@wintersjulian has done it again, with another winning book featuring (royal!) queer black boy joy. Billed as having a RW&RB x Young Royals vibe, Prince of the Palisades features Prince Jadon, the second in line to the throne of the fictional Rêverie. When his loud criticism of the prime minister gets him temporarily banished to Southern California (his mother’s native hometown), Jadon cannot wait to prove he is worthy of his people’s respect and the right to come home again. But nothing ever goes the way Jadon wants it to go; between homesickness, anger, the challenge of connecting with his peers, staying politically neutral, giving the paps only good things to report, and possibly finding a cute boy (Reiss) to crush on, Jadon is struggling. And when his relationship with Reiss goes public, will Reiss be willing to put up with the media attention and royal expectations? YA fans will love watching Jadon get the chance to discover who he really is. After all, everyone deserves that chance. Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. #yabooks #queerauthors #blackauthors #lgbtqya #blackroyals #princeofthepalisades #youthlibrarian #schoollibrarian

Queer, black, and royalty. An unusual combination to find in one character, and I loved Jadon's expression of his emotions, and his character arc over the course of the story. A young prince struggling to understand his identity in a world where he represents his country. I was in awe of Jadon's articulate voice and how beautifully the author put forward the mixture of the pure exhilaration and messy confusion that is experienced in love. The story is highly engaging and refreshing. It's so easy to connect with Jadon and root for him. I 100% recommend this book coz it's so worth your time.

The Young Royals vibes are IMMACULATE!

Jadon and Reiss definitely read as Wilhelm and Simon in their first interactions, which are so reminiscent of Wilson’s awkward first encounters. Even though Jadon is a slightly stuck-up rich kid (he's a literal prince), it’s very easy to root for him because he's so earnest and just trying his best. The romance between him and Reiss was slightly bumpy in how they came together but overall very sweet <3

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book! Julian Winters has been on my list of authors to read and I am so glad I started with this one! I am a huge fan of Red, White, and Royal Blue and I can definitely see the comparisons. This book is a fresh take on the royalty romance sub genre that has become so popular. Overall, I felt that this was a cute, short, and super fun read. While Jadon is unlikeable at first, you will definitely warm up to him towards the end.

This was such a fun YA romance book about a young royal teenager being exiled to California. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a romcom because while there are light moments this book also dives into more serious subjects that some could find triggering. Racism, police brutality, homophobia/transphobia. But the romance between Jadon and Reiss was so sweet and endearing, they had really good chemistry that seeped through the pages.

Refreshing read that hints at the complexities of our lived experiences while staying grounded in the story of finding of who we truly are. Hints of Princess Diaries with a more diverse, modern update! Finishing the book has me wishing Rêverie existed!

"Prince of the Palisades" by Julian Winters is an absolute delight! Winters has a magical way of blending humor, heart, and romance into a story that feels both fresh and timeless. Prince Jadon's journey from royal screw-up to a true leader is engaging and full of unexpected twists. The witty banter between Jadon and his entourage is genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, and the romance with the pink-haired, film-obsessed American boy is both sweet and authentic. I particularly loved how Jadon's sister and the quirky royal liaison added depth and warmth to the story. This isn't just a romance; it's a story about personal growth, identity, and finding one's place in the world. Winters' writing is charming and endearing, making "Prince of the Palisades" a feel-good read that leaves you smiling long after you turn the last page. If you're a fan of royal tales with a modern twist, this book is a must-read!

I feel bad that I've been in such a reading slump because I haven't been able to care about a lot of these anticipated releases like this one. I really wanted this one to be the one to break the slump, but unfortunately, this wasn't it for me.

Really fun YA queer romantic fic, in the line of Red, White, and Royal Blue but with a Black protagonist. Basically, this teen prince lets his mouth run and gets filmed doing it. He’s exiled from his island to Southern California.
Highly recommended.
I was lucky enough to read this as an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Sometimes the only way to be seen is to burn down everything else around you."

CW for mentions of police brutality, murder, and homo/transphobia.

Being a prince of a beautiful island country is bound to be all sunshine and coconuts, right? Well, Julian Winters tells a different kind of princely tale with Jadon and what does it mean to be Prince Jadon.

I'll start off my review by being completely canon. Any work done by Julian Winters is going to be a top read for me, and reading Jadon's and Reiss's love story is top tier. The amount of times I teared up and cried along with Jadon's whirlwind of emotions is probably way too many to count.

