I loved this book! A prince gets shipped off to the United States to rehabilitate his image. He starts going to a private school where he meets an interesting cast of characters and for the first time in his life he has friends. He starts to reckon with issues as he considers whether to be public about his thoughts and feelings.

This book pleasantly surprised me! I don't have many negatives to say other than I wish we had gotten more time with all of the friends, it felt like we barely got to know them at all.

I enjoyed seeing Jadon's progression throughout the book from being closed off, angry, and frustrated by his duty to letting loose and finding what matters to him, and how the friendships he made along the way helped him get there. It was a heartwarming easy read that inspires you to go do the things you love without caring what others think.

4.5

I have no clue why I (and the rest of y'all) have been sleeping on Julian Winters, but this is the second book of his I've read this year and I am immediately searching out the rest of his backlist. Yes, there are some minor gripes I have with the writing and plot/pacing, but I just love the way Winters plays with tropes and the combination of fluffy/light-hearted and real life conflicts. Here we follow the prince of a small island nation as he's exiled to Los Angeles after causing an international incident. Think like the Princess Diaries meets Red, White, and Royal Blue, but the island nation has the same Black isolationist policy as Wakanda. It's fun and inclusive and sex positive in a way that is still appropriate for teenage audiences and I really loved the entire reading experience. Also I loved the little call outs to other YA authors in the text. I did a full double take over Dr. Garza Villa.

First and foremost, if Julian Winters is the author, I’m going to read it. He’s been talking about this one for years so I was excited to finally have my hands on it.

I loved this book. The romance was great, as all Julian Winters romances are, but where this book really shines is the family dynamics. Everything felt so lived-in, as if these characters existed beyond the pages.

Just waiting for Julian to take up permanent residence in Santa Monica at this point and keep writing queer stories about LA teens.

The premise for Prince of the Palisades is great. I even liked the messages of leadership and social activism throughout the book. Unfortunately, I just didn’t connect with the characters. I like them individually. I just didn’t care about them or their romance. I didn’t get invested. I don’t know why. It was a surface level read for me.

Don’t take my opinion into account, you may enjoy this story. I just didn’t connect with the characters. Read it and let me know what you think.

Thanks to Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Prince of the Palisades, is the first book I’ve read by author, Julian Winters.

When I saw this book was recommended for fans of Young Royals and Red White and Royal Blue, I hit request so fast I think I cracked my screen.

This YA Queer Romcom was everything I wanted. Humor, fire, romance, and more. It’s not just a romance though, and explores deeper themes which need to be discussed.

I’m definitely adding Julian Winters to my auto-read list.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Prince of the Palisades is a charming young adult coming of age romance book that delivers on what it promises the reader. Jadon really is a likable main character and I really liked watching him sort through his problems and figure out who he wants to be in the world. Reiss is a breath of fresh air and normalcy for Jadon and I thought he was written really well. Overall, I greatly enjoyed Prince of the Palisades and I'll definitely check out other books by Julian Winters.

Another fun, angsty read with a young royal learning who he is and what he wants in life.

At first, I didn’t like Jadon all that much. He carried a lot of anger and privilege and saw himself as a victim. He also saw the students around him as temporary. It wasn’t until he started opening up to his classmates a little, that his true self really came out. And all of the hurt from being betrayed by people who were supposed to care about him.

Reiss was pretty awesome. He doesn’t put up with Jadon’s nonsense, and share his life and friends with Jadon. They didn’t hit it off right away, but their relationship grew as they got to know each other better.

I loved that Jadon started creating real friendships and that he got involved with the theater department, especially after the betrayal he experienced at the beginning of the book. And his baking was awesome as well!

I wasn’t sure, at first, if everyone on his staff had his best interests at heart. There were some really questionable decisions for ways to improve Jadon’s image along the way. But I liked the way things turned out. And I was right about Annika’s bodyguard/security!

The ending was perfect.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC for review consideration through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved how casually queer this book was. Like the main character had so many problems, but the fact that he was gay wasn't one of them. It was so refreshing. And I really did love the stories and characters, making it a solid 4.5 stars. This makes me want to read more books by this author!

