I wanna start this by saying I’m actually a HUGE fan of Kara McDowell, and I loved the premise of this one (modern day rom com royalty meets apocalypse)…but unfortunately this one fell flat for me. Here are the pros/cons:

Pro’s:
- Interesting apocalyptic vibe
- Some quality sarcastic, doomsday humor sprinkled throughout
- Some of the shenanigans they got into were fun
- A good mystery surrounding the prince
- One of the side characters actually ended up being my favorite character in the book (I love u Stella)
- The “marriage of convenience” trope was done SO well and it’s so cute
- Yummy kisses
- The British vibes
- THE PLOT TWIST AT THE VERY END 👌🏼

Cons:
- It was less comedy and more drama than I was expecting/wanted
- What is with main girl Wren wanting to take pics of strangers’ faces?? It was weird.
- Rest of the side characters felt flat
- WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TIK TOK REFERENCES
- Lots of things felt forced, rather than flowing naturally in the storyline/character development
- Wren and Theo kinda bothered me by the end of the book 😅😢

Neither pro nor con:
- Lots and lots of typical romance tropes in this one
- More swearing in this one than Kara’s past books.

Bottom line: to me it felt like The Prince and the Apocalypse was trying too hard. While the overall idea was great, and some of it worked, this was a miss for me.

My NetGalley to-do list keeps reminding me that I need to leave feedback so I'll just say that I am quite biased but I love this book :)

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books/St Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"You reminded me that there are futures worth fighting for. If I'm starlight, you are daylight, chasing the shadows out of my mind."

Oh my gosh, there better be a damned sequel after what Kara McDowell has put me through! Holy guacamole, this book is so flipping good. I absolutely adore the banter, the sarcasm, and the romance between Wren and Theo.

The writing is spectacularly fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved reading from Wren's POV. She is realistic, relatable, and outspoken. I loved her flaws and the way she kept Theo's ego down with her quick comments.

The Prince and the Apocalypse is one of my favorite reads this year and I highly recommend it! If you're looking for an end-of-the-world adventure with amazing tension and brilliant humor, you must pick up The Prince and the Apocalypse.

I'm crossing my fingers for a sequel! Please, I'm begging on my knees for more 🙏🙏🙏

5 stars

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. Completely caught me by surprise. The character were so likable, perfectly flawed, and utterly adorable. However, I was not expecting that ending and now I’m absolutely devastated. Please tell me there is a sequel! I know it’s the end of the world, but there has to be more!

This book has the most insane premise and I DEVOURED it. Savored it. Hardly came up for air. The Prince & The Apocalypse is everything you'd ever want in a contemporary YA all tied up behind a cute little cover. I loved the characters. I loved the adventure. I loved the runaway prince who Just Wants To Be Normal. When I started this book I thought it would be an average, just okay, forget-about-it-in-a-month read, but I'm telling you now all I'll be able to think about for the next year is going to be That Ending. Faxing Kara McDowell as we speak and demanding a book 2.

"Everything Matters!" and "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" meets an American-girl-and-British-prince-fall-in-love romcom, but for the YA crowd. I have a fondness for stories set on the verge of the apocalypse, and this more lighthearted take captured my attention. I stayed up too late reading to see what happens next.

The heroes are likable, fully fleshed characters with strengths and flaws; neither is perfect, which is refreshing. Wren is hilarious and sharp, and Theo’s struggles, which call to mind Harry's and Meghan's, pull at your heart. My fingers are crossed that we get a sequel because the ending and epilogue left me seeking more closure.

Thanks to the published and Net Galley and the ARC.

The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell is the perfect little read for any rom-com fan!

I have not one negative thing to say about this fun and exciting YA romance!
A swoony romance, characters you will be cheering for from start to finish, and a plot that sucks you in from the very first page.
With characters that the reader will instantly fall for this was a phenomenal read. McDowell created some brilliantly vibrant characters here.
I loved that the plot moved along quite nicely and kept me so entertained.
This book is a delightful rom-com. I am not kidding when I say I had the hardest time putting this one down. When I wasn't reading it I was wanting to read it!

Looking for a good read that feels real but is still sweet and well-paced, you should definitely give The Prince & The Apocalypse a shot!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Wednesday Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Do you love romance? Fun? End of the world stakes? Lists? Royals? So much heart you feel like you'll drown in emotions?

I do.

I love them. ALL. And this book is a ride. McDowell writes characters in such an authentic and fresh way. They feel like people you know—that you're rooting for—even in the most ridiculous circumstances.

Fast paced, romantic, fun, and full of depth and emotion. It really is the best blend of bonkers and honest emotion.

And y'all the end of this book will have you SCREAMING. But, like, in the GOOD way.

Thank you Wednesday Books for this Advanced Copy.

I knew this was going to be good as soon as I read the synopsis. This was like an Emma Lord contemporary romance meets Armageddon. There are so many things to love in this story; adventure, travel, royalty, and romance. What else do you need?

I love that the author was able to create a story that is not only a cute rom-com but that is also thought-provoking. What would you do if you suddenly found out that the world was ending in 8 days? How would you spend your last days?

I enjoyed the trajectory of this story and the way the characters grow throughout it. It was a little frustrating at times the way that Wren wasn’t appreciating the amazing things that she was getting to see and experience.

I loved Theo so much, he reminded me a lot of Henry from Red, White, and Royal Blue.

The one complaint I had is about the ending. This book better have a sequel! I want to know what happens now that we know that Theo is King and that he and Wren are actually married.

This was exactly the book I needed to pull me out of my reading slump. I absolutely recommend that you pick it up when it’s published on July 11.