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RMC #4

The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Princess Zoyechka

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Can be read as the FIRST IN THE SERIES
A laugh out loud hilarious romantic comedy.

Recipe for finding a husband:

1)Take suitors on dangerous gryphon rides—and test their willingness to stick around longer.
2) Spy on the bachelors—to discover their true natures.
3) Let the suitors viciously fight over you—until you hopelessly fall in love with one.
4) Mix it together until you find the best future king consort.

One elven princess perpetually getting into trouble.
Twelve men seeking to woo her.
One suitor manipulating the events from behind the scenes.


Princess Zoyechka must choose a husband from a pool of royals, nobles, elves, dwarves, and commoners, all of whom endure daily competitions to win dates … and the chance to become the Supreme King of Velazia. But things go awry when one bachelor proves to be a spy trying to steal the Crown’s secrets. The problem is, Zoyechka doesn't know who the culprit is—so how can she avoid choosing him as her husband?

Warning: if you like gryphon-riding princesses, light fantasy worlds, a pinch of humor, a dash of romance, and a smidgen of mystery, this fairy tale mixture might be for you. Side effects of reading might include: hoping the book will never end, getting lost in the pages, and wishing you lived in an alternate reality with suitors vying for your attention. Read at your own risk!

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A clean YA romantic-comedy, light fantasy. No violence, or gore.

Tropes
Gryphon rider, princess in disguise, pirates, action & adventure, elven romance, fae romance, enemies to lovers, friends to lover, choosing one husband out of many.

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Readers do not need to read book one of the series. This story starts off with fresh new characters and a few occasional returning.

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2024

10 people are currently reading
1221 people want to read

About the author

Zoiy G. Galloay

7 books100 followers
Zoiy G. Galloay enjoys dancing and hiking in her home state of Colorado. Her favorite stories to read and write are fantasy and fairy tales with unpredictable endings and occasional humor. She is a die-hard Star Trek Voyager fan and has a BA in IAFS and Asian Studies. You can occasionally find her sporting dorky costumes or sipping on tea in her homemade Victorian drawers.

If you’d like to help the author, please write a book review on Goodreads and wherever you purchased the book.

Join her mailing list and enter to win a signed copy of her upcoming novel every few months out of the year, plus other prizes.

www.ZoiyGalloay.com

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
31 reviews
March 24, 2024
This book was so fun to read! If you wished "The Selection" had magical creatures and more drama then you will love this. I read it first even though it is technically 4th in the series, but it was still easy to follow along so it can be read first. It made me want to read the entire series. Can't wait to get my hands on the next book as well to see where it all goes. The characters are interesting and lovable. It was fun picking favorites for Princess Zoya.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Jaime.
134 reviews3 followers
April 10, 2024
As with the two previous books I reviewed in this series, I truly enjoyed this book. It seems to me that Zoiy's writing has grown by leaps and bounds as she continues with her Royal Matchmaking Competition series, and this installment was the most well-written yet.

I didn't want to put the book down. Zoyechka is a very enjoyable character. She is likeable and her fears seem relevant and promote character growth as she wonders how she can live up to the legacy of her famous father and grandmother, yet is still playful and wants to be a teenager, flirt with boys and care for and ride her gryphons.

The various batchelors are well-done as well. I think they're more developed and have more fully fleshed out personalities than I think contestants have had before in her series. (I privately hope that the inclusion of Scott - an introverted, commoner blacksmith and master sword fighter with familiar looks - means that Zoiy is a fellow Will Turner fan, but that is neither here nor there lol) The cliffhanger ending did leave me wanting to see how this series ends, and who Zoyechka will ultimately choose.

As usual, I'll continue recommending this fun series to my friends and anyone who cares to read my reviews. Solid 4.5 out of 5 star effort. Thank you to Miss Galloay and BookSirens for the free advanced reader's copy. This is my voluntary review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Lavender  Knight.
35 reviews
March 22, 2024
Incredibly entertaining! It's like a fantasy version of the Selection but with a Princess, elves, dwarves, goblins and best of all the Gryphons! I mean really the Gryphons steal the show in this one. Our princess has a tough decision to make on who her future husband should be. I found myself rooting for more than one person because the characters are so good! MC did annoy me at times with some of the things she did but it's all part of the storyline I guess. I would love to see the next book! From all the hints dropped I think the previous books might be pretty good too. Would definitely recommend if you enjoyed the Selection and fantasy adventures.


