4.5 stars

Thank you Simon & Schuster Childrens and Netgalley for providing me with an a-ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book, oh my goodness. It was the perfect balance of romance and political war story and I loved every minute of it.

Sweet little prince Edmund captured my heart from the start. He’s so shy and awkward and anxious and I just felt for him so much. I understood how exhausting he found his duties and social obligations and how desperately he wanted to do well with the position he had.

I loved how Aubrey instantly put him at ease. It was like he could read him intuitively and just knew all the right things to say. I really loved getting to know Aubrey better as a character during the war. He really shone in the second half of this book and I was on the edge of my seat during some of his more climactic moments.

These two were just so perfect together and the way the whole kingdom rallied around them made my heart full.

The war and politics felt really well handled. There was a small part towards the middle of this book where I grew a bit restless with it and I’m still not sure if it was my mood or something with the book itself. Regardless, it was only a small blip in a fantastic, gripping read.

Aubrey the "lord of nothing" falls for the kingdom's most eligible heir--the crown prince himself. While differences in social stations complicate their love, the greater issue is a long-prophesied war with a rival kingdom that tests the lover's commitment to each other. I loved the inclusive world which included different skin colors, sexual orientations, and gender identities as if they were always a core part of the society. 10/10! I feel like inclusive world building in both fantasy and regency is hard to capture but Tirreno excelled here.

The concept of the book captivated me from the start, and my anticipation was high. However, as I delved into the pages, it seemed that the narrative lacked significant events. The romance was charming, and the characters were engaging. The political intrigue within the story was another highlight, though I felt the plot could have explored more dynamic territories. Despite the lack of thrilling conflicts leading to the conclusion, the book provided a satisfyingly joyful finale. Overall, the reading experience was positive, with characters that were vivid and endearing.

An incredibly sweet teen romance set during a terrible time of war, full of political intrigue and magic. Edmund is the Prince of Fortune, the future king who can control the weather for the benefit of the people and the land. He is shy, withdrawn, and a bit unsure of himself even with the immense power he wields. And falls absolutely head of heels in love with Aubrey, the fourth son of a noble family with less political power but is a seer and a complete cinnamon roll in the parlance of our romance reading times. Watching them fall in love, the angst they feel--especially Edmund--on not getting things right and questioning whether they are loved in return, and their sweet gestures toward each other melted my heart. Lisa Tirreno really wrote some true-to-life teen characters here that I think YA readers will connect with. The pair is split up when war breaks out and there are many fantasy and political elements to follow. With war there is violence on the page and harassment, especially of Aubrey as the people question his role in Edmund's life as everyone from parliament to the papers to the people question whether he can marry the prince. It is harrowing to read and raises many questions for discussion about whether proximity to power protects someone or opens them up to more danger. I'm very much looking forward to listening to this one on audio when it comes out!

The novel's lush descriptions and well-researched setting create an immersive experience, while its dynamic characters and engaging plot deliver both emotional depth and excitement. For readers who enjoy historical romance with a strong sense of place and well-drawn characters, "Prince of Fortune" offers a rewarding escape.

The premise of this book was really interesting, and I was excited to read it. I just didn’t feel like a lot happened in this story. The romance was certainly one of the main focuses and that drew away from the other fantastical elements for me. Could be due my personal preferences for a romance as a subplot instead of as important as the fantasy. The romance was sweet though and the characters were fun. I also loved the politics at play in this story, but again, I just didn’t feel like this book really went anywhere. There was a happy ending, but not much exciting conflict that brought us there. I certainly believe reading this was a net positive experience, and the characters were delightful and fully realized.

I wish I could spend more time in this world and with these characters! Edmund and Aubrey were both wonderfully compelling and fully realized characters; I loved seeing them grow close and fall in love, and also fight to protect their country, one another, and their relationship. The magic, the rich history of the countries in Thasbus, the politics and harsh, grim realities of a magical war are done so well. I really could've happily read this story stretch out over several books, and I hope Tirreno takes us there again in the future.

This was described as red white and royal blue meets a darker shade of magic. I think this was a lot lower fantasy than ADSOM, and I didn't really get the comp to RWARB either since only one is a royal. Also, this is supposed to be a YA book, but I kinda feel like it wanted to be adult? I'd compare it more to Divine Rivals since there's a big war/military aspect that takes up a lot of the middle. I liked the start and the end more. The romance was cute, and I lived the water/seer aspects.