Prince of the Palisades

Another #NetGalley for the win. Here's Julian Winters's "Prince of the Palisades." Advertised as "Young Royals meets Red, White, and Royal Blue in this heart-pumping romance by award-winning author Julian Winters!", how couldn't I?!?

["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 . . ."]

How do YA books manage to be sooo freaking deep?! How can you manage to cover so much and break my heart and heal it and cover more? Gender, race, class, sexuality. All of it.

Jadon was told to figure out how to be the prince his country needed while being told who to be, how to act, what to do. All the while trying to figure out who he is as a person. And being a teenager. Like oooof.

Not being able to trust anyone, not being able to speak up for causes you believe in, not being able to have a safe place, not being able to tell anyone the trust, not being able to confine in someone about the moment that wrecked everything. Add into that figuring out a new country, a new school, a new set of peers, a new normal. Plus a fight with your parents weighing you down. AND falling in love (and fucking it up a few times).

Quote of the day: "Be a little fearless." 

AND there was a SERIOUS and 100% legit reference to RWRB (#HistoryHuh) ANNNNND one to Princess Dairies (#Genovia)

#princeofthepalisades #julianwinters #books #queerbooks #ya #queerya #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks