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Reluctant Royals #3
A Prince on Paper
The Reluctant Royals series returns with a good girl searching for the life that’s not too big, and not too small, and the bad boy prince who might be just right for her…
Nya Jerami fled Thesolo for the glitz and glamour of NYC but discovered that her Prince Charming only exists in her virtual dating games. When Nya returns home for a royal wedding, she accidentally finds herself up close and personal—in bed—with the real-life celebrity prince who she loves to hate.
For Johan von Braustein, the red-headed step-prince of Liechtienbourg, acting as paparazzi bait is a ruse that protects his brother—the heir to the throne—and his own heart. When a royal referendum threatens his brother’s future, a fake engagement is the perfect way to keep the cameras on him.
Nya and Johan both have good reasons to avoid love, but as desires are laid bare behind palace doors, they must decide if their fake romance will lead to a happily-ever-after.
Nya Jerami fled Thesolo for the glitz and glamour of NYC but discovered that her Prince Charming only exists in her virtual dating games. When Nya returns home for a royal wedding, she accidentally finds herself up close and personal—in bed—with the real-life celebrity prince who she loves to hate.
For Johan von Braustein, the red-headed step-prince of Liechtienbourg, acting as paparazzi bait is a ruse that protects his brother—the heir to the throne—and his own heart. When a royal referendum threatens his brother’s future, a fake engagement is the perfect way to keep the cameras on him.
Nya and Johan both have good reasons to avoid love, but as desires are laid bare behind palace doors, they must decide if their fake romance will lead to a happily-ever-after.
384 pages, ebook
First published April 30, 2019
About the author
Alyssa Cole
41 books5,981 followersAlyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and sci-fi romance. Her Civil War-set espionage romance An Extraordinary Union was the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award’s Best Book of 2017 and the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and A Princess in Theory was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018. She’s contributed to publications including Bustle, Shondaland, The Toast, Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can usually be found watching anime or wrangling her pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,148 reviews
April 23, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
#1.) A Princess in Theory ★★★★
#2.) A Duke by Default ★★★★
#2.5) Once Ghosted, Twice Shy ★★★★
My fave of the series yet! RTC <3
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Buddy read with Fadwa ~ فدوى from Word Wonders! ❤
#1.) A Princess in Theory ★★★★
#2.) A Duke by Default ★★★★
#2.5) Once Ghosted, Twice Shy ★★★★
My fave of the series yet! RTC <3
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Youtube | Twitch
Buddy read with Fadwa ~ فدوى from Word Wonders! ❤
Shelved as '0-own-tbr'
December 13, 2018These covers are a blessing/curse to my bisexuality
June 15, 2020
4 stars
I've loved all the books in Alyssa Cole's 'Reluctant Royals' series and I was so glad to finally get to the third and final story, Nya and Johan's!
We've met both of these characters in previous books and I couldn't wait to get to theirs. Especially Johan. I've been curious about him for a while now. Johan is... not really a prince, but close enough. In Liechtienbourg , his brother is the prince and his stepfather is king. Johan is the one to take the paparazzi away from his family and puts all the attention on him. It's an device that has served them well.
Nya's father did something terrible and even though she had nothing to do with it, she still feels like she could have done something more. She and Johan make an unlikely pair but they become friends of sorts. And then comes the best part... the fake dating. Fake engagement to be exact. I love this troupe so much. Those feelings just come full force and neither one can deny it. Sigh.
Alyssa Cole is an author I recommend. I love her writing style and I'm looking forward to picking up more from her backlist. This series has been great for me and I loved the way this one concluded. It left me with happy tears and a huge smile on my face!
I've loved all the books in Alyssa Cole's 'Reluctant Royals' series and I was so glad to finally get to the third and final story, Nya and Johan's!
We've met both of these characters in previous books and I couldn't wait to get to theirs. Especially Johan. I've been curious about him for a while now. Johan is... not really a prince, but close enough. In Liechtienbourg , his brother is the prince and his stepfather is king. Johan is the one to take the paparazzi away from his family and puts all the attention on him. It's an device that has served them well.
Nya's father did something terrible and even though she had nothing to do with it, she still feels like she could have done something more. She and Johan make an unlikely pair but they become friends of sorts. And then comes the best part... the fake dating. Fake engagement to be exact. I love this troupe so much. Those feelings just come full force and neither one can deny it. Sigh.
Alyssa Cole is an author I recommend. I love her writing style and I'm looking forward to picking up more from her backlist. This series has been great for me and I loved the way this one concluded. It left me with happy tears and a huge smile on my face!
March 20, 2019
I mean, it’s 1 am and I have to get up in 4 hours for work, but no regrets! This series just gets better and better! A full review will come closer to release date but this book features some real LOL moments, and MULTIPLE LGBTQIA+ characters, plus some really nuanced relationships and interactions! I HAVE to read Once Ghosted Twice Shy tomorrow 😍😍
May 7, 2019
I can't even tell you how much I wanted to love this book, with that cover (to die for!) and all of that fabulous diversity rep, but, like the others in the Reluctant Royals series, it fell short for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole, but I wanted to gush about it and I didn't get to that place.
I started off really enjoying the story. I live for a princess-fantasy story, and I also love an aloof bad boy (though that really isn't even the male MC), so the book really piqued my interest. I was sure I was going to give the story at least 4-stars, then things started to fall apart a bit for me.
The story is really, really long, clocking in at just under 400 pages, and it felt that way to me. The plot felt like it was getting more and more convoluted as it went along, with government conspiracies, a fake engagement, and multiple layers of family issues, and I felt my attention wavering away from the main couple. The plot became too busy for me.
I also didn't quite feel the true chemistry between the MCs. I mean, I felt some of the lust, but there was even a "big misunderstanding" looming until nearly the end of the story, so I didn't see how the "love" could really develop.
I adored the protective big brother character in Johan, but I felt Nya's portrayal was more disjointed. I also didn't get why Johan was so fixated on preserving the family's royal image when everything was resolved so seamlessly and without any hiccups at the end. I was picturing more traditional, uptight old monarchy-vibes and that's... not what we get. It all resolved too easily, and the whole drama felt too... simple (being vague because of spoilers).
Overall, I enjoyed the story and I enjoyed the book, but I think I just wanted to like it so darn much that that carried me through. Still, the cover and the diversity is everything, and Avon and the author should be really proud of that.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I started off really enjoying the story. I live for a princess-fantasy story, and I also love an aloof bad boy (though that really isn't even the male MC), so the book really piqued my interest. I was sure I was going to give the story at least 4-stars, then things started to fall apart a bit for me.
The story is really, really long, clocking in at just under 400 pages, and it felt that way to me. The plot felt like it was getting more and more convoluted as it went along, with government conspiracies, a fake engagement, and multiple layers of family issues, and I felt my attention wavering away from the main couple. The plot became too busy for me.
I also didn't quite feel the true chemistry between the MCs. I mean, I felt some of the lust, but there was even a "big misunderstanding" looming until nearly the end of the story, so I didn't see how the "love" could really develop.
I adored the protective big brother character in Johan, but I felt Nya's portrayal was more disjointed. I also didn't get why Johan was so fixated on preserving the family's royal image when everything was resolved so seamlessly and without any hiccups at the end. I was picturing more traditional, uptight old monarchy-vibes and that's... not what we get. It all resolved too easily, and the whole drama felt too... simple (being vague because of spoilers).
Overall, I enjoyed the story and I enjoyed the book, but I think I just wanted to like it so darn much that that carried me through. Still, the cover and the diversity is everything, and Avon and the author should be really proud of that.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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July 3, 2023
Reread June 2020 - I loved it even more the second time around. This whole series is absofuckinglutely PERFECT.
I think this may be my favourite one in the series! Everything about it was perfect, and the way a character coming out as nonbinary was portrayed and handled by the other characters was amazing. I'm so happy to see accepting someone's pronouns without question being normalized in fiction, especially in romance. I could see myself rereading the whole series on a yearly basis.
I think this may be my favourite one in the series! Everything about it was perfect, and the way a character coming out as nonbinary was portrayed and handled by the other characters was amazing. I'm so happy to see accepting someone's pronouns without question being normalized in fiction, especially in romance. I could see myself rereading the whole series on a yearly basis.
