How to Find a Princess

April 5, 2021
Leaving behind the angstier drama of How to Catch a Queen, Cole juggles the conventions of romantic comedy, fairy tale, and social satire in her heartwarming second Runaway Royals romance. When Makeda Hicks loses her job and her girlfriend in one day, it sends the insecure people pleaser into an emotional tailspin. So when quirky, scene-stealing investigator Beznaria “Bez” Chetchevaliere shows up hoping to discuss Makeda’s long-disputed royal roots—the stuff of Hicks family legend—the usually compliant Makeda finally flashes her claws. But with an overdue debt threatening the future of her family’s B&B, Makeda can’t refuse the bounty Bez offers in exchange for her traveling to the multicultural Mediterranean island nation of Ibarania as a potential heir to the throne. Mistaken identities, puns, and wordplay abound as the recalcitrance of Bez’s boss, “Lord Higginshoggins of Hogginshiggins, Director General of the World Federation of Monarchists,” lands the warring women on a two-week ocean voyage to Ibarania and requires them to play newlyweds for free passage. Though some abrupt emotional shifts may give readers whiplash, Cole convincingly demonstrates why fake relationships and forced proximity remain rom-com staples: on neutral ground, within clear boundaries they set together, guards fall, and chemistry takes flight. This is a charmer. Agent: Lucienne Diver, the Knight Agency.

April 15, 2021
Atlantic City native Makeda Hicks feels more like a doormat than a missing princess from an ancient island kingdom. She repeatedly rebuffs the willful and attractive investigator, Beznaria Chetchevalier, who is on a mission to restore Makeda to the Ibaranian throne. Makeda's family is convinced that she is a royal descendant, but only a DNA test will prove her lineage and help solve their pressing financial problems. Forces are at work to prevent Bez from fulfilling her duty, causing her to justify lying to the woman she swore to protect, which leads to a voyage across a stormy sea via cargo ship while pretending to be married. Sadly, their romance is lost within a convoluted plot that ends too quickly with a surprise twist. Unlike her previous novels featuring long-lost African royalty, the second installment in Cole's Runaway Royals series, following How to Catch a Queen (2020), doesn't quite live up to the promise of its "queer Anastasia retelling" premise, but fans will still enjoy the world building and look forward to the series finale featuring Prince Anzam Khandrol of Druk.

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April 16, 2021

For her whole life, Makeda Hicks has heard that she's the descendant of the infamous pirate queen of Ibarania, but she has no interest in being a princess. Beznaria Chetchevaliere, a neurodivergent junior investigator from the World Federation of Monarchists, wants to restore her family's lost honor; her grandmother was guarding Queen Aazi when the royal disappeared. Makeda and Beznaria find themselves at odds in this contemporary queer retelling of the life of Anastasia, the Romanov princess. Makeda has just lost her job, she owes money on a loan she cosigned with an ex, and her grandmother is in danger of losing her bed-and-breakfast. If Makeda were proven to be the lost heir to Ibarania's throne, the accompanying royal riches would solve a lot of problems, but she has seen how her mother was destroyed by her own dreams of being royal. Makeda reluctantly agrees to accompany Beznaria to Ibarania, but privately vows she'll never take the throne. The story features a fake marriage, abrasive but lovable matriarchs, and a two-week ocean crossing on a cargo ship. This is the second book in the "Runaway Royals" series (after How To Catch a Queen), but it can be read as a standalone. VERDICT Cole's humorous and delightful romance is perfect for those looking for a fun read with a memorable cast of characters and neurodivergent representation, whether the reader is new to Cole's work or an established fan.--Claudia Berger, New York, NY

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2021
The tale of Anastasia Romanov receives a fresh retelling in this queer love story between a potential princess and the investigator who must unearth the truth of her identity. Makeda Hicks' life arguably couldn't get any worse. Not only has she lost her job, but her longtime girlfriend has also just dumped her. Moving in with her grandmother and helping out at their family-owned bed-and-breakfast might be just what she needs to reset her life--until an investigator from the World Federation of Monarchies comes knocking. Beznaria Chetchevaliere has made it her personal mission to seek out the long-lost heir to the Ibaranian throne, and she thinks Makeda is the one she's been searching for--only Makeda's unconvinced, until she realizes accepting her possible birthright could have a financial benefit that would save her grandmother from going into debt. A long, closed-quarters journey on the high seas ensues, with everything from the improvisation of a fake marriage to the promise of only one bed for Makeda and Bez to share, and over the course of their trip, the two women come to the realization that they want their future to be together even if responsibility demands they stay apart. Cole's characters are delightful, and her prose brims with humor and sexy, romantic tension. Though the ending feels a bit abrupt, readers looking for another delightful romance from Cole will be well served by this charming tale. An effervescent queer romance that challenges the institutions of monarchy and marriage.

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