Thank you to BoldwoodBooks and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I went into Prince Material blind since I didn't read the first book in this interconnected standalone series. But the premise is easy enough to follow: Floris, an openly gay Dutch prince, is determined to uphold the “Prince Pact” he and his friends made—to live like normal college students in America. (Because nothing says “blending in” like having a royal accent and perfect cheekbones in a U.S. dorm.)

This time, it’s Floris’s turn in the spotlight, and we quickly learn he’s recovering from some kind of fabricated tabloid scandal in London that damaged his image. It’s revealed right away, and honestly? That’s pretty much the book’s only source of drama. If you’re looking for stakes, think… sugar cube, not diamond.

Floris is polished, witty, and a little forgetful, but I wanted more dimension than just “Prince Charming with impeccable hair”. Orson, his love interest, is organised, focused, mildly uptight—but even his struggles are solved faster than you can say “royal decree.” Most of their romance unfolds in their dorm room, which made the story feel a bit boxed in. And when they do go out in public? They’re casually chatting about Floris being a prince at coffee shops and on boats, like no one could possibly overhear. (Me: leans in from the next table with whipped cream on my nose … excuse me, what now?)

Pros: They’re both cinnamon rolls, undeniably sweet together, and the smut is plentiful if that’s what you’re here for.
Cons: Their inner monologues repeat the same “he’s so cute/I can be myself around him” sentiment without really building a deeper foundation. The character development could’ve used more oomph.

Did I enjoy it? Sure. But I found myself wishing for more depth, more variety, and maybe a little more royal intrigue beyond “cute guy in my dorm = chaos in my brain.” If you want a low-stakes, fluffy, smut-filled romance featuring a gay prince, this one will fit the bill.

if you want a cute story without much dwelling it not it? this is a book to go for. but if you are looking for something deeper?? I wont recommend it.
This book had potential but it lacked in execution. There were so many topics and discussions beyond themselves that I forgot what was I even reading about.

4 stars

Super sweet and quite entertaining. Prince Material is a bit of a level up from the previous book in this series. I found more connection between Floris and Orson, and their characters were more interesting to me. The story has pretty much zero angst, and I loved that this queer royal romance avoided the usual route of the closeted royal and working around all that drama. This story is not at all drama free, but the drama wasn't overly stressful and added to the character development of Floris and Orson. I was hesitant to pick this one up since the first book felt just okay, but this was a drastic improvement from that one. This was definitely a fun one, and if you want something sugary sweet, then this is perfect for you.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 12, 2025

A M/M royal/normie romance that’s giving The Prince & Me vibes! Foreign royal wants some time off grid with a regular college experience in the US and is paired with and upperclassmen roommate who is the only other person who knows his royal status. They adorably nerd out over civil engineering and water management systems together (and the reader gets a little lesson as well!). I loved that this wasn’t a hidden identity situation and instead they worked through issues of his royal status together.

This was a little cheesy but I ate up all its charming, heartwarming little bits in one sitting!

3.5 stars!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read Nora Phoenix books quite a few times before, and I always end her books feeling hopeful, so when the ARC for this book came up, I LAUNCHED for it.

I have to say that I have some books of her that I prefer to this one (up there is the 4.5/5 star category), but this was still a good and cozy book. The premise was really catchy: a European prince goes to college in the US as a regular student? One of my favorite movies growing up was the Prince and Me, so MORE PLEASE.

What I liked: I really liked Floris. He was a very likable main character, and he felt really unique. He was passionate about water engineering (?) and honestly, really quirky. He was determined to make it as a regular student, but more than that, he had an excitement that really was a joy to read. (BUT COMEON COULD WE HAVE GIVEN HIM A SEXIER NAME? That goes for both of them, btw).

I also think the whole Katrina storyline was handled with a lot of care. Orson, the romantic interest, is from new Orleans and lost his father to Hurricane Katrina. He watched him get lost in the water. I am from Spain and really liked getting a few details over it. Orson was also a really formed character. His father's death and the guilt over it made him feel like he needed to change the world, so his sacrifice was worth it, and in that, he gave up every chance of good time.

I also loved the other princes, I didn't know this was the second book in a series when I picked it up, but now I am excited to read the first one. Sports romance? Why yesss.

