very cute and cozy romance! not particularly deep, but it doesn't really need that at all. nice and refreshing read. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

The writing style was very juvenile considering that the main characters are 17/18. It was a bit grating. I know I’m no longer the target audience in the YA genre, but 85% of the time I still enjoy my time reading them. This was unfortunately in the 15% I didn’t enjoy.

This was SO CUTE! It's YA, so definitely think more sweet than spicy, but it felt so grounded in real friendship and relationships despite the wild premise. It's like a perfect blend of "The Princess Diaries" and "Red, White & Royal Blue" so if you are a fan of either (or both!) of those you will love it!

Such a fun new queer romance that is perfect for fans of RED WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE! I had so much fun reading this new romance and am so excited for the author's next book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an e-arc of The Rules of Royalty. I loved If This Gets Out, so my expectations were set pretty high opening this book. Unfortunately it ended up being a def at 30% because of how much showing verses telling that there was and the two perspectives sounded exactly the same. I kept getting confused and had to go back to the beginning of a chapter to remind myself if the chapter was from Jaimie or Erik's perspective.

Thank you for the ARC.

I wish more gay romance novels took this approach to building a love story, the slow burn, and typical architype: meet, passion, red flag/conflict, and a yellow flag resolution.
It was like a modern gay prince(ess) diaries.

I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating viewpoints and the light-hearted nature of the book.

It was a breath fresh air. 3.5 stars rounded up.

It’s giving Princess Diaries meets Red, White and Royal Blue!

Jamie is an aggressively average boy from New Jersey.
Erik is the spare Prince in the royal family of Sunstad.

When Jamie finds out that he is really a Prince from Ginovia, I mean Mitanor, his royal father has the grand idea to find him a royal companion to keep him company and show him the ropes. It’s a perfect job for Prince Erik whose grandmother, the queen, wants Erik to find a family approved boyfriend….just not one from America (pearl clutch!).
As Erik and Jamie go from mentorship, to friendship, to love (not a spoiler, this is a romance people!) we’re along for their wild summer ride. Actually, it was more of a “mild” summer ride. The book doesn’t have any grand tension or big stakes. This was pretty one dimensional but honestly, I don’t care. The book isn’t deep and it’s not doing anything deep and that’s okay. It’s a cute, cuddly queer rom com and I think a lot of young poeple will enjoy this.

This is a 3.5 ⭐ rounded up because I am not the intended audience for this book but a kid that loves a saccharine romance is going to go gaga for Erik and Jamie.

Thank you Net Galley and Wednesday Books!

The Rules of Royalty is such a sweet queer romance! Readers who loved the Princess Diaries, but wished there was more LGBTQ+ rep absolutely must read this book. Jamie Johnson learns that he is actually the son of a king on his birthday. Unprepared to be a prince, Jamie is relieved to be assigned a friend and tutor in Prince Erik. Erik has been raised as a prince from birth, so he is more than able to teach Jamie. As the two spend more time together, they start to fall for eachother...but will they be allowed to pursue their connection?

The Rules of Royalty is a lighthearted and enjoyable queer YA romance. Jamie and Erik are adorable and I enjoyed how they learned to fight for their relationship. I think this book will mean so much to readers who have longed to see themselves reflected in this classic tale of secret royalty and handsome princes. The boys are surrounded by a supportive cast of characters, from family and friends to a world where LGBTQ+ rights are not controversial but accepted.

Readers who love a sweet fairytale romance, fantastic LGBTQ+ rep, and The Princess Diaries will love The Rules of Royalty!

Thank you to Cale Dietrich, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Unfortunately this book wasn't really for me. The story and premise was interesting but the writing felt a little bit clunky and the characters voices were super similar, these two things took me out of the story a lot and I also felt it was a little bit too slow paced. I do think it was a cute story that less picky readers and especially younger readers could enjoy

DNF'd at 28%

I have been hemming and hawing over this one for a week or two now and I just can't find it in myself to pick it up again so I'm just giving up.