Access to ARC in exchange for honest review
Profile Image for Gèlynn (Lydia).
63 reviews
April 30, 2024
And the tradition continues…

Once again, we are presented with another masterpiece by the author. The story delves into the third generation RMC and unfolds with profound twists and turns. This time, it focuses on Princess Zoyechka, granddaughter of Emperess Qloey and daughter of Prince Zadkiel. There is a diverse range of suitors vying for her attention as she exudes playfulness and wit. But could there be a spy among them?

The author captivates the audience with her brilliant writing skills. Each character is well-written, and the portraits and cover page illustrations are beautifully done. Set against an enchanted world filled with magic and wonder, this book perfectly blends humor and action. Whether read as a standalone or as part of the series, it demonstrates the author's skillful storytelling by allowing readers to jump in at any point without feeling lost. The evolution of characters from previous installments adds depth and richness to the narrative, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the final chapter.

I am delighted to have the privilege of reading the review copy of this lovely book through Booksprout and leave my honest review.
Profile Image for Delphia  Von Heeder .
1,721 reviews50 followers
March 5, 2024
Princess Zoyechka is Book 4 in The Royal Matchmaking Competition by Zoiy G Galloay. This series is fabulous. Princess Zoyechka is to meet 12 Princes or Nobel men and choose one to marry… but, 1 is a traitor! One thing that I believe the author has done expertly is build the epic story from book 1 to the next. Book 4 has so much action and surprises. I said… aaaah at the end. Book 5 can't come soon enough. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Abbie Riddle.
1,221 reviews17 followers
March 18, 2024
Honestly, I fun and enjoyable short(ish) read. Great for the weekend, or even a half-day read. Characters are likable and storyline is cute, enjoyable and easy to get into. This is part of a series but each book can be read as a standalone, although it does end on a sort of cliff-hanger. All the books interconnect, yet work well enough alone that readers can pick and choose whom they want to read about. I think this series is interesting and will be looking forward to the next in line. It is clean and enjoyable

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
406 reviews16 followers
March 4, 2024
The Royal Matchmaking Competition is a cute book featuring a Princess Zoychecka - aka Zoya. This is a bachelor/bachelorette type story where the contestants compete for the hand of the princess. It has a bit of a twist with the contestants being elves, dwarves, princes, dukes and commoners so there are a wide variety of competitors. There are game shows, parties, gryphon rides, competitions and dates with the princess.

This seems to be book 1 for Princess Zoya's Royal Matchmaking Competition since the book ends on a cliffhanger. I liked the creativity with the different types of characters and countries in the book but the description didn't indicate there would be more to this princess's story so I hope the author wraps up the book or let's the reader know how many books may be part of Zoya's story. There are other books to the series but this seems to be the beginning of Zoya's story.

Thank you to the author for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Tami Willard.
2,373 reviews15 followers
January 9, 2025
Clean Standalone Romantic Fantasy Suspense Interconnected Series Cliffhanger

Another 20 years has passed and a new generation is assembled for the RMC. Zoyechka is the granddaughter of the original Princess in book 1 and daughter of the prince in the last 2 books. She keeps putting herself in dangerous and compromising situations. There's a spy in the ranks and someone's been drugging her and framing the others. Who is the spy? How will they figure it out? Which contestant will she choose?

Only downside is the timelapse between books and all the details summarized/missed during the interim from the previous cliffhanger.

I received a copy of this book from the author. Review voluntarily given.
Profile Image for H J Palmer.
222 reviews4 followers
August 8, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Princess Zoyecheka'. It is a highly entertaining YA novel, however, the book has myriad flaws that prevent it from becoming the masterpiece it could be.
Galloay creates an enjoyable world, but falls prey to many YA and indie traps. Her tone frequently breaks and turns contemporary as well as swapping between fantasy and sci-fi, there is a lack of editing excess scenes or dialogue, the plot hinting is rather heavy handed, and most tragically the story is told in first person perspective yet jumps between at least six narrators. Though this is a popular mistake, it is a confusing nightmare and jarring for the reader. This could easily have been rectified had it been written in the third person.
Similarly, Galloay creates some disturbing ideals for the younger generation. Though Zoyecheka, at nineteen, is old enough to marry she is incredibly immature. Despite her incredibly poor choices, she is a likable character - but this does not excuse advocating that a young woman who still uses terms like "stinky babies" and has no sense of repercussions or responsibility should be allowed to enter marriage. We need to teach the younger generation to not marry until they are responsible and mature adults.
Despite the novice mistakes, the novel is highly entertaining and a thrill to read. The trope is portrayed to its fullest extent, yet does not become tired. This is done without the characters becoming crass or steamy. The overarching plot is also intriguing, and does make this stand apart from other novels of this trope. It is definitely worth a guilty pleasure read, and I cannot wait to see what Galloay has in store for us as her writing evolves.
954 reviews4 followers
April 16, 2024
Best of the Series, So Far!

