Content warnings: disbelief of asexuality, graphic burns, animal abuse, recovery from severe injury, emotional abuse from parents, self-loathing.

This book starts off really strong. For the first 30% or so, I was getting a great spirited fantasy adventure vibe that really reminded me of Patricia C Wrede's Enchanted Forest series, one of my all time favourites (and one the author name checks in the dedication). However, while I really appreciated that the story centred an asexual prince fed up with the marriage mart of royalty, Gerald becomes an extremely tedious protagonist to spend time with. I liked that dedicated page time was given to him figuring out how to make his life how he needed it to be, as well as lots of respectful discussion of sexuality, but unfortunately it slows the book down hugely. Gerald gets injured just before the halfway point of the novel, and the narrative just kind of stops. He loses all of his drive to reform the royal marriage system, which is understandable, but means that the reader is stuck with him in his bed while he mopes about how useless he is, while the side characters all get on with the actual plot - the entire resolution comes together off-page while Gerald complains and does nothing. I ended up having to drag myself to the end, and it was hard not to roll my eyes when Gerald had yet another whinge about how awful his life was. He had supportive friends, but he refuses to listen to them. His conversations with his friend/platonic love interest Omar about his sexuality and their relationship go around in circles, including one that is repeated almost verbatim a few chapters later - I get that in the real world, these would need to be long and detailed conversations about boundaries and self, and that it takes a lot of time to deconstruct internalised self-hatred, but they are boring to read when they form the entirety of the book. And it's such a shame when the concept and the first part were so pacey and fun.

There's an amazing story buried in here, with loads of great queer rep and a clever satire of the fairytale concept of rescuing royals from towers. But it really is buried under the second part of the book and a very negative protagonist. The conversations here are important, but sadly they are at the expense of the plot.

DNF'd at 5%

I'm gutted. I really, really wanted to like this book. The cover is gorgeous, the blurb is intriguing, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Gerald is an unlikeable character. All he does is complain, act like a child, and throw tantrums. I didn't like either of the Queens, who were supposed to care about him, and Lila was a spoiled brat who delighted in pushing Gerald's buttons and trying to prove that he was spoiled and she was the one who behaved as was expected.
Then add on the editing issues that appeared right on page 1 and continued throughout, and it just wasn't a book I could bring myself to finish.

If I can't like *at least* one character in the book by 5%, then I'm only going to get frustrated and angry if I keep going. It's better for everyone if I just stop now.

I love the untraditional twist to this whole story. There's nothing traditional to this fantasy, which I love. I often keep my distance from classic fantasy stories because the whole ''I'm a female and soooo helpless-storyline'' is so, so, so outdated and old.

Fast forward to this story, where you have a world in which being queer is normal, being bigender is normal, being a kick-ass woman is normal and being a guy in need of rescue is normal. Being able to read a twist on the classic fantasy adventure story including all these normals is a breath of fresh air, and very welcome on my bookshelf.

The characters are real and flawed and awesome. To be recommended.

I try to read a few books each year with protagonists whose experience of life is very different from mine as a middle-aged straight white man. This one has an asexual protagonist, which is an experience of life I knew very little about going in. I enjoyed it as a well-written story, and also for what it taught me.

Prince Gerald, the protagonist, is certainly neurotic, in the technical sense of experiencing a lot of negative emotion. That seems like an understandable consequence of having hardly anyone (not even your pretty decent cousin) believe you when you say you don't have any desire for a romantic or sexual relationship, and never will, and being caught up in a system where there's just no place for you.

In Prince Gerald's world, there's peace between nations, and part of the reason is that the old prince-rescues-princess-from-a-tower thing has become institutionalized. It's evolved in some ways; princesses can rescue princes, or rescue other princesses, or princes can rescue other princes, and there are also princexes (nonbinary royals), and nobody turns a hair at any of this. Gerald's parents are both women. But what the system does not allow for is someone who doesn't want to rescue, or be rescued by (and therefore marry) anyone at all; and it's abusive to the tower guardians, to boot, magical or semi-magical creatures who are coerced into their roles and harmed in various ways by the whole process.

Gerald wants to change the system, and with the help of a very supportive and open-minded desert prince; his cousin Erick, who's good with magic; and Erick's rescuee, a take-charge princess from a country where women aren't allowed to be in charge - not to mention the freed dragon who was his tower guardian - he sets out to do so.

