Leaving behind the angstier drama of How to Catch a Queen, Cole juggles the conventions of romantic comedy, fairy tale, and social satire in her heartwarming second Runaway Royals romance. When Makeda Hicks loses her job and her girlfriend in one day, it sends the insecure people pleaser into an emotional tailspin. So when quirky, scene-stealing investigator Beznaria "Bez" Chetchevaliere shows up hoping to discuss Makeda's long-disputed royal roots--the stuff of Hicks family legend--the usually compliant Makeda finally flashes her claws. But with an overdue debt threatening the future of her family's B&B, Makeda can't refuse the bounty Bez offers in exchange for her traveling to the multicultural Mediterranean island nation of Ibarania as a potential heir to the throne. Mistaken identities, puns, and wordplay abound as the recalcitrance of Bez's boss, "Lord Higginshoggins of Hogginshiggins, Director General of the World Federation of Monarchists," lands the warring women on a two-week ocean voyage to Ibarania and requires them to play newlyweds for free passage. Though some abrupt emotional shifts may give readers whiplash, Cole convincingly demonstrates why fake relationships and forced proximity remain rom-com staples: on neutral ground, within clear boundaries they set together, guards fall, and chemistry takes flight. This is a charmer. Agent: Lucienne Diver, the Knight Agency. (June)

Atlantic City native Makeda Hicks feels more like a doormat than a missing princess from an ancient island kingdom. She repeatedly rebuffs the willful and attractive investigator, Beznaria Chetchevalier, who is on a mission to restore Makeda to the Ibaranian throne. Makeda's family is convinced that she is a royal descendant, but only a DNA test will prove her lineage and help solve their pressing financial problems. Forces are at work to prevent Bez from fulfilling her duty, causing her to justify lying to the woman she swore to protect, which leads to a voyage across a stormy sea via cargo ship while pretending to be married. Sadly, their romance is lost within a convoluted plot that ends too quickly with a surprise twist. Unlike her previous novels featuring long-lost African royalty, the second installment in Cole's Runaway Royals series, following How to Catch a Queen (2020), doesn't quite live up to the promise of its "queer Anastasia retelling" premise, but fans will still enjoy the world building and look forward to the series finale featuring Prince Anzam Khandrol of Druk.

The tale of Anastasia Romanov receives a fresh retelling in this queer love story between a potential princess and the investigator who must unearth the truth of her identity. Makeda Hicks' life arguably couldn't get any worse. Not only has she lost her job, but her longtime girlfriend has also just dumped her. Moving in with her grandmother and helping out at their family-owned bed-and-breakfast might be just what she needs to reset her life--until an investigator from the World Federation of Monarchies comes knocking. Beznaria Chetchevaliere has made it her personal mission to seek out the long-lost heir to the Ibaranian throne, and she thinks Makeda is the one she's been searching for--only Makeda's unconvinced, until she realizes accepting her possible birthright could have a financial benefit that would save her grandmother from going into debt. A long, closed-quarters journey on the high seas ensues, with everything from the improvisation of a fake marriage to the promise of only one bed for Makeda and Bez to share, and over the course of their trip, the two women come to the realization that they want their future to be together even if responsibility demands they stay apart. Cole's characters are delightful, and her prose brims with humor and sexy, romantic tension. Though the ending feels a bit abrupt, readers looking for another delightful romance from Cole will be well served by this charming tale. An effervescent queer romance that challenges the institutions of monarchy and marriage. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.