I was excited for this because of the Red, White, and Royal Blue feel, but where RWRB has incredible characters and clever writing, this is just... not that. My main gripe was the writing... it was just... not good. It was clunky and awkward and it took me out of a moment every time I was just starting to get a little bit invested.

I think what really did it for me was one of the worst descriptions of a panic attack I have ever read. The character literally just said "I'm having a panic attack" and that was it. There was no description of his rushing breath, increased heart rate, etc. We are just... told he is having a panic attack and that is it. There was only telling and not showing. And then, to make it worse, the whole reason why he had a panic attack wasn't even resolved in a meaningful manner. There's practically a one sentence description of "Oh and it turned out fine" and that was it. Meanwhile, a chapter or two before we have a detailed description of how the other main lead has a fencing match with his brother that has no relevance on the overall plot.

I don't know. Maybe younger teens will like this one. But for all those that are thinking about reading this because it reminds them of Red, White, and Royal Blue, don't bother.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rules of Royalty lives up to its comps—it's a queer Princess Diaries for the ages. When Jamie, an American teenager, finds out he's actually the prince of a European nation called Mitanor, he's whisked away for a summer of learning about his new family, the customs of the place his parents came from, and what it's like to be a prince, courtesy of Erik, a prince from a neighboring country, Sunstead.

They're both second-born sons. They're both gay. They're both nerds, they're both—well, a lot of things. Which is where most of my trouble came into play in this book. While the premise was extraordinarily charming, the dual POV didn't necessarily add anything to the plot as both characters seemed about the same. Their voices were not distinct and beyond Erik's issues with a more overbearing family and Jamie's struggles adapting to being a prince, they often felt like the same character.

The struggles that they dealt with were always also extremely surface level—I think the book would have benefited more from having fewer plot points that only seemed tied together by conversations that only really existed as a means to an end, and more time to dig into these issues. For example, I think the author wanted us to care a little more about each character's relationship with their brother, particularly Erik as a result of a late story reveal about his brother Stefan, but it didn't necessarily ever feel earned. Overall, most of the issues in the book including the primary reason the main characters have to avoid being together were stemmed from a single line and were quickly resolved, meaning there was very little for the main characters to struggle with. Several smaller plot points, like a conservative prime minister, a fight with a friend from home, the decision of where Jamie should live after school, never felt fully fleshed out for me.

But sometimes that's what you need in a YA romance! Particularly one where queer characters are at the center and so rarely given just some fluff.

I think readers looking for something a little more surface level and true YA might have fun with this—it's fluffy, and, unsurprisingly, the two main characters earn a lovely little happily ever after. But those looking for a little more twist and tension, or those like me who are more character focused over plot, might not get as much out of this book. Those who love it will truly love it, though.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC for my honest review!

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.

Cale Dietrich’s The Rules of Royalty is a captivating royal romance filled with charm, intrigue, and heartfelt moments. Jamie’s journey from an ordinary teenager to a crown prince is both engaging and relatable, especially as he navigates his feelings for Prince Erik, his royal tutor. The novel brilliantly blends personal discovery, societal expectations, and forbidden love into a story that’s impossible to put down. Fans of LGBTQ+ romance and royal dramas will find themselves swept away by Dietrich’s signature wit and emotional depth.

The Rules of Royalty is a sweet, modern spin on the classic royal romance trope, complete with two princes and a hidden heir. The setup promises The Princess Diaries vibes mixed with heartfelt LGBTQ+ representation, and for the most part, it delivers. 👑❤️

The romance between Erik and Jamie is adorable, and I appreciated the lighthearted moments woven throughout the story. At times, the pacing seemed uneven, with certain plot points feeling rushed while others dragged a bit.

That said, fans of fluffy, feel-good reads will likely enjoy this one. If you’re in the mood for a royal escape with a touch of humor and heart, The Rules of Royalty is worth a read!

This was such a delight and now I have a new favorite author! A huge fan of The Princess Diaries as a kid, this felt like the grownup version, and I adored Jamie and Erik’s personalities and what draws them together. This is definitely one I’ll buy to re-read.

