I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Took too long for anything to happen.

I’ll start by saying, that despite my middle-ground rating, I enjoyed this M/M story a great deal, whipping through it with ease and leaving me eager to read ALL OF the forthcoming sequels.

Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn to this series-starter the moment I realised all of the tropes and themes that would be at play in this one.

☆ Royal Romance
☆ Opposites Attract
☆ New Adult
☆ Double bi-awakening
☆ Sports romance
☆ Grumpy x sunshine

Honestly, even just one of these tropes is usually enough to make me sit up and pay attention, but the promise of all of them left me very excited to read this story. And, for the most part, I liked how these tropes were explored.

I was immediately hooked by the series premise, which sees four royal friends pledging to spend a year abroad, incognito, to live a regular life before the weight of their responsibilities truly kicked in back home.

In this first instalment, The Prince and the Player, we see Prince Tore of Norway get to live his American dream, moving into a dorm room on an Ohio college campus, studying and playing soccer as a freshman, making friends with (nearly) all he meets, simply as exchange student and sunshine-y Tore.

Everyone warms to Tore immediately, except for soccer captain and eternally grumpy senior Farron, who has no time for rich kids like Tore, showboating and stealing the spotlight on the pitch and coming at him with golden retriever, eager-to-please energy.

Tore and Farron were the consummate opposites attract pairing, butting heads at every interaction—or mere glance across a room—mainly because Farron was a niggly bastard, who had a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas, projecting the weight of his familial responsibilities and his attached hangups relating to wealth and entitlement on undeserving Tore.

There was a lot of assuming and pigeonholing going on here, at least from Farron’s side of things, and although I usually enjoy a bit of caustic banter as MCs engage in verbal foreplay, I couldn’t help but feel like Farron’s level-of-grump was just TOO MUCH at times, shifting from what should have been amusing interactions full of UST, to countless moments of OTT vitriol that just served to overwhelm me a lot of the time, rather than sympathize as intended.

Still, I enjoyed the ease with which both Tore and Farron grabbed hold of their attraction, once acknowledged, and happily explored their shifting self-perceptions of their sexualities with acceptance and eagerness. The chemistry and sexual exploration shared was adequately fun and steamy, quite perfect for a new adult story of this nature, with the deeper feelings following at a decent, natural pace.

The third-act-breakup drama, although obviously expected due to Tore’s hidden royal identity, was still, perhaps, a little overlong in the separation it caused, at least for me. (view spoiler). However, the romantic resolution and the subsequent epilogue went a long way to ease any niggles I had.

I also appreciated that this was a sports romance that actually featured quite a bit of on-page sporty behaviour. I’ve read a lot of sports romances lately that haven’t really had much in terms of game play or training on-page, which just makes things a bit harder to find genuine, IMO, so the tracking of Tore and Farron’s season with the Hawley Hawks was fun to follow, providing some of the highlight moments of the entire story for me.

I may have only read a handful of stories penned by Nora Phoenix, thus far, but I’ve continually enjoyed her easy writing style, her full ensemble cast of characters, her effortless execution of favourite tropes, and the low-angst tone in which she writes.

The Prince and the Player was a solid start to a promising series and more than enough to leave me eager and impatient for more.


***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Come on, who doesn't love a queer romcom?! I know I do!

When I saw in the bio that this book was perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall, I knew I was going to love it and I was right!

One of the most important things for in these kinds of books is that the main characters have chemistry, and these two had it in spades! Farron and Tore are the epitome of enemies to lovers and had me rooting for them the entire time, will still giving us the spice and the giggles!

This book had all my favourite tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Opposites Attract, Bi Awakening, College AND sports romance! Plus the spice, so well done!

Big thank you to the Nora Phoenix, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was marketed to me as “For Fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall, and Jax Calder.” I knew from that alone I wanted to check this one out, as the aforementioned are a few of my favorite LGBTQIA+ fiction authors. I will say the marketing is ON POINT, as this book felt like a mix of “Red, White, & Royal Blue” by McQuiston and the film “The Prince & Me” from the mid-00’s. This was the first book I’ve read of Nora Phoenix’s, and knowing that this is to become a series of books, it definitely will not be my last!

The Prince & The Player focuses around Norwegian Prince, Tore (pronounced Tor-ay). Tore wants a chance at a normal life without the duties of being a Norwegian Royal. Tore (along with some royal friends) decides to spend a year abroad in the USA…only he’s undercover and nobody knows he’s a Prince.

