3.5 rounded 4

A cute read to escape reality.

This is my first book by Nora Phoenix, and it was fun. As a European reader, Floris's POV was hilarious. I liked the comparisons and the stereotypes between The Netherlands and The USA. It might be a bit much at times, but it serves for some great conversations between both MMCs.

A classic, where the prince wants to live a normal life. It works, even if Floris is a bit useless with laundry, its charm compensates. Orson is "the commoner", it works too as a character. Be aware that the mention of grief (of a parent) is highly present, so if this is a no-go theme for you, be careful. My heart broke for Orson during the whole book, and that sincerely made me sad...until the last chapters.

Pick it up if you like:
- Friends to lovers
- Princely things
- MM Romance (open door)
- College setting
- HEA
- No third act breakup (YAY!)

Nora Phoenix's Prince Material, releasing this September, is a contemporary MM romance following Floris, an openly gay Dutch prince seeking a fresh start at college in Massachusetts. He finds himself drawn to his adorkable roommate, Orson, a serious bookworm with a hidden sparkle. As they navigate college life, their friendship deepens into something more, but their vastly different worlds—Floris's royal expectations and Orson's personal ambitions—threaten their burgeoning connection.

This sweet "roommates to lovers" story charmingly depicts the gradual development of Floris and Orson's relationship from strangers to friends to lovers. Their initial attraction never feels like "insta-love"; instead, readers witness their genuine connection as they challenge each other and mature together. While not overly complex or psychologically deep, the novel offers a delightful balance of humor and emotional moments, touching on themes of overcoming trauma, building trust, and self-acceptance. It's an engaging and quick read with likeable characters, and it stands well on its own even without having read the first book in the series.

I read and really enjoyed the first book, The Prince and the Player - so I was excited to get an eARC for book 2. And while I didn't love Prince Material as much as book 1, this was still a great addition to this series!

In this book, we follow Floris and Orson. Floris is a Dutch prince and decides to attend college in the US for a year to try to live a normal life. And Orson is a devoted engineering masters student and Floris' new roommate. Floris wants to avoid any more scandals and Orson needs to avoid any distractions - and as the two get to know each other, they begin to balance each other out as they fall in love.

What a cute read. I like how the relationship that developed between Floris and Orson, and the support they received from their families. However, I felt like some aspects of the book were done just for one part of the plot and then ignored for the rest of the book. Overall, I really did like this book! And I am looking forward to the next instalment to the Prince Pact series!

Reading this book seriously gave me The Prince & Me with Red, White and Royal Blue vibes. This male/male coupling featuring Floris, a Dutch prince and an American college student, Orson had me constantly turning the pages. If you love the two other high profile films/books I mentioned then this is absoutely the read you especially by the pool.

How I wish this had worked for me. Everything was set up for success, trope-wise and so on, but sadly, I didn't enjoy it. I really hope other readers will end up loving it.

Cute, Easy Romance Read for Fans of Red, White & Royal Blue

It gave me Prince & I vibes, not going to lie. I think my overall score would be 3.5, but maths say you round up to 4, so here we are.

Floris is the nephew of the Dutch King, royally out and very determined to spend a year abroad to soak up the American University experience. Orson, on the other hand, is focused on his master's degree and would rather his handsome new roommate keep his things (and his cute, clumsy fingers) to himself..

Overall a very charming and easy read. The stakes are very low, there is quite a bit of spice and the prose flows. The book is in dual POV, alternating between Floris and Orson. They communicate well and there are no big upheavals or reveals, so you can soak it in rather than worrying the entire time. Since it is well written, you also get through it really quickly. Out of the two protagonists, however, only Orson has a proper development arc and character journey, which made me wonder why Floris was chosen as the leading character out of the two. It is Orson's story, really.

If you are looking for an easy, cosy read about Dutch flood management and New Orleans architecture, this one's for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Prince Material is the second book in Nora Phoenix’s Prince Pact series, where four European princes decide to spend a year abroad living a normal life (and presumably fall in love along the way). This book follows Floris, a Dutch prince, as he spends his junior year of college in Boston. He’s looking to have a typical American college experience, while laying low following a recent media controversy.

