This is the second in a series. It centres on another one of the Europan royals (Floris from Denmark) and his quest for normality for 12 months. He enrols in college in the US and has a roomate Orson. Both are gay and Orson knows Floris is a prince but Floris wants to keep it on the down low and maintain his normality as long as possible.

The reader follows their friendship and their discovery of being more, whilst exlploring Orson's experience of trauma and Floris' acknowledgement of this, and sharing his own perspective as a royal family member and it's associated expectations. It's initially quite a slow burn and Orson is a quiet, introspective individual.

A content warning of sorts as this storyline involves Hurricane Katrina and flooding, which might be a sensitive subject for some readers.

This series is progressing nicely - I felt the dialogue between these two was more seemless and natural compared to the first book.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced digital copy of the book.

This is a new type of romance for me as it was based on two guys. I didn’t read the blurb and so didn’t realise until I’d started the book, however, I thought I’d give it a try.

The guys were from very different backgrounds and had completely different personalities but somehow were attracted to each other, just two people fighting attraction with potential for more. The book is written well and the characters are endearing.

It did contain some spiciness and it was quite detailed so it might not be for everyone but I loved the story so it made no difference to me. I will definitely read the next book as I am committed to finding out what happens next.

DNF at 63%

Nothing happened for most of the book, like at all. There were multiple references to things that happened off page, but as a reader we saw barely any relationship or character development on page. When we do see it, the dialogue is stilted and painful to get through, and the interactions between Orson and Floris have as much chemistry as two dull rocks. Their characters make no sense chapter to chapter, the vague disability Orson’s sister has is strange, the random heart attack his mum has is also strange, and the entire plot seems to be non-existent, so the book is just padded out with random info dumping about Dutch water systems and structural engineering? There is a set of 2 paragraphs where the word “coke” is written 7 times.

There is also some fairly derogatory and borderline offensive portrayals of gay men in this. At one point the author writes that “rule number one of being gay is that you don’t look at other guys in the locker room” and that truly gave me the ick. The smut is also really strangely described in areas, as though it was written as a straight couple and then ported into a M/M romance.

I cannot in good faith recommend this book to anyone, and implore you to seek out actual LBGTQIA+ fiction that explores the relationships in more than just what appears to be an excuse to write smut.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC*

This was a cute read with loveable characters, and I enjoyed the build-up and initial chemistry, unfortunately once the couple initially got together, it lost a bit of momentum for me. The tension fizzled out, and I found myself skimming some sections towards the end. Overall, it was charming enough, but didn’t fully hold my attention right through to the end. I did enjoy the little glimpses we got of the other prince's though and I will probably pick up book 1, which I hadn't read yet before reading this one!

I loved the first Prince Pact book so was very excited to receive this one and it did not disappoint. Interconnected stand alones are my favorite and this one followed the next prince in the friend group - Floris. I liked that this one was different in that both mmcs were already out as gay to their families. I really liked the way their relationship developed from friends to more. The sex scenes were handled well and discussions of limits and consent didn't make it awkward but we're still realistic. Looking forward to prince pact 3!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this up because a friend of mine devoured it in one sitting and raved about it—she said, “You liked Red, White & Royal Blue? You might love this even more.” Honestly? She wasn’t wrong.
This book was just what I needed: sweet, spicy, funny, and full of heart. Floris is a walking European rom-com moment. His perspective as a Dutch prince trying to navigate American college life was hilarious at times, but also layered with just enough emotional depth to keep him from becoming a stereotype. I loved the little cultural observations sprinkled throughout—they felt exaggerated in the best way, and his chaotic attempts to be a “regular guy” were charming without being cringe.
Orson, though? My soft spot. The nerdy, serious, quietly grieving roommate who slowly lets down his walls? Yes, please. His grief storyline caught me off guard with how gently (but consistently) it was handled throughout the book. It gave his character more gravity, and made the emotional moments land harder than I expected in a book that starts off so playful.
The chemistry between Floris and Orson? Off the charts. The slow build was delicious, and when things finally escalated, it was open-door spicy with a really satisfying emotional payoff. Their bond felt earned—both in the romantic and friendship sense—which made the happy ending feel all the more rewarding.
Also, can I just say: thank you for the lack of a third-act breakup. The conflict stays grounded and realistic, but never feels manipulative or dragged out just for drama’s sake.
It’s not a perfect book—there are a few parts that leaned a bit too heavily into the royal/commoner trope clichés—but honestly, I didn’t mind. I had a great time, and I finished it with a full heart and a goofy smile.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded 4

A cute read to escape reality.

