𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 5/5 STARS

𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦: When I heard this book was being comped to The Princess Diaries, I already fell in love. Still, this book surpassed every single one of my expectations.

The world building, being set in Tokyo and Kyoto, was fantastic. I instantly felt absorbed in the story—the gorgeous, lyrical, writing was so lovely. I knew two chapters in that I could read this book a hundred times over.

The characters were also so brilliant. I loved Izzy so much. Her voice was hilarious, she’s ridiculously relatable and I caught myself laughing so many times throughout this story. Her friends are also hilarious, and they’ve all got their own individual arcs that made this story more intriguing.

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗦: Izzy and Akio. Oh my heart wasn’t prepared for this. A Princess/Guard romance always gets me but this was done so beautifully. The angst, the soft romance, all of it was incredible. They’re easily one of my favourite ships to read about. I was a thousand stories about them.

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥: readers looking for a story full of royalty and romance.

As a huge fan of Korean dramas with historical themes I was drawn to this book right away. I know this is not a Korean or Korea related story but I mean in the similarities with some dramas where a girl finds that she’s a princess and her life completely changes. I love this kind of trope. I was totally intrigued into this book for the first half but then I kinda struggled with the rest. I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I thought I would or I would’ve liked (but it could be because I am in a slump). I didn’t like the protagonists or other characters as much so couldn’t care less about anyone. So sorry! Overall it is an okayish book - anyone who likes princess diaries with a mix of what a girl wants might enjoy the book.

The moment someone mentioned that this gave then The Princess Diaries vibes I knew I had to read it and let me just say this book did not disappoint. I loved everything about this book and ended up devouring it so quickly, reading into the early hours and only stopping because sleep was taking over.

Izumi, or Izzy, was a great character who is struggling to figure out where she belongs. After finding out her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, Izzy finds herself on a journey of self-discovery and it doesn't come easy. On top of that, she's having to learn new customs, new language and dealing with being in the spotlight. I love how she just took everything in her stride and tried to remain as positive as she could in such an awkward and tough situation.

Rich in Japanese culture I found myself transported and wanting to visit Japan even more now. I quickly found myself falling in love with Emiko Jean's writing and would honestly read a ton of books set in this universe.

Whilst I loved the enemies to lovers aspect of this book, the only thing that let this book down was the somewhat insta-love. I feel like I wanted a little bit more on the two being enemies but it didn't take too much away from the story and how fun it was!

Tokyo Ever After was such a heartfelt and fun YA romance that I recommend picking up if you love this genre!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tokyo Ever After is a sweet, fast-paced YA romance perfect for fans of The Princess Diaries or Crazy Rich Asians. The book is filled with plenty of Japanese culture as this is the story of an average Japanese-American girl who finds out her father is actually the crown prince of Japan. There is a nice amount of humor throughout making this a fun, light-hearted story. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a YA romance that will have you flipping the pages for more!

'Tokyo Ever After' is definitely going up there with my favourite YA romances - the ones that I end up reading over and over again whenever I am feeling in the mood for a pick-me-up.

Izumi lives with her mother in the US and has never known anything more about her father other than he was a one night stand in college. But in a country where being Japanese makes her feel like she can never quite fit in, she longs to know more about her history. Turns out, her father is actually the crown prince of Japan and she is a princess (think The Princess Diaries). But when she arrives in Japan she realises that she may be too American to ever feel like she truly belongs there either. The shinning light is her forbidden romance with her new drop-dead gorgeous body guard (think The First Daughter).

Ah I just loved it! It was perfectly binge-able and left me with that butterflies in my stomach feeling. My only change would be the cover - I have seen the US one floating around and I am in love with it!

This was cute, but it felt way too American and not very universal. I don't think it'll create hype among European readers. Although I think the intended readers won't care much about it, it could have been more realistic.

It’s a five star from me! Definitely reminiscent of the princess diaries (which I LOVE) but so beautifully independent and individual. Had me crying, smiling, reading late into the night, and dying for a happily ever after on all fronts. I loved this book so much I will be buying a physical copy and I hope there’s a follow up, but if there isn’t… it is a wonderful stand alone.

This was a cute read, and I'd recommend to anyone who grew up with the Princess Diaries or anyone looking for more diversity in their YA romances! I did enjoy the look into the protagonist's identity of being Japanese and American but not quite fitting in to either identity, but the book was also a little too cliched for me to give a higher rating. Also I probably wouldn't have picked this book up if I'd only seen the UK cover, the US version is much nicer and more appealing!

(Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Okay, this book was so sweet and interesting and was PACKED with the pomp and circumstance and opulence that I just adore in any kind of media about royalty.

I don't often read YA, but in the best way, this book doesn't feel like a typical young adult book. It follows Izzy, a young Californian woman who discovers that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan and she has a whole other part of her life that she never knew about. She agrees to travel to Japan for a fortnight, where she's whisked into a whirlwind of etiquette training, paparazzi and royal life that she wasn't prepared for.

It's a very sweet story with an incredibly compelling protagonist - and especially supporting cast. There are certainly issues, no book is perfect. I felt it was rather rushed as a plot - there was a lot to get across - and the development of the central romance could certainly have been stronger. It was though the plan was to have this be multiple books (e.g the American Royals series) but ended up getting condensed down into one. It could have certainly done with some breathing room, I think. But the plot is decent and it makes for a very compelling book.