December 3, 2020
Gah, I feel like a dick for not liking this book more because it's entertaining and light and fluffy af, but it also reads like an iPhone game or like Princess Diaries 5 or something like that. A Princess in Theory trended a bit silly for me, but this one's SO MUCH MORE. And I love fluffy and silly, but when you try to do a serious monarchy overthrow plot that legit involves people painting graffiti on the palace like in The Selection, I just can't deal. And it reads like the dating romance games that Nya loves to play, so much so that sometimes it feels like it's parodying itself. I do get that this is a comedy, but I feel like I cringed at most of the jokes and laughed at all the parts I wasn't meant to (like the sex scenes).
The good:
- Johan's pretty cool for the most part, even if I didn't enjoy his POV for reasons to come in the next section. His playboy act to protect his younger brother from attention is sweet.
- Bisexual prince!
- Nonbinary prince!
- Heroine is demisexual!
- The set up is pretty dang adorable: awkward first meeting and then fake engagement.
The bad/ugly:
- The invented Liechtienbourgian language is a mashup of French and German, which have been messed with by adding or removing a letter here or there, and it's painful to read. If you don't know German or French at ALL, this may not bother you, but I shuddered at every "Gutt" and "Leibling" and "Comme tu willst." It is SO MUCH MORE BELIEVABLE FOR THEM TO SPEAK GERMAN OR FRENCH THAN TO HAVE RANDOMLY COMBINED THE TWOOOOOOO. Honestly this pisses me off so much.
- That ruined Johan's POV for me, combined with the fact that in every flirty scene he thinks "Oh là là là là" like his own studio audience. Who actually does this non-sarcastically? It's another writing tic that always tore me out of connecting with the book and characters.
- Nya's characterization is inconsistent. She's described as a pushover, but she never ever actually acts like one. I don't feel like I know who she is at all.
- Except that she's a person who should not be having sex, because she cannot say "penis." Literally, she says eggplant emoji...always with an ellipsis in front too, to make that shit more annoying.
- The sex scenes made me laugh. It didn't help that they often said "eggplant emoji" or "peach emoji".
- One of the anti-monarchists is named Arschlocher, which is literally asshole. This politician's name is ASSHOLE. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?
I was consistently entertained and read this in one sitting, so I'll give it that, but hoo boy I was not impressed by this one. The craft has so many problems. Either you'll find this one hilarious fun or...you'll think it's... poop emoji.
The good:
- Johan's pretty cool for the most part, even if I didn't enjoy his POV for reasons to come in the next section. His playboy act to protect his younger brother from attention is sweet.
- Bisexual prince!
- Nonbinary prince!
- Heroine is demisexual!
- The set up is pretty dang adorable: awkward first meeting and then fake engagement.
The bad/ugly:
- The invented Liechtienbourgian language is a mashup of French and German, which have been messed with by adding or removing a letter here or there, and it's painful to read. If you don't know German or French at ALL, this may not bother you, but I shuddered at every "Gutt" and "Leibling" and "Comme tu willst." It is SO MUCH MORE BELIEVABLE FOR THEM TO SPEAK GERMAN OR FRENCH THAN TO HAVE RANDOMLY COMBINED THE TWOOOOOOO. Honestly this pisses me off so much.
- That ruined Johan's POV for me, combined with the fact that in every flirty scene he thinks "Oh là là là là" like his own studio audience. Who actually does this non-sarcastically? It's another writing tic that always tore me out of connecting with the book and characters.
- Nya's characterization is inconsistent. She's described as a pushover, but she never ever actually acts like one. I don't feel like I know who she is at all.
- Except that she's a person who should not be having sex, because she cannot say "penis." Literally, she says eggplant emoji...always with an ellipsis in front too, to make that shit more annoying.
- The sex scenes made me laugh. It didn't help that they often said "eggplant emoji" or "peach emoji".
- One of the anti-monarchists is named Arschlocher, which is literally asshole. This politician's name is ASSHOLE. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?
I was consistently entertained and read this in one sitting, so I'll give it that, but hoo boy I was not impressed by this one. The craft has so many problems. Either you'll find this one hilarious fun or...you'll think it's... poop emoji.
November 23, 2019
Alyssa Cole has done it again, another incredible novel in the Reluctant Royals series!
“He'd spent so long running from love at full tilt that when he'd finally tripped and fell, his momentum made it swift and unstoppable.”
The third novel in this series has everything you already love from the first two. A beautifully developed romance, amazing sex scenes, a storyline that goes much deeper than you'd expect, with some really timely topics and of course a good portion of humour.
Although I'd say that out of all of the Reluctant Royals books, this is probably the one with the least laugh out loud moments. In a way this book feels more serioues and sad than the others do, simply due to getting to see behind Johan's Playboy facade. But I'm not saying this in a negative way. Not at all! I was just as emotionally involved as with the first two and found Johan's struggles to be incredibly believable. And knowing him from the first two books, it was so interesting to really get into his head. In general I loved both characters and their development, both as individuals and together!
That said, you should absolutely read all the novels in this series before you dive into this one. You might think you can read them as standalone and while you definitely can, knowing all the characters and happenings of the first two songs will very much increase your enjoyment of this novel!
While I truly loved this novel, I have to say I had some issues with the language. A lot of this novel takes place in the fictional country Liechtienbourg, where they basically speak a mix of French and German. Except a lot of it is wrong? I don't wanna go into this too much because I'm not sure if Cole was trying to write a dialect or something but as someone whose mother tongue is German and knows a good amount of French, a lot of the times the words would just not be correct. I really, really stropped in my tracks when it said "Wëllkomm" at some point in the novel. The letter "ë" is not part of the German OR French alphabet, you use it when you need it phonetically, which you don't need in this case. I know this seems nitpicky but understand how frustrating it was to see all those wrong words!
Not even to mention that the last name of "the antagonist" is literally "Arschlocher" (German for assholes) which is a name that doesn't exist in German (anymore), understandably. Might seem like a fun gimmick if you don't know the language but is honestly just really annoying when you do.
On top of that, there is a character in this novel that comes out as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. It is briefly mentioned by that person that "our language and our culture are very much focused on masculine and feminine" but "we already have the royal we. The royal they isn't very different, is it?" but yeah, it is. They does not work for singular use in German (and as far as I know in French too) for several reasons, it just simply doesn't exsist. And you can't just say "well we use royal we" and make it work. This really could've focused on how much of an issue it is that there are no genderless pronouns already existing in our language but instead it got glossed over in one sentence. I can only speak from the perspective of a ciswoman who is heavily involved in the queer culture but to me it was upsetting to me that this was brushed off so easily because it sadly just is not that easy. I'm glad that Alyssa Cole included a non-binary character but regarding the language, I had hoped for much more.
“I wasn't desire he felt for her in that moment – it was admiration. It was devotion. It was the resounding crack as every one of the rules he'd constructed to keep people away broke beneath the weight of his feelings.”
I know I just wrote two super negative paragraphs but that is because I kinda see it as my duty to point these issues out. At the end of the day, while this made me roll my eyes sometimes and generally could've been handled much better, I still loved this novel and nothing will change that.
I love this series and these characters and I'd highly recommend this third installment!
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I received an ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review! The quotes and issues with language are therefore taken from the ARC and might be changed in the final copy!
August 10, 2019
I think this is my favorite of the main 3 books! I loved the dynamic of the playboy prince with a heart of gold that only the heroine can soften.
May 4, 2020
I'm so sad this series is over 😭
January 12, 2022
ANOTHER BOOK COMING OUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH
RELEASE DATE: 4/30/2019
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RELEASE DATE: 4/30/2019
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Foxy Blogs ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
Shelved as 'wishlist'
August 11, 2020YESSSSS
Read
February 15, 2019not DNFing but pausing
for some reason i thought these were standalones, and maybe they are advertised that way but i gotta say i was really confused with all of the characters are the beginning. i'm almost 100% positive that all of the side characters were from book 1 and 2 and i'm sure had i read those books i would have fallen into this book immediately.
but honestly my confusion grew and my enjoyment was middle of the road because of it. i have a feeling i could really love this book but i think i'm going to wait to read it until i read the rest of the series.
arc provided by publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
for some reason i thought these were standalones, and maybe they are advertised that way but i gotta say i was really confused with all of the characters are the beginning. i'm almost 100% positive that all of the side characters were from book 1 and 2 and i'm sure had i read those books i would have fallen into this book immediately.
but honestly my confusion grew and my enjoyment was middle of the road because of it. i have a feeling i could really love this book but i think i'm going to wait to read it until i read the rest of the series.
arc provided by publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
November 20, 2023
I wish there were more books in this series :( This was such a wonderful combo of pathos, silliness, and sexiness, as are most Alyssa Cole books
May 22, 2019
I really, REALLY wanted to like this one, but this is NOT a standalone romance. There’s lots of characters that are from previous books and I stopped about 20% in because I just felt a bit lost with the story. I’m not a fan of the princess diaries trope either so maybe that had something to do with it. But that cover is just😍😍😍😍😍😍
Overall, I think this would be a winner for those who love princess romances and you’re up to date with this series.
