The Prince and the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell is a road trip book with an apocalyptic twist. Following a girl who makes a deal with a runaway prince 8 days before the end of the world, this one contains two entertaining main characters and travel across Europe. This is a more upbeat take on the apocalypse trope that is perfect for those who enjoy adventure books.

After travelling to London with her best friend, all Wren really wants is to go home. However, when the news breaks that the world is ending in 8 days, leaving her stranded, all of her plans go out the window. By chance, she ends up meeting a prince and saving him from the paparazzi, and in exchange, he offers her a favour: she’ll be his bodyguard as he travels to Greece and he’ll let her use his private plane to fly back to her family. As the countdown to the world’s end begins and Wren and Theo travel through Europe covertly, Wren gets the feeling that Theo isn’t telling her something—something that could threaten all their plans.

❀ HIGH-STAKES STORY

I enjoyed Wren and Theo, and they have an interesting dynamic. Wren is a planner, and she must learn to be more spontaneous as all of her itineraries backfire in the face of the end of the world. While Theo seems to have it all, being a prince, he is running from something, and I liked the suspense that this adds to an already high-stakes story. Following them across Europe is so entertaining, and I loved reading about the ways they cleverly evade getting discovered.

❀ IMMERSIVE ADVENTURE

Because this book spans many countries, the travel elements are really well done. Wren and Theo travel by boat, train, and car through several European countries, and I really felt immersed in their adventure while reading. Even with the end of the world looming, the chaos of their travels keeps the book fun and upbeat.

❀ A UNIQUE STORY

The Prince and the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell is a unique adventure story set 8 days before the end of the world. I enjoyed the main characters and their dynamic, and the descriptions of each country they travel to are immersive. This is a great read for fans of books about royalty and travel.

This book was a delight. This book had so many elemets that worked for me. It gave me royal vibe but also had the intensity of end of the world drama and the travel elements made the insta love work for me. It also gave me both american royal and royal blood vibes. I found it do a be a quick read and am so excited for book 2!

This was SO good! Super unique! Melancholy mixed with the adventure and romance but overall a hopeful book and just a lot of fun to read. That last line omg!!!

I enjoyed this book. It kept me wanting more and i love the relationshp between the two MCs. clever idea. will reaad more from McDowell.

I really struggled with liking the main character, she was kind of a beast to a certain handsome helpful prince most of the book and I felt the strong urge to shake her.

I did go into this story expecting a really exciting end of the world read with a heart melting romance and that was not this. Instead it was a very opinionated girl trying to make her way home to her moderately dysfunctional family while a meteor plummets to earth and a helpful man-child leads her the best he can.

On a side note, this is not the standalone story I was expecting- nope, with this ending there HAS to be a sequel (or I might riot, whatevs) and the ending was the best part of the story. That being said, the next book would probably fit into a different category (like YA/NA contemporary) instead of the apocalyptic edge this was giving off.

This was really cute! A slow start but once I got into it I found myself not wanting to put it down. Very cute story, and very enjoyable!

I am obsessed with this book. The vibes the characters the plot oh my gosh. I really hope this isn’t the end of the story because dude that ending! Wren and Theo are just aghhhhhhh I love them and I’m obsessed with this book. I finished this in basically 2 sittings I was so obsessed. Gosh I don’t even know 😂 The dog I love the dog too gah. This was so beautiful written I laughed out loud multiple times and was near tears other ones. The way anxiety and the feelings you would have about finding out the world is ending we’re handled so well and guys everyone needs to read this book. BRB going to go buy this at the bookstore asap.

“At this point, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to get home to my family. I need to…beat Cedar in a game of Mario Kart, prove to Brooke that I’m not a gullible idiot, and hug my parents. All before the world ends.”

When Wren Wheeler helps Theo, England’s Crown Prince, escape the paparazzi, she doesn’t expect to then spend the next week crossing Europe with him. But when she finds out that a comet is going to destroy life on Earth in eight days, she makes a deal with the prince that if he helps her get home to her family, she’ll help him get to his favorite place in the world, Santorini. Little does she know, she’s about to wind up with a bit more adventure than she bargained for!

