e-Audio, 08:16:49
Narrated by: Joshua David Scarlett
Release Date: August 20, 2024
Published by: Books on Tape
Read from: August 16-18, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a copy of this e-audio from the publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning: Xenophobia, Homophobia, Racism, Bullying, Transphobia, Alcohol, Classism
For Readers Interested In: Romance, Royalty, 2SLGBTQ+, ARC, Contemporary Romance, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Own Voices, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Romance, Stand-alone, YAYoung Royals meets Red, White, and Royal Blue in this heart-pumping romance by award-winning author Julian Winters!
When roguish Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie is left in America to clean up his image after a horribly public break-up gone viral, romance is not on the table. Carefully planned photo ops with puppies? Yes. Scheduled appearances with the Santa Monica elite Absolutely. Rendezvous with a pink-haired, film-obsessed hottie from the private school where he’s currently enrolled? Uhhhh . . .
Together with his entourage—a bitingly witty royal guard, Rêverie’s future queen (and Jadon’s brilliant older sister), and a quirky royal liaison—Jadon’s on a mission to turn things around and show his parents, and his country, that he’s more than just a royal screw-up. If he doesn’t prove that he’s the prince Rêverie deserves? Well, he may not be allowed home . . .
But falling for a not-so-royal American boy has Jadon redefining what it means to be a leader. If he can be someone’s Prince Charming just by being himself, maybe that’s all it takes to win over a nation. Or at least a prince can dream . . .
*MY THOUGHTS*
This took me a while to write a review about because I enjoyed it so much. I had no idea that when I started this I was going to be staying up until 3 am to finish it. A royal romance! Idk what Winters put in this, but I was hooked!
First of all, let’s get something straight….. My boy Jadon is NOT roguish. He was just misunderstood and passionate about things. So all the bad press and evil people who tried to name him that can kick rocks lol He really was a sweet kid, but everyone just labeled him whatever they wanted because he was royalty and I don’t think that was fair. They literally kicked him out of the country to try to make him act the way THEY wanted him to act, which just was some BS. But throughout the book he shows you that he’s sweet, kind, and actually cares about his friends. Does he have a hard time getting there? Yes. But like, he’s a teen? Of course he has some issues. I hated that people didn’t take him serious.
The unexpected thing in this book tho is the humor. I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in a Winters book like ever. Jadon had the same sarcastic nature as I do and I can’t tell you how much I related to him. He was was so me. And then there was the stuff that just happened to him, like the pool thing. I would have been so mad lmao (that could have been a completely different situation if it was a femme presenting person) And he just handled it with grace. Idk, I really liked his character.
On the other hand, there was the boy with the pink hair. I thought he was such a great match for Jadon. He was the only one who made him second guess things and to make sure that he didn’t seem like such a screw up. He challenged him and I was glad to see Jadon’s character try to make things right. I also LOVED his family. His little bro? Hands down my favorite character lol But I can say, I was a little put off by him in the end, but I didn’t understand why he said what he said. Especially in that setting. But in the end, they got there so i wasn’t too mad.
This was pretty much a basic royal romance story, with pictures in the media, royal guards following him, and even a whirlwind romance that seemed to sprout up out of nowhere. And I ATE THIS UP. Trust me when I say this is going to be one of the books I submit to work for our Tournament of Books for next year for our fluffy romance pick. This deserves all the praise!
Overall, I give this