Overall, I think this would be a winner for those who love princess romances and you’re up to date with this series.
June 14, 2022
This was super cute the way he kept calling her sugar bubble made the book for me
April 30, 2019
She plays dating sims and he's obsessed with fairy tales - how am I not going to love this book?! A Prince on Paper is my absolute favorite in a series of amazing books. I feel like I've loved each subsequent book more than the last, and I loved this one so much it was physically painful (to my heart).
I was so excited to finally get Nya's book. She's been an intriguing character to me every since A Princess in Theory, and then I loved her emerging and finding herself in bits and pieces (as seen via group text chats) in A Duke by Default. I don't always slate people into Hogwarts houses while I read, but every so often a character comes along and beats you over the head with how VERY MUCH the epitome of a Hufflepuff they are, and that is Nya. She has been so hurt, but despite that she goes on being honest and open and loving, and I JUST WANT TO HUG HER ALL UP.
And then there's Johan, who's also been hurt and is fascinated by Nya because she is so open and honest, and free with her heart while he's locked himself away. He's so obsessed with fairy tales and doesn't seem to realize that he's made himself the princess locked away in a tower of his own making.
This is the kind of book I want to throw at people's heads when they say romance novels are trash or guilty pleasures or shallow. There are SO MANY complicated issues and deep themes at play in this book, I can't even begin to touch on them all in a review let alone do them justice. I want to carry copies of this book around and when people make disparaging comments about romance I want to thrust a copy of A Prince on Paper into their hands and say "Shut your mouth, open your mind, read this book, and then we can talk about whether or not romance novels are shallow trash." In this book Alyssa Cole not only focuses on the romantic relationship between two people (which is fantastic, and their chemistry is BAM BOOM POW!), but also on the relationship between Johan and his step-father and half-sibling and how Johan deals with the death of his mother, Nya dealing with the fallout of the emotional and physical abuse the suffered at the hands of her father and finding her own way forward, a non-binary character struggling with how to let their family know about their identity (also, WTG Nya being super the most awesome best), focus on toxic and abusive relationships... Also, the sex scenes are hot and the romance between Nya and Johan is amazing - alternatingly adorable and butterflies-in-the-stomach inducing and heartbreaking, because there is nothing wrong with that and it's also a great element of romance. ;)
This is the third book in the Reluctant Royals series, and while it can technically can be read as a stand alone, this series is really best if read in order. To get the full impact of Nya's story, you really do need to read the first book, A Princess in Theory, and there are MAJOR SPOILERS for book 1 in this book. I highly recommend you read this series in order - and don't miss the novella, book #2.5, Once Ghosted, Twice Shy! There's also a final novella coming out about Portia's sister Reggie, which looks like it will be the final book/novella in the series, Can't Escape Love, and if the series continues on trend it will somehow manage to be EVEN BETTER than all the books that have come before. ;)
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ for review.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
I was so excited to finally get Nya's book. She's been an intriguing character to me every since A Princess in Theory, and then I loved her emerging and finding herself in bits and pieces (as seen via group text chats) in A Duke by Default. I don't always slate people into Hogwarts houses while I read, but every so often a character comes along and beats you over the head with how VERY MUCH the epitome of a Hufflepuff they are, and that is Nya. She has been so hurt, but despite that she goes on being honest and open and loving, and I JUST WANT TO HUG HER ALL UP.
And then there's Johan, who's also been hurt and is fascinated by Nya because she is so open and honest, and free with her heart while he's locked himself away. He's so obsessed with fairy tales and doesn't seem to realize that he's made himself the princess locked away in a tower of his own making.
This is the kind of book I want to throw at people's heads when they say romance novels are trash or guilty pleasures or shallow. There are SO MANY complicated issues and deep themes at play in this book, I can't even begin to touch on them all in a review let alone do them justice. I want to carry copies of this book around and when people make disparaging comments about romance I want to thrust a copy of A Prince on Paper into their hands and say "Shut your mouth, open your mind, read this book, and then we can talk about whether or not romance novels are shallow trash." In this book Alyssa Cole not only focuses on the romantic relationship between two people (which is fantastic, and their chemistry is BAM BOOM POW!), but also on the relationship between Johan and his step-father and half-sibling and how Johan deals with the death of his mother, Nya dealing with the fallout of the emotional and physical abuse the suffered at the hands of her father and finding her own way forward, a non-binary character struggling with how to let their family know about their identity (also, WTG Nya being super the most awesome best), focus on toxic and abusive relationships... Also, the sex scenes are hot and the romance between Nya and Johan is amazing - alternatingly adorable and butterflies-in-the-stomach inducing and heartbreaking, because there is nothing wrong with that and it's also a great element of romance. ;)
This is the third book in the Reluctant Royals series, and while it can technically can be read as a stand alone, this series is really best if read in order. To get the full impact of Nya's story, you really do need to read the first book, A Princess in Theory, and there are MAJOR SPOILERS for book 1 in this book. I highly recommend you read this series in order - and don't miss the novella, book #2.5, Once Ghosted, Twice Shy! There's also a final novella coming out about Portia's sister Reggie, which looks like it will be the final book/novella in the series, Can't Escape Love, and if the series continues on trend it will somehow manage to be EVEN BETTER than all the books that have come before. ;)
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ for review.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
May 7, 2019
Ugh, it pains me to have to give this book only two stars (really, it's a 2.5), but one must do what one must do. I usually love Alyssa Cole's writing, but this is...this is...this is not good, that's what this is. Not good. It reads like a woke Public Service Announcement instead of a romance. I kept waiting for a shooting star to glide across the page and to hear the trill of "The more you know!"
And the frustrating thing is, one the best aspects of Cole's writing, beside having an incredible knack for humor, is that she excels in writing about characters who are not often represented in the mainstream and succeeds in making it feel effortless. But not here.
I am going to go out on a limb and posit that Cole was not in a good headspace when she wrote this, and that this book was a rejoinder to all the nonsense that is going on in the world right now. As a writer, it probably felt cathartic and like she was fighting the good fight, but on the reader's side, I just got tired of the clunky anvils. Let me share a particularly illustrative one: "He'd thirsted, he'd considered risking it all, and then he'd done what any intelligent person would do--he ignored her with a strength matched only by Europe ignoring migrants and America ignoring creeping fascism" (p. 22-23). Lord. How does someone go from writing about the freakin' civil war with nuance to this clunky, all-the-subtlety-of-a-bull-in-a-china-shop ridiculousness? Oy. Even her friends--and I large L LOVED their books--seemed clunky, and preachy, and only seemed to exist to offer affirmations in this one. I felt cheated. Like it was "Come for the romance, stay for the lecture." The more I think about this, the grouchier I get.
And the irritating thing is, there was a lot she could've done with either the storyline with her father or the monarchy referendum that could've made an impact. But instead she opted for telling instead of showing. Lost in all of this, are the characters. They're all interesting in their own way, but it's hard to see growth, particularly with Nya. That last scene with her father was just weird.
I wasn't here for the importance of therapy lecture, however much I might agree with it. Shoot, I wanted to learn more about that evil-looking bear than I wanted to know that the characters are working on self-improvement with therapy. Jeesh.
On a small and petty note, that French/German mashup was painful. Did I know the words? Yes. Did I want to read them? Non! Nein!
And the frustrating thing is, one the best aspects of Cole's writing, beside having an incredible knack for humor, is that she excels in writing about characters who are not often represented in the mainstream and succeeds in making it feel effortless. But not here.
I am going to go out on a limb and posit that Cole was not in a good headspace when she wrote this, and that this book was a rejoinder to all the nonsense that is going on in the world right now. As a writer, it probably felt cathartic and like she was fighting the good fight, but on the reader's side, I just got tired of the clunky anvils. Let me share a particularly illustrative one: "He'd thirsted, he'd considered risking it all, and then he'd done what any intelligent person would do--he ignored her with a strength matched only by Europe ignoring migrants and America ignoring creeping fascism" (p. 22-23). Lord. How does someone go from writing about the freakin' civil war with nuance to this clunky, all-the-subtlety-of-a-bull-in-a-china-shop ridiculousness? Oy. Even her friends--and I large L LOVED their books--seemed clunky, and preachy, and only seemed to exist to offer affirmations in this one. I felt cheated. Like it was "Come for the romance, stay for the lecture." The more I think about this, the grouchier I get.
