Shanti's story has elements of Queen Esther in it, which really connected with me. Once again, Alyssa Cole has drafted a story that makes the trials of running a country relatable and sexy. Nice to have glimpses of characters from the Reluctant Royals series as well! ( )

Felt very fairy tale, which is ok sometimes - but i may have been in the wrong mood for it right now. I like some of the author's other work, but this one felt rather meh to me. People looking for something slow-moving and castles-in-the-sky dreamy will probably like this better than i did. ( )

King Sanyu II is devastated by the death of his father, Sanyu I, and terrified he won't live up to his father's legacy as king of Njaza. Shanti, from neighboring African country Thesolo, has made it her life's goal to be a queen, in order to help people. When Shanti is contacted through RoyalMatch, she accepts the offer - but Sanyu, who spent his whole life watching his father's queens being sent away after the four-month marriage "trial" - doesn't have any faith that she will stay. He is also under the thumb of his father's advisor, Musoke. When, near the end of the trial, Sanyu finally approaches Shanti on the advice of his longtime friend and counselor, Lumu, they are able to work together, and Shanti is able to present her own ideas for bringing Njaza into the future - starting with listening to its underrepresented citizens, i.e. women.

The setup works, Shanti and Sanyu have chemistry, and characters from previous novels (e.g. Ledi, Nya, Prince JoJo) make appearances via group texts. HEA, of course.

Quotes

"In that case, the proper response is to fix the problems, not silence those who point them out." (Shanti to Sanyu, chapter 8)

"Every kingdom is a story." (Anise to Sanyu, ch. 21)

"Love is a fierce thing, as is hope. Peace is harder to cultivate than war..." (Anise to Sanyu, ch. 21) ( )

It's stunning, beautiful, sexy, progressive, hilarious, and everything else that makes an Alyssa Cole novel an instant must read. Go read the previous series if you haven't, then sprint right on back and start reading the RUNAWAY ROYALS series. You will not regret it.

Pre-release review: I know this doesn't come out until next spring but 'RELUCTANT ROYALS' SPIN-OFF, FUCK YES, I AM SO AMPED, GONNA PRE-ORDER IT RIGHT NOW IDGAF HOW LONG I MUST WAIT ( )

No relationship can exist solely with strength and strategy or force and cunning--there has to be love and peace and hope to bind those things"

Thanks to @avonbooks and @goodreads for the gifted copy.

👑👑 BOOK REVIEW👑👑

This was my first romance read this year and in many, many years actually. This isn't my go to genre at all but after reading this How to Catch a Queen, I think I have to add some more romances to my regular TBR. I already have some on my shelf calling my name.

I loved that this was a modern story and addressed contemporary issues. Sanyu and Shanti were great main characters. Shanti was ambitious, intelligent, assertive and would not settle for anything that did not value her. Sanyu at the core had a good heart and wanted to make change, but due his sheltered royal life he was battling crippling anxiety on a daily basis. I love that the characters balanced each other out and fell in love in an unconventional fashion. It wasn't fluffy unicorns and rainbows. They were able to build a relationship and build mutual goals through exploration of their feelings and prioritizing communication. It took a long time in the book to get there but the slow burn and pay off was worth it. It had just the right amount of steam without overboard by my own standards.

What also struck me were the overarching themes about some societies that were woven into the love story. The ones that resonated the most were that:
* Women are seen as problematic if they express ambitions and goals outright.
* Women often have to make themselves smaller because of men's egos.
* Marginalized groups are the backbone of society but are the most silenced. For a society to succeed, it must be inclusive.
* Good governments emerge when citizens are empowered to voice their concerns.
* Tradition can co-exist with modernity.
*Marriages are more successful when there is mutual respect and partnership.
*The only way to make change sometimes is to speak truth to power.
*Social status does not exempt you from mental health issues.

This bookdragon rates this 🔥🔥🔥🔥 ( )