The Duchess of Kokora is a YA fantasy that draws you in and keeps you turning each page.

The main character, Phera Ylir Mdana, has entered the marriage games of the neighboring kingdom of Ryene. But she’s not there to woo the dashing Prince Dominic. Instead, she wants to win back one of the other contestants, Lady Rocelle Virae—Phera’s true love and ex-fiancee. Love proves to be a game like any other when Phera must not only mend matters with her childhood sweetheart, but conceal her true intentions in order to earn votes and stay in the competition.And as long-brewing political tensions simmer beneath the surface, the playful veneer of the competition begins to crack. In the end, Phera, Dominic, and Rocelle find themselves united in a desperate bid to prevent a duel that threatens the integrity of the kingdom, the stability of the continent, and any hope for a happily ever after. This is a fun fantasy read that will have you rooting for Phera to end up with her true love.

Nikhil Prabala's writing is clever and witty. Her descriptive words paint clear pictures in your mind of the characters and their world. You will fall in love with both Prince Dominic and Lady Rocelle, and will most definitely have your favorite who you are rooting for to end up with Phera.

This book has themes of inclusion, tough decision making, relationships, and navigating challenges. There is great character growth, magic, battle scenes, intrigue, and tension filled scenes you will love.

Very good book.

DNF (30%) - firstly, I wanted to thank Netgalley.com for the ARC. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Now for my review— I really tried to finish this book… I really did. This book, however, sent me into a reading slump that lasted months. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get out of it. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will ever get around to finishing this book so I’m going to cut my losses and write my review based on what I did read.

Things I enjoyed about the book:
- Simple to read: The diction/syntax was not overly complex or confusing. Coming out of reading Gideon the Ninth, I appreciated the ease of reading this novel.

Things I didn’t like:
- Cringey Dialogue: Some of the dialogue between the characters felt a little cringe. I’d like to disclaim that I didn’t feel this way about all the dialogue, just specific moments. There were moments I got major second hand embarrassment or felt like I needed to just stop reading altogether. I hate to say it, but it was writing like this that caused me to put the book down and never pick it up again. Maybe other people would disagree, but I just couldn’t get past it.

Rich fantasy setting meets a sweet and snarky teen romance. Prabala combines classic fantasy elements with modern sentiments and hooks readers with riveting action.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

I really enjoyed this book, the plot was well paced and the characters were well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Based on the blurb, I thought I was going to love this. Unfortunately, this is a case of "great idea, poor execution." The characters were all deeply unlikeable, the magic system was unexplained, and the plot was chaotic and jarring. I'm not really sure what was hpapening most of the time.

DNF. I struggled to be interested in the main character, who was a Strong Woman but didn't really sell me on her love with her continuous disregard of boundaries, and who felt very hypocritical in her insistence of not being imperial despite being a literal princess and contender for the throne. I also didn't feel like the setting or the magic were explained enough at the beginning for my attention to be captured. I felt like there might be more to discover under the surface, both with magic and with politics, but the surface itself was too generic for it to feel worth the effort.

In this chaotic, high stakes, complex high fantasy novel, readers join Phera Ylir Mdana, the titular Duchess of Kokora, as she joins the marriage competition of the neighboring kingdom of Ryene to win back fellow competitor and ex-fiancee Lady Rochelle Virae. However, winning Rochelle back requires manipulating the highest members of court (including the Queen and her son the Prince) in an already fraught political climate. As Ryene seems to deteriorate outside the glamorous bubble of competition, Phera, Rocelle, and Prince Dominic have to find common ground to save the kingdom even though one of them will have a broken heart by the end of the competition. With such high stakes and watching eyes involved, Prabala creates a fantastic emotional stake in this novel and engages readers with Phera, Rochelle, and Dominic’s love story and emotional journeys. All three characters come into the novel with complex backstories and distinct personalities, and they undergo some serious growth over the course of the novel. The magic and political systems in Prabala’s world are complex and are critical to the storyline, and the nature of the conflicts in the novel could definitely be further explored in a sequel or prequel to this fascinatingly complex novel.

Before jumping into this review I think it is important to understand my headspace before picking up this story. Unfortunately, I was teetering a book burnout before picking up this book. I also chose to read this ARC on my phone and had some trouble focusing on the story due to that.

I think the perfect audience for this story is younger readers who are just exploring fantasy/romantasy. This book reminded me of the selection series with LGBTQ+ representation and fantasy elements.

I had some troubles focusing on the world and characters of this story. During some chapters I would not realize that there was a switch between scenes and characters until being close to done. I had to reread many chapters due to this. I think this story could have benefitted from allowing scenes to develop and grow longer. It would have given readers a better chance to learn the characters and personality traits of them.

