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A review by labyrinth_witch
A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole
5.0
Another wonderful novel by Alyssa Cole, and this series is likely to rank in my top favorites of romance series.
This installment follows Nya in the wake of her father’s imprisonment and her growing friendship with Johan, the playboy prince.
I have to say, the number one thing I love about Alyssa Cole’s novels is that she doesn’t manufacture drama. Rather she leverages the natural drama people navigate on trying to be honest, authentic, and experience the full range of our emotions. So the drama in this novel is how Johan reconciles with his mother’s death and his subsequent fear of loving someone and losing them again. Nya’s drama is learning how to be brave, how to fight the negative voices in her head that her dad put there. These are dramas we can all relate to and so it resonates and pulls me through the book. Will Johan realize that that loss is inevitable but the sweetness of loving is invaluable? Will Nya make the brave choice every time? The drama isn’t one single climatic moment but an ongoing series of choices. Also what I love is that the characters are navigating these dramas individually within themselves and together. And so I felt like I was reading a real story set in a fairytale with incredibly poignant moments. It made me think about my own life.
Also, Nya hadn’t ever slept with anyone. But instead of the usual fixation on her virginity or Johan being exhilarated that no one had ever touched her before or Nya being scared and frightened of her own body (blah vomit) which one has come to expect, Alyssa Coles turns the narrative on its head. Instead she relies on tantric principles that don’t emphasize the need for penetration but focuses more on the breasts and going slow. Nya takes it at her own pace but she also knows what she wants and likes, having pleasured herself and is in tune with her own body. And her not having slept with anyone in no way makes her less of a strong, insightful, and competent character which was magnificent. The way it was done also made perfect sense for the storyline- if you were attracted to someone, the contours of the relationship being a little murky, and each character is working through fear of being with someone- you would take it slow and be more exploratory as you build trust and get to know one another. It all made sense, and I can’t say that’s always the case when the main female character hasn’t slept with another person before. Also, I love the twist in the male protagonist’s sexuality and that of how young brother. Not only was it arousing, but it was a great conversation on sexuality to be a part of!
Truly wonderful. Hands down the best romance series I’ve ever read.
This installment follows Nya in the wake of her father’s imprisonment and her growing friendship with Johan, the playboy prince.
I have to say, the number one thing I love about Alyssa Cole’s novels is that she doesn’t manufacture drama. Rather she leverages the natural drama people navigate on trying to be honest, authentic, and experience the full range of our emotions. So the drama in this novel is how Johan reconciles with his mother’s death and his subsequent fear of loving someone and losing them again. Nya’s drama is learning how to be brave, how to fight the negative voices in her head that her dad put there. These are dramas we can all relate to and so it resonates and pulls me through the book. Will Johan realize that that loss is inevitable but the sweetness of loving is invaluable? Will Nya make the brave choice every time? The drama isn’t one single climatic moment but an ongoing series of choices. Also what I love is that the characters are navigating these dramas individually within themselves and together. And so I felt like I was reading a real story set in a fairytale with incredibly poignant moments. It made me think about my own life.
Also, Nya hadn’t ever slept with anyone. But instead of the usual fixation on her virginity or Johan being exhilarated that no one had ever touched her before or Nya being scared and frightened of her own body (blah vomit) which one has come to expect, Alyssa Coles turns the narrative on its head. Instead she relies on tantric principles that don’t emphasize the need for penetration but focuses more on the breasts and going slow. Nya takes it at her own pace but she also knows what she wants and likes, having pleasured herself and is in tune with her own body. And her not having slept with anyone in no way makes her less of a strong, insightful, and competent character which was magnificent. The way it was done also made perfect sense for the storyline- if you were attracted to someone, the contours of the relationship being a little murky, and each character is working through fear of being with someone- you would take it slow and be more exploratory as you build trust and get to know one another. It all made sense, and I can’t say that’s always the case when the main female character hasn’t slept with another person before. Also, I love the twist in the male protagonist’s sexuality and that of how young brother. Not only was it arousing, but it was a great conversation on sexuality to be a part of!
Truly wonderful. Hands down the best romance series I’ve ever read.