In Search of a Prince

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The plot of In Search of a Prince is a twist on the classic story of Cinderella. In this case, a young woman discovers she is heiress to a royal throne in a faraway country, travels there to explore her options, and falls in love. The country is a West African island nation, and In Search of a Prince offers a sweet story of a woman’s journey into her destiny.

Brielle Bayo lives in New York City and teaches 8th grade civics. Her father died when she was very young, and she and her mother Marie have had a close bond ever since. That’s why Brielle’s shock is overwhelming when her mother confesses that Brielle’s father was the heir to the throne of Ọlọrọ Ilé. Brielle might never have known the truth, but the king of the island nation is dying and reached out to Marie with a plea to bring his granddaughter and heiress to her birthright. The revelation and her mother’s thin excuses for keeping the truth from Brielle tear into their bond, and Brielle asks her best friend Iris to accompany her to Ọlọrọ Ilé to meet the relatives she’s never known.

In an instant, she jumps from coach to first class status. Travel by a private jet, a lush room in the palace, and the wealth, opportunities, and challenges of royalty are now part of her daily life. Around her swirl advisors, servants, and retainers. But one man, a handsome palace runner, attracts her attention in a visceral way.

Tomori Eesuola serves the palace as he is bid, content with his role, even though his family chides him for having no clear life path. He certainly has no intention of becoming part of the royal family, and no one expects it of him. When he is assigned the task of teaching the new princess the native language of Ọlọrọ Ilé, his loyalty and a strong affection for her grow, but he keeps his distance as is proper.

In Search of a Prince is Brielle’s story. With many in the kingdom unhappy that she has appeared, learning new customs and culture, getting to know her grandfather, and learning all she can in a short time, Brielle’s focus and ours is on her important choice. Will she become Queen… or not? Add a good-looking language teacher who makes her heart stutter, and this new princess has her work cut out for her.  The Commoner-and-the-Princess romance is important to the story but is tied tightly to Brielle’s journey.

In one respect, the author has made that journey easier. Ọlọrọ Ilé is a predominantly Christian country, so Brielle’s own faith upbringing fits nicely. The main characters in the book rely on God to guide their steps through life, and the theme of “God is with us” is a steady thread throughout the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. The writing is smooth, the characters well-drawn and I particularly liked Brielle’s friend Iris for keepin’ it real and acting as a supportive sounding board. The author also gives us a good sense of the physical surroundings on the island. At the end of the book, Ms. Shiloh describes her process and research use to create this fictional island kingdom, and that research pays off in seamless, cohesive worldbuilding. My only quibble is the amount of page space the author gives to those physical details and the specifics of court life, to the detriment of the romance and Brielle’s emotional responses.

Nonetheless, I can recommend In Search of a Prince for providing a smoothly written, light read for those who love a good ‘rags-to-royal’ fairy tale with a touching romance.

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Reviewed by LaVerne St. George

Grade: B

Sensuality: Kisses

Review Date: 13/02/22

Publication Date: 02/2022

Recent Comments …

  1. excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.

Award-winning author of Romance with Sweet Intensity. I live by my lists. Fan of sea turtles, jigsaw puzzles, crocheting, the beach, and happy endings.

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Lisa Fernandes
Lisa Fernandes
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02/16/2022 6:42 pm

On my TBR pile!

CarolineAAR
CarolineAAR
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02/14/2022 4:36 pm

The cover of this is BEAUTIFUL!

Cathy
Cathy
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02/14/2022 12:07 am

I enjoyed this book a lot!! Glad it got a good review here.