Tore and his other Prince friends agree that they want a life outside of the royal family. Tore goes to the US for a year to play soccer, immediately clashing heads with team captain Farron. Farron hates Tore for his wealthy clothes and how good he is at soccer, but that soon turns to lust.

DNF at 36%. Unfortunately I can’t read a book where one character pushes another and then immediately kisses them. I don’t find that kind of lust attractive and I can’t read books that promote this kind of behaviour. The writing was also not for me - too much ‘tell’ and unnecessary detail where it wasn’t needed. The stilted British accent for Tore made for a difficult read, and Farron was just completely unlikeable and I don’t see a redemption arc for him that’s worth it. It’s very clear this was inspired by Red, white and royal blue but it doesn’t live up for me I’m afraid.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3⭐️

This was an okay book nothing ground breaking but the overall writing was solid tho it felt slightly juvenile at times and some of the dialogue choices where slightly cringey but both things where easy to look past. the overall plot while nothing special was fun

The characters where okay I found it difficult to like farron , he was just so whiny like i get he hadn’t had a easy life but he blamed rich people for all his issues because he made an assumption about their lives, it made him difficult to like and made him very annoying to read, tore was cute but there wasn’t much to him he lacked abit of substance. I wasn’t the biggest fan of how their relationship progressed either they spent no time together except to have sex yet they really liked each other yet knew nothing about the other it just didn’t really work for me.

I’m also pretty sure this author has never met a British person before no British person cares about the war we had with America and some of the reference to what British people say either are stereotypes or haven’t been a thing since 2012 honestly the whole book kinda feels like it was written in 2012

Overall all it was a fun book it could be improved in many ways and there wasn’t anything about it that was amazing but it was an easy cute read

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital arc

My review is shared on Goodreads. Thank you for the opportunity.

I feel like I chose the best time to read this for myself, I was craving a cute but also angsty romance book to lift my mood, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Their story was so cute, though it wasn't really unique or life changing, we have seen similarities in other books. I saw the "challenge" from miles away.

I also want to underline that there were a few things that made me laugh about Tore's thoughts and words, and I am aware that the intension was to make him sound like that, but "I'm from Europe", said no European ever.

This story was reminiscent of one of my all time favorite books, so of course I loved it! I’m a sucker for a royalty-in-disguise trope and Tore was an especially good one! He had so much to lose, but still ended up falling for Farron.
Farron was hurting and you could tell from the beginning it was going to be hard for him to overcome his prejudice. The HEA was so sweet and I can’t wait to have the series continue.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC! I read this in pretty much one sitting and loved it a lot. It’s sweet, spicy without being over the top and has a great story. Although some parts were slightly predictable I still liked it a lot! 3.8 /5.

It's a nice book overall, although the writing was a bit too simple and repetitive. At first I thought it was a first novel, which would've explained the plain writing, but after checking I was a bit disappointed seeing that the author had so much experience before this novel. Other than that, the story was nicely paced, and even though many parts of the plot were a bit too simple to be realistic, it was nice to have something hopeful, sweet and uncomplicated to read.

This was a good read. It didn't blow me away but it was enjoyable and well paced. There was a little too much drama surrounding Tore's background but to be honest, I expected nothing less.

This was well written and the interactions between the characters was pretty solid. I do wish we got more from the background characters; particularly the other soccer players, I would have liked to get to know them more.

There were a lot of tropes in this but it was enjoyable and an easy read.

Overall I liked this one a lot.

3.5 stars


The Prince and The Player gave me all the gay "The Prince And Me" vibes - boy, how I love that movie!

The story is nothing particularly new, there was not great surprises, however I did enjoy reading it.

Farron is quite... how do I put it. I didn't hate him, but I hated the way he acted a lot of the time. He was jealous, quick to judge and stubborn as a mule. It took most of the story for him to stop being that way, and to me it got a bit tiresome.

Tore, on the other hand, I loved from the get go. What was not to like really.

And oh, Tore's friends. I feel that they all need to go and have a USA adventure!

I would read more books about Tore's friends if they happened.

