“Your Honor. In my defense, the gentleman bears a remarkable resemblance to a horse’s ass. When I struck him with that riding crop, why, I was merely thinking to spur him out of everyone’s way!
The Duchess of Kokora, Phera Ylir Mdana, stood tall behind the defense table, widening her eyes in a picture of bewildered innocence as the gallery behind her roared with laughter. "

"If you snore, I will not hesitate to kick you." - Phera to Prince Dominic
(Love their friendship - and banter)

Phera is quite the character. She's sassy, brave, hilarious and tenacious. A protagonist you can't help but root for.
This was a random read for me and the cover art is what primarily drew me in. It is stunning, exudes a strong female character aura (has don't- mess-with-me-I-have-magical-talons vibe) and would make a nice tattoo IMO. I seldom read fantasy nowadays but now and then it serves as a good pallet cleanser. They say that this is a must read for fans of The Selection and Bridgerton series. I haven't watched both so I really didn't know what to expect. I will be totally honest that I didn't have the best experience with the audio narration. The narrator tries too hard to get into character but I often find the change in tone abrupt and distracting, and all the whispering and screeching is driving me NUTS!!! 🤣 Not being a Negative Nancy but I was really hoping I also have the digital copy so I can easily follow along and to better understand what she's saying at times. I hate having to pause and rewind certain parts. 😐
Though I'm still interested in reading the second installment, I'd opt for a digital copy next time.

Tropes:
✔️Sapphic fantasy
✔️Fake dating
✔️courting, friendship and rivalry
✔️Courtly intrigue
✔️Political scheming
✔️Magic duels
✔️Elemental magic
✔️Women in power
✔️Royal competition
✔️For fans of The Selection series

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and PR BY THE BOOK AUDIOBOOKS! 🖤

3.5✨

The Duchess of Kokora is so much fun to listening to, all due to Nikhil Prabala, a cast member of the popular Netflix series, BRIDGERTON. The story is great, but you have to pay attention because there is a lot going on. It’s long, but oh, so worth the read! I hope there will be more books by this author! ✍️

Audiobook Review 🎧📚

♡ Historical setting/fantasy world
♡ Elite magic users
♡ Political intrigue
♡ Jilted Lover/Second Chance Romance
♡ Sapphic
♡ Nontypical Love Triangle
♡ Bridal Competition

◇ Single Pov/Narration

I came for the sapphics, but I stayed for the story. 🏳️‍🌈

Phera is such a realistic, relatable character. She's been subjected to so much familial trauma but has to hold the weight of her people's expectations on her shoulders, all while fighting to prove herself worthy to the only person she's ever truly loved. But Phera is a flawed individual, like many of the characters, who struggles to face her shortcomings and overcome them in the face of adversity.

"I would be yours forever if you could only let me belong to myself too."

There were also plenty of lighter moments with Phera's quick wit and her companions' propensity for mischief that kept me laughing throughout the book.

Classism is a prominent theme within the story and the implications it has on society.

"Cruelty does not demand intention."

As for the audio performance, it is a single narration. The narrator did a spectacular job with a wide range of accents and dialects to set the characters apart from one another. Her voice translated all of the passion, longing, grief, and guilt that the characters experience throughout the book. An overall excellent performance.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listener copy. I eagerly await book 2!

this audiobook was fantastic! adjoa andoh does a PHENOMENAL job of bringing all of the characters to life. i thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook as well as the story. i firmly believe the narration can make or break a book for someone and really affect their perception of it and decide whether they like the story or not. i found this narration only adds to how great the book already is. it made for a very enjoyable experience and i am thankful for the opportunity to get an advanced copy. thank you! and well done! 👏

I came into this skeptical, and it took a couple of chapters for it to click for me, but I really enjoyed this. The world building is dripped through, there’s some clever scheming and political intrigue, and the characters are all very well fleshed out and feel real with their own motivations often conflicting with each other.

I’d pitch this to a friend as Bridgerton meets Avatar the Last Airbender, the author pulls no punches with screwing with her characters and it’s nice to see this version of the altruistic prince in an unfair world actually give a reason why the prince wants to be a better person.

