I need a follow up on this book and I can’t stop thinking about Theo and Wren. I was literally squealing out loud when I read the last sentence. I could honestly see this book being made into a movie…it’s that insanely good. Again, I need a follow up!

This book, as the title would suggest, takes place in the apocalypse, exactly eight days before a comet is to hit Earth. This story follows Wren, an American studying abroad in London who misses her flight when she encounters the prince of Wales and helps him escape the paparazzi when she should be catching her flight instead. Due to all the mayhem that ensues once the impending comet is announced, Wren is unable to catch another flight back to the States to be with her family. Theo, who is indebted to Wren promises to get her home before the comet hits earth on the condition that she help him escape the royal family and flee to Santorini.

This book really spoke to me. It’s a book for those who love travel, those who have roughed it while backpacking through Europe. Its about two people with completely different lives and finding love in a fledgling friendship. This book takes you from London, Paris, Milan, the Italian countryside , and the Greek Islands while experiencing a adventure and romance with a royal twist. It was such a fun read and it took me through a rollercoaster of emotions while doing so. I laughed at the witty banter, got pretty tense during some action scenes, and got really emotional during the angst and romantic bits.

This book leaves you with a major cliffhanger which makes you crave what happens to Theo and Wren. I truly fell in love with these characters and hope to get to find out what happens to them after the end of this novel. Overall, I couldn’t recommend this book more. It is seared into me, and to be honest, I already re-read some parts of it again to relive the experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was sent a copy of this book as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book! I thought it was a cute romance story about two teens in the midst of an apocalypse. Wren and Theo both carry emotional weight through this story, bringing visibility about depression, and the pressure of being the younger sibling. I liked the writing style and considered it quite fast paced!

One of the only bones I had to pick about this story is the amount of references to pop culture and TikTok specifically. It was mentioned quite a few times, and I get wanting to be relevant, but it interrupted the flow of the story.

I recommend you pic up this book is you are looking for a fun, quick, YA romance read. I would not recommend this book if you are looking for heavy material, a well flushed out romance, or anything above YA. This was a cute book and I will definitely recommend this book to young readers. I rated this book 4 stars as I really enjoyed it, but I am not sure it would be a book I could re-read often.

Thank you Netgalley and Kara McDowell for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Are you kidding me!?!?! Seriously? That’s the ending!?!?! I screamed. Cussed. Threw my kindle.

I loved this book. I loved it. Devoured it in a day. I thought it was amazing. And then. And then the epilogue happened. And the last line happened. And when I realized that was it? I was not ok.

The book was/is amazing. But if you’re looking for a book that gives you closure and is a HEA? Find another. If I knew there was a second book that finishes where this left off? I would be the first to sign up.

But I just can’t with this lack of closure. I need more.

I can totally see THE PRINCE & THE APOCALYPSE as a movie! I don’t read a lot of YA, but this book is adorable and a lot of fun and it would be a great, action packed rom-com on the big screen.

It’s sort of a mix of the 90s meteor apocalypse movies Armageddon and Deep Impact (if you haven’t seen that last one, you HAVE GOT to) with a big twist of The Prince And Me.

Wren is on a trip to London when the whole world goes to shit: scientists have detected a meteor that is scheduled to hit the Earth, killing everyone, in just 8 days. Wren wants nothing more than to go home to be with her family, but everything is in upheaval and it’s next to impossible to get a flight home. Good thing she has connections: Wren just happened to meet Prince Theo and although she isn’t totally gaga over the royal family, she helped him avoid the paparazzi, earning her a favor. She hopes to cash in on that favor by accompanying Theo to Santorini, Greece, where he has a private jet that can whisk her home to say goodbye to her family.

THE PRINCE & THE APOCALYPSE is sweet and high stakes. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who wants a fun, lighthearted read, YA or not!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of THE PRINCE & THE APOCALYPSE and the opportunity to give me honest feedback.

4.5 Stars

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

I loved it. I really did. But I need more. Like now.

Quick Synopsis: Wren is having kind of the worst day ever: she twisted her ankle, missed her flight home, helped the Prince of Wales escape his bodyguards which was cool, but now a comet is going to hit the earth and kill everyone, so that’s an issue. She needs Theo’s help and network to get back to the US from the UK. What follows is a hilarious and yet invigorating series of events in Wren and Theo trying to get to Greece to get Theo’s private plan while also making sure Theo isn’t spotted. And the world is ending.

Trigger Warnings: apocalypse and fear of imminent death; dangerous press coverage; tough familial relationships; death of a parent.

What I liked:
-The writing is superb. I was immersed in the story from the first sentence and I loved the way the author crafted their sentences, paragraphs, and dialogue. It all flowed so well and the writing style really hit a chord with me.
-I adore Wren. Not overly quirky or sarcastic, she’s pretty normal and deals with pretty normal girl stuff.
-Theo is a delight and I love how you get to see what and how he is struggling with his identity.
-I absolutely never knew where the story was going to go next. One minute they’re having a blast in Paris and the next they’re jumping off a boat.

