I’m happy to be sharing a review today of Toni Shiloh’s In Search of a Prince, her first novel published with Bethany House. This one features a marriage of convenience trope mashed up with a royalty theme — a winning combination :).
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.
In Search of a Prince is a delightful fairy-tale esque story that doesn’t shy away from life’s difficulties & the strength that comes from faith in God. Fans of The Princess Diaries movies (1 & 2!) will like the similar situation Brielle finds herself in, as a surprise heir to a throne with the added pressure of finding a suitable husband while under pressure from all sides.
Shiloh has created a detailed setting that is both idyllic and tropical with believable political and social structure with the fictional Ọlọrọ Ilé, Africa. As Brielle navigates this new-to-her environment, she learns more about herself and how to rely on God’s strength and guidance to make decisions. I think I loved the themes of faith and trust in God’s ultimate plan the most because they seem so natural to the characters and inherent in their lives.
This story balances stately glamour, hints of humor, and God-ordained life roles. Brielle is a character to root for — especially as she experiences a romance in the most unexpected of times in her life. I enjoyed the side characters of the story, especially the levity and fun Iris brings to the page. I am looking forward to Shiloh’s follow up novel featuring Iris as the heroine!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.
The Green Mockingbird 