Why not 5 stars? Overall, I like it. It's a fun book, but I felt a little bored midway until it picked up again because Orson and Floris got together too soon for me. I liked that Floris told Orson who he was from the beginning but also I felt like okay, so where is the drama now? (yes, how drama queem of me). Also, I got lost in all the engineering and architectural stuff. It's not my cup of tea at all.

However, I am still going to pick up the rest of the books in the series. It is just a good book for a good, sometimes cringey, always corny, time.

This was cute and a short easy read. I felt like the two main characters bonded way too fast however, and some of the dialogue read as immature and unrealistic. Not a favorite for me.

DNF 53%

This book suffers from an immense amount of telling and not showing. It made everything feel very surface level, the characters lacked depth and therefore the relationship lacked depth. I thought that they were a cute couple but I couldn't get invested because we were never shown them getting closer and building something together we were just told that.

And the sheer volume of talk about architecture and water management was very boring, but if that topic interests you then it may be a fun addition. A lot of the topics they have discussions about read like it came from a textbook, not like an actual conversation between two people. On top of the water management and architecture they also discuss project management and the creole language and all of those conversations come off very academic and not like two friends talking to each other.

With that being said I loved the banter between our two characters, genuinely had me smiling and laughing while reading. I do see potential in this authors work and I think with time and experience I could really enjoy their future releases.

A charming, quick read about a hidden prince and a shy scholar whose slow-burn romance is as heartwarming as it is irresistible.

Floris and Orson are college roommates who don’t exactly hit it off at first—but the attraction between them is instant.

Floris is an actual prince, hiding his identity to escape drama back home and experience life as a “normal” student. He’s outgoing, charming, and brings a refreshing energy to the story. Orson, on the other hand, is a shy loner who’s buried in his studies, driven by the loss of his father who died saving him as a child.

As the story unfolds, Floris helps Orson come out of his shell, and the chemistry between them slowly builds. You can feel the tension growing, and it’s clear they might just be perfect for each other.

This was a cute, quick read with likable characters and a sweet and spicy romance. I can definitely see why it’s part of a series—and I’m excited to read the next one!

Prince Material was such a fun and swoony read. I loved Floris and Orson’s dynamic! The adorkable bookworm paired with the secretly royal roommate just worked so well. The college setting and forced proximity made their friendship-to-lovers journey feel natural, and when the chemistry kicked in… whew, the spice absolutely delivered. A charming mix of heart, humor, and heat, I definitely enjoyed this one!

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood, and Nora Pheonix for sending me this ARC!

I loved this book; I couldn't put it down. From the adorable main characters, Floris and Orson, to the humour and press, I was completely enthralled in the book. It was refreshing how Phoenix focused the story on the development of the relationship between Floris and Orson rather than having another outside plot transpire in the background. The themes of guilt and grief were explored and handled very well. There were even some instances where I felt the weight of Orson's grief on my shoulders as well.

Both characters had so much depth and were well fleshed out. Floris was the opposite of what you would expect a royal to be: funny, goofy, and humble. He was so much more likeable than the love interest, Farron, in the first book (The Prince and the Player); however, in this book, both characters were sweet, compassionate, and friendly. Floris charmed me from the start with the way he would approach or react to cultural differences between America and the Netherlands. He was also very clearly deserving of Orson.

Orson was sweet, serious, shy, apprehensive, and study-driven. It was amazing to see him shift into a less severe and guilt-ridden character who was living rather than surviving. His happiness was everything, and Phoenix certainly made the readers feel that. His point of view has evolved from something dull, grey, and sad to a point of view full of laughter, fun, and joy.

I would 100% recommend this to anyone who loves red, white and royal blue or any royal romance. I will be looking forward to the next instalment in this series! This will be one of the books that I reread constantly because of how much I enjoyed it. Dare I say this might even become one of my all-time favourites...

Give me more opposites attract tropes PLEASE. This book was super unique and such a pleasant, easy going read. New Orleans is a city so close to my heart and I loved the representation of it. Orson and Floris are phenomenal. I didn't read book 1 but I've already downloaded it to my kindle. I really loved the character development and the way the romance blossomed between them. Absolutely loved this and need more books like it asap.