Tore’s journey takes him to Ohio, specifically Hawley College, where he joins the college’s soccer team. On the team he meets Farron Carey, team captain and someone who seems to despise Tore from the moment he sets foot on the turf. As tensions reach a head, an explosive (pun intended) steamy (the 🌶 scenes are hot, but not too smutty) encounter takes place, where both both boys start to question “Is this actually animosity or something more?” As the relationship between Tore & Farron develops, we’re left wondering…will Farron learn of Tore’s secret identity?

As a queer person myself, the author PERFECTLY described having that “A-HA” moment, as well as falling for someone you know you probably shouldn’t…but the tether is too strong. I enjoyed the descriptions of the game play as well, being a former college soccer player myself. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and definitely excited to see more from Nora Phoenix!

The Prince and The Player by Nora Phoenix had a lot of elements I usually love—undercover royalty, college campus shenanigans, and plenty of on-page sports action. It gave me serious The Prince & Me vibes in the best way, and I especially appreciated the detailed soccer scenes that really brought the setting to life!

Unfortunately, while the concept was fun, the execution didn’t fully land for me… Farron’s deep-seated grudge felt disproportionate and difficult to believe, especially for an adult character, which was a problem since it served as a central plot point. The bi awakening storyline also felt underdeveloped—both characters seemed to accept their new identities with almost no internal reflection, which rang a bit hollow, especially from a Bi reader’s perspective.

There were a few other moments that pulled me out of the story, like the casual outing of the main characters by a teammate (which felt oddly handled and out of touch), and some inconsistent writing—particularly with Tore’s language. If we’re meant to believe he struggles with American English, I’d expect to see that reflected in more than just the word “football” instead of “soccer”.

While I enjoyed the story enough to finish it and found some charm in the premise, I didn’t feel much emotional chemistry between the characters beyond initial lust, which made the romance feel a little surface-level for me.

Overall, a light and entertaining read, but not one that fully resonated with me..

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I would rate this 4 stars and 3.75 chili peppers for spice. I loved that this book revolved around soccer because there aren’t enough soccer romances out there. And who doesn’t love an undercover prince + hate at first sight + third act breakup. I thought that the spice scenes were descriptive and well written. I felt like the scene where they told their teammates was a bit rushed. They called the whole team back to tell them and asked like three questions and then everyone left. I’m also a bit confused at how Farron’s family was so poor. If his dad came from old money, then logically he would have had a will to distribute his money and assets, even without a will they would go to his wife. But maybe I just misunderstood what was happening with all that. In the end I really enjoyed this book. I am totally going to read the second one in this series when it comes out.

This was really fun and a feel good romance! I love everything Nora Phoenix writes and this was no exception. It’s full of your standard romance tropes, but that is what I wanted and expected and I ate it up! There is a lot of plot, plenty of soccer action, and overall pretty tame spice. The characters have real growth throughout the book, which is always good.

Some tropes include
👑Double bi-awakening
👑College athletes
👑Grumpy/sunshine
👑Secret identity
👑Third act break up

Farron and Tore come from completely different backgrounds and have instant attraction to each other when they meet. However, Farron has the world’s biggest chip on his shoulder about rich people and mistakes their chemistry for hate and proceeds to treat Tore like absolute trash for no reason for much of the first act.

Tore was a sweetheart but Farron took a while for me to get on board with. All their conflict is because he can’t see past his resentment and jealousy over people with money. And I couldn’t really get over how he acted after they first hooked up. However, he did redeem himself in the groveling portion of the break up lol.

I would have liked to see more of their relationship post graduation, but I got the feeling Tore’s other royal friends may be getting books so I’m hopeful we will get glimpses of this couple in the future!

If you like feel good MM romance, royal romances or college sports romance I would definitely recommend this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At first sight, it reminded me of Red, White & Royal Blue, but there isn't much resemblance apart from that one of the main characters is a prince. It felt weird that everything went so easy - the boys realizing they're bisexual, coming out for their teammates and Tore's parents. What I really loved about the novel is that soccer was involved, it's very rare in books set in the US.

I will forever love a soccer romance, bonus points for a queer soccer romance. This haters to lovers story is a classic romance trope that never fails to hook me in. The romance is mostly well written, not overly sexual in nature and as many LGBTQ+ stories, not always the most realistic too. The fact that Tore is a prince does add a little extra to the romance as well, almost like reading a queer hallmark movie.

