. The pacing didn't quite work for me; there wasn't quite enough tension and then too much, but this was still a fun F/F contemporary.

Who wouldn’t want to find out they were a lost princess? Makeda Hicks! After taking a few knocks in both her personal and business lives, Makeda is just trying to make peace with herself while helping her Grandmother out at her B&B. In sweeps the delightfully awkward Beznaria Chetchevaliere. Bez is from an island country searching for the heir to the thrown that has been missing for decades.

This is my first read by Alyssa Cole. I was surprised and delighted to find a character that was not only a lesbian of color but also neurodiverse. As my son has asperger’s, I’m well versed in their lack of social norms and giagantic hearts. Bez was all of that in a beautiful butch package.

The cast of side characters was just as well fleshed out and the locales were colorful. I would love to read more about the wonderful island of Ibarania and see who else needs a new romance in that wacky family.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

wow this book was a delight i just finished with happy tears in my eyes and already miss makeda and bez. atlantic city, the high seas, queerness, neurodivergence, a search for a royal heir, a hilarious bad guy, a huge cast of wonderful and supportive characters, and two protagonists learning how to communicate, navigate conflict, love, and heal all while finding delight, laughter, and joy. wow still crying. what a gift!

I feel like I just read a sugar high. It's a very fast read with an abrupt ending--and some...interesting...characters.

((My blog review will go live on 2/25/2021))

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book. I am providing a voluntary review. All thoughts and views are my own.

After being at the top of my want-to-read list for entirely too long, I finally had the opportunity to read a book by Alyssa Cole—and she did not disappoint. I learned right away that Cole’s voice is devastatingly addictive. I feel like I could pick out a passage written by her even though I’ve only read one book penned in her distinctive style. But at the same time, both characters still had their own unique voices, as well. You knew exactly whose head you were in without a moment of second-guessing. It’s truly magical and a skill many, many authors—including myself—will envy until the day we die.

I’m a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, so I was stoked to realize this was a sapphic Anastasia retelling. And Cole nailed it. Right down to Makeda’s doubt in her own royal lineage. The only real difference is that Bez isn’t trying to pass off an orphan with a questionable origin story as the long-lost monarch for personal gain—although, I suppose that second part could technically be argued as present and accounted for. Either way, this is a faithful retelling in all the best ways.

I also have to point out that there is some seriously positive neurodivergent rep in the delightful Bez. Either Cole herself is neurodivergent or she has someone very close to her or is… or else she did some serious research, and quite clearly, utilized a sensitivity reader. Because while it’s painfully honest in some respects, it is never done distastefully or in such a way that makes Bez’s neurodivergence feel like a convenient plot device.

The only thing that keeps this from being a full five-star read for me was that it dragged a bit at the beginning. I wish there was a bit less of the buildup and more of the story itself because once things get going, they are pure fire. 🔥

I would recommend this for all readers who love sapphic romance, but also those who love fairy tale retellings or the contemporary royal world. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more by Cole, especially in her various royal-related series. 💕

Plot:
How to Find a Princess is the unconventional story of Makeda Hicks, a New Jersey perfectionist down on her luck, and Beznaria Chetchevaliere, an unorthodox junior investigator from the World Federation of Monarchists (WFM). Everything seems to be falling apart around Makeda and she must move into her Grandmore’s Bed and Breakfast. The director of the WFM tasks Beznaria with finding the lost Ibaranian princess.

With no time left to spare, Beznaria investigates one last claim before her flight back to the WFM. Grandmore had revealed to her scandalous story of a romantic affair with the supposed heir to the Ibaranian thrown many years ago to her daughter and granddaughter and decides to send it to the WFM. As Makeda spent much of her life bearing the brunt of her mother’s obsession with being royalty, the mysterious visitor’s identity is unwelcome. Suddenly, this self-prescribed helper must learn to enforce her limits and understand her worth, while stuck on a cargo ship with Bez heading to “her kingdom.” Is she really the princess? She doesn’t know and she doesn’t want to be.

Verdict:
The second installment of Alyssa Cole’s Runaway Royals series is refreshing, silly, and heartfelt. The characters felt so real and their personalities were unique. Beznaria’s observations often made me giggle out loud. Makeda, however, felt like someone had copied and pasted my personality onto a fictional character. She struggles with finding a balance between dedicating her life to helping others and developing the strength to enforce her boundaries.

The chemistry between Makeda and Bez was electric and adorable. Although there is a bit of a romance trope in this book, the resolution kind of makes up for that. I recommend this book because it weaves the psychological concepts of survival and loneliness with the lightness of romance.

I love Alyssa Cole's writing, I love this series, and I love that this was a full length f/f getting initial print publication, so all of those are reasons I would buy and recommend HOW TO FIND A PRINCESS (not to mention the gorgeous cover). Although I might not recommend it to new readers as their first Alyssa Cole, because while there were many things about it that were absolutely delightful and I did enjoy it overall, it also read like a book that was written during 2020--which is to say, not quite as good as her books usually are. But that's still far ahead of most other romance authors, and this was still a fun and solid 4 star fun read!

I really enjoyed reading this book on winter vacation. Bez and Makeda are funny and their clashes make for both hilarity and a delightful payoff when they finally get together. I found the secondary characters a little less developed than I might have liked, but the mains shine enough to carry the story. Recommend for a perfect vacation read.