Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really liked this cute, fun, and easy read. As someone who loves Red, White, and Royal Blue and enjoyed Young Royals when I was, well, younger, I'm always excited about any queer love story that involves royalty, and this one definitely delivered! I am definitely a bit older than the target audience, but this story was unique, tackled sensitive and relevant topics well, and didn't introduce unnecessary conflicts to the development of the main relationship. All in all a good time, and I'd highly recommend!

This book is IMPORTANT. Please read it. Also, all the easter egss in this one? It felt like a Marvel movie with tons of cameos! *insert Leonardo DiCaprio's pointing finger meme here*

I love a YA book with a central theme that's a queer royal romance (see Red, White, and Royal Blue). Prince of Palisades by Julian Winters brings the love story while also exploring important contemporary topics like consent and identity.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Rainbow Rating
Representation: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Intrigue: 8
Narrative: 8.5
Build-up: 7
Originality: 7
Wow Factor: 8

Prince of the Palisades is a fun YA romance that follows Jadon, the second-born prince of Îles de la Rêverie. After a series of events tarnish his reputation, Jadon is banished to the States to rehabilitate his image. What he discovers, however, is that fixing his public persona is more challenging than expected. Along the way, he begins to question if being universally loved and respected is truly what he desires—or if his heart belongs to someone special, like Reiss, the pink-haired beau who steals the show.

This story felt fresh and vibrant. I loved seeing Jadon come into his own, navigating the challenges of identity, love, and self-discovery. The book beautifully captures that journey of personal growth. The romance was fun and sweet, the representation felt genuine, and the ending left me entirely satisfied.

Prince of the Palisades is a delightful read that I’d happily recommend to anyone looking for a thoughtful yet lighthearted royal romance. 🌈

Prince of the Palisades is an appealing YA romance standalone by Julian Winters. Released 20th Aug 2024 by Penguin Random House on their Young Readers imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a modern royalty romantic comedy(ish) story which is queer (m/m) friendly and young. There's good representation here (young, gay, ethnically and culturally diverse) and fans of Red, White & Royal Blue will likely be in raptures. There are some good and important discussions about consent, identity, and being true to oneself. There is also a lot of high-school drama and unnecessary conflict; but it's a YA rom-com, so, fair play.

Some of the characterizations are cartoonish; the antagonists are over-the-top two dimensional. The redemption arc is sweet and not *too* saccharine, especially for the genre. There is no inappropriate graphic sex descriptions, those scenes are fade-to-black.

Four stars. Sweet, full of high school drama, but mostly for YA romance fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This has pretty strong Young Royals vibes, though I wouldn't make the comparison to Red White and Royal Blue because the romance didn't hit as much for me. There's certainly a lot of drama. Prince Jadon is the stereotypical royal spare screw up - he's hounded in the media for being standoff-ish, mean, and not keeping the royal party line of full neutrality. He's also the first openly gay royal successor of his line, and is a 17 year living pretty much on his own in Los Angeles. After an unflattering video of him goes viral, Jadon is forced to stay in LA to "prove himself" before he'll be allowed to return home to Reverie, a fictional island country in Africa.

I really enjoyed the debates the teens had on current issues. There were a lot of high emotions and both informed and uninformed opinions about the issues, but the conversation felt very natural for teens to have - not preachy or over the top. I loved the conflict of Jaden trying to decide how much to speak out and "get political" vs staying neutral. It felt really relevant and relatable to many teens, even without being royalty and having eyes on you constantly.

The romance between Jadon and Reiss is cute, but didn't hit for me as hard as the identity issues covered in this book. There's just too many twists and turns for the romance to really settle in and for me to root hard for it. Between the pressures of paparazzi, the ex boyfriend, and contending with royal expectations, Jaden and Reiss spend a lot of "on again, off again" time in the book that I couldn't really get behind. I loved that it forced Jaden to grow and learn to be a better friend and person, but it didn't make me root strongly for the romance. It also felt like Jaden was chasing Reiss a lot, and it's not clear if Reiss really reciprocated or was just along for the ride. It would've been great to see someone very firmly in Jaden's corner at any point during the book instead.

For fans of Running With Lions and Winters' previous books, there are a lot of "easter egg" style cameos of the different characters which is a cute touch.

