A sweet royal romance with yummy food! Unfortunately this audiobook was way too long. I feel like romcoms should never be more than 10 hours. This book would have been better if it was shorter. I loved the plot and the characters but I found myself rushing through multiple spots because I was bored. I was set the hive this 3 stars but the ending was just so sweet and I really loved it so it bumped it to a 4.

Although I liked the narrator overall, I struggle with books that have dual POV but only one narrator so the story didn’t come to life as vividly as I would have liked.

I’ll still recommend this to anyone looking for a fun romance!

This was adorable. I have loved Jayci Lee's romances ever since discovering them a couple of years ago. This one was a bit spicier which I totally loved. I'm so glad I had the chance to listen to this one thanks to Macmillen Audio.

The narration was well done although the female narration felt a bit younger than the character is and the accent for the male mc was a bit rough for me. Overall, I still enjoyed it.

I am a sucker for a romance between a royal and a non-royal and this one was mix race which added an interesting element. Emma is a culinary instructor that socializes in Korean royal cuisine and her aunt is matchmaker who wants to match her up become she becomes too old. She meets Michel at a coffee shop after one of her matches and they have an instant attraction. I love that Michel falls first and they were really cute together. They were total opposites in their view of love and that added a good element to the story. For me, I wanted more from Michel, his love felt way too insta for me. I wasn't a big fan of the ending despite it being a HEA. I felt Emma gave up a lot of her dreams to be with Michel.

Olivia Song did a wonderful job with the narration with both a Korean pronunciation with all the foods and Michel and Gabriel's accent.

Thank you @macmillab.audio @netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

This is a fun, entertaining read. Michel and Emma are interesting, relatable complex, intriguing, strong, wounded, romantic, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrator.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Super cute and funny and sweet and steamy book, all in one. Emma’s a culinary instructor with a matchmaking godmother who needs an assist on her work reputation, so she sets Emma up on a series of dates with men who are perfect-on-paper. Except they’re all slightly awful and she ends up hitting it off with a handsome stranger at a cafe instead. Emma’s got a bunch of hang-ups about love due to her parents’ divorce, so she’s looking for compatibility rather than sparks. On the other hand, Michel, a secret prince, is looking for love so he can get out of a longstanding childhood betrothal to a friend he doesn’t want to marry. These two awkwardly flirt and Michel is charmingly a dunce at dating, and Emma is totally resistant, especially since Michel is planning to leave in a few short months. We get a very fun cast of supporting characters, especially Michel’s cousin and his bodyguard (who may actually have an awkward history with each other). I had a great time reading this book and found myself laughing and smiling through a lot of it.

Thank you to MacMillian audio for the ALC. I had a lot of fun with this one and Olivia Song did a lovely job narrating.

At this point in my reading history I should let this cute cartoon cover surprise me but here I was surprised by spice. Please note: I’m not complaining. This was kind of like a hallmark movie but throw in a few jalapeños for spice.

Emma wants to start a culinary school in LA and she would also like to get married but only to a man who is good on paper, none of that love stuff for her.

Michel is a Prince and has come to LA to be a visiting professor and hopefully find a bride so he doesn’t have to go through with his arranged marriage. When he sees Emma it feels like love at first sight, well for him. She needs a little more convincing.

This was a sweet romance book with an interesting look into Korean American culture. The FMC is a culinary instructor so food is very prevalent throughout the story. Fair warning, you’ll want snacks handy because this book will make you hungry. Overall, the story felt very reminiscent of the movie the Prince & Me with the undercover prince and regular woman fumbling through hidden secrets and miscommunications. Of course, though, love trumps all in the end once you realize it’s worth fighting for. I did enjoy the story, but it wasn’t overly memorable. I think my problem was that it got a bit too bogged down/repetitive with trying new things to the point it didn’t feel like it was moving the story along. I loved the side characters, though, and was fully invested in their will they/won’t they relationship. To be honest, I would love a book about them. I read this via audiobook and felt that the narrator, Olivia Song, did well. She was able to keep my interest. If the synopsis sounds like something you would be interested in, I would recommend giving this a chance.

Overall rating 3.5⭐️

I had a hard time getting into the “love “ story. The characters had no chemistry, and at one point Emma thinks they’re not compatible because he’s never tried Peruvian food. That’s so weird.

I’ve previously not enjoyed this author and this will be my last try.

Emma was everything I love about a romance lead! The first half of the book was so great, but the last half did fall out of my interest a bit. This mainly resulted from the multiple times Michel was going to share something with Emma and it got put off for whatever reason. I'll definitely be recommending this title!

What an adorable book! With lots of yummy Korean food and precious pining, this “prince in disguise” story is wonderful. It’s lighthearted and filled with stolen kisses, sneaky flirting, and trying to pretend they’re not *actually* in love.

Very good on audio and an excellent summer read!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure in the beginning if I would like it but I did. Such a cute love story. The narrators did great!! Just the right amount of humor romance and spice!

I have received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review. Thank you Netgalley!

Emma is a royal court culinary instructor who is searching for her perfect man. Michel is a prince in disguise looking for his soulmate.

I did love the Korean culture that was in this book. I also love that this book incorporated culinary arts into it. I’ve been really into cooking romances lately. However, I feel that the romance portion of this book was a little forced. It was almost instant, which felt unbelievable as a reader. I also didn’t care for the ending where Emma gave up everything she worked for for Michel. To me, it feels like it’s reiterating what society tells (or told) women…that if it comes down to the man’s job/purpose and hers, that the man’s comes first. I know it was technically her choice, but as the reader and a woman, I wish she could have done both.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

I found this story to be cute and fluffy for the first quarter of it, then I felt that it was pretty cringey once spice was introduced into the plot. I feel like the spice didn't necessarily match the tone of the rest of the story, making it feel misplaced and forced for the majority of the time.

