In Search of a Prince - by Toni Shiloh

In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh is a stand-alone novel. When Brielle Bayo learns that she is a princess, she travels to the island off the coast of Africa to meet her grandfather. Will she accept her royal responsibilities or abdicate the throne? This is the story of Brielle’s struggle to make a decision regarding her life as a royal. The storyline was very predictable. It had the feel of a movie from a few years ago. The names were hard to pronounce. I did like the character of Iris. She was a great supporting friend. The romance was a little rushed but very sweet. If you’re in the mood for a little royal intrigue then this is definitely the story for you! I received this book from the publisher for my honest review.

OK, before I start—can I just swoon (and maybe drool a little) over this cover and the dress, oh my, how beautiful!! Brielle Adebayo is shocked and taken aback when her mother reveals to her that she is really a princess of the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa. Not only that, but her grandfather is gravely ill, and she has to immediately assume the duties of her position, despite the fact that she has neither been to nor heard of the island before. It's simple to empathize with her and put oneself in her place. Realistically, anyone would be nonplussed and unnerved if they were asked to do what Brielle was asked to do. Yet, Brielle leaps in with both feet, eager to take on the challenge, but only after spending time in prayer. As Brielle's best friend, accountability partner and prayer buddy, Iris is the ideal confidante and ally. It was deeply moving to observe their mutual kindness, love and mercy toward each other. I loved reading about their interactions, chiding and teasing. Shiloh crafts an extraordinary novel with brilliant plot and character development, as well as a powerful topic of faith and the perfect blend of obscuration and intrigue. She has created an island that is chimerically too good to be true, and the plot fits the backdrop. Ọlọrọ Ilé is a beautifully transcendent, magical island with a lot to offer. I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Brielle is a twenty-five-year-old New Yorker whose mother has just reveled shocking news. Brielle is royalty, and the princess of an island country off the coast of Africa. Her grandfather, the king, is dying but wants to meet her as soon as possible--and hopes she will take over as the reigning monarch after he dies. Shortly after learning this secret, Brielle is transported by private plane to the palace, and her grandfather. Brielle is given very little time to decide if she wants to accept the monarchy. After that decision, Brielle is informed that she can't be queen unless she marries, and the Royal Council has three men they want her to pick from. Can Brielle marry a man she has just met, especially one hand-picked by a group that doesn't like her? All Brielle's life she has dreamed of a wonderful courtship between herself and her future fiancé, can she let that go? Brielle had a happy life before royalty entered the picture, will she abdicate, and return to her New York life? Additionally, Brielle has been getting poison pen notes, and her palace room has been vandalized more than once. Who is behind it, and how could it happen right under the noses of the palace guards? I loved that God and prayer played a big part in this story. This page turning tale will keep you reading until you find the answers. I recommend this five-star book to fans of fish-out-of-water tales, sprinkled with romance! Bethany House Publishers has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, In Search of Prince, for the purpose of review.

3.5 stars "You are Brielle Eden Adebayo, daughter of Prince Naade Tayo Adebayo, and heir to the throne of Oloro Ile." She's who??? To say that Brielle Adebayo is stunned to learn of her true heritage is a massive understatement; even more shocking is the fact that her mother kept something this monumental a secret for so many years. Brielle woke up one morning as an ordinary middle school teacher and finished her day as the princess of an entire African kingdom. Who does that? It appears that Brielle and her best friend Iris have a road trip on their horizon . . . . or in actuality, an international flight. Meeting her grandfather for the first time, Brielle is both humbled and saddened; sad because the king's health is failing so quickly, and humbled because his fragility puts Brielle in the precarious position of fast tracking her decision on whether or not to accept or reject the throne. Would the royal council even consider approving an American woman who does not even speak their language yet or know anything about their culture? And then . . . . . there is the matter of an historic edit requiring Brielle to marry before assuming the thrown. God help her! Admittedly, the story seemed so much like a modern day fairy tale that eventually I realized that of course, it was. Thankfully a mighty river of rich spiritual depth flows underneath the "boy meets girl", and the "happily ever after" elements of this entertaining novel. Every decision is preceded by prayer and each person is treated with kindness and respect even when it was hard. And mistakes? Not easily forgotten, but genuinely forgiven. And friendship? What a gift. Drum roll please . . . . . then along comes a most unexpected blessing, just who a princess-want-to-be needs, but not necessarily what the traditional royals deem appropriate. However, there is this, " . . . . I do believe I love you more than ice cream". I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh is a beautifully written story about one woman following the unexpected path God has placed before her. The setting of the story is well painted, the tropical beauties are easily envisioned. And the food! Oh, I would love to try some of the seafood! I really enjoyed Brielle's character. There is an immense amount of growth for her in these pages, but I loved her absolute faith in God and her willingness to let His will guide her path. It was refreshing to see such a prominent spiritual theme as most of the country also holds Bri's faith. Mori is quite the swoon-worthy hero. Not only was he handsome and strong, but he had such a tender heart. The way he encouraged Brielle from their first meeting had me cheering for him the whole time. Overall, I enjoyed stepping into this life-changing experience with Brielle. I loved learning the culture, the government, and the people. And watching Brielle interact with others with her faith, warmed my heart over and over. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

