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RMC #2
The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Prince Zadkiel
One prince charming searching for his true love.
Twelve beautiful damsels, elves, & a commoner competing for the prince's hand in marriage.
One shadow lurking behind the scenes, trying to assassinate the royal family and take control of the empire.
Warning: if you’re susceptible to falling in love with handsome and charming princes, turn back now or you’ll never recover. Prince Zadkiel’s charismatic personality will have you begging for more. Read at your own risk!
Twelve beautiful damsels, elves, & a commoner competing for the prince's hand in marriage.
One shadow lurking behind the scenes, trying to assassinate the royal family and take control of the empire.
Warning: if you’re susceptible to falling in love with handsome and charming princes, turn back now or you’ll never recover. Prince Zadkiel’s charismatic personality will have you begging for more. Read at your own risk!
Paperback
First published April 1, 2023
19 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Zoiy G. Galloay
7 books100 followersZoiy 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
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 6, 2023
Genre: Romance, YA, fantasy
Tropes: marriage competition, magical creatures, Elf × humans, dwarfs × humans, different social classes
Series: RMC#2
Cliffhanger: Yes
Rating: 4⭐
Spice: 0/5 🌶
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you BookSirens and Zoiy Galloay for this opportunity.
“The best way to remain beautiful is to keep a young heart, laugh a lot, and enjoy life. I achieve this every time I’m surrounded by my family.”
After having received the first book as an ARC and being pleasantly surprised, I knew I wanted to keep up with this series. So, naturally, I was very excited to get the second book and be back in this world. Even if you haven't read the first book, you can still read this one as the first was focused on the RMC of Qloey, Zedkiel's mother and is only setting the scene for this one. While I was very happy each time I recognized names or references to the first book, all the action here is self-sufficient.
》》The Plot《《
“Such was a mistake I had made in the beginning of my RMC, when I had predetermined that I’d marry Prince Edgar of Baylor. But, of course, my cruel mother had ingrained that absurd notion into my head.” My mother pursed her lips.
“But luckily”—my father wrapped his arms around her, offering a kiss to her cheek—“Qloey wizened up and chose me.”
She chuckled as their noses rubbed against one another. Theirs was a relationship that I wanted to emulate with whomever I chose to marry. Love. Friendship. Political partnership. Spiritual soul mates. Surely I could find all of that with one of these eleven maidens.
The Plot follows the first part of Zedkiel's RMC, the royal competition where 12 young eligible ladies from each nation are trying to win the elf-princes' heart and the title of next Empress. The fate of the empire is also in the game as countries begin taking steps for their independence and a hidden assassin lurks in the shadows.
I liked the dynamic of the story and the way aspects of cruel reality were wrapped up in a fairytale so it didn't taste so bitter. It was fun to follow the characters around and see different situations developing along the way, especially when things took a funny turn and, in comparison with the first book, I loved the coziness of the happy Royal family that shaped a lot of the emotions given by the story in a warm and pleasant way.
It was a surprise to see a few scenes from other POVs, like Qloey, Esperanza, Kaitlynn, Aaliya, Saqoiya and Anezka, not just Zadkiel's perspective. It made me like, hate or empathize more with the girls.
》》Characters and Relationships《《
👑The Royal Family
“I’ll admit a little secret that I use as emperor,” my father said. “When you don’t know what to do, fake it.”
I chuckled. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“That’s the worst advice that I’ve ever heard,” I said. We chortled together. “But I’ll try it.”
It was really lovely to have them all so close and warm towards each other, after seeing the way Qloey's family had been. But from the honest and open communication of Qinrel and Qloey with their children, the playfulness and the joy between the five princes and princesses and to the close way Saqoiya and Zadkiel discussed and helped the other, I always got a feeling of comfort and happiness.
🌹The contestants
Unlike RMC#1, not all the contestants were brought into light which somewhat helped with forming deeper bonds between the "most important players" of the story. I've also noticed that not all the girls had their portraits presented in the story, but maybe we'll get to see them in the next book, especially since there weren't any eliminations yet.
⭐Zendaya
"Zendaya, Viscountess of Velazia
Human. Age 17. A trendsetter, models for high-end Velazian designers. Interests: singing, fashion, & romance novels."
She was very weird and always the one most likely to do something embarrassing, definitely not a good fit but surely entertaining to follow.
⭐Esperanza
"Esperanza, Princess of Ogarz
Human. Age 19. Fluent in Ogarz & Velazian languages, curious about new inventions & sciences. Interests: flamenco, poetry, non-fiction literature, & science."
The best Latina energy ever. Definitely a lot of sensuality in her scenes, but in a sweet and romantic way, not the vulgar sort. I'm not sure whether or not she could be the next Empress, but I'm pretty sure she's in top 4.
⭐Leyla
"Leyla, Duchess of Nololay
Elf. Age 17. Earth duchess & priestess of the Nololay crystal temples. Interests: plays crystal music & grows clear quartz crystal gardens."
She was very sweet and I only got positive vibes from their interaction but, apart from their date, Leyla was barely mentioned, so there's no surprise that I didn't feel any chemistry between the two.
⭐Aaliya
"Aaliya, Princess of Payonna Empire
Human. Age 17. Eldest daughter of the most powerful and wealthy family in the realm. Interests: plays the harp, sings, & likes peacocks."
She's definitely the Edgar of the story. There wasn't a single moment when I liked her or when I found her anything but annoying, egocentric and in dire need of being thought a lesson in humility.
⭐Grace
"Grace, Princess of Tildon
Human. Age 18. Fluent in five languages in their native accents, knowledgeable in military tactics, law, & foreign relations. Interests: archery, fencing, horseback riding, playing the harp, dancing, & singing."
The Perfect Princess is another one who's definitely on top 4 choices. She and Zadkiel had deep conversations, the chemistry is on point and they would be a proper fit, but I also understand the doubts Qloey has in regards to her.
⭐Makayla
"Makayla, baker
Human. Age 15. Can bake a mean cake. Interests: violin, music, dancing, daisies, & sunflowers."
I like her a lot. She's energetic and fun, a definite ray of sunshine, but I don't see her as a good fit either. Plus, him being 19 and Makayla only 15 feels a bit like a big gap at this point, especially with her being portrayed in a bit of a childish manner.
⭐Anezka
"Anezka, Duchess of Pixieland
Human. Age 17. Fluent in Pixie, Velazia, & Payonna languages, current in military, foreign, & domestic affairs. Interests: horseback riding, sword fighting, ice climbing, snowshoeing, & soaking in hot springs."
She's very down to earth and cheerful, focusing on positive emotions and inspiring good in people. But the last part of the book revealed a very impulsive part of her as well, that spiced up their chemistry. I also appreciated her on the spot capacity to take decisions and her way with weapons. She's definitely another one on the top 4 list.
⭐Kaitlynn
"Kaitlynn, Duchess of Baylor
Human. Age 18. Fluent in Baylorian, Velazian, & Tildon, knowledgeable in law & foreign relations. Interests: hunting, reading, playing the pipe organ, & loves dogs."
Now, this is a controversial one. But she's definitely filling up the last spot in the top 4 list for me, even though she's most definitely not in Zadkiel's list. Yet. Somehow, despite all the controversy, I think she would be a really good fit, if not even the perfect one.
⭐Pyper
"Pyper, Countess of Centaurus City
Human. Age 17. Has sailed through three seas & survived encounters with mermaids. Fluent in Velazian & Baylorian. Interests: fencing, archery, acrobatics, hunting, & horses."
She's impressive and their date went well, but I don't think the chemistry was there. Plus, Pyper might be to adventurous to settle down for a ruling position.
⭐Opale
"Opale, Countess of Moonstone City
Human. Age 16. Studies the stars, moon, & heavens. Interests: opera, astronomy, astrology, & the Moonstone religion."
Sweet and shy, definitely lacking chemistry with Zadkiel and not a good match for the Empress position, she did have her role to play in this story and I'm happy about it.
The two remaining contestants weren't really highlighted during this story and they also didn't have portraits. But I'll wait to see what the next book will bring for them.
》》Favorite Scenes《《
🌹Zadkiel seeing Esperanza
🌹The introductions
🌹Qloey reuniting with Hedgewood
🌹The former RMC contestants having a reunion
🌹The peculiar date between Zadkiel and Zendaya
🌹The talent contest
🌹Zadkiel and Saqoiya agreeing on the top choice
"Esperanza of Ogarz stepped onstage next in a fiery orange dress. She had sleeves with roses made of cloth that hung loosely down her arms in a sexy way.
“I already like this. Top choice.” I sat back in satisfaction.
“Of course you’d choose anyone in a sexy dress,” Saqoiya said, rolling her eyes.
“You’re one to talk,” I retorted.
Her brother, who had been playing an Ogarz guitar in the background, now stepped onto the stage. The tall, dark, and handsome debonair prince wore black pants up to his waist and a jacket with no shirt underneath, and began to tap dance alongside her.
“You’re right, top choice.” Saqoiya’s eyes grew wider. I already knew she’d pursue him after the show."
🌹Zadkiel's date with Makayla
🌹The discussions with Grace
🌹The date with Esperanza
🌹Zadkiel asking his mother about kissing in the RMC
“However, I . . . wanted to talk with you about that. Um . . . did you kiss anyone on your dates?”
Instantly, the room became a cacophony of chair legs screeching across the floor as McKinley, Kipp, and Hedgewood jumped up into the air. They each dragged their chairs around my mother’s seat and intently leaned forward, like obedient school children, ready to hear the teacher’s long-awaited answer to a question. Even my father turned his chair and intently stared my mother down.
🌹The former contestants from RMC counting themselves
🌹The kissing jokes
"In fact, kissing helped me decide which of these men here I wanted to marry.”
