The Rules of Royalty is perfect for fans of royal romances. The characters are likeable and readers will be cheering for their budding romance. The ending of the story is satisfying and will leave readers happy. Recommended for all YA collections.

If you’re a fan of a royal romance and were thinking you need a Princess Diaries and Red, White, & Royal Blue mashup in your life, well do I have the book for you. The Rules of Royalty is such a precious story of family and friendship, but highlights the beauty and strength of a found family forged by choice and love.

It was so touching to see the overwhelming support Jamie had from his parents and I was moved by how his parents were so present, regularly checking in to offer support and help protect his emotional well being. My heart ached for Erik and as he carried immense pressure from his family to uphold a certain image. And while his case is unique because he is royalty, I do think the challenges and family dynamics he navigated are relatable and readers will feel seen.

I was able to read along with both a physical copy and an ALC and really enjoyed both formats, but I do think it’s worth mentioning that the narrator for Erik was maybe not my favorite choice - the narrator did a wonderful job reading Erik’s chapters but his voice was more mature and made the character feel much older than his seventeen years. The narration was still enjoyable but it did throw me off a smidge in the beginning.

I really appreciated the more realistic ending and loved seeing the growth not just in Jamie and Erik, but in their friends and family as well.

👑🎮💖 BOOK REVIEW - The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich 👑🎮💖

🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5 stars)

I went into The Rules of Royalty expecting an overdone “lost prince” trope but was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked. Cale Dietrich delivers a heartfelt MM royal romance that balances humour, angst, and an unexpectedly refreshing take on privilege and duty.

Jamie Johnson’s life flips upside down when he learns he’s the secret heir to the throne of Mitanor, a charmingly fictional European kingdom. Enter Erik Von Rosenborg, the reserved spare prince tasked with teaching Jamie the ropes of royal etiquette. Their forced proximity, of course, leads to sparks as they navigate the challenges of royalty, self-discovery, and first love.

The romance is delightful, with moments that made me laugh and swoon. Fans of The Princess Diaries, MM romance, and royal intrigue will enjoy this feel-good story with just the right amount of angst and sweetness.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

#TheRulesOfRoyalty #MMRomance #RoyalLoveStory #YAReads #NetGalley #CaleDietrich

The Rules of Royalty

An adorable MM YA princess diaries romance. A cute story and cute premise delivered with typical YA angst. The narrators were good at pacing, although it felt like the narrator for Erik was more formal and sounded older than his age. I struggled to connect with him and his decisions, and the romance between the two as a result.

Good for fans of:
- Princess Diaries
- MM YA Romance
- Royal romance
- Forced proximity / prince lessons

Thank you to Macmillian audio for this ALC! My opinions are my own. The Rules of Royalty is on shelves December10, 2024.

I tried but I couldn't get into this one. It was definitely my preference though as I assumed the characters were older than teens.

A prince that didn’t know he was a prince forbidden romance and the love between to men.

I can not stress enough how much I loved this book, I was on the edge of my seat through the entire book and could not read the book fast enough to the point I was frustrated I couldn’t read faster because of how much I was enjoying this book.

I have already preordered a copy for myself and another copy for my girlfriend and highly recommend it to everyone that loves romance especially m/m romance.

The narrator’s Major Curda and Max Meyers did an amazing job, their voices fitting the characters so well that it only brought them more to life .

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc

This was really cute! A fun MM take on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, where after finding out he’s secretly a Prince, he’s now being trained by another cute Prince. 🥰

I really enjoyed Jamie’s interesting family dynamics, and how accepting everyone was of both of the boys being gay.

There are some conflicts, but they never felt super overwhelming to the story, and definitely made for more of a “feel good” read.

There is absolutely nothing to do with the holidays in this one, but as this is the time of the year I seek out these sort of feel good vibes, it still felt like to perfect season for this book to me.

Audiobook notes: I thought the narrators did a great job portraying these 17 year old guys; they had the perfect voices for it.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for providing me an advanced audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ YA Contemporary Romance
✅ Dual POV
✅ MM
✅ Royalty Training
✅ Hallmark movie-esque
✅ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴-esque

Review: Overall, I really enjoyed this. I loved the interactions between Erik and Jamie. I really loved how Jamie adjusted to his new role as a prince and realized that he there is power and privilege to that. My literal only complaint is that this felt very insta-love for me, and I just personally don’t love that. I do understand that this is a YA book and that the entire thing happens over the span of like three weeks, but at one point it felt like Erik just woke up and was suddenly absolutely enamored with Jamie. Even with that, I think this is a really, really cute book and I enjoyed Cale’s writing and I’ll definitely be reading more of Cale’s books in the future.

Synopsis: Jamie Johnson has never been the centre of attention, and he’s perfectly okay with that. His entire world unravels as a hidden truth emerges: he's the heir to the throne of Mitanor, a sun-drenched southern European country, and the press is ready to expose this secret to the world. An invitation to spend the summer in his father's palace arrives, giving Jamie a chance to get to know the man he never thought he’d meet.

