"To Win a Prince" by Toni Shiloh

As a fashion aficionado and best friend of the queen of the African island country Oloro Ilé, Iris Blakely dreams of using her talent to start a business to help citizens in impoverished areas. But when she discovers that Ekon Diallo will be her business consultant, the battle between her desires and reality begins. Ekon Diallo has lost everything: his princely title, his material possessions, his friends, and the respect of his countrymen. To pay for his actions against Oloro Ilé, he's forced to assist the charismatic Iris Blakely--but he can't allow his heart to distract him from regaining his status. As Iris strives to get her business off the ground while keeping her heart intact, will her dreams of happily ever after survive the challenges she faces?

The Ekon of the first chapter doesn't elicit much sympathy from me, but the Ekon who receives blow after blow (primarily at the hands of his own family) and is forced to reexamine his life and heart--that is a man worth rooting for. He's still not perfect, but it's no wonder Iris falls for him so hard. His story of redemption is captivating. Iris is delightful; she knows her flaws (namely, letting her emotions and imagination carry her away before reality is ready to follow), so she's on the roller coaster of learning how to find balance. The two work together really well, and I'm glad that Ekon has skills that are vitally important to Iris's company as they start up; it's one of the few things that can't be taken from him (though I think if his dad had the power to scoop the knowledge out of his head, he would.)

It's a solid romance in a refreshingly different setting, and a great follow-up to In Search of a Prince. I would enjoy reading more books set in Oloro Ilé!

Christy Award winner for best contemporary romance in 2023!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Related novels:
In Search of a Prince