 
 
From the publisher:
Alyssa Cole returns with a fun, sexy romance novella in the Reluctant Royals series!
While her boss the prince was busy wooing his betrothed, Likotsi had her own love affair after swiping right on a dating app. But her romance had ended in heartbreak, and now, back in NYC again, she’s determined to rediscover her joy–so of course she runs into the woman who broke her heart.
When Likotsi and Fabiola meet again on a stalled subway train months later, Fab asks for just one cup of tea. Likotsi, hoping to know why she was unceremoniously dumped, agrees. Tea and food soon leads to them exploring the city together, and their past, with Fab slowly revealing why she let Likotsi go, and both of them wondering if they can turn this second chance into a happily ever after.
Review:
We first meet Likotsi in A Princess in Theory as the personal assistant to Prince Thesolo. In that novel, Likotski finds a connection with Fabiola, an accountant and Instagram personality who wants to turn her jewelry-making side-hustle into her main hustle. However, things end abruptly, leaving Likotsi with a broken heart.
Fast forward nearly a year later, Likotsi takes a vacation in New York City with the intention of exploring the city, but also of letting go of the memory of her time with Fabiola. However, the Goddess has other plans. On a broken down train, Fabiola sees Likotski again and persuades her to allow her to accompany her as she wanders the city. This encounter sets off the events of that take place in Once Ghosted, Twice Shy.
This novella has a prominent place on my keeper shelf for multiple reasons. First, it’s just so damned well-written. The second-chance romance (as well as the friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers tropes) work really well for the novella format because the hard work of creating a connection is already done at the start of the novella. This is important in a short form in which stories often come off rushed when not executed well. Cole capitalizes on the shared history of Litkosi and Fabiola, providing the reader with efficient narrative short-hands to convey that connection without showing every moment leading up to it. You arrive at the conclusion with the feeling that you’ve read a fully-developed romance even if brevity is the nature of the genre.
In addition to the skillful use of structure is the on-point characterization. One of the most frustrating things as a reader in a multi-POV narrative is the inability to distinguish the speaker. The problem is nonexistent in this novella. Cole does a skillful job characterizing both Fabiola and Litkosi, making it clear that these are two distinct individuals, down to the language and physical descriptions.
Finally, the representation is authentic, illustrating the power of an own voices narrative. Fabiola is bisexual, a fact that is not minimized in her characterization, while Litkosi is a lesbian who relishes her relationships with other women. In addition, Fabiola is the daughter of Haitian immigrants, and the issue of immigration does play a pivotal role in the plot without overpowering the love story. Litkosi, is the definition of competence. If competence porn is your thing, Litkosi is your romantic lead. She’s just so smart and in possession of herself, you can’t help but fall a little in love with her as well.
In many romances, royalty is strongly associated with white monarchies, and I love that Cole has carved out a space with her Reluctant Royals series within this subgenre of romance. Similar to what The Black Panther did for the largely monochromatic Marvel Movie Universe – she’s broadened that representation and it’s what writers of diverse representations all aspire to do.
As an aside, I also recommend This Could Be Enough, a gorgeously wrought historical novella in the category of f/f romances. In every category, Cole’s blacklist is a treasure trove of brilliant writing.
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