This was such a lovely story to read and I couldn't put it down. It was so much fun to read how they went from enemies to lovers. That first kiss was absolutely swoon worthy. It's good to read that bi-awakening isn't always as easy and they had to come to turn with the attraction they felt for each other. Also they're from completely different worlds. It was a well written love story that dragged me in from the first chapter. I can't wait to see if the other princes get their story.

Yeah, this was a bit tropey, but also a whole lot of fun!

This is the story of Norwegian prince Tore Haakon von Glücksberg who makes a pact with his friends to spend a year abroad in the US to be just Tore for once.
There, he joins the colleges football - sorry, I mean soccer - team and meets his new team captain Farron: the most grumpy, brooding, defensive guy with the biggest chip on his shoulder you’ll ever meet.
And sparks fly. First in the form of unmatched animosity and then in form of the most delicious sexual tension and chemistry and utter obsession with each other. This was definitely the highlight of this book ❤️‍🔥

And while I enjoyed exploring their relationship for the most part, I did have a few issues, especially with Farron, who frankly was quite difficult to like: he was envious, quick to judge, rude, resentful, hot-and-cold and I honestly had troubles understanding how Tore could fall for him. While he did soften a bit over time, I still wasn’t fully convinced by his redemption arc - it felt more like a small shift rather than real growth.
Tore, on the other hand, was lovely 🥰

So yeah, in general I’d say this was nothing new or too special and I could see the ending coming - third act breakup and all - after the first few pages. Nevertheless I had a good time reading this and am looking forward to see how Tore’s friends got on during their US-adventures in the next instalments of this series 💕

3,5⭐️

Big thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

Absolutely devoured this book! I read it in a day and thoroughly enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers aspect of the book. The book had just the right amount of spice. The characters were both charming with their not so great qualities. You can't help but fall in love with them. The book touches on romance, friendship, and sportsmanship. Overall, the book was wonderful. Will be looking into more of the author's books!

when the prince of Norway gets permission to go undercover at an American collage for a year, he meets the caption of the football team who immediately dislikes him. when the hatred becomes too strong, the release is in a kiss. shocked, both boys discover they may not be as straight as they assumed.

with a dual pov and short chapters, i completely flew through this book! i will admit i had to get through the first few chapters, but from there on i finished it in one sitting! i typically don’t love third act break ups, but i felt it work in the circumstance and was written beautifully. i found myself rooting for the main characters relationship and found their dynamics enticing.

the coming out to the team seemed very rushed and i felt the relationship between tore and Luke wasn’t fleshed out which lead to their interactions falling flat.

thank you netgalley and boldwood books for this arc!

Do I love books involving royal family love stories? Yes, a lot of the time I do.

Do I feel deeply uncomfortable with the institutions of Monarchy in the real world? Also yes.

Nevertheless, I find myself drawn to, and enjoying, “secret royal family” stories.

In this case, Tore, who is in line for the Norwegian Throne, negotiates the chance to attend an out of the way University in the US, to have a “gap year” college experience where he can play soccer and exist in anonymity. For Farron, soccer is his vehicle for a University education and a way to care for his single mum and siblings. Having been abandoned by their wealthy relatives when their father died, Farron has worked hard to help support his family and has a distrust (bordering on hatred) for wealth and privilege. When Farron and Tore collide on the soccer team out comes all the delicious tension, bi awakening (from both) and all the good stuff!

One thing that I dislike, but have come to expect, that in romance involving European royalty, the American experienced is centred. It was refreshing to spend most of the book WAITING for that to happen and to not find it! Tore does spend most of the book in the US, but that’s because that’s central to his goal of a year of anonymity, but I appreciated seeing Farron give appropriate significance to Tore’s nationality, and the significance of his expectations.

4 🌟
Spice: open door

I have some mixed feelings about this one, but I have settled on 4 stars since what I enjoyed outweighed what I disliked. I liked the writing itself. It flowed well and didn't feel rushed. I loved both Farron and Tore. They were so different and yet meshed well together. I didn't fully believe the whole hate at first sight on Farrons' part. It seemed extreme. Once these two snapped, they were zero to sixty on seconds. There was a decent amount of spice once they turned into more of a friends with benefits situation. I think them having to come out was a little rushed and just thrown in as a way to get to the drama at the end. I don't love third act breakups, but I understood this one. Farron felt betrayed. I like how they came together at the end, though.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review .