Why Did I Listen To Price Of The Palisades by Julian Winters?
Prince Of The Palisades by Julian Winters appealed to me because I think it’s important for these stories to be told. Also, I am such a sucker for books about royals. Then we get to the whole rehabbing an image and well, yes, sign me up, this sounds fantastic! Of course, I went for audio because I have had such a tough time physically reading lately.

What’s The Story Here?
This book follows Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie who ends up in America after he has a breakup that is very public and very viral. So, to clean up his image he goes to a school in America. While there he makes friends and finds a cause near and dear to his heart.Jadon has to turn things around so he’s posing with puppies and going to art galleries. He also ends up falling for a pink haired boy named Reiss who is really into films. Reiss is not at all wealthy like Prince Jadon, in fact, he is a scholarship student. Oh, and Jadon also gets involved with the theater. He starts really taking up the cause of trans rights, which I truly loved.

How Did I Like Prince Of The Palisades?
I enjoyed Prince Of The Palisades overall.I am glad to have read it. This is a book where the main character starts off quite shallow and truly grows throughout the story. You know we love character growth over here. I also would like a novella featuring Jadon’s sister, the heir to Îles de la Rêverie. Oh and the romance in the story is quite cute. I will probably not ever pick this book up again, but the time I spent with it was quite nice.

How’s The Narration?
The audiobook of Prince Of Palisades is narrated by Joshua David Scarlett. Honestly, this was a new narrator to me. I had no issues with the pacing or vocal stylings of the narrator. The narration flowed smoothy. It kept me engaged through the full 8 hours and 17 minutes. Overall, I think that is how I would recommend experiencing this book — via audio.

I truly enjoyed this novel, the characters and storyline. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it!

Prince of the Palisades by Julian Winters is a really fun take on the modern royal romance. What makes it stand out is that it centers a Black queer couple, which we don’t get nearly enough of in these kinds of stories. Gabriel and Simeon’s relationship feels natural—they’re awkward and sweet, but there’s also real tension as they deal with public scrutiny and their own personal struggles. What I liked most is that the book doesn’t turn their identities into a source of conflict. Instead, it just lets them exist in this big, romantic, kind of over-the-top world. It’s got all the fun of a royal love story but with characters who feel fresh and real. Definitely worth a read if you like feel-good romances with a little bit of drama.

What an adorable read! It's been a while since the last time I read a royal romance, and I forgot how much I like the drama and high stakes of it all. Adored the instant chemistry Jadon and Reiss had. Also, I lost track of how many characters in this book were named after other YA authors. (Seriously, there are so many. Teachers named Bayron, Garza Villa, and June. Students named Dustin, Becky, and Adam. I'm sure I missed a bunch of others. Is Reverie named after the Ryan La Sala book???) Need more queer POC romances immediately!

This book was too pretentious for me so I’m DNFing around 10%. I’m not invested in the characters and not interested in continuing.

I have really enjoyed Winters previous books and was excited to receive an e-arc of Prince of Palisades. I love a good royalty romance and was excited to dive in to this one as well!

I ended up really enjoying this story. I liked the characters and although they made mistakes, they always learned from them and tried to do better. Jadon is the party prince, banished to America to try and rehab his image. Sent to a prestigious, private academy in California; Jadon's goal is to lay low and do whatever it takes to get back home. He expected interviews, he expected paparazzi, he expected articles... what Jadon didn't expect was Reiss.

Always a joy to read and Winters book and I look forward to what he releases next!

