The Rules of Royalty is a light-hearted and charming, queer YA romance that is very reminiscent of The Princess Diaries. If you’re in the mood for a cute, low-stakes romance, this book is worth a try!

The story centers around Jamie Johnson, an ordinary American teenager who learns his father is the King of Mitanor, and Erik Von Rosenborg, a prince from a neighboring kingdom tasked with helping Jamie navigate his newfound royal life. Eventually, they find themselves drawn together in a heartwarming summer romance.

Even though the beginning starts off pretty slow, it’s a very cute story once it picks up. Jamie and Erik are well-suited for one another and their budding relationship seems sweet and genuine. The setting—a stunning summer palace and the world of royal etiquette—adds a glamorous backdrop that makes the romance even more charming. However, the story doesn’t add much depth beyond the cute romance. The character development is somewhat superficial, and the plot lacks any real depth or tension. Despite its issues, the book excels in its feel-good vibe and is a fun read overall.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Rules of Royalty is so fun! The stream of conscious writing style works perfectly for the story and I truly couldn't imagine it any other way. Erik and Jamie and are such vibrant characters and truly so adorable it couldn't stop laughing and smiling. I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun royal romance.

This was a cute read and I enjoyed it. It wasn't one that I had a hard time putting down, but overall I enjoyed it. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Cale Dietrich and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This review is entirely my own.

First, I just want to say that I adored this book for it’s fairytale concept. A young man learns he is a prince and travels far away to learn about his new destiny. At the same time, he meets another prince and they fall in love.

I can honestly say there isn’t a character I didn’t like in this book. Well, okay, maybe John Valencia, but I digress. I love how accepting and excited Alexander was to learn about Jamie and welcome him to his kingdom, Maria was also a surprise. I thought maybe she would be a little bitter to have Jamie around, but she was just as sweet and welcoming as Alexander was, along with Tomas.

Now of course, the relationship between Jamie and Erik. What a sweet little pair! Jamie’s openness and earnestness was such a breath of fresh air for Erik, who before meeting Jamie was very buttoned up and allowed his family to dictate his life. I’m glad that Jamie (with the hello of Stefan and Elise) broke him out of that pattern and he was able to love who he wanted vs. Who was picked for him.

It has been a long time since I’ve read a YA book, and this one did NOT disappoint. I will definitely be reading more from Cale Dietrich.

I should have loved this but it felt a little too young for me. Totally a me problem though. I think a lot of people will absolutely love this.

***Trigger Warning: Loss of a parent***

The Rules of Royalty follows Jamie who find out that he is a Prince. He has never met his father who is the King. His father invites him to stay for the summer. Erik is also a Prince but grew up knowing he was. The king asked Erik if he will teach Jamie how to be a royal and he agrees. Both Jamie and Erik have more in common than just being royal, they are both gay. Soon Jamie and Erik spark up a friendship. But it soon becomes clear they like each other more than friends. Not only is Jamie trying to figure out how to be a royal, but also has to figure out his feelings for Erik.

If you are a fan of Red, White & Royal Blue or The Princess Diaries you need to read this book. This was so dang cute. I loved the relationship between Jamie and Erik. I honestly just loved everything about this book. This is the third book that I have read by Cale Dietrich and I have loved all of them. This was one of those books where I found myself screaming out loud because it was so cute. I didn’t want this book to end and I selfishly want more of these characters. I loved this so much.

Thank you Cale Dietrich, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful book.

I want to start by saying the premise of the book is what drove me to request the arc- a the princess diaries spin, sing me up! However, I should have perhaps done more research, because even if it’s categorized as a YA book, the writing style makes it more suitable for a younger audience.

My main issue with this book is I could barely differentiate both main characters whilst reading, and the fact that we weren’t given a clear description of what they look like, so it was hard to paint a picture in my head.

What is it about them basically forcing Erik into having a relationship? He’s seventeen, for gods sake, he should be focusing on other things such as his studies, as he so eloquently told them.

A note — I don’t know how safe it is for royals to email, but sending a princes phone number to a son you haven’t met via one seems something even a King knows not to do.

Another note- I know the country is Mitanor, but I kept reading Minotaur.

Thank you Wednesday Books at St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the e-arc!