This is my first book by Nora Phoenix, and it was fun. As a European reader, Floris's POV was hilarious. I liked the comparisons and the stereotypes between The Netherlands and The USA. It might be a bit much at times, but it serves for some great conversations between both MMCs.

A classic, where the prince wants to live a normal life. It works, even if Floris is a bit useless with laundry, its charm compensates. Orson is "the commoner", it works too as a character. Be aware that the mention of grief (of a parent) is highly present, so if this is a no-go theme for you, be careful. My heart broke for Orson during the whole book, and that sincerely made me sad...until the last chapters.

Pick it up if you like:
- Friends to lovers
- Princely things
- MM Romance (open door)
- College setting
- HEA
- No third act breakup (YAY!)

Nora Phoenix's Prince Material, releasing this September, is a contemporary MM romance following Floris, an openly gay Dutch prince seeking a fresh start at college in Massachusetts. He finds himself drawn to his adorkable roommate, Orson, a serious bookworm with a hidden sparkle. As they navigate college life, their friendship deepens into something more, but their vastly different worlds—Floris's royal expectations and Orson's personal ambitions—threaten their burgeoning connection.

This sweet "roommates to lovers" story charmingly depicts the gradual development of Floris and Orson's relationship from strangers to friends to lovers. Their initial attraction never feels like "insta-love"; instead, readers witness their genuine connection as they challenge each other and mature together. While not overly complex or psychologically deep, the novel offers a delightful balance of humor and emotional moments, touching on themes of overcoming trauma, building trust, and self-acceptance. It's an engaging and quick read with likeable characters, and it stands well on its own even without having read the first book in the series.

I read and really enjoyed the first book, The Prince and the Player - so I was excited to get an eARC for book 2. And while I didn't love Prince Material as much as book 1, this was still a great addition to this series!

In this book, we follow Floris and Orson. Floris is a Dutch prince and decides to attend college in the US for a year to try to live a normal life. And Orson is a devoted engineering masters student and Floris' new roommate. Floris wants to avoid any more scandals and Orson needs to avoid any distractions - and as the two get to know each other, they begin to balance each other out as they fall in love.

What a cute read. I like how the relationship that developed between Floris and Orson, and the support they received from their families. However, I felt like some aspects of the book were done just for one part of the plot and then ignored for the rest of the book. Overall, I really did like this book! And I am looking forward to the next instalment to the Prince Pact series!

Reading this book seriously gave me The Prince & Me with Red, White and Royal Blue vibes. This male/male coupling featuring Floris, a Dutch prince and an American college student, Orson had me constantly turning the pages. If you love the two other high profile films/books I mentioned then this is absoutely the read you especially by the pool.

How I wish this had worked for me. Everything was set up for success, trope-wise and so on, but sadly, I didn't enjoy it. I really hope other readers will end up loving it.

Cute, Easy Romance Read for Fans of Red, White & Royal Blue

It gave me Prince & I vibes, not going to lie. I think my overall score would be 3.5, but maths say you round up to 4, so here we are.

Floris is the nephew of the Dutch King, royally out and very determined to spend a year abroad to soak up the American University experience. Orson, on the other hand, is focused on his master's degree and would rather his handsome new roommate keep his things (and his cute, clumsy fingers) to himself..

Overall a very charming and easy read. The stakes are very low, there is quite a bit of spice and the prose flows. The book is in dual POV, alternating between Floris and Orson. They communicate well and there are no big upheavals or reveals, so you can soak it in rather than worrying the entire time. Since it is well written, you also get through it really quickly. Out of the two protagonists, however, only Orson has a proper development arc and character journey, which made me wonder why Floris was chosen as the leading character out of the two. It is Orson's story, really.

If you are looking for an easy, cosy read about Dutch flood management and New Orleans architecture, this one's for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Prince Material is the second book in Nora Phoenix’s Prince Pact series, where four European princes decide to spend a year abroad living a normal life (and presumably fall in love along the way). This book follows Floris, a Dutch prince, as he spends his junior year of college in Boston. He’s looking to have a typical American college experience, while laying low following a recent media controversy.

His roommate, Orson, is super focused on his studies, to the point where that’s all he does. As the semester goes on, Floris encourages Orson to loosen up and the two start to develop feelings for one another.

I preferred this book to the first book in the series, The Prince and the Player, partly because I don’t usually enjoy sports based romances. Both books were a little bit sappy and there were some aspects of the writing, particularly the dialogue, that didn’t feel authentic to college students. For instance, in Prince Material, there were references to Facebook, which felt dated. I was also slightly distracted by the fact that Orson is a graduate student but lives with an undergrad in on campus dorms, which just seems unlikely. I think it would have made more sense for them to both be graduate students living together in an off campus apartment.