🎧 I did listen to part of the audiobook narrated by Joshua David Scarlett and unfortunately found it a little flat. There isn't much voice acting to match the emotions of the scene, and all of the characters' voices sounded very similar to each other, making it hard to tell who was speaking. This book makes that extra hard since there are so many side characters. I preferred reading the ebook version for this one.

Big thanks to Viking Books for providing me with a free review copy via Netgalley. Thoughts are my own.

"Prince of the Palisades" is an immersive and compelling historical novel that brings to life the rich culture and intrigue of its setting. The protagonist is well-crafted, with a complex journey that delves into power, loyalty, and personal growth. The author's attention to detail and world-building is impressive, creating an atmosphere that draws the reader in. The pacing is generally strong, though some sections feel a bit slow, especially in the middle. Despite this, the storytelling is captivating, and the plot offers intriguing twists. Overall, it’s a highly enjoyable read, with a satisfying blend of history and fiction.

as a storyteller, Julian does such a great job of building worlds that feel lived in and characters that feel real. all of the conflict, drama, and resolution come from realistic places and further develop an already dynamic group of characters. and the story unfolds with perfect pacing.

i think Jadon might be my favorite protagonist Julian has written (even tho Remy Cameron will always hold a special place in my heart). he's authentic and doesn't shy away from the mistakes he's made. this whole story is about his mistakes and how he's allowed to make them. all he's trying to do is his best and that makes his arc very compelling!! and i LOVE when he stands up for what he believes in and supports those he loves.

i love the themes of finding yourself and forgiving yourself for the mistakes you made in that journey. i love how vulnerable Jadon and Reiss were with each other.

Posted on Goodreads:

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

*4.5 stars, rounded up*
I haven't had a chance to read any of Julian Winters' other works, so I was really excited to try this book out, and I am not disappointed! Prince of the Palisades is a heartwarming, powerful, and downright adorable book story about Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie and Reiss, an awkward and witty Los Angeles-native. It's a story about love, identity, power, queerness, and how it's okay to make mistakes when you're still figuring out who you are.

I definitely felt the Young Royals vibes from the beginning (which is one of my favorite shows), but it still felt different in the way it tackled the plot of the story. For one, Jadon is out as gay from the beginning, so none of the story was spent on figuring out his sexuality (which was honestly kind of refreshing). The book also features a majority-Black cast, and celebrates Blackness while also addressing systemic racism in the United States. It also talked a lot about social media/tabloid culture, and how Jadon isn't really allowed to be himself (or who he wants to be) since he's been in the spotlight since birth.

Overall, this was a delightful rom-com that made me reflect a lot on all of the expectations we have (both from others and ourselves) when growing up, and trying to find our way in life despite that. It is unapologetically Black and queer. I will absolutely be reading more from this author ASAP!

Can I give this book 1 million stars? Because I am! This book made me laugh AND cry, and it was the sweetest book ever. I love Jadon and Reiss so very much. They are EVERYTHING! I loved seeing them fall in love, but I also really loved watching Jadon discover himself too. There were so many beautiful moments that made me smile.

Prince of the Palisades drew me in right away. I couldn't put it down, but now that it's over I am so sad! Julian Winters, you really created something special with this book. I'm buying a physical copy of this immediately so I can put it on my favorite shelf.

in the synposis of this book it’s comparable books are young royals and red, white, & royal blue. both media pieces that i’ve consumed and absolutely adore. and while i totally see the comparison to these two titles, unfortunately i did not fall into complete love with prince of the palisades as i had with it’s comp titles.

unfortunately, for me, i felt that the relationship moved quite quickly and felt a bit under developed. i wish we had more of a chance to see jadon and reiss experience each other in their high school life, through theater, through classes before throwing the plot straight back to jadon’s responsibilities as a prince. not just their relationship but also the whole story felt so rushed. and maybe that’s on me for listening to the story on 2.5x speed in one sitting while doing busy work. but i listen to all my books on that that speed and normally i’m not feeling like i’m missing pivotal bonding moments in the romances. but from what we did have, i loved it. i found jadon and reiss to be a lovely little couple and i actually could see them working out in the long term, even with the bumps they had throughout the story.

i never want to say this about a queer romance, especially one by an author of color, but it felt so commercial?? i know it’s a YA book but the conflict and its’ resolution definitely felt a like a bow being tied on a christmas present. it was such a quick and nonchalant ending. i guess i was wishing for more pining? more angst?? who knows.

overall this was sweet and short. i honestly find this like a holiday-adjacent (hallmark if you will?) romance. and i definitely see the place it has and can absolutely appreciate the story for what it brought. still hoping for more of a win from julian winters on a personal level!

