I really couldn't get into this story.
It felt so slow, yet the two main characters fell in love asap.
Everything about this felt so unrealistic.
The MMC was a prince and wanted to find a woman in 3 months to take her back to his country. It kind of gave me the ick.
The FMC didn't believe in love but wanted a perfect on paper husband.
It all just felt really forced and not organic.
It also felt like they fell in love with each other strictly based on looks and attractiveness.
Idk the whole thing was just forced and boring.
It wasn't for me.
However, if you like books about royal romance and cooking, this could be for you!

While the royal romance premise had promise, the execution fell a bit flat. The characters lacked depth, making it hard to fully connect with their journey. The plot felt predictable, and some conflicts resolved too easily. Still, it's a decent pick if you're after a light, escapist read—just don't expect too many surprises.

This book was fine. I enjoyed the characters, and the initial set up of the story. I appreciated Emma’s character and how she was trying to put her career and goals first. Michel was a fun character as well, I liked how he was really trying to be as normal as possible despite his royal background. However, the romance just didn’t hit for me, it felt a little too surface level. The pacing was also just a little off for me. I did enjoy the food aspects that were implemented. I would still be open to reading more books by Jayci Lee in the future, but this one was unfortunately a bit of a miss for me.

What I like about Jayci Lee's writing is that it's so easy to read and bingeable.

That said, I felt like this book was entirely too long (repetitive), and I found myself not caring about the couple. We knew a lot more about Emma than Michel, yet neither character really had much personality. I found myself rolling my eyes at many of their interactions, and their relationship lacked the depth I look for in characters. I didn't get a sense of why they loved each other, aside from their intense physical attraction to each other, and they lacked the emotional maturity I would expect to see in someone their ages.

There were shockingly low stakes for their relationship, which was unexpected considering one of the characters is a prince who has to eventually go home to start ruling his country. The ending was disappointing and rushed.

I liked a lot of the side characters, and learning about Korean food.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Multiple detailed spice scenes and a lot of tension that got distracting.

The food seemed really yummy and I’d have loved to have a food pairing as I read. The romance was … not there. No build up or anything. It was fine.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee!

Emma doesn’t believe love is what will make a marriage last, in fact it might be what causes it to fail. Instead, you’ve got to be matched up to someone who will make a marriage shine on paper as perfectly compatible. That’s the key, right? Michel is escaping royal duties in California presenting as a professor and attempting to get a taste of “normal” life and he has a front row seat to Emma’s matchmaker dates going off the rails. As it turns out, Emma’s cooking wont be the only thing Michel falls in love with.

When you’re looking for a cute, fluffy romance- this is it. The premise is great and I love a good foodie trope. That Prince is Mine scratched an itch but left me… still hungry? I needed a stronger plot I think and I wasn’t as head over heels for the characters as I had hoped. I adored the cooking and side characters, the romance still was a sweet one, and the ending gives you that happily ever after feel good feeling. A solid, enjoyable read but man am I craving something more.

Thank you to @netgalley for my E-ARC and to @stmartinspress for my finished copy.

Cute but predictable romance. The secrets and miscommunication with an almost third act breakup. This felt like a spicy hallmark movie which might sound bad to some but I do love a hallmark movie. It did feel a bit dragged out at times but overall the ending was cute and the characters were pretty lovable.

Jayci Lee is one of my favorite authors. She somehow manages to balance understanding what's in the head of each of the main characters, while still writing in third person. That Prince is mine is no exception to this. I had so much fun reading this. There were moments that I outright giggled and wanted to kick my feet in the air at the adorableness of the interactions of the main characters. The main trope of this book is secret royalty (is that a real trope?) but it relies heavy on the lie of omission. While I understand the motivations of the Michel (main male love interest) for Emma to fall for him without knowing his title, there's much that could've been solved with the characters speaking to each other. There's enough "will they won't they" with him being a royal and what their future holds without the lie of omission that accompanies a decent chunk of the story.

I will also note that this is open door compared to the other works I've read that were more fade to black scenes. These scenes were done well and I thought really added to the love/lust pull that we have going on with the characters.

Overall, I had so much fun with this and can look past the communication component. Without getting into the spoiler portions, I did very much appreciate how this novel was wrapped up post third act breakup. Jayci Lee will remain a favorite author of mine and I cannot wait to continue to read whatever I can get my hands on.

In That Prince is Mine, Jayci Lee serves up a deliciously charming romance brimming with heart, humor, and culture. Emma Yoon, a love-averse Korean royal court cuisine instructor, dreams of opening her own culinary school. Her carefully planned life is thrown into disarray when rival matchmakers target her godmother’s reputation, forcing Emma to find a perfect husband on paper. Enter the swoon-worthy Professor Michel Chevalier, who turns out to be not just a professor, but a prince in disguise.

Michel, facing a future of an arranged marriage to fulfill royal duties, escapes to Los Angeles, determined to find a woman who loves him for who he is, not his title. Fate leads him to Emma, and despite her reluctance to embrace love, their undeniable chemistry starts to challenge her carefully guarded heart.

Lee’s writing is a perfect blend of lighthearted romance and emotional depth, skillfully weaving in themes of identity, duty, and the clash between tradition and personal desires. The chemistry between Emma and Michel is palpable, and the storyline keeps you hooked with its perfect balance of conflict and sweetness. Emma’s reluctance to believe in love adds layers to her character, and Michel’s devotion to finding real love rather than settling for an arranged marriage is both refreshing and endearing.