“Ooooh,” all the men from her RMC said at once.
“You must have a lovely tongue there, Emperor Qinrel.” Hedgewood’s snarky joke made everyone burst into laughter, except my parents.
My mother—very gracefully—stood, lifted her skirts, and turned to exit the room. The door silently clicked shut behind her.
My father’s smile faded. “I think our jokes went a little too far. I’m going to—”
“Give her a good snoggin’ for us with your delectable tongue?” Kipp said.
🌹Saqoiya helping Zadkiel choose the answers
🌹McKinley ruining two moments with Anezka for Zadkiel
🌹The boycott letter
"Dear Prince Zadkiel,
During every RMC, there comes a halfway point when the contestants receive a day of rest. Your twelve contestants have decided to boycott the competition today, due to our menstrual-syncing, moving our day of relaxation ahead of schedule.
Regards,
Your Future Wife"
🌹Saqoiya and Zadkiel chatting about matches for the other one
🌹Zendaya being constantly inappropriate
🌹The first kiss
🌹Zadkiel ordering food for Aaliya
🌹The homeless shelter competition
🌹Kaitlynn being surprisingly on point
🌹The carpet ride
🌹Anezka being surprisingly impulsive
🌹Nikko being caught kissing one of the contestants
》》Conclusion《《
“When you said to follow your ‘heart for guidance,’ do you think that is true? I ask because I’ve heard of many who followed their heart and ended up in a bad marriage.”
“Were they following their heart or their emotions?” she said. “I too have heard many question this. Some think that following their emotions or lust means following the heart, but these are different things. Many also confuse love with passion. Love is eternal, while passion is fleeting. I would dig deeper before being convinced that they truly followed their heart.”
I enjoyed reading this and I'm definitely going to want the third book as well. It's a good choice for the fairytale lovers, because this story has a constant air of belonging to that genre, while dealing with issues and situations suitable for YA (there's no spice, so I wouldn't classify it as NA, but I've definitely seen an increase in the romantic turn of the scenes, so we might expect a bit of spice in book 3).
"Ultimately, I believe we must use discretion when following the opinions of any other, no matter what species, and look into our heart for guidance instead. In doing this, we will always find our way.”
Tropes: marriage competition, magical creatures, Elf × humans, dwarfs × humans, different social classes
Series: RMC#2
Cliffhanger: Yes
Rating: 4⭐
Spice: 0/5 🌶
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you BookSirens and Zoiy Galloay for this opportunity.
“The best way to remain beautiful is to keep a young heart, laugh a lot, and enjoy life. I achieve this every time I’m surrounded by my family.”
After having received the first book as an ARC and being pleasantly surprised, I knew I wanted to keep up with this series. So, naturally, I was very excited to get the second book and be back in this world. Even if you haven't read the first book, you can still read this one as the first was focused on the RMC of Qloey, Zedkiel's mother and is only setting the scene for this one. While I was very happy each time I recognized names or references to the first book, all the action here is self-sufficient.
》》The Plot《《
“Such was a mistake I had made in the beginning of my RMC, when I had predetermined that I’d marry Prince Edgar of Baylor. But, of course, my cruel mother had ingrained that absurd notion into my head.” My mother pursed her lips.
“But luckily”—my father wrapped his arms around her, offering a kiss to her cheek—“Qloey wizened up and chose me.”
She chuckled as their noses rubbed against one another. Theirs was a relationship that I wanted to emulate with whomever I chose to marry. Love. Friendship. Political partnership. Spiritual soul mates. Surely I could find all of that with one of these eleven maidens.
The Plot follows the first part of Zedkiel's RMC, the royal competition where 12 young eligible ladies from each nation are trying to win the elf-princes' heart and the title of next Empress. The fate of the empire is also in the game as countries begin taking steps for their independence and a hidden assassin lurks in the shadows.
I liked the dynamic of the story and the way aspects of cruel reality were wrapped up in a fairytale so it didn't taste so bitter. It was fun to follow the characters around and see different situations developing along the way, especially when things took a funny turn and, in comparison with the first book, I loved the coziness of the happy Royal family that shaped a lot of the emotions given by the story in a warm and pleasant way.
It was a surprise to see a few scenes from other POVs, like Qloey, Esperanza, Kaitlynn, Aaliya, Saqoiya and Anezka, not just Zadkiel's perspective. It made me like, hate or empathize more with the girls.
》》Characters and Relationships《《
👑The Royal Family
“I’ll admit a little secret that I use as emperor,” my father said. “When you don’t know what to do, fake it.”
I chuckled. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“That’s the worst advice that I’ve ever heard,” I said. We chortled together. “But I’ll try it.”
It was really lovely to have them all so close and warm towards each other, after seeing the way Qloey's family had been. But from the honest and open communication of Qinrel and Qloey with their children, the playfulness and the joy between the five princes and princesses and to the close way Saqoiya and Zadkiel discussed and helped the other, I always got a feeling of comfort and happiness.
🌹The contestants
Unlike RMC#1, not all the contestants were brought into light which somewhat helped with forming deeper bonds between the "most important players" of the story. I've also noticed that not all the girls had their portraits presented in the story, but maybe we'll get to see them in the next book, especially since there weren't any eliminations yet.
⭐Zendaya
"Zendaya, Viscountess of Velazia
Human. Age 17. A trendsetter, models for high-end Velazian designers. Interests: singing, fashion, & romance novels."
She was very weird and always the one most likely to do something embarrassing, definitely not a good fit but surely entertaining to follow.
⭐Esperanza
"Esperanza, Princess of Ogarz
Human. Age 19. Fluent in Ogarz & Velazian languages, curious about new inventions & sciences. Interests: flamenco, poetry, non-fiction literature, & science."
The best Latina energy ever. Definitely a lot of sensuality in her scenes, but in a sweet and romantic way, not the vulgar sort. I'm not sure whether or not she could be the next Empress, but I'm pretty sure she's in top 4.
⭐Leyla
"Leyla, Duchess of Nololay
Elf. Age 17. Earth duchess & priestess of the Nololay crystal temples. Interests: plays crystal music & grows clear quartz crystal gardens."
She was very sweet and I only got positive vibes from their interaction but, apart from their date, Leyla was barely mentioned, so there's no surprise that I didn't feel any chemistry between the two.
⭐Aaliya
"Aaliya, Princess of Payonna Empire
Human. Age 17. Eldest daughter of the most powerful and wealthy family in the realm. Interests: plays the harp, sings, & likes peacocks."
She's definitely the Edgar of the story. There wasn't a single moment when I liked her or when I found her anything but annoying, egocentric and in dire need of being thought a lesson in humility.
⭐Grace
"Grace, Princess of Tildon
Human. Age 18. Fluent in five languages in their native accents, knowledgeable in military tactics, law, & foreign relations. Interests: archery, fencing, horseback riding, playing the harp, dancing, & singing."
The Perfect Princess is another one who's definitely on top 4 choices. She and Zadkiel had deep conversations, the chemistry is on point and they would be a proper fit, but I also understand the doubts Qloey has in regards to her.
⭐Makayla
"Makayla, baker
Human. Age 15. Can bake a mean cake. Interests: violin, music, dancing, daisies, & sunflowers."
I like her a lot. She's energetic and fun, a definite ray of sunshine, but I don't see her as a good fit either. Plus, him being 19 and Makayla only 15 feels a bit like a big gap at this point, especially with her being portrayed in a bit of a childish manner.
⭐Anezka
"Anezka, Duchess of Pixieland
Human. Age 17. Fluent in Pixie, Velazia, & Payonna languages, current in military, foreign, & domestic affairs. Interests: horseback riding, sword fighting, ice climbing, snowshoeing, & soaking in hot springs."
She's very down to earth and cheerful, focusing on positive emotions and inspiring good in people. But the last part of the book revealed a very impulsive part of her as well, that spiced up their chemistry. I also appreciated her on the spot capacity to take decisions and her way with weapons. She's definitely another one on the top 4 list.
⭐Kaitlynn
"Kaitlynn, Duchess of Baylor
Human. Age 18. Fluent in Baylorian, Velazian, & Tildon, knowledgeable in law & foreign relations. Interests: hunting, reading, playing the pipe organ, & loves dogs."
Now, this is a controversial one. But she's definitely filling up the last spot in the top 4 list for me, even though she's most definitely not in Zadkiel's list. Yet. Somehow, despite all the controversy, I think she would be a really good fit, if not even the perfect one.
⭐Pyper
"Pyper, Countess of Centaurus City
Human. Age 17. Has sailed through three seas & survived encounters with mermaids. Fluent in Velazian & Baylorian. Interests: fencing, archery, acrobatics, hunting, & horses."
She's impressive and their date went well, but I don't think the chemistry was there. Plus, Pyper might be to adventurous to settle down for a ruling position.
⭐Opale
"Opale, Countess of Moonstone City
Human. Age 16. Studies the stars, moon, & heavens. Interests: opera, astronomy, astrology, & the Moonstone religion."
Sweet and shy, definitely lacking chemistry with Zadkiel and not a good match for the Empress position, she did have her role to play in this story and I'm happy about it.
The two remaining contestants weren't really highlighted during this story and they also didn't have portraits. But I'll wait to see what the next book will bring for them.
》》Favorite Scenes《《
🌹Zadkiel seeing Esperanza
🌹The introductions
🌹Qloey reuniting with Hedgewood
🌹The former RMC contestants having a reunion
🌹The peculiar date between Zadkiel and Zendaya
🌹The talent contest
🌹Zadkiel and Saqoiya agreeing on the top choice
"Esperanza of Ogarz stepped onstage next in a fiery orange dress. She had sleeves with roses made of cloth that hung loosely down her arms in a sexy way.
