This delightful, heartwarming romance captures the heart and the imagination. The fantastical world and its lively inhabitants draw the reader in as we follow Jaime on his journey of recovery from the depredations by his fellow citizens and the horrors of slavery.

Jaime is adorably sweet and selfless, and though traumatized, maintains his core goodness; bolstered by kindness from others, he eventually reclaims his life and stops living in fear, while being swept away by Prince Maxim’s goodhearted charm and fortitude.

Maxim and Jaime’s courtship is endearing, and watching them navigate the giddiness and highs of love as well as its quiet comfort was gratifying. “Solstice Prince” is a lovely fairytale romance whose strong world-building, well-crafted story and cast of characters keeps its sweetness from being trite or cloying, and makes it a truly enjoyable light read.

As for the narration, Joel Leslie is talented and I usually enjoy his work, but something about this performance just felt a bit off to me for some reason. However, it’s still a good listen.