This has pretty strong Young Royals vibes, though I wouldn't make the comparison to Red White and Royal Blue because the romance didn't hit as much for me. There's certainly a lot of drama. Prince Jadon is the stereotypical royal spare screw up - he's hounded in the media for being standoff-ish, mean, and not keeping the royal party line of full neutrality. He's also the first openly gay royal successor of his line, and is a 17 year living pretty much on his own in Los Angeles. After an unflattering video of him goes viral, Jadon is forced to stay in LA to "prove himself" before he'll be allowed to return home to Reverie, a fictional island country in Africa.

I really enjoyed the debates the teens had on current issues. There were a lot of high emotions and both informed and uninformed opinions about the issues, but the conversation felt very natural for teens to have - not preachy or over the top. I loved the conflict of Jaden trying to decide how much to speak out and "get political" vs staying neutral. It felt really relevant and relatable to many teens, even without being royalty and having eyes on you constantly.

The romance between Jadon and Reiss is cute, but didn't hit for me as hard as the identity issues covered in this book. There's just too many twists and turns for the romance to really settle in and for me to root hard for it. Between the pressures of paparazzi, the ex boyfriend, and contending with royal expectations, Jaden and Reiss spend a lot of "on again, off again" time in the book that I couldn't really get behind. I loved that it forced Jaden to grow and learn to be a better friend and person, but it didn't make me root strongly for the romance. It also felt like Jaden was chasing Reiss a lot, and it's not clear if Reiss really reciprocated or was just along for the ride. It would've been great to see someone very firmly in Jaden's corner at any point during the book instead.

For fans of Running With Lions and Winters' previous books, there are a lot of "easter egg" style cameos of the different characters which is a cute touch.

🎧 I did listen to part of the audiobook narrated by Joshua David Scarlett and unfortunately found it a little flat. There isn't much voice acting to match the emotions of the scene, and all of the characters' voices sounded very similar to each other, making it hard to tell who was speaking. This book makes that extra hard since there are so many side characters. I preferred reading the ebook version for this one.

Big thanks to Viking Books for providing me with a free review copy via Netgalley. Thoughts are my own.

"Prince of the Palisades" is an immersive and compelling historical novel that brings to life the rich culture and intrigue of its setting. The protagonist is well-crafted, with a complex journey that delves into power, loyalty, and personal growth. The author's attention to detail and world-building is impressive, creating an atmosphere that draws the reader in. The pacing is generally strong, though some sections feel a bit slow, especially in the middle. Despite this, the storytelling is captivating, and the plot offers intriguing twists. Overall, it’s a highly enjoyable read, with a satisfying blend of history and fiction.

as a storyteller, Julian does such a great job of building worlds that feel lived in and characters that feel real. all of the conflict, drama, and resolution come from realistic places and further develop an already dynamic group of characters. and the story unfolds with perfect pacing.

i think Jadon might be my favorite protagonist Julian has written (even tho Remy Cameron will always hold a special place in my heart). he's authentic and doesn't shy away from the mistakes he's made. this whole story is about his mistakes and how he's allowed to make them. all he's trying to do is his best and that makes his arc very compelling!! and i LOVE when he stands up for what he believes in and supports those he loves.

i love the themes of finding yourself and forgiving yourself for the mistakes you made in that journey. i love how vulnerable Jadon and Reiss were with each other.

Posted on Goodreads:

Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!

*4.5 stars, rounded up*
I haven't had a chance to read any of Julian Winters' other works, so I was really excited to try this book out, and I am not disappointed! Prince of the Palisades is a heartwarming, powerful, and downright adorable book story about Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie and Reiss, an awkward and witty Los Angeles-native. It's a story about love, identity, power, queerness, and how it's okay to make mistakes when you're still figuring out who you are.

I definitely felt the Young Royals vibes from the beginning (which is one of my favorite shows), but it still felt different in the way it tackled the plot of the story. For one, Jadon is out as gay from the beginning, so none of the story was spent on figuring out his sexuality (which was honestly kind of refreshing). The book also features a majority-Black cast, and celebrates Blackness while also addressing systemic racism in the United States. It also talked a lot about social media/tabloid culture, and how Jadon isn't really allowed to be himself (or who he wants to be) since he's been in the spotlight since birth.

Overall, this was a delightful rom-com that made me reflect a lot on all of the expectations we have (both from others and ourselves) when growing up, and trying to find our way in life despite that. It is unapologetically Black and queer. I will absolutely be reading more from this author ASAP!

Can I give this book 1 million stars? Because I am! This book made me laugh AND cry, and it was the sweetest book ever. I love Jadon and Reiss so very much. They are EVERYTHING! I loved seeing them fall in love, but I also really loved watching Jadon discover himself too. There were so many beautiful moments that made me smile.