I think the contents of the story are very cute. It is a love triangle with some tension and seemingly competitions? I still am a bit confused on the magic system of this world. I think if there were some more stakes it could also appeal to an older audience. This is the main reason I think younger readers would enjoy this story more.

I gave this book a solid 3🌟 with the fact that it would have been a solid 3.5 or 3.75 if I had picked it up during mood reading.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC. I am looking forward to seeing how your stories develop and what creative ideas you have in mind moving forward! 🤍

I have mixed feelings on this one. I want to love it, but I just don't. It's an okay book, and it has a lot of potential, but there are a lot of flaws as well.

The main characters all come across as really selfish, with the exception of possibly Dominic. And while I like Phera, and I understand that she is broken by her past mad has trauma, she is also an incredibly selfish person as well. She does have a lot of redeeming qualities, at least.

Rochelle, on the other hand, is just toxic, and I can't see why Phera is interested in her. I am much more interested in a relationship between Phera and Dominic and see them as much better suited for each other.

I also had to check to see if this was a book two in a series as it seems like it picks up in the middle of the story. This was kind of offputting, and it felt like there was a lot of information missing. For example, I don't feel like we ever got Phera's full family background and why there is so much animosity.

The magic system is interesting, but again, it is not well-explained. There is a lot of strife between those that have magic and those that don't, but it doesn't really discuss how those with magic come into it or anything like that. Some more worldbuilding would really help this book to be better.

3.5 stars rounded up. The characters made this one for me. The court intrigue was mildly intriguing at times, but I never felt fully invested in the plot. I never really felt invested in the main relationship either. I wanted things to work out because I liked Phera and she wanted Rocelle, but their relationship wasn't exactly sweet or stable or one that I would normally root for.

That said, I really did like Phera, the heroine here. She was a fun, spunky character. I liked her complicated friendship with Dominic. I enjoyed that more than the girls' "romance."

The ending was pretty open and definitely made me think there's going to be a sequel. I wouldn't say a potential sequel would be an absolute must read for me, but I am curious to see what's going to happen next.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

DNFd at 80%

More like a YA Bridgerton than anything else, this is a regency romance with a dash of fantasy setting and basic magic. Simplistic and nicely written if a bit over described and direct, with a lot of over the top/overdramatic elements.

The plot and world is not very well introduced, I had to refer to the blurb and without it I would have no clue what was going on. It’s like stepping in halfway through the book.
I loved the original synopsis and idea but it needs a new first chapter that actually introduces the world, characters and plot properly.

It’s not bad, just a little bit shallow, the world is not well developed or explained.
I liked the characters and writing well enough, I love Pheras attitude and wit, the but there’s just nothing happening. Slow and actually less plot than there is in the blurb, which I was so excited for.

For me it was just lacking emotion and didn’t pull me in at the beginning, and then when I was invested in the characters there was no plot or anything to keep me interested.

An incredible story of a strong woman chasing love and fighting for what is right. A love triangle you don't know who to cheer for most. A royal match making. A struggle between classes. An impending duel.

I could not put this down

This story follows Phera, the Duchess of Kokora as she enters a contest of love to win over Prince Dominic. Having no intention of either winning or marrying the Prince, Phera enters in the hopes of winning back her past lover Rocelle. Throughout her journey she must compete with another for Rocelle’s heart, stop a duel between bickering brothers, uncover a major scheme that may start a war, and win over the people.

Phera was about the only person I actually liked in this novel unfortunately. She was complex, well developed, witty, intelligent, and I appreciated her perseverance and passionate heart. Although she is desperate for love, she is able to set aside feelings in order to do what needs to be done, even if it may not necessarily be right. She was such a romantic and deeply cared for Rocelle, so it really hurt to see her be manipulated and toyed with. I requested this book mainly for the lesbian romance, so I was very disappointed to find there to be a complete lack of chemistry or romance besides one angry sex scene. Rocelle was an absolutely horrible and poorly written character. She is boring, lackluster, underdeveloped, annoying, and could have had so much potential. Her indecisiveness and toying with other people’s emotions and feelings was difficult to get behind.

The world building and magic was extremely confusing without a map or details as to how the symbols or power works and why some people have it and others don’t. There was so much useless information and info dumps that I got bored easily and even had to skip several parts. Another thing I found lacking was the actual contest, which is advertised as being way more exciting and prevalent than it actually was. For a majority of the book you even forget there is an actual contest going on and feel nothing towards the other contestants or care what is actually going on. I hated that the book seemed to revolve around a petty argument between two immature brothers. Don’t even get me started on the whole “dueling system” and using that has a way to settle petty arguments and for women to have to have a “knight” to come to their rescue. Sorry but this book was clearly written by a man.

