Modern day Romeo and Julius with a fair bit of heavy petting!

I want to start this by saying I really enjoyed it! The premise was a clear enemies to lovers trope, but that wasn't hidden of course, and it was brilliant!

On occasion, especially towards the middle of the book, conversations were a little jarring, feeling like they could have done with being fleshed out a little bit. A couple of times I spotted some grammatical issues, but nothing major and it didn't put me off reading.

Honestly I was really into it, and, towards the last half especially, I couldn't put it down.

I feel really privileged to have received an ARC of this book, and I look forward to reading more of this authors work in future!

As a longtime fan of Red, White & Royal Blue and The Charm Offensive (and most recently Winging It With You), I was immediately drawn to this book. Was the premise believable? Absolutely not! Did I still enjoy the book? Very much! This is a perfect light summer read and I think I read it in 1-2 sittings. I wish we could have gotten into Thomas' head a bit more. Although Auggie is a more complex character so it was still important to get his POV... I guess I would have gladly taken a dual POV for this book. If you like rivals to lovers (are they really enemies? Maybe) I do think you'll enjoy this book.

I will add to say that I'll gladly read the next book in the series and I even would like to read Hayden Stone's backlist so that should tell you about how much I enjoyed this book.

This book was so adorably wonderful. Prince Auggie is the perfect prince who isn’t being his true self most of the time. Thomas Golden is the hotel heir living his authentic life and wants to help others do the same and his family is anti-monarchy. So of course they are perfect for each other and hijinks ensue that lead to both of them having to really think about who they are and what they want. It was very swoons and a joy to read.

I was excited for this MM rom-com, but it didn’t work for me. The main character’s internalized homophobia and toxic masculinity were hard to read, and the romance felt forced—they bickered constantly without real development. I did enjoy the reality TV and royalty angle, and while it might work for someone new to MM romance, it just didn’t hit for me as a queer reader. I’d still be open to trying something else by the author.

Prince “Auggie” (think a closeted Prince William) is caught in a scandal that tanks his public image and blows his shot with Thomas Golden, the abolitionist heir to a hotel empire. To clean up his image, Auggie is signed up against his will for Renaissance Man, a reality show to crown the most eligible bachelor. Only to find Thomas is a contestant too – what could go wrong?

I found Auggie’s voice incredibly engaging. He’s an adorkable mess who’s just trying to figure life out, as a crown prince no less. His character growth pushed this story from the three-star range into the fours for me.

Renaissance Man set a good pace for the story, and the plot never felt saggy to me. It provided interesting side characters and a whodunnit that kept me hooked until the end.

However, I struggled with Auggie and Thomas's on-again, off-again relationship. The winds shifted between them in a matter of paragraphs, going from zero to a hundred in seconds, which didn’t feel real to me.

Other aspects of their romance seemed too quick and convenient. Without spoiling, I’ll point to the first chili pepper moment. During the second half, when they shared moments of true vulnerability, that’s when I started cheering hard for them.

Overall, this was fun and engaging, and I’d recommend it to readers of Red, White & Royal Blue and those interested in LGBTQ royalty romances.

This was okay. Not great, but not bad either. Just okay.

I really wanted more from it, I feel like the characters were too surface level. I wanted more from this book, but at the same time I felt like it was dragging on for much longer than it needed to. I felt like we could have wrapped the story up a little more succinctly.

This was a solid 3 stars. Not sure if I will request the next one in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you Net Galley and Hayden Stone for the digital ARC. I had a great time reading this book. It is a cutesy, fun book to read that had me engrossed until I finished reading it. I could not put it down because I just wanted to know how Auggie was doing. I absolutely loved Auggie as a character. He is so sure of himself but also flawed. He needs to conform to what the King is demanding of him which causes him to be closed off about who he really is and who he loves. I loved how much growth he went through in the book and how growth is not linear. There are setbacks and sometimes you go in a circle, but I am so happy and proud of all the growth that he went through. I also really loved Thomas. I wish we got to hear more about his back story when he talked to Auggie. I also wish we got to know more of the contestants and got to see more of Anne and Auggie together. There were times where I had to go back and reread certain sections because I got confused but that could be a me issue and not a book issue.