And the irritating thing is, there was a lot she could've done with either the storyline with her father or the monarchy referendum that could've made an impact. But instead she opted for telling instead of showing. Lost in all of this, are the characters. They're all interesting in their own way, but it's hard to see growth, particularly with Nya. That last scene with her father was just weird.
I wasn't here for the importance of therapy lecture, however much I might agree with it. Shoot, I wanted to learn more about that evil-looking bear than I wanted to know that the characters are working on self-improvement with therapy. Jeesh.
On a small and petty note, that French/German mashup was painful. Did I know the words? Yes. Did I want to read them? Non! Nein!
May 2, 2019
i really liked the first in this series but LOVED the second one. i had high hopes for this one. i love alyssa cole's writing. before i get too far into the review i just want to say she has been killing it with the covers lately - this one is absolutely stunning. love it.
ok, on to the book. i liked it. i liked it a lot. johan was such a sweetie and i wanted to squeeze his cheeks. i *loved* getting his pov, all of his thoughts. seriously, so adorable. i really liked nya - she was inexperienced in life, but still strong. i loved the dating games she played, they sound like my jam. i liked the main characters together. i love the snippets we got of the previous characters, though if this is the end i wish we got a big wrap up kind of epilogue. i love a good fake engagement trope, and i liked the way this one was handled, almost backseat. i thought a conflict would arise with johan not telling nya something but then it was nipped in the bud immediately, and i liked that a lot. the epilogue was too adorable, it made me smile so much. of course, the book was hot AF as well. johan was the star of this book for me though. i just wanted to scoop him up and put him in my pocket.
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full review to come but i liked this one. not my favourite of the series, but it was cute. i didn't love some things, but they weren't big things. Alyssa Cole is an auto read for me, and i super hope that one king and his wife get a book or a novella or a spin off or something.
-------------------------------------------
ARC received from netgalley in exchange for honest review
ok, on to the book. i liked it. i liked it a lot. johan was such a sweetie and i wanted to squeeze his cheeks. i *loved* getting his pov, all of his thoughts. seriously, so adorable. i really liked nya - she was inexperienced in life, but still strong. i loved the dating games she played, they sound like my jam. i liked the main characters together. i love the snippets we got of the previous characters, though if this is the end i wish we got a big wrap up kind of epilogue. i love a good fake engagement trope, and i liked the way this one was handled, almost backseat. i thought a conflict would arise with johan not telling nya something but then it was nipped in the bud immediately, and i liked that a lot. the epilogue was too adorable, it made me smile so much. of course, the book was hot AF as well. johan was the star of this book for me though. i just wanted to scoop him up and put him in my pocket.
-------------------------------------------
full review to come but i liked this one. not my favourite of the series, but it was cute. i didn't love some things, but they weren't big things. Alyssa Cole is an auto read for me, and i super hope that one king and his wife get a book or a novella or a spin off or something.
-------------------------------------------
ARC received from netgalley in exchange for honest review
May 5, 2019
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review
Original review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
CW: Abusive father, discussion of parental death, on page sex.
*flailing* *squealing* *swooning* THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD I WANT TO CRY! No but seriously, A Prince on Paper turned out being so different from everything I expected to be but…for the better. It was so soft and tender and gentle, the kind of romance books that makes you tear up and want to hold it close to your heart forever, it was so very close to beat A Princess in Theory as my favourite in the series but it didn’t quite do that. It nonetheless got a strong hold on my heart and I adored it with every bit of it.
I feel like I’ve waxed poetry about Alyssa Cole’s writing time and time again because that’s one of the main things that quickly made her climb to the top of my favourite romance authors’ list. So if you want to see me talk about how gorgeous, in turns funny and emotional it is and how the way she threads words together gives her stories a fairytale like vibe, head on to my reviews for both A Princess in Theory and A Duke by Default. A Prince on Paper is written, like its predecessors and a lot of romance books, in dual perspective, starring Nya, Naledi’s cousin from book 1 whom I fell in love with almost instantly, and Johan, who’s Thabiso’s best friend, also from book 1.
Like I said, Nya is a character I fell in love with from her first appearance in A Princess in Theory so imagine my excitement when it was announced that A Prince on Paper would star her. She starts off as a pushover, someone people disregard and base their interactions with her on this image of her as a weakling her abusive father built of her all throughout her life and she’s SICK of not being seen as the woman she is and the person she wants to be. From the start of the book onward though, we see her break out of her shell and bloom into someone who’s self-assured, assertive and honestly just…kick-ass, which are all things she’s always been but that were stifled and crushed under her father’s manipulations and lies. And I loved witnessing that change in her so much. All that happened while she stayed true to her sweet, kind, optimistic self who was honest, and so very open about her feelings, I was in awe.
Speaking of her father. He reminded me so much of mother Gothel (from Rapunzel) and it was honestly terrifying. And fact of the matter is people think that parents (or people in general) like him don’t exist, that it’s exaggerated but the sad truth is that it’s not, they exist and so many people live in similar circumstances to Nya’s and I appreciated how Cole explored the subtle nuances of manipulation and emotional abuse, how it’s fed over years and years, how it can be disguised as love and “doing what’s best for you” when in truth it’s what’s best for them, keeping the people they abuse on a tight leash for whatever they can think of. This also showed that even when you’re abused that doesn’t always negate the love you have for whoever your abuser is and that walking away doesn’t just make that love go away (hence the quote above). It was so hard to read but ultimately amazing, especially seeing Nya free herself of him but still struggle.
Johan has his own set of struggles too. He has this façade of a playboy he carefully crafted for himself to direct attention away from his sibling, the crowned princx when in truth he’s soft and mushy but rarely lets people in because due to his mom dying, he’s been equating love to pain and the solution he found to protect himself is to never let people close enough to risk losing them. He’s a sweet goofball who’s canonically bisexual!! Everyone thinks that all his business (literally) is in the tabloids, but besides hiis carefully crafted image, he was very secretive and protective of his life and the few things he was truly passionate about.
I also loved the exploration of his relationship with his sibling, who is referred to with he/him pronouns for most of the book but then comes out as non-binary towards the end (they/them pronouns). There was an entire side plot dedicate to not only them navigating that relationship but also his sibling figuring out how they want to handle their coming out, and who to come out to as the next monarch of their small country.
Now to my favourite part of the book: Nya and Johan as a couple. I LIVED FOR THEIR INTERACTION. It was shots of love straight to my heart and I couldn’t help but squeal and beam like the fool I am at every interaction of theirs. I loved how both of them were very straight forward about their attraction to each other and later on their feelings, how Johan acknowledged the issues he had to work through and how Nya knew her value and that she deserved better and called him out when he stepped out of line. Their banter is playful and easy with some of the silliest and yet cutest back and forths and situations I’ve ever read in a romance book and that made me heart SWELL!!
Last but not least, being kept in a somewhat of a virtual fortress until her late twenties, Nya is inexperienced in the sex department, although she knows exactly what she likes and how to get it, she has never been with anyone before Johan. So I really, and I mean REALLY, appreciated how slow they took things and how the author made even the most seemingly “tame” scenes sexy and steamy. This woman knows how to write not only her romance but also her smut.
*flailing* *squealing* *swooning* THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD I WANT TO CRY! No but seriously, A Prince on Paper turned out being so different from everything I expected to be but…for the better. It was so soft and tender and gentle, the kind of romance books that makes you tear up and want to hold it close to your heart forever, it was so very close to beat A Princess in Theory as my favourite in the series but it didn’t quite do that. It nonetheless got a strong hold on my heart and I adored it with every bit of it.
I feel like I’ve waxed poetry about Alyssa Cole’s writing time and time again because that’s one of the main things that quickly made her climb to the top of my favourite romance authors’ list. So if you want to see me talk about how gorgeous, in turns funny and emotional it is and how the way she threads words together gives her stories a fairytale like vibe, head on to my reviews for both A Princess in Theory and A Duke by Default. A Prince on Paper is written, like its predecessors and a lot of romance books, in dual perspective, starring Nya, Naledi’s cousin from book 1 whom I fell in love with almost instantly, and Johan, who’s Thabiso’s best friend, also from book 1.