There were way too many side characters to keep track of, the only ones that really stood out to me were Leran and Hespin. Actually no, Selvie was awesome, super hilarious, especially the sex scene and Phera and Dominic trapped in the closet. Sorona and Ulric just kept popping up and I hated them. I honestly could care less about Casper and Yvette. Dominic is frustrating because I still can’t decide whether he is good or bad. And please explain to me what the hell “an observer” is and why they have to write down everything that happens, i’m sorry but that is just creepy.

Overall I did not enjoy the story because I felt like it went no where, the romance was non-existent, nothing seemed to get resolved, there were too many petty arguments, so many unlikeable characters, and the confusing setting made for an ultimately unengaging, questionable premise.

I wanted to be good and I do wish it was but sadly I just couldn't I really feel something was missing and I do hope this critic helps the author, I felt it was too predictable at some parts and personally I feel the author could have done a lot better

thank you to netgalley for the eARC.
**2.5 stars on storygraph**

fantasy and romance is my favorite genre mix, but this book was a let down for me. i’m always for a supposed to compete for the “prize” figure, but is in love with a contestant yet it didn’t hit the way i wish it did.

phera was introduced as a badass character, but after that initial introduction to her, she was just average. snarky and sassy. i was excited starting that chapter then lost interest as it went on.

for a fantasy book, i think it lacked details. there were many moments where i wondered where characters were setting wise and when certain characters showed up only to find out they were there the whole time. when i thought they were outside, it turns out they were indoors.

as for the characters themselves, i didn’t really like any of them except maybe the prince and the queen. as for the romance, i was waiting for rocelle to redeem herself, but it never came. it takes a lot for me to root against the main couple, especially sapphic, and i was actively rooting for them to not get together. i was waiting for phera to cut her losses and move on. i was often thinking get up!! she doesn’t want you. when someone pointed it out to her, she was upset like girl what ???

there were a few interesting moments, but not enough to feel like i enjoyed reading this book. it felt like nothing of value happened, though i really did enjoy the ending. however, it didn’t get me to want to come back for the next book in the series.

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Genre/Themes: Lesbian Romance, Action, Magic.

The Duchess of Kokora, Phera, is in love with Rochelle, a lady from the neighbouring kingdom of Ryene. After a brutal break-up, she decides to participate in The Rounds, a courtship game, to marry Prince Dominic.

Political tensions simmer under the shadow of the games, and Phera, Dominic, and Rocelle unite to prevent a duel threatening the kingdom's and the continent's stability.

There is lots of action and romance with questionable motives by young people who have been through a lot. There's a lot of growth in Phera and Dominic; both understand who they are and why they behave the way they do. Rochelle's character sometimes falls a bit behind, feeling flat and repetitive; her character lacks a more consistent and engaging backstory.

It is an enjoyable and captivating story with a lesbian romance, especially if you like titles like The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Burning Kingdoms, and The Shadow and Bone.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Duchess of Kokora is an entirely captivating and fascinating story. You know you’re in trouble when you read an ARC that leaves you wanting more - before it’s even been released! I am very hopeful that it’s the first in a series!
The Duchess is an incredible character - strange, hilarious, fearsome, brilliant - I fell in love from the first page! I laughed so much the entire book. And cried.
I loved the side characters and love interest. I was a bit unsure of where the love story was headed and wasn’t completely surprised by the ending.
There are strong, beautiful themes and prose about conflict resolution, pacifism, fighting, standing up for yourself and others. There is gorgeous communication between the characters that I absolutely adored. I loved the friendships and the tenderness from the Prince. It was so endearing.
Thank you so much for this ARC! I cannot WAIT for a sequel.

Came for the lesbians, stayed for the story.
That is all I have to say for this intro.

Plot Summary:
The Duchess of Kokora Phera has entered the marriage games of neighboring kingdom Ryene. However, her intention is not to marry the prince and gain immeasurable power, but to win back the love of her life, Rocelle. Though this may seem simple, Phera runs into numerous problems including stopping a bloodthirsty duel, fending off a vicious fellow contestant, and grappling with the fact that her beloved may love another.
Will Phera finally get her happily ever after?

Plot Review:
First of all, this book is hilarious.
I haven’t genuinely laughed at a book since my time reading “Jackaby” by William Ritter, but this book truly had a lot of good chuckles in it.
Including this gem:

“If your appearance were a horse, I would take it out back and put it out of its misery.”

And also this one:

“Oh?” Pellivar looked toward Leran before shifting his weight back in a dueling stance. “Ah, I see. Be wary, good man. For the sake of my honor and my warrior’s pride, I will not hesitate to strike down the elderly!”