The middle chunk of the book was enjoyable then I felt myself losing interest toward the end. Overall, it was a cute insight into a unique romance story, and I enjoyed learning about Korean cooking throughout.

The audiobook narration was what had me lean more toward a 3 star rating than 2.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I soo wanted to like this, the premise was cute, I liked the cover and the backstory. But that was not the case.

Unfortunately I kind of hated this. The writing is very distracting and hard to move past. It’s very awkward and stilted. I know they are supposed to be somewhat awkward, which they definitely are, but it’s more the sentences. I don’t usually notice in audiobooks but this was off enough that it still came through. I might have DNFd this if I tried to physically read it.

This is an instant love, one glance and I knew kind of love story. I just found that irritating when the main characters barely had chemistry and couldn’t get through a conversation with one another.

She also just didn’t care he’s going to be king? Like at all?? Seems pretty unrealistic to me considering he was lying to her for a long time. Then she’s just super casual about becoming Queen? There was zero build up to this huge event. She was more upset he was in an arranged marriage, like that’s not what she was searching for the whole time!! Make it make sense. These characters just irritated me so much.

The only thing I’ll say is the spicy scenes were decently written. Probably the best written part of the book although I’m not sure how much that says when the rest of the writing was so juvenile.

She’s also super obsessed with finding a “perfect match” instead of someone she actually cares about. I know it’s supposed to be an arranged marriage but if you use it as a plot point just to shit on it, why add it in? It seemed unnecessary when no one was invested in it to begin with.

While the premise is cute, the writing needs a lot of work, the characters needed a lot more depth and just less awkward all around.

I am on a very bad streak with these NetGalley eARC’s so I’m hoping the next few are a lot better.

My Rating: 2.75 ⭐️

I wanted to like this, but the urge to DNF was strong. The main character was likeable enough but it lacked connection between characters and that is all I wanted to see.

This felt very much like a hallmark movie that you can't stop watching. I'm a fan of insta love and I'd definitely compare it to insta love and a little bit to the princess diaries or an undercover prince show. While I thought it was cute, I don't think this book will be very memorable to me. I have enjoyed this authors other work, but this one just wasn't my favorite. I think readers who enjoy royal romances or maybe even modern regency romances will like it more. Something I really liked was Emma's family dynamic in this book! It was cute, just won't be a favorite for me.

In this charming romantic comedy, the author serves up a delightful tale of unexpected love between Emma, a pragmatic cooking instructor, and Michel, a prince masquerading as a college professor. This novel offers a fresh twist on the classic Cinderella story, blending multicultural elements with a modern setting to create a unique and engaging narrative.

The premise is inherently appealing: Emma, ever the realist, is on a quest to find the perfect partner based on a carefully curated list of criteria. Enter Michel, an undercover prince who throws her well-laid plans into disarray. Their initial interactions spark a chemistry that neither can deny, despite Emma's best efforts to prove their incompatibility.
One of the story's strengths lies in its exploration of the characters' opposing viewpoints. Emma's determination to stick to her ideal of a perfect match on paper contrasts beautifully with Michel's growing emotional investment. This tension drives the plot forward and provides ample opportunity for both humorous situations and heartfelt moments.

The author skillfully develops the romance between Emma and Michel, allowing readers to experience their journey from initial skepticism to undeniable attraction. The prince's swift fall for Emma adds a touch of fairy-tale magic to the story, while Emma's reluctance keeps the narrative grounded in reality.

However, the pacing of the novel presents a minor issue. The constant back-and-forth between the main characters, while initially engaging, begins to drag slightly as the story progresses. This repetitive dynamic occasionally slows the narrative, potentially testing the patience of readers eager for resolution.

Despite this, the author manages to maintain interest through well-crafted character development and the promise of a satisfying conclusion. The multicultural aspects of the story add depth and contemporary relevance, making it more than just another fairy-tale retelling.

The cooking theme woven throughout the narrative is a delightful addition, offering a unique backdrop for the unfolding romance. It provides opportunities for sensory descriptions and metaphors that enrich the storytelling.
In conclusion, this novel is a sweet and satisfying read for fans of romantic comedies and modern fairy tales. While it may occasionally meander, the charm of the characters and the allure of their budding romance make it a worthwhile indulgence. Readers will find themselves rooting for Emma and Michel's happy ending, savoring each moment of their journey toward love.

I loved the concept of this book! A cooking instructor who trying to find the perfect man on paper meets an undercover prince and they start dating and the cooking instructor, Emma, is trying to prove that they have nothing in common and therefore, they don't have a lasting, long term kind of love. Meanwhile the undercover prince who is currently undercover as a college professor, Michel, is falling for Emma FAST! The idea of this story is so much fun and I really loved getting to hear how Michel and Emma fell in love! It was so cute and of course, feels kind of like a multicultural Cinderella story!
I felt like there was quite a bit of back and forth between the two main characters, which by the end made the story feel like it was a little slower paced than I wished but it kind of balanced out because I just couldn't wait for Emma and Michel to get their happy ending!
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review! 💖

Cute, spicy royal romance. The audiobook overall was well done however I feel like the narrator pronounced the prince's name wrong - like the woman's name Michelle not Mee-chell for the French Michel which affected me more at the beginning than the end. The characters were well developed and Emma and the prince's chemistry was good and well thought out. This is a spicy book with a gay couple as side characters for anyone looking for books with or without that content.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received this book for free form netgalley for an honest review thank you for the opportunity

This book was jam-packed full of heart and humor. The narration was really good and I found it very engaging.