Prince of the Palisades drew me in right away. I couldn't put it down, but now that it's over I am so sad! Julian Winters, you really created something special with this book. I'm buying a physical copy of this immediately so I can put it on my favorite shelf.

in the synposis of this book it’s comparable books are young royals and red, white, & royal blue. both media pieces that i’ve consumed and absolutely adore. and while i totally see the comparison to these two titles, unfortunately i did not fall into complete love with prince of the palisades as i had with it’s comp titles.

unfortunately, for me, i felt that the relationship moved quite quickly and felt a bit under developed. i wish we had more of a chance to see jadon and reiss experience each other in their high school life, through theater, through classes before throwing the plot straight back to jadon’s responsibilities as a prince. not just their relationship but also the whole story felt so rushed. and maybe that’s on me for listening to the story on 2.5x speed in one sitting while doing busy work. but i listen to all my books on that that speed and normally i’m not feeling like i’m missing pivotal bonding moments in the romances. but from what we did have, i loved it. i found jadon and reiss to be a lovely little couple and i actually could see them working out in the long term, even with the bumps they had throughout the story.

i never want to say this about a queer romance, especially one by an author of color, but it felt so commercial?? i know it’s a YA book but the conflict and its’ resolution definitely felt a like a bow being tied on a christmas present. it was such a quick and nonchalant ending. i guess i was wishing for more pining? more angst?? who knows.

overall this was sweet and short. i honestly find this like a holiday-adjacent (hallmark if you will?) romance. and i definitely see the place it has and can absolutely appreciate the story for what it brought. still hoping for more of a win from julian winters on a personal level!

Thank you to Viking Books for the advanced copy!
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I really and thoroughly enjoyed this whole book from start to finish. Jadon may be a prince, but he is also a hot-headed mess of a teenager. But wouldn't that be how you describe most teenagers? Sent to America to clean up his image, Jadon is angry and lonely and just hoping to find himself without leaving the constraints of royalty. He's never really been allowed to just be a boy with friends and a close family, so he doesn't know how to cultivate these relationships, but Reiss makes him want to be willing to try.
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This is a coming-of-age tale that looks at some deep topics facing America from an outside perspective. If the goal is neutrality, does that mean that you can never have an opinion, but also how do you step aside if the thing facing judgement is something unchangeable about yourself? Jadon's journey is fraught with tension and complexities, and Reiss is a fascinating character in his own right. I would love a sequel that follows Jadon's sister, Annika, partially to get an update on Jadon a little further down the road, and also to see how she handles the pressures of being the Crown Princess.

Another day, another book I wish I had as a teen. A breath of fresh air. I’m so glad books like this exist for teens today. Incredibly crafted love story with the perfect coming of age backdrop. A little found family sprinkled in and I love how messy Jadon was. Teens do not have it all figured out and they need books like this to remind them of that.

I really enjoyed this! Julian Winters always manages to write really sweet and heartfelt YA books, and this one was no different! Loved how the usual royalty romance tropes were used in here. It didn't do MUCH for me because I feel like I am growing out of YA contemporary romance, but that's more of a 'me' problem than anything with the book. Highly recommend it!!

This is a new to me author and I was not disappointed.

Prince Jadon is openly gay and has to figure out what he wants his royal identity to be. I loved his discovering himself and the love that he found.
Navigating in American is hard already and now he has been sent to the high school in America to figure things out.

This was my first royal read and I really enjoyed it.

Being a fan of RWRB, and having loved As You Walk on By by Julian Winters, I knew I'd eat this one right up - and I was right! Super cute MM romcom and a perfect sweet read to break up all the heavier reads of late.

This book was childish and boring, This premise could havae been so fun but it just lacked the execution with whiney characters. I would love to see this in movie format.

Prince of the Palisades by Julian Winters is a captivating coming-of-age story that delves into themes of identity, love, and the challenges of growing up. Set against the backdrop of the Palisades, the novel follows a young protagonist as he navigates the complexities of friendship and the pressures of high school. Winters’ writing is vibrant and relatable, capturing the essence of adolescence with humor and sincerity. This heartfelt tale resonates with readers, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary LGBTQ+ literature.

I've got a fondness for brain-smoothing frothy royal romances, and I think this one strikes a good balance between being silly & sweet + also acknowledging that life for a queer Black royal would not be quite the same as it would be for a cishet white royal. Also, I always think that for ~royal romance stories~ it's a better move to make them the royalty of a fictional country than to try to incorporate any real-life monarchy and all its baggage. I hope that Reverie and Genovia have cordial diplomatic relations.

Jadon is the Prince of a small island in Africa. He has been sent to America to clean up his image after a video of him badmouthing the Prime Minister goes viral. In order to return home, he has to prove to his family that he is ready. He is enrolled in a private school, where he meets Reiss, a pink haired movie buff.