Thank you, NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, & Julian Winters for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
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I have read and loved two of Julian’s books and this one is no different! I love the premise of an African prince being sent to attend school in California. Jadon was sent away to his mother’s hometown after being caught on video talking bad about the Prime Minister of Rêverie. Being the Prince of Rêverie definitely made this stunt reflect badly on the royal family. At first, Jadon hated being in America and hated that he was just sent away. He tried to keep things quiet (media-wise) and just get through school and show his parents he has become more responsible. Soon after his arrival Jadon is swooped into a friend group and ends up meeting the love interest, Reiss, who did I mention has pink hair?! I love it!! Forming a friendship with Reiss and eventually, a relationship helped Jadon work on finding out who he is away from Rêverie. Throughout the boo,k Jadon learns more about himself, develops a better relationship with his family, and learns to stand up for himself. I think this is such a sweet story!
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A side character that really stuck with me is Jadon’s sister, the crown princess, Annika. She has such a colorful personality and reminded me a bit of June from Red. White, and Royal Blue. Both girl bosses! Julian has such a way of conveying teenagers so accurately and making me want to be friends with his characters. This has all the Young Royal vibes which I love because I love that show! What a wonderful read!

4.5 Stars

I know the story is loosely inspired by Julian’s love of the TV show “Young Royals,” but it kind of reminds me of a genderbent Princess Diaries AU. Like what if Mia—who was also born from a non-royal American mother and became heir to a fictional throne—always knew that she was a princess and lived in Genovia her entire life and never knew what it meant to be a normal teenager? This story is kind of like playing out that thought experiment, and showing Jadon being presented with this chance to just be a kid for the first time in his life, to stop detaching himself from the things and people that really matter, and to find out what it really means to lead as a prince.

I always say this, but there are authors who return to a familiar thematic through-line again and again and again, and Julian is one of those authors. And I think that’s a great thing, because all his stories, in their own unique way, ask this question of what it really means to become yourself when you still don’t know who you are and when you might not ever really know. I don’t think that’s a question that loses its importance or its relevance, no matter how many times we ask. And I appreciate that this story is coming back to that question once again, while also giving us an abundance of queer Black boy joy with a royal tilt that’s so much fun to read.

I’m always curious about what Julian Winters is going to deliver next. This is a captivating and richly detailed story that pulls you into a world of power, politics, and personal growth. The main character’s journey is both compelling and relatable, balancing moments of strength and vulnerability with skill. The writing is sharp and engaging, creating an immersive experience that kept me hooked from the beginning.

What really stands out is the way the book explores themes of loyalty, family, and ambition. The stakes feel high, and the emotional moments hit just the right notes, making it easy to get invested in the characters’ fates. The pacing is steady, allowing the tension to build as the story unfolds.

Overall, Prince of the Palisades is a solid, well-crafted story with strong character development and a plot that holds your attention. If you’re into tales of personal ambition and political intrigue, this one is definitely worth picking up. 4/5 stars.

Sweet YA, Black,queer romance that was done very well. The representations felt genuine and I really like how the prince grew and felt good being himself.

Every time I read a Julian Winters book, I just know I'm going to have fun. This one is no exception!

Prince of the Palisades was one of my most anticipated last year! (of course, I didn't have time to read it, as usual), but I finally did, yes!

This was good. It was light, fun, entertaining. It was also messy. Partly because it's royal drama lol, and partly because of the usual YA romcom antics lol. I enjoyed the messy parts though, don't get me wrong!

The romance is cute. I do feel like it needed more? Like yes, they were good together, but I wanted more of the romance and the pining and the falling in love. (or maybe I just like angst too much and I read too many slow burn fanfics lol not really the book's fault).

I also feel like the plot could have been more compelling? Like I know this is romcom and we're not gonna have a high-stakes-end-of-the-world plot, of course. But Jadon's journey seemed a bit lacking for me? I don't know, but I guess I expected him to experience various significant obstacles and learning curves before fully developing as a person (and as a character). And I needed more of that.

I do appreciate that the story touched on a few topics like racism, the challenges of being queer and being Black, being silent vs. speaking up for others, the stark difference between media and reality, and more.

(((OH and if I did tear up at one point in the story, it would be when Jadon finally talked to his father.)))

Overall, I have to say, while this isn't my favorite from Julian Winters, I still enjoyed reading it. Also, my favorite character would have to be Mrs. Hayes lol. 3.5 stars!