Tokyo Dreaming (Tokyo Ever After, 2)

We continue kind of where we left off. Izumi is dating her former bodyguard Akio, the press still hates her, and her parents are dating. But when her parents want to get married and some council is saying no, placing a lot of blame on Izumi being an imperfect princess, Izumi is determined to change her ways and help her parents find happily ever after.

Akio breaks up with her because he’s afraid of bringing her down, she starts getting serious about college and eventually falls for her tutor who is rich and comes from a good family so they decide to fake date to make both of their lives easier. She even befriends her twin cousins and help her navigate the press and how to dress. But she’s made some choices that aren’t really too great (like choosing to major in Botany that was ridiculous).

However, her parents finally get approval. Akio decides he wants her back even though Izumi has fallen for her tutor (who in my opinion is the better match and I was so surprised to find that I thought that because I do like Akio).

When her mom has a panic attack Izumi realizes she isn’t the only one pretending to be someone she isn’t and she decides to go back to her old self. She declares she will study literature (honestly this was the obvious choice can’t figure out why it took her so long and it’s an acceptable field of study for royals).

Her parents figure out how to navigate things and Izumi decides she’s team Akio but wants to keep the tutor as a friend.

Anyway, just like the first book, this one really has a lot of nuance as it discusses race, ethnicity and what it means to be who you are. I love how Izumi has an identity crisis because even though she’s fully Japanese she doesn’t feel like she belongs because the culture is so different from America. This book tackles really difficult concepts related to ethnicity and identity well especially for a Ya. This book is about finding yourself and being unapologetically who you are. It’s refreshing and a lot of fun.

One thing I don’t understand is the ending with Noora I suspect she’s getting her own book. I kind of wondered if she did something crazy like get engaged or pregnant. I also didn’t realize in book one that Izumi was so much closer with Noora than the rest of her friends. It felt like they were an awesome foursome but the other two don’t really pop up in this book, which was disappointing.

I do think Izumi needs to give herself more credit. Going to college was the right choice. Yes she picked the wrong major but she easily changed it. Dressing better was the right choice. Being more thoughtful about her responses to the media was a good change too. So it all of the changes she makes in this book are bad.

I was once again swept up into the imperial life and found Izumi and her parents to be delightful. While I enjoyed Izumi's struggle with who she was and who the world wanted her to be, I was greatly disappointed that one of my favorite characters from the first book was mostly absent from the second. This plot twist then led to the romantic trope I never enjoy became a big part of the story. I had hoped Izumi would make an even harder decision being still so young and having a strong mom as a role model, but the life choice she made created a lighter read. Overall, I loved my time in Japan with Izumi and her family.

What happens when being a crown princess starts to get real?

In Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After, Izzy Tanaka is settling into her role as princess. But the Imperial Household Council and royal watchers are still scrutinizing her every move. And they're pushing for her next natural step: college. She's not the only one under the microscope as the Council deliberates on Crown Prince Makoto's marriage to Izzy's mom. It'll take everything Izzy has to transform into the perfect princess so the Council can't refuse.

While Tokyo Dreaming takes a more serious tack than TEA, it’s an absolute delight to read. You get fake dating; a possible royal wedding; college prep and interviews, and more adventures with Izzy’s old nemeses: her cousins Akiko and Noriko. And we get glimpses of the Asian Girl Gang as they tackle freshman year and try to stay in touch.

But ultimately, Tokyo Dreaming is a story about self-determination versus sacrifice to an institution. As friend Noora tells Izzy, “Just remember when you’re asking yourself what Japan wants from you, make sure you ask what you want from yourself, too. Don’t bury who you are to become who others think you should be.” If you’ve watched how that’s played out for real life royals over the last several years, it’s a message made more poignant because Izzy and co. get to realize it before they’re too far down a path.

This is a series I’ve got a soft spot for, I won’t lie. It’s refreshing to see a brash Japanese American character who might not be college material, navigating the spotlight with as much grace as she can muster. Izzy might have come from Emiko Jean’s brain, but she’s a character of my heart.

CW: One closed door love scene at a hotel late in the book.

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Tokyo Dreaming is a sequel that asks us what we are willing to sacrifice for what we want. For what we think is best. Each of these characters have to contemplate how much of themselves they give up for their dreams. For acceptance from their family and society. All to pursue their dreams. But when we begin to sacrifice pieces of ourselves, who will we be when we get there? This sequel is one that questions the conflicting pressures of our heart.

The world can try so hard to push us into being someone else. Into the model of who they want us to be, a rigid cage of acceptance. And it becomes our decision whether to acquiesce or to deny them. But is there a middle ground? In Tokyo Dreaming, Izumi will figure out who she is when she's battling what everyone wants from her.

The first book was better. This felt...lacking. I couldn't get into it at first and then that love triangle came up and I skipped over half of it. I just couldn't do it. Akio breaks up with Izumi at the beginning of the book (which felt so out of character for him...though he thought he was doing the right thing?) and leaves for more than half of the book. Not a fan of that, he was my favorite character in the first book.

Then Izumi goes on this misguided soul-searching journey because she thinks if she is a better princess, then her parents will be allowed to get married. I liked that Izumi found herself at the book's end and quit doing things because it made others happy and matured a little.

BUT I did not like the love triangle. No matter how many times she had to say it, I believe that Izumi wasn't over Akio. I don't believe she ever liked Eriku romantically, you could tell. I think she took Akio back a little too easily. He should have fought for her after breaking her heart!

I don't know if this will turn into a trilogy or not, but if it is I won't be eagerly waiting for the next book like I did this one.