This is a fast and easy read, if you're looking for that in a romance book.

It's pitched as enemies-to-lovers, which I guess is true in a way because Thomas is anti-monarchy while Auggie is next in line to be king of England. But we never really get that dynamic from them. They have a bit of banter, but Thomas wants to kiss Auggie pretty quickly as they're filming Renaissance Man. It should be branded as a forbidden romance instead. What frustrated me most was Auggie constantly pushing Thomas away, sometimes very abruptly. There was one point I re-read a couple of pages to see if I missed anything. I would have loved for them to be together more on the DL than what we got in the book.

All that being said, I absolutely adore Thomas. He knows what he wants and goes for it. I just wish Auggie matched that energy instead of constantly thinking about what his father wants from him. I especially love the hurt/comfort part of the book. Thomas is the sweetest and most caring as he's taking care of Auggie, even though they're not really together at that point.

I also would have liked an epilogue that was more than a few weeks later.

How to Date a Prince was an entertaining story, but predictable. The characters were very likable and the synopsis was a good starting point. How to Date a Prince was entertaining, but also predictable. But I could have used more character development and fewer random conflicts that were thrown in every chapter. Some of the OTP's conflicts didn't make sense or felt forced. I give this book 3/5 stars.

1🌟

Tropes
📌Royalty x Influencer
📌 MxM
📌 Forbidden Pairing
📌 Reality TV Competition Setting

ARC : 15th July 2025

My POV

● First of all, thank you netgally for this book. I am honored.

● Secondly, I might come out as rude saying this but this book was horrible. Lots of too and forth, stretching on a same point and then basically neglecting that POINT at the end. I am just thankful that the book ended.

I particularly enjoyed the way the reality TV format played out on the page. The creative challenges and the behind-the-scenes moments felt fun and vivid, almost like watching a series unfold in novel form. It was interesting to explore how these segments shaped the characters’ interactions and tension.

That said, there were more explicit scenes than I usually prefer, which pulled me out of the narrative a bit at times. Readers who enjoy steamier romances will likely appreciate those moments more than I did. Still, I found the overall tone charming and lighthearted, and I rooted for Auggie and Thomas as they navigated the chaos of royal expectations and personal desires.

Also, as a huge Swiftie, the Taylor Swift references were a truly delightful touch!

I definitely enjoyed this book and it took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, such as embarrasment, sadness and joy. The characters are very fun and likeable. Auggie and Thomas were both lovely and enjoyed reading about them. However, there were moments were I wanted to pick them up and shake them (can people just communicate?).

The overall plot was lighthearted and fun, and gave off rom-com vibes. There were absolutely some deeper and heartfelt moments, but most of it was just fun.

What I got stuck on, and which made me struggle a bit with this book, is that it is very unrealistic. Now, don't get me wrong. It is a work of fiction and therefore the author can do what they like. But, considering most of us have some understanding on how strict royal protocols etc are, the premise is very unrealistic. Would the second in line really be allowed to do a reality TV show? No, and the king (or queen) would definitely not be the one to sign them up. It was this, alongise other things, that just had me tripping up when reading the book. Was it a fun take on royal falling in love with someone they shouldn't? Yes, absolutely.

2.5 🌟

What I liked:
- reality show setting
- prince MC
- queer rep

I had trouble deciding how to rate this book, because while the writing is... not very good, the plot still managed to suck me in for the first ~60% of the book. I'd much rather read a badly written book that's interesting than a well-written book that's dry and boring.

My biggest issue with this book was inconsistency in the characters and writing. I was constantly getting whiplash from the MC making decisions but then 2 paragraphs later deciding the opposite for no apparent reason? But like I said, even with that, I found it kind of addicting. If you can turn your brain off and are forgiving of issues like that, it's a fun read. If flawed writing bothers you, you're better off skipping this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Hayden Stone for the chance to read the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

If you LOVED red white and royal blue. You are going to love this

He is a prince who can’t come out as gay to the public and makes bad decisions trying to do the right thing. But all of us do that.
He is trying to find himself, his life of who he is and trying to puzzle it with the piece he needs to be: a future king , but also a teenager trying to find himself in his sexuality
And how can you be someone you aren’t when you are still are trying to find what you really are ?

His dad thinks the solution to stablish a modern monarchy and present his heir to the young generation is to enroll his son- the heir of the throne- in a reality show. That’s so iconic

To hide His identity and reputation as a prince he was rude to Thomas Golden an influencer he didn’t even know who he was, rejecting him in a night club. He was hurt by the way he reject him. Only to find him as one of the contestants in the reality show and Thomas golden doesn’t want to accept his apology.
He is cold to him now. So now they are rivals

The relationships with the main character were all of them important for every part of his self. His best friend who is in love with him and he feels he can’t give her what she wants. He feels platonic love for her. And he learns what that is, and why he can’t love her even though he wanted to. Thomas is the new love, breaking the rules, patterns, laws across the forbidden love and find his true self. His father is the one to feed his perfect image he needs to be to the monarchy, a prince, a king, So he is all of that. A little piece of him in all people he meets.

Excellent book about finding your self in other people, but more importantly in yourself.

[I received a digital arc for an honest review]

How to Date a Prince by Hayden Stone is a new standalone MM romance. Prince Auggie has been told he’s going to be the modern face of the monarchy after one too many public relations incidents. The punishment as he sees it is to be cast in the reality show Renaissance Man. While on set he comes face to face with Thomas Golden, an influencer and public supporter of the anti-monarchy movement. The two appear to be fierce rivals but what happens behind closed doors leads both men towards revisiting their opinions of each other and the future.

This book was cute but a little hard to get into. One perspective stories can be hit or miss for me as I did feel like I was missing out a little with Thomas’s POV. Auggie is someone you wanted to reach out to hug and protect as he struggled with his identity in so many different ways.

Because for a few weeks, Thomas meant everything, even if it was make-believe and temporary in our own world.

3.5 stars for Auggie and Thomas’s unexpected connection.

This was a cute book featuring a m/m romance that takes place during the filming of a reality TV show in a British setting. Some of the conflict didn’t feel totally fleshed out and it was missing some tension for me.

1⭐️
*deep guttural sigh*

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this. I - like many others - came to this looking for another "Red, White & Royal Blue," and was deeply disappointed with how this went. Where it's predecessor succeeded, this one failed to deliver.

Let's start with the premise: it is whack af. The fact that the firstborn crown prince would go on a reality TV show (yes, you read that correctly) in the first place, let alone that he is made to go on by the King of England (yep, that too) is absolutely insane to start. It gets even worse when I see the manufactured drama sprinkled throughout the story that all just feels tired and played out. Imagine every overplayed trope - opposites attract, reality TV premise, miscommunication, "enemies" to lovers - played out in a giant mish-mash of convoluted storytelling.

Characters were a little too predictable, the writing was not that great, and there just did not seem to be any redeemability with this work. I admire the author for attempting this piece, I fear they missed the mark so far that I cannot find the silver lining. I don't want to harp on this author more than necessary, but suffice it to say that I did not like this book in the least. Someone may enjoy this...

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book.

Thanks to anetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review..

I loved this book. It was so sweet and cute and gave me the best feels this summer, watching these two fall for each other and their banter was superb.

How to Date a Prince by Hayden Stone is a witty, steamy, and heartfelt romance that blends royal intrigue with irresistible chemistry. With sharp humor, emotional depth, and just the right amount of spice, this story delivers a refreshing take on the classic royal love affair—one with modern complications and plenty of heart.

The characters are the true stars here. Written with charm and authenticity, they leap off the page and make you root for them from the very beginning. Their connection is undeniable, and watching them fall for each other—despite the looming reality that one of them is destined to be King—adds a compelling layer of tension. The secrecy around identity, the weight of duty, and the longing for freedom are all handled with care and nuance.

Stone’s writing shines with its balance of humor, romance, and deeper emotional moments. With its unique premise and unforgettable characters, How to Date a Prince is a standout romance that’s equal parts entertaining and touching—a must-read for fans of royals, forbidden love, and feel-good fiction.

I got to chapter 5 of this book and I've read enough to know I won't enjoy it. This book feels like the manuscript an author would share with a beta reader; it doesn't feel nearly ready to have been sent out to ARC readers. For example, there's a page in chapter 4 where it says "He shut the TV off" and then 3 paragraphs down "He switched the TV off". That's something any competent beta or line editor would have picked up.

But the writing is pretty juvenile, and nothing is explained well. There were already 3 scene with the best friend Katie, and we're told she's "not marriageable material" (also hate that wording - "marriage material" sounds a lot better), but at no point have we been told how Auggie knows her and how they became friends. He's also had some kind of fight with his sister, and it's vaguely addressed multiple times without actually just coming out and saying it. There's just too many instances of repeatedly saying the same thing over and over, while not actually addressing other things that seem more important.

It's a pity. The cover is really pretty, and I've read 2 other books by this author that I did like, so I have no idea what went wrong with this one.

