A PRINCESS IN THEORY
(Reluctant Royals #1)
Alyssa Cole
BLURB
From acclaimed author Alyssa Cole comes the tale of a city Cinderella and her Prince Charming in disguise . . .
Between grad school and multiple jobs, Naledi Smith doesn’t have time for fairy tales…or patience for the constant e-mails claiming she’s betrothed to an African prince. Sure. Right. Delete! As a former foster kid, she’s learned that the only things she can depend on are herself and the scientific method, and a silly e-mail won’t convince her otherwise.
Prince Thabiso is the sole heir to the throne of Thesolo, shouldering the hopes of his parents and his people. At the top of their list? His marriage. Ever dutiful, he tracks down his missing betrothed. When Naledi mistakes the prince for a pauper, Thabiso can’t resist the chance to experience life—and love—without the burden of his crown.
The chemistry between them is instant and irresistible, and flirty friendship quickly evolves into passionate nights. But when the truth is revealed, can a princess in theory become a princess ever after?
Selected as one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2018!
★★★★
A fantastic story about an African prince, Thabiso, who as a child was betrothed to Naledi. Her parents took her away from there when she was a child to live in America. Now both of them are adults and the time has come for Thabiso to get married.
Prince Thabiso’s staff have found his betrothed through one of those ancestry DNA testings. What they’ve figured out so far is she is living in NYC where she is working and going to college. Since Prince Thabiso has work to attend to in NYC he sets out to find her.
Naledi has grown up in NYC where she was raised through the foster care system since her parents were killed when she was young. Ledi can’t remember her parents or anything else about her life prior to the foster care system. Ledi is a determined woman who has raised above her situation by attending college and is currently in grad school as an epidemiologist. Plus she works a couple of jobs to afford her bills. I really enjoyed her character because she was a woman who paved her own way.
I love their ‘meet cute.’ Ledi is working as a server for a fancy function and she mistakes Thabiso as the new hire. Her being clueless to who he is was fun because she puts him right to work. He has no clue how to do manual labor. He’s grown up being waited on. That upbringing has made him into an arrogant man who thinks the world revolves around him. Which to be fair, in his homeland, that is true – he is the sole heir to the kingdom and people are there to wait on him. It was entertaining watching him change his tune as he adapts to trying to win Ledi’s heart.
The Princess in Theory is the first book in the ‘Reluctant Royals Series’. It’s a modern day fairytale. One where an arrogant prince is enlightened on the ways of a woman who was not raised to meet his needs. Our heroine learns about her lost family and country that she can’t remember since her family moved her away when she was a young child. If you like reading about royal families than make sure to check out this book. This was my first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last. I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator. I’m looking forward to more by this author and narrator.