“I already like this. Top choice.” I sat back in satisfaction.
“Of course you’d choose anyone in a sexy dress,” Saqoiya said, rolling her eyes.
“You’re one to talk,” I retorted.
Her brother, who had been playing an Ogarz guitar in the background, now stepped onto the stage. The tall, dark, and handsome debonair prince wore black pants up to his waist and a jacket with no shirt underneath, and began to tap dance alongside her.
“You’re right, top choice.” Saqoiya’s eyes grew wider. I already knew she’d pursue him after the show."
🌹Zadkiel's date with Makayla
🌹The discussions with Grace
🌹The date with Esperanza
🌹Zadkiel asking his mother about kissing in the RMC
“However, I . . . wanted to talk with you about that. Um . . . did you kiss anyone on your dates?”
Instantly, the room became a cacophony of chair legs screeching across the floor as McKinley, Kipp, and Hedgewood jumped up into the air. They each dragged their chairs around my mother’s seat and intently leaned forward, like obedient school children, ready to hear the teacher’s long-awaited answer to a question. Even my father turned his chair and intently stared my mother down.
🌹The former contestants from RMC counting themselves
🌹The kissing jokes
"In fact, kissing helped me decide which of these men here I wanted to marry.”
“Ooooh,” all the men from her RMC said at once.
“You must have a lovely tongue there, Emperor Qinrel.” Hedgewood’s snarky joke made everyone burst into laughter, except my parents.
My mother—very gracefully—stood, lifted her skirts, and turned to exit the room. The door silently clicked shut behind her.
My father’s smile faded. “I think our jokes went a little too far. I’m going to—”
“Give her a good snoggin’ for us with your delectable tongue?” Kipp said.
🌹Saqoiya helping Zadkiel choose the answers
🌹McKinley ruining two moments with Anezka for Zadkiel
🌹The boycott letter
"Dear Prince Zadkiel,
During every RMC, there comes a halfway point when the contestants receive a day of rest. Your twelve contestants have decided to boycott the competition today, due to our menstrual-syncing, moving our day of relaxation ahead of schedule.
Regards,
Your Future Wife"
🌹Saqoiya and Zadkiel chatting about matches for the other one
🌹Zendaya being constantly inappropriate
🌹The first kiss
🌹Zadkiel ordering food for Aaliya
🌹The homeless shelter competition
🌹Kaitlynn being surprisingly on point
🌹The carpet ride
🌹Anezka being surprisingly impulsive
🌹Nikko being caught kissing one of the contestants
》》Conclusion《《
“When you said to follow your ‘heart for guidance,’ do you think that is true? I ask because I’ve heard of many who followed their heart and ended up in a bad marriage.”
“Were they following their heart or their emotions?” she said. “I too have heard many question this. Some think that following their emotions or lust means following the heart, but these are different things. Many also confuse love with passion. Love is eternal, while passion is fleeting. I would dig deeper before being convinced that they truly followed their heart.”
I enjoyed reading this and I'm definitely going to want the third book as well. It's a good choice for the fairytale lovers, because this story has a constant air of belonging to that genre, while dealing with issues and situations suitable for YA (there's no spice, so I wouldn't classify it as NA, but I've definitely seen an increase in the romantic turn of the scenes, so we might expect a bit of spice in book 3).
"Ultimately, I believe we must use discretion when following the opinions of any other, no matter what species, and look into our heart for guidance instead. In doing this, we will always find our way.”
February 2, 2025
DNF. Could not finish it. It was BORING. First one was 10 times better
January 4, 2023
Coming Spring 2023...
I listened to my readers and tried to fix some issues from RMC 1 Princess Qloey, including excess characters. There are a lot of characters to remember, so the RMC 2: Prince Zadkiel is written in a way to help the reader remember the important characters, without sacrificing on the quality of the story. Because I wrote Prince Zadkiel before Princess Qloey was out, I'll be posting a lot of fun of deleted scenes on my website come 2023 that you can read.
Oh, and there will be more spice, especially in book 3.
I listened to my readers and tried to fix some issues from RMC 1 Princess Qloey, including excess characters. There are a lot of characters to remember, so the RMC 2: Prince Zadkiel is written in a way to help the reader remember the important characters, without sacrificing on the quality of the story. Because I wrote Prince Zadkiel before Princess Qloey was out, I'll be posting a lot of fun of deleted scenes on my website come 2023 that you can read.
Oh, and there will be more spice, especially in book 3.
October 12, 2023
YA Fantasy Romance
Marriage Competition
Politics
Book 2 of a series
Cliff-hanger
Twenty years have passed since Empress Qloey’s RMC and it’s time for the next generation to have a turn. The handsome Prince Zadkiel has come of age and needs to select a wife out of the twelve contestants.
This book is quite similar to the first book with more or less the same setup except this time the genders are reversed. There are lots of fun competitions, group dates and one on ones filled with lots of laugh out loud moments.
You can expect all sorts of drama that goes with putting a large group of teen girls together, like the usual mean girl cliques.
Zadkiel is not in this alone, he has the support of his family to help him on his journey to find the perfect wife. His siblings offer to help him to weed out rotten apples but as the story unfolds, so the plot thickens.
I did not like a lot of the contestants, some were extremely irritating and grated on my every nerve. I was not a fan of Zadkiel either, I think he is not ready to run an Empire or even a household at this point in his life. I hope his character develops more in the next book.
It reads like a modern day book but with Pixies, Elves, and Dwarves etc.
I was not a fan of the writing style, staying true to the period would have made the story a lot more enjoyable and the characters a lot less irritating.
The ending saved this book for me because it sets up the next book for a more action packed experience which I am excited to read.
This is the perfect YA fantasy book for fans of ‘The Bachelorette’ and also for young teens who want to get into fantasy. This is a good starter series for beginners.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to BookSirens and the author for this e-arc.
Marriage Competition
Politics
Book 2 of a series
Cliff-hanger
Twenty years have passed since Empress Qloey’s RMC and it’s time for the next generation to have a turn. The handsome Prince Zadkiel has come of age and needs to select a wife out of the twelve contestants.
This book is quite similar to the first book with more or less the same setup except this time the genders are reversed. There are lots of fun competitions, group dates and one on ones filled with lots of laugh out loud moments.
You can expect all sorts of drama that goes with putting a large group of teen girls together, like the usual mean girl cliques.
Zadkiel is not in this alone, he has the support of his family to help him on his journey to find the perfect wife. His siblings offer to help him to weed out rotten apples but as the story unfolds, so the plot thickens.
I did not like a lot of the contestants, some were extremely irritating and grated on my every nerve. I was not a fan of Zadkiel either, I think he is not ready to run an Empire or even a household at this point in his life. I hope his character develops more in the next book.
It reads like a modern day book but with Pixies, Elves, and Dwarves etc.
I was not a fan of the writing style, staying true to the period would have made the story a lot more enjoyable and the characters a lot less irritating.
The ending saved this book for me because it sets up the next book for a more action packed experience which I am excited to read.
This is the perfect YA fantasy book for fans of ‘The Bachelorette’ and also for young teens who want to get into fantasy. This is a good starter series for beginners.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to BookSirens and the author for this e-arc.
May 30, 2023
DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley from the publishers for my honest opinion.
I really wanted to like this book. It was such a fun premise, and I love marriage competition books. Which was why I was excited to see it was mostly from the Prince’s perspective. The jokes started off good and I had high hopes, until about 40% into the story. I feel after that point it just became a, who is Zadkiel in love with today? Kind of energy. It’s very obvious which three he will narrow down to in the next book, which made the other dates feel very forced and unnecessary. After awhile all of the jokes and using Zendaya as comic relief was cringy a bit.
I did enjoy the action that started to pop up towards the end. It gave a break from the sheer amount of dates and gave background tension to the story. I do wish more had happened in this book other than building everything.
Overall if you enjoy funny books and like dating shows this will probably be the book for you. It was okay, and I feel skipping over some of the dates would’ve been beneficial. Especially with two dates in most book days. Would’ve gave more time to flesh out and get to know the main choices prior to the elimination ceremony.
I really wanted to like this book. It was such a fun premise, and I love marriage competition books. Which was why I was excited to see it was mostly from the Prince’s perspective. The jokes started off good and I had high hopes, until about 40% into the story. I feel after that point it just became a, who is Zadkiel in love with today? Kind of energy. It’s very obvious which three he will narrow down to in the next book, which made the other dates feel very forced and unnecessary. After awhile all of the jokes and using Zendaya as comic relief was cringy a bit.
I did enjoy the action that started to pop up towards the end. It gave a break from the sheer amount of dates and gave background tension to the story. I do wish more had happened in this book other than building everything.
Overall if you enjoy funny books and like dating shows this will probably be the book for you. It was okay, and I feel skipping over some of the dates would’ve been beneficial. Especially with two dates in most book days. Would’ve gave more time to flesh out and get to know the main choices prior to the elimination ceremony.
July 13, 2023
I really wanted to like this book considering the first in the series was great! But this one was very juvenile compared to the first, with a lot of little issues—dialogue mainly—that didn’t fit this time period or make sense to me.
I was more invested in the first book considering the plot really captured my attention and all the drama that unfolded but idk, this book wasn’t doing it for me.. I felt I predicted things pretty easily (Nikko and Opal as an example) so if you’re looking for an easy read that ends in a cliffhanger, this is it.
I was more invested in the first book considering the plot really captured my attention and all the drama that unfolded but idk, this book wasn’t doing it for me.. I felt I predicted things pretty easily (Nikko and Opal as an example) so if you’re looking for an easy read that ends in a cliffhanger, this is it.