It’s usually pretty easy to get me to like anything RW&RB adjacent, but that wasn’t the case with this book. Our prince protagonist wasn't very likeable at first, since we kick off with him treating Katie (his best friend) and Thomas (his love interest) really badly out of instinctual self-preservation. It difficult for me to settle into a story when I'm not rooting for any of the central relationships connected to the main character. Still, the background plot of a talent-based reality television show held my interest temporarily when the narrative initially didn’t.

The writing style was also a bit rushed in strange places; while the overall pacing of the novel was decent, there were small pieces of information that were either omitted or not implied well enough which left me a little confused at certain points.

Auggie and Thomas’ back and forth dynamic was a little frustrating at times, though once I got to know them more I sympathized with their motives. I liked the easy vulnerability that passed between them in the second half of the book, and felt my opinion on everything shift for the better as the reality tv show the boys were starring in came to a close. The ending was a pleasant surprise, wrapping up this romance really nicely given how much of a shaky start it had.

This one was just okay for me. The premise was fun with the royalty, reality TV, and enemies to lovers setup, but it ended up feeling a bit cringy at times. I had a hard time connecting with Auggie since he kind of created a lot of his own problems, and the romance felt rushed, especially near the end. Not terrible, just didn’t fully land for me.

This book had all the ingredients for a fun, chaotic royal romance—an enemies-to-lovers setup, reality TV drama, and political tension—but somehow it didn’t land for me. The characters felt flat despite the flashy premise. Prince Auggie’s inner struggles didn’t hit as hard as they should’ve, and Thomas, while charming, lacked the depth to carry the emotional weight of the romance. There were some lighthearted and sweet moments, sure, but nothing that truly stood out or stuck with me after finishing.

The pacing dragged in places, especially in the first half, and the reality show angle fizzled out too quickly. Even the conflict surrounding the monarchy and Thomas’s family’s motives felt undercooked. It wasn’t bad, just… meh. Enjoyable in a background-noise kind of way, but not something I’ll remember or revisit. A solid 3 stars for the cute premise, but I wanted more spark, more heart, and less gloss.

How to Date a Prince by Hayden Stone is a spectacular and fun contemporary M/M romance.
This story was a fun read! It's filled with lovable characters and a plot line that will pull you in.
Fun to read, engrossing world building, and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic. It's hard to resist the story as it drives forward.

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced eARC

i was excited to read this but the writing was just not it and as the story went on it overall became cringe and it was hard to connect with the characters

This book has two things: excellent chemistry between its two leads, and the stupidest plot that requires me to not only suspend my disbelief … but to turn off my brain completely so that I am stupid enough to accept the “logic” of this story.

In what world does The Firm let their heir go on a reality TV show without an army of lawyers, guards, and caretakers? In what world does someone trying to kill the prince — or at least get him badly hurt — end up with that person no being arrested? In what world does The Firm allow a reality TV show to blackmail the Crown Prince of England with footage of him falling in love with another contestant?

I have to believe that this is a world where the royal family are powerless, where drones do not exist, where safety measures do not take place, where you have the Crown Prince of England and other rich and powerful men steeplechase riding — whether they have experience in it or not, on horses they’ve just been introduced to — without anyone paying attention to what’s going on. Horse Racing stewards will come down like an avalanche on a jockey who whipped another jockey’s horse, and yet someone whipping the Crown Prince of England, and trying to push him off his horse — so that he falls beneath the feet of galloping horses — isn’t caught, isn’t seen, and isn’t punished?

This book asks me to be stupid, to have no thoughts in my head. It makes Thomas an anti-monarchist for no real reason, just to force the lover to enemies trope, and it’s clumsily done. It wasn’t necessary as Auggie, in that first meeting, already pissed Thomas off.

Pass. Solid, solid pass. Don’t be fooled by the cover of this book. There are books out there that have intelligent plots, that have respect for their readers, and who treat their characters like real people. Go read those and leave this in the bargain bin.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

Cute story of a closeted prince falling in love while being of reality TV. I enjoyed the flow of the story seeing price Aggie slowly gain his confidence and personal identity was interesting and his relationship with Thomas kept you going. They made a odd couple but you can understand why they fell for each other.

Wasn't a fan of how women were portrayed in the story. Now a great way to start things off in the story with the friend Katie being betrayed. His sister was hardly there and the producer was just a evil. All the big conversations ended in arguments and storming off, some times hitting the angry a little too fast.

Solid story about finding one's self in a world you don't feel you control, just wish a few things were handled differently.