That Prince is Mine is an enchanting read for fans of sweet, opposites-attract romances, with the added charm of cultural richness and royal intrigue. It’s a story about taking risks in love, fighting for what’s important, and realizing that sometimes, the most unexpected person could be your happily ever after.

This was a sweet novel that explores the love of baking and when you meet the the person who loves you for you despite whoever you are.

That Prince Is Mine is a sweet, light romance following the classic "royalty meets regular person and falls in love" trope. While enjoyable, it didn’t quite stand out for me. The couple’s instant love lacked build-up, and I found myself a bit bored at times. I kept hoping for a unique twist to set it apart, but it followed a familiar path without much surprise. That said, the writing is smooth, and fans of fairytale romances may still find it charming.

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Having things in common isn’t what makes people compatible. Sometimes it’s how their differences complement each other that makes them perfect for one another."

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC. As someone who's favorite move growing up was "The Prince and Me" and has an obsession with Korean Food, I requested this copy so fast its honestly embarassing.

Rags to riches stories just always hit so hard, and while I wouldn't say Emma is a "rags" girl, the class and social differences that come with being a commoner versus literal royality is just a trope that brings depth and awareness to a story in a way that I love--seeing two people relate and also struggle on their commonalities and differences while growing up in two very different circumstances.

At the end of the day the hopes I had for their story weren't fully met. I had a fun time reading it and getting to know the characters, but it's just not a book that truly stands out to me. I read so many contemporary romances and they often blend together, so if they don't do something to stand out, they'll sadly fall into a realm of forgetable for me. Would I still recommend readers to this romance? Absolutely! But If someone came to me asking for a "must read", this one wouldn't hit the top for me.

Where I feel like Emma really was well rounded and we understood who she was and her core values, Michel fell flat in contrast. I feel like I remember very little about him other than his desire to not be in an arranged marriage, and the banter with his cousin. With Emma we learn about her and her food, and inspirations, where at the end of the day I really did question with Michel "Is this about him finding a bride, or about him finding Emma." I often felt like he could've had the same result with another person under the right circumstances, and his asking of Emma to give up everything she's worked for made me really question him and his love--until he did the thing (iykyk). Emma's not perfect, don't get me wrong, and her inserting her own insecurities into their friends relationship and future made me want to throttle her at times too.

So, while I loved their happily ever after, I just feel left with too many questions to buy it 100%. Even so, reaching the end, I was invested enough that before reading the epilogue I was sad it was over, and was asking for an entire book dedicated to Princess Emma--but we'll equate that to the sappy teenage romcom side of me, that is still begging for Princess Diaries 3.

The Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee is a steamy, fun, and romantic novel that blends a fairy-tale premise with a modern twist. The story revolves around Cassie, a woman who works as a personal assistant to a prince, and the undeniable chemistry she shares with him. The book is packed with passion, humor, and plenty of tension between the two leads as they navigate their feelings for one another, all while dealing with royal duties, family expectations, and the media.

One of the standout elements of the book is the chemistry between Cassie and Prince Zeno. Their slow-burn romance keeps readers hooked, as they go from professional colleagues to lovers. The author does a great job of creating a dynamic that’s both playful and intense, giving the book a nice balance of romance and tension. There’s also a bit of an enemies-to-lovers vibe, which adds an extra layer of fun.

The writing is fast-paced and engaging, with plenty of witty banter and emotional moments. Jayci Lee captures the allure and pressure of royal life while also focusing on the characters' individual growth and desires. The book doesn’t shy away from exploring themes like self-worth, ambition, and love, making it more than just a simple romance.

That being said, the plot does tread familiar ground—royalty meets everyday person, romance ensues—so if you’re looking for something groundbreaking, it might not offer that. However, for fans of contemporary royal romance, The Prince is Mine delivers exactly what you'd expect: an entertaining, steamy, and heartwarming escape.

Overall, it’s a fun and satisfying read for anyone in the mood for a quick, passionate romance with a touch of royal flair.

No public review posted.

This book just wasn’t for me. I tried reading before release and put it down, but wanted to give it another shot. I struggled to get into it and just didn’t connect with it. This isn’t my first Jayci Lee book and I loved the other, so it’s just a me disconnect.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for allowing me a copy to read and review.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel.

I think I'm burned out on romance novels because I got bored.

i love jayci lee's work so much! they're great palette cleansers and provide a good balance for all of the world ending fantasy and thriller novels i tend to gravitate too.

A solid and cute romance. Regular girl falls in love with a prince. Pretty insta-love, but overall, and adorable romance.

I was so close to giving up on this book because I felt like it was dragging at the beginning but I’m so glad I kept going! I ended up really enjoying this book. There’s something about a prince that always gets me. Emma and Michel were perfect for each other and I’m glad they realized they were the most important thing in each other’s lives. My initial thought was this is going to be instalove and not be believable to me, but I didn’t end up feeling that way. The book didn’t need to be quite as long though. Overall a very cute story and premise and would recommend!

I really wanted to enjoy this book - the premise sounds interesting and fun. However, the prose felt "clunky" and I just couldn't connect to the characters. I'm sure some readers loved it - Emma seemed like she had the potential to be an interesting protagonist, but I just couldn't get in to this book.