May 17, 2023
“The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Prince Zadkiel” is the second book in Zoiy Galloay’s series, “The Royal Matchmaking Competition.” As the heir to the throne, Zadkiel must participate in a special competition specifically designed to bring together twelve beautiful, talented girls for the express purpose of competing to be Zadkiel’s bride and, beyond that, the next Queen. While everything seems like fun and games at first, he soon realizes that love is not easily won. Not to mention that amidst forming special connections with several of the contestants, Zadkiel starts to get the feeling that someone is out to get his family – perhaps even hoping to assassinate one of them. All becomes fair in love and war when both hearts and the kingdom itself may be at stake.
“Prince Zadkiel” was a much more fun read than I anticipated. I had worried that it would come off a little too juvenile, but I thought the book would find a great target audience of older teens and young adults. In fact, the blossoming romances between Zadkiel and his possible brides, such as Grace, Esperanza, and Makayla, were both sweet and wholesome while also holding a fair amount of slow-burn, spicy romantic zest. It was a perfect combination that made sure the romances did not come off as cheesy or forced. Combining the romance aspect with the larger threat looming throughout the book against Zadkiel and his family created a read that was both fun and suspenseful, and I cannot wait to read the next part of Zadkiel’s journey in the next book!
“Prince Zadkiel” did move a little too fast at times, I thought. There were some contestants that barely got any mention, and I wondered if maybe those characters might not have been entirely necessary to the main purpose of the book. I understand that since it’s a competition, there will be some contestants off the bat that will get the short end of the stick and not peg high on Zadkiel’s radar. Still, this book had a lot of characters to keep straight to begin with, so having some of those extraneous girls did not always seem to make much sense to me. Galloay did a phenomenal job making sure that all her characters were portrayed in unique ways, though, and that they would each be memorable in the reader’s mind as the book went along. Sometimes, having so many characters and supporting actors can be a little confusing. Still, I always understood who each person was supposed to be and never had any instances where I was confusing multiple characters together.
Overall, Zadkiel is a charming, strong, and lovable protagonist that attracts the reader’s attention at once and makes you want to see him find true love with one of these girls and live both a happy life and rule successfully as an adult once married. I loved watching how his opinions and respect towards women, in general, grew as he became closer with the girls. I highly recommend “The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Prince Zadkiel” by Zoiy Galloay to any fans of YA Romance, be it based in the contemporary or fantasy genres.
“Prince Zadkiel” was a much more fun read than I anticipated. I had worried that it would come off a little too juvenile, but I thought the book would find a great target audience of older teens and young adults. In fact, the blossoming romances between Zadkiel and his possible brides, such as Grace, Esperanza, and Makayla, were both sweet and wholesome while also holding a fair amount of slow-burn, spicy romantic zest. It was a perfect combination that made sure the romances did not come off as cheesy or forced. Combining the romance aspect with the larger threat looming throughout the book against Zadkiel and his family created a read that was both fun and suspenseful, and I cannot wait to read the next part of Zadkiel’s journey in the next book!
“Prince Zadkiel” did move a little too fast at times, I thought. There were some contestants that barely got any mention, and I wondered if maybe those characters might not have been entirely necessary to the main purpose of the book. I understand that since it’s a competition, there will be some contestants off the bat that will get the short end of the stick and not peg high on Zadkiel’s radar. Still, this book had a lot of characters to keep straight to begin with, so having some of those extraneous girls did not always seem to make much sense to me. Galloay did a phenomenal job making sure that all her characters were portrayed in unique ways, though, and that they would each be memorable in the reader’s mind as the book went along. Sometimes, having so many characters and supporting actors can be a little confusing. Still, I always understood who each person was supposed to be and never had any instances where I was confusing multiple characters together.
Overall, Zadkiel is a charming, strong, and lovable protagonist that attracts the reader’s attention at once and makes you want to see him find true love with one of these girls and live both a happy life and rule successfully as an adult once married. I loved watching how his opinions and respect towards women, in general, grew as he became closer with the girls. I highly recommend “The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Prince Zadkiel” by Zoiy Galloay to any fans of YA Romance, be it based in the contemporary or fantasy genres.
June 6, 2023
I have to admit that I missed the memo that this was part 1 of a duology. Or better said, when I started reading this book and up until about ninety percent into the book I was convinced that just like Qloey's story this was gonna be a stand-alone. That did impact my reading experience a little, since I was waiting for something that obviously only happens in the next book. However, I'm still glad that I got a copy of this book via Netgalley.
The first book in the series was an amazing mix between politics and romance. The ending felt a little rushed, but luckily we hear a lot about the falling out in this second book. This book follows Qloey's eldest son. Twelve girls have travelled to the palace to win his hand and it's clear that the politics of the past and current is gonna have a huge influence on the competition. And it's also clear that some past dangers might not be gone entirely.
Since this book is the first part of a story-arc that spans over two books the pacing is a little slower than Qloey's story. And while that's a little annoying in the beginning, since I was really waiting for things to get a little more dangerous and the politics making a more prominent appearance, I did like that we get some more time with the girls and really get to know them. Some girls are clearly more interesting characters than others, but that's unavoidable.
The moment the danger and the politics do show up things become infinitely more interesting. Partly because we see that Qloey's rule is not without consequences, but also because the competition and the outside politics are starting to influence each other. It's almost a pity that this time we don't get the complete story at once because I'm insanely curious to discover what's truly going on and where all this will lead.
I will make sure to keep an eye on the release date of the sequel!
The first book in the series was an amazing mix between politics and romance. The ending felt a little rushed, but luckily we hear a lot about the falling out in this second book. This book follows Qloey's eldest son. Twelve girls have travelled to the palace to win his hand and it's clear that the politics of the past and current is gonna have a huge influence on the competition. And it's also clear that some past dangers might not be gone entirely.
Since this book is the first part of a story-arc that spans over two books the pacing is a little slower than Qloey's story. And while that's a little annoying in the beginning, since I was really waiting for things to get a little more dangerous and the politics making a more prominent appearance, I did like that we get some more time with the girls and really get to know them. Some girls are clearly more interesting characters than others, but that's unavoidable.
The moment the danger and the politics do show up things become infinitely more interesting. Partly because we see that Qloey's rule is not without consequences, but also because the competition and the outside politics are starting to influence each other. It's almost a pity that this time we don't get the complete story at once because I'm insanely curious to discover what's truly going on and where all this will lead.
I will make sure to keep an eye on the release date of the sequel!
May 26, 2023
"Love. Friendship. Political partnership. Spiritual soulmates. Surely I could find all that with one of these [twelve] maidens."
A young, half-elf crown prince is asked by his parents to choose a bride from among a dozen eligible maidens in the form of a competition called the Royal Matchmaking Competition. His mother chose her husband, the prince's father, in her own Royal Matchmaking Competition years before. With colorful commentary from his sisters and brother, he goes out on a series of dates with various contestants, gradually learning more about them and himself. As he does, however, a neighboring kingdom is making secret plans against his parents' kingdom. And by the time that they find out what is going on, it may be too late...
This book is a bit like a fun recipe. If you take a scoop of "The Bachelor", a scoop of fantasy, a teaspoon of "The Dating Game," a dash of royal family drama and a sprinkling of "Princess Diaries" I think that you'd end up with something fairly close to this book. I had such fun with this book.
I found Prince Zadkiel and his siblings enjoyable, especially the relationship he has with the oldest of his sisters, with whom he enjoys a great deal of comedic back and forth. Each contestant is fleshed out enough and has her own unique story and personality, and each, with few exceptions, seem to teach Zadkiel a little something. The only thing that I found a bit jarring was the occasional use of modern language. It doesn't seem to fit in a fantasy world, although I'm sure this won't matter to some readers, and it might just be a minor nitpick on my part.
I enjoyed the story so much that I picked up the prequel, and I'll probably pick up the sequel to see where everything leads. I'd be happy to recommend this to most of my friends who - like me - enjoy princes, princesses, fantasy and fun!
A young, half-elf crown prince is asked by his parents to choose a bride from among a dozen eligible maidens in the form of a competition called the Royal Matchmaking Competition. His mother chose her husband, the prince's father, in her own Royal Matchmaking Competition years before. With colorful commentary from his sisters and brother, he goes out on a series of dates with various contestants, gradually learning more about them and himself. As he does, however, a neighboring kingdom is making secret plans against his parents' kingdom. And by the time that they find out what is going on, it may be too late...
This book is a bit like a fun recipe. If you take a scoop of "The Bachelor", a scoop of fantasy, a teaspoon of "The Dating Game," a dash of royal family drama and a sprinkling of "Princess Diaries" I think that you'd end up with something fairly close to this book. I had such fun with this book.
I found Prince Zadkiel and his siblings enjoyable, especially the relationship he has with the oldest of his sisters, with whom he enjoys a great deal of comedic back and forth. Each contestant is fleshed out enough and has her own unique story and personality, and each, with few exceptions, seem to teach Zadkiel a little something. The only thing that I found a bit jarring was the occasional use of modern language. It doesn't seem to fit in a fantasy world, although I'm sure this won't matter to some readers, and it might just be a minor nitpick on my part.
I enjoyed the story so much that I picked up the prequel, and I'll probably pick up the sequel to see where everything leads. I'd be happy to recommend this to most of my friends who - like me - enjoy princes, princesses, fantasy and fun!
March 31, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Zoiy G. Galloay has built a great fantasy world.
In this second book, we meet The Imperial Majesty Qloey's son Zadkiel. It is now his turn to find a wife from other countries.
The introduction ceremony doesn't go as planned and from the very beginning, Qloey definitely has her favorites and is not afraid to comment about them.
Zadkiel's siblings all have favorites as well and help him throughout the competition to learn more about the contestants.
