by Emiko Jean
First published 2022
Izumi Tanaka has found her footing as a Japanese princess. She survived scheming relatives and media attacks. Her bodyguard became her boyfriend. Her dog Tamagotchi lives with her in the palace. Her American mother and the Crown Prince of Japan plan to marry again after decades apart. Then the Imperial Household Council blocks the wedding. They question whether Izumi and her mother deserve royal status. Her boyfriend makes a devastating choice about their future. Izumi refuses to watch her family crumble. She decides to master royal protocol and win over the council members. But becoming the perfect princess demands sacrifices she never expected. As the wedding hangs in the balance, Izumi must choose between her parents' happiness and her own dreams.
Genres: romance, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Japan, Tokyo
Period: 21st-century
336 pages · Hardcover · Flatiron Books