What a fun read! I loved this whole red white and royal blue vs princess diaries vibe going on. Thanks to the team at net gallery and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book.

Seventeen year old, Jamie, just found out that he is a prince of a small (nonexistent) European country. Since, he does not know how to be a prince, his father, the king, asks the spare prince of a neighboring country to be his mentor. Erik is the perfect prince for the job and he could use a break from his family’s strict control of his life. Of course, romance blooms between the two as they try to figure out their roles as spare heirs. This is just a really sweet young adult romance. While not super well written, the author does excel at demonstrating the yearning between the two. This was just a nice read. I received a digital copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.

I absolutely adore "suddenly royal" stories, and this one did not disappoint! Coming of age stories that show non-traditional people in familiar plotlines (with a twist!) are so important in this day and age.

Ugh. I was so ready to love this. It’s like a mix of Red, White, and Royal Blue and Boyfriend Material (two of my faves).

Unfortunately, this fell way short for me. There were a couple major issues I had with it. One was that I felt like this book couldn’t decide if it was middle-grade or YA. I guess it’s a subtle difference. It felt like young middle-grade in writing style, but pushing YA with some of the themes/actions.

My biggest issue, though, was the dual POV. Normally I don’t mind this. However, the way it was done in this book took away any tension (which is one thing that would have made this book a little better).

We basically get both characters POVs for every scene, so there’s no tension, no aching; we know they are both growing to like the other one, struggling with those feelings and whether or not to act on them, and pining. There was no mystery, no tension. To me, it just made the book, unfortunately, rather boring.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy (ARC)!

I fully saw the covers of this book and my mind automatically jumped to Red, White, and Royal Blue . I read the summary and still had the same idea but I loved RWRB so I decided to delve in. I want to say sorry because this story is its own. It was labeled as young adult which I usually stray away from but I really was in the mood for something easy and simple. This story delivered that in spades. This was literally gay princess diaries and heaven knows, I love that movie so my interest was at an all-time high. I did enjoy the story simply because it was simple. It was very light-hearted and digestible which was something I needed at the time. I would have loved more angst and tension but that is just a personal preference on my end.

I was intrigued by The Rules of Royalty's marketing blurb as Princess Diaries meets Red White and Royal Blue, and it mostly delivered. Erik and Jamie bring some nice sparks, and having a dual POV gives readers a better understanding of each character's motivations and personality. I particularly enjoyed the chapters from Erik's POV--maybe it's because I'm a Scandiphile and the culture of Sunstad is more relatable to me than either Jamie's diner-food-and-punk-rock American upbringing or the Mitanorian festivals and ceremonies. Or maybe he just felt more mature, where Jamie seemed (perhaps intentionally) a little like a kid who has been given run of the candy store.

However, my main issue with the novel is that Jamie is just plain annoying, and a few minor characters are one-dimensional caricatures. Maybe because the first chapter seems like it got skipped in edits (disobeying the cardinal writing rule of "show don't tell" in describing Jamie's friends and a major background info-dump), if you can get past that into Erik's POV the writing dramatically improves. But Jamie's chapters remain a little stiff and I had a hard time empathizing with him, and his conflict with his best friend Max over her music career was predictable and gets wrapped up way too neatly. Erik is a much more nuanced character, though his fake "boyfriend" Sebastian is a cardboard cutout of greed and vanity who I am glad gets the boot almost immediately.

Despite these flaws, this is an engaging, light read with a happy ending for both main characters.

4/5 stars.

Two princes from neighboring countries fall in love and must decide what to do. sweet quick read. I read in two afternoons.

I've really liked Cale Dietrich's writing, particularly If This Gets Out with Sophie Gonzalez. Dietrich is very skilled at characterization; he knows how to make his characters multi-dimensional. He makes his characters believable. He knows how to make lovable protagonists that readers invest their energies shipping. Even the background characters and villains tend to have color and spice.

The premise of this book is going to draw the rather intense fan base of Young Royals if the word about this book gets out on TikTok. The premise has much in common with Young Royals in that a prince and a person who grew up a commoner meet and fall in love. It's also not a knock off of Young Royals or The Princess Diaries in the sense that Jamie learns he is actually a prince. He embraces the role and is quite good at it. He becomes even better with the tutelage of Prince Erik. The two have amazing chemistry and fall deeply for each other with all the intensity of first love, despite the facts that they are forbidden to be a couple and Jamie's adopted family and friends are expecting him back in the States,

I enjoyed getting to know Erik and Jamie and seeing how they'd fit together and overcome obstacles. I expect many Young Royals fans will make this book their comfort book and comfort characters.

And yet... I think Dietrich's editors let him drop the ball somewhat. Gen Z readers are pretty sophisticated and ... indulged. This book requires a great deal of world building, specifically creating two believable small European countries from nothing. The book needed more thoughtful detail here, and some readers are going to expect it. . A palace and a garden and a climate like Spain wasn't quite enough to transport me somewhere else, especially when they all sounded pretty American at times.. . Also, Jamie's relationships with his newly discovered biological families feels rushed.

Still, it's a great premise and a good read. Most YA queer lit readers will love it. It's good. It just had the potential to be more.

Absolutely stunning! Such lovable charcaters. This story tugged at the heartstrings for sure. I love the way the storyline played out and I'd love to read more. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read the others. Love the royal storyline. Highly recommend!

Amazing book wil definitely recommend to friends and family. Love the character development and plot line

This was a sweet Princess Diaries inspired love story. I liked it, but the writing style was a little too simplistic for my taste. I was a bit bored towards the end, unfortunately. I wonder if this story would have been more interesting if it wasn’t dual POV.

I was in the mood for something light and heartwarming, and this novel checked the boxes nicely.

Imagine learning you’re a prince on your seventeenth birthday. That’s exactly what happens to Jamie, and suddenly his life changes overnight. He was raised by his deceased mother’s best friend, and her wish was that he live a “normal life” before being told the truth. His father is the king of Mitanor, and Jamie has a family he never knew existed.

If you’re a fan of The Princess Diaries, this book is for you. Jamie has a lot to learn when it comes to royal etiquette and Erik, the spare prince of a neighboring country, is asked to teach him. It’s not a spoiler to say their friendship develops into something more, but it progresses naturally instead of the insta-love I’ve seen so often in some novels. Their relationship is sweet and amusing at times, but I found their voices to be very similar and had difficulty remembering who was speaking in the alternating POV chapters.

Both princes are gay, and their families, friends, and countries are very supportive. It’s not even an issue among the royals, and I appreciated that. Even with complicated family dynamics – guardians, king, stepmother, stepfather – everyone got along, and it was refreshing.

This is a light-hearted, quick read full of positive vibes, and one I’d recommend to fans of the friends to lovers trope, royal settings, and Hallmark-like stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Doesn't really break new ground in terms of hidden royals romance, even a queer one. All of this has been done better in other books and mediums. And the writing is also jarringly simplistic and flat coming off of even other contemporary YA works. Overall it felt derivative and unenthusiastic from the get go.

Unfortunately i made the decision to DNF this book after multiple failed attempts to consume. I hope to pick it up again at a later time.

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.