e-Audio, 09:33:34
Narrated by: Ali Ahn
Release Date: May 18, 2021
Published by: Flatiron Books
Read from: July 4-6, 2021
Stand-alone
Source: Overdrive Audio
TW:
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary Romance, Forbidden Love, Books set in places other than the USA, YAIzumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity… and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.
In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.
Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American” enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?
*MY THOUGHTS*
The publishers sent me a copy of this book to my job. The cover was so striking, I don’t think I got it back until it had been passed around the entire office. I had to end up reading the e-Audio of it. I’d been hearing it was good, nice to know I wasn’t mislead.
Izzy and her mother live together and life in their California town by themselves. Izzy knows not to bring up her father, as he’s a sore subject. Until one day, when Izzy finds evidence that her dad is the Crown Prince of Japan. She reaches out to him and next thing she knows, she’s a princess and she’s on her way to meet him. But it isn’t all its cracked up to be… There’s evil family members, a body guard who she’s not supposed to love but does, and of course all the things she doesn’t know about being a princess. Will she survive her fairy tale?
This had so much promise for me when I started it. I remember being hooked. I was so into the royal and Japanese culture she was learning, but then when she got more into the story, all that stopped. I’m pretty sure it was because they focus just shifted. The love interest was prominent, the gross cousins had to be introduced, and just everything else. It took away from the setting, which was one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book.
The romance itself was cute tho. I did like it. I am a huge fan of forbidden love and although this wasn’t hardcore that troupe, it was still part of it. And that made me happy. They were cute together. I have to admit, I was a little sad when the “inevitable” break-up happened at the end. I thought there wasn’t enough book left, but it came through in the end.
However, I did not really like anything else. It was predictable and got kinda boring towards the middle. It got to the point of me questioning if I still wanted to listen to it. But I kept looking at the percentage I had already gotten through and I realized I could make it. I had to speed up my time to 2x’s as fast and get through.
Lastly, I think the narrator had something to do with why I didn’t 100% enjoy it. I liked the representation, but for some reason I just didn’t like her other voices. Everyone sounded the same and that always bothers me. Especially if there’s male and younger/older characters. They all sounded a bit the same and it drove me crazy.
This was good, but it did have its faults. I love when books are correct on what they resemble. This one said it was The Princess Diaries and Crazy Rich Asians. If nothing else I said makes you want to pick this up, go ahead and pick it up because of that description alone!
Overall, I give this