"Princess Zoyechka" is Book 4 in 'The Royal Matchmaking Competition' written by Zoiy Galloay. Of the entire series, this book is, by far, my favorite. Princess Zoyechka jumps right off the pages and literally finds her way into the hearts of readers. She is a rebel, feisty, and and somewhat of a little spy, pretending to be a server amongst the Royals, Nobles, Commoners, and even family members, so that she can get a glimpse at what her 12 bachelors and their families are saying about her. I laughed out loud at some of her quirky antics. She even goes off flying on her favorite gryphon, with one of the bachelors. She gets more than amorous with two or three of the bachelors in public places, and one of the bachelors has known her since they were little kids. Some of the bachelors look guilty, others look innocent, but are they each really what they appear? Or is there somebody amongst the bachelors that appears innocent, but is, in fact, the one who is drugging Zoya and obtaining secret documents from her. I must warn the reader that this book has a cliffhanger that will continue into Book 5; like "Prince Zadkiel", Book 2, had a cliffhanger that continued over into "The Fate of the Empire." I really loved the gryphons, the fairy kittens, and one of the Commoner bachelors. There were only three or four one-word technicalities. I gave this book a 5 star rating, but it deserved more, and I can hardly wait to read Book 5 when it hits my Kindle. I bought the Kindle edition of this book and also plan to buy the paperback. I love the cover art.

I received an ARC via BookSirens, and this is my voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Alexandra Muñoz.
428 reviews1 follower
August 12, 2024
This romantasy book had me swooning and gasping constantly! From the moment I started reading this one I was hooked. Princess Zoya must choose a husband from the 12 men competing for her heart in the Royal Matchmaking Competition where the contestants are a mix of humans, elves, dwarves, etc. with a lot of other fun fantasy elements thrown in!

While there was definitely a lot going on, I felt it was put together very well in a way where I never felt confused and was able to easily follow along. Some other fantasy aspects of the book include gryphons, magic, fairies, mentions of popular fairy tales, & pirates!

I found myself constantly trying to guess who Zoya would pick for her husband and my favorites would change so quickly 😅 I love that the author mainly focused on a just a few of the contestants and not going too much into all 12 since that would be a bit harder to keep straight I think!

Not only is this a clean, young adult, romance book it also has plenty of action and adventure! I love Zoya's fearless and determined spirit ❤️

This book is the fourth installment of The Royal Matchmaking Competition series, but can be read as a standalone. I had not read the previous books and I was able to follow along easily, though with how much I loved this one I will be reading the first 3 as well as eagerly awaiting the 5th and final book in the series!

Warning: this book ends on quite the cliffhanger 😭

What else to expect-

👑 Enemies to lovers
🧚🏻‍♀️ Forced proximity
🗡️ Friends to lovers
🔮 Princess in disguise
🏹 Star-crossed lovers
🧝🏻‍♀️ Action & adventure

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Flor PL.
161 reviews9 followers
April 7, 2024
It has left me wanting to read Qloey's, because it has very complete world building (you don't need to read Zoyechka's ancestors to understand it) but I want to see the differences between the two.
I'm just sick of this protagonist, she's supposed to want to prove she's not impulsive or living up to others' expectations (no one tells her anything)and by being told: no, you're assured she's going to get in trouble, all the time and others are going to save her (when she repeatedly says she's the princess and can't be pushed around).
And it ends in suspense, I'd like to read that Zoyechka has more development.... And may my favorites at least be finalists - Scott and Jean-Luc.

Pd: I got the traitor thing right even though I said it playing 😅

°°°°°°

Me dejó con ganas de leer el de Qloey, por que tiene una construcción del mundo muy completa (no hace falta leer si o si a los antepasados de Zoyechka para entenderlo) pero quiero ver las diferencias entre ellas. Son abuela y nieta.

Es que esta protagonista me harto, se supone que quiere demostrar que no es impulsiva o que esta a la altura de las expectativas de otros y con que le digan: No. Tenes asegurado que va a meterse en problemas, todo el tiempo y que otros la van a salvar (cuando dice repetidamente que ella es la princesa y no le pueden mandar)
Y termina es suspenso, me gustaría leer que Zoya tenga más desarrollo... Y que mis favoritos al menos son finalistas: Scott y Jean-Luc.