It's hard to write a protagonist-changes-abusive-system novel. The whole thing about systems is that they're hard to change, a lot of people don't want them to change for various reasons, and it's not straightforward to find a satisfactory replacement. I did feel that the resolution in this book came a bit more easily than would be likely in real life, and that everyone was more reasonable and open to change than real people tend to be, but as I say, this theme is hard, and it was a pretty good job all told. The copy editing is excellent, especially for a book received from Netgalley in a pre-publication state, and I suspect this should be put down to the author knowing their craft and tools. There was a good depiction of disability, as well.

One thing I did notice was that the female characters right across the board were inclined to arrange other people's lives for them "for their own good" without a lot of consultation, whereas the male characters were a lot more open and accepting and much better listeners. I'm not going to speculate about what in the author's life experience might have led to these differences; I just note them. Also, there was a pronounced absence of personal servants throughout, though the whole point of the rescue system was to make the royals self-reliant, which might explain that.

Despite those couple of minor quibbles, this easily joins my best-of list for 2019. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review.

Actual rating: 3.5

This book was recommended to me because of the asexual main character. And that's really what I loved most about it, because the entire plot is woven around his asexuality in a way that was so fun and great to read. I loved seeing a character who knows himself so well that he's willing to go to any lengths to change a system that doesn't work for him.

However, the plot did drag a little in the middle, and the story progressed at quite a slow pace. I would have liked to see a bit more detail when it comes to the actual actions in the book. We get detailed world building and character development, and really fun interactions between the characters, but it's not always as fleshed out what actually happens to them.

While most of the characters are great, and it was so fun to see their banter and the way they interacted with each other, I would have liked to see the family relationships go through a little more development as well. I did love reading about a QPR (queer platonic relationship) though, as I think this was the first time I actually saw this in a book, and I thought it was done really well! I do have to say I was a little confused as to why the character is described as asexual, when he really seemed to be aromantic as well.

All in all, this was a really fun read, and I would especially recommend it if you're a fan of Eragon, as this is reminiscent of a queer equivalent of it.

Rep: asexual main character, QPR, several LGBTQ+ characters.

CWs: aphobia, parental abuse, violence, descriptions of wounds.

This was a really enjoyable read. I found the premise really interesting and the execution kept me engaged.
It's not often that an asexual takes the lead role in a book. I hesitate to call this a romance because Gerald does not have romantic feelings but I did enjoy the developing non-romantic relationship between Gerald and Omar. I wouldn't normally do spoilers but I would say do not expect it to move beyond a non-romantic relationship. I would hate for anyone to be disappointed that there isn't so much as a kiss in this story.
This was a gentle read that I dipped into over several days and while reading other things and it was different enough that I could easily return to it.

A fantasy book with an aro-ace protagonist! A fantasy book with a DISABLED protagonist that doesn't get magically cured or treated like he's incapable or used as a way to make able-bodied characters feel good about themselves!

This is the kind of fantasy I'd love to read more of: being dropped carefully into a fantasy world where queer people exist and have adventures, or don't want to have adventures, or just want to look after their dragon in peace. It hints at every kind of story happening in this world, and getting to learn about it and the scope of kindness possible within it with Gerald, an absolute sweetheart, is wonderful. I loved his relationship with Omar. I sent a lot of capslock emails to a friend about this book and regret not one of the capital letters. <3

“As I’ve told you,” Gerald said, “I’ve never felt that way. I’ve never even felt a hint of it. [...] And I don’t want to have to justify myself for the rest of my life. You don’t believe me; you’ve never believed me. You’ve always said to wait until I’m older. Well, how old do I have to be before you’ll agree I simply don’t have those feelings?”

I really enjoyed this! As an aro/ace person myself I definitely related to a lot of what Gerald was feeling and I think that the author portrayed asexuality well. Also although the words asexual and aromantic were obviously not used since this is a fantasy setting, I'm going to go ahead and assume that Gerald is aromantic as well as asexual since he described his relationship at the end as platonic and said specifically that he wasn't 'in love'. It's so hard to even find asexual protagonists in fiction, but aro/ace is practically unheard of, so it always makes me really happy to find a good book featuring an aro/ace character.

