Review: Rescuing the Prince

I discovered Rescuing the Prince by Meghann McVey from a Facebook promotion. It looked like a cute story that appealed to my interests, so I decided to check it out. It is the first book from the Leah Heroman series, which appears to be a series of clean romance novels with strong isekai and Disney inspiration. This book started out a little hokey and felt like an off-brand version of the Kingdom Keepers, but it got better as it went along. By the time I finished, I enjoyed it more than I expected to and even found myself curious about what happens next in the series. Although not based on a fairy tale, the story has strong Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper vibes, along with a magic school, a love triangle, and a relatable heroine from the real world who loves princesses. It's a great escapist fantasy for princess fans of all ages.


Leah Heroman is a princess performer at Disneyland Portalis Park (which definitely would have been sued by Disney if it were a real place). Life is business as usual for her and her boyfriend, Gerry, who plays her prince, until one day, a dragon swoops down, takes him away, and sends her to a real-life fantasy world. When she wakes up confused and disoriented in this other kingdom, a poised and elegant queen appears and tells her that she looks identical to her daughter, a real-life princess, who has gone missing yet again. Overnight, Leah goes from a children's princess entertainer to an actual princess impersonator who must learn to act like a real princess at political affairs, balls, and royal banquets. She goes along with all of this in the hopes that she will find out what happened to Gerry. Soon, she discovers that she has a talent for magic and enrolls in a magic school, where she levels up her skills in this other world even more.

There is a lot packed into this book, and some of it seems rushed despite being the first of a series. At times, it can feel like a self-insert, but who wouldn't want to play a princess at Disneyland and then get to do it for real? I enjoyed the escapist fantasy elements of the book even though I had a hard time keeping up with some of the world-building. For instance, there was a part where the kingdom went to war all of a sudden, which directly affected Leah's role as Princess Fiona, but it wasn't entirely clear what her specific involvement was in the war or who the main antagonist was. The kingdom seemed to have enemies all over the place, yet Fiona was rarely threatened thanks to the two brave knights protecting her. It wasn't until the end of the book that the true villain was revealed, and there wasn't much buildup to it.

While I appreciate that this book was a clean romance, the love triangle seemed to be a minor subplot that took a backseat to all the other crazy things going on in Leah's life. She develops feelings for her guard, Tolliver, but tries to push them away because of her relationship with Gerry. The book's title, Rescuing the Prince, refers to Gerry, but he is barely in the book at all. I felt that I knew very little about him despite supposedly being in a serious relationship with Leah before the story began. It was pretty obvious who Leah would end up with. Her relationship with Tolliver happened rather quickly without much buildup as well. The one element that didn't feel rushed was a surprise twist concerning the missing princess that I did not see coming at all. Despite its shortcomings, the book did a fantastic job with that revelation.

Rescuing the Prince by Meghann McVey is a delightful and enchanting read that will transport you to a world of magic, royalty, and adventure. While it may have started off a bit rocky, the story quickly finds its footing and sweeps you up in its whimsical tale of a princess performer turned real-life princess. With its strong Disney inspiration, clean romance, and escapist fantasy elements, this book is a must-read for princess fans of all ages. Despite some minor quibbles with pacing and world-building, the story's charm and wit shine through, making it a captivating introduction to the Leah Heroman series. So, if you're looking for a lighthearted and fun read that will leave you feeling like royalty, look no further than Rescuing the Prince.
I have always dreamed of being a writer and creating the next great fairy tale princess heroine. Princesses inspire us to be our best selves. While you're here, feel free to follow my page on Facebook, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and check out my books. I'm also on Instagram and Twitter.

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