What I didn’t like:
-I need confirmation that I’m getting more to the story than that ending because I am NOT satisfied.
-I know this is YA, but would I have loved some spice? Of course. It worked without it but… if the author was ever like “let me just elaborate on that one scene for my 18+ crowd” I wouldn’t say no, you know?

I will for sure read more by the author because I loved the writing and just about everything about the novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been craving a good YA read and oh boy, did The Prince and the Apocalypse deliver. It’s the End of the World, and Wren Wheeler, an 18 year old on a long awaited but bust of a trip does not feel fine.

She runs into a hot blonde guy named Theo at a restaurant named Worlds End after the trip that she’d saved up for forever is spent mostly sick, in a fight with her longtime best friend, and generally regretting/hating every minute.

Theo isn’t just a hot British guy, he’s the heir and the crown prince of England.

Oh, did I mention that the world is ending?

I don’t want to say too much and spoil it, but I definitely will be reading the sequel.

THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE LOVE!!!!!!! I haven't seen much about it, and I have decided that I will be shouting it's praises from the rooftop. It has everything I love: a rom-com with witty banter, an apocalypse twist, and a prince who is relatable, lovable, and charming. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book other than the ending left my jaw on the ground and I still can't get my emotions under control. I have a feeling I will be experiencing the biggest book hangover. This is a favorite of the year for sure!

I loved this book! It had a few missed plot points that I wish the author had given more scenes on between the two main characters. However, it was well done otherwise and the romance was just enough without being too much. Plus, the cliffhanger at the end had me scouring the author's Instagram for any information on a potential sequel as soon as I finished.

Do you ever pick up a book and think wow somebody wrote this specifically for my brain? CAUSE THAT'S THIS FOR ME!

I LOVE an apocalypse book, and the tone of this was perfect, mostly character-focused with some wider overviews of the world. The main character was really fun to read from, I loved the romance, the road trip vibes, the DOG!

flawless.

The Prince & the Apocalypse is the story of Wren, a Chicago teenager who travels to England for what should be the trip of a lifetime. After the stomach flu and a series of unfortunate events, she is ready to leave London and never come back. Then news of a deadly comet approaching the earth strikes and chaos begins. Wren is desperate to get a flight back to Chicago and her family. She meets a young man on the street who turns out to be Prince Theo, the charismatic crown prince of England. Theo is on the run from being a prince and they hatch a plan to help each other for the next eight days until the comet strikes.

The Prince & the Apocalypse had incredible pacing, there was never a dull moment. I had to know what would happen to Wren and Theo next! The urgency and race to get Wren home was so vivid and heart-pounding. I was impressed by how even with such high stakes as the comet approaches, we still learn a lot about Wren and Theo. In particular, Theo’s mental health and Wren’s complicated relationship with her sister were very relatable. I appreciated how the comet helped them figure out what was really important to them. The Prince & the Apocalypse was a fast-paced and enjoyable contemporary YA. I loved the epilogue and am curious if there are more stories in this world to come. Readers who enjoy forced proximity, royalty romance, and adventure will love this book!

Thank you to Kara McDowell, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

I found the synopsis intriguing, but the execution left much to be desired. I know that a young adult novel means a lot of immaturity, but this was too much for me. The love story seemed forced and I didn't think the characters had any real chemistry. Wren was annoying with her planning and wanting to be just like her sister without being her own person.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I blazed through this book in one night... very quick read!

Cute story for sure but I wasn't as invested as I would have liked to have been.

Thanks for the chance to read early.

It's the end of the world and Wren is stuck an ocean away from her family, the only way to get back in time to say goodbye is to team up with the Prince of England.

This book was phenomenal! What could have been a completely absurd story with the most random mix of tropes, ended up being both light hearted and pretty deep/emotional. Writing a book like this and making it this good takes true talent!

It was like Don't Look Up meets The Prince And Me in the best way. The ending made me actually gasp out loud!! I'm gonna be waiting on the edge of my seat for a sequel.

I definitely recommend picking this one up asap!!

What a pleasantly strange yet intriguing read...I'll be going through the pros and cons of this book with no spoilers. Thank you NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pros of The Prince and The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

Banter
I loved how sharp the hero and heroine, Wren and Theo, were with each other. They were very compatible and their chemistry was obvious throughout the entire book especially as the themes got darker. They had that perfect roast to flirt ratio, especially for being a YA novel.

Emotion
The author really did a great job at putting the reader in the shoes of the main characters, who have two very opposite situations and yet you still feel empathy for both of them, only imagining what you'd do in their shoes. The desperation and despair is palpable, making me really appreciate the effort of the author to do such a great job.

The End
IYKYK...Let's just say, you'll be counting the days for the next book in the series.

Cons of The Prince and The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

Woke-ness
I'm all for inclusion and awareness, but I felt like at times this book tried a bit too hard to be relevant and trending. It was just becoming a bit too political and social issue related for my liking. I read fiction for enjoyment and for the sake of escaping reality for a bit; if I wanted to read about social issues, discrimination, etc, I would have just turned on the news.