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for this ARC! I loved this book! I got approved for it at the perfect time since I’ve been in an MM and sports romance mood. The story between Farron and Tore was exactly what I needed to scratch that itch.

I love the thin line between love and hate and how it can easily shift when you're constantly around someone you dislike. Farron harbors a strong dislike for the wealthy, having had mostly negative experiences with rich people. Enter Prince Tore—hiding his identity but not his wealth—who slowly shows Farron that not all rich people have bad intentions. In turn, Farron helps Tore see what life is like on the other side. Their dynamic has sweet moments, plenty of tension, and just the right amount of spice.

I do wish the author had explored the soccer team dynamics more. The camaraderie was mentioned but never fully fleshed out through outings or meaningful interactions with teammates. Tore’s friendship with Luke, for example, would have felt more impactful if we had seen their bond grow on the page. The team's reaction to the relationship also felt rushed—one person found out, and suddenly, everyone had to be called back from a party for an official announcement. It didn’t feel necessary at that moment and came across as a bit forced.

That said, I found the story incredibly cute, and I loved that no one in the book was against them being gay. The overall tone was heartwarming, and the personal growth—especially for Farron—was well done.

I’m leaning more towards a 3.5-3.75 ★ but I’m rounding up to make it easier! First off, thank you for letting me read this as an ARC. I personally love mm romances, I just think we get more vulnerability in them and I just simply adore them. I had a fun time with this book, it was a fun and quick read. I did like Farron and Tore’s relationship once it picked up, I like how they were so consumed by the other, that was super cute. I also really liked how everyone was so supportive of their relationship. There were some things that bugged me.. so first off, the instant hate wasn’t my favorite because I felt like Farron was being unfair and really judgmental but I did like that we saw this growth towards the end of the book because he can’t really be mad at people who have money right? I mean don’t get me wrong I get upset when people have money and don’t help others, but Farron was mad at the worlddddddd. ANYWAYSSS, that was really the only thing that bugged me, also! How Farron just left after they slept together.. criminal lol, Tore is definitely better than me.

The way my thoughts rolled out:

10% - but, like, why is Farron so mad at Tore though?

...

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75% - see above...but also, am i misremembering being POC, hustling (y'all call it "grinding" these days) and 21? Sure i rolled my eyes when Karen, but i was never like: wtf is up with bro's accent? It's making me ragey.

My point is: reading while POC is always gonna show you some things, chile.
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...

82% ( a.k.a. the third act reveal) - Farron had the audacity to wonder why Tore kept his royal connection a secret. Can this narrative be real for a second and just, I dunno, have some perspective? Why do I HAVE TO do the thinking about how absolutely uncool Farron had been to Tore for about 75% of this book? ESPECIALLY after they started to get sexy naked. I'm working too hard for this, straight up.

Characterization like this grates on my nerves. The lack of self awareness is so dense, and sure yes probably true to life in most cases...but this is a ROMANCE and I'd love some, I dunno, lover-liness about a title that's supposed to be ✨Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder✨. Which is ME. I'm THAT person. And i for sure did not catch that comp.

Suffice it to say, i'm happy that this was a great read for so many people, but unfortunately this just wasn't the read for me.

This one is a beautifully written, emotional, and steamy MM romance. With compelling characters, great chemistry, and a touch of royal intrigue, this story keeps you hooked from start to finish. The mix of tension, passion, and heartfelt moments makes it a must-read for fans of the genre!

A great MM rivals-to-lovers romance between an undercover Prince and a football player with a chip on his shoulder. The Norwegian Prince was charming, and I loved the way his struggles with finding a place were shown - the juxtaposition between his background and the life he is trying to build while at college. The contrast between Tore's sunshiny outlook, and the perpetual grumpiness of Farron was well done, despite the cliche. I'd love to see more of the other Royals as they explore their US experiences too, and hope we see those from Phoenix.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read ahead of release.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me this arc in exchange for a review

I really liked this book

I enjoyed the chemistry between Tore and Farron, it was probably some of the best chemistry in MM romances i've read from. Where this book somewhat lacks is the spice for me. it just felt kinda clunky and very anti-climactic but overall a good book with great writing

Can't wait to continue the series when they come out!!!!