I would have loved to see more of Thomas and Auggie after everything, sort of like an epilogue part 2 (I know there was an epilogue but I wanted more of them being cutesy). I loved their banter and how easily they can match each other's jokes. I love how carefree they are with each other and how Auggie was able to find someone that he felt he could tell everything too. Everytime Auggie was going through something, I literally felt pangs of anxiety. If you want a comfy book to read where the main character is relatable (even though he is a prince lol) and want a happy ending, this is the book for you.

How to Date a Prince is a spin on an American boy who falls in love with the British Royal Heir to the throne. They meet as contestants for a reality TV show and fall in love.

I wanted to love this because I mean honestly, who doesn’t want a royal prince to fall in love with, but I found myself missing that build up between the two of them. The synopsis states: ‘Once Auggie and Thomas arrive on set in the English countryside, it’s already unapologetically hate at first sight. It’s going to be a very long summer of filming…until sparks fly behind the scenes.” I didn’t get the feeling that they hated each other. They got off on the wrong foot and disliked each other. They quickly fell for each other. I was missing that build up between them. I felt too that the anti-monarch jokes got old really quick between the two of them. They didn’t have a strong foundation for their relationship. The last argument they had, I was completely lost at why Thomas was upset, only for the same discussion to happen again, in public, and Thomas lost his mind and was super happy about it. It was a lot of yoyoing from Auggie and after a while, it got to be too much.

They were cute together and I am glad that Thomas pushed Auggie’s boundaries to show him that he was a mess and needed to start standing up for himself. It was a cute read for me and I am glad that they got a happy ending. I loved my cinnamon roll Thomas.


Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Rating: 3.5 stars.

Premise:
The story is a queer romcom, rivals to lovers, following the crown prince of Britain and an American influencer/businessman abolitionist. It centres around a reality TV show where there is familial and political drama.

Characters:
I absolutely adored Augustus. He was funny and quirky and strong. He was unapologetically himself and it was wonderful to see him grow with his relationship with Thomas, especially the ending. I think the fight he fought internally over his royal duties and Thomas was beautifully played out and a relatable queer experience of who you want to be and expectations pushed upon you.

However, the other characters felt non-existent in the sense you couldn’t really form relationships with them as they were very flat. And some actions by Augustus and Thomas felt completely out of character, a complete 180 of how they acted previously.

Plot:
I love the premise of the book. A reality TV show with drama? Sign me up, especially a rivals to lovers one with a prince and an abolitionist.

However, I wish there was further development into the rivals to lovers aspect. I felt like the two main characters went from hating each other to lusting very quickly and it was a hot and cold dynamic.

Setting:
The setting was picturesque for what it was. We had the royal setting of Buckingham Palace and then the location of the reality show which was lavish but nothing remarkable. But the setting did fit the story perfectly.

Writing style:
The writing was quite funny and lighthearted. It’s easy to read and follow and generally beautifully
constructed.

However,sometimes the pacing just felt a little off and a tad clunky. Sometimes things were devolving quickly then the next paragraph we’ve slowed it right down again. The romance sometimes felt a little forced as well and it sometimes depends on the reader to figure out how characters are feeling when there’s no clues given.

Final thoughts:
If you’re looking for a quick, lighthearted and funny read then this is for you. Even with its minor flaws, the story is beautiful and you’ll love Augustus. It is sweet and heartwarming and I look forward to reading over Hayden Stone books.

I read this with two mindsets:

First, as a British reader... and that part of me struggled. The portrayal of the monarchy felt a little too optimistic - I couldn’t quite suspend disbelief enough to imagine this kind of storyline working within the current royal structure.

But then came the second mindset, louder and far more indulgent - the part of me that adores a good romance. And that part was thoroughly charmed.

The pacing worked beautifully, making it a breezy, bingeable read. The dating show premise was fun and very watchable - I’d absolutely tune in if it were real.

Auggie and Thomas had everything: misunderstanding-turned-rivalry, forbidden tension, secret glances... the slow-burn build was addictive. I was totally invested.

Shoutout to Kate - her arc was quietly powerful. I appreciated that her friendship with Auggie didn’t become performative or petty. She stood her ground, knew her worth, and still showed up for him.

