Jayci Lee's That Prince is Mine is an enchanting and luxurious love story that guarantees boundless entertainment. This charming book encompasses all the finest aspects of a timeless Hallmark film, with an extra dash of excitement.

A cute romantic story about a prince in disguise looking for true love. I like both main characters. The chemistry between Emma and Michel is good. The story has got hallmark vibes and is very sweet. I like that there was attention to the more difficult aspects of dating someone who will move back to his own country soon. Made it feel more believable. This was a fun read for me.

Really adorable book. It was nice to learn a bit about Korean culture and the Prince was just too good to be true, honestly. Definitely the stuff of fairy tales! :)

i will not be rating or reviewing outside of netgalley as long as st. martin's press is still under boycott.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a preview copy of this story.

It was a fun story and I enjoyed all of the characters. I've read several other stories by Jayci Lee and was pleased with this story, as well. I was happy that she included a brief pronunciation guide at the very beginning because then I was able to get a better feel for the culture that she's putting into her story.



Spoiler:
The reveal of Michel's title was very anticlimactic, but I was happy that it wasn't the reason behind their brief separation.
One of my assumptions from the beginning of the story did not come to pass, but I think it could have been cute: with Michel being her "last" matseon.

Thanks a bundle for letting me read this book it was so fun to read and I just wanted more of Michel and Emma.
The Spice is low, but not nothing but its one of those books that aren't centered around it. I love that its so easy to read.

I really enjoyed this introduction into this world and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I just so thoroughly enjoyed meeting these new characters and getting to go on their journey. I will most definitely be reading more wonderful books from this author.

I love Jayci Lee's books and this one did not disappoint. What a fantastic read - the perfect romcom for the romantic month of February. It follows Emma - a Korean-American chef (and commoner) in Los Angeles - and Michael, a visitor USC professor who hides his true identity as a royal. A red hot romance with food - what more do you need?!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jayci Lee, and MacMillan Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The best way I can describe this book is a sweet, fluffy romance. If you stick to the surface and enjoy the book for what it is, you'll love it. If you start looking too deep, it may not be for you.

I'm a sucker for royal romances so I chose to go the lighthearted, fluffy route - and I very much enjoyed it. Royal romance trope - prince in disguise as a normal person. Both Prince Michel and Emma are destined for arranged marriages, despite coming from very different cultures, families, and backgrounds, unless true love can win the day.

Emma is a Korean royal court cuisine instructor and her dream is to expand her business preparing clients for high profile noble marriages. But when she hears she’s losing credibility amongst her customer-base because she’s unwed herself, she makes it her mission to find a husband the traditional way-an arranged marriage. Emma is convinced that a love match will inevitably fail and that the prudent way to go is to go for an arranged match.

Crown prince Michel is running out of time. Michel’s father, the king of a small European country is planning to abdicate and wants his son to be engaged when he makes the announcement. If he doesn’t find love in three months, he’ll have to marry his long-time friend whose parents agreed upon their union when they were just children. Michel’s father, the king of a small European country is planning to abdicate and wants his son to be engaged when he makes the announcement.

Now Michel is in Los Angeles, undercover as a visiting professor, trying desperately to find the love of his life so he can take her back to his kingdom and live happily ever after. When Emma and Michel meet at a cafe, they have immediate chemistry, but their conflicting goals in love prove to be an immense obstacle.

Head over heels for her, Michel manages to convince Emma to spend the weeks he has left with the hope he’ll ultimately win her heart. Against her better judgment, Emma, besotted by Michel, agrees to his proposition, hoping that a brief and passionate tryst with him will get him out of her system so she can move on with her more sensible plans for finding a suitable husband.

They both find out that matters of the heart are much too complicated to leave to logic or duty in this tender and sexy romance that foodies will absolutely devour.

For fans of commoner and royalty storylines such as Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of That Prince is Mine.

I really wanted to like this book. I felt like the relationship between Michel and Emma was not real. They both had much more natural and full relationships with the side characters in the book.

I was more invested in Sophie and Gabriel’s story. It really felt like Michel didn’t have a full personality and was really just waiting to be in love his whole life.

I did enjoy all of the references to Korean culture and cooking.

Yes! A perfect Valentines Day romance and will be a fantastic beach read!
A sweet romance between Emma -- an American-Korean chef and commoner in L.A. -- and Michel, a visiting USC prof who hides his true royal heritage. Read their sweet and charming meet and fall in love with them.

In support of the SMP boycott, I will be withholding my review of this title until SMP speaks out. If the boycott is resolved, I will update with a full review.

Arc received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


This book had solid aspects but overall I was not invested in the main couples romance. The romance itself was fine and cute at times but it felt like it was moving at hyper-speed. The book started off incredibly strong but it ultimately fell a bit flat. There were a lot of sweet moments in the book and I did enjoy the aspects of Korean culture the author sprinkled into the book, especially with food. There were a lot of points in the book where I was incredibly frustrated at the lack of communication especially at pivotal moments that should have had better resolutions rather than a simple sorry and kissing. More often than not this relationship seemed more physical than anything else and I found myself more invested in our side characters romance instead. Another issue I had was that we knew SO MUCH about our fmc Emma but knew barely anything about our mmc Michel. Regardless it was a nice and enjoyable read and I would recommend it to people.
Thank you kindly to NetGalley, Jayci Lee and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC.

Food, lies, and love equal a royal blunder.

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee is a standalone novel and was deliciously satisfying. After Emma finds out she may be the cause of her godmother’s business as well as her business’s downfall, she decides to allow her godmother to use her matchmaking skills to find her a husband. But, she begins to wonder if it’s the right choice when she meets Michel, a random stranger in the cafe, who has watched all of her attempted dating sessions. Will their attraction build up enough or will the lies be the downfall?

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! From the Korean cultural norms to the meddling imeos (aunties), there was so much to take in and it was a fun ride. From the start, it is a great opening and the character setups are done very well as well as diving straight into the problem. I loved that there was Korean language in the mix, not only for the food, but for people and situations as well.

Another thing that stuck out to me was the fact that it has a heady focus on the stress of being an almost 30 year old single Korean woman and how other generations view it as a problem. The pressures of getting married and how it can affect the family or at the least the mothers with their friends, is so prevalent and so relatable. Even the gossiping amongst the older ladies and how it can make or break a business. This stands out a lot as it is something so common in Korean culture. For example, the stress of needing to maintain a perfect image when you are in the spotlight, otherwise, you can lose everything and people will turn their backs on you without any hesitation. It’s also very clear how the double standards are brought up for sons and daughters, which is something great to acknowledge.

Finally I really liked that the relationship was not only biracial, but also dealing with royal and non-royal experiences. The struggles of trying to figure out where you fit in in the world and how to play your part when you want to be yourself are some deep themes.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is ready for a Korean American and European prince relationship. Additionally, if you love hidden identity, family obligations, cultural standards and nuances, as well as a bit of a sweet and spicy relationship, this is for you.

Other books to check out: Booked on a Feeling, The Dating Dare, A Sweet Mess

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of That Prince is Mine from Jayci Lee via NetGalley

Absolutely charming!!! That Prince is Mine is like holding a rom com movie in your hands. Emma and Michel are from wildly different backgrounds and families but they share the same need to please their family and both are under the pressure of being married to the just right person. For both this means arranged marriages. When Emma and Michel devise a fake dating plan the helplessly falling in love is not far behind. I loved the connection and desire they had for one another as they navigated their new relationship and a not so hopeful future.

This was cute! I don’t typically read a ton of contemporary romances but the premise sounded fun - I loved learning more about Korean culture through traditional dishes, all of Emma’s recipes had me so hungry! I also loved that this had dual POVs and that the chapters were on the shorter side, I feel like it contributed to how well paced it was. If I had a couple of criticisms it would be that the “incompatibility” schtick got a little repetitive for me, and that Emma behaved pretty childishly at times. Overall though I did enjoy it, Emma’s failed matseons were funny and I was here for the open door spice! This was a fun romcom that I think many will appreciate!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for an ARC of That Prince is Mine!

I’ll start off by saying this is a super fun concept! Emma, a culinary instructor, is appeasing her godmother by going on matseons, arranged and hand-picked dates, to hopefully find an arranged marriage to go into. Michel, the crown prince of Rouleme, is in LA to clear his head and find a woman to marry to be his queen. This is SO interesting, as I’ve never read anything like it!

Emma is a beautiful soul who loves to serve people and help others feel joy, and Michel is a man craving to be known for more than his status, who is gentle, kind, and so thoughtful. I loved getting to see how Emma brought out more of Michel and helped him to find joy in life. These two characters are so sweet to each other, and I loved seeing their relationship grow and blossom! Michel fell for Emma SO quick and I love how much it was clear he loved her without even having to say it.

My only complaint is I just felt a bit annoyed by how much Emma was trying to convince herself Michel wasn’t worth is and convincing herself to find reasons to not like Michel. I just found myself so frustrated at her for not being able to see what an amazing man she had in front of her!! But when I say that Michel swoons for Emma and genuinely is obsessed with everything about her, I also swoon for him!!

That Prince is Mine comes to bookstores on July 30th, 2024. An ARC copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a sucker for royal romances and this book was a fun read with the perfect amount of steamy scenes. Emma Yoon is scarred from her parents divorce and set on finding a practical, compatible match. Michel is the crown prince determined to find true love before he has to go ahead with his arranged marriage. These two meet and can’t seem to stay apart. The book gets you involved in Emma’s family and her dream of starting her own Korean royal court cooking school. I really enjoyed the backstory and foodie aspect of the book. Overall, a fun and quick romance read that would give any hallmark movie a run for its money.

Professor Michel Chevalier is visiting Southern California to teach International Relations for the next three months. The posting is a ruse. The esteemed lecturer from the small European nation of Rouleme is actually Crown Prince Michel, who is secretly hoping to find true love in America, and escape an arranged betrothal back home.

Emma Yoon is a young culinary instructor who specializes in Korean royal court cuisine. Her godmother is a professional matchmaker who plans to set up Emma as an example of her matchmaking prowess. Emma’s “matseons” (blind dates) take place in the charming café where Michel likes to take his coffee. These two spend more time eyeing each other than would be considered casual. It doesn’t take much for Michel to convince Emma to give him a dating chance!

That Prince Is Mine feels cute, safe, and comfortable. Emma and Michel circle each other with indirect intent. Emma tells herself that their differences prove incompatibility but her brain must disagree because the more she sees of Michel, the more he feels like forever. Michel already knows Emma is “the one” but he is waiting for the right time to tell her, first, who he truly is, and second, that he wants her at his side forever, too.

The matchmaking godmother, an overprotective big brother, a couple of meddling royal cousins, and a heartbroken royal bodyguard, all provide some lukewarm and arbitrary diversion to Emma and Michel’s sweet and classy courtship. Emma’s delectable cooking provided fun cultural interest. The biggest obstacles to their eventual happiness were their own misgivings. A happy ending was never really in doubt as the two of them were obviously hopelessly stuck on one another.

This review is based on a publisher ARC graciously supplied via NetGalley.