One of the things I massively appreciated - and what set this book out from the other 'discovering you're a royal' type books is that it was about the culture and traditions of a Royal Family other than the British one. I get it, they're quite prominent, but they're not the only one that exists - and discovering about the Imperial House was entirely fascinating. Jean does a brilliant job of weaving the history of the monarchy into the story, adding little touches of detail here and there that round out each chapter. You can also see where the author has alluded some real-life contemporary touches into the plot - especially with the intrusive nature of the tabloid press - and I think that adds an extra brilliance to the writing.

Overall, this is a wonderful fish-out-of-water story that'll charm anyone who dreamed of being a Prince/ss as a child (and sort of still wants to be).

Tokyo Ever After was a fluffy light read that had me laughing at the witty writing and crying at the heartbreaking moments!

It follows a Japanese American teen who feels like she doesn't fit in. When she finds out her dad is the crown prince of Japan she goes to Japan to find her roots and family. She learns a second language, immerses in rich culture and finds family.

This was such a amazing read! The characters were incredibly realistic. The AGG were an amazing bunch and Izumi's mum was also so supportive! The side characters were just fantastic in general! Izumi felt a bit immature at the start but she grew on me really fast! Akio felt really realistic and I loved how well rounded he was.

The plot wasn't very unique but I liked the predictability of it!

The writing was very funny at times yet so very heartbreaking at others. This was just a brilliant read and I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc!

A special thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of this book.
Tokyo Ever After is about Izumi Tanaka, a Japanese American teen who discovers that her father, who she has never known, is the Crown Prince of Japan. Having never felt like she fit in in America she decides to take a leap by going to Japan for two weeks to discover more about herself, her Japanese roots and her father.
Whilst there she has a short amount of time to adjust to the language and all the cultural customs as well as being a member of the Japanese monarchy. Izumi’s character is relatable and I really enjoyed reading about her journey especially the aspect of the story of trying to fit in, having never felt American enough and still feeling like an outsider in Japan where she thought that she would find all the answers. Her AGG is goals and I adore their supportive friendship. She also has a great loving relationship with her mother. The romance was sweet and fluffy and the romance between her and Akio was adorable. It was well written and I found myself laughing, feeling annoyed, upset and overall just very invested in these characters! I’ll definitely be buying this book and adding to my growing collection of books once it is released.

Actual Rating - 4.5
Wow. I have so many feelings about this book!
Firstly, Izumi is an amazing main character, she is realistic and you feel everything she feels as the events progress. I love her friendship with the AGG, especially how they never had a fight like so many female friends do in books.
Izumi and her mother have a close relationship that is so wonderful to see in a novel, they communicate well with each other (most of the time), and have a great mother-daughter relationship.
Akio and Izumi have a great relationship, enemies to lovers done so well, and Akio himself was more than a cardboard cutout, he was well developed and a good match to Izumi's presence.
The story was a little predictable, but that didn't make me enjoy it any less, instead it made me excited to read more and watch the story unfold. There were some shocking twists that had me nearly screaming in excitement at the book.
It was incredibly well written, I felt so much from excitement to frustration with the characters who deserved it, to that warm happy feeling you get when reading a good book. I loved it!

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

I ADORED this book. Tokyo Ever After gave me modern Princess Diaries vibes which made me incredibly happy because I only ever read the first book of that and watched the films. At first, I thought that Izumi was a little shallow and perhaps a little immature but as the book progressed, I found that I loved Izumi, her friends and her family. I guess the book was a little predictable but that is what can happen with this genre of book and I didn't mind it because the book was still really good and had me so gripped so that I read it all in one go. I cannot wait to purchase this when it comes out!
Rating: 5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes!
Would I Recommend it? Yes

Princess Diaries for a new generation! Tokyo Ever After is the story of a girl who discovers her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, and the whirlwind that becomes her life!

I loved Izumi and her relationships with her friends and mother. She is a fantastic character, and although the plot was a little predictable that's neither unexpected or a problem! Sometimes we just need a guaranteed escapist story!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A light-hearted, effervescent contemporary tale of culture and belonging meets the fantastical circumstances of The Princess Diaries. TOKYO EVER AFTER is a delight.

This is definitely not a book I expected to enjoy so much. TOKYO EVER AFTER filled a niche hole in my heart with joy, heart and humour. This is very much The Princess Diaries in Japan, sweeping us away from mountainous California to the neon lights and imperial intricacies of court life in far-off Japan, and Jean does a wonderful job at allowing Izumi to venture into both.

Izumi herself has a difficult journey through the book in which she explores her identity as Japanese-American, and her personal sense of fulfilment and belonging to herself and her origins. Izumi is a spitfire, witty and proud, and the classic "American individuality and determination meets Japanese formality and politeness" scenario forces her to confront herself as a person. It has a genuine resolution that will resonate with many Asian-Americans, mixed-race people and anyone who, perhaps, feels outcasted because of the way they look.

TOKYO EVER AFTER does require you to suspend your disbelief more instances than not. For example, Izumi sends word to her father that she might, indeed, be his daughter, and the next moment she's surrounded by the imperial household, waiting to take her to Japan. Did no one think to verify her claim? A DNA test, maybe? She also manages to learn a significant portion of the Japanese language in a matter of weeks. Her narration doesn't always hit the mark either, sometimes being more frustrating than quirky.

But the minor quibbles are just that – minor. Backed by a fun supporting cast and a light-hearted romance, TOKYO EVER AFTER is a treat for the heart.

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR? Yes.