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delaney572e4's review against another edition
4.0
Were there parts of this that could have been better? Yes. Was the ending kind of convoluted and wrapped up too quickly? Also yes. But the characters were amazing and the romance between them was perfect. And in the end, I was here for the romance, not the plot, so that’s really all that matters to me.
labyrinth_witch's review against another edition
5.0
As always, Alyssa Cole’s writing takes my breath away. Always deeper than a formulaic romance novel, this installment of the runaway royals series features two characters - one trying to over come her helping co-dependency (which I strongly identified with) and another with “chaos” energies who follows the “fireflies” in her mind (which I also identified with).
One of the reasons I love Alyssa Coles writing is because she offers a worldview where these atypical minds are perfectly typical…and valued, appreciated, and reveled in.
She also explores the very different lives of two women who both felt the weight of family legacy and obligation. One faced the traumatic emotional abandonment of her mother, the other wholly supported but still giving her life over to absolve the mistakes of a previous generation.
Through it all they have to learn to communicate, to ask for what they need, and to be vulnerable in articulating their reactions to each other. Such a healthy relationship evolution.
Along the way they take to the high seas and meet enlightened guides that support them in their unfolding.
Love everything about her books. But most of all, I love that Bez’s phrase is “that’s not how I would characterize it, but to each their own.” If only I could assume such a stance of people’s reactions to my own too-muchness.
One of the reasons I love Alyssa Coles writing is because she offers a worldview where these atypical minds are perfectly typical…and valued, appreciated, and reveled in.
She also explores the very different lives of two women who both felt the weight of family legacy and obligation. One faced the traumatic emotional abandonment of her mother, the other wholly supported but still giving her life over to absolve the mistakes of a previous generation.
Through it all they have to learn to communicate, to ask for what they need, and to be vulnerable in articulating their reactions to each other. Such a healthy relationship evolution.
Along the way they take to the high seas and meet enlightened guides that support them in their unfolding.
Love everything about her books. But most of all, I love that Bez’s phrase is “that’s not how I would characterize it, but to each their own.” If only I could assume such a stance of people’s reactions to my own too-muchness.
xiwam's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elenaberrino's review against another edition
I think this is an excellent book with wonderful characters, sadly it was just not for me - I thought I could do with the contemporary setting but I was mistaken.
soup_homemade's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
emerz's review against another edition
3.0
i think this is more of a me problem then a book problem. because this book was sooo funny and smart but I just wasn’t into it very much (probably because I kept stopping and starting it).
lanidacey's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars/7 out of 10!
Alyssa Cole is one of my favorite authors and her romances are all auto-buys for me. I love the universe she's created and all the characters in it. That said, it makes me sad to say this entry is one of the weakest in the series. *sad face*
I liked the characters and I really liked the set-up of a regular girl wanting to prove she's NOT a princess. But I didn't enjoy the pacing. Half this book is Bez trying to convince Makeda to come with her to Ibarania to find out if she's the country's long-lost heir. The second half is spent on a cargo ship going to Ibarania. Alyssa Cole's writing is fun as always, and she drops a lot of hints about bigger conspiracies and shenanigans going on in the country and in the World Federation of Monarchs. For example, Bez has trouble reaching the organization and confirming Makeda's spot during some fancy DNA testing ritual. Her boss hints at how terrible an American heir would be. And Bez's family is being swarmed by increasingly invasive media trying to dig up info about a long-lost queen. She keeps ignoring her intuition that hints something is wrong.
When they finally do show up in Ibarania, the entire princess mystery gets wrapped up in two chapters. I wanted more conflict. I wanted more fantasy politics. I wanted for Bez to have to be an actual bodyguard. If any of Cole's characters were made to be in an action movie, it'd be Bez.
I really enjoyed the rest of the novel. The cargo ship was a great setting, despite the uneven pacing. It's fun and I learned a bit about nautical safety. I liked what Cole did with Makeda and the concept of her "watering can" — giving too much of herself and leaving nothing for herself. I already love the hero of our next book; I'm really digging the adventure vibes he gives off.
A weak Alyssa Cole book is still a pretty damn good read. If you enjoyed the rest in the series and the spin-off, you'll def enjoy this one, too.
Alyssa Cole is one of my favorite authors and her romances are all auto-buys for me. I love the universe she's created and all the characters in it. That said, it makes me sad to say this entry is one of the weakest in the series. *sad face*
I liked the characters and I really liked the set-up of a regular girl wanting to prove she's NOT a princess. But I didn't enjoy the pacing. Half this book is Bez trying to convince Makeda to come with her to Ibarania to find out if she's the country's long-lost heir. The second half is spent on a cargo ship going to Ibarania. Alyssa Cole's writing is fun as always, and she drops a lot of hints about bigger conspiracies and shenanigans going on in the country and in the World Federation of Monarchs. For example, Bez has trouble reaching the organization and confirming Makeda's spot during some fancy DNA testing ritual. Her boss hints at how terrible an American heir would be. And Bez's family is being swarmed by increasingly invasive media trying to dig up info about a long-lost queen. She keeps ignoring her intuition that hints something is wrong.
When they finally do show up in Ibarania, the entire princess mystery gets wrapped up in two chapters.
Spoiler
We find out BEZ was the missing princess the whole time! Her grandmother had an affair with the long dead king and the queen ran off soon after, freed from her queenly duties after learning that an heir exists. This nearly 30-year-old conspiracy is wrapped in like 90 minutes!I really enjoyed the rest of the novel. The cargo ship was a great setting, despite the uneven pacing. It's fun and I learned a bit about nautical safety. I liked what Cole did with Makeda and the concept of her "watering can" — giving too much of herself and leaving nothing for herself. I already love the hero of our next book; I'm really digging the adventure vibes he gives off.
A weak Alyssa Cole book is still a pretty damn good read. If you enjoyed the rest in the series and the spin-off, you'll def enjoy this one, too.
linwearcamenel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
bauhag's review against another edition
2.0
It feels like a romance about a man and a woman, but then the author just changed all the pronouns so it was two women. Disturbingly heteronormative.