Meanwhile, in a northern European kingdom known for its cold climate and stoic royals, Erik Von Rosenborg, the spare prince, grapples with the upcoming marriage of his golden-boy elder brother. With the country’s spotlight trained on his family more than ever, Erik feels sidelined and tightly controlled. So when he receives an offer to tutor the newly found American prince in the ways of royalty, he accepts without hesitation.

At a magnificent summer palace, Erik guides Jamie through the intricacies of royal etiquette, politics, and history. What neither prince anticipates is the connection that sparks between them—one that challenges both of their futures. Now each must make a choice: follow their hearts, or the time-honored royal path where crown and country reigns supreme, no matter the personal cost.

DNF @ ~78%

*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners for the ELC. All opinions are my own.*

I was really excited about the premise of this book. The cover was sweet and the plot sounded like a fun time, but unfortunately it fell really flat for me. I found the characters to be a bit one-dimensional throughout most of their interactions and it was very hard for me to buy into the storyline, even over 3/4 of the way through. The pacing felt clunky at times and the plot felt too one-note. In a post-Red White & Royal Blue world, a book like this has to deliver more than it did, there has to be more chemistry there. And I just didn’t get much from it at all. I found I had to force myself to listen at times.

Well, I have the most heartwarming, sweetest book for you when the pressures of the holiday season hit (and year end deals for my fellow finance types on here). The Rules of Royalty is the story of two teenage boys - one is the prince of a small European country and the other is an American who just learned that the father he never knew was also royalty in a small country. When the two teens are forced to work together so the American get trained on the royal ways, sparks fly and everything else. These two were the most likable characters - teenage angst but also kind, smart, and empathetic. I loved their dynamics. And the glimpse into the royal world was fun

I enjoyed this audio version of The Rules of Royalty. Both characters were interesting and believable. In the beginning of the story they both seemed older than they were due to the narration (the narrator was very good). Onto the story, the fact that they seemed older at the beginning (only my opinion - and this is the dialogue and narration - perhaps in the book version it might be different) made the story move along and be very cute and interesting and I found myself really rooting for the characters. Later on in the book, it dragged a bit as you were waiting for them to get together. At that point, the writing seemed to make the characters seem their actual age. So, it was a bit of a drastic change. Overall, it was a cute book, and a nice read. But, not a great read.

The plot of this is all by itself, so charming. I really love the ‘The Princess Diaries’ feel to it and the sudden thrust into royalty. Jamie is a really cute, fish out of water type of character and while a little misguided, he’s very lovable. I think where it falters is that these teenagers read more like fourteen year olds than almost eighteen year olds. A lot of their dialogue is juvenile and they don’t seem to pick up on cues that older kids might. If it weren’t for talks about hook ups and making out, I’d genuinely think this was a middle grade novel.

Speaking solely on the audiobook, the narrator for Jamie is perfect. They manage to capture a teenager’s way of speaking with general ease. The same can’t really be said for Eric’s narrator, who honestly sounded more like a man in his mid twenties than a seventeen year old. I did like the back and forth, the nuance to their voices when it came to expressing emotions.The age aspect was only a bit unbelievable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, Wednesday Books, Cale Dietrich, Major Curda (audio narrator), and Max Meyers (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of The Rules of Royalty in exchange for an honest review.

The Rules of Royalty is a fun stand-alone novel with The Princess Diaries vibes, but with a prince. And he gets taught the "rules of royalty" by another prince. And they're gay. It's great! 

This novel follows the alternating first-person perspectives of Jamie and Erik. When Jamie turns 17, he learns from his mother that his father is actually a king, making him a prince! Jamie is invited to spend time in Mitanor to get to know his father, his country of ruling, and how to be royal.

Enter neighboring Prince Erik, who Alexander (Jamie's dad) has personally called upon and asked to train his son in the etiquette and rules of how to be among the royal. While it's just a summer stay, this eye-opening, life-changing knowledge may open doors for Jamie that he hadn't expected.

With the honor of staying in a lavish summer palace, Erik stays with Jamie and together they enjoy video games in their down time and explore the etiquette of standing, eating, and speaking when it comes to royal engagements. Jamie desperately wants his newly found status to mean something, and for him, that means looking to help people and organizations in the communities of Mitanor.

On another note, Erik starts to like Jamie, of course, but he has a set-up relationship with someone else, whom his grandmother approves of. Only her approval will allow Prince Erik to court, and he already knows someone who hasn't been in the game of royalty for more than a few weeks certainly won't be approved where warranted. What's to say Jamie even likes him back anyway, despite some fun stray kisses here and there?

