Book reviews are subjective. I tend to rate books not according to how “perfect” they are, seem to be, or are said to be in general but rather to how perfect they are to me. Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While she’s enjoying her life as her mother’s only daughter and being a teacher in New York, Brielle receives the shocking news that she’s the granddaughter of the king of Ọlọrọ Ilé, a nation in Africa. Due to the king’s failing health, Brielle is faced with the choice to leave the life she knows and to accept her position as heir to the throne. But because she must marry before her coronation, she’ll have to go…In Search of a Prince by author Toni Shiloh.
Well! As I suspected would happen before I was halfway through this ChristFic novel, I can now say this is my new favorite book by this author.
Although I realize why the novel is published under the contemporary romance genre, romance isn’t the main focus through much of this read. It’s about everything that comes with Brielle’s life change and royal heritage, including the history of her (fictional) country of origin and the political elements and dash of intrigue, the social and economic issues, and the dynamics of Brielle’s family—with the romantic aspects of the story eventually coming more into play.
And there’s more than one kind of love story, here. Brielle’s new, growing relationship with her grandfather is a touching one.
Now, there was a hitch in the reading for me as the plot dealt with a question involving misogynistic policy, Brielle’s freedom, the good of her country, and God’s will. In a nutshell, I don’t believe that opposing an unjust governmental decree, especially concerning something as major and permanent as the institution of marriage, would be an act of selfishness or make it impossible to show one’s love for God. But I needn’t unpack all of that now.
Overall, I enjoyed watching Brielle come into her own, and one of her strongest scenes had me saying, “Get it, girl!” (Yup. Out loud.) And did I mention that absolutely GAWgeous book cover?
Prismatic Prospects 