Like I said, Nya is a character I fell in love with from her first appearance in A Princess in Theory so imagine my excitement when it was announced that A Prince on Paper would star her. She starts off as a pushover, someone people disregard and base their interactions with her on this image of her as a weakling her abusive father built of her all throughout her life and she’s SICK of not being seen as the woman she is and the person she wants to be. From the start of the book onward though, we see her break out of her shell and bloom into someone who’s self-assured, assertive and honestly just…kick-ass, which are all things she’s always been but that were stifled and crushed under her father’s manipulations and lies. And I loved witnessing that change in her so much. All that happened while she stayed true to her sweet, kind, optimistic self who was honest, and so very open about her feelings, I was in awe.
Speaking of her father. He reminded me so much of mother Gothel (from Rapunzel) and it was honestly terrifying. And fact of the matter is people think that parents (or people in general) like him don’t exist, that it’s exaggerated but the sad truth is that it’s not, they exist and so many people live in similar circumstances to Nya’s and I appreciated how Cole explored the subtle nuances of manipulation and emotional abuse, how it’s fed over years and years, how it can be disguised as love and “doing what’s best for you” when in truth it’s what’s best for them, keeping the people they abuse on a tight leash for whatever they can think of. This also showed that even when you’re abused that doesn’t always negate the love you have for whoever your abuser is and that walking away doesn’t just make that love go away (hence the quote above). It was so hard to read but ultimately amazing, especially seeing Nya free herself of him but still struggle.
Johan has his own set of struggles too. He has this façade of a playboy he carefully crafted for himself to direct attention away from his sibling, the crowned princx when in truth he’s soft and mushy but rarely lets people in because due to his mom dying, he’s been equating love to pain and the solution he found to protect himself is to never let people close enough to risk losing them. He’s a sweet goofball who’s canonically bisexual!! Everyone thinks that all his business (literally) is in the tabloids, but besides hiis carefully crafted image, he was very secretive and protective of his life and the few things he was truly passionate about.
I also loved the exploration of his relationship with his sibling, who is referred to with he/him pronouns for most of the book but then comes out as non-binary towards the end (they/them pronouns). There was an entire side plot dedicate to not only them navigating that relationship but also his sibling figuring out how they want to handle their coming out, and who to come out to as the next monarch of their small country.
Now to my favourite part of the book: Nya and Johan as a couple. I LIVED FOR THEIR INTERACTION. It was shots of love straight to my heart and I couldn’t help but squeal and beam like the fool I am at every interaction of theirs. I loved how both of them were very straight forward about their attraction to each other and later on their feelings, how Johan acknowledged the issues he had to work through and how Nya knew her value and that she deserved better and called him out when he stepped out of line. Their banter is playful and easy with some of the silliest and yet cutest back and forths and situations I’ve ever read in a romance book and that made me heart SWELL!!
Last but not least, being kept in a somewhat of a virtual fortress until her late twenties, Nya is inexperienced in the sex department, although she knows exactly what she likes and how to get it, she has never been with anyone before Johan. So I really, and I mean REALLY, appreciated how slow they took things and how the author made even the most seemingly “tame” scenes sexy and steamy. This woman knows how to write not only her romance but also her smut.
I think that sums up all I had to say about A Prince on Paper. I read it with Melanie , and that made my reading experience even better because I has her to swoon with and share thoughts with and I couldn’t have asked for a better buddy reading partner ❤
I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review
Original review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
CW: Abusive father, discussion of parental death, on page sex.
*flailing* *squealing* *swooning* THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD I WANT TO CRY! No but seriously, A Prince on Paper turned out being so different from everything I expected to be but…for the better. It was so soft and tender and gentle, the kind of romance books that makes you tear up and want to hold it close to your heart forever, it was so very close to beat A Princess in Theory as my favourite in the series but it didn’t quite do that. It nonetheless got a strong hold on my heart and I adored it with every bit of it.
I feel like I’ve waxed poetry about Alyssa Cole’s writing time and time again because that’s one of the main things that quickly made her climb to the top of my favourite romance authors’ list. So if you want to see me talk about how gorgeous, in turns funny and emotional it is and how the way she threads words together gives her stories a fairytale like vibe, head on to my reviews for both A Princess in Theory and A Duke by Default. A Prince on Paper is written, like its predecessors and a lot of romance books, in dual perspective, starring Nya, Naledi’s cousin from book 1 whom I fell in love with almost instantly, and Johan, who’s Thabiso’s best friend, also from book 1.
Like I said, Nya is a character I fell in love with from her first appearance in A Princess in Theory so imagine my excitement when it was announced that A Prince on Paper would star her. She starts off as a pushover, someone people disregard and base their interactions with her on this image of her as a weakling her abusive father built of her all throughout her life and she’s SICK of not being seen as the woman she is and the person she wants to be. From the start of the book onward though, we see her break out of her shell and bloom into someone who’s self-assured, assertive and honestly just…kick-ass, which are all things she’s always been but that were stifled and crushed under her father’s manipulations and lies. And I loved witnessing that change in her so much. All that happened while she stayed true to her sweet, kind, optimistic self who was honest, and so very open about her feelings, I was in awe.
Speaking of her father. He reminded me so much of mother Gothel (from Rapunzel) and it was honestly terrifying. And fact of the matter is people think that parents (or people in general) like him don’t exist, that it’s exaggerated but the sad truth is that it’s not, they exist and so many people live in similar circumstances to Nya’s and I appreciated how Cole explored the subtle nuances of manipulation and emotional abuse, how it’s fed over years and years, how it can be disguised as love and “doing what’s best for you” when in truth it’s what’s best for them, keeping the people they abuse on a tight leash for whatever they can think of. This also showed that even when you’re abused that doesn’t always negate the love you have for whoever your abuser is and that walking away doesn’t just make that love go away (hence the quote above). It was so hard to read but ultimately amazing, especially seeing Nya free herself of him but still struggle.
Johan has his own set of struggles too. He has this façade of a playboy he carefully crafted for himself to direct attention away from his sibling, the crowned princx when in truth he’s soft and mushy but rarely lets people in because due to his mom dying, he’s been equating love to pain and the solution he found to protect himself is to never let people close enough to risk losing them. He’s a sweet goofball who’s canonically bisexual!! Everyone thinks that all his business (literally) is in the tabloids, but besides hiis carefully crafted image, he was very secretive and protective of his life and the few things he was truly passionate about.
I also loved the exploration of his relationship with his sibling, who is referred to with he/him pronouns for most of the book but then comes out as non-binary towards the end (they/them pronouns). There was an entire side plot dedicate to not only them navigating that relationship but also his sibling figuring out how they want to handle their coming out, and who to come out to as the next monarch of their small country.
Now to my favourite part of the book: Nya and Johan as a couple. I LIVED FOR THEIR INTERACTION. It was shots of love straight to my heart and I couldn’t help but squeal and beam like the fool I am at every interaction of theirs. I loved how both of them were very straight forward about their attraction to each other and later on their feelings, how Johan acknowledged the issues he had to work through and how Nya knew her value and that she deserved better and called him out when he stepped out of line. Their banter is playful and easy with some of the silliest and yet cutest back and forths and situations I’ve ever read in a romance book and that made me heart SWELL!!
Last but not least, being kept in a somewhat of a virtual fortress until her late twenties, Nya is inexperienced in the sex department, although she knows exactly what she likes and how to get it, she has never been with anyone before Johan. So I really, and I mean REALLY, appreciated how slow they took things and how the author made even the most seemingly “tame” scenes sexy and steamy. This woman knows how to write not only her romance but also her smut.
*flailing* *squealing* *swooning* THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD I WANT TO CRY! No but seriously, A Prince on Paper turned out being so different from everything I expected to be but…for the better. It was so soft and tender and gentle, the kind of romance books that makes you tear up and want to hold it close to your heart forever, it was so very close to beat A Princess in Theory as my favourite in the series but it didn’t quite do that. It nonetheless got a strong hold on my heart and I adored it with every bit of it.
I feel like I’ve waxed poetry about Alyssa Cole’s writing time and time again because that’s one of the main things that quickly made her climb to the top of my favourite romance authors’ list. So if you want to see me talk about how gorgeous, in turns funny and emotional it is and how the way she threads words together gives her stories a fairytale like vibe, head on to my reviews for both A Princess in Theory and A Duke by Default. A Prince on Paper is written, like its predecessors and a lot of romance books, in dual perspective, starring Nya, Naledi’s cousin from book 1 whom I fell in love with almost instantly, and Johan, who’s Thabiso’s best friend, also from book 1.