This is one of those books that as soon as you're out of the target age range, it starts to fail. In that sense, I think it'll hit well for teenage readers, but it doesn't hold up well past that, with writing that feels teenage. Because of that, the characters also feel similar; the dual PoV tended to take a few pages to clarify if it was Erik or Jamie and even then it was mostly from context rather than a distinct style.

That said, I think it's a cute royalty romance that is clearly heavily influenced by the Princess Diaries (the movies, not the books), and in that sense, it's fun and light.

This book started off slow, but before I knew it I was extremely invested in this sweet coming of age story. With great characters and an interesting royal plot, this book felt like a twist on Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston for young adults.

⭐️ 3.5 / 5 for the slow start and the quick resolve of the main conflict that I would have liked to have seen flushed out a bit more

3.5 stars

Jamie Johnson doesn’t like to be the center of attention, but that’s about to change when he learns he’s the heir to the throne of Mitanor. Now, he’s been invited to spend the summer there, with a family that’s never met.

In a different Northern kingdom, Eric Lindstrom is the spare prince, struggling with the fact that his brother is getting married. With the spotlight on his family, he feels more controlled than ever. So when he gets an offer to tutor the new American prince, he jumps at the chance. As the two get to know each other, they realize there might be a spark between them.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Rules of Royalty by Cale Dietrich! I was definitely in the mood for a fluffy romance, and this book fit the bill. If you just want to read something for the happy vibes at the moment, this will for sure be the book for you.

This is a loose retelling of The Princess Diaries, but making it queer instead. As someone who loved The Princess Diaries growing up, I loved the way this parallels that story. It’s got a lot of great moments between the two princes, and it just adds to the overall good feel of this book.

My main critique is that at times, I would forget which prince’s point of view I was in because they did tend to blend together. Some of the dialogue didn’t quite feel realistic; it felt a little disjointed to me.

Despite that, I did have a good time reading this book, and think it will make a great addition to any December TBRs!

The Rules of Royalty starts out with so much promise. The story idea is cute and fun - an American teenager finds out on his 17th birthday that he is is actually the long-lost Prince of Mitanor, a fictional European country. His biological father, the king, invites him to come stay at the palace and get to know his family and arranges for another prince to help him out with the adjustment. The whole thing feels very inspired by The Princess Diaries, but with a Red White and Royal Blue twist. The whole thing is fun escapist fiction that doesn't need to be taken too seriously to be enjoyable and I would have rated it much higher than the three (generous) stars I am giving it except the whole book just kind of fell flat for me.

To start with, the story is told from two viewpoints - Jamie, the new prince, and Erik, his tutor. Despite being from completely different backgrounds, with different educational experiences and speaking different first languages, the two guys have the exact same voice. Like, I had to repeatedly check the chapter headings to see whose viewpoint I was supposed to be reading because they were almost completely indistinguishable.

Next, the books tells a lot but it doesn't show a lot. There's an aside midway through the book where Erik mentions a joke his upright Queen grandmother told him. It's meant to show us that she can let loose at times. But we don't find out what the joke was. The whole book is like this. We are told about conversations, we don't experience them. It was like reading the boys' diary accounts of the plot and not actually going through the story with them.

Finally, there was no real conflict. Every issue that arises in the book - from Jamie's feeling of betrayal that his adoptive mother never told him who he really was, to his fight with is best friend Max back home, to the essential plot of the book which is whether or not Erik and Jamie can date each other - is wrapped up so easily, and so tidily, with so little mess and fuss that I was left feeling like there was no <i>there</i> there.

I hated only giving this book 3 stars, but, at the end of the day, it's the best I can do. It's such a great premise and had so much potential and promise but in the end... it just wasn't great.

This is such a cute book, some of the banter and overall relationship dynamics are cute. At times it does get a little predictable, but overall it is a solid read. The main characters have some sense of depth and you can tell there is more than meets the eye for them. I was entertained, the ending did seem a little bit rushed, but overall it is a solid read.