Overall, Prince Material was a very sweet book and I liked how Floris and Orson’s story arc unfolded, especially after they confess their feelings for each other. I’d recommend this book to fans of Jax Caulder’s Unlikely Dilemmas series.

4.5 stars rounded up! Thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Okay, when I started this, I didn’t know that I was in for several civic engineering lessons, but I am definitely here for it! It was really sweet to watch Orson, a civics engineering student with a tragic past, and Floris, a prince trying to overcome bad press, start out as friends and grow into more.

I appreciated that they started out as friends. I think a lot of authors might have gone the route of making Floris a typical spoiled prince, but he was written as very down to earth, which is probably what you’d expect of a civil engineering major

Overall, this was a very sweet, low angst read with spice that felt organic to both characters. I missed the first in this series somehow, and I’ll def be on my way to picking it up after this read!

Deliciously Delectable

This was a fun, easy to read romcom that I really enjoyed. Thank you for giving me a book without a third act breakup for starters, but also one where the problems, while large, are just communicated about in a healthy manor.

I liked both of the main characters and enjoyed the POV switch, there wasn't one I wanted to read more than the other, I enjoyed spending time with both characters, their backgrounds and their insecurities so I was delighted regardless whose chapter it was.

While I did love the communication and their scenes together in general, I did just find some of their chemistry lacking, especially in the beginning. Parts throughout were very 'telling' instead of 'showing' and I didn't always see the same thing I was told. At one point they mentioned being like water and oil, or being complete opposites, but that never came across in any of their interactions. It was closer to instant love than it was anything else.

Prince Material
Prince Floris of the Netherlands chooses a college in the USA to obtain a degree and try live a normal life and escape some bad press he’s had.
Orsin his roommate has been tasked to help Floris settle in and knows of his royal status. Taking his studies seriously and determined to honour his father who died when he was 4 years old he is a lot more serious and quiet than Floris.
Gradually they become firm friends which leads to a relationship both being out and gay, whilst there are big differences between them they fall in love. Whilst there are no great dramas the storyline develops well and this is an easy entertaining read.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

This was such a cute and fun read. I found the story easy to follow and had a great cast of characters. I loved the main character's chemistry and the pacing was just right. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood books and the author, Nora Phoenix for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

‘ Fuck me sideways with a windmill’

Prince Floris Willem Maurits van Oranje Nassau wants just one year where he can be unknown; where he doesn’t have to act and speak perfectly, where’s he’s not followed by the press and can just be himself. Which is how the 21-year-old (fifth-in-line to the Dutch throne) prince ends up in Massachusetts, in a small dorm room on the third floor of a building with no stairs, no air conditioning and a roommate to boot, Orson Ritchey. A roommate who happens to be really cute.

Prince Material is a light hearted, wholesome romance with loveable characters, low angst and both adorably sweet and spicy scenes. The pacing of the book very much follows the relation between Floris and Orson, tentative when the first meet, getting more comfortable as they become friends and then slowly shifting as they start to become even more. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was pure fluff about two sweet soft boys falling in love. There’s not much more you need, but I will tell you that the story includes:

🧡A self-doubting, organised masters student
🧡A messy tornado of a prince
🧡Bayou tour in New Orleans
🧡Cinnamon roll sweethearts
🧡A roommates-to-friends-to-lovers
🧡Slow build romance with yearning
🧡Two civil engendering nerds, I mean students
🧡No third act breakup
🧡Or break up of any kind
🧡Achingly sweet moments
🧡Spicy scenes
🧡Being each others strength’s
🧡And a love of architecture

I really enjoyed this book!
Did we *need* another gay prince romance? Probably not. Did we *deserve* another? Hell yeah we did.
Prince Material was a fun, lighthearted romance. I don't think it was peak literature or groundbreaking in any way, but we deserve more trashy gay romances! This completely fitted the bill. The characters are loveable, with enough depth that I could still connect to them. The plot is the romance, so there isn't much going on outside of that, but that's okay!
I think this book is closer to a 3 star in terms of quality for me, but I've bumped it up to a 4 star because I think telling queer stories is important, and not just perfect ones!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC.

Overall, this was a cute, lighthearted romcom. If you like your romance books with very little conflict and angst, this is a fine way to pass an afternoon. The writing for the most part was trim and the low action plot moved along speedily. I will say my one gripe about this book is that about half of the dialogue between characters felt like it was written by ChatGPT. It was a little jarring as the internal thoughts of the characters was very much not like this and yet the conversations were weirdly awkward (in an unintentional way).