Tokyo Ever After - by Emiko Jean

About the Book

After learning that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, Izumi travels to Tokyo, where she discovers that Japanese imperial life--complete with designer clothes, court intrigue, paparazzi scandals, and a forbidden romance with her handsome but stoic bodyguard--is a tough fit for the outspoken and irreverant eighteen-year-old from northern California.

Book Synopsis

The Princess Diaries meets Crazy Rich Asians in Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After, a "refreshing, spot-on" (Booklist, starred review) story of an ordinary Japanese-American girl who discovers that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan.

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 Izumi 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.

In a whirlwind, Izumi travels to Japan to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she always dreamed of. But being a princess isn't all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight.

Izumi soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself--back home, she was never "American" enough, and in Japan, she must prove she's "Japanese" enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairy tale, happily ever after?

Look for the sequel to Tokyo Ever After in 2022!

Review Quotes

Junior Library Guild Selection

"A refreshing and spot-on depiction of Japanese Americans exploring their heritage, with appeal far beyond female Asian readers." --Booklist, starred review

"Izumi's determined spirit and character arc will endear readers to her. A fun experience that readers will want to read again and again." --School Library Journal, starred review

"A fresh, funny, emotive, inspiring and empowering #OwnVoices triumph." --Shelf Awareness

"Emiko's flair for sumptuous detail--Food! Castles! Swoony confessions! Court drama! Cherry blossoms by the million!--locked me helplessly into a world of splendor I never wanted to leave." --David Yoon, New York Times bestselling author of Frankly in Love

"Move over, Mia Thermopolis! Princess Izumi will completely capture your heart while making you laugh nonstop. With an unforgettable voice and a heart-fluttering romance, Tokyo Ever After is an instant favorite." --Gloria Chao, author of American Panda

"Despite the swoon-worthy love interest and glittering palaces, Tokyo Ever After is not your typical princess story. Izumi is a spunky, irreverent, lovable narrator who struggles to reconcile her American upbringing with her Japanese heritage. A fresh and distinctly modern fairy tale." --Katharine McGee, New York Times bestselling author of Majesty

About The Author

When Emiko Jean isn't writing, she is reading. Before she became a writer, she was an entomologist, a candlemaker, a florist, and most recently, a teacher. She lives in Washington with her husband and children (unruly twins). She is also the author of Empress of all Seasons and We'll Never Be Apart.