I've wanted to read this book since it was announced and it didn't disappoint this was such a sweet little book and I really want to read more books by the author now

"That Prince is Mine" by Jayci Lee is a fun, lighthearted romance with a royal twist. It follows Emma Yoon, a Korean-American culinary teacher who dreams of opening her own school, and Prince Michel Chevalier, who’s trying to escape an arranged marriage by finding true love on his own terms.

Emma’s world of Korean cuisine and Michel’s royal background make for a charming mix. The book is packed with delicious food descriptions and sweet moments between the two leads. Michel’s determination to win Emma over is endearing, and their chemistry really shines.

The side characters, like Michel’s bodyguard and cousin, add some great humor and depth. However, the romance felt a bit rushed, given the three-month timeline, and it was hard to believe no one recognized Michel. The ending and Emma’s dream resolution might not hit everyone perfectly, but it’s still a solid, enjoyable read if you’re into cute, royal-themed romances.

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

This was a delightful story to read—the perfect palate cleanser between more intense books! Our main characters are Emma Yoon, a Korean-American culinary instructor who wants to open a commercial space to teach Korean royal court cuisine, and Michel Chevalier, aka Prince Michelm, the Crown Prince of Rouleme.

Michel is trying to find love before he has to become king and marry his arranged partner—neither of whom wants to get married to each other. Emma wants to make her godmother happy, keep her father well-cared for, and keep her home stable with a classic Korean arranged marriage. Her plans get derailed when she meets Michel, a very much non-Korean visiting professor from Europe who is crashing her plans for a 'perfect-on-paper' husband.

Emma teaches Michel how to be a normal Angeleno without realising she's also just teaching him to be a normal person, not a prince. Michel, in turn, teaches Emma that love isn't something to be avoided and that 'perfect on paper' doesn't mean perfect in reality. Our side characters, Gabriel, Sophie, Jeremy and Auntie Soo, are fantastic, and there's a real sense of history behind all of them. They all want what's best for their respective friend and have lives going on outside of Emma and Michel.

To put it simply, Michel was a simp for Emma, and it was great. Emma's culinary knowledge was a delight, and getting more in-depth with Korean cuisine was fantastic (having been to Korea twice, I can safely say that it's my favourite cuisine).. Her introduction of Michel to the world of Korean food was great and had the added bonus of introducing us to the food and the concept of Jeong Seong!

My main critique about this book was that things happened too fast for my liking—which makes sense as it takes place over only three months. I felt like I needed a little more time for it to feel truly realistic. I also didn't understand how no one seemed to recognise Michel—surely his own country's media would've spotted him? It's not like he was hiding or anything.

I also wasn't hugely happy with Emma's 'dream' and the ending, but maybe that's just a me issue!

I absolutely love royal romances, so when I saw that Jayci was releasing one, I couldn’t wait to read. The main thing that I really loved about this was the cultural diversity that we really don’t see enough of in romance novels, especially when it comes to anything to do with the crown or royalty in general.

I did find the story a little slow and found myself a little bored at times which was quite annoying, but really wanted to finish it because I like Jayci’s writing style and think it’s super unique. The story was really fluffy and was your typical rom-com, so there was a lot of witty dialogue and smart banter.

The one thing that makes a book unenjoyable for me is miscommunication, and this book was FULL of it. I wanted to throw my kindle across the room at some points whilst reading because why can two adults not communicate with each other?!

However, I did like that Michael fell first. I always love to read when the guy falls first in a book (even though it sets my relationship expectation ridiculously high!!). The characters had instantly attraction towards each other and I thought that their chemistry was very sweet to read.

This was a very quick and easy read, but I would have liked the story to delve into the characters a little more so we could really see some growth and strong arcs.

This is a fun romance read that gives off Hallmark movie vibes. I loved that the author included information about Korean culture and cuisine throughout and it's safe to say reading this made me hungry with some delicious descriptions of food that cooking instructor Emma had made. It was also great to see Prince Michel's close bond with his bodyguard, Sophie, and his cousin Gabriel. There was plenty of humour injected into this as well as some smaller side plots that offered additional romance. Emma and Michel were great together and the truth of Michel's identity, as well as Emma's determination not to fall for him, definitely added a little tension to the story as I waited for everything to resolve itself. These two had some really cute dates and good fun in group settings, too. I also enjoyed seeing how into Emma the prince was. I was banging my head against the wall at some points, especially with Michel hanging up his ethics a couple of times, but all in all a sweet read.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

This was fine. I enjoyed the side stories of Sophie and Gabriel and Jeremy and Steven a lot more than I did with the main romance. I have to say I didn’t really like Michel that much, but I did like Emma.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.
In the kitchen, Emma reigns supreme—she’s a master of Korean royal court cuisine, and her culinary business is thriving. Though she’s not well-versed in the dating world, she has clear expectations: her godmother will arrange the perfect match, leading her to a husband who is just right for her. She envisions someone compatible, not a prince from a small European country who comes from a different culture, class, and has vastly different life experiences...