Whew! I was not expecting so much action/adventure in this rom-com (but I’m not complaining!), and that ending? Well, all I can say is that I want the next book in my hands this second! On a more serious note, I really enjoyed all the different facets of this book, and both Wren and Theo are characters that I would love to meet in real life and have as best friends. Author Kara McDowell does a masterful job of combining heart-pounding tension, achingly sweet moments, and tons of side-splitting humor. As she mentions in her acknowledgements, she set out to write “a book about the end of the world, but in a fun way,” and she absolutely blew it out of the park. It’s safe to say that THE PRINCE AND THE APOCALYPSE is one of my favorite reads of the year—and quite possibly ever! If you’re looking for a book that will have you on the edge of your seat with a big smile on your face, find a copy of this one asap!

Content Warnings: Cursing, mentioned mass death, anxiety, fire, intimate scenes, alcohol, panic attacks, mentions of suicide, death of a parent

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I had a great time reading The Prince & The Apocalypse! Many thanks to @wednesdaybooks for sending me an ARC and a finished copy. The finished copy came with stickers!!! I love stickers. Anyway, the ARC is now in my Little Free Library waiting to bring someone else the same amount of joy it brought me.
Wren is on her senior trip to England and she's miserable. Literally everything has gone the opposite of how she expected it to go so when she ends up finding out the restaurant she intended to have her last breakfast at is closed is the very last straw. She runs into someone while she's there who turns out to be the Prince of England. Wren helps Theo escape a horde of crazed fans and he offers her a favor as a thank you. Wren leaves never intending on seeing Theo again until she gets to the airport and finds out a comet is heading for the Earth and the airport is in chaos as everyone tries to get home to their family to wait for the end of the world.
Wren asks Alex to help her get home and he agrees if she'll be his bodyguard. Together they run towards a safe place for Alex to hide and Wren to be able to take his family's plane back to the States. While on the run, they get to know each other and I really loved how they bonded and really became friends.

I did not know this was a series so be forewarned there is a cliffhanger ending. I'm so ready to find out how things turn out for Wren and Alex when the second book starts. This is yet another book that makes me need to go to Europe (especially Greece) sooner rather than later.
The Prince and The Apocalypse is out now wherever you buy books!!

This was the book I didn’t know I needed, served on a silver platter at the perfect time. Half gloriously perfect rom-com, half terrifyingly-accurate portrayal of society breaking down when the world finds out they have eight days before a comet fourteen-miles-wide strikes Earth, wiping out life as we know it.

Casual.

While admittedly cute and fun, I would not call this a light read and I personally could not read it right before bed because it was too scary in the dystopian this-could-actually-happen-way – and your girl got nightmares. HOWEVER. That did not diminish my utter delight at seeing this road trip before the end of the world between your average American girl-next-door and the freaking Prince of Wales play out. It was utterly delightful. And entirely heartbreaking. Pure heart wrenching pleasure at every turn.

Every character, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential, feels so incredibly authentic. Wren and Theo’s back and forth, in all of its glory, is gripping. The pages keep turning. The very real and relatable fears and anxiety that crop in *my* daily life are displayed tenfold when the stakes are positively apocalyptic. The twists are plentiful, outrageous, but always believable. The tears are genuine. I’m in love.

There is a cliffhanger. It is killer. I will be SEATED next year to witness the assumedly crazy fallout of a novel full of dystopian madness.

The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell was a nice break from the bigger fantasy books I had been reading. This book is about Wren who is in London on a post senior year school trip. She has dreamed of going for the longest time. Only, it turns out she hates it and just wants to go home. Nothing happens how she expected it. Hoping to have at least one positive memory - she goes out for breakfast before the class is due back at the airport. Only, it turns out the diner is closed and there's a guy there who she helps dodge the paparazzi. It turns out the guy is actually the crown prince Theodore and heir to the throne. After she helps him escape, he promises Wren a favor. It turns out the world is ending and so, Wren gives him a call to ask if he can help her get home to Chicago. He promises to do so as long as Wren helps get him to Santorini where he wants to wait out the last days.

I enjoyed that The Prince & The Apocalypse takes us across a portion of Europe. The travel portion is so interesting. So is the romance. There are for sure feelings between Wren and Theodore that develop in what feels like a sensical timeline. Like, yeah of course it will be sped up due to the end of the world and all. I also liked how capable Wren was -- and she's also so devoted to her family and the love just comes right off the pages. McDowell's The Prince & The Apocalypse does end on a cliffhanger and it looks like there may be a sequel, so I will certainly be back for more given how much I genuinely liked this book.