The set-up of the book kind of reminded me of Princeless with all the royals locked up in towers and Gerald escaping with his dragon and all, but the focus here is a bit different since this is a world with generally more relaxed gender roles where bisexuality/homosexuality is viewed in a positive light but where our asexual protagonist is constantly told he is just 'going through a phase'. I think that many of the characters' reactions to Gerald's sexuality line up accurately with real-world views because although there is obviously more asexual rep today than ever before, there are still a lot of people even in the lgbtq community who won't accept it.

The plot definitely moved fast - maybe a bit too fast at times - and if I was going to nit-pick I would say there maybe wasn't enough conflict towards the end, but I think that is to be expected when you are trying to sort out such a big concept in one novel. Overall I thought it was a really fun book that combined fantasy politics, daring rescues, and discussion of asexuality in a pretty well balanced way. I would definitely recommend it for fantasy lovers who are looking for a light read that involves asexual characters.

I was really excited when I was approved for this book. YA fantasy with an asexual main character? Hell yes. Ultimately, I was a little underwhelmed.
I really liked the fantasy aspect of the story, the world building and how it was crafted, especially the diversity (a kingdom with two queens? yes yes yes)
What didn't work for me was the pace. It felt too slow, too long, and, sometimes, like nothing was happening at all.
For me, in the end, the best part of this book it's the representation. It's important to everyone to feel represented and I enjoyed authors that challenge the norms and give us, the readers, rich and diverse characters.

There is a LOT packed into this. I definitely went in expecting something a bit more light than I got, but there was also a lot more, for lack of a better word, sub-plot than I was expecting. I definitely liked it, but I feel like there was maybe a bit too much packed in for me to definitively say I LOVED it. Dealing with gender, sexuality, politics and disability all at once is... a lot. Dropping just one of those might have made it feel less jumpy but, like I said, I did like it so it's hard for me to say definitively what could make it better.

Good fantasy read. The book had a fight story a likable characters the you where rooting for from the books beginning chapter.

This book is why I like netgally so much I would never pick up this book I would have thought its wasn't for me.
But I really enjoyed found its a breath of fresh air so different from any thing I had ever read.
The Royal Rescue has a great adventure in its to be honest what I really like about its was its made me think.
I dont want to spoiler its anyone so I would just say give its a chance its a really interesting read.

What sounds like a soft hearted, fun adventure is anything but. It’s a more important quest, emotional with a ton of insecurities. I went in thinking light and fluffy so got thrown a little. I Liked the plot and the execution. Loved the dragon and Erik. I liked the character growth between Gerald and Omar but it seemed like Gerald was stuck in his ways which for me did start to get a tad annoying. Worst character was Natali, should’ve left that thing behind. Contains an alarming amount of princes, princesses and princex. It was a good strong story dealing with sexless relationships and growing into acceptance.

The short blurb bit: Prince Gerald lives in a world that is about to get very uncomfortable for him. Once a person turns eighteen in the Thousand Kingdoms, they must find a spouse. This search for a life partner takes place in the form of an unusual quest. Everyone must choose whether they will head out to rescue another Prince/Princess/Princex or be put in a tower guarded by a mystical creature and be rescued. It’s all quite civilized. Once the choice is made, the names of all involved are published and the matchmaking begins.

The problem for Prince Gerald is that he’s not interested in being married. He’s never had so much as a crush on someone and refused to participate in the entire ritual! When Gerald continues to refuse to choose his role, his mothers choose for him and he is magically zipped to a tower where he is guarded by a Dragon.

Gerald doesn’t give up though! He figures out a way to release his Dragon guardian and they team up with Omar (whom they rescue accidentally) and the three of them embark on an adventure to try to change their world.

–=[ a bit spoilery ]=–

The descriptive bit: Oh this book was a delight! Consider it to be a modern fairy tale with a little bit a Lord of the Rings feel at times.

If you’re looking for an inclusive and diverse world to read about, this will be a good choice for you. Even though the folks living in this world struggle with understanding that Gerald is asexual/aromantic, there are same-sex couples, its common practice for people to rescue or be rescued by whomever they fancy regardless of gender! What fun!

There are two main storylines in the book. Gerald is on a path of self-discovery… in a way. He understands on a gut level how different he is from everyone else around him, but throughout a lot of the book, he struggles with understanding himself in terms of the way other people see him.

