In Search of a Prince (2022)

About the Book

Book: In Search of a Prince

Author: Toni Shiloh

Genre: Contemporary Romance; Christian Romance

Release Date: February 1, 2022

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells–Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing.

Distraught by her mother’s betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council’s list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.

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My Thoughts

In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh is a lovely Contemporary Romance. I loved every minute of this story. This was another book I never wanted to put down. There is so much to love about this story, but if I had to narrow it down to a few of my favorite things it would be the characters, the setting, and the depth. I’ll begin with the characters.

Brielle is wonderful and so relatable. I appreciate just how overwhelmed and stressed and confused and uncertain she is throughout most of the storyline. It’s so realistic. If someone told me I was a princess and I needed to leave my home state of CA and move to a foreign land I’ve never heard of and become their Queen, I’d laugh out loud at the absurdity and then run away. And Brielle has that moment. But she is tough and strong and courageous. So, she only runs away for a minute before she makes the right decision and becomes the woman God wants her to be. And this is my most favorite aspect to Brielle’s character — she loves God with her whole heart. It is very clear that God comes first in Brielle’s life. I found Brielle’s character to be very encouraging and a great illustration of what it means to be a woman after God’s own heart. Then there’s Tomori. Ladies, he is AMAZING! Shiloh’s leading man illustrates precisely what it means to be a hero. First, like Brielle, he loves God with all his heart. His foundation is solid. This leads to his excellent character. Mori is one of the best men I have ever seen illustrated in a novel. He’s the kind of guy you want to be around because he speaks the truth, he is kind and considerate, and he notices the important details. He is the perfect hero to Brielle’s heroine.

The setting of In Search of a Prince is breathtaking and magical. Shiloh does such a perfect job creating the setting that it becomes a character in and of itself. Ọlọrọ Ilé is so rich in culture and beauty. My mouth watered at all the food descriptions. I want recipes!!! I love the cadence of the Oloran language — I appreciate that Shiloh helps the reader pronounce words as Brielle learns them. I felt like I was learning right along with her. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the landscape, too. I could picture the beautiful sandy beaches and smell the fresh ocean breezes. And the colors! This is one of the most vibrant stories I’ve ever read. I so badly want to pack a bag and hop a plane to vacay in Ọlọrọ Ilé!

Finally, I love the depth of this story. I get nervous when I see a book that is compared to a cutesy movie or Romance novel. I’ve heard many compare In Search of a Prince to The Princess Diaries. There is nothing wrong with The Princess Diaries. I read all the books and have seen all the movies multiple times. But I don’t consider The Princess Diaries deep reading. Is In Search of a Prince a princess story? Yes. Is it FULL of depth and complexity? Absolutely. This is a story a reader can sink her teeth into. It’s a story that forces the reader to wrestle with some things emotionally, and I LOVED every minute. I believe this book would make for an excellent book club selection because there is SO much to talk about. I know this review is pretty long, but I haven’t even covered 1/4 of what I could have if given the opportunity.

Whew! I know this review is extensive, and if you’ve read this far, I thank you. In all honesty, In Search of a Prince is a wonderful story that I HIGHLY recommend. If you are in the mood for an excellently crafted Contemporary Romance filled with timely themes, then this is definitely the book for you!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Bethany House Publishing, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.