This was a super fun and cute story! Jadon went through some huge character development, and I loved watching him grow and realize what he wants. I liked how he had a romance blossom, but also many friendships as well. I thought Reiss and Jadon were very cute together, and I think they were good for one another. I liked how Reiss wasn't afraid to put Jadon in his place, even if he was a Prince. The side characters were a big highlight for me. Future Queen-to-be Annika was such a great character. If we could have a spin off book of her I would pick it up in a heart beat.

This was an absolutely fantastic and adorable book. My first book by Julian Winters but it won't be my last.
I am not a fan of royal romance so I had a little trepidation going into this book, however I feel in love with the main characters within the first couple of chapter and that just kept me reading.
Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie is struggling with what he wants to become and what side he is allowed or can show the world. When he makes a big mistake and is told to stay America until he fixed his image. He enrolls in a private school where he encounters Reiss. Reiss is not very impressed with Jadon at the beginning but as they get to know each other, the feelings start. I loved how their relationship allows Jadon to find out what the truly wants of himself and the world.
This book provides it all, a great story, two main characters with great development through the book, emotions but also a commentary into how society treats young black men and kids. which I highly appreciated.

Did you like elite but more mellow? Did you like books like red white and blue? Well then I think you should give Prince of Palisades a try because it’s like Maxton Hall but with LGBTQ+ and better! This book gave me so much Deja vu and happiness from the first time of being in love. The football reference is always a hot topic or debate. I will read more from this author. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley!

Honestly, this book fully lived up to my expectations. Pitched as a mix between Red, White, & Royal Blue and Young Royals, it hits that specific spot of the reluctant and rebellious royal opposite a slightly more ‘normal’ love interest who is more interested in just living their own life at first, and the shenanigans of growing along the way. It also combines some of my favourite elements of the slightly fantastical royalty in books, just a little bit of worldbuilding as a treat. Also, it does include one of my favourite movies/plays, Clue (1985), which honestly heightened my enjoyment.

This feels like some very classic elements of YA and romance, with more contemporarily significant discussions about queerness and Blackness that the characters and readers face. It’s a fun read with just enough reality, and plenty of queerness. The characters can be a little bit over the top, but I think that might just be that one is a prince and the rest are from Los Angeles. It’s a little cheesy and might have made me want to bang my head against the wall when the characters couldn’t seem to make the right decisions, but it’s also about characters growing, changing, and falling in love with each other, themselves, and the world that they’re living in, and it’s a great YA read to check out.

I'm a sucker for a royal romance and I'm a sucker for Julian Winters, so it's no surprise this caught my eye. I truly loved all the characters and friendships. In the limited time of just one book, so many things were developed and so many characters were allowed to grow more complex than their introductions might have suggested. Jadon and Reiss were absolutely wonderful as well, a lovely little duo of teenage snark and love.

I do wish that Rêverie and the monarchy had been fleshed out a little more. The story taking place away from the country was important to Jadon's growth, but it sometimes felt a little more like generic rich teen shenanigans than the royalty angle. Still, there's more than enough of princely agonizing and titles themed banter that I was still satisfied.

Unsurprisingly, this is yet another hit from Julian Winters and I can't wait to see where he goes next!

Introduction
Jadon, prince of one of the many monarchies that populate fictionland, has been caught on camera drunk and belligerent. As punishment, he's sent to America until he can become a 'real' prince.

Plot Summary
Jadon's country has a strict policy of neutrality in all international issues, and he and his sister, the Crown Princess, are the children of the first outsider to marry into the royal family since their liberation from Britain. As one of very few Black or gay princes in the world, and one of the only ones who fits both labels, Jadon is constantly under the worlds' gaze as they watch for him to do something wrong.

Characters
Jadon is our main character, a well meaning but stifled figure who's grown up in the public eye. Reiss and the other friends he makes in America are pretty typical teens. Jadon's sister Annika and guard Ajani are both amazing, struggling in different ways with who they are and who they want to be. There's a lot going on here!

Writing Style
Fast paced and quippy banter keeps this story moving right along.

Themes and Messages
Jadon has to learn to be himself, not what people want him to be, and to stand up for what he believes in whether it's royal policy or not. It's tough for anyone to do, let alone someone so in the public eye, and he works hard at it.

Personal Connection
It's a very interesting read and a great look at how the stresses and strains on teens can upset them. I enjoyed it a lot.

Further Reading/Viewing
Red, White and Royal Blue is an obvious next read. The Prince and the Dressmaker is a graphic novel from the commoner's point of view in this kind of romance. Finally, The Rules of Royalty, due to release in December 2024, has a similar plotline; a boy who's just discovered he's a prince is tutored in the ways of royalty by another prince...