Well, here’s another case of me not reading a book’s description prior to choosing to read the book. I thought this was a queer book about two prices falling in love. And it is, kinda. But it’s about a long-lost pair of twins, both of which are queer. So, this is really like two parallel stories that combine when they meet.

But I had a lot of issues with this book. It totally threw me off from the start because in this story, Canada has had a monarchy since the early 2000s. The book explains the relationship between Britain and Canada and why the Canadian monarchy exists. That wasn’t where I really had to suspend my disbelief though. What I found so absurd was how accepting folks were of these new situations and families. Not that I don’t want folks to be accepting, but it was all too much without any deliberation or thought to it.

Billy is so set in his ways that he’s unwilling to leave his small town in Montana. He’s auditioning at Juilliard with no plans to actually attend because he doesn’t want to leave his boyfriend and family. But when he find out he’s the heir to the Maple Throne (yes, that’s what it’s called throughout the book), he immediately upends his whole life. His mom and sister are brought to New York (yeah, NYC - most of this book is set there and not actually in Canada). His best friend, Pax, has been there the entire time because they’re nonbinary and their parents care nothing about them (though they seem to have a kind, caring grandma, so I don’t know why she didn’t care they were gone for several weeks during the school year). Billy leaves his boyfriend behind and doesn’t really even want to talk to him.

The king and queen of Canada see Billy, and realize that he’s their son that they thought died when he was born, because he’s minutes older than the current prince to the throne (Edward), immediately work on giving everything to him. There’s no question from anyone about what makes the most sense or what anyone actually wants. They all just upend literally everything. Then the Royals immediately start allowing Pax, an 18-year old they don’t even know, to design all their Royal clothing.

There’s all the Royal rules that prevent Edward from being himself, telling anyone except his best friend that he’s gay, or even being himself at all. He’s almost being forced into a straight relationship (and eventually is being pressured to marry the girl). But regardless of these rules he has to follow, Billy comes on the scene and gets to be his full self.

So the parallels between Edward and Billy are really interesting, and I enjoyed seeing how they each handled being prince to the throne. But the delivery of most of the story is inconsistent - the pacing is so fast it’s nonexistent at points, and other times, so slow. It makes no sense. There’s also no queer females in the book. It’s solely males and the one nonbinary character, which feels so weirdly unbalanced.

I was grossly aware of the antagonist from the start, even though it’s not revealed to the very end. It was very obvious immediately and it shaped a lot of the book.

I feel like there were other things that really drove me bonkers but it was all too much to keep track of. This book had a solid premise, but was executed poorly. I was highly disappointed in this novel. It was just too outlandish.

I really enjoyed this one. It was hard to put down. It kept me wanting more. The characters are amazing! And I love the title and the story line. Such an amazing book!

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. I always knew it was YA but it skewed a little bit more YA than I was expecting. This would likely be a great read for someone in the intended audience as it was well written for the part that I read (about 15%) and I can imagine it being a fun read for someone in middle school or so.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Prince Edward is the Crown Prince of Canada, getting ready for his 18th birthday where he will be officially proclaimed as the heir to the throne. When trying to get out of a royal event, Edward finds a doppelgänger, Billy, who is later discovered to be the twin brother of Edward's who is also... older. Edward, jealous his crown has been usurped, plots revenge to make Billy fall out of public favour but as he gets closer to his brother, he discovers they're actually more alike than first thought.

This book definitely had a few plot issues but I did like the characters and light-heartedness of this book. I reckon if the book wasn't set in Canada but rather a fictional country then the monarchy and the line of succession plot line would've worked better. For example, realistically speaking, Billy's discovery of being royal definitely wouldn't have been made public and it would've been likely his brother would've remained the heir apparent. I also found it interesting that despite following the Canadian royal family, a lot of the book was set in New York.

While I really liked Edward and Billy's relationship and all the characters individually, I wasn't a big fan of some of the couples. To me, the romance and chemistry at times felt forced specifically between Pax and Edward which was a coupling that seemed like it came out of nowhere. I wished there was a bit more romantic build up, tension and chemistry between them.

All in all though, this book was very fun and positive albeit with a few issues that didn't entirely ruin the reading experience.

Oof. This book gets 3 disappointed stars. I really wanted to love it, but I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough. The writing was good, the story was not - but because the writing was fine I'd give this author another shot.

I feel like this book would be much better if they intentionally made it a parody instead of something serious. I was completely confused the entire time as to why Canada had become a Monarchy and how it had stayed that way.