Cale Dietrich is an instant read, and this book was so cute i flew through it. As an avid red wire and royal blue fan, i jumped at the story line. The characters are so compelling and endearing that you can’t help but root for them and it’s a lovely YA twist on the story with elements of The Princess Diaries sprinkled in that made for a pleasant joyful rwad

DNF at 32%. I know this is a me problem because I’ve really enjoyed the author’s other books. I don’t know what it is about these characters or this plot, but we’re not vibing. I tried really hard 😭. I might try to pick it back up at a later date.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Thank you to St Martin's Press / Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my ARC it was a delightful sweet story for those who loved The Princess Diaries and Red White and Royal Blue.
Where it was a sweet fizzy love story that would pair well with a Halmark Movie marathon , I still needed a little more depth of characters.

What you get:
🤴Two Princes
🤴tutoring royal etiquette
🤴video games and making out ; (So High School)
🤴Royal gardens and royal balls
🤴Summer that changes everything

This reads much like a Disney movie; all conflict is minimal. Both Jamie and Erik read like the same character so even though one just found out he was a Royal ; Erik is feeling similar difficulties navigating as his family keeps him on a short leash. I like that Jamie in his short time there was trying to make a philanthropic difference and LGTBQ is not treated as "different" in this country.
For those needing a quick sweet read I would recommend!

Thanks for providing the ARC! This was a very cute YA read. I wish I had books like this to read when I was a queer youth, and I'm glad that this will exist for those readers.

It's hard not to compare this book to The Princess Diaries, though it's by no means an exact re-telling. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the back stories each of them had. I wish I had seen a bit more distinct personalities come through, as sometimes I had a hard time remembering who was narrating each chapter. The politics were interesting and the friends to lovers romance / forbidden love aspects made it fun.

DNF.

Too YA and simplistic to keep my interest. Great premise as someone who loved Red White and Royal Blue but the execution wasn't at the same level.

This book was so fun! This book was so The Princess Diaries and it was amazing. I absolutely loved the chemistry between our two main characters, Jamie and Erik. Overall it was a really great, swoony read!

Cale Dietrich's The Rules of Royalty is a delightful royal romance that’s pure escapism. Jamie and Erik’s chemistry is electric, making their forbidden love story both charming and captivating. With a perfect blend of heartwarming moments and royal intrigue, this book is a sparkling gem for fans of queer romance and fairy-tale endings.

I received this both as an eARC from Netgalley and a Goodreads Giveaway, so this 2-star review will be for both.

As a Young Adult Librarian, I try to keep up with the latest Young Adult books coming out so I know what to recommend and select for the library's collection. Sometimes, I read something amazing that starts me on a journey to something new and exciting. Other times, like with this book, I keep allowing myself to be let down time and time again by the same author in the hopes that it'll reignite the love I felt for the first one I read by him.

Cale Dietrich wrote The Rules of Royalty. He wrote funny characters who sometimes made mistakes, but meant well. He also wrote 17 (almost 18 year olds) as if they were immature middle schoolers in their first relationship.

The Rules of Royalty has a very basic premise: an American boy is a secret prince of a European Nation and when he's told this, he visits said European Nation and is instantly beloved and perfect at being a prince/brother/son/etc. He meets Another Prince from Another European Nation and instant sparks and insta-love ensues.

I think what I struggled with is that Dietrich wrote this with alternating POVs between Jamie and Erik, but neither of them had a distinct voice. The only way to tell who was narrating what chapter was to see if the "I" pronoun was saying "Jamie" or "Erik" at any given time. I never really got a sense for what the characters looked like, what they liked about each other, or if they truly like each other or do they just have proximity heart eyes.

And the bit with Erik's grandmother. Like. I get it, you want to create conflict and tension. But you expect me to believe that someone who is almost a whole adult can't even fight for someone they think they love? They just roll over with barely a whimper? Where's the fight in Erik. Where is the drive to be something other than his grandmother's grandson?

Anyway. I really liked The Love Interest and I keep trying with this author, but I don't think I'll keep trying after this.

"The Rules of Royalty" was a super cute story. It felt like a fun new story with a mix of fun from The Princess Diaries (book) and Young Royals (TV). It was a refreshing, engaging, and charming YA romance novel.

We meet Jamie as he is being told Mia Thermopolis style that instead of just being an average 17 year old he thinks he is, he's actually a prince. His biological dad, the King, figures this will be a lot for Jamie to adjust to and enlists help from Prince Erik, a spare heir from a neighboring country to help train Jamie on all things Royalty.

