The Rules of Royalty by Cale Deitrich is live!
This is such a cute read! A YA m/m romance set within the royal palaces of Europe, it’s a sweet and heartfelt love story, and I loved this one.
Amazon
Blurb
Two princes from neighboring countries fall into a whirlwind royal romance in this sparkling spin on The Princess Diaries by Cale Dietrich.
Jamie Johnson has never been the centre of attention, and he’s perfectly okay with that. His entire world unravels as a hidden truth emerges: he’s the heir to the throne of Mitanor, a sun-drenched southern European country, and the press is ready to expose this secret to the world. An invitation to spend the summer in his father’s palace arrives, giving Jamie a chance to get to know the man he never thought he’d meet.
Meanwhile, in a northern European kingdom known for its cold climate and stoic royals, Erik Von Rosenborg, the spare prince, grapples with the upcoming marriage of his golden-boy elder brother. With the country’s spotlight trained on his family more than ever, Erik feels sidelined and tightly controlled. So when he receives an offer to tutor the newly found American prince in the ways of royalty, he accepts without hesitation.
At a magnificent summer palace, Erik guides Jamie through the intricacies of royal etiquette, politics, and history. What neither prince anticipates is the connection that sparks between them—one that challenges both of their futures. Now each must make a choice: follow their hearts, or the time-honored royal path where crown and country reigns supreme, no matter the personal cost.
Review
4 stars
This is such a cute read! A YA m/m romance set within the royal palaces of Europe, it’s a sweet and heartfelt love story, and I loved this one.
Jamie is a well-adjusted 17 year old living a happy life in the USA when he learns that he is actually the son of European royalty. His biological father is the King of Mitanor, in southern Europe, and he and his adoptive parents have been invited to visit to get to know his newly-discovered family. Erik is the Prince of Sunstad, in the north of Europe, also 17 years old, and he has been asked to help Jamie adjust to royal life – show him the ropes, help him with the customs and etiquette, and be somebody for him to lean on. It helps that Erik is openly gay, as is Jamie, so they can also talk about the unique challenges that brings to life in the public eye.
Jamie and Erik initially chat over text, but it’s when they meet up in Mitanor that their friendship truly blossoms. They find that despite their different backgrounds, they have a lot in common, and as Erik helps Jamie find his way, the two boys grow close and attraction blossoms. But their situation is complicated – Jamie’s whole world has just been turned upside down and he has no idea what he’s doing or what his future looks like, and Erik’s family is a lot more stoic and ‘proper’ than Jamie’s. While they accept his sexuality, the still want to hand pick a partner for him, and outright refuse to allow him and Jamie to get involved. Their attraction soon becomes impossible to resist though, so we get the most beautifully sweet and innocent forbidden romance that absolutely warmed my heart, and that means so much to both of these boys.
So much about my life has always felt like work: carefully analyzing every interaction, making sure I’m presenting an appropriate version of myself, one that represents myself, my country, and the crown, with the appropriate amount of reverence.
With Jamie, I don’t feel that way. My walls are down in a way they’ve never been before, and spending time with him is simply easy. It just works, in a way that feels special.
I loved these characters! Jamie is a sweetheart who embraces all of the changes in his life with maturity, intelligence and an open heart. And Erik’s story is so gorgeous as he comes to realise how stifled and controlled he has been in his life as “the spare heir”. Both of them get the opportunity to branch out and experience life like they have never experienced, and they embrace it with all of the wide-eyed enthusiasm of teenagers, and it was gorgeous to see.
There is a great bunch of side characters – family and friends – who support and guide the boys through their journey, and they’re really enjoyable. Perhaps a little bit too unrealistically perfect at times, but I enjoyed the different relationships. And though I did think that the reason behind the secret of Jamie’s birthright was a bit weak (I can’t believe any devoted father choosing to be out of his son’s life for so long), it paved the way for such a delightful read that I just forgot about that and happily lost myself in the story.
These boys have a gorgeous romance, and they work through their issues honestly and openly, and I loved seeing them get their happy ending.
This was a gorgeous read, appropriate for young readers and old, and I really enjoyed this book.
4 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.