His roommate, Orson, is super focused on his studies, to the point where that’s all he does. As the semester goes on, Floris encourages Orson to loosen up and the two start to develop feelings for one another.

I preferred this book to the first book in the series, The Prince and the Player, partly because I don’t usually enjoy sports based romances. Both books were a little bit sappy and there were some aspects of the writing, particularly the dialogue, that didn’t feel authentic to college students. For instance, in Prince Material, there were references to Facebook, which felt dated. I was also slightly distracted by the fact that Orson is a graduate student but lives with an undergrad in on campus dorms, which just seems unlikely. I think it would have made more sense for them to both be graduate students living together in an off campus apartment.

Overall, Prince Material was a very sweet book and I liked how Floris and Orson’s story arc unfolded, especially after they confess their feelings for each other. I’d recommend this book to fans of Jax Caulder’s Unlikely Dilemmas series.

4.5 stars rounded up! Thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Okay, when I started this, I didn’t know that I was in for several civic engineering lessons, but I am definitely here for it! It was really sweet to watch Orson, a civics engineering student with a tragic past, and Floris, a prince trying to overcome bad press, start out as friends and grow into more.

I appreciated that they started out as friends. I think a lot of authors might have gone the route of making Floris a typical spoiled prince, but he was written as very down to earth, which is probably what you’d expect of a civil engineering major

Overall, this was a very sweet, low angst read with spice that felt organic to both characters. I missed the first in this series somehow, and I’ll def be on my way to picking it up after this read!

Deliciously Delectable

This was a fun, easy to read romcom that I really enjoyed. Thank you for giving me a book without a third act breakup for starters, but also one where the problems, while large, are just communicated about in a healthy manor.

I liked both of the main characters and enjoyed the POV switch, there wasn't one I wanted to read more than the other, I enjoyed spending time with both characters, their backgrounds and their insecurities so I was delighted regardless whose chapter it was.

While I did love the communication and their scenes together in general, I did just find some of their chemistry lacking, especially in the beginning. Parts throughout were very 'telling' instead of 'showing' and I didn't always see the same thing I was told. At one point they mentioned being like water and oil, or being complete opposites, but that never came across in any of their interactions. It was closer to instant love than it was anything else.

Prince Material
Prince Floris of the Netherlands chooses a college in the USA to obtain a degree and try live a normal life and escape some bad press he’s had.
Orsin his roommate has been tasked to help Floris settle in and knows of his royal status. Taking his studies seriously and determined to honour his father who died when he was 4 years old he is a lot more serious and quiet than Floris.
Gradually they become firm friends which leads to a relationship both being out and gay, whilst there are big differences between them they fall in love. Whilst there are no great dramas the storyline develops well and this is an easy entertaining read.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

This was such a cute and fun read. I found the story easy to follow and had a great cast of characters. I loved the main character's chemistry and the pacing was just right. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood books and the author, Nora Phoenix for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

‘ Fuck me sideways with a windmill’

Prince Floris Willem Maurits van Oranje Nassau wants just one year where he can be unknown; where he doesn’t have to act and speak perfectly, where’s he’s not followed by the press and can just be himself. Which is how the 21-year-old (fifth-in-line to the Dutch throne) prince ends up in Massachusetts, in a small dorm room on the third floor of a building with no stairs, no air conditioning and a roommate to boot, Orson Ritchey. A roommate who happens to be really cute.