There are definitely some quite interesting personalities among those girls. Which creates interesting situations, drama, and action.
This book is a really great follow-up to the first book. We get an insight into what Qloey has been doing with the empire. We also realize that Zadkiel doesn't approve of everything. He truly has a great view of how the future should be for the empire.
The book ends quite dramatically and I can't wait to read the next book. I need to know what happens next.
If you like fantasy with drama, humor, action, and romance - you will love this book.
Zoiy G. Galloay has built a great fantasy world.
In this second book, we meet The Imperial Majesty Qloey's son Zadkiel. It is now his turn to find a wife from other countries.
The introduction ceremony doesn't go as planned and from the very beginning, Qloey definitely has her favorites and is not afraid to comment about them.
Zadkiel's siblings all have favorites as well and help him throughout the competition to learn more about the contestants.
There are definitely some quite interesting personalities among those girls. Which creates interesting situations, drama, and action.
This book is a really great follow-up to the first book. We get an insight into what Qloey has been doing with the empire. We also realize that Zadkiel doesn't approve of everything. He truly has a great view of how the future should be for the empire.
The book ends quite dramatically and I can't wait to read the next book. I need to know what happens next.
If you like fantasy with drama, humor, action, and romance - you will love this book.
June 25, 2023
Still having a good time with this series. This book felt longer than the last one, but I think that's because there was a bit more intrigue put in. Instead of someone coming directly after the prince, there are questions about different cities breaking off from Velazian rule, the dwarf slave trade, and who may be betraying the royal family.
Listen, this isn't groundbreaking. It's not going to be the best thing you've ever read. HOWEVER, it's honestly a fun time and I enjoyed my time reading it. I looked forward to picking it back up each time and I'm still questioning who to believe. I will absolutely pick up the next one.
Listen, this isn't groundbreaking. It's not going to be the best thing you've ever read. HOWEVER, it's honestly a fun time and I enjoyed my time reading it. I looked forward to picking it back up each time and I'm still questioning who to believe. I will absolutely pick up the next one.
March 16, 2023
Ok so yes I totally enjoyed this book, but… at times it just seemed to drag. I do enjoy the characters and how we are reacquainted with characters from the first book, (I highly suggest book one before reading this book). Unfortunately this ended on a mild cliffhanger and I didn’t expect that. I will definitely look for the next book but I can’t fully review without an ending.
March 26, 2023
Ummm, really mixed feelings about this book. Loved the premise (totally has The Selection vibes) but was really confused about the worldbuilding and consistency of the feel of the story. Some of the conversations felt incredibly "today" and unnatural (like the empress saying the phrase "super excited") while trying to be a medieval time period. I can't tell if it's supposed to be cheesy or serious. If it's lighthearted (as would seem the case with how some of the princesses act) and funny, that's fine but then there are long passages of backstory and politics that get really dull. There's a lot of cohesiveness problems that a strong editor could help with.
And then there's the issue of it being touted as a standalone book … yet it ends on a cliffhanger. I rarely read cliffhangers if the series is unfinished, because I don't like waiting for the next book.
Ok, despite my critiques, I am enjoying the story and would like to know how it ends. It is nice to have absolutely no idea who he ends up with! Usually you can figure these out pretty early on.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
And then there's the issue of it being touted as a standalone book … yet it ends on a cliffhanger. I rarely read cliffhangers if the series is unfinished, because I don't like waiting for the next book.
Ok, despite my critiques, I am enjoying the story and would like to know how it ends. It is nice to have absolutely no idea who he ends up with! Usually you can figure these out pretty early on.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 20, 2023
I’ve received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
This book is the fantasy version of the bachelor and it definitely reads that way. I haven’t read the first book in the series, which is his mother bachelorette style, but there are mentions to the story frequently in this book that implies there was more action in that series than this one. If you read the selection, imagine it’s like that where each lady is given a date but through competitions and such you can gain more time with the bachelor. There are more points of view in this book and unlike the selection where you are certain who is going to win, it’s unclear in this book.
My gripe with this book is that is very slow, while there is hints of plot and room for action, it ends as quickly as it starts. My other thing is that this is not a one and done book, by the end of it he hasn’t even eliminated any of the contestants or whittled then down at all!
Overall if you are a fan of reality tv and fantasy, then this might be the book for you. I will be reading the next book if only to figure out who the prince ends up with.
This book is the fantasy version of the bachelor and it definitely reads that way. I haven’t read the first book in the series, which is his mother bachelorette style, but there are mentions to the story frequently in this book that implies there was more action in that series than this one. If you read the selection, imagine it’s like that where each lady is given a date but through competitions and such you can gain more time with the bachelor. There are more points of view in this book and unlike the selection where you are certain who is going to win, it’s unclear in this book.
My gripe with this book is that is very slow, while there is hints of plot and room for action, it ends as quickly as it starts. My other thing is that this is not a one and done book, by the end of it he hasn’t even eliminated any of the contestants or whittled then down at all!
Overall if you are a fan of reality tv and fantasy, then this might be the book for you. I will be reading the next book if only to figure out who the prince ends up with.
April 5, 2023
I keep getting drawn in further and further into this other world and the different people and planets. I love the descriptions and each contestants attitudes and agendas. Glad the prince has siblings to help him decide and a sister to infiltrate the female contestant and observe them with guard let down with other females. Ends in a cliffhanger and I can’t wait for the final book! *I was given an advanced reader copy via BookSirens and am voluntarily giving my honest review.
June 3, 2023
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for an eARC of this book. I received a copy for free and was invited to share my opinions.
I’m not sure why I expected this to be anything other than The Bachelor with elves, but aside from a bit of fantasy kingdom politics, it isn’t and I have to say I struggled with it. The MC seems a bit vain and shallow and overly concerned with how the contestants look/smell which is a bit weird. Near the beginning he considers marriage potential of one girl based on the fact that they both like the colour blue which seems ridiculous. He’s also a bit overconfident and several things he said made me roll my eyes; “I performed an exceptional violin piece without accompaniment”. Overall, I found him a bit hard to like.
Generally speaking I wasn’t a fan of the writing style because I felt the author’s use of very colloquial American language didn’t really fit with the fantasy setting. There were lots of awkward descriptions and clunky dialogue, for example “She had the perfect amount of coloring on her face to give her a complete look from head to toe. So far, there was nothing wrong with her.” Another example is on p368, where Zadkiel considers the fact that “her clothes were asexual”. I got the impression that the author has utilised a thesaurus but it has ended up making the writing sound stilted and odd because the word choices often don’t work in context. I found the language used throughout the book very anachronistic. Modern language is interspersed with more formal, old-fashioned dialogue, but it’s often wrongly phrased eg “with whom I would like to dance with”, and when Zadkiel suggests his sister would “devour” a pair of earrings which makes no sense - she’s not going to eat them! I’m assuming the author meant perhaps “adore/covet”?
Use of the term “bachelorette pad” particularly bothered me, along with constantly referring to the competition within the book as the “RMC”, and there’s other instances of very modern words and references that just didn’t fit, like “there’s a typo” on p131 despite the fact that it’s described as calligraphy and it’s just been mentioned that it’s the sixteenth century!
I would say the book has a juvenile tone and feels very much aimed at teenage girls. It’s shallow and overly concerned with appearances and friendships/rivalries/flirting. There are frequent references to stereotypical “female/male” assumptions that I didn’t enjoy at all; “girls like gifts”, “Each contestant was allowed a massage, a pedicure, a manicure, a facial…”, the idea that the commoners would need a makeover before joining the competition. Ick. It also sort of feels like it’s written by someone with no idea about relationships; Zadkiel thinks things like “I started to sweat, not from the heat, but from wanting her.” and “Her sexy eyelashes fluttered as she spoke.” I felt there was a bit too much reliance on “fun dates” which didn’t really interest me - but I don’t think I’m the target market here - and just occasional references to the empire and the political situation and it didn’t always flow well. For instance, in Chapter 39 a major political issue is uncovered and a serious discussion happens, then suddenly the prince is interrupting a slumber party pillow fight. It’s a very abrupt change of pace and is quite odd.
I enjoy reading multiple POV stories but the way the changing POVs was done here was a bit odd - Prince Zadkiel’s perspective, which we read for most of the book, is written in first person, as is Queen Qloey’s, but Saqoia’s and the occasional contestant’s POV are written in the third person which makes it confusing and awkward to read. The other thing I didn’t understand was when Zadkiel makes the point in Chapter 40 that by this point in her competition his mother had already eliminated several contestants but he hasn’t because there’s no clear leader. He then ends up on a date with the model whom he finds repulsive - so surely it would be logical for him to eliminate her? It makes no sense! It seemed like there were too many characters involved to begin with - I can’t even remember what some of the girls were called (although I did find their little bios at the start of chapters helpful) and they were barely in the story, yet no eliminations happened? Why not?
I’m just not sure I really got this book. Aside from the fact that I’m probably older than the target audience here, I just don’t think it delivered on what it set out to be! I think readers may well be disappointed to discover this isn’t the story of the whole of Prince Zadkiel’s competition- it’s just the first half! I’m assuming Book 3 will reveal who he eliminates and who is eventually chosen but to be honest I probably won’t seek it out. I’m afraid I wasn’t a fan.
I’m not sure why I expected this to be anything other than The Bachelor with elves, but aside from a bit of fantasy kingdom politics, it isn’t and I have to say I struggled with it. The MC seems a bit vain and shallow and overly concerned with how the contestants look/smell which is a bit weird. Near the beginning he considers marriage potential of one girl based on the fact that they both like the colour blue which seems ridiculous. He’s also a bit overconfident and several things he said made me roll my eyes; “I performed an exceptional violin piece without accompaniment”. Overall, I found him a bit hard to like.
