“You are a world unto yourself. Build your own space. One meant uniquely for you.”

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.

I read this at a time where I was craving the lost royalty trope and this really hit the spot. It was fun and interesting, with just the perfect dash of romance, growth, and second-hand embarrassment. I was quite sure if I was going to make it after the start of the first chapter, but I’m happy that I stuck it out. I will say though it didn’t really revolutionize the genre, but that’s fine. We have about fifty million books of white girls discovering their European royalty, so I think that it is great that we have one for Japanese teenagers now.

Izumi grew on me as we went along and so did several of the other characters. Izumi struggled to find her place as a princess, but she worked hard to get the people to accept her. It would be very difficult coming from a more relaxed society, such as the United States, to Japan. Japan has eons of culture and protocol attached to the royal court, it was interesting to learn about, and entertaining at times to watch Izumi struggle. Akio was the perfect gruff bodyguard with a heart of gold if you dug a bit. If you’re into that princess/bodyguard trope, you’ll probably love this. I have to admit to actively disliking her cousins, but also felt like there was a missed chance there for them to become allies and kick butt together. I prefer when girls support other girls instead of tearing them down.

The plot was fine, but as I mentioned earlier, it didn’t really do anything outside the box. It was fast paced and fun. A bit fluffy, but still managed to pack a lot of fun into it. My favorite plot points revolved around Izumi’s parents, because lord, the tension. They were so cute. I can see why they initially didn’t get together, but I am here for a second chance arc for them.

Overall, I think that if you’re into these sort of Princess Diariesesque sort of books, that you’ll enjoy this as well. It’s a quick read, not too deep, and fun. Izumi may not be my favorite lost princess of all time, but she definitely stands on her own and I’ll probably find myself thinking about this series off an on in the future. I do think that this is probably for teenagers who don’t actually know that much about Japan, there were a few things that I found a bit off about it, but I think most younger teenagers will be quite happy with the story, the romance, and the messaging in it.

Have you read Tokyo Ever After? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Important Bits:
Length: 336 pages
Published: May 18, 2021 by Flatiron Books
Representation: Japanese MC and SC, Minor SCs of other SEA/EA descent
Content Warnings: Bullying, Paparazzi and Press, Family Member with Mental Illness
Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2021)
Tokyo Ever After Series: Tokyo Ever After (2021), Tokyo Dreaming (2022)
Also by: Empress of All Seasons (2018), Mika in Real Life (2022), Boundless (2023), Love Me Tomorrow (2025), and more.