This was a very cute, fun book. By the 3/4th mark, I was really into it and got into a reading flow, finishing it quickly. I REALLY liked the ending, when the MC calls the prince her husband and then in the epilogue realizes they are actually, legally married. Very funny.

I don't care that this ended in a cliffhanger I would gladly dive back in!!

This book is a summer adventure around the European coast mixed in with an end of the world feeling! Theodore is a prince lost in the world around him placing a fake smile around the world and suffering in silence. Wren is a planner to a fault, she has planned everything in her senior year, all to measure up to her sister. Wren and Theo have nothing but everything in common, so meeting at the End of the World's bar when the world finds out the world is ending is fate. Wren is assigned as bodyguard to Prince Theo as he is her ticket home.

Wren is wanting to go home and be with her loved one before the world ends but Theo is on a mission to save everyone but himself. This is a slow burn building on the a friendship and trust as Wren and Theo have no one but themselves so growing closer is a pull and tease.

As we move through each county Wren and Theo go through the up and downs of the world ending. Wren is learning about who she wants to be, while Theo is learning to let go and be "normal". The story is told through Wren perspective and her struggles of finding herself which is normal for teenager.

I spent a lot of the book trying to figure out the mystery of Prince Theo, but after that ending I am reeling what happened?

This is my first book by Kara McDowell and it was surprising in the best way. I went in with low expectation hoping for a fun book but this was so much more and the writing style was mature and quirky at the same time. Keeping the characters a little naive while still allowing them to grow.

Now leave me to stalk Kara McDowell, socials waiting for any hints on book two!

I don't know why I sat on this, but I'm glad I had a weekend to sit and read this because it was a treat. "American Girl" Wren is so frank, it's charming. I found her highly relatable with her itineraries and struggling to control her a life she has no control over. Theo was equally endearing, representing a far greater tragedy when it comes to high profile figures and mental health.

That ending though had me on my seat and I can't believe Kara McDowell left it there. I normally don't like sequels, but I would read one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Prince and the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell
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It’s the last day of Wren’s senior year trip to London, and she is determined to make it the best day. But everything goes wrong, culminating in a literal “end of the world” situation. And now she is spending her last days on earth with a prince.
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What I liked:
-Despite the sci-fi element to this book, it didn’t take itself too seriously and go too dark.
-Wren and Theo have the cutest conversations with each other and there are some geart moments they get to banter and tease each other.
-I was dying laughing when Wren was attempting to secure a rental car. So funny.
-Comet the dog, I loved him.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The ending felt like there should be more and I suspect there will be another book, which would be awesome! This was an excellent YA story, with a great blend of sweet and serious.

The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell was not at all what I was expecting. Normally a YA book doesn't pull me in so quickly but this one did! The ending was completely unexpected! It’s YA & written pretty well for it. A few parts could have been edited better. I love the fact there is a sequel coming as anyone who has read this wanted more right away.

"The Prince and the Apocalypse" is a thrilling and heartwarming tale that combines the urgency of a looming cataclysm with the charm of a blossoming romance. It's a high-stakes rom-com that keeps readers entertained and engaged from start to finish, reminding us that even in the face of imminent disaster, love and adventure are worth pursuing.

I really liked this book. It's super unique, fast paced, and high stakes. What happens when the world is ending and you miss your flight home?
Wren made me a little crazy with how Type A she was, but at the same time, I get it. I adored Theo and really need more of him (sequel, please!!). This was a really exciting way to see parts of Europe and I loved the self discovery that we get in Wren through their experiences trying to get home. If you love YA and are looking for something new, give this one a try!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

This was a quick read, it was a cute rom-com twist to the end of the world. It felt fresh and the writing was great.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook. This is, in the words of the author, “an apocalypse book, but fun!” There are made-up-but-possibly-based-on-real royals, which I enjoy. Reminded me of The Royal We, only with more ridiculous situations because, you know, end of the world. This was a fun quick read and I may have ignored cleaning up after dinner to finish it.