That Prince is Mine

Starred review from April 1, 2024

Emma, a Los Angeles-based culinary instructor, dreams of expanding her business, which teaches Korean royal court cuisine to clients preparing for noble marriages. When she starts to lose credibility because she herself is unwed, she makes it her mission to find a husband the traditional way, with an arranged marriage. Meanwhile, crown prince Michel is running out of time. His father, the king of a small European country, is planning to abdicate and wants Michel to be engaged or married when he makes the announcement. If Michel doesn't find love in three months, he'll have to marry a friend; their union was planned since they were children. Now Michel is in LA, undercover as a professor, trying desperately to find the love of his life on his own terms. When he meets Emma, they have immediate chemistry, and despite their conflicting goals in love, they decide to date for the few weeks he has left in LA. They must untangle matters of the heart from duty and responsibility. VERDICT Lee's (Booked on a Feeling) latest is a tender and sexy romance that foodies will absolutely devour. A great read for fans of commoner-and-royalty storylines, such as Alyssa Cole's "Reluctant Royals" series.--Migdalia Jimenez

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 6, 2024
In this insubstantial contemporary rom-com, Lee (the Hana Trio series) introduces Korean royal court cuisine instructor Emma Yoon, who dreams of opening a culinary school to honor the food that has brought her culture together for centuries. She’s also looking for marriage—but not for romance. She believes the best marriages are practical arrangements, and she uses her matchmaker godmother’s fail-proofed Madame Ddu Method to find a partner. However, when Emma meets her best match in person, she’s distracted throughout their date by her attraction to a kind and handsome stranger. The man introduces himself as Michel Chevalier, a visiting foreign professor, but he’s actually the prince of the fictional European nation Rouleme. He’s in disguise and looking to find his future queen on his terms. Emma decides to give in to her attraction to the visiting professor before settling down. As the pair embark on an affair, Michel falls for Emma, and with his return to royal duties looming, he must find a way to tell her the truth. Lee attempts to liven up well-worn romance tropes with a detailed account of Korean royal court culture, but the predictable plot and flat characters keep things disappointingly surface-level. It’s light and fluffy, but there’s not much else here. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary.

June 1, 2024
A Korean American cooking teacher in Los Angeles falls head over heels for a handsome professor who's actually a European prince. Emma Yoon treats love like a recipe: Follow the rules and you can never go wrong. Her parents' divorce proved love isn't foolproof, teaching Emma at a young age that it's always best to follow head over heart. She's been in no rush to find a partner, though, as she's been perfectly content running her Korean cooking classes and dreaming of opening a culinary school. But now that Emma is 28, her godmother--a renowned matchmaker--considers her practically a spinster. She reluctantly agrees to avail herself of Auntie Soo's services, attending matseons (marriage interviews), in hopes of finding a suitable Korean husband. Match after match proves fruitless, though, until, following a particularly disastrous date, the handsome stranger at a nearby table sends Emma an extra plate of madeleines. Michel Chevalier--tall, blond, with a devastatingly romantic accent--is a visiting professor of international relations at USC with a royal secret: He's the crown prince of Rouleme. Given three months to travel to the U.S. for one last taste of normalcy, Michel is set to assume the throne once his father, the king, abdicates. But that's not all: Michel has three months to find a woman he truly loves or risk betrothal to a friend he likes but feels no attraction to. Emma and Michel take a chance on one another, immediately finding a passion and connection neither have previously felt. Can their love withstand family expectations, or is their whirlwind romance just a recipe for disaster? Lee's latest novel is a refreshingly modern take on an old story. Equally sweet and spicy, Emma and Michel's relationship constantly races against the clock, leaving little room for unpronounced feelings or damning miscommunications. They're open, understanding, and wholly devoted to one another, which may be a relief to readers expecting an achingly slow burn. A crowning romantic achievement.

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June 1, 2024
Emma teaches Korean royal court cuisine in her growing business. Her matchmaker godmother helps her find clients, and Emma agrees to let her find Emma a match of her own. But so far none of the dates have appealed at all. Prince Michael, from a tiny country in Europe, is a visiting professor who wants to find real love instead of the arranged marriage waiting for him at home. He is intrigued by Emma as he watches her meet her dates at the caf�. He covers her check after one disastrous date and the two begin a careful relationship that grows into romance. He does not reveal who he is at first, hoping she will love him despite his life and responsibilities. Lee's (One Night Only, 2022) modern-day royalty romance provides a very satisfying read with appealing characters and palpable chemistry. Fully dimensional secondary characters include Michael's dynamic female bodyguard, with her own romantic story line. The Korean food and details about the matchmaking business add a layer of fun.

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