Thank you to Viking Books for the advanced copy!
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I really and thoroughly enjoyed this whole book from start to finish. Jadon may be a prince, but he is also a hot-headed mess of a teenager. But wouldn't that be how you describe most teenagers? Sent to America to clean up his image, Jadon is angry and lonely and just hoping to find himself without leaving the constraints of royalty. He's never really been allowed to just be a boy with friends and a close family, so he doesn't know how to cultivate these relationships, but Reiss makes him want to be willing to try.
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This is a coming-of-age tale that looks at some deep topics facing America from an outside perspective. If the goal is neutrality, does that mean that you can never have an opinion, but also how do you step aside if the thing facing judgement is something unchangeable about yourself? Jadon's journey is fraught with tension and complexities, and Reiss is a fascinating character in his own right. I would love a sequel that follows Jadon's sister, Annika, partially to get an update on Jadon a little further down the road, and also to see how she handles the pressures of being the Crown Princess.

Another day, another book I wish I had as a teen. A breath of fresh air. I’m so glad books like this exist for teens today. Incredibly crafted love story with the perfect coming of age backdrop. A little found family sprinkled in and I love how messy Jadon was. Teens do not have it all figured out and they need books like this to remind them of that.

I really enjoyed this! Julian Winters always manages to write really sweet and heartfelt YA books, and this one was no different! Loved how the usual royalty romance tropes were used in here. It didn't do MUCH for me because I feel like I am growing out of YA contemporary romance, but that's more of a 'me' problem than anything with the book. Highly recommend it!!

This is a new to me author and I was not disappointed.

Prince Jadon is openly gay and has to figure out what he wants his royal identity to be. I loved his discovering himself and the love that he found.
Navigating in American is hard already and now he has been sent to the high school in America to figure things out.

This was my first royal read and I really enjoyed it.

Being a fan of RWRB, and having loved As You Walk on By by Julian Winters, I knew I'd eat this one right up - and I was right! Super cute MM romcom and a perfect sweet read to break up all the heavier reads of late.

This book was childish and boring, This premise could havae been so fun but it just lacked the execution with whiney characters. I would love to see this in movie format.

Prince of the Palisades by Julian Winters is a captivating coming-of-age story that delves into themes of identity, love, and the challenges of growing up. Set against the backdrop of the Palisades, the novel follows a young protagonist as he navigates the complexities of friendship and the pressures of high school. Winters’ writing is vibrant and relatable, capturing the essence of adolescence with humor and sincerity. This heartfelt tale resonates with readers, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary LGBTQ+ literature.

I've got a fondness for brain-smoothing frothy royal romances, and I think this one strikes a good balance between being silly & sweet + also acknowledging that life for a queer Black royal would not be quite the same as it would be for a cishet white royal. Also, I always think that for ~royal romance stories~ it's a better move to make them the royalty of a fictional country than to try to incorporate any real-life monarchy and all its baggage. I hope that Reverie and Genovia have cordial diplomatic relations.

Jadon is the Prince of a small island in Africa. He has been sent to America to clean up his image after a video of him badmouthing the Prime Minister goes viral. In order to return home, he has to prove to his family that he is ready. He is enrolled in a private school, where he meets Reiss, a pink haired movie buff.

This was a super fun and cute story! Jadon went through some huge character development, and I loved watching him grow and realize what he wants. I liked how he had a romance blossom, but also many friendships as well. I thought Reiss and Jadon were very cute together, and I think they were good for one another. I liked how Reiss wasn't afraid to put Jadon in his place, even if he was a Prince. The side characters were a big highlight for me. Future Queen-to-be Annika was such a great character. If we could have a spin off book of her I would pick it up in a heart beat.