Also the queer coded book actually has a real love triangle which was refreshing, although I suspect that it here will be more vertices added to the love polygon.


The main character is deeply flawed and self righteous, and genuinely grows over the course of the book.

After a painful break-up Phera tries to win back her love, Rocelle, by proving herself in the competition for the hand of prince Dominic.

“Victory alone means nothing if you lose sight of what you're fighting for.”

There are aspects of this book I really enjoyed. The premise, the romance between Phera and Rocelle, great side characters. But in the end The Duchess of Kokora felt bogged down by its slow pacing and depth of certain story elements.

The synopsis for this book sounds so exciting and very high stakes. Despite this, the book has a heavy focus on politics. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy politics in my fantasy, but I like them clever and full of depth if they are a major focus. While Prabala gives us a look at what this could look like, and we do get some great dialogue at times, a substantial part of it felt more adjacent to high school politics.

The magic system also didn't really work for me. I think the idea for it is cool and unique enough, but the soft magic left me wanting more. Especially because the magic is very relevant to the plot of The Duchess of Kokora.

“You love me so much that you would burn the world down to protect me. You love me so much that you won't let me face the world on my own. It is love. I do not deny that, but is also control and pride and stubborness.” “I would be yours forever if you could only let me belong to myself too.”

Where The Duchess of Kokora truly shines is the love story between Phera and Rocelle. They have a lot to work through in this book, and we luckily get plenty of time to see them do just that. Prabala showed us an in-depth, realistic representation of what it looks like to attempt to repair a relationship.

“If you want my love pure as you say, then you must have my frustration too. Not immediately reasoned around or dissected. Let is stand. Really, truly sit with my feelings, Phera”

I adored the passages on love, but then we'd get long passages of mind games and the book sadly just couldn't keep my attention. Part of this was probably also the narration. While I think the narrator is gifted, I don't think Adjoa Andoh quite fits the vibe of this book for me.

I would recommend The Duchess of Kokora to people who like a well written sapphic romance, don't mind a love triangle, and enjoy soft magic systems. This book is also great for people who prefer dialogue heavy novels.

Thank you Grand Press and Nikhil Prabala for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A slightly different take on standard fantasy fare, with a tale full of political intrigue. Our witty lead is bound and determined to win over the heart of her lost love through a marriage contest ... where the goal is not the coveted prince, but another contestant. This is a tale of queer love and gave me "The Goblin Emperor" (Katherine Addison) vibes. But there isn't much else to be had here. In fact, I have no idea why there was any kind of fantasy backdrop and especially magic. It had no purpose. This is a solid tale, well-written and well-plotted, of love lost and found again, despite all barriers. I also enjoyed the audiobook narration.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator did a nice job. When it comes to content, I felt the world building was lacking and some of the characters were a little flat. I like the premise of this book, but I found myself confused multiple times while reading because some of the background and explanation around the countries, politics, and magic seemed to be lacking. It almost felt like a second book in a series. I did really enjoy Phera’s personality. I love a strong feisty main female character. I also liked that all of the main characters had flaws. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Press for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to PR by the Book for inviting me to review this, they provided me free copy access to the audiobook via NetGalley.
The Duchess of Kokora was outside my usual kind of read but I enjoyed the chance to change up my listening experience, esp with themes on inclusive relationships, strong sassy FMC vibes, and engaging narration from Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh!

This audiobook is a delight, filled with humor, rich world-building, and a brilliant twist on the marriage games trope. Adjoa Andoh’s narration brings out every ounce of wit in the dialogue, delivering the Duchess’s scathing comebacks with perfect timing and making the banter even more enjoyable. The complex world of magic, politics, and court intrigue is richly detailed, from the divisions between the magical Signed and non-magical Unsigned to the wonderfully chaotic marriage games. Andoh’s skillful voice work draws out the nuances in the characters' personalities, making each one distinct and the story’s stakes thrillingly real. The inclusion of deeper themes on social justice and marginalized identities only enriches this action-packed adventure, giving it a memorable impact and depth.