Like I said, Nya is a character I fell in love with from her first appearance in A Princess in Theory so imagine my excitement when it was announced that A Prince on Paper would star her. She starts off as a pushover, someone people disregard and base their interactions with her on this image of her as a weakling her abusive father built of her all throughout her life and she’s SICK of not being seen as the woman she is and the person she wants to be. From the start of the book onward though, we see her break out of her shell and bloom into someone who’s self-assured, assertive and honestly just…kick-ass, which are all things she’s always been but that were stifled and crushed under her father’s manipulations and lies. And I loved witnessing that change in her so much. All that happened while she stayed true to her sweet, kind, optimistic self who was honest, and so very open about her feelings, I was in awe.
Speaking of her father. He reminded me so much of mother Gothel (from Rapunzel) and it was honestly terrifying. And fact of the matter is people think that parents (or people in general) like him don’t exist, that it’s exaggerated but the sad truth is that it’s not, they exist and so many people live in similar circumstances to Nya’s and I appreciated how Cole explored the subtle nuances of manipulation and emotional abuse, how it’s fed over years and years, how it can be disguised as love and “doing what’s best for you” when in truth it’s what’s best for them, keeping the people they abuse on a tight leash for whatever they can think of. This also showed that even when you’re abused that doesn’t always negate the love you have for whoever your abuser is and that walking away doesn’t just make that love go away (hence the quote above). It was so hard to read but ultimately amazing, especially seeing Nya free herself of him but still struggle.
Johan has his own set of struggles too. He has this façade of a playboy he carefully crafted for himself to direct attention away from his sibling, the crowned princx when in truth he’s soft and mushy but rarely lets people in because due to his mom dying, he’s been equating love to pain and the solution he found to protect himself is to never let people close enough to risk losing them. He’s a sweet goofball who’s canonically bisexual!! Everyone thinks that all his business (literally) is in the tabloids, but besides hiis carefully crafted image, he was very secretive and protective of his life and the few things he was truly passionate about.
I also loved the exploration of his relationship with his sibling, who is referred to with he/him pronouns for most of the book but then comes out as non-binary towards the end (they/them pronouns). There was an entire side plot dedicate to not only them navigating that relationship but also his sibling figuring out how they want to handle their coming out, and who to come out to as the next monarch of their small country.
Now to my favourite part of the book: Nya and Johan as a couple. I LIVED FOR THEIR INTERACTION. It was shots of love straight to my heart and I couldn’t help but squeal and beam like the fool I am at every interaction of theirs. I loved how both of them were very straight forward about their attraction to each other and later on their feelings, how Johan acknowledged the issues he had to work through and how Nya knew her value and that she deserved better and called him out when he stepped out of line. Their banter is playful and easy with some of the silliest and yet cutest back and forths and situations I’ve ever read in a romance book and that made me heart SWELL!!
Last but not least, being kept in a somewhat of a virtual fortress until her late twenties, Nya is inexperienced in the sex department, although she knows exactly what she likes and how to get it, she has never been with anyone before Johan. So I really, and I mean REALLY, appreciated how slow they took things and how the author made even the most seemingly “tame” scenes sexy and steamy. This woman knows how to write not only her romance but also her smut.
I think that sums up all I had to say about A Prince on Paper. I read it with Melanie , and that made my reading experience even better because I has her to swoon with and share thoughts with and I couldn’t have asked for a better buddy reading partner ❤
April 29, 2019
Actual rating is 3.5. I had a few issues with the story. I'm sure my issues are due to age.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher.
April 20, 2019
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
*May Contain Spoilers*
A Prince on Paper is the third full-length installment in the Reluctant Royals series and I am not sure if this author plans on more books in this series, but if not I have adored every moment in reading these books and I love the humor and endearing qualities that we have seen in this series. I always get a kick out of a well written royal romance, and man no one does it better than Alyssa Cole. Ever since Duke By Default, I have been so stoked for this story, I loved seeing these two characters in the previous books and I had a delightful time seeing them find their own happily ever after.
A Prince on Paper begins with our heroine, Nya Jerami, who once fled Thesolo, wanting to be free and find herself in the glamour of New York City. But it just didn't work out that way for her. New York City wasn't quite the experience that she was hoping for and now with her cousin and friend having their wedding in Thesolo, she will be going back home and back to the painful memories. But on the plane ride home, she finds herself in a bed with the bad boy prince....Johan von Braustein. There has always been a bit of chemistry between Nya and Johan but with the distance between them, nothing has really cemented between them until they come to close quarters with each other and for the first time Nya is beginning to find herself and see beneath the bad boy exterior that Johan hides behind.
Johan and Nya are both hiding from their pasts. Johan hides from emotion, ever since his mother died he has never been able to open himself up. He hides behind the man the paparazzi knows and to protect his younger brother who is the heir to Liechtienbourg. But secretly he supports multiple charities with his own funds, in a way to honor his mother. But he can't let anyone know the truth, its something he wants to do on his own without any recognition so he can help others without it being tainted by his bad reputation. But Johan has secretly had a love for Nya but hides it until the wedding in Thesolo and he sees a woman of courage and strength that he wants to bring out in the light, a woman who hides a big part of herself. But when they go on a journey together, from the wilds of Thesolo to the city of Liechtienbourg, their love for each other will be revealed and a passion neither of them realized until now...
A Prince on Paper is a beautiful romance that delivers in every way possible. I had such a blast with this book and still debating which book in the series is my favorite but honestly....a Prince on Paper is a good match for the previous two books. I loved it just as much as the previous books and I just devoured this story. There is something that Alyssa Cole does with these books that are so amazing and I can't ever get enough of her writing especially in her contemporary love stories. There is quite a bit that we see happen in this story and boy all the diverse themes that we get introduced to including a surprising character that is a transgender but not quite in the way I have ever seen in a romance gave me all the delightful feels.
The romance between Johan and Nya has a mix of unrequited love, royalty mix, road trip adventure, and fake relationship. We first get to see their interaction when they find themselves in the same bed and boy do sparks fly between these two here. Then we skip to when Nya arrives in Thesolo and all of her friends are there including the couple from "Once Ghosted Twice Shy" so it was fun seeing them again for a brief moment. Then we have Nya having to face up to some painful memories and how her father is still trying to torment her. We get a more in-depth look on the crimes that her father committed against Nya. It's so heartbreaking to see her face up to these memories but also how the people in Thesolo treat her, always talking behind her back as if she committed the crimes too. But we see that Nya was a victim and a survivor. But she is still learning about her own strengths and capabilities and trying to find herself. We see how the bantering that happens between Johan and Nya is what they both really need. You see them both come out of their shells and the covers they hide behind and love seeing this unveiling.
But when Nya agrees to act as the fake fiancee for Johan, they go on an adventure together. I enjoyed seeing Nya and Johan explore their sexuality with each other while trying to act like what they have is just a temporary situation. But both their hearts are becoming involved with the act that they are trying to play and trying to solve the mystery of who is sabotaging the royal family. There was a couple that we did meet that are having marriage problems....would love to see their story for sure!!
There is so much unexpected emotion that I didn't expect and I swear that Alyssa Cole does this on PURPOSE!! I swear she breaks my heart each and every time I pick up one of her books, but in a positive way. I love how much these two are in tune with each other, the ways they bring out the best in each other and always help each other become better. There is so much intimate growth in their relationship that we see happen and this is a delightful development that we see happen between Johan and Nya. I adored every single moment of this novel and was so sad to see it end because I fell head over heels in love with Johan and Nya.
Overall I found A Prince on Paper a delightful fairy tale of true love in the least expected moments, a story of hidden emotion, secret courage and plenty of amusing antics to delight you from head to toe!! A SPARKLING GEM!
*May Contain Spoilers*
A Prince on Paper is the third full-length installment in the Reluctant Royals series and I am not sure if this author plans on more books in this series, but if not I have adored every moment in reading these books and I love the humor and endearing qualities that we have seen in this series. I always get a kick out of a well written royal romance, and man no one does it better than Alyssa Cole. Ever since Duke By Default, I have been so stoked for this story, I loved seeing these two characters in the previous books and I had a delightful time seeing them find their own happily ever after.
A Prince on Paper begins with our heroine, Nya Jerami, who once fled Thesolo, wanting to be free and find herself in the glamour of New York City. But it just didn't work out that way for her. New York City wasn't quite the experience that she was hoping for and now with her cousin and friend having their wedding in Thesolo, she will be going back home and back to the painful memories. But on the plane ride home, she finds herself in a bed with the bad boy prince....Johan von Braustein. There has always been a bit of chemistry between Nya and Johan but with the distance between them, nothing has really cemented between them until they come to close quarters with each other and for the first time Nya is beginning to find herself and see beneath the bad boy exterior that Johan hides behind.