The redemption arc was almost anti climactic in nature and it did not really feel like Farron grew much as a character but it did not take away from the story for me either.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

This isn't the first story written by Nora Phenix, and it's a departure from her other series. Prince Tore wants to experience a normal life. Farron is captain of the soccer team and hates rich people.

A story based on opposites attract: grumpy and sunshine. The character development is interesting; they gain depth, especially Farron. We understand where he comes from and what his goals in life are. Prejudices are deconstructed in an interesting way. The awakening of their bisexuality is gentle, and the "I'm doing research to see how it's done" aspect is funny, realistic, and believable.
I would have liked to see a little more of the other princes. I'm looking forward to the next volumes.

Being a prince sounds glamorous, fancy castles, royal balls and most importantly: a life of luxury. For Norwegian prince Tore, it’s mostly just endless rules, stiff formalities, and absolutely zero freedom. So when he gets the rare chance to escape for a year, disguised as a regular college student in the US, he jumps at it. Even better? He makes the soccer team (sorry, football team… no, wait, soccer!), and for the first time in his life, he gets just to be himself.

There’s only one problem: Farron, the team’s captain. He takes one look at Tore and decides he hates him, absolutely loathes him, and no matter how hard Tore tries with charm and persistence (or maybe a little bit of royal stubbornness, Farron refuses to warm up. However when all that pent-up tension finally reaches its breaking point, it doesn’t explode in a fight… it ends in a kiss. A very unexpected, very good kiss.

Neither of them has ever been into guys before, so obviously, it’s just a weird fluke. No big deal. Just something to get of the system, right? Except Tore can’t stop thinking about it. Or about Farron, I’d rather say, and the more time they spend together, the more they realizes this isn’t just some fleeting attraction, it’s definitely SOMETHING! But what happens when Farron finds out the truth? That Tore isn’t just some random European exchange student, but actual royalty?

Packed with banter, a whole lot of chemistry and a double bi-awakening, I was completely obsessed with ‘The Prince and The Player’! I can nothing but say that I absolutely devoured this ultimate grumpy / sunshine, enemies to lovers romance in a couple of days as if it were (much needed) sunlight.

With so much to risk for love, this isn’t just your average romance novel, but a whole new experience set to bring you on a journey.

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

Nora Phoenix did an amazing job balancing the fine line between love and hate with Tore and Farron. Their dynamic had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly waiting for them to give in to each other. I absolutely loved that they never denied their feelings, and Nora consistently handled this trope flawlessly—avoiding the frustrating pitfalls it often falls into.

This book is definitely one of my top romances of the year so far. I will absolutely be recommending it to everyone!

This is the perfect have/have not story with a grumpy/royal sunshine twist! Tore is a Prince of Norway, but he just wants some time to be himself and to play the game he loves before he has to give it up for his royal responsibilities. When he gets the chance at a college in Ohio he embraces the experience, but not everyone is happy to have him join their team. Farron is the soccer captain and used to being the star player, so when Tore comes along and changes the dynamic he can’t help but hate him. These two are forced together for the sake of their team and everything eventually comes to a head. I really enjoyed this sports romance and highly recommend you check it out!

3.5/5, rounded up.

Tore is a Norwegian prince who just wants to feel normal. Farron is a hardworking college soccer player who also works at Walmart to help support his mom and sisters after his dad died. When Tore joins the soccer team, Farron immediately dislikes him and writes him off as spoiled and privileged. He seems immune to Tore's attempts to win him over until they kiss one night in a hotel before a soccer game. Farron and Tore become friends with benefits and maybe more, but Tore's identity is still a secret.

I know this is a lighthearted romance, but I always thing "woe is me, being royal is so hard" is such a tough stance to support. I understand that Tore feels pressure to act a certain way, but frankly monarchy is an insane concept and Farron is absolutely right that there is a difference between being worried your family will go hungry and being worried you'll ruin the reputation of unelected leaders that could become obsolete. I would have liked to see Tore confront that a bit more through the lens of their relationship.

I did think that Tore was sweet and I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between the two of them. Seeing Farron coming to terms with his sexuality and letting his guard down was satisfying. On the other hand, I was disappointed about the way the book handled them being outed by their teammate. It was shown as a cute acceptance moment for the whole team, but him immediately saying he would tell the whole team in a group chat? Super not ok. There were a couple other instances of seemingly more important things being glossed over too (Farron stopping the football player from taking a drunk girl home, etc).