This is a really great LGBTQ novel that portrays a side of royalty that perceives gay marriage as something that is okay. It has a smidge of politics regarding LGBTQ acts and organizations in their community, and the novel highlights the important decisions that governing forces make affecting people in the LGBTQ community. I adored both characters and found the audio narrators to make Jamie and Erik unique and flavorful in their own regards.

This novel is a feel-good teen romance featuring a gay couple and also explores some new adult concepts pertaining to life after high school, which can be scary for some teens, especially when they find out they are a prince, because that's super common🤷‍♀️. Teen readers will adore this LGBTQ romance  with princely flare and realism that demonstrates the elements of humanity.

This book was fine. There were parts that worked for me and parts that didn't. Like, some aspects just didn't really make sense. And I understand that it's supposed to be this everyday American who has all of a sudden been thrust into the royalty spotlight, but there are parts that just would never happen.

Like I said, it was fine. I kind of feel like any of these types of books have already been done with RWRB and anything else just pales in comparison, which is maybe unfair, but I have yet to read this type of story and have it work as well as RWRB.

Also, and I almost never say this, but I really disliked the narrators. The one that narrated Prince Erik, was so far from sounding like a 17 year old, it just did not at all work for me.

I do appreciate the opportunity to read this as an Arc. Unfortunately, I found it to be the same story that has been produced before by others, I wanted to love it because I loved those books but this one was just missed and it was a bit repetitive.

I will say i did like how Dietrich had finished everything up and tied it all up with a nice bow. You weren't guessing how the future looked for the main characters and I do like how he puts in that its family that can get in the way of the couple and that it is the brother who steps in to provide the lesson unlike most being a grandparent, parent, or friend. I just didn't need to know 17 times they couldn't be together because of the ones family.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio!!

I LOVED this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning but then boom I was hooked!! I finished it in one sitting! My first by this author but will not be my last!!

4 stars

As a millennial who grew up loving The Princess Diaries (and who are we kidding, I still love it) and who is queer, The Rules Of Royalty is exactly my thing. This story is fun and real despite the outlandishness of the premise. The characters drive the story, and their growth and development as queer teens is very relatable, with a side of craziness with their royal identities. Ultimately, this story is about self-acceptance and standing up for yourself. It's sweet, genuine, and just so much fun. I listened to this on audio, and that was a super fun experience. The narrators (Major Curda and Max Meyers) did a wonderful job of embodying the characters of Erik and Jamie. This story is simple and easy to enjoy. If you're queer and love The Princess Diaries, then this is definitely worth checking out.

On Jamie's 17th birthday, his adopted mother told him he was actually an illegitimate child of a king, specifically King Alexander of Mitanor, a southern European country. King Alexander sent him a email inviting Jamie and family to Mitanor to visit. He also sent Jamie a phone number if he needed help navigating. Jamie was very surprised but made the courageous decision to go meet his father and his family during the summer.
Prince Erik Von Rosenburg, a prince of neighboring country, is who the phone number belongs to. Him and Jamie hit it off and feel like they can be real with each other which is not something that very common in their situation.
After meeting at a literal ball and the news getting out that Jamie is King Alexander's son, King Alexander & Erik's Grandmother decided that it might be helpful for Erik to help refine Jamie's etiquette. With Erik and Jamie getting closer each day, they start to fall for each other however Erik's family is much stricter than Jamie is. To date Jamie, Erik must have approval from his Grandmother, but she has already stated that she doesn't approve of the American

Very similar vibe to Red, White & Royal Blue but for a slightly younger demographic.

Thank you to Net Galley & Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners!

In browsing NetGalley I requested this audiobook. The description and the cover drew me in! After listening for about a minute I thought it sounded familiar and came to Goodreads and found that I had read the eARC back in June! I didn’t read my review but instead I carried on and listened to it all and jotted down my thoughts.

I then came back and compared my opinions to my past review and saw that while my rating for Goodreads didn’t change because I had rounded up, it did become a solid 3⭐️ read.

I can’t be sure if changes were made or not but it did read better the second time. That could be because they made some changes or the narrators helped smooth the prose out a bit. Either way, the 3 narrators did a good job with the material.

I still find the prose to be overly simplistic and the characters lacking depth but it was much more enjoyable. I actually had said I intended to reread the book as I liked the reverse “Princess Diaries” type of story. The book is cute and a nice escape for the reader.

The book is about to come out so it may be a good choice for an older teen looking for LGTBQ friendly content and Achillean romances.

I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio to reread and enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily update my review.

Macmillan Audio ALC
Absolutely wonderful. This year, I have struggled with finding YA/NA that I'm enjoying, and I'm so happy to say that this one worked so well for me. I liked how the premise was a bit Princess Diary-esque because I think that's such a fun trope. The relationship between Jamie and Erik was so fun to read about how their friendship developed and slowly, so did other feelings. There's a lot of royal behind the scenes here, which I always find fascinating because of how much impact it has on their daily lives. The two narrators were excellent, and their performances made these two feel so real for me.