Pd: tenía razón con el traidor aunque lo dije jugando 😅
Profile Image for Kiana.
378 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2024
The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Princess Zoyechka by Zoiy G. Galloay is an exciting game on finding the one who is right for the Princess.

This book is quirky, and funny in multiple ways. The princess and her family are all amusing and their banter is great. The multiple scenarios the princess is put with the RMC contestants are also very funny. I think the author did a good job building the lore around the book. Though this is book number four, I read this as my first book by the author, and it didn’t really seem like I was missing anything. The world around the was fleshed out, and there was a deep history and deep conflict that were present within the book. This conflict also was apart of the story without overshadowing the main story, if that makes sense.

I was a little bothered by the princess’s ways however in treating all of the contestants, and as opposed to giving each of them a good chance. Just because someone didn’t show her enough attention, she didn’t like them. Or if someone showed her too much attention, she didn’t like them. It was hard for me to follow the princess’s ways at times but it was an enjoyable book.

I recommend this book to anyone who has likes reverse harem.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Elyse (ElyseReadsandSpeaks).
1,065 reviews49 followers
July 12, 2024
I just enjoy this series so much. Is it breaking any new ground in the realm of fantasy or romance? No, but it's got the Bachelor trope, humans, elves, dwarves, gryphons, royalty, and a mystery. It's a good time.

I actually had no idea who was behind the mystery in this installment. I had my suspicions but I was wrong and I like being wrong in these cases.

Also, I both liked and was a little heartbroken by the fact that both Qloey and her husband (not naming just in case you haven't read the first installment yet) were noted to be deceased in the beginning of this book. Not a spoiler - we knew Qloey's fate by the end of the last book and she is a grandmother now after all, but still - it was "aw, man" moment for me.

I'm not particularly sold on any of Zoya's suitors so far, though I do seem to like the one that she's already written off as a friend. Maybe the next installment will surprise me and they'll decide to give it a go.
Profile Image for Rachelle Oliver.
522 reviews9 followers
March 27, 2024
This book (entire series) is hard to leave a review for. It reminds me of Crave, if you've read that one, in that the storyline is fun and interesting, there are lots of fantasy creatures included, and it moves along at a great pace. Plus, it ends on a cliffhanger.

What I don't love (like the Crave series) is that it's not particularly well written and your eyeballs will roll multiple times over the ridiculousness of names, plot lines, swear words, etc. It's definitely written for a teen audience but there's a lot of flirting and ogling over guys that I don't particularly encourage my girls to read.

I'll keep reading to know what happens next, but it's not a book I'll recommend to my audience/friends.

(I read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
57 reviews
March 30, 2024
I got this as an arc and it was really exciting! This story takes place twenty-something years after The Fate of the Empire. Like the first book it has one princess with twelve bachelors competing for her hand. Unfortunately, like the books before it there is one evil contestant, or working with the main villain in this case. Two of the contestants (Jean-Luc and Orlando) were extremely hilarious and Princess Zoyechka (Zoya) is the very picture of a modern day princess. While she gets along with most of the competitors there is one I feel she has the most chemistry with. I won't say who it is but I have hopes he is the one to win Zoya's heart and hand in book 5. When you read this you'll be dying to see how it all plays out too!
Profile Image for Frances Law.
1,123 reviews14 followers
April 6, 2024
A royal matchmaking tournament spread over a month. Princes, Dukes, high born and commoners, twelve in all. They are to compete for the hand of the Princess Zoyechka. Zoyechka is only nineteen and her parents are still alive, well and ruling but she still has to find a groom and get married. Talk about pressure! On top of everything a large number of the contestants come from frenemy kingdoms. The daily papers are always on Zoya’s case which just increases the pressure. Poor Zoya doesn’t know what to do! Then it becomes apparent that at least one of the contestants is up to no good. So, here Zoya has a mystery on top of everything. Zoiy G Galloway leaves us hanging but the second and final book is coming. I hope it’s not too far off!
70 reviews
April 10, 2024
This is the fourth book in the Royal Matchmaking series, but can be read first (the others are sort of prequels to this one).

This was a really fun read. It has lots of action and twists and turns. It's like a fantasy version of the Bachelor, with more magic and fantastical creatures (or maybe a more fantasy based version of The Selection). The romance and character development was really good, and I love that there is a spunky princess at the centre of it all.