Floris - 5th in line for Dutch throne - moves to Massachusetts for a year to continue his studies. There he is assigned to same dorm as Orson, who lives with his nose stuck in his study books.
Floris is known to world as the party prince, but that's not the real him. And Orson sees the real guy behind the title. Floris gets Orson to live, instead of just existing.
Both are carrying around hurt and expectations, but together they can just be.
I liked how cute Floris and Orson were together, their story was sweet and you could feel the feelings growing.
Lovely read, can't wait for rest of the princes to get their HEA.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc of this.

This was a very sweet read. I enjoyed Floris and Orson's dynamic, the ways they contrasted and complemented each other, and how their histories and interests intersected. I'm also, unexpectedly, finding myself reading about the Dutch flood management system.

I liked that there was no unnecessary third act breakup, no unearned angst, and all of the issues they faced felt real and relevant to the plot. The more we learned about Orson's family history - from losing his father at a young age, and his mother's health and his sister's delays - and how they shaped him into who he is and his firm ambitions for himself, the more I appreciated how Floris knew that he wanted more, and that he deserved more. I really enjoyed their interest in historical sites and architecture, and how Orson's father's death shaped his focus on water management. Sometimes a character's background can seem randomly chosen, but Orson's links to New Orleans were obviously well thought out and important to who he is as a person.

I did have a few slight issues with the speed of their relationship at times - it felt like they moved a little too fast in some moments, but I did appreciate how they slowed down when it came to the physical aspects of their relationship.

4 stars - rounded up from 3.75

Nora did it again. I LOVE this series, and I love how the spice level in this book just grabbed me by the hand and lured me in. I loved this story, the way they fell in love, how the story just flowed naturally like romantic river. My god did this story have me on the edge of my seat.

Con: The cover should be changed to something more professional. It does not give the book the cover it deserves.

How freaking cute was this???

The best part about this book is how openly Floris and Orson communicate, which makes the transition from friends to lovers feel so natural.

While the story does deal with heavy topics like guilt and grief, the story is pretty low angst and very enjoyable.

I found myself laughing out loud more often than I was expecting and swooning because Floris and Orson are so incredibly sweet. The families and friends are also so genuinely happy for them, it’s a breath of fresh air to read about such supportive families and friends.

I’ll definitely continue with this series once book 3 comes out.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc this review is entirely my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was exactly the emotional story I expected from Floris, and Orson was the perfect counterpart. Floris is reinforced more of the wild child and while the friend group plays into that, he has a deeply soft side that comes out in full force with Orson.
Orson has quite the tragic backstory and I love that he opens up to Floris and is willing to recover the comfort.
I’m excited to read more from this group!
Thank you for the ARC!

Three cheers for friends to lovers. Three cheers for communication. I love both.

This was a super fun and easy read. I felt endeared by the characters both individually and together. Watching their relationship progress was such a sweet experience. I did struggle with the pacing a little at times. I wish we had gotten more mundane, intimate, slow moments with them instead of running from plot point to plot point. But it wasnt anything really experience ruining or anything.

I absolutely loved this book. I'm a bit biased as a Dutch reader and Floris being a Dutch prince. Absolutely loved the Dutch influences in this book with the Dutch words, phrases and cultural things. The banter between Floris and Orson was so much fun. I loved reading how their friendship progressed into a relationship. It was also refreshing that Orson knew from the beginning that Floris is a prince. Also loved all the side characters, all very welcoming and kind to the new guy in the family.

Oof this was delicious.

I devoured this in one sitting. It was a fun, quick read with charming and quite frankly refreshing characters. I loved Floris and Orsen, loved seeing them shed the weight of pressure and guilt from others and themselves too. Their communication was amazing! Every step of the way,they talked to each other and worked as a unit!!! It was, as I said before, refreshing to read about.

What I didn't like though was how most of the relationship development that would be considered mundane was off-page. It felt like I was just going from major plot point to major plot point without filler scenes that would have allowed the story to slow down. The friends to lovers part was done well enough but it seemed like the moment they transitioned to tentative lovers, everything was sped up.

The Disney Prince Charming influence was definitely prominent and it was cheesy as hell but overall, it was cute read and I enjoyed both mcs.

Thank you to netgalley and boldwood books for this arc!!
Okay this book was absolutely lovely, the characters felt a bit shallow at the beginning but honestly grew on me A LOT I think this is the kind of book to read when you're craving something wholesome and emotional in the best way possible.