I really wanted to like this but ended up having to dnf! I think I kind of misunderstood what the story is about because I was expecting something different but for me it was definitely weird for Canada to have a monarchy but what really took me out was this whole twins switching situation. I don‘t like that trope at all.

I DNF'd this book 20% in. I could not get into the story. I can't quite put my finger on why. I didn't connect with the characters. This just wasn't for me!

2.5 stars rounded up for goodreads

I really expected to like this one, because it sounded like a fun romance. The problem was, we've already got the American Reign series and Red, White, and Royal Blue... and as a result, this one didn't feel like it was breaking any ground and it paled in comparison. In addition, so many of the characters seemed like actual members of the Britis royalty with such minor tweaks that there was no real character building done by the author for them. Imagining a royalty that never existed is fine, but in this case it didn't feel well fleshed out and the world building was full of plot holes that could have been better thought of. Overall, it was cute but it doesn't stand out and I think there are better options for this kind of story. Also, we know the book is set in Canada, we don't need the word maple every other page to remind us of this, that was a pet peeve that became more and more annoying as the book went on.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This would have been a cute little queer, YA book, but as a Canadian I couldn’t suspend my disbelief about the Canadian monarchy aspects of the story. I think this was supposed to be like the Canadian version of American Royals? It just didn’t ring true for me.

Definitely one for fans of books like Red, White, & Royal Blue. I love a royalty romance, so I was glad to get a chance to read an early copy of A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

"A Tale of Two Princes" introduces us to Edward, the crown prince of Canada, and Billy, a seemingly ordinary boy from Montana. Their lives turn upside down when they discover they're long-lost twins, thrust into not only learning how to be brothers but also princes. Adding another layer to their story, both Edward and Billy are gay and navigating the complexities of fitting in.

The book was endearing, though it felt a bit lengthy in parts, which made the pacing seem slow at times. However, the charm of the characters really shone through. They endeavored to lead normal lives despite their extraordinary circumstances, which was both relatable and heartwarming. The book seems particularly suited for the younger spectrum of YA readers. Overall, it was a sweet read, and I'm glad to have picked it up.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me an ARC of this book. I wanted to get through this book, but I just couldn't so I DNF'd it. While the characters were teenagers, I didn't find the characters likable due to the prose. I hated that the book mixed reality with fiction, specifically that in the book's world there's a royal family in Canada. While this book is aimed for a younger audience, I have a hard time imagining who I would recommend it to.

Love love love this book! I am such a big fan of long lost sibling drama - especially with added flair like this book! The characters were easy to connect with, and I felt like I could really feel what they were feeling throughout the story.

Hold onto your hats, folks! This book is a wild ride of mistaken identities and societal issues. Imagine two princes from opposite sides of the world meeting by chance in New York, and things go haywire when it's time to prep one of them for a royal ceremony. This easy-to-read tale packs a punch, covering everything from family values to homophobia, and how the media can be a real pain in the neck. The story is narrated from dual perspectives, giving us insight into Billie, a strong Montanan with a heart of gold, and Edward, a Canadian prince who starts off as a self-centered guy but goes through some serious character development. Along for the ride is the ultimate party animal, Pax, who adds a dash of humor to the mix. The characters are well-developed and the writing style is clean and engaging. This book delivers a powerful message about staying true to oneself and following one's dreams. So, buckle up and join the fun - I highly recommend this charming read!

Yes, yes, yes! I loved the plot, and the characters were a lot of fun! The whole premise made me excited for the book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it! :)

Young teenagers will enjoy this story of swapped kids, royalty, and romance. It's a bit silly at times but overall a fun romp.

David Forester and Noah Clarke have been best friends ever since David defended Noah from a school bully as kids. Now, Noah is a respected, up-and-coming tailor and David runs The Curious Fox, a club catering to men like who enjoy other men. David takes his role as the manager of the club very seriously, seeing it as his duty to help take care of his patrons and ensure their safety and happiness. Noah is a frequent guest, often in his Miss Penelope Primrose drag persona. While over the years the men have had their share of sexual interactions together, it has never been more than friendship between them. That hasn’t stopped David from falling hard for Noah, but Noah has never seemed to feel the same.

Running an underground club is a risky endeavor, especially since the Fox also rents rooms for sex and David often helps set up his clients with a date for the night. David knows that if things go badly with the law, he is the one who will face the most trouble, but he feels the risk is worth taking to help out his people. However, dealing with the club’s owner is another story. David knows Lord Henry Belleville is bad news — though just how bad is something David doesn’t want to share with Noah.

