Book Review: Tokyo Dreaming (Tokyo Ever After #1) - Emiko Jean

 Pan Macmillan    Released: 14th June 2022   RRP: $19.99

Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Emiko Jean's Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After

When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true. Only...

Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.

But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?

Review.

Tokyo Dreaming is a continuation of Princess Izumi's story and her newly discovered life of being a Princess of Japan.

With her parents now engaged and a royal wedding on the horizon, life would seem to be perfect, but when the Imperial Council won't approve of her parents getting married, Izumi decides that she will do whatever it takes to make herself into the kind of Princess that the Council approves of in hopes it will help her and her Mother be accepted.

While I did enjoy this book. I found myself torn between Izumi's two relationships and I even preferred the newest one more than her old one (I don't want to spoil the plot, hence the vagueness), and I think that's the main reason I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book 'Tokyo Ever After'.

I recommend this series for those that enjoy a really good YA contemporary series, they're quick reads and lots of fun.

I received a copy of this book to review from Pan Macmillan, all thoughts are my own.

Book Review: Tokyo Ever After (Tokyo Ever After #1) - Emiko Jean

 Pan Macmillan Released 25th May 2021, $18.99

A Reese Witherspoon Book Club YA Pick!

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean is a hilarious and heartfelt novel perfect for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before and The Princess Diaries.

Izumi Tanaka has lived an uneventful seventeen years in her small town, keenly aware of all the ways in which her family is different from most of her classmates. But then Izumi discovers a clue to her previously unknown father's identity . . . and he's none other than the Crown Prince of Japan.

Soon she's traveling overseas to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she's only dreamed of. But being a princess isn't all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight. Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself – back home, she was never "American" enough, and in Japan, she must prove she's "Japanese" enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?

Review.

Tokyo Ever After is one of those YA books that is a joy to read, one of those feel-good stories that, while it's not all happiness and sunshine all the time, still leaves you with a smile on your face.

I really love a good YA contemporary, which this was, add in a whole secret royalty storyline and you have yourself a funny, exciting and intriguing story with an atmospheric setting in Japan.

What made this story so enjoyable was our main character Izumu (Izzy); I loved her; she was so interesting and quirky and just so much fun.

I don't think there was really any characters that I disliked, except maybe The Shining Twins (read the book, and you'll understand).

This book definitely had The Princess Diaries vibes, which is certainly not a bad thing.

I look forward to book two; I can't wait to see what's next for Izzy and the whole cast of characters.

A big thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this free review copy.

All thoughts are my own.