Is this what the future of the monarchy looks like? Sadly, no. But did I enjoy escaping into this version of it anyway? Absolutely.

Thank you Hayden Stone for providing this ARC of How to Date a Prince in exchange for an honest review.

It was a lighthearted and fun romance, not a theme I usually gravitate towards to as I wasn’t keen on another book that had a royal family. The characters personalities got very contradictive throughout and the smut scene were strange, as they weren’t full on nor were they closed door

truly saddened to say i didn't like this one, which breaks my heart bc the premise sounded right up my alley and the cover gave me boyfriend material vibes which was why i requested the arc and was excited to dive in.

sadly, the writing just didn't live up to those expectations. other than our main character, the others just aren't fleshed out - and even with auggie, his character work is just infodumping different facts. it was all too much on the telling side instead of showing.

i've been thinking about this since i finished the book last night and really the only thing i can say is that this read like fanfiction except i lacked the knowledge of and devotion to the characters so that everything fell flat.

the scenes and chapters were also very weirdly broken up, which in my opinion ruined the flow.

the last thing i'll touch upon very briefly is the internalized homophobia the main character deals with, and the expectations he has set on him. i want to be very careful with this because i'm not part of the community and i could never understand those struggles. however, we've not only read this in other books, we've seen it in tv, in film, and the closeted lead is truly a tale as old as time. reading what he was going through, instead of inciting empathy, instead felt like we were back in 2008. i think the way that turmoil was written was just very shallow and instead of establishing the character it was purely a plot device for why these two characters couldn't be together until we passed the climax. it also just didn't work narratively in my opinion.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc. all views are my own.

rating: 3.75★

This was a really cute MM romance that started off feeling very similar to red white and blue but it definitely delineated from that I kept reading.

What works for me is that I did feel like Auggie and Thomas had great chemistry, they were really cute, and I was really rooting for them. I liked the initial reality TV set up and I think overall this was a pretty good coming out story considering the very unrealistic parameters of royalty lol.

I could've used work was maybe getting at least a few POVs from Thomas because since it's all Auggie I just didn't nearly have a much of a connection and sense of who Thomas is beyond their relationship.

I also felt like the second half was much slower pace and was kind of trying to figure out its footing. I wish the relationships between the side characters could've been strengthened, especially with his best friend.

Overall, I enjoyed it and got through it pretty quickly. There are some pretty spicy scenes too 🤭

I would read the next book in the series following one of Auggie's exes.

an honest arc review ♡

The premise of this book is fantastic! I expected it to be very”Red, White, and Royal Blue,” but was pleasantly surprised at how Hayden was able to create his own, unique love story that sets it apart from other English prince + American romcoms. I truly enjoyed this book! (Much better than RWRB, so I was finally able to scratch that itch.)

4/4.5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Hayden Stone for giving me an ARC for this book, this was amazing. I loved this book sooo much! I hesitated almost giving it a 5 star, but didn’t because of a few things.

1. I think the author wrote Auggie’s closetedness too aggressive. like when he told thomas “if i’m seen with you, people might think i’m gay too” and just him never wanting to be seen with Thomas major red flag in someone that’s gay. Don’t care if you’re closested or not, that’s a weird thing to say/do. Definitely didn’t like that. It was only for like 150 pages, so it wasn’t for a majority of the book so I was able to get over it.

2. There’s a lot of childish wording “x” at the end of every text and stuff like “I listen to the conversation because i like hot boys,” it just seems like something a 13 year old and teen boy would say to me. Doesn’t seem like something an adult would say let alone a grown adult prince. Overall I enjoyed it and really liked it. Besides Auggie being written too aggressive in the closeted aspect and the childish/teen boy wording every now and then, I really enjoy this book! I will definitely be reading from this author again! Write after I finished this book I went to sign up for the newsletter and went to see if I could preorder for How to Love a Prince and Handle with Care!