When Belleville wants to close the club, David is determined to find a way to stop him. He can’t even imagine losing the Fox, losing a place where so many people can be safe to be themselves. Noah is right by David’s side, committed to being there for his friend and supporting him however he can. The experience also helps Noah to see David in a new light, and he realizes that his feelings for David are more than just friendship. Noah is determined to be there for David, whatever the risk. But facing off against an unscrupulous man, particularly one who has leverage over David, isn’t going to be easy. It is going to take all they have to find a way to save the Fox and keep David from ending up in the kind of trouble that could ruin his life.

A Rulebook for Restless Rogues is the second book in Jess Everlee’s Lucky Lovers of London series. One of the main characters in the first book, A Gentleman’s Book of Vices, spends quite a lot of time at the Fox and so we met both David and Noah in that book. But I think this story should work fine as a standalone.

This is an entertaining, friends-to-lovers story between two men with an intense friendship (along with some occasional fooling around between them since they were teens). But they have never seen each other as more than friends, even as David wishes for more. I could really feel the close bond between David and Noah, and Everlee adds a few flashback scenes that do a great job in establishing that lifelong connection. There are some nice moments here where we see how much Noah truly cares for David, but doesn’t quite realize that all these feelings are adding up to love. It is really rewarding to see Noah finally recognize his love for David and I enjoyed their bond. Once he is in, Noah is all in, even if that means putting himself at risk right beside David. One aspect I thought was really interesting is that Noah’s family are Unitarians, a group that is pragmatic and generally accepting about homosexuality, even at a time when it was outlawed. Everlee adds some nice detail here that really adds some historical interest, but also highlights and develops Noah’s character well.

The conflict here focuses on the risk that David accepts for his role at the Fox and the fear that Belleville may close it. But there is also an underlying conflict with regard to David’s past with Belleville and the hold he has over David. It means David has little leverage and faces great risk if he doesn’t fall in line. Noah wants David to look out for himself more, to not put the club before his own safety. But David is determined to save the Fox, knowing what it means to everyone. I did like this part of the plot and it adds some nice external tension. However, I didn’t fully understand why David was so fearful of Noah learning the truth about his past. I also didn’t fully understand why Belleville was such a personal threat to David. We are told how dangerous he is, but I don’t think the reason David is specifically at risk is fully explained. I liked how Noah and David ultimately make some really good decisions that go a long way to helping them out of this difficult situation. But there is also this sort of fairy godmother situation where some outside party comes in and solves the big hurdle and ties things all up neatly at the end. I had this issue in the first book too, though there I felt the resolution was almost all external, which is definitely not the case here. I just wish that the characters were more agents of their own success, rather than someone else sweeping in to save the day.

As one other random note, I am confused by this title, as I wouldn’t consider either Noah or David to be “restless” or a “rogue.” Both men are actually deeply committed to things that they care about and, in David’s case, he is almost fervent in his dedication to his people. Not to mention both have an intense dedication to each other. Neither man seems particularly roguish either. I know this is a silly thing to care about, but I feel like the title is there because it sounds cute (and fits well with the first book’s title), but not actually because it fits with this particular story.

In the end, I found this an engaging friends-to-lovers story. Everlee does a really nice job developing Noah and David as characters and the story provides a great foundation for understanding these men and what has shaped them. David and Noah are an appealing couple and I really liked them together. This is an interesting historical and I think this series will appeal to a lot of readers.

I feel like this book was supposed to be a parody but it didn’t quite get there. Some of the events are just so ridiculous and the way the characters act and react just don’t make sense unless this is supposed to be a parody. If it is, it takes itself too seriously, or not seriously enough. The characters feel like parodies, which is unfortunate because the book is quite long. Unnecessarily long and filled with nonsense at times. It’s a little cyclical, Edward setting Billy up for failure, Billy falling for it. Billy apologizing for his actions, does something stupid again, etc. Billy eventually does something bad enough that he alienates his family and friends. I just didn’t find any of this believable, especially the initial premise of Canada having its own special kind of monarchy. It just doesn’t make sense and feels fake. It would have been better had it been an actual monarchy, perhaps someone going to school in New York so we could still use that as a setting.

I can see how this book wanted to appeal to fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue and that’s exactly why I wanted to read it initially. I read it in a distracted sort of way, trying to get through it. I was mildly curious to see how things would fall out and it was at least an easy read. I can’t say I recommend this book but I wouldn’t point people away from it. Just go into it knowing not to take it too seriously.

Loved the premise. Twins? Royalty? Queerness? A+++ unfortunately this didn’t quite deliver. It was fun but definitely had room for more growth.