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Princess Qloey is of age, and must choose her husband. The man who will rule beside her as Emperor. But with the Empire in a fragile state, she has to choose from a pre-approved list of twelve eligible bachelors from different regions. Two Elven Princes, a Dwarven Prince, a selection of human Princes from neighbouring Kingdoms as well as an assortment of other royal titles. There’s a chivalrous knight, and an illiterate, but talented actor thrown into the mix too. All of them taking part in the Royal Matchmaking Competition; the winner becoming Qloey’s husband and future Emperor. But, while Qloey is enjoying the attentions of the handsome candidates and learning all she can of their lands and customs, she’s also in grave danger from one of them. One of them is aiming to kill her. Will she pick the perfect husband, or will she fall for the assassins charms?
Qloey is very much the ‘perfect’ leading lady in the trope of being a princess. She’s naïve about the world around her, having never really left the huge palace. She is very much under the thumb of her domineering mother, the current Empress. Her mother is a cruel woman, prone to divisive prejudices and greed – and as a result, see’s Qloey’s innate compassion as a weakness. But Qloey, in true heroine fashion, aims to be better than her mother; pushing her patience to her limits when she introduces new protocols and attempts to quash her mothers harsh laws. It makes Qloey a little hard to swallow; yes, it’s good to see her grow and learn from her own previous ignorance – but her incessant need to please everyone is a little too sweet. As for Qloey’s mother; I like a wicked female as much as the next person. But she’s almost too nasty. There’s very little redeeming factors about her – always quick to criticise her daughter in public and private. She’s truly a monstrous figure and a villain that Galloay should be proud of. However, sometimes a softer side is desirable in a villain; make us question their motives when they show they have some sort of redemption possible. But that’s simply a personal preference.
In all, Galloay has created a vivid fairytale world, with bright and vivacious characters.
S. A.
First published on Reedsy Discovery as part of their ARC program. You can read the original review here.
You can buy The Royal Matchmaking Competition: Book One – Princess Qloey by clicking on its name. It will also be available to read for free via Kindle Unlimited.