25 year old Brielle Bayo is content with her life as a middle school teacher in New York City, when suddenly it is revealed to her that she is actually a princess in a country halfway around the world. Next thing she knows she is juggling royal duties, court intrigue and searching for a husband! A modern day fairy tale full of faith, friendship, family and romance. Brielle is shocked to find out that she is a princess in a foreign country, but is excited to learn more about her deceased father and the rich history of the land of his birth. I admired Bri for standing up for herself, and being open to the possibilities around her. Iris is an amazing friend and an excellent cheerleader, she has an infectious energy about her. Iris is passionate about her dreams and has a big heart for others. This is a enjoyable read, with a sweet romance and a fun plot. I loved the interaction between Mori and Bri as they get to know each other, as well as how they are both strong in their faith. I think that the author did an excellent job of bringing to life the diverse and fictional kingdom of Oloro Ile, along with the intrigues and politics. But most of all I loved how Brielle was a strong, intelligent woman of faith, open to learning new things and gracefully navigating difficult situations. Excellent for fans of fairy tale romance, with characters you can cheer for. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Brielle is a twenty-five year old American whose mother gives her news that changes her life. The father who died before she was born was a prince of a small African island country. Her grandfather, the king, is dying and wants Bri to assume her position as heir to the throne. Bri, accompanied by her best friend Iris, is happy to meet her grandfather but overwhelmed by the expectations. She has so many important decisions to make. I was impressed that she spent so much time in prayer before making these decisions. As things progress, she is required to marry. This was unexpected but I liked the way that was resolved and really liked the man who became her prince. There is a bit of a mystery and a bit of danger. My suspicions were confirmed but I was rather sad to be correct. I really enjoyed this romance and would be happy if this is the beginning of a series. I'd love to see Iris find love. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Brielle is really a princess, what most girls dream of finding out, but not her, she had been content to just be a middle school civics teacher. When her mother tells her she must go to Oloro I'll and take her place as princess because her grandfather's health is failing, she becomes distraught. Why hadn't her mother taken the time to mention the little fact that she was a princess to her before now? In order to take the throne after her grandfather's passing she must get married, to a perfect stranger to keep her place. Will she do it? As she goes about making this decision she knows she will only make the correct one with a lot of prayer about what to do? Take the crown or not? Marry a stranger or not? Only God can show her where she needs to be. Disclaimer:I received an advance copy of this from the publisher. I only had to give an honest review of what I thought of the book. I loved it by golly.

Wow!! I loved this story! I’ve always loved Royal or Fairy Tale like stories, but this one has surpassed others, because of the deepness of the plot and the characters. It was also heartwarming and very enjoyable. The characters were so relatable and endearing, and the story, even if the theme was Fairy Tale-ish (a normal girl who turns into a Princess Heiress to the Throne), felt realistic and plausible. Brielle is a common girl who works as a teacher in NYC, she has African ancestry, but her father died before she was born and she knows nothing of her paternal family. Her mother is a prestigious doctor and lately has little time for her, but she’s an adult now at her 25 years, and couldn’t ever dream her life was about to change drastically in a couple of minutes because of the news her mother was about to give her: Brielle is the heir to the throne of an East African Island named Oloro Ilé. The King is her paternal grandfather and he is dying; he has been told he may have six months left, so he wants to meet his granddaughter and see if she’s capable and wants to accept the role of new ruler of this African Kingdom. Imagine how that kind of news can rock your life in just a moment. Brielle experiences all kind of feelings: hurt and anger at her mother for hiding this from her, excitement to get to know her grandfather and her ancestral country and people, fear of the future and about her capability to be a Queen to an unknown Kingdom and culture. The great thing is that she is allowed to go with Iris, her best friend, who was like a rock to her, always supporting her and with good Godly advice to give, and a fun person to be with too. She was one of my favorite side characters, along with the King. The King is a wise, man of God, who knows he has made his mistakes and has been forgiven by God. He wants to make the most of his last days with his granddaughter, and help her find out If she really wants to be his successor to the throne. Things get complicated, because there are all kinds if opinion with the Royal Council, and an old edict emerges which states that in order for the coronation to take place, Brielle has to marry. As her grandfather’s health declines, how can she find the person that will be by her side forever and help her rule as a Queen. What if she chooses the wrong person? There’s a strong faith thread throughout the story about trusting God and putting your life in His hands and let Him guide you. Brielle had to constantly be reminded of that, but I liked how she grew in trust in God as the story progressed. And the theme about the importance of family bonds and forgiveness. The hero was fantastic. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but I fell for him too. He was a great and kind man. The one she needed to be her rock in her new role. The romance was sweet and clean. The book had unique twists that kept me engaged the whole time. I had a hard time putting it down! I totally recommend this story! Deep, compelling, engaging and inspiring! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

