A Princess in Theory

December 11, 2017
A delightful premise enlivens this opener of Cole’s Reluctant Royals series. Naledi Smith, a New Yorker and epidemiology grad student, is busy with her lab work, her numerous jobs, her lazy boss, and her drunken best friend. She has no time to entertain the ramblings of an email stalker who keeps claiming Naledi is the missing betrothed to the prince of a country she’s never heard of. When Prince Thabiso of Thesolo learns the whereabouts of Naledi—thanks to his charming, intelligent assistant, Likotsi, who steals the show more than once—he sets out to bring her back to their homeland, but is surprised to learn that she has no memory of him or her life in Thesolo. He’s spent years dreaming about reuniting with her, so when she mistakes him for a new hire, he slides into the role, seeing it as the perfect cover so he can get to know her. Soon they build a strong emotional bond and intense physical attraction. Naledi has trust issues, so when she finds out the truth of Thabiso’s identity, the betrayal cuts deep. After a strong start, the ending falters, but the chemistry between the lovers makes up for that slight disappointment.

Starred review from February 15, 2018

There is no way that savvy public health grad student Naledi Smith is going to fall for an email stating that she is the long-lost fiancee of a prince from some remote African nation. But it's not a scam, and Thabiso, the crown prince of Thesolo, is in dire need of his mate. So when he comes to New York to confront Ledi, and she mistakes him for an ordinary guy (aka Jamal), he seizes the opportunity to get to know her on nonroyal terms--a decision that has a surfeit of unexpected and not always welcome results. Well-drawn, likable protagonists clash beautifully in a story enhanced by old antagonisms, a mysterious epidemic, a jealous villain, and descriptions of a fictitious country so vivid that readers will be tempted to book reservations. VERDICT Upbeat, sexy, and totally engrossing, this fast-paced modern romp puts an intriguing spin on the classic long-lost-heiress plot and launches the series in style. Cole (A Hope Divided) divides her time between the Caribbean and New York City. [Previewed in Joyce Sparrow's "Love Is All Around," LJ 10/15/17.]

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Starred review from February 1, 2018
Cole makes her Avon debut with a romance that draws on familiar genre tropes only to upend them.An arranged marriage, a mistaken identity, and a handsome prince from an imaginary country are just a few common tropes in the first book in Cole's (An Extraordinary Union, 2017, etc.) Reluctant Royals series. But with ironic nods to Disney and Mills & Boon, Cole gives 21st-century twists. Naledi, a graduate student in epidemiology, juggles lab work, a waitressing job, and a drunken mess of a best friend. Being raised in foster homes has given her the toughness she needs to succeed as a black woman in an often hostile world but also a vulnerability. Naledi hasn't been lucky in love, and she wonders whether she's "like a faulty piece of Velcro; people tried to stick to her, but there was something intrinsically wrong in her design." When she gets an email addressing her as the long-lost betrothed of Prince Thabiso of the small (fictional) African country of Thesolo, Naledi hits delete. Little does she realize that the incompetent new waiter she's been trying to train is, in fact, the "Playboy PanAfrique," come to New York to check out his intended. Thabiso insinuates himself into Naledi's life, and they become friends and, soon after, lovers. Thabiso's big ego and sense of entitlement are tempered by his exposure to working-class realities, while Naledi discovers how wonderful it can be to open up and connect. Of course, catastrophe is just around the corner, and its resolution comes only after they journey to Thesolo, where Naledi can discover her roots while at the same time working to stop an outbreak of a mysterious disease.A delightful and sexy take on love between a suave African prince and a nerdy epidemiology student.

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