Prince Material is a light hearted, wholesome romance with loveable characters, low angst and both adorably sweet and spicy scenes. The pacing of the book very much follows the relation between Floris and Orson, tentative when the first meet, getting more comfortable as they become friends and then slowly shifting as they start to become even more. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was pure fluff about two sweet soft boys falling in love. There’s not much more you need, but I will tell you that the story includes:

🧡A self-doubting, organised masters student
🧡A messy tornado of a prince
🧡Bayou tour in New Orleans
🧡Cinnamon roll sweethearts
🧡A roommates-to-friends-to-lovers
🧡Slow build romance with yearning
🧡Two civil engendering nerds, I mean students
🧡No third act breakup
🧡Or break up of any kind
🧡Achingly sweet moments
🧡Spicy scenes
🧡Being each others strength’s
🧡And a love of architecture

I really enjoyed this book!
Did we *need* another gay prince romance? Probably not. Did we *deserve* another? Hell yeah we did.
Prince Material was a fun, lighthearted romance. I don't think it was peak literature or groundbreaking in any way, but we deserve more trashy gay romances! This completely fitted the bill. The characters are loveable, with enough depth that I could still connect to them. The plot is the romance, so there isn't much going on outside of that, but that's okay!
I think this book is closer to a 3 star in terms of quality for me, but I've bumped it up to a 4 star because I think telling queer stories is important, and not just perfect ones!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC.

Overall, this was a cute, lighthearted romcom. If you like your romance books with very little conflict and angst, this is a fine way to pass an afternoon. The writing for the most part was trim and the low action plot moved along speedily. I will say my one gripe about this book is that about half of the dialogue between characters felt like it was written by ChatGPT. It was a little jarring as the internal thoughts of the characters was very much not like this and yet the conversations were weirdly awkward (in an unintentional way).

This was a very cute romcom overall. I somehow missed the mention that it would be "spicy," however, so there were some sections I ended up skipping over. But I loved the rest of the story, and I think readers who enjoy a good dose of spice will also love it!

This was such a cute read

Our story follows Prince Floris, who moves to small town massachusetts to live a "normal" life after a scandal. He meets his roommate Orson who is the exact opposite of him: serious and studious.

But they become friends, then transition to lovers and i loved it.


I appreciated the pacing of the book because I felt like it matched the characters and their journey. I personally loved when the setting moved to New Orleans and talked about Katrina and how Orson deals with the aftermath of the trauma .

thank you to netgalley for the arc, all opinions are my own.

👑✨ PRINCE MATERIAL ✨👑
by Nora Phoenix
📖 Pub Date: 9/12/25 | Boldwood Books

What happens when you stick a charming Dutch prince and a bookish engineering student in the same dorm room? 🏰📚 Apparently, magic. ✨

This laugh-out-loud MM rom-com is everything I wanted:
💙 royal romance meets roommates-to-lovers
💙 awkward cultural differences (in the cutest ways)
💙 soft, sweet intimacy with just enough spice 🌶️
💙 found family vibes + supportive parents (!!)
💙 NO third act breakup (I screamed in relief 🙌)

Floris is running from scandal and trying to live a “normal” life in America. Orson is laser-focused on school and not about to be distracted until Floris breaks through his walls in the most adorkable way. Cue chemistry, banter, and chef’s kiss emotional tension.

Think Red, White & Royal Blue, but quieter, cozier, and full of New Orleans food, architecture, and heart. 🌇🍤

This is a fast, feel-good read that made me smile the entire time. If you’re craving:
🌈 MM romance
🏠 forced proximity + college vibes
👑 royalty with no angsty family drama
🥹 a wholesome dynamic that still brings the heat…
You’re going to want to grab this one.

💭 QOTD: Would YOU date royalty if you had the chance? Or would all the rules and scrutiny make it a no-go?

#PrinceMaterial #NoraPhoenix #RomComReads #MMRomance #LGBTQRomance #RoommatesToLovers #RoyalRomance #Bookstagram #RomanticComedy #ForcedProximity #SpicyRomance #BoldwoodBooks #FeelGoodReads

<b>Cool, calm, confident, caring Prince x anxious, neurotic mess of a nerd with the biggest heart? Yes please. </b>

This was such a <i>lovely</i> read. 

