Score: 5/5 Bookmarks

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for gifting me a review copy of Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean. Oh this book was so wonderful.

Izzy and her mom have always been a pair, just them against the world. But Izzy has never really felt like she knew who she was, or that she fit in. Being Japanese American in a small, mostly white town in Northern California has been really difficult. But when some sleuthing by her best friend uncovers who Izzy’s father is she starts to see how the pieces might fit together. There’s just one catch…her father is the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means….Izzy is a princess.

At first, it seems like a dream come true, the chance to meet her dad, and visit Japan where she assumes she’ll seamlessly fit in. Turns out being a princess is hard work, and she is criticized for being ‘too American’ and not royal enough. Add a sexy bodyguard, evil twin cousins (she calls them The Shining Twins) who are constantly trying to trip her up, and Izzy is left feeling more confused than ever.

I just loved all the characters in this book, Izzy was kind and funny and I thought she was very self-aware for her age. I particularly enjoyed Izzy’s friend group too. They called themselves the Asian Girl Gang (or AGG) and their banter was so funny. Even the baddy characters were pretty great.

I could have used a little more build-up on the romance side, although I do love an enemies-to-lovers story. Was it predictable, sure, did I love it anyway, yes, yes I did.

The audiobook was performed by Ali Ahn who did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life. You might recognize her from the All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. The audio is 9 hours and 33 minutes and I binged it in a day. You can download the audio via the button below, or you can get a physical copy here.

And guess what?! There is going to be a second book in this series, coming in 2022. I can’t wait!

Synopsis:

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in—it isn’t easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it’s always been Izumi—or Izzy, because “It’s easier this way”—and her mom against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity… and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.

In a whirlwind, Izzy travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always 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?