The second storyline is about changing the ancient traditions in the Kingdom. Fond of animals, Gerald cooks up a plan to change things for the magical creatures who are being held captive. He wants to rescue all the Guardians, recruit other Royals to join him then come up with a plan to change the way people find their life partners.

My thoughts bit: There are some great things in this book. First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed the magical world the characters lived in. There were some really clever things, like a two-way magical parchment for keeping in touch, and some clever world-building around spell casting. Dragon is a lovely side-kick on Gerald and Omar’s adventures. He is often the voice of reason and one of the first souls in the book to befriend Gerald in a way that makes him comfortable.

Gerald’s friendship with Omar is sweet. I loved the way their relationship progressed during the course of the book. When they meet, Omar is also fighting the tradition that has been forced upon him. As the two young men get to know one another, there are some remarkable discussions about asexuality. Omar is patient and concerned because his feelings for Gerald are growing. They have some speed bumps along the way but work towards understanding what each other want.

I really enjoyed this book!! The author did a wonderful job of creating a believable world and ensuring that some really sensitive and complex issues were dealt with sensitively and thoroughly.

The warnings bit: Cruelty to animals (magical creatures), discrimination in many forms – primarily against the aromantic/ asexual main character. Suicidal ideation. Anxiety and Depression. Physical disability after extreme burn injury.

"I don't want to be married!" he shouted at the wall. "I don't want to fall in love! I don't want to sleep with anyone! Why is that such a problem for everyone?!"

This was very charming!

Royal Rescue is the lovely story of a bunch of teens and a dragon overthrowing a nonsensical tradition of royal rescuers and rescuees. It's also the story of an aromantic and asexual teen struggling with both the external prejudice he faces because of his identity as well as the internal consequences.

I absolutely adored finally getting my hands on a YA fantasy book with an aro ace protagonist at the center! It definitely would have helped me as a teen.
The protagonist Gerald's asexuality is definitely one of if not the main focus of the book. It's not a story about discovering your own identity - Gerald is very sure of that - but rather of dealing with other peoples' reaction to it and finding (self-) acceptance. As such, there are so many important conversations about asexuality and being aromantic, both really basic ones and more individual ones. Gerald is also sex-repulsed (and probably touch-averse to a certain degree) and does not want a romantic relationship. Being aro ace myself I was able to relate to him a lot, down to him not always being able to put his feelings into words.

As part of these conversations there is also a lot of aphobia. Most other people in the book (and honestly, real life) can't wrap their head around not feeling attraction, and they don't listen to or don't believe Gerald when he talks about his experiences - aro and/or ace readers should be aware that this book contains basically every possible (negative/ignorant) reaction to coming out at ace/aro.

Gerald also deals with a lot of internalized aphobia, both in combination from what he is told by other people and from his other struggles with not feeling like he's fitting in and being uncomfortable in crowds. This is intensified by other events happening in the middle of the book that made these feelings he has even worse.

I also really liked that Gerald was frequently worried and anxious. He is not a brave and daring hero but often unsure and doesn't know how to proceeded or if his actions are right. Combined with his struggles about his identity and self acceptance that made for at times depressing reading, and it dragged a little in between, but I didn't mind too much. Overall it's definitely not an unhappy book - there is a quite present humor and a few running jokes.

I shortly want to address the book's blurb: I found it to be a bit misleading. I didn't immediately realize it would have not just an aro ace protagonist and feature his identity as such a core part of the plot, but I also expected the book to be rather homophobic/queerphobic. It isn't, and that's very obvious from the start - Gerald has two mothers, and non-binary peoples' existence is acknowledged very early too (though there was one or two instances of very cis-normative language.)
On both counts this ended up being a very positive surprise for me.

Another thing I liked was the use of magic. The two-way (chatroom) scroll and the interactive maps were super cool and very innovative!

I also liked the big cast of side characters - I wish they had played bigger roles and appeared more often, especially non-antagonistic female characters. There were also several non-binary characters and a variety of POC characters.
Also, dragons!!!!

Overall I enjoyed Royal Rescue a lot. It's not perfect, but a wonderfully charming debut with a combination of genre, plot and characters that I adored!

Content warnings include: aphobia (both internalized and from outside), suicidal ideation, (magical) animal abuse, character gets drugged and enchanted against their will, character becomes physically disabled after suffering a serious injury.