Johan and Nya are both hiding from their pasts. Johan hides from emotion, ever since his mother died he has never been able to open himself up. He hides behind the man the paparazzi knows and to protect his younger brother who is the heir to Liechtienbourg. But secretly he supports multiple charities with his own funds, in a way to honor his mother. But he can't let anyone know the truth, its something he wants to do on his own without any recognition so he can help others without it being tainted by his bad reputation. But Johan has secretly had a love for Nya but hides it until the wedding in Thesolo and he sees a woman of courage and strength that he wants to bring out in the light, a woman who hides a big part of herself. But when they go on a journey together, from the wilds of Thesolo to the city of Liechtienbourg, their love for each other will be revealed and a passion neither of them realized until now...
A Prince on Paper is a beautiful romance that delivers in every way possible. I had such a blast with this book and still debating which book in the series is my favorite but honestly....a Prince on Paper is a good match for the previous two books. I loved it just as much as the previous books and I just devoured this story. There is something that Alyssa Cole does with these books that are so amazing and I can't ever get enough of her writing especially in her contemporary love stories. There is quite a bit that we see happen in this story and boy all the diverse themes that we get introduced to including a surprising character that is a transgender but not quite in the way I have ever seen in a romance gave me all the delightful feels.
When he looked into Nya's eyes. He saw the bait that was laid down for the follish protagonist in every fairy tale. Love. Shelter. Kindness. He saw it and he wanted it--wanted her--even though he knew the bait was inside a cage of eventual despair. Despair seemed worth it, just then.
The romance between Johan and Nya has a mix of unrequited love, royalty mix, road trip adventure, and fake relationship. We first get to see their interaction when they find themselves in the same bed and boy do sparks fly between these two here. Then we skip to when Nya arrives in Thesolo and all of her friends are there including the couple from "Once Ghosted Twice Shy" so it was fun seeing them again for a brief moment. Then we have Nya having to face up to some painful memories and how her father is still trying to torment her. We get a more in-depth look on the crimes that her father committed against Nya. It's so heartbreaking to see her face up to these memories but also how the people in Thesolo treat her, always talking behind her back as if she committed the crimes too. But we see that Nya was a victim and a survivor. But she is still learning about her own strengths and capabilities and trying to find herself. We see how the bantering that happens between Johan and Nya is what they both really need. You see them both come out of their shells and the covers they hide behind and love seeing this unveiling.
But when Nya agrees to act as the fake fiancee for Johan, they go on an adventure together. I enjoyed seeing Nya and Johan explore their sexuality with each other while trying to act like what they have is just a temporary situation. But both their hearts are becoming involved with the act that they are trying to play and trying to solve the mystery of who is sabotaging the royal family. There was a couple that we did meet that are having marriage problems....would love to see their story for sure!!
There is so much unexpected emotion that I didn't expect and I swear that Alyssa Cole does this on PURPOSE!! I swear she breaks my heart each and every time I pick up one of her books, but in a positive way. I love how much these two are in tune with each other, the ways they bring out the best in each other and always help each other become better. There is so much intimate growth in their relationship that we see happen and this is a delightful development that we see happen between Johan and Nya. I adored every single moment of this novel and was so sad to see it end because I fell head over heels in love with Johan and Nya.
Overall I found A Prince on Paper a delightful fairy tale of true love in the least expected moments, a story of hidden emotion, secret courage and plenty of amusing antics to delight you from head to toe!! A SPARKLING GEM!
June 21, 2019
2.5 stars. I liked the main characters, but they fell short of convincing.
I call it quits with Alyssa Cole, and with regret because I like the cast of Recluctant Royals, the topics discussed in the stories, the persiflage, even the human flaws portrayed. I mean, romance with interesting tales and fun moments! Still, I can't seem to fully enjoy her novels.
Definitely it's just me and this is the third book of the series I read, so I'm aware there is something compelling here but I end up feeling mildly irritated while I'm reading the books...what I don't like is the mix of telling over showing, overexplainations, contrived behaviors and a good dose of plain stupidity, particularly on the female leads' part (and I'm partial to the heroines, so it's even more annoying). I guess my problem lies with the execution, which is not terrible but it doesn't work well for me, particularly considering the potential of the idea behind this series.
I love the covers btw, I usually prefer abstract art or, at any rate, no recognizable faces on my books. Instead, here the models reflect the actual couples in the book, that's great.
I call it quits with Alyssa Cole, and with regret because I like the cast of Recluctant Royals, the topics discussed in the stories, the persiflage, even the human flaws portrayed. I mean, romance with interesting tales and fun moments! Still, I can't seem to fully enjoy her novels.
Definitely it's just me and this is the third book of the series I read, so I'm aware there is something compelling here but I end up feeling mildly irritated while I'm reading the books...what I don't like is the mix of telling over showing, overexplainations, contrived behaviors and a good dose of plain stupidity, particularly on the female leads' part (and I'm partial to the heroines, so it's even more annoying). I guess my problem lies with the execution, which is not terrible but it doesn't work well for me, particularly considering the potential of the idea behind this series.
I love the covers btw, I usually prefer abstract art or, at any rate, no recognizable faces on my books. Instead, here the models reflect the actual couples in the book, that's great.
March 11, 2019
getting an arc of this lowkey made me scream.
full review to come.
full review to come.
March 24, 2021
I wanted to love this story. I really did. But I felt burdened by Nya's character. She had so many issues and while normally that would be okay and would help feed the story, I felt that she kept getting in her own way, making this story longer and more tedious than necessary.
She lacked self-esteem and self-confidence, which didn't make her a bad person, but on top of not dealing with her issues, she had no problem dishing out dirt. She was judgmental and rude and had no problem making assumptions based on very little.
I felt bad for Johan and his irresistible attraction to her. He had to put up with A LOT from her and I couldn't watch him do it so I skimmed my way through until the end. Yay, they got a happy for now ending. That's great.
I noticed that the author threw in a twist (who was setting up to sabotage the monarchy) and added some inclusivity, but it didn't take away from what was wrong with this story for me. So great, the main female character was black. Great. And sweet, there's a nonbinary prince. And a bisexual one. Great. Just great. Didn't make up for all the hot mess of Nya. Not even the tepid sexual scenes could warm me up to that girl.
She lacked self-esteem and self-confidence, which didn't make her a bad person, but on top of not dealing with her issues, she had no problem dishing out dirt. She was judgmental and rude and had no problem making assumptions based on very little.
I felt bad for Johan and his irresistible attraction to her. He had to put up with A LOT from her and I couldn't watch him do it so I skimmed my way through until the end. Yay, they got a happy for now ending. That's great.
I noticed that the author threw in a twist (who was setting up to sabotage the monarchy) and added some inclusivity, but it didn't take away from what was wrong with this story for me. So great, the main female character was black. Great. And sweet, there's a nonbinary prince. And a bisexual one. Great. Just great. Didn't make up for all the hot mess of Nya. Not even the tepid sexual scenes could warm me up to that girl.
Shelved as 'dnf-lost-interest'
April 25, 2019I'm putting this down and probably not going back to it.
It's just - the way the prince's bilingualism is written is really awkward and it's making me think about all the things I don't like to think about while reading something that is supposed to be fun
I don't want to think about Complicate Language Feelings while reading romance.
It's just - the way the prince's bilingualism is written is really awkward and it's making me think about all the things I don't like to think about while reading something that is supposed to be fun
I don't want to think about Complicate Language Feelings while reading romance.
June 28, 2020
This series is actual magic! Like, it started as perfection and somehow keeps getting better?!
This is such thoughtful, tender, funny, playful, hot romance! And it so wonderful to see the characters grow & heal so much over the course of the book! Alyssa Cole has a gift for creating fully fleshed characters, navigating complicated challenges (the aftermath of trauma, grief, etc) while keeping the tone of the book light and joyful!
I especially appreciated the casual queerness in this novel! Johan sleeps with folks of all genders, and there is a lovely side plot about a character coming out as non-binary & having a supportive response from their family. Having more stories where queerness is normalized makes my heart so happy.
Representation: Black woman lead, queer male lead (both navigating mental health challenges/trauma healing); non-binary side character.