"I had to let my heart and mind meet and have faith in God's calling." The sweet and lovely book cover definitely matches the beautiful story of finding home and love in this newest offering from Toni Shiloh. Set on a fictional island off the western coast of Africa, the atmosphere is delightful, the culture and language engaging, and the struggles of a small monarchy trying to catch up to the 21st century while maintaining its heritage and historical dignity are palpable. It has hints of Princess Diaries, Bachelorette, and Coming to America (except in reverse of going to Africa) and has great fun moments but serious moments as well when addressing poverty, slavery, women's rights, and grief. A bit of mystery, suspense, and plot twist also is thrown in when Bri's presence and position are threatened. Since it's narrated purely in first person from Bri's eyes, it is easy to fall in love with her sweet, tender, and loving nature. Tomori, though, really stole the show. He is such an honorable, noble, kind, thoughtful man dedicated to Bri and her well-being. His support of her brought tears to my eyes. Their relationship is slow and steady and so so romantic. Every one of their interactions made me smile from the sheer joy and cuteness of it all. If you're looking for a fun contemporary romance to take you away for a few hours, this is it. I received the book via JustRead Publicity Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

Oh my stars! What a gorgeously amazing story! I’ve been a super fan of Toni Shiloh’s books for years, and I have been eagerly anticipating this book since I first heard she was writing a princess story, and wow it was even better than I expected! Brielle was an amazing heroine, I loved her and felt like we became friends! And, no spoilers, but let me just say that I fell totally head over heels in love with the hero! He’s the best! This book has a great cast of supporting characters. I loved them all, but I especially loved the King, Brielle’s grandfather, such a wise and wonderful character, it seemed like every time he was on the page he said something that made me smile and that was inspiring and encouraging to me. I read this book over a couple of bitterly cold winter days here in Vermont, so it was lovely to get to armchair travel to the tropical African climate of beautiful Oloro Ile through this book! I love that this book is written in first person, my personal favorite POV! The faith story touched my heart and is one of my favorite parts of the book! In Search of a Prince is a magnificent, engaging royalty romance that will sweep you away and leave a lasting impression on your heart! I loved everything about In Search of a Prince and most highly recommend it! I cannot wait to read Iris’s story, I loved her in this book! I received a complimentary copy of this book. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

This book was so good! I was completely enveloped in this story from start to finish! Brielle, along with her friends and family, pulled me in and kept me flipping pages in an effort to find out what would happen next and how everything would turn out! The setting was amazing and I really felt like I was taking a trip to a tropical paradise with the characters. I fell in love with Bri’s grandfather, the king, right alongside our heroine and one aspect I really loved was the close friendship between Brielle and Iris and their shared faith that made it so much stronger. Reminiscent of Princess Diaries, this book was a blast! I really came to care for the characters and could almost feel the things they were going through myself, as I read. Author Toni Shiloh did an awesome job of making this story and its characters relatable on so many levels and I am astounded! I really enjoyed this novel and am very happy to have gotten to read In Search of a Prince as my debut into this author’s work!

With a sweep of her magical pen, new-to-me author, Toni Shiloh, takes us on an enchanting journey to the beautiful island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa—with its sandy beaches, exotic food, and aromatic floral scents mixed with coconuts hanging from the trees! This story has a lovely ethereal, fairytale-like aura to it, but is so much deeper than that. Royal edicts concerning women as rulers, arranged marriages, and evil, power hungry people all play a part in this well-written tale of angst and uncertainty in the life of a lovely, young school teacher suddenly thrust into the surreal world of nobility. 'In Search of a Prince' is a lovely novel filled with faith, romance, and a touch of mystery I highly recommend! *I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*

I have read several books by Toni Shiloh. The first thing that attracted me to this particular Toni Shiloh book was the beautiful cover. I also really like the main character’s name, Brielle. I stumbled a little with the other language that was included though I was happy there was a dictionary of what the words meant at the end. However, this did not takeaway from the story at all. In the beginning of the novel, Brielle finds out that her mother left out a huge detail when telling her about her father and his family. During the book, you follow Brielle’s transition from ordinary American citizen to African princess. I think the author did a great job in making Brielle relatable. The way she reacted to the secret she learns to me seemed the same as the way I would have reacted. She does not automatically decide that she wants to be a princess instead she is more concerned with getting to know her father’s family. I really appreciated this about her. I felt like this story could really teach some good life lessons and I really enjoyed reading it. Another thing that drew me into the story was the friendship between Brielle and Iris. I really liked their conversations and interactions. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in order to give an honest review.