#tonishiloh

About the Book

Title: In Search of a Prince
Author: Toni Shiloh
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: February 1, 2022

It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

Purchase your copy here!

About the Author

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel Grace Restored was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist, and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at www.tonishiloh.com.

My Review

In Search of a Prince
By Toni Shiloh
Rating: 4.5/5

First, can we talk about that cover? I immediately knew I needed to read the story based on the book cover and that gorgeous dress! Stunning! Lol. I will judge a book by its cover if it’s that beautiful. Also…Representation matters. Seeing a black woman on the cover matters and is one of the reasons I wanted to read her story.

Second, Toni Shiloh is an incredibly talented writer who can suck the reader into her world and create such a lush environment that I want to visit. Her world building is brilliant with just enough detail to come alive in your imagination.

Third, Brielle…and a certain someone have so much chemistry that was dripping off the page. It’s the swoon worthy but sweet kind of chemistry that makes you sigh. The love story is written with so much heart and faith.

Finally, I love how the author is not afraid to weave her faith into this incredible story and share about who God is. Such a perfect display of His love and pleasure!

Don’t miss this clean, modern day fairytale set in a small African country with a royal family full of secrets.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Q & A with the Author (from her website)

1. Please provide a brief summary of your new book, In Search of a Prince.

Brielle Adebayo is a middle school civics teacher when her mother drops a bombshell: she’s a princess and heir to the throne of Ọlọrọ Ilé. The king, her grandfather, is dying and needs to establish her as his official heir. It’s then that the royal council finds an old edict that dictates she must be married in order to become the next ruling monarch. She’s given a list of eligible bachelors and grapples with the enormity of the situation. Can she be the queen the people of Ọlọrọ need? That is the journey I take the reader on between the pages.

2. In Search of a Prince is primarily set in the fictional country of Ọlọrọ Ilé. Can you tell us a little about this place?

I’d love to. I set the country in the Gulf of Guinea, a little to the west of Bioko Island. It has a tropical climate like that of Bioko, but I used a lot of Nigerian influences to develop the country. It is ruled by a king, one of the few African nations that still maintains a monarchy. Their council is also made up of tribal elders to represent the different regions of Ọlọrọ.

3. What different cultures influenced the creation of this story?

I had so much fun exploring the tribes of Nigeria. I also looked at how the colonization of Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe, and western Africa as a whole influenced the current cultures. It was with all this in mind that I developed the culture of my fictional country.

4. One of the underlying themes in In Search of a Prince is learning to trust God and His will—no matter where it may lead. How does this theme come into play in the life of your female protagonist, Brielle Adebayo?

Trust is such a huge theme for Brielle. She’s been thrust into a life that looks nothing like what she’s used to. She doesn’t want to do anything outside of God’s will, yet life is filled with so many new trials that it’s hard to distinguish what is what. That’s where trust comes in, and we get to see how her walk with God develops on this new journey.

5. What do you think this novel contributes to the inspirational fiction genre that we haven’t seen before?

Diversity! It’s not often you get to walk into bookstores and see a lot of fiction with ethnic characters. It’s my hope that Black women (young and old) will see this book and see themselves. That it allows them to dream and be inspired by what God can do.

6. What was the inspiration for In Search of a Prince?

I was inspired by the union between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It was amazing to see their love, but it also made me wish for stories that celebrated Black princesses. So I dreamed one up. ☺

7. What do you hope readers gain from reading your new novel?

My biggest hope is that they see God in a new way. That they’re able to trust that He has good plans and that nothing takes Him by surprise, so we can trust in Him and rest in those truths.

8. What do you love most about writing contemporary romance novels—specifically stories about royalty?

There’s something about showing that romance and faith can still exist in the midst of our trials and tribulations. Add the royal factor of caring for an entire country, and it only shows how awesome God can be.

9. How can readers connect with you?

I can be reached via email at toni@tonishiloh.com, or they can find all my social media links on my website, ToniShiloh.com.