This is such thoughtful, tender, funny, playful, hot romance! And it so wonderful to see the characters grow & heal so much over the course of the book! Alyssa Cole has a gift for creating fully fleshed characters, navigating complicated challenges (the aftermath of trauma, grief, etc) while keeping the tone of the book light and joyful!
I especially appreciated the casual queerness in this novel! Johan sleeps with folks of all genders, and there is a lovely side plot about a character coming out as non-binary & having a supportive response from their family. Having more stories where queerness is normalized makes my heart so happy.
Representation: Black woman lead, queer male lead (both navigating mental health challenges/trauma healing); non-binary side character.
February 2, 2020
Feb. 2, 2020, review: Reread for The Lusty Intellectuals podcast and because why not? Water is wet. I still love Nya and Johan.
July 4, 2019, review: (I didn't realize this had been marked read already. THANKS, KINDLE!)
Still love this book and this whole series. I keep finding new stuff to love about it with each reread. This go-around got me especially hyped for Shanti and Sanyu's story. We know something wonky is going on between them and I. Want. Details.
May 1, 2019, review: Of course I was going to reread this once it was released. I love, love, love this book. Nya's character development and growth after dealing with a lifetime of her father's mental abuse nearly had me crying. Johan's protectiveness of the things he loves had me melting. I love both these characters so much and they must be protected. <3
I did the audiobook this time around and ... two stars. I don't know if I just really love this story and have sky-high expectations for its performance or if she's just a lackluster narrator. Whatever it is, we don't click.
Original review: Look, y'all, I have been thirsting for this book since last July, when Johan made his splashy appearance in A Duke by Default as Tav's royalty mentor. Portia called him a "fuckboy with a heart of gold" and I fell in love.
The teaser alone checked all my boxes: A sharp-witted rake who plays dumber and flightier than he really is falling for a shy wallflower who's decided she's done fading into the background? Opposites attracting opposites while carrying on a fake relationship? A ROYAL WEDDING? Sign. 👏🏾 Me. 👏🏾 Up. 👏🏾
My expectations for this book were higher than Snoop Dogg at Coachella. And, y'all ... It met them. It exceeded them. I love this book so damn much. I love this ENTIRE SERIES so much. While reading, I kept thinking to myself "Is Alyssa Cole my official Favorite Author now?" She is. I stan this romance writing queen. Let me try and break down how this book killed me without giving anything away.
I love Johan. I love how much he cares for his friends, family and kingdom. I love how much he worries over Lukas. I love how he speaks in a mashup of French and German (I love that I know he'd be offended by that description). I love how often Alyssa Cole describes his hair.
I love Nya SO MUCH. I love how she was working so hard to be her own woman. I love how much stronger and surer of herself she became over the course of the book. I love how she took risks, even though she knew she could get hurt in the end. I love that I know exactly which Dream Daddy she'd go for if she existed in our universe. (Damien. Duh.)
And guys, the romance! Johan was so tender with Nya. Nya was so understanding of the defenses Johan built to protect himself. They were so sweet and supportive of each other. Every time the two of them were alone together, I melted. Nya and Johan have differing levels of expertise. But, it's never awkward or creepy when they come together. It's swoony and sweet and they take such good care of each other. (Okay, so they are a bit awkward at times; but they're also cute, so I forgive them.)
"I wasn't clear if you think I don't want to touch you. Or taste you. I'm not a demigod seeking to grant you your every desire — I'm a man who wants to."
GET IT, NYA!
At the end, everything — the love story, the whole referendum B-plot, the family drama — wraps up nicely. In fact, this book has the strongest ending of the series. (I still wish Portia's parents had gotten the comeuppance they deserved in the second book, but who knows what Reggie's novella will bring.)
I'm so enamored with the universe Alyssa Cole has created and I'm sad that the series has come to an end.
Five stars. Automatic addition to my "favorites" shelf. Definitely worth the wait.
I received a copy of the book from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
July 4, 2019, review: (I didn't realize this had been marked read already. THANKS, KINDLE!)
Still love this book and this whole series. I keep finding new stuff to love about it with each reread. This go-around got me especially hyped for Shanti and Sanyu's story. We know something wonky is going on between them and I. Want. Details.
May 1, 2019, review: Of course I was going to reread this once it was released. I love, love, love this book. Nya's character development and growth after dealing with a lifetime of her father's mental abuse nearly had me crying. Johan's protectiveness of the things he loves had me melting. I love both these characters so much and they must be protected. <3
I did the audiobook this time around and ... two stars. I don't know if I just really love this story and have sky-high expectations for its performance or if she's just a lackluster narrator. Whatever it is, we don't click.
Original review: Look, y'all, I have been thirsting for this book since last July, when Johan made his splashy appearance in A Duke by Default as Tav's royalty mentor. Portia called him a "fuckboy with a heart of gold" and I fell in love.
The teaser alone checked all my boxes: A sharp-witted rake who plays dumber and flightier than he really is falling for a shy wallflower who's decided she's done fading into the background? Opposites attracting opposites while carrying on a fake relationship? A ROYAL WEDDING? Sign. 👏🏾 Me. 👏🏾 Up. 👏🏾
My expectations for this book were higher than Snoop Dogg at Coachella. And, y'all ... It met them. It exceeded them. I love this book so damn much. I love this ENTIRE SERIES so much. While reading, I kept thinking to myself "Is Alyssa Cole my official Favorite Author now?" She is. I stan this romance writing queen. Let me try and break down how this book killed me without giving anything away.
I love Johan. I love how much he cares for his friends, family and kingdom. I love how much he worries over Lukas. I love how he speaks in a mashup of French and German (I love that I know he'd be offended by that description). I love how often Alyssa Cole describes his hair.
I love Nya SO MUCH. I love how she was working so hard to be her own woman. I love how much stronger and surer of herself she became over the course of the book. I love how she took risks, even though she knew she could get hurt in the end. I love that I know exactly which Dream Daddy she'd go for if she existed in our universe. (Damien. Duh.)
And guys, the romance! Johan was so tender with Nya. Nya was so understanding of the defenses Johan built to protect himself. They were so sweet and supportive of each other. Every time the two of them were alone together, I melted. Nya and Johan have differing levels of expertise. But, it's never awkward or creepy when they come together. It's swoony and sweet and they take such good care of each other. (Okay, so they are a bit awkward at times; but they're also cute, so I forgive them.)
"I wasn't clear if you think I don't want to touch you. Or taste you. I'm not a demigod seeking to grant you your every desire — I'm a man who wants to."
GET IT, NYA!
At the end, everything — the love story, the whole referendum B-plot, the family drama — wraps up nicely. In fact, this book has the strongest ending of the series. (I still wish Portia's parents had gotten the comeuppance they deserved in the second book, but who knows what Reggie's novella will bring.)
I'm so enamored with the universe Alyssa Cole has created and I'm sad that the series has come to an end.
Five stars. Automatic addition to my "favorites" shelf. Definitely worth the wait.
I received a copy of the book from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
June 10, 2019
I adore Nya, and her love of dating sims. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen them portrayed in a Western book. I love how the book digs deep into her father’s gaslighting and abuse of her without making him a two dimensional villain.
Johan is my kryptonite. Handsome playboy with a heart of gold AND A TEDDYBEAR! How dare? On paper he fits the rich, snarky, alpha male trope, but here he’s given dimension and complexity, and a healthy respect for consent. Thank the gods! Oh did I mention HE’S BISEXUAL?!?
Grief, anxiety, and fear are big themes in this book. They’re handled with compassion and understanding, even when they drive people to do foolish and hurtful things.
Every time I expected characters to zig they zagged, nothing was predictable (besides the HEA, that is still hard won). This includes the incursion of a non-binary character that reduced me to tears with how respectfully and lovingly their arch and portray was handled.
This series just gets better and better with each book. My heart is so full and happy. 😍😭
Johan is my kryptonite. Handsome playboy with a heart of gold AND A TEDDYBEAR! How dare? On paper he fits the rich, snarky, alpha male trope, but here he’s given dimension and complexity, and a healthy respect for consent. Thank the gods! Oh did I mention HE’S BISEXUAL?!?
Grief, anxiety, and fear are big themes in this book. They’re handled with compassion and understanding, even when they drive people to do foolish and hurtful things.
Every time I expected characters to zig they zagged, nothing was predictable (besides the HEA, that is still hard won). This includes the incursion of a non-binary character that reduced me to tears with how respectfully and lovingly their arch and portray was handled.
This series just gets better and better with each book. My heart is so full and happy. 😍😭
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