I really enjoyed the more unique choice of main characters here. Their backgrounds, their interests felt fresh and thoughtfully done. I also loved that this wasn’t one of those predictable secret identity stories where you can see the third act breakup coming from page one. Quite the opposite: Floris was completely upfront with Orson about who he was from the very start, and I really appreciated that honesty. It made their connection feel a lot more solid and mature.

Both of them really grew on me. Orson is a little stiff at first, very focused on his studies, but as we get to know him better, it all makes so much sense. And Floris was the absolute perfect match for him with his sunshine attitude, his endless patience, and his earnest affection. They made such a strong, steady couple with so much gentle, open, honest communication about their feelings and expectations and boundaries and I just… ugh, <i>swoon.</i>

Also, I felt Floris in my soul with how he wanted to kiss Orson whenever he got nerdy about stuff that mattered to him. Same, Floris. Same. There’s just nothing more attractive and beautiful than someone lighting up while talking about their passions. 

One of the things I enjoyed most (besides the romance) was how much I unexpectedly learned along the way. Water management, flood prevention, and civil engineering? Not even remotely on my radar, but this book made it seem so fascinating! The Dutch Delta Works? Absolutely mind-blowing! I’m now armed with quite a few <i>‘Did you know…?!’</i> facts, ready to annoy everyone around me. I’m sorry in advance.

On top of that, I loved all the food talk and the exploration of cultural differences throughout the book. And the chunk of the story set in New Orleans was an absolute highlight for me.

The beginning was a bit slow, but honestly, it suited these characters well. This story was all about the tentative steps of friendship first - gentle, careful, believable - and I loved the slow progression into something more. That said, I did feel like the story could have benefitted from slightly higher emotional stakes in the second half, just to give us a bit more to root for. As it was, things fizzled out a little towards the end, while the wrap-up in the epilogue felt oddly rushed.  

Still, this was such a sweet, heartwarming addition to the series - <b>which I enjoyed much more than book one</b> - and I’m honestly so curious to see where the next book will take us!


<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the chance to read this ARC. This is my honest opinion.</i>

'Prince Material' is an easy, low-angst read following two unlikely roommates who each bring their own emotional baggage to the story.

My feelings about it are mixed: while I appreciate books that skip the unnecessary third-act breakup drama, and I'm glad to see healthy communication throughout (which there's plenty of), I found myself wanting more dynamic development in their relationship. There's still a bit of a cliche here that I wish the book had subverted or at least gone against the grain: the playboy prince - more or less indiscreet with his numerous hookups - and the studious college student who is working out some family trauma. They both meet and pretty much fall into instant love after a short bit of denial and hiding.

Yet both Orson and Floris talk things through well (and they do remain quite steadfastly together throughout), but their romantic progression did feel predictable and could have used more compelling twists or maybe gone with higher emotional stakes to keep things a little more...moistly exciting.

*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley

Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This was super cute! This story follows Prince Floris, one of four European princes, who hi are friends, that made a pact to live life like “commoners” for a year. Since they are further down the line of succession they aren’t as well known outside of Europe so they plan to take these normal life years in America. Floris is at a small college in Massachusetts. He meets is roommate Orson who is very studious as has no time for friends or fun. Though he does know who Floris is and doesn’t seem to care too much. Orson’s family went through a tragedy, Hurricane Katrina, that was bough devastating for his home town New Orleans and for his family itself. Now Orson is trying to be worthy of the sacrifice that was made for him. He can only do this but studying hard and becoming a Civil Engineer, though that’s not where his heart is. As the two spend time together their feelings grow and when an emergency happens those feelings become physical. But will Orson stay once he realizes what the press is like? Will Orson be good enough for Floris world? Floris is trying to prove he’s not who the press makes him out to be. Orson’s stuck between who he wants to be with the Prince who makes him happy and who he is supposed to be, who the sacrifice needs him to be. Nora Phoenix’s latest is cute, charming, funny, sexy, spicy, and incredibly sweet! I loved both Orson and Floris and their families! A wonderful second book in the Prince Pact series and I can’t wait to see what’s next!