The emotions are there in Prince of the Palisades. Like any teen thrust into a spotlight early on, Jadon has a hard time. Not only is his relationship with his parents and sister completely non-existent, but Jadon's friends are zilch. At the beginning of the book, Jadon is dealing with a terrible blow-out after he blasted the Prime Minister of his homeland. Sent to America to earn back his people's respect, Jadon is in uncharted territory.

I liked the way California is written, from the sunny skies to the cozy neighborhood, the place sounds like paradise. But like a koi in the ocean, Jadon is completely left adrift at his new fancy private school. But! But, that is where he meets the best character (besides Mr. Prince himself): film geek Reiss.

Reiss is the best teen in the book. Passionate about films, the bestest of friends, and loved by his family. The banter between Reiss and Jadon at the beginning of the book, to them slowly growing to enjoy each other's company, these things made the romance all so much sweeter. All the stolen kisses, to the jealousy over a reappearing ex, to encouraging words to Reiss's littler brother, the relationship between Jadon and Reiss was perfect. And **consent**. Jadon is all about making sure Reiss is comfortable. Since Jadon is the more experience of the two in the dating department, he always makes sure Reiss is comfortable. And that may be the best thing about their romance.

This book also touches on several other issues: Rêverie's neutrality traditions, police brutality and murder, and transphobia/homophobia. These are touch briefly, except for a demonstration that happens, but each time, Jadon has to chose whether he is going to breathe life into the fire in his chest over how wrong these things are, or is he going to be Rêverie's Prince Jadon. These issues are nothing new and I'm glad that we have a princely character like Jadon showing what fighting these issues means. That prince or not, hate and judgement happen to anyone and no one is safe. That being quiet or neutral helps no one.

Ah, this got a bit ramble-y and I haven't even touch on the other parts like Jadon's sister Annika, Reiss's besties Karan and Lo, or the trashy ex, Leon. Just know that this is definitely a YA you don't wanna miss.

I absolutely devoured this book from start to finish and loved all of it! The way the characters are written and the way the plot moves are easy to read and relatable. I loved the “self love” theme throughout the book and the self discovery of one’s self in the world. This was my first book by this author but I will be diving into his author works as soon as possible!

I was told this book was a crossover of Young Royals and Red White and Royal Blue, and this novel is a perfect book for those who love those books/shows (AKA me). I loved this book. Winters had written some of the best banter I've read in novels like this, and I fell in love with these characters. The drama, the romance, the humor, all of it was perfectly balanced to create this book. I can't recommend it enough. Royal romance novels are all over, but this one was different. I found it was refreshing, and the characters were fun to read. Even though I could predict what was going to happen, Winters still threw curve balls at me and kept me engaged throughout the novel. It was a great book, and I highly recommend it to fans of royalty romance novels.

I liked the premise of the story. A prince that needed to redeem his negative reputation with his father and the people of his country. He was shipped off to LA with his older sister in tow to fix it. I liked the idea of helping out someone that was lost but banning them from home was a bit drastic. I really wanted to love this book. Yet, I couldn’t connect with his parents and Jadon in the beginning. I liked Jadon after he found his own niche at his new school. Luckily Jadon found love, new friendships, and his own identity. I really liked his love interest Reiss. He was a great and understanding person. Too understanding to be honest. The many side characters got lost somehow. And I wanted to know more about them since they seemed amazing. And the evil ex was cartoonish. Which was a bit disappointing. The ending though was perfect. Overall, it was a good representation of queer love relationships, self love and respect. Thank you to publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I loved this YA romance that touched on so much important current sociopolitical discourse. My favorite part of YA romance are the coming of age journeys that the main characters navigate. This was so sweet and tender, I highly recommend it.

This book is like if Young Royals and Red White and Royal Blue had a kid, and if you liked those you'll most likely like this one. The premise is similar, but it's very diverse with queer, black MCs going to a prestigious private school set in Santa Monica, CA where they are the only black students amongst kids of the rich elite.

Prince Jadon (“just Jadon”) is sent to LA to reform his rebel image and try to escape the scandals in the press. He is annoyed that he can’t just be himself and he throws himself into school and meets a cute boy with pink hair on his way. His sister Princess Annika is the heir and Jadon is the spare and they have a close dynamic and she’s very supportive of him.

