A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole + a Giveaway

The emails from the so-called Kingdom of Thesolo were amusing at first, but Naledi Smith is fed up. Little does she know, the emails aren't some Nigerian scam. They're very real indeed. 

Naledi's parents both died when she was young, leaving her to be raised in the foster system. The shuttling from home to home left her with a feeling that no one wanted her - her theory of reverse velcro. And so she's made it on her own. Now, a grad student studying to be an epidemiologist, her education and career are her only focus. But then the smoking hot Jamal shows up at work and then in her apartment building and she finds herself beginning to entertain the idea that someone might finally stick. 

Jamal, aka Prince Thabiso of Thesolo, has been searching for Naledi for some time now. As children, they were betrothed in a ceremony witnessed by the goddess herself. And then Naledi disappeared. Now, both adults, Thabiso can't understand why she would abandon him, their kingdom, and her duties. And so, after tracking her down, he's decided to confront her about it. Except when they meet and she mistakes him for a fellow grad student, he can't resist the opportunity to get to know her - and she him - without his title getting in the way. 

A Princess in Theory kicks off Alyssa Cole's new Reluctant Royals series, and it is seriously fun!

If you hadn't noticed, other than dark, I'm drawn to fun. Cole's name wasn't new to me, she's comes highly recommended from folks in the know, but this was my first time reading her.

From the start, I loved the playful tone of this one. It kicks off with a string of the Kingdom of Thesolo emails, all claiming that Naledi is a long lost princess - which, of course, no woman would believe! And Naledi's first and only response to the emails is... appropriate and won me over even more. The thing that sealed the deal, though, was that Naledi is a scientist. An epidemiologist, to be specific. Which I loved!

Enter Prince Thabiso, who is definitely a playboy in every sense of the word. And yet, he too is a more than competent leader. He cares about his country, the fictional kingdom of Thesolo, and the future of the people he serves. And he sticks to that idea - that he is a servant of those people.

Of course, as the story progresses and the characters inevitably fall for one another, the twist is that that relationship is built on one big lie - Prince Thabiso's identity. And thanks to the publisher, I'm able to share a teeny taste of the book, right around the point when Thabiso tries to come clean...

“I need to tell you,” Prince Thabiso said between kisses, “who I am.”

Who I really am, he added silently.

“I know who you are,” Ledi said. She pulled off her t- shirt, revealing a soft, worn-looking gray bra cupping her silky brown breasts. “You’re the guy who learned to cook for me. The guy who’s made me laugh harder than I have in a long time. The guy who— ” She whispered the rest in his ear.

He chuckled and ran a fingertip over the lace that edged her bra. “I love that you speak so freely.”

“Only with you. I feel like my entire life has been me trying to keep everything to-gether, but right now I want to fall apart.”

He could see the want in her eyes. “I must tell you something, Ledi.”

But how could he?

I love, love, loved this book! It's smart and sweet and steamy! Basically, I think Alyssa Cole is brilliant and I can't wait to read more from her! And actually, the second book in the series, A Duke By Default, is due out this summer and will feature Naledi's best friend, Portia (though I'm already wondering if Portia's intensely awesome sister will be getting her own book as well). 

And because I loved this so much, I'm going to give away a copy! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, March 12. Open US only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway