Hullo, friends!
I've a new review for you today. And this one has ALL the feel of a Princess Diaries story. :D
Set in AFRICA.
Yes!
Read on! --->
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Toni Shiloh
Bethany House Publishers | February 1st, 2022
Christian Fiction, Clean Romance
Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells--Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing.
Distraught by her mother's betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council's list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.
Distraught by her mother's betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council's list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.
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I was provided with a complimentary copy for my honest review.
WARNING: Possible Spoilers!
THE BASICS
As mentioned above, this had so much of the Princess Diaries vibe---which I've always LOVED---but with a twist as to the setting (an island off the coast of Africa) and the MC's difference in age (25 years as opposed to Mia's high school age).
Brielle is a sweetheart, and it showed in her compassion for people in general. She's an 8th grade civics teacher, until her mother bombs her with the history of her heritage & the father she never knew. And life spirals into two different worlds from there on out. At her mother's news, she reacts in anger & hurt, basically shunning her mom for keeping such a life-altering secret. To a degree, I can understand the anger (and, SPOILER, they do make up & find forgiveness for one another), but admire the patience, grace, & space that her mother gives her---granted the secret should never have existed to begin with, but we discover her mother had some deep-rooted issues of her own to work through.
Anyway, the characters are sweet, lovable, & flawed, but oh so relatable. And through every joy & trial Brielle faces, she learns to rely FULLY on her faith in God to see her through.
VIOLENCE
A young man is known to have drowned in a boating accident 25 years ago.
An elderly man slowly succumbs to terminal cancer: his body continually weakens as the days & weeks pass; he's prone to unstoppable coughing fits, has to have an oxygen tank, and endures at least one body seizure.
A tour at a museum shares the history of slavery over the native people of Ȯlȯrȯ by the French; there's talk of the "oppression of Blacks" in various countries, and the "fact [her] father was African made [her] feel even closer to the plight."
Someone makes a remark about the misogynistic & chauvinistic politics.
Vandalism in a couple different rooms at the palace---a closet is rifled through & contents strewn about; a bed is slashed with what we assume would be some kind of knife. Borderline threats are typewritten & delivered anonymously. At one point, a couple royals are placed in separate "safe rooms" while a threat is investigated.
SPIRITUAL CONTENT
<< NOTE: This is most DEFINITELY a Christian fiction novel. And some might complain that the side of faith was a bit too much. To me, it was well written, I believe, and exactly how a child of God should respond to the journey of life---a.k.a. constant prayer & seeking God in EVERYTHING. >>
Bri prays constantly & silently to God for strength & courage; verses often come to mind bringing peace & comfort to her anxiety. Much talk of faith and acknowledgement of God as Lord. Her friend Iris prays openly for her on her behalf. Meals are blessed in pray before taking part. There's mention of a Muslim population for the small kingdom, and that the Royal Council of previously three, was expanded to include one for representation.
In praying for guidance & direction, Bri takes an evening to herself. She dozes on her room's balcony & experiences a dream: in it, she meets Who can only be her Lord, Who seems an apparitions, or Spirit; and in reference to Samuel's response in the Old Testament, she answers, "Lord, here I am." It seems the dream was a clear sign to her of the decision she needed to make.
Ȯlȯrȯ is referred to as a Christian nation. We're told there's a Catholic church on the island also, as well as a small Muslim population & two mosques.
A woman questions why there are no Bibles at the church, and is told many of the people cannot afford them. She sets out to change that.
One man states quite matter-of-factly that he does not believe in love. Bri questions aloud to a friend (not to the man's face) the issue of his faith & allegiance to God and country, because God IS love.
Psalm 8 is referenced.
LANGUAGE // ALCOHOL & DRUGS
None.
Medicine & sedatives are administered to an elderly man suffering through cancer. It's mentioned that the treatments he received previously were no longer effective, and therefore not needed.
ROMANTIC CONTENT
Brielle is OBVIOUSLY attracted to Tomori, and blushes often in his presence. There's no flirting, except perhaps in one scene, but it is minimal. Her friend questions if she has a crush on him, and teases her. Her mother later joins in on that.
A potential husband fails to show for a date, and she is instead greeted with the screams of his multiple, unruly children (from multiple women)...
As mentioned previously, there's definite attraction. Bri feels all kinds of butterflies, constantly blushes in his presence, has heated cheeks, tingles at any touch, etc. etc. At one point, her face heats when she imagines him in a tux.
There's a tender kiss the night before the wedding. A wedding ceremony takes place. They agree to sleep in the same bed, but are awkward in a cute kind of way, neither wishing to force the other---but basically neither ready for the "next" step in a marriage (so, no consummation of the union... until later [but that's not really a spoiler *wink*]). The more intimate, passionate kisses come later on, and they do consent to officially complete the union, BUT no details or graphics of any kind are mentioned. And to be fair, they are married.
Some of the royal family are known as being illegitimate.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book. I loved Brielle's grandfather, as he reminded me of my own to whom I was really close to (and who went Home to Jesus three years ago). <3 The characters were great, the story was easy to follow, and there was a plot twist! (though maybe not fully unexpected if you look at the hints along the way)
It's certainly fun to imagine oneself as a REAL-life princess, but Brielle's story puts the reality of such a duty into perspective---the responsibilities, the headache-inducing politics, and the love-hate of a people for those in authority. But amidst the trials, she still manages to keep her faith strong, to give her best in loving her new country & the people in it, and find joy in the little things.
If you are looking for an easy read and a clean romance, this might just be for you. :]
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4 OUT OF 5 STARS
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
Ages: 16+
Okay but a Princess Diaries story set in AFRICA and with Christian themes?? THIS SOUNDS SO CUTE! I'll have to remember this one. Thank you so much for bringing it to my attention! ^_^
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