I liked the characters and the romance between Jadon and Reiss Hayes. Reiss is a local aspiring film student who works at his family’s cafe along the 3rd Street Promenade. They are cute together and it had some sweet moments. I like that it wasn’t a queer coming out story and that Jadon is accepted as a gay prince. The coming of age story is more about a Prince grappling with his purpose in the world and finding his own path separate from what’s expected of him as a Royal. I especially loved that it takes place in Santa Monica and the Palisades where I live, and I could picture the environment perfectly. I also really enjoyed the friend group.

This was my first Julian Winters book and the premise is cute, but the plot did feel a bit predictable and the writing and pacing of the story didn’t quite work for me. I thought Jadon’s coming of age discovery arrived out of the blue. The romantic conflict at 80% of the book felt rushed and the resolution came really fast as well. The redemption arc for the King, Jadon’s father, happened far too quickly. This pacing made these moments not quite as believable as they could have been IMHO because there wasn’t enough buildup or emotional suspense as compared to a book like RWRB. If you manage your expectations prior to reading and just read it for what it is you will most likely enjoy it!

3.5*

Prince Jadon is exiled to the United States after becoming embroiled in a scandal and losing the favor of his people. He attends school in LA and soon falls head over heels for Reiss, a stunning pink-haired film student.

I loved the premise of this book; it was a sweet and enjoyable read! I especially appreciated that both leads were Black, queer, and powerful. The representation throughout was fantastic. I also liked that Jadon's main conflict wasn't centered around homophobia or coming out, though these issues were still addressed.

While these are significant themes for every young queer person, it's also important to have stories where queer characters are accepted and loved, exploring other aspects of their lives. This book did that wonderfully.

I would have liked more discussion on the different social classes of Jadon and Reiss, and more development of Jadon's friends and sister—they seemed like such great characters that I wanted to see more of them!

Additionally, more background on the history of Jadon’s country and how it shaped perspectives, especially regarding outsiders like his mother, would have been great.

Overall, a really good read! I would recommend it to YA fans, queer romance fans, and anyone looking for more diverse stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC!

I’ve recently read a good amount of heavy and complex books so I was really looking forward to something lighter & the fictional royalty is a favorite trope of mine.
Things I liked: the advocacy work and message behind this book is powerful and important. This book addresses class, race, sexuality and the importance of standing up for what is right. This adds a layer of complexity that otherwise wouldn’t exist in a YA book like this.
What didn’t work: the character development and relationships between the characters felt incredibly surface level - at one point I thought - wait why do Jadon and Reiss even like each other?? It felt like there were so many loose threads and when the book attempted to tie them together, it just felt rushed and weird. I wanted to understand the cast of characters much more than I did. Overall the lack of in depth relationship building, pacing that both felt too fast and too slow, and closure that didn’t quite tie everything together in a satisfying way left me feeling like this book is kind of forgettable.

Prince Jadon isn’t perfect. And that’s kind of the whole point. He’s recorded saying some unflattering things about his country’s prime minister (with good reason, though nobody knows that), and he’s sent off to the US to show he can be the perfect prince his country deserves.

Except everything he does seems to land him in hot water anyways. It leads to questions like: When can I go home? Why can’t I be the perfect prince? Who am I, really?

I flew through this book; I absolutely loved getting to know the characters and how the history of Rêverie was weaved into the book. I also loved the underlying theme of this story: no one can tells us who we are– only we get to decide.

This story is about love, forgiveness, figuring out who you are, and standing back up when you get knocked down.

If you want romance between a royal and a regular guy, with some drama and coming of age feels, this is the story for you!

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

"...photographers screaming at my little brother while he makes out with a boy. So royal teen rom-com!"

This book is exactly the funny royal teen rom-com it aims to be. It is aware of its genre and uses every trope to create a fun, sweet read. The prince of a nonexistent country is sent to a posh American school because a video of him hating on his country's prime minister went viral.

The strongest part was Jadon's inner struggle of keeping people away so they don't get caught up in royal drama. He has to be proper, pretend to like his ex and deal with the fact that he has no true friends. He is 17, conflicted and lonely, but doesn't know that about himself yet. It felt like self-sabotage in a realistic way.

I would have liked a little more depth to the romance. Their interactions were sweet, but I felt like it went from "I met a boy" to "huge crush" to "true love" a little too easily.

This is a book more geared to a young group. It was cute, but I found it too bland for my taste. Sadly, did not finish.