This wasn't my favourite read ever, but I would definitely read the second book (crossing my fingers that there actually is one). Have you read this book? Do you want to?

A presto,
Melissa

I love this so much. The setting, the characters, the story, everything about it was a ten out of ten.

OMG squee! I loved it. I loved every single thing about it. And that ending? WTF?!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell is a delightful high-stakes rom-com that will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for the two main characters, Wren and Theo. It is a perfect book for fans of rom-coms, contemporary fiction, and young adult literature.
Wren is an American teen who is stranded in London when her flight home is cancelled due to a comet that is approaching Earth. She meets Theo, the British crown prince, who is also stranded in London and trying to get home to his family. The two of them team up to travel across Europe together, and along the way, they fall in love.
The book is full of humor, heart, and adventure. Wren and Theo are both relatable characters who are dealing with their own personal struggles.
The Prince & The Apocalypse is different from other books in the same young-adult rom-com area in a few ways. First, it is a rom-com that takes place in the context of an impending apocalypse. This gives the book a unique sense of urgency and excitement. Second, the characters in The Prince & The Apocalypse are very relatable. Wren is an ordinary girl who is thrust into an extraordinary situation, and Theo is a prince who is trying to find his way in the world. Both characters are struggling with their own personal demons, and both are surprisingly relatable even though one is a Prince.

Some of the things I personally enjoyed:
The characters are well-developed and relatable.
The plot is fast-paced and exciting.
The humor is witty and clever.
The romance is sweet and heartwarming.

Here are some of the things I didn't like as much:
The ending was a bit rushed.
Some of the plot points were a bit predictable.

Anyone who enjoys rom-coms, contemporary fiction, or young adult literature should pick up a copy of The Prince & The Apocalypse. It is a heartwarming story about love, friendship, and finding your place in the world.

Thank you Wednesday Books for my copy of The Prince and the Apocalypse! All thoughts are my own.

I love a good royal fiction trope but sometimes they can get repetitive. Heir and space? We’ve seen it. Girl finds out her absent father is actually the prince of a far off nation? It’s been done. But girl has miserable time on study abroad so she goes for one last ditch effort to make her trip special and ends up running into a mysterious boy right before the world is about to end and he turns out of the the Prince of England? GIMME THAT!

I loved how original this idea was. I loved that it was fun and fast paced while also balancing some harder topics like growing up and mental health. This book is a journey and SO fun. It’s a mature YA, so the characters are eighteen and I love love loved it!

Synopsis:

“Wren Wheeler has flown five thousand miles across the ocean to discover she’s the worst kind of traveler: the kind who just wants to go home. Her senior-year trip to London was supposed to be life-changing, but by the last day, Wren’s perfectly-planned itinerary is in tatters. There's only one item left to check off: breakfast at The World’s End restaurant. The one thing she can still get right.The restaurant is closed for renovations—of course—but there's a boy there, too. A very cute boy with a posh British accent who looks remarkably like the errant Prince Theo, on the run from the palace and his controlling mother. When Wren helps him escape a pack of tourists, the Prince scribbles down his number and offers her one favor in return. She doesn’t plan to take him up on it—until she gets to the airport and sees cancelled flights and chaos. A comet is approaching Earth, and the world is ending in eight days. Suddenly, that favor could be her only chance to get home to her family before the end of the world.Wren strikes a bargain with the runaway prince: if she’ll be his bodyguard from London to his family’s compound in Santorini, he can charter her a private jet home in time to say goodbye. Traveling through Europe by boat, train, and accidentally stolen automobile, Wren finds herself drawn to the dryly sarcastic, surprisingly vulnerable Theo. But the Prince has his own agenda, one that could derail both their plans. When life as they know it will be over in days, is it possible to find a happy ending?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Concept—It’s fresh and original and so flipping fun.

The Pacing—I flew through this book! Perfect chapter lengths, perfect stakes, perfect length.

The Banter—Top notch. I heart Wren and Theo.

What Didn’t Work:

60-80% Dragged a Bit—This part dragged a bit because I was getting impatient for what was going to happen with the freaking meteor!

But, makes sense because we were being set up for a cliffhanger!

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: N/A Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Content Warnings:

clinical depression, mental health, ableist language, suicidal thoughts, injury

3.5 stars
This book was ridiculous and cheesy and frightening all at the same time! I didn’t want to put it down because I simply had to know whether or not the world would actually end. The book played up the stress very well. The romance was sweet, even if it was a little cliche. The only problem really was that the characters didn’t have very developed personalities—it was hard to connect with them and I think the author should’ve gone deeper with their characterization. Otherwise, I yelped at the end and really want more because I wasn't expecting that!

Also, if you love tropes this has got: hidden royalty, only one bed, last night alive.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-arc!

Cringey conversations, making it difficult to get through! The cover was what initially drew me in but the writing was pretty simple.