I really liked that this one had fewer suitors, it made it a lot easier to focus on them all and get to know the characters better and see those relationships better.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Gunvor.
45 reviews
August 18, 2024
This series i one of my favorite.
We are now with the third generation since starting the series.
It is Princess Zoyecka’s turn to hold her RMC.
She is struggling with not feeling good enough - like she hasn’t accomplished enough compared to her grandmother and father.
We follow her on her journey of dating the different bachelors - but it is quite certain that one of them are of no good - but who is it and will the Princess find out in due time.

This book ends on a cliffhanger - but luckily the next book is here, so I can’t wait to see what happens next. I definitely have my favorite bachelor - but as it is now - I have no clue who she will choose.

I can highly recommend this book - but please start the series with the first book - it just makes it so much easier to read.
146 reviews
March 25, 2024
I enjoyed this story. Despite it being YA, I liked how the FMC (female main character) was a strong and independent girl. Princess Zoya is trying to figure out how to be her own person while having a bachelor style completion to meet her husband. Zoya has her ups and downs with the boys in the group including her best friend. Add in the twist of a potential spy and someone trying to kill her, Zoya has her work cut out for her.

This story reminds me of the Selection by Kiera Cass and the Hunger Games. I look forward to the next book due out in August.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Mireille.
36 reviews20 followers
April 1, 2024
Grateful to have won a kindle copy in a Goodreads giveaway 😊

This was a fun bachelorette style romantasy. Very light and cute. It’d be great for younger teen readers. All the contestants had unique personalities and several of them I was rooting for, though I wasn’t invested in any of the relationships — probably partially because there wasn’t a single relationship that really stood out from the rest. I didn’t find the politics very interesting in this either. Overall, I did enjoy it more than I thought I would though 😊.
985 reviews6 followers
April 13, 2024
Great story. Zoya is full of mischief. Rules sometimes are not for her. Before the RMC started she eavesdroped on her prospective husbands disquised a servant. Her best friend, Orlando, is part of the contest and he is certain that he will be her husband. Zoya has her own idea that she wishes to test each man before she makes a choice. She will find herself in danger, there will be drama between the men and this book will end with you wanting the next book ASAP. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
150 reviews1 follower
April 24, 2024
A fantastic story with mystery, fantasy, friendship and strong family bonds all wrapped up in one beautiful package.
Full of intrigue, twists and turns, a definite must read!

This is my first fantasy story and although I have not read the first three books in this series, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The beginning of the book was a bit difficult to get my head around some detail but I’m so glad that I persevered!

The story ended on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait for the next book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Terri Touchet-Sanders.
169 reviews5 followers
March 17, 2024
Such an easy & cute read. Princess Zoya is relatable and the perfect addition to the series. While I did not read books 1-3, this story picked up after but was not a difficult read at all. I’d love to go back and read the previous books because they were referenced enough to not be confusing, but the references also made me want to know the other characters stories. All in all, a solid 4 star book.
Profile Image for Sam.
10 reviews
March 18, 2024
This was a very fast paced book. I did like that author did a good job of making the villain unguessable until the very end. Usually I can figure out who it is but in this book I had no idea. A lot of the characters didn't really hit with me. Quite a few of them I wanted to disappear from the book. Others, made decisions that really didn't make sense in the novel. I am looking forward to the next one though!
Profile Image for tre.wandereads.
446 reviews
April 1, 2024
it was a funny read. lots of mishaps and a lot of hopeless romantic moments by a girl coming of age to find herself and who she wants to be with. it was a nice idea. but it could be better, in terms of storytelling. i liked that the main character was able to get an idea of who she was meant to be, moving along the story. she started out very childlike and then grew to be stronger and smarter about her decisions and life.
Profile Image for Pat.
1,076 reviews35 followers
October 22, 2024
I am really enjoying the characters how different the noblemen from one another reminds me of The Bachelor. The contests and who wins keeps me reevaluating who be husband and partner for the Princess. Plenty of suspense drama and unexpected happenings. I’m loving the series and can’t wait to find out whom the Princess chooses. *I was given a copy via BookSirens and voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for Loz.
3 reviews2 followers
March 22, 2024
A quick easy clean read. A little bit of fun with a beautiful mix of fantasy and romance with some adventure thrown in. We follow Princess Zoya as she navigates the marriage love and life.

A few surprises along the way for an overall easy and uncomplicated read.


I received an ARC for an honest review.
Profile Image for Zara.
292 reviews
February 26, 2024
Another fascinating and magical tale in Galloay's Royal Matchmaking Competition series - and I can't wait for the next book to come out, since this one left on such a cliffhanger!
I received this story as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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