What I enjoyed:
• Hayden’s writing is amazing. You can tell he knows what he’s doing! His writing is one of the best i’ve seen from an indie author!
• The plot. Come on… An anti-monarchist and a prince?? Also on a reality TV show??? YESSSS!!!
• How it had spice, but not too much. I love when a book can have the perfect amount of spice where it doesn’t overload the story. If it’s filled with spice it’s an erotica and you want more plot, if there’s zero spice you wish there was more spice. How to Date a Prince has the PERFECT blend!
• Thomas being literally amazing. He was pretty much written perfectly. I was waiting for the mic drop where it came out that he betrayed Auggie and he joined the show to make him fall in love with him to out the prince, but “he actually fell in love with him” and I was going to be pissed, but you didn’t do that and i’m soooo happy! You wrote Thomas beautifully!
• Auggie. Besides his rudeness towards Thomas’ which we can forgive, he’s a closeted crown prince. We don’t know how much pressure that is, he’s a really good character and I LOVE seeing him win the Renaissance Man challenge!! I was rooting for him the whole time during that all nighter!!

Overall amazing book, written greatly. Loved it besides the few minor issues.

Thank you again for this amazing read :)

Link to my TikTok review:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6J5JsS2/

This story delves into the struggles of coming out and the journey of recovery that follows. It's a powerful and poignant exploration of identity and acceptance. If you enjoyed Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, or Stars in your eyes by Kacen Callendar, I have no doubt you will love this book.

Though it had a similar starting point to Casey McQuiston’s Red, White and Royal Blue, it veers off into a totally unexpected and delightful territory; carving out its own special niche. From the first page to the last, I was completely hooked. The plot moves at a breakneck speed, with twists and turns that kept me guessing. I literally couldn't put it down.

What truly stood out for me was the way the relationships were portrayed. We're NOT talking about fluffy, unrealistic connections here. The characters actually communicate, face real problems, and work through them together.

The way the book explored different family dynamics, by highlighting the contrasts and similarities in how families function, and the impact that upbringing can have on an individual, GROUNDBREAKING. It added a layer of depth and relatability to the story. And just when you think things might be settling down, the rivalry between the characters intensifies, adding a whole new level of excitement to the mix.

This was truly an enjoyable read, but I have to ask, do these characters ever sleep? The late-night rendezvous definitely added some spice to the story, but I did find myself wondering when did they ever find time to sleep?!

👑ARC review👑

How to date a prince by @haydenstoneauthor
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Oh holy sweetness ! This was absolutely perfect. There’s tension. There’s pining. There’s love. Lots of love. Prince vs anti-monarchy. What could go wrong. An accident and a head injury later and what we got was a beautiful love story. Cannot wait to read the next one ! 💥

This book is a super fun, lighthearted, spicy read that's perfect for the summer! A lot of it was kind of ridiculous, but not in a bad way - The characters were over the top, witty, and fun and the banter between them was very enjoyable.

I loved this!! There were a couple of moments where I felt a tad lost but I got back on track. Over all. Amazing read. Can’t wait for book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an advance review copy of this e-book in return for an honest review.

The closeted and very private Crown Prince Auggie has been signed up for a reality TV show by his father, the King, in an attempt to make the British monarchy more relatable. Also vying for the title of “Renaissance Man” is Thomas Golden, heir to a hotel chain and famously anti-monarchy. Sparks fly and wires get crossed as the competition heats up.

What I liked: Setting aside everything we know about how the real British monarchy works, this was a fun and addictive read. Auggie was an interesting and likeable narrator, albeit with many issues. The supporting characters were all distinct and contributed to a sense of believability. The romance itself had some very sweet moments and, for the most part, it worked well.

What didn’t work for me: It was difficult to suspend disbelief and accept that, in some version of modern-day Britain there exists a King James so obsessed with reality TV that he would insist his heir take part. Or that said prince would be protected by only two security guards - who seemed to be nowhere around when they were needed! There were a few eye-roll moments in terms of believability and sensationalism, but the thing that annoyed me most was Thomas Golden’s overreaction to various situations, not that Auggie seemed to notice them as problematic (red flag Auggie, red flag!). I can’t go into more detail without risking spoilers, but his behaviour didn’t match the sensible love interest I thought he was meant to be. I’ve read other Hayden Stone books without any such issues, so I’m unsure whether the author realised just how over the top the drama felt at times.

Final thoughts: A fun, if occasionally overly dramatic, enemies-to-lovers romance.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of royal romance, enemies-to-lovers, and slight Romeo and Juliet-style tropes.