All in all, this book was a fun read and I liked the contrasts between Farron and Tore, and I thought their relationship offered both of them room to grow. I will probably read the sequels, which I imagine will focus on Tore's friends. I like Nora's other books and the way she writes, but I think this one glossed over some scenes that I wish had more attention which made things a little too lighthearted for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars



This book kept me interested from beginning to end, but I did not like Farron. Like AT ALL!

Tore was such a sweetheart. It’s very understandable that he wanted to keep his identity a secret. That he wanted a normal life away from obligations. Farron on the other hand was beyond annoying! It’s one thing to have a certain prejudice against people. I understand how some wealthy people could be snobs, but that was not Tore. It was stated that he was spoiled and privileged, but in my opinion he didn’t act at all spoiled or privileged. He just wanted to fit in, have a normal life experience for once, and play soccer.

Ferron was horrible to him. Didn’t give him a chance at all. He kept that attitude up for almost 70 percent of the book, which made me not like his character even more. Tore didn’t deserve the way Ferron treated him. Tore kept taking it all, which made me love Tore’s character even more. He rose above most of the time. I like that the teammates actually gave Tore a chance instead of jumping on the “I don’t like him because he’s rich, entitled, spoiled, and privileged” train.

I did love the concept of the storyline. A prince going undercover to attend college, but it just fell flat.

The Prince and the Player
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were great and the emotions they went through were well described and had depth.
Prince Tore of Norway is given permission by his uncle the King to attend an college in America where he can also play his beloved soccer, but he must remain anonymous. Captain of the college soccer team is Farron who immediately dislikes Tore as a rich entitled person and is pretty dismissive towards him.this change when Tore shows what a great soccer player and team sportsman he his and gradually Farron has a complete turn around in his feelings.
Both are surprised at this turn of events particularly as they both always regarded themselves as ‘straight’ but embrace it.
The story develops well with passion and love but then with the great revelation Farron is heartbroken as is Tore.
This story kept my attention and I was invested in these two, although I am at a loss as why the blurb for the book describes it as ‘hilarious’ there are light hearted moments but certainly not laugh out loud occurrences.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Fallon hates Tore, the entitled, rich Norwegian who has wormed his way into their soccer team. But all that hate becomes something far more, lust.

A well written take in two people navigate new feelings and old, trying to come to terms with all the emotions that come with falling in love with the last person you expect.

The writing, the characters, the pacing of the story, everything about this was great.

This is a romance between two college students playing on the same soccer team.. Fallon has always had to scrape to get along. He comes from a poor family, and has a huge chip on his shoulder towards anybody that has wealth. Tore is a Norwegian prince and is secretly having a gap year to explore the United States.before resuming his royal duties.

I never felt a real connection between the two men. Fallon's hatred towards Tore was intense even as I understood how much his family struggled. He really never felt likeable to me and I don't feel he redeemed himself..Tore while sweet and upbeat had a formal speech that was a bit much. He also seemed to forgive Fallon really quickly for his awful behaviors. I had trouble over how quickly things changed for the men..

Even though I won't revist this book I am sure others will enjoy it. Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

The Prince and the Player by Nora Phoenix is a new college sports/royalty MM romance. Tore is part of a unique friend group of royals far removed from their crowns but still restricted to living in the public's eyes and expectations. He is given the opportunity to attend college in the US and makes their soccer team. The captain of the team, Farron, is less than receptive to this new addition to the team. Tore is able to charm every except the captain no matter how hard he works. It isn't until Farron lets his guard down that he sees there is more to Tore than high end clothes and a posh accent. The two connect on the field with matching intensity for the sport as well as loneliness that can only be seen under close inspection. But life is complicated in dramatically different ways for each man leading to their budding relationship being torn apart. While they're just getting started familial expectations threaten to destroy what they’re building.

This was a semi predictable but sweet MM college sports romance. I really liked Tore, he was royalty who wasn't stuck up and embraced new experiences. Farron was rough around the edges and while you got to know his background, he still made it hard to like at times. There were a lot of assumptions made by Farron that felt stereotypical and got annoying. Overall it was a cute college mm romance where a royal finds himself wanting the biggest grump on the pitch. I am looking forward to Tore's other friends finding their matches.

3.5 stars for Tore giving Farron the royal treatment.