Generally speaking I wasn’t a fan of the writing style because I felt the author’s use of very colloquial American language didn’t really fit with the fantasy setting. There were lots of awkward descriptions and clunky dialogue, for example “She had the perfect amount of coloring on her face to give her a complete look from head to toe. So far, there was nothing wrong with her.” Another example is on p368, where Zadkiel considers the fact that “her clothes were asexual”. I got the impression that the author has utilised a thesaurus but it has ended up making the writing sound stilted and odd because the word choices often don’t work in context. I found the language used throughout the book very anachronistic. Modern language is interspersed with more formal, old-fashioned dialogue, but it’s often wrongly phrased eg “with whom I would like to dance with”, and when Zadkiel suggests his sister would “devour” a pair of earrings which makes no sense - she’s not going to eat them! I’m assuming the author meant perhaps “adore/covet”?
Use of the term “bachelorette pad” particularly bothered me, along with constantly referring to the competition within the book as the “RMC”, and there’s other instances of very modern words and references that just didn’t fit, like “there’s a typo” on p131 despite the fact that it’s described as calligraphy and it’s just been mentioned that it’s the sixteenth century!
I would say the book has a juvenile tone and feels very much aimed at teenage girls. It’s shallow and overly concerned with appearances and friendships/rivalries/flirting. There are frequent references to stereotypical “female/male” assumptions that I didn’t enjoy at all; “girls like gifts”, “Each contestant was allowed a massage, a pedicure, a manicure, a facial…”, the idea that the commoners would need a makeover before joining the competition. Ick. It also sort of feels like it’s written by someone with no idea about relationships; Zadkiel thinks things like “I started to sweat, not from the heat, but from wanting her.” and “Her sexy eyelashes fluttered as she spoke.” I felt there was a bit too much reliance on “fun dates” which didn’t really interest me - but I don’t think I’m the target market here - and just occasional references to the empire and the political situation and it didn’t always flow well. For instance, in Chapter 39 a major political issue is uncovered and a serious discussion happens, then suddenly the prince is interrupting a slumber party pillow fight. It’s a very abrupt change of pace and is quite odd.
I enjoy reading multiple POV stories but the way the changing POVs was done here was a bit odd - Prince Zadkiel’s perspective, which we read for most of the book, is written in first person, as is Queen Qloey’s, but Saqoia’s and the occasional contestant’s POV are written in the third person which makes it confusing and awkward to read. The other thing I didn’t understand was when Zadkiel makes the point in Chapter 40 that by this point in her competition his mother had already eliminated several contestants but he hasn’t because there’s no clear leader. He then ends up on a date with the model whom he finds repulsive - so surely it would be logical for him to eliminate her? It makes no sense! It seemed like there were too many characters involved to begin with - I can’t even remember what some of the girls were called (although I did find their little bios at the start of chapters helpful) and they were barely in the story, yet no eliminations happened? Why not?
I’m just not sure I really got this book. Aside from the fact that I’m probably older than the target audience here, I just don’t think it delivered on what it set out to be! I think readers may well be disappointed to discover this isn’t the story of the whole of Prince Zadkiel’s competition- it’s just the first half! I’m assuming Book 3 will reveal who he eliminates and who is eventually chosen but to be honest I probably won’t seek it out. I’m afraid I wasn’t a fan.
May 19, 2024
A Royal heir has come of age to marry. Due to the terms of the treaty the throne has with all the nations within the empire, one woman from each country is sent to win the heart of Prince Zadkiel. Over weeks of interacting with each contestant and watching them interact with each other and others, the Prince will decide on who will make a good future empress and who will make him happy. It isn't as easy as it would seem.
I had not read the first book in the series first, but I will go back and read about the Prince's mother's Competition. But let's focus on this competition.
12 women vying for the title of empress makes for a boring premise….Not! Cat fights are the norm as a few "spirited" contestants will do nearly anything to be the one chosen. The Prince comes from royalty, but it is a royalty that is rare. They are a loving family who tries to respect everyone from all walks of life. It doesn't mean they are ideal, but they are wanting to change how royalty acts. That doesn't mesh too well with a few of their subjects who want to subjugate others.
Zadkiel has some of the funniest scenes with these contestants. I could see these on screen in my mind and would laugh out loud. The Prince is not uptight. Yes, he can be proper when the moment calls for it, but he can be a fun-loving guy when he's in private. I mean he literally runs from some of these women when they get a little too possessive of him.
Then there is his family. They have their own unique personalities that have you wanting to know them all so well, including the emperor and empress. The characters are wonderfully crafted enough to have me wanting to jump into the pages and have fun with them.
Then there is a mystery. It is not the focal point of the story, but it drives some of the plot from wherever it is hiding. I'd forget about the mystery as I focused on the great characters. Then it would raise its shrouded head and have me wanting to get in on the hunt.
Oh, let me mention the world the store is set in. It seems to be set back a few hundred years ago but with races such as dwarves, pixies, and elves like we read in most fantasy stories. It is a mix of the world we know and that of the worlds we'd love to know.
This is a great read. I'll be going back to read book 1 and will be looking for the next books to come out. I want to get to know them all so much more.
I had not read the first book in the series first, but I will go back and read about the Prince's mother's Competition. But let's focus on this competition.
12 women vying for the title of empress makes for a boring premise….Not! Cat fights are the norm as a few "spirited" contestants will do nearly anything to be the one chosen. The Prince comes from royalty, but it is a royalty that is rare. They are a loving family who tries to respect everyone from all walks of life. It doesn't mean they are ideal, but they are wanting to change how royalty acts. That doesn't mesh too well with a few of their subjects who want to subjugate others.
Zadkiel has some of the funniest scenes with these contestants. I could see these on screen in my mind and would laugh out loud. The Prince is not uptight. Yes, he can be proper when the moment calls for it, but he can be a fun-loving guy when he's in private. I mean he literally runs from some of these women when they get a little too possessive of him.
Then there is his family. They have their own unique personalities that have you wanting to know them all so well, including the emperor and empress. The characters are wonderfully crafted enough to have me wanting to jump into the pages and have fun with them.
Then there is a mystery. It is not the focal point of the story, but it drives some of the plot from wherever it is hiding. I'd forget about the mystery as I focused on the great characters. Then it would raise its shrouded head and have me wanting to get in on the hunt.
Oh, let me mention the world the store is set in. It seems to be set back a few hundred years ago but with races such as dwarves, pixies, and elves like we read in most fantasy stories. It is a mix of the world we know and that of the worlds we'd love to know.
This is a great read. I'll be going back to read book 1 and will be looking for the next books to come out. I want to get to know them all so much more.
May 25, 2023
Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.
This book reminded me of the book The Selection, and I really enjoyed reading it a lot.
This book for me was more character driven and I was all for all. I love getting to know the characters more and to see how they act, what they do and why they do it. However, you can clearly see where the plot is going about 50% of the way in and I was sad when it ended because it was getting to the good part. I will be reading the next book when it comes out because that cliffhanger was not okay lol. I need to know are they okay, was it who I thought it was, was it someone else? So many questions and I need the answers lol.
I enjoyed the mix of humor and cuteness of this book; it also has a sweet side/innocence to it when it comes to Prince Zadkiel. You couldn’t help but laugh at his comments when he finally notices that he is sharing at the ladies’ breast during their dates. There really isn’t a lot of spice but then again, he is dating 12 different ladies trying to find his match. I loved that the Zadkiel family is royal but when they’re alone together as a family you really get to see a whole new side of all of them, I loved the funny side of his sister and I loved how he interacted with all his family.
I wish that we would have learned more about Kaitlynn, I feel like there is a lot more to her, but we just don’t know all of it yet. Heck, even though she made a huge mess out of the start she still might be the lucky one. I really don’t like the other characters, other than Anezka. I think she would be great, but I think I like rooting for the underdog.
I can’t wait to see what Galloay will bring us with book three, but I hope we might be able to see a little more romance with the remaining ladies and I really hope that Kaitlynn's family is not causing problems for her and the princes family.
I want to thank BookSirens and Zoiy G. Galloay for the opportunity to review this book.
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.
This book reminded me of the book The Selection, and I really enjoyed reading it a lot.
This book for me was more character driven and I was all for all. I love getting to know the characters more and to see how they act, what they do and why they do it. However, you can clearly see where the plot is going about 50% of the way in and I was sad when it ended because it was getting to the good part. I will be reading the next book when it comes out because that cliffhanger was not okay lol. I need to know are they okay, was it who I thought it was, was it someone else? So many questions and I need the answers lol.
I enjoyed the mix of humor and cuteness of this book; it also has a sweet side/innocence to it when it comes to Prince Zadkiel. You couldn’t help but laugh at his comments when he finally notices that he is sharing at the ladies’ breast during their dates. There really isn’t a lot of spice but then again, he is dating 12 different ladies trying to find his match. I loved that the Zadkiel family is royal but when they’re alone together as a family you really get to see a whole new side of all of them, I loved the funny side of his sister and I loved how he interacted with all his family.
I wish that we would have learned more about Kaitlynn, I feel like there is a lot more to her, but we just don’t know all of it yet. Heck, even though she made a huge mess out of the start she still might be the lucky one. I really don’t like the other characters, other than Anezka. I think she would be great, but I think I like rooting for the underdog.
I can’t wait to see what Galloay will bring us with book three, but I hope we might be able to see a little more romance with the remaining ladies and I really hope that Kaitlynn's family is not causing problems for her and the princes family.
I want to thank BookSirens and Zoiy G. Galloay for the opportunity to review this book.