I loved watching these characters open up to each other, and also in that process learn about themselves. The story captures how hard it can be to grow up and push against expectations families have for us. I particularly loved the way Jamie's family comes together to support him. It showed a diverse family coming together to support one another in a way that I thought was super sweet. I also loved how much Erik's brother supported him and cheered him on.

I recommend you pick up this book if you love a fun royalty romance story! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested and received an eARC of The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich via NetGalley. I saw this title and since it gave gay The Princess Diaries vibes I knew I had to request it. Jamie Johson is an average teenager who is suddenly thrust into a new life on his seventeenth birthday when his adoptive mother reveals that his biological father is the King of Mitanor. Erik Von Rosenborg, a prince from Sunstad, may be the spare but with his brother’s upcoming nuptials he feels pressured to put his best foot forward. When enlisted by King Alexander to help Jamie adjust to his new life, Erik jumps at the chance. As Erik guides in his new role as a royal, the boys grow closer and cannot ignore the feelings they have developed for one another.

I had a few misgivings during the first quarter of this novel. Everything seemed to be going too smoothly (for Jamie anyway) and I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted to see more of him on the page before the news of his parentage was revealed to him. I also wasn’t sure why we didn’t get much of Jamie actually learning more about his biological parents, particularly his mother who seems to have existed but not much else. I felt more connected to Erik’s character, as he sort of wrestles with the weight of his responsibility and his feelings of jealousy.

Although there were moments when I felt a bit more depth would have helped this story, it did have plenty of charm. I enjoyed the friendship and blossoming relationship between Erik and Jamie. There were several moments in the story that felt like they were handled perhaps a little bit too simply, which left me with a few lingering questions. Jamie’s existence and parentage never seem to cause any controversy or emotional reactions from any of the supporting characters (Maria and Tomas in particular) which felt off to me. The lack of any serious drama, however, did allow this book to be a nice, light YA read!

Millennial that I am, I LOVED The Princess Diaries. So, a YA mm retelling (ish) of The Princess Diaries is right up my alley.

It was very cute, but alas, I am a millennial, which means I am no longer in the same place in life I was when I first saw The Princess Diaries, and I am not the target audience for this novel. I feel like I would have liked a stronger conflict to overcome and maybe slightly more realistic depiction of royalty and expectation.

Erik had a lot of great potential as the prince trying to live up to expectations and get out from under the thumb of his grandmother. I got some Young Royals vibes there, but would have liked that to be further developed. For the amount of build up that plot thread really fizzled out.

Jamie was wonderful and earnest, but maybe a bit bland. I honestly can’t think of much else to say about him.

I do think this is a very sweet novel and I would probably have rated it 4* if not for a rather rushed and anticlimactic ending.

This was just the syrupy sweet fluffy read that I needed. It really is the right combination of The Princess Diaries, The Unlikely Heir, and Red, White and Royal Blue. It truly is the embodiment of a fairy tale - The Brothers Grimm without the violence.

Jamie is such a golden retriever character. His ability to just role with the punches when he finds out the truth is enviable. After taking some time to process his new role, he jumps in feet first with no hesitation. He learns, and he grows, and he's not afraid to ask for help. The fact that the royal family is so welcoming to him, rather than resorting to the cliche of the jealous stepmom or half brother, is a breath of fresh air.

Erik is the character living in a cage. There are certain aspects of his life where he has more freedom than is typical of books like this. He's out, he's proud, and he's a role model for the people of his country in that respect. It's heartwarming to see just how much he learns from Jamie about what his role could be, and who he could be, despite him being the one who is supposed to be teaching.

It was also refreshing to see a story that wasn't "We have to be a secret because we're in the closet." for once. It did move a little bit slowly for my taste at times, but overall this was a wonderful, warm fuzzy kind of read. Exactly the kind of book one needs to escape into from time to time.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 rounded up

This was just a genuinely adorable YA romance. I’m a sucker for a royal romance, and this was a really cute one. It follows Jamie, a “normal” teen from America, who finds out on his 17th birthday that he is the prince of a small European country; and Erik, another prince from a different European country, who has been tasked with teaching Jamie how to act like a prince.
It was truly just a wholesome and lovely story about what happens when you fall for someone you can’t have, and was a quick and easy read.

The only thing holding me back from the full 5 was just a little bit of repetitiveness on some of the conflict, just the same problem being talked over by the character in their mind. But besides this I really enjoyed it and will definitely be buying a copy when it releases later this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for a review.