I’m a total sucker for royal romances, which is what drew me to this book in the first place. That Prince Is Mine offers a refreshing twist with its cultural diversity—a feature not commonly seen in romance novels. While I’ve come across stories where the heroine is a chef and the hero a prince, I’ve never read one that dives into the world of Korean cuisine. (The ARC I received didn’t have a final cover, and by the time I started reading, I’d forgotten the plot summary, so I was a bit let down to discover the prince was Generic European—one day, I hope we get a story featuring a Generic Asian prince!)

The book is lighter and fluffier than I anticipated, somewhat reminiscent of an extended Harlequin romance or a soap opera. The focus on romance is intense, with side characters also getting caught up in their own love plots, which means the story quickly moves towards romance, leaving little room for anything else. I would’ve liked to see more development in the characters beyond their romantic escapades. For instance, we only learn near the end that Sophie (Michel’s bodyguard and childhood friend) used to paint. If she hadn’t been given a romantic subplot, we might have explored more of her personality, potentially paving the way for a standalone book about her, if the author were inclined.

All in all, this isn’t the book to pick up if you’re searching for depth in a romance novel. However, it’s a delightful choice for those in the mood for some light, instant-princess fluff—especially if you appreciate the mouth-watering descriptions of Korean food!

This was such a cute book! I love any book with a royal tie to it and I loved the prince in disguise troupe as well! It had the perfect blend of everything food, romance, and family what more do you need?!?! Also loved the Korean heritage and her tight knit relationship with her grandmother.

Unfortunately, a DNF for me. I just found it unbearably saccharine and cutesy, which I know will work for plenty of people, but I just found rather uninspiring. I picked this one up purely because there was going to be a royalty plot line (I'm a sucker for a royalty plot line), but within a few chapters, I just knew that I wasn't going to get on with this. I found Lee's writing style unnecessarily expositional, focusing far too heavily on delivering as much back story and character information without properly integrating this into the action - it slowed everything down. I also felt the female lead was confusingly written - she veered wildly from a Belle from Beauty and the Beast knock-off but with cooking to giving grand sweeping feminist statements about how women want to be in the kitchen, they can be in the kitchen and I just?? It felt like throwing everything at the wall and hoping something would stick to create an interesting lead character. Not for me.

This book is well worth the read. It follows a prince and a culinary instructor who fall in love despite their differing roles in society. The contrast of Michael being a hopeless romantic and Emma not wanting to believe in true love works really well in delivering an enjoyable read. As much as I loved this book, I wish that Michael and Emma hadn't got together so soon and that it had been drawn out a bit longer instead of the third act break up. Furthermore, I wish there had been a life involving Emma's career for her instead of giving up everything for Michael. However, the book is a must read for those who enjoy a true love story.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publishers and author for allowing me to receive an advanced readers copy (ARC) of That Prince Is Mine.

This was such a fun romcom!

I love a royal romance. I don’t even know what it is about them but they’re so cute!

I had a really good time seeing Emma and Michel fall in love. Michel was so in love with her and but before they could be happy together, he had to bring down Emma’s walls and her notions of compatibility and love.

I enjoyed their dynamic and banter and really appreciated the way they tried to prioritize their communication (especially Michel when he was still hiding his identity).

Overall, a really good read (and with two HEAs!!), perfect for romance lovers to read this summer!

A big thank you to Headline Eternal and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet and sexy romance book, this was a great read overall and I fell headfirst into it as soon as I started reading it.

This was a really sweet romance with great representation and lots of delicious food. I really enjoyed our two main characters and loved that the attraction was immediately there, both of them were definitely not playing around!

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the ARC

I love the royalty trope and this one didn't disappoint! I liked the asian rep and the swooning prince. I enjoyed our fmc's passion for cooking and her dedication. Their relationship was cute and they had many adorable moments. I sweet romance