June 11, 2023
*Received ARC for honest review
This was actually quite an entertaining read. It’s time for Prince Zadkiel to choose a bride to become the future empress and in the competition, he has twelve companions to choose from. He knows his duty and purpose for the marriage but he isn’t brooding or resigned about it as what we would usually expect from someone who is forced to choose a bride from a pool of potential prospects. I think what makes it fun is that Zadkiel himself is very excited about the event and even welcomes it as well as his family. Although, while the story has its interesting and humorous moments, it started to feel like a glorified version of The Bachelor. Even if Kaitlynn and Makayla are the two contestants that I probably enjoy reading a little more about, there wasn’t one that really grabbed my attention or that I thought really outshined everyone else. The competition takes place through the entire story but I thought that it probably did not need to be as long as it was. I almost forgot that there was suppose to be an assassination attempt because it felt secondary to everything else and came in late into the story. The cover of the book looked interesting and I was disappointed that the main bulk of the story was really just about the competition and about which contestants are hateful, fun, proper, etc. I also thought the language and the style of writing didn’t quite fit with the setting of the story. I’m not sure if it’s the author’s intent but the language and style made it seem to be like a modern-day royal matchmaking, which to me felt more like an anachronism. Overall, to read it as just a royal matchmaking competition -it is fun and quite humorous. But, knowing that there is suppose to be more, I think it took a bit too long to get the story going. Will I still read the next one? Definitely still will read it because I’m way to curious to see how the competition will play out and to see who actually has a separate agenda.
This was actually quite an entertaining read. It’s time for Prince Zadkiel to choose a bride to become the future empress and in the competition, he has twelve companions to choose from. He knows his duty and purpose for the marriage but he isn’t brooding or resigned about it as what we would usually expect from someone who is forced to choose a bride from a pool of potential prospects. I think what makes it fun is that Zadkiel himself is very excited about the event and even welcomes it as well as his family. Although, while the story has its interesting and humorous moments, it started to feel like a glorified version of The Bachelor. Even if Kaitlynn and Makayla are the two contestants that I probably enjoy reading a little more about, there wasn’t one that really grabbed my attention or that I thought really outshined everyone else. The competition takes place through the entire story but I thought that it probably did not need to be as long as it was. I almost forgot that there was suppose to be an assassination attempt because it felt secondary to everything else and came in late into the story. The cover of the book looked interesting and I was disappointed that the main bulk of the story was really just about the competition and about which contestants are hateful, fun, proper, etc. I also thought the language and the style of writing didn’t quite fit with the setting of the story. I’m not sure if it’s the author’s intent but the language and style made it seem to be like a modern-day royal matchmaking, which to me felt more like an anachronism. Overall, to read it as just a royal matchmaking competition -it is fun and quite humorous. But, knowing that there is suppose to be more, I think it took a bit too long to get the story going. Will I still read the next one? Definitely still will read it because I’m way to curious to see how the competition will play out and to see who actually has a separate agenda.
March 28, 2023
This is the second book in the Royal Matchmaking Competition series, and follows Qloey (from book 1's) eldest son's RMC. It is not necessary to read the first book in the series, but I highly recommend it, and this book ends on a cliffhanger so book 3 will also be required reading.
I really liked the first book in this series, and was excited for this second one to come out, I had it book marked in my calendar for release.
I feel this book improved on several things from the first one. It is a longer story arc and we get to spend more time with each of the characters. There's more time spent developing them and getting to know them all, and it makes for a more engaging RMC. This book also has multiple POV's from several of the characters' perspectives, and I felt that added to both the story and the characters themselves. We also get to revisit past characters from book 1 and see how their lives have played out, which I was happy about.
There is a nice mix of humour and sweetness, and just a bit of action going on in the story (but no spice happening here). The royal family dynamic is much different in this book, and makes for a cozier story than the first so far. I really liked the family interactions, and the younger siblings are a hoot.
I did feel that there were a lot of characters to keep track of (it would have been especially more so if you hadn't read the first book and knew the older ones), and sometimes had to flip back to the beginning to remember who the contestants were.
I still happily polished this book off in two sittings (had to sleep in between), and will definitely be reading the third!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really liked the first book in this series, and was excited for this second one to come out, I had it book marked in my calendar for release.
I feel this book improved on several things from the first one. It is a longer story arc and we get to spend more time with each of the characters. There's more time spent developing them and getting to know them all, and it makes for a more engaging RMC. This book also has multiple POV's from several of the characters' perspectives, and I felt that added to both the story and the characters themselves. We also get to revisit past characters from book 1 and see how their lives have played out, which I was happy about.
There is a nice mix of humour and sweetness, and just a bit of action going on in the story (but no spice happening here). The royal family dynamic is much different in this book, and makes for a cozier story than the first so far. I really liked the family interactions, and the younger siblings are a hoot.
I did feel that there were a lot of characters to keep track of (it would have been especially more so if you hadn't read the first book and knew the older ones), and sometimes had to flip back to the beginning to remember who the contestants were.
I still happily polished this book off in two sittings (had to sleep in between), and will definitely be reading the third!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 7, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Everything is my own opinion.
I liked the cover, the idea of a competition where the prince has to choose his wife - and it has a fantasy twist with elves, dwarves, Pixies and humans.
Sadly, it went downhill very fast.
None of the characters are relatable, and they feel two-dimensional.
There are too many POVs in the novel - and only the mc and his mother's POVs are first person. The other POVs are in the third person, making this difficult to read; were these POVs necessary for this novel at all?
Because of these POVs, the story goes on . . . on and on - not knowing what the plot is and what the point is. Yes, the mc goes on dates to find a 'wife', and the girls compete to win dates.
Girls fighting over the prince (I like triangles as the next person), but I felt at some stage 'some' girls should have been eliminated. Yet the mc keeps finding himself surrounded by a harem of girls.
The mc is so immature - despite being the eldest, he was supposed to be trained for his position as a future emperor. He should hold a different kind of air around him.
I found the charades chapter mundane. It is too close to reality, especially if you create a fantasy world - make up your own fairy tales and legends.
I deemed this book as hard to finish because of all the wordy sentences thrown together . . . there are a lot of suitable words for what was described in a sentence. There was a chapter where Nikko was referred to as a girl - and - a few grammar mistakes here and there.
I liked the following:
There is a map of the world.
Character portraits
I love drama, romance, suspense and fantasy. This novel was just not for me.
I liked the cover, the idea of a competition where the prince has to choose his wife - and it has a fantasy twist with elves, dwarves, Pixies and humans.
Sadly, it went downhill very fast.
None of the characters are relatable, and they feel two-dimensional.
There are too many POVs in the novel - and only the mc and his mother's POVs are first person. The other POVs are in the third person, making this difficult to read; were these POVs necessary for this novel at all?
Because of these POVs, the story goes on . . . on and on - not knowing what the plot is and what the point is. Yes, the mc goes on dates to find a 'wife', and the girls compete to win dates.
Girls fighting over the prince (I like triangles as the next person), but I felt at some stage 'some' girls should have been eliminated. Yet the mc keeps finding himself surrounded by a harem of girls.
The mc is so immature - despite being the eldest, he was supposed to be trained for his position as a future emperor. He should hold a different kind of air around him.
I found the charades chapter mundane. It is too close to reality, especially if you create a fantasy world - make up your own fairy tales and legends.
I deemed this book as hard to finish because of all the wordy sentences thrown together . . . there are a lot of suitable words for what was described in a sentence. There was a chapter where Nikko was referred to as a girl - and - a few grammar mistakes here and there.
I liked the following:
There is a map of the world.
Character portraits
I love drama, romance, suspense and fantasy. This novel was just not for me.
April 5, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free on Netgalley. However, I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
This is the second book in RMC universe. In this book, we follow The Imperial Majesty Qloey's son Zadkiel on his journey to find a wife.
I really wanted to love this book; I loved the premise, it gave me The Selection and Bridgerton vibes, but I found that the world building really fell short and we were introduced to so many characters at the beginning that I found it difficult to keep track and connect with any of the characters.
I also found the prose slightly jarring. The story is meant to be set in medieval times but the characters often used very modern phrases. Although this made the story lighthearted and fun to read, it just felt really non cohesive.
That being said, I did enjoy the book. It was easy to read and I easily finished it in two days. It was fun and there was a nice mix of humour, romance and action. It’s also pretty low stakes, so if you enjoy a cozy fantasy then definitely give it a go.
#TheRoyalMatchmakingCompetitionPrinceZadkielroyaltyromanceromcomromanticcomedyfantasyroyalfairytalefairytaleretellingsfaefaeromancecleanandwholesomeprincezoiygalloay #NetGalley.
This is the second book in RMC universe. In this book, we follow The Imperial Majesty Qloey's son Zadkiel on his journey to find a wife.
I really wanted to love this book; I loved the premise, it gave me The Selection and Bridgerton vibes, but I found that the world building really fell short and we were introduced to so many characters at the beginning that I found it difficult to keep track and connect with any of the characters.
I also found the prose slightly jarring. The story is meant to be set in medieval times but the characters often used very modern phrases. Although this made the story lighthearted and fun to read, it just felt really non cohesive.
That being said, I did enjoy the book. It was easy to read and I easily finished it in two days. It was fun and there was a nice mix of humour, romance and action. It’s also pretty low stakes, so if you enjoy a cozy fantasy then definitely give it a go.
#TheRoyalMatchmakingCompetitionPrinceZadkielroyaltyromanceromcomromanticcomedyfantasyroyalfairytalefairytaleretellingsfaefaeromancecleanandwholesomeprincezoiygalloay #NetGalley.
January 1, 2025
This was really slow at first. I have a lot of different feelings about it though and they kind of waxed and waned throughout the book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
1) The jump from Qloey's RMC to Zadkiel's RMC was too much with no real transition. There really should be another book in the middle somewhere.
