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 was adorable! I got all the Princess Diaries vibes mixed with a bit of Red, White, and Royal Blue. The narration was great and felt appropriate for the storyline.

I thought the MC's were well developed, the romance was just the right amount and enjoyed the friendships too. I definitely recommend!

Love it! Love it love it love it love it!
As an hardcore The Princess Diaries’ fan I was expecting this book a little too much. I have to admit it, this is my first Cale Dietrich’s book but it will not be my last. I can’t wait to read all his books. I’m intrigued by his writing.
The story is pretty simple, but the intrigues and the drama hold me captivating. It’s an incredible turned pages.
And of course I love every character, especially Erik (but I love Jamie too). He’s my baby, I have to say it!
Really, this book Made me so happy!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Press for the arc.

Prepare for the New Prince of Mitanor!

Cale Dietrich’s latest novel, The Rules of Royalty, is a coming-of-age story that feels timeless! Marketed as a Princess Diaries-inspired romance between two princes from neighboring countries, it lives up to every expectation of that pitch. Our protagonist, Jamie, receives the shock of his life when he learns of his true heritage. To help him navigate his newfound royal role, his father calls in a favor, bringing Erik—a neighboring royal and experienced prince—into Jamie’s life to teach him the ways of royalty. The two quickly bond, and it soon becomes clear that their connection might be more than friendship. From self-discovery to challenging political power and sparring with the reigning royals, this story delivers an intoxicating blend of drama, romance, and royal intrigue that kept me turning the pages.

The characters are a major highlight. Dietrich’s skill in creating complex, relatable characters shines through, making it easy to root for them as they grow and face personal challenges. Jamie and Erik feel real, and they linger long after the final page. The story also pays delightful homage to The Princess Diaries with moments that echo the classic, adding a fresh, queer twist that makes it even more special for fans who loved that story.

Long-time fans of Dietrich are bound to adore this book, and it’s sure to draw in new readers eager for more. Don’t miss out—The Rules of Royalty is one you won’t want to put down!

3.5 stars rounded up.

A super cute new book from one of the authors of If This Gets Out (a personal favorite of mine in recent years), crossing The Princess Diaries and Red White & Royal Blue.

Introverted high schooler Jamie Johnson has been trying to make the most of his last summer before graduation, hanging with his friends, working part-time at the local Cinnabon, and absolutely NOT talking to the hot guys he sees out and about. But then, on his birthday, his adoptive mother drops a bomb on him: he's the son of the king of Mitanor, a beautiful sunny country in the south of Europe, and the king wants him to visit and discover his place. In order to prepare him for his new role, the king hires the second son from the cold northern country of Sunstad, Erik Lindstrom. With the upcoming marriage of his older brother (and the heir to the Sunstad throne), this is Erik's chance to get out from under his grandmother's controlling thumb for a summer as he teaches Jamie how to be a royal.

This was adorable. I wouldn't say it was anything remarkable or unpredictable, but it was a lot of fun and I can see my students devouring it. Jamie is precious and naive and it's so much fun watching him develop into a proper royal throughout the course of the story. But Erik just had my heart from the get-go as the tightly-wound young man just trying to find some freedom in the face of his overly-controlling family. While their relationship felt a little insta-love-y, it was still fun to watch develop over the course of the story as both boys grew into their own.

I received this book for free from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

A wonderful queer romance with a lot of Royal and Drake that kept you on your toes but not too much angst to lose the romantic side of the story.

i received an e-ARC and so am giving my honest review!

i LOVED this. with everything happening in the world right now, a fluffy mlm romance was exactly what i needed. i saw a lot of reviews complain about the lack of stakes or characters being 2-dimension and i have to disagree in that the lack of super high stakes made this more enjoyable for me. it let me relax and truly just enjoy the story and the romance. and id definitely disagree about 2-D characters. this was a book where i could clearly tell whose chapter i was reading based off their inner monologue/voice extremely easily. this was really enjoyable and i was really engaged and entertained the entire time reading. i felt as if the world building was done well in that it wasn’t overwhelming. i like books that don’t make you memorize tons and tons of words and cities etc. this was genuinely such a lighthearted and soft read and exactly what i needed at a time like this

This YA romance felt a lot like a queer version of Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries, but told from dual points of view, without the distinctive voice, humor, and empathy. James wakes up one morning and his adopted mother informs him he is the son of his majesty, King Alexander of Mitanor. THis has been a protected secret due to his late mother's desire for Jamie have as normal a childhood as possible. His dad suggests Jamie reach out to his peer, Prince Erik of Sunstad, for support with coming to terms with his newfound lineage, and to get up to speed with royal protocols. Meanwhile, Erik, who is grateful to be able to be out and queer as a member of the royal family, is not thrilled when his grandmother informs him she's going to be playing matchmaker to ensure he's dating suitable companions. I'm predicting that Jamie and Erik get paired--or fall for one another and someone objects because he's American, but I don't know; I gave this up around 15% through, because of the wooden writing, undistinguishable voices, large cast of characters, and low stakes.

I received a free advance reader's review copy of #TheRulesOfRoyalty via #NetGalley courtesy of #StMartinsPress

Eric and Jamie are so adorable! I loved their story. Two “spare” princes, royal tutor and an American who just found out he is prince. The Princess Diaries but make it queer. A super cute YA book.

The YA version of Princess Diaries, the pacing of The Rules of Royalty was fantastic! My only wish was that Jamie and Erik were more differentiated as characters -- their narratives blended together in such a way that it was sometimes hard to tell their experiences apart. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

The Rules of Royalty gave me gay Princess Diary vibes, and I was absolutely here for it. This was just so lighthearted and fun, and both Jamie and Erik were adorable.

This was such a fun rom com! Kind of in conversation with The Princess Diane's but with a queer twist. The romance is well fabricated and the characters jump off the page.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of the Rules of Royalty in exchange for an honest review!

Jamie Johnson, local wallflower and introvert, is overwhelmed to find out his mother has been keeping a big, royal secret from him: he’s actually heir to the throne of (fictional) Mitanor, a vague European country that might as well be Genovia. His overly (almost suspiciously) kind father invites him to spend the summer in Mitanor, and inducts a neighboring prince to come and show poor Jamie the ropes. Erik, the second son of his own prospective fictional country, is more than happy to spend some time away from home and tutor Jamie. There are plenty of rules for royalty, but falling in love usually isn’t one of them.

The particulars come second here to the romance: an easily built, charming, and syrupy love story, with two delightful leads who might as well sign their hearts away in the first third of the book. There’s minimal conflict or angst to speak of, beyond the relatable experience of growing up confused about your identity. The royalty lessons are a movie we’ve seen before, but it’s pleasant to be on the page with Jamie and Erik, and despite the influx of LGBTQIA+ books pouring out these days, I never take for granted the experience of reading one.

Sometimes you just want a dumb smile on your face and a book that reads like a cozy blanket, so pick up this comfort food and have your happily ever after.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: December 10, 2024

Adorable, dual-POV, queer royals YA romcom. Lighthearted with lots of sunshine, this dialogue-heavy, teenage angsty, strangers to crushes read is a fun escape!