Bookstagram Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a copy of the book and candle. (2) additional winners will receive a copy of the book. (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. Instagram is not affiliated with nor responsible for this giveaway. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on February 15, 2022.)

To enter the giveaway, go to @justreadtours on Instagram and follow directions at each of the tour spots.

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

About the Book

Title: Always A Wedding Planner
Authors: RL Ashly; Leeann Betts; Toni Shiloh; Davalynn Spencer
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Release Date: June 1, 2021

Love Is Only Business for 4 Wedding Planners

Working together at Weddings by Design in Loveland, Colorado, Felicity, Kiki, Cassie, and Saffron are business partners and the best of friends. Their goal is to make every bride’s special day perfect, but when they start keeping secrets from each other, friendships fray and business suffers.

Felicity Anderson, the cake baker, reconnects with a high school friend at a cake tasting. Could helping his sister plan her wedding lead Will Davenport to his own romance?

When Kiki Bell, the seamstress, inherits her late aunt’s farm, romance is the last thing on her agenda, until a fire brings confirmed bachelor-to-the-rapture Bing Kelley to the scene.

Cassie Blackthorn, the coordinator, is an introvert who meets a party-loving playboy. Can she share her heart safely with him, or is he simply along for the ride?

Chef Saffron Fare can’t let her partners learn she has lost her sense of taste, and with a nosy handyman working on her house and heart, keeping her secret may be impossible.

Could falling into their own romances be the key to working out these friends’ differences and learning to trust each other–and God–with their futures?

Click here to grab a copy!

About the Authors

R.L. ASHLY is a master seamstress with a Master of Arts degree in Literature. A mother and grandmother, she is active in her local writing community, never says never to a home improvement task, and strives to one day write the Great American Novel. This is her first collection.

LEEANN BETTS writes contemporary suspense from Denver, Colorado and wherever her characters drag her. She is the alter-ego of Donna Schlachter, who describes Leeann as cute and perky and everything she’s not.

TONI SHILOH is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.

She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, making jewelry, and spending time with her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter.

DAVALYNN SPENCER. Cowboys. Gotta love ’em, right? That’s why I married one – and write about others and their sweethearts, whether they live in 1800s Colorado or on a modern California ranch. A background in rodeo journalism helps me add a bit of cowboy reality to those stories.

The Rocky Mountains offer rich settings for my historical novels, from actual cities with Wild West history to fictional towns tucked into the fold where granite ramparts meet grassy plains.

Along with Blue the Cowdog and mouse detectors Annie and Oakley, I’ve also collected three “Bestseller” labels for novellas in Barbour collections, and a Will Rogers Gold Medallion for Western Inspirational Fiction.

My Review

Always A Wedding Planner
by RL Ashly; Leeann Betts; Toni Shiloh; Davalynn Spencer
Rating: 4/5

I always love reading these novella collections because I get to discover new authors and enjoy my favorites. I picked this one up because of Toni Shiloh but in turn, I discovered some other new-to-me authors who I am now interested in. This reading hobby is getting expensive lol. Each story revolves around one of the business partners of the Weddings by Design company located in Loveland, TX.

Finally a Sweetheart by Toni Shiloh
Felicity Anderson is the cake baker.

Hemmed In by RL Ashly
Kiki Bell is the seamstress.

The Worst-Kept Secret by Leeann Betts
Cassie Blackthorn is the coordinator.

Taste and See by Davalynn Spencer
Chef Saffron Fare is the caterer.

As each of these lovely ladies yearn to have a romance and love story of their own, they find their lives interrupted by eligible bachelors who find them irresistible and antics ensue. There’s even some hints of Cinderella but can they manage their insecurities to open up and let someone love them?

I love when I can read a shorter story in a couple hours and laugh and smile over swoonworthy gentlemen who do their best to pursue the lady that makes a bride’s dreams come true. If I had to choose a favorite, I think it was Hemmed In but they are all worth reading.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a clean, fun, rom-com beach read.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.