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.

I couldn't with this narrator for some reason. It just was not flowing and was flat. i also was not into this couple at all. oof im sorry, this may be my last chance at a jayci lee book.

This is your typical royal light romance but with an Asian FMC. I love seeing asian characters in regular roles, but I’m also tired of all the lengthy asian food descriptions- especially in this book. Many of the food parts in this book read like the instruction section of a cookbook or blog post. It got annoying quick! However, it did the job in painting the picture of Korean cuisine, because I was eager to try some.

Emma is the only daughter and caretaker for her father. She is a Korean royal court cuisine instructor and of course has an Asian matchmaking godmother. Emma has always wanted to find her perfect on paper match, through her godmother, and it is thrown through a loop when she meets Michel, a professor visiting from a European country, after a disastrous blind date at the coffee shop. Michel, secretly the Prince of some made up country for the book, has made a deal to find love in America within a few months. He finds instant love with Emma and woos her in effort to show her that perfect on paper isn’t going to cut it.

The story starts off great and you instantly fall for Emma’s love of food, her passion for her job, and her love for her Korean culture. Similarly, Michel has a love for his country, which we don’t see a lot about other than a few mentions of policies. This story is definitely for Hallmark lovers because it is extremely predictable and occasionally awkward. I don’t know if it was because I listened to the book, but I was cringing through all of Michel’s scenes. The narrator did a horrible male voice for both Michel and his cousin. Not only that, but the narrator called Michel’s name “Mick-El” or “Michelle”. Some words were said the British way while others in American (example: arse vs ass”). I laughed out loud a few times because of the cringy narration and not the story. It also made for funny intimacy scenes. I highly recommend avoiding the audiobook and reading it.

Even with a predictable plot, the ending was sweet and left the reader happy and content. Great for a light fluffy romance.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an arc of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty basic love story. I really enjoy "celebrity romance with commoner" stories, but the prince in this story was incognito pretty much the whole time, and there wasn't much of a big reveal scene or publicity drama. I loved all the Korean dishes and recipes that were mentioned, and Korean culture was a leading theme throughout. Overall, it was a sweet, fun read with a satisfying HEA.

This was very cute! I love a good royal/normal person story, especially a royal in disguise. This was a little cheesy, but in a good way for sure. This was very low stakes and fluffy, which isn’t always my favorite, but I enjoyed my time with this book.

A Korean Royal court cuisine instructor searches for her future husband and someone who's perfect on paper. But instead she meets a random stranger at a coffee shop and tries to find something wrong with him because they don't have anything in common. He ends up being a Crown Prince.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and MacMillan Audio the gifted e-book and audio-book ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this if you like: Dual POV, class difference, fluffy reads, spicy

So so freaking cute. It's a lighthearted read. It's a bit long, in my opinion, but I really enjoyed it. With it being lengthy I would think the characters would be developed more. The spicy scenes were great. Check this out at the end of the month.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advance reading copy. This was such a sweet and feel good novel about an Emma, a Korean-American woman, meeting and falling in love with Michel, a European prince. This was surprisingly spicy (3🔥/5) but it felt very natural throughout the novel. I loved Emma's close and supportive relationship she had with her father and aunt ❤️

3.5 ⭐️

🍜 Everyday girl meets prince
👑 He falls first
🍜 Arranged marriage discussions
👑 FMCs love of food is prevalent throughout
🍜 Korean American culture
👑 Overall theme: love is worth fighting for, even if you have to fight yourself

I found this story to be sweet and light. I enjoyed the Korean American details throughout along with the culinary components. I dreamt of a diner party with the meal centered around dishes made in this book while reading. 😋 It all sounds so delicious.

There were a few aspects that weren’t my favorite. The overall plot, while enjoyable, was a bit bland - it’s a very gentile meander through the story. I found myself being more interested in side characters (Jeremy and Sophie) fairly often. There’s a brief third act breakup; I generally don’t like them. I very much appreciated how much the characters owned their flaws and mistakes - especially as the breakup was rectified.

The narrator did a good job; however, I think her tone wasn’t my taste. I do think she did a decent job with masculine voices. I wasn’t pulled fully into the story. I’m not 100% sure if that’s due to the story or the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jayci Lee, and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC.

I recently listened to "That Prince is Mine" by Jayci Lee, narrated by Olivia Song, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The story revolves around [brief plot overview]. Jayci Lee crafted a compelling story filled with romance, charm, and just enough drama. The plot follows the captivating journey of two characters whose chemistry is undeniable. The pacing was excellent, keeping me hooked throughout.

Olivia Song did a fantastic job with the narration. Her voice brought the characters to life, and she managed to capture the essence of each one ideally. The emotions, accents, and tone variations were spot on, making staying immersed in the story accessible.

The romantic tension between the leads was palpable, and their development felt natural and believable, drawing me in and making me feel connected to their journey. Some moments made me laugh, swoon, and even a bit teary-eyed. The supporting characters added depth and richness to the narrative, making the world feel well-rounded and vibrant.

One of the highlights was the vivid descriptions and how they transported me to the different settings. I felt like I was with the characters, experiencing everything alongside them. The dialogue was sharp, witty, and entertaining, adding to the enjoyment and keeping me engaged.

While there were a few predictable moments, they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment. In fact, they added a sense of comfort and reassurance, making the story even more delightful. If you're looking for a heartwarming romance, "That Prince is Mine" is worth a listen. Jayci Lee and Olivia Song make a fantastic duo, and I look forward to more from them!

Thank you NetGalley, Jayci Lee and Macmillan Audio! I thought this was quite a lovely romance that was well-narrated and entertaining - a good entertaining read for sure. I was sad for the FMC and her struggle to be honest with herself and her family about her feelings and I was bummed during the 3rd act breakup. I was invested in the side characters too and enjoyed the story overall.

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee is an adorable and surprisingly spicy romcom. This slow burn romance features spunky Emma Yoon, a Korean royal court cuisine instructor, and the charming Prince Michel Chevalier, a visiting professor at USC for 3 months. Both characters are culturally bound to arranged marriages. Prince Michel hopes the 3-month break from royal life will allow him to organically find the love of his life. They meet cute and quickly fall in lust before Emma learns Michele’s true identity. I wasn’t prepared for the level of spice when it happened, as the first 1/2 of the book is very PG. There’s a little drama and a few side plots, and no big surprises, before the inevitable happy ending for everyone. I enjoyed how much Emma loves food and all of the descriptions of her authentic Korean cooking. It’s charming, with plenty to enjoy for a lighthearted summer read. The audio version could have benefited from a male voice actor as the lone female actor had some difficulty with the male characters and accents.
3.5⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.