I even laughed writing these out!
Anyway.
Besides the engaging humor, I found this book to be a really solid debut plotwise. The world building was excellent and extensive with a lot of details covering each kingdom and culture presented throughout the story. The idea of the marriage games was also interesting and fresh. I read a lot of books with this kind of basis for a story, but this one was rather unique and I appreciated that.
Concerning the magic system, at times I felt confused. I was being told what was happening and how things worked, but there were times when I couldn’t really grasp what was being explained to me.
This could be a result of info dumping or my overall stupidity.
For the sake of being able to give this five stars, I’m blaming the latter.
Another little thing that bothered me slightly was the fact that the marriage games, a very crucial part of this book, was more or less left as a background plotline. While the games, when they happened on page, were very unique and interesting, I would have liked to dive deeper into that storyline. But it was kind of a side situation since Phera is dealing with her messy love life and trying to prevent a duel between a fifteen-year-old boy and his brother.
Otherwise, this was a solid plot, especially for a debut novel!

Characters:
Phera. Phera. Phera.
What an amazing character.
I truly enjoyed following Phera throughout this book. She’s very passionate and witty, which I see a lot in books similar to this. But her character was done SO MUCH BETTER than other series!
She’s smart and intuitive, but makes mistakes and catches herself in lies that extend far past what she expected.
In short, she’s a flawed character, but one that I enjoyed immensely.
Regarding Rocelle.
I just really hated this character.
I hated how Phera described her as so good and pure, when she’s literally enjoying the way two people are fighting over her affections. She also acts as though it is not her fault at all. Yes, it’s not her fault that she fell for both of them and they fell for her, but she CAN decide to end this foolish competition and make it clear she wants one, both, or none of them.
Because toying with people like this really made her character seem villainous, which I’m not sure was the overall intention. Due to her actions, it was impossible for me to root for her and Phera’s relationship.
It was even hard to ship her with Dominic, who was one of my favorite characters.
He is also flawed, like Phera, but that is what makes him a good character, too. He’s strong and honorable, but has a violent streak that he fully acknowledges and resents. The scenes with him and Phera are some of the best and most honest.
Just wait til you get to the “closet scene” with both of them, too. It was a masterpiece of humor and fiction!
Another thing this book does well is take difficult topics and discuss them rationally and intimately. We get an amazing conversation concerning intimacy and what it means, as well as several discussions about what makes a person good and what makes a person bad.
This was so, SO refreshing! The reason I am disliking more and more YA reads is because they just never discuss topics like this, so I was glad to see this book handles such things in a very adult-like manner.
Back to characters.
Sorona and Ulric, our “villains,” were also very nuanced and complex characters. Sorona, for example, spends her time trying to diminish Phera’s standing and openly hates the Unsigned (those without magic). Ulric also has a dark side and even challenges his younger brother to a duel in order to gain power of his respective house. While these things are cleary terrible, there were many moments when I found myself questioning whether or not Sorona and Ulric were the TRUE villains of the story. There are moments when they act remorseful or their actions are explained in the grander scheme of things.
Their complexities were very interesting.
And I also have to mention our many, many side characters that are a real highlight! I loved Hespin, Leran, and PELLIVAR!
He was a very niche character with maybe three scenes, but he really caught my attention! I loved his character, and he was barely in it!
The fact that Prabala was able to make me adore these side characters is the mark of an amazing author and I’ll definitely be looking out for more books they turn out!

Overall Thoughts:
This was a truly amazing debut with intriguing characters, plot lines, and a ton of witty humor and I’m so glad I got to be one of the first to review it!

Extra Quotes (because I want you to read this book):

“Not selected a knight?” Pellivar spluttered. “But, then, how are we supposed to test ourselves against one of your famous barbarian warriors? It’s rather discourteous of you not to have brought one. We came all this way, after all.”

“Suffice it to say, the funeral was quite tasteful. Despite being closed casket.”


A big thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

3.75 stars rounded up.

Love has never been so tense as it is in The Duchess of Kokora.

Phera enters into a competition for the royal hand in marriage of a neighboring country, but she's not there for Prince Dominic. Phera wants to win back her ex-girlfriend Rocelle, who is also competing. Meanwhile, political unrest stirs among the people of Ryene, and Phera finds herself right in the middle of its cause.

The premise sounded right up my alley - combining queer reality TV novel with a fantasy story is exactly the mashup I want to see. However, the competition mostly took a backseat to the worldbuilding so that I often forgot the women were even in a larger competition. The women competing were also allowed to be engaged to other people, competing for standing instead of for the prince, but they weren't allowed to be involved with each other, so that felt strange.

The magic system was pretty cool, and I very much appreciated the humor used throughout. Phera is strong and mischievous and fallible. I didn't like Phera and Rocelle together, which makes it hard to root for Phera's whole motivation for being there. For a lot that was going on, it didn't feel like much was resolved by the end, instead setting up for another book. Biggest takeaway: Phera and Dominic desperately need therapy.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.