What sets this book apart is its clever blend of romance and action, tied together with tender LGBTQIA+ representation and vibrant humor. Andoh beautifully brings the romantic elements to life without veering into clichéd or overdone territory, even during the jaw-dropping cliffhanger. This series debut also showcases unique magical elements and political strategy, making it a satisfying read for fantasy lovers who crave engaging plots and sharp dialogue. The Duchess’s bold personality and Andoh’s superb narration make it impossible to put down; you’ll be staying up late, absorbed by every twist, duel, and scheme. For fans of clever fantasy worlds and whip-smart humor, this audiobook is a gem, and I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel—with Andoh, of course, to narrate!

4.75 magical stars!

🎧 Audiobook 🎧 is super well read by one of my absolute favourite narrators: Adjoa Andoh!!

I loved this one, right up until the jaw-dropping (romantic) cliffhanger of an ending!

This adventure contained everything that I need to love any fantastic story: great world building, an underlying magical principle that brings that world building together perfectly, deeply-lovable yet flawed characters who reflect upon their mistakes to push themselves towards personal growth, and some form of conversation on contemporary social injustices/marginalization. Add to this incredibly strong female main characters, plus all of the plot-twisting schemes, shenanigans and corners turned, and I stayed up WAY too late into the night listening to this amazing book. Truly smitten.

I will say that I personally identify as pan-romantic ACE. Plus, I also left my teenage years behind decades ago. So, while I can deeply enjoy books containing elements of romance, I personally abhor endlessly awkward YA romance without depth or consequence. Nor do I enjoy smut written purely for smut's sake (no judgement - just not for me as an asexual). This book, among several that I have read lately, has had beautifully tender elements of romance intertwined into high stake, mad-dash adventure with careful deliberateness. I really appreciate this. Additionally, all praises to amazing new 2SLGBTQIA+ authors taking the fantasy and science fiction worlds by storm.

I typically feel much more strongly about cliffhanger endings - most especially those used by debut authors at the beginning of a new series. But as this one is more romantic in nature (as opposed to a cliffhanger that holds someone's life on the line until the next book comes out), bothered me less than usual. Though, I really hope that the sequel comes out soon so that we can all find out what happens!! Also, if Adjoa Andoh isn't narrating the sequel, I will absolutely revolt!

Huge gratitude to Netgalley, and the publisher Grand Press, for an Audio-ARC of this book, in exchange for my truly honest review.

I honestly felt confused for most of the book!

I read on other reviews that it felt like we were in book two of a trilogy or duology and I agree! The book felt like I should be knowing way more of the world. I don’t understand the magic system neither do I understand the politics + no map so I have no idea where is what in this world.
A novela to start off the series would’ve been good I think or better world building.

I listened to the audiobook and it feels like it wasn’t a good fit. Don’t get me wrong Adjoa Andoh is a great narrator but my understanding is that, these characters are in their early/mid twenties, Adjoa Andoh’s mature voice through me off for the whole book. I ended picturing all of them in their 30s

To me the prince and Phera hand way more chemistry than Phera with Rocelle! I really loved the exchanges between the two, they were a great match for each other. I don’t understand their dynamic, why is she so enamoured with Rocell.

The story itself has great potential, there’s some intrigue, wittiness, the pacing is good and there’s a little twist at the end.

2 stars/DNF at 34%.

This book feels like it is missing the beginning of the story. The world, magic system and politics is poorly explained and when there is some explanation, it is usually done in a info dump that doesn’t make much sense, doesn’t actually explain things or is unnecessary. The characters are unlikable, the promised competition is hardly on page and is just boring, and the romance can hardly be called romance and the plot is fairly predictable.

There’s a couple interesting side characters but they cannot keep me engaged enough to finish this book. Also I am not a fan of this narrator’s narration decisions, especially for the men and the accents given to them.

Reviewing this before I even finish it because Adjoa Andoh is not one of my favorite narrators for nothing, I ADORED Phera's sass from the first sentence, and regardless of the politicking and the maybe romancing, this book is solid in hilarious dialogues and actually interesting world-building.

An intriguing story with a feisty FMC! The FMC enters in to the marriage games to marry the prince. However, it’s not the Prince she is after. This story is a sapphic romance. The FMC is a funny and firey character who was fun to follow. The world building was good and plenty of twists and turns!