2) The beginning was too focused on Qloey's bachelors- unnecessarily. A middle book could've alleviated this.
3) Overall the whole book was too much- meaning, every intro, every date was described in detail. That much detail was unnecessary and made the book too long.
4) About 60% in, I got invested in what was happening- so if that could be shortened significantly, I would've finished the book sooner. As it was, I dragged.
So, all that negative out of the way, once I got into the book, it was very good. I am very interested in what is happening throughout the kingdom and the changes that Zadkiel might make. Tightened up, this could've been a 5 star book, it was just too much unnecessary detail.
I am very intrigued to see what happens with the characters in the next book and any future book.
1) The jump from Qloey's RMC to Zadkiel's RMC was too much with no real transition. There really should be another book in the middle somewhere.
2) The beginning was too focused on Qloey's bachelors- unnecessarily. A middle book could've alleviated this.
3) Overall the whole book was too much- meaning, every intro, every date was described in detail. That much detail was unnecessary and made the book too long.
4) About 60% in, I got invested in what was happening- so if that could be shortened significantly, I would've finished the book sooner. As it was, I dragged.
So, all that negative out of the way, once I got into the book, it was very good. I am very interested in what is happening throughout the kingdom and the changes that Zadkiel might make. Tightened up, this could've been a 5 star book, it was just too much unnecessary detail.
I am very intrigued to see what happens with the characters in the next book and any future book.
May 28, 2023
DNFed at 35%. There were so many characters that it was hard to keep track of everyone, they all felt like caricatures (sometimes with accents that made me cringe), and the humor read like it was aimed at a younger audience than the rest of the story. The writing was fine, but I wasn't enjoying myself.
I totally recognize that I might not be the right audience for this book. I kept struggling with the fact that the princesses read as regional stereotypes, and the way wealth is talked about in this book drove me crazy. I know that this book wasn't asking me to engage in deep thoughts, but I wanted more substance from this story.
That said, I think that this book is, at its heart, a parody/love letter to dating shows like The Bachelor, and people who enjoy that sort of thing will be much more likely to have a good time with this than I did.
Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me a chance to read this book. I wish the author all the best. Btw, this book is the second in a series, but the story is sufficiently explained in this MS that I didn't feel like I was missing context.
I totally recognize that I might not be the right audience for this book. I kept struggling with the fact that the princesses read as regional stereotypes, and the way wealth is talked about in this book drove me crazy. I know that this book wasn't asking me to engage in deep thoughts, but I wanted more substance from this story.
That said, I think that this book is, at its heart, a parody/love letter to dating shows like The Bachelor, and people who enjoy that sort of thing will be much more likely to have a good time with this than I did.
Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me a chance to read this book. I wish the author all the best. Btw, this book is the second in a series, but the story is sufficiently explained in this MS that I didn't feel like I was missing context.
June 8, 2023
I loved book one. I devoured it. So I had high expectations to this book but unfortunately it didnt meet. I hate not to finish a book and I was on the verge but I wanted to ensure I read in full before rating and commenting.
Honestly I didnt much like prince charming. Giving life advises while someone is putting your socks on you? At least keep it quiet. But nah and it came back multiple times.
I mainly hated all contestants except Kaithleen however she was being a side story and rather unpleasant way she is being “used” by many.
It took me a long long long long time to finish (about 10 other books consumed in between)
I didnt enjoyed it found most part flat (there was a part around 60%-70% of the book which was actually interesting but than again went back to flat.
So it ends with a cliffhanget but I most probably will not find out who wins Zadekiel’s heart.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Honestly I didnt much like prince charming. Giving life advises while someone is putting your socks on you? At least keep it quiet. But nah and it came back multiple times.
I mainly hated all contestants except Kaithleen however she was being a side story and rather unpleasant way she is being “used” by many.
It took me a long long long long time to finish (about 10 other books consumed in between)
I didnt enjoyed it found most part flat (there was a part around 60%-70% of the book which was actually interesting but than again went back to flat.
So it ends with a cliffhanget but I most probably will not find out who wins Zadekiel’s heart.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 6, 2023
The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Prince Zadkiel promises a delightful fusion of romance, fantasy, and suspense. With its engaging concept of damsels, elves, and even a dwarf vying for Prince Zadkiel's affections, the story is a charming escape. Zadkiel himself exudes charisma, although I occasionally wished for more depth to his character. The array of competitors adds color and intrigue, and the shadowy subplot of assassination attempts lends the story an edgier feel.
However, it's not without its flaws. The narrative sometimes loses its rhythm, with certain events feeling either hurried or not fleshed out enough. Despite this, newcomers to the series can easily dive into this installment without feeling lost, thanks to its self-contained nature and the organic introduction of returning characters. For those in the mood for a fantasy romance with a sprinkle of danger, this book is an entertaining pick, even if it occasionally stumbles.
However, it's not without its flaws. The narrative sometimes loses its rhythm, with certain events feeling either hurried or not fleshed out enough. Despite this, newcomers to the series can easily dive into this installment without feeling lost, thanks to its self-contained nature and the organic introduction of returning characters. For those in the mood for a fantasy romance with a sprinkle of danger, this book is an entertaining pick, even if it occasionally stumbles.
November 1, 2024
"The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Prince Zadkiel" by Zoiy G. Galloway offers an engaging blend of romance, intrigue, and royal drama. Set against the backdrop of a lavish competition to win the heart of Prince Zadkiel, the story captivates with its rich world-building and well-developed characters.
Galloway’s writing is vibrant and immersive, drawing readers into the lives of both the contestants and the prince himself. The romantic tension is palpable, and the diverse cast of characters adds depth and variety to the narrative. While the pacing can be uneven at times, particularly in the middle sections, the climax delivers a satisfying payoff.
Overall, this novel successfully balances the excitement of a competition with the complexities of love and duty. It’s a delightful read for fans of royal romances.
*** I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Galloway’s writing is vibrant and immersive, drawing readers into the lives of both the contestants and the prince himself. The romantic tension is palpable, and the diverse cast of characters adds depth and variety to the narrative. While the pacing can be uneven at times, particularly in the middle sections, the climax delivers a satisfying payoff.
Overall, this novel successfully balances the excitement of a competition with the complexities of love and duty. It’s a delightful read for fans of royal romances.
*** I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 10, 2023
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily).
I really liked the first book and I enjoyed this one even more. I really enjoyed the references to the previous book a lot, I feel like that makes the reading experience even more enjoyable.
The plot sometimes felt a bit slow seeing as it was setting the scene for the next one, but it still was nice enough to read. The characters are all different in their own kind of way, which is kind of hard to accomplish seeing as there are many. I really like Zadkiel and all the things he goes through and decisions he makes.
I also love how the author listened to the readers and learnt from their reviews, I feel like that is very important, so kudos to them!
I can't wait to keep reading this author's work!! I am really excited to read the next book!
I really liked the first book and I enjoyed this one even more. I really enjoyed the references to the previous book a lot, I feel like that makes the reading experience even more enjoyable.
The plot sometimes felt a bit slow seeing as it was setting the scene for the next one, but it still was nice enough to read. The characters are all different in their own kind of way, which is kind of hard to accomplish seeing as there are many. I really like Zadkiel and all the things he goes through and decisions he makes.
I also love how the author listened to the readers and learnt from their reviews, I feel like that is very important, so kudos to them!
I can't wait to keep reading this author's work!! I am really excited to read the next book!
August 1, 2023
The extended synopsis says to be careful because you’ll probably fall in love with the handsome and charming prince… I’m sorry but no. I read 15% of this book and his personality seemed incredibly bland to me. Telling everyone what they wanted to hear, that’s not charming – that’s not having a personality.
I know I picked this book to read and so partly I have myself to blame. The premise of the Bachelor meets a fantasy world seems intriguing to me. But there’s too little fantasy and honestly reading about the Bachelor in a book is boring. I think for me there’s just too much and too little going on at the same time. I cannot remember 12 (or however many there were) POV’s and characters. In books where there’s a lot of characters you often get introduced to them at a slow pace to get used to them one by one. Or you meet them in pairs so you know who they are by association. But by the time the woman were introduced I barely know Zadkiel’s family. (I just had to scroll up to look up his name…)
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
I know I picked this book to read and so partly I have myself to blame. The premise of the Bachelor meets a fantasy world seems intriguing to me. But there’s too little fantasy and honestly reading about the Bachelor in a book is boring. I think for me there’s just too much and too little going on at the same time. I cannot remember 12 (or however many there were) POV’s and characters. In books where there’s a lot of characters you often get introduced to them at a slow pace to get used to them one by one. Or you meet them in pairs so you know who they are by association. But by the time the woman were introduced I barely know Zadkiel’s family. (I just had to scroll up to look up his name…)
FULL REVIEW: https://wolfsbanebooks.wordpress.com/...
November 13, 2024
A fun and interesting continuation of the Royal Matchmaking Competition series! While I really enjoyed the first book, I thought this one had better pacing and was less jumpy when it came to the plot. The characters are more fully developed all-around and the dialogue flows naturally.
I still wish we got the chance to know the background contestants a little better. There are sooo many of them and we only really get to know about 2/3 of them, with the final third popping in for a chapter (or part of a chapter) for their dates and then being forgotten again. But overall, there is a very fine balance between getting to know all of the characters and continuing on with the plot and I think this book does very well with that! Already have the next book picked up and excited to read it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I still wish we got the chance to know the background contestants a little better. There are sooo many of them and we only really get to know about 2/3 of them, with the final third popping in for a chapter (or part of a chapter) for their dates and then being forgotten again. But overall, there is a very fine balance between getting to know all of the characters and continuing on with the plot and I think this book does very well with that! Already have the next book picked up and excited to read it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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