2.5 stars (rounded up)

This was a cute read! I quite enjoyed the writing style, and the characters were well developed too.

I really liked Tore’s pompous/posh way of talking. That was funny. And as for Farron, I thought his home life was well developed, and I understood where his grievances came from. He learns that not all rich people are the same, and understands that Tore is different. So that was admirable and a good character arc.

Unfortunately there were a few things I did not enjoy.

I didn’t think their relationship was fully developed. For me it was more about lust. I don’t know, I just didn’t see the emotional connection because it was very fast paced. It would’ve been nice to see more cute/endearing moments between the two, to really show how their love was developing.

My biggest concern was the fact that their teammate forced both Tore and Farron to come out. Their teammate walked in on them making out, then immediately called the entire soccer team into the room so T&F could share the news because he “couldn’t keep a secret”. Well buddy that was not your choice to make! If anyone did that in real life, they would be shamed for it and honestly I would stop being their friend. That was totally uncool and not right, at all.

It also would’ve been nice to see more development of the boys’ journey with discovering they’re bi. It was sort of like “ok I liked kissing him, I’m bi,” But there’s usually more inner turmoil, or it usually takes a while to come to terms with your sexuality changing. It’s not an instantaneous acceptance of it, especially when they’ve gone their whole lives thinking they were straight.

Overall, this is a cute, surface level book. It was easy to read, and yeah it was cute. But I didn’t love it.

This is 3.5 stars for me. I loved the relationship between the MMC’s, the dialogue parts were stilted at times but overall a fun read.

This was a great read for fans of red, white, and royal blue. I loved seeing Farron and Tores journeys in discovery their queerness. I do wish we had seen just a bit more conversations to show the depth of their relationship. Overall this was a fun romance and I enjoyed the dual POVs.

The Prince and The Player was a cute romance novel where the prince of Norway just wants to be a regular person for a year and play soccer. Along the way he develops a rivalry with the team captain which leads to a little bit of an obsession with the team captain.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. If you like a fun quick romance it hits the mark. I enjoyed watching Tore and Farron work through their differences and would have loved to see a little more of the in between moments between them. I think if you are looking for a quick, fun, easy read this book is worth picking up! It seems like it may be the first book in a series of stand alones, I would gladly pick up the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

Characters: 3⭐
Plot: 2.5⭐
Writing Style: 3⭐
Enjoyment: 3.5⭐
Overall rating: 3⭐

What to expect? Prince Tore of Norway goes to an American school to experience what it's like to be incognito. While on the soccer team, he forms an unlikely bond with a player that's not too happy about him joining the team, Farron.

Things I loved?
🔸 This was cute and the ending wrapped things up nicely.
🔸 This was also one of those books that's clearly teased things out to make it seem like there will be a bunch of 'standalones' in the series type of thing. So, fingers crossed.
🔸 I liked how soccer didn't feel like a backdrop, but an integral part of the story.
🔸 The hometown visit was super cute too.

What could be improved?
🔸 The love story didn't feel believable to me. I wish we'd gotten to see more intimacy between the characters, because when they were confessing their love for each other I was like "huh". I wanted more cute scenes between characters, I wanted things to be more gradual. All we really get are a few moments of passion when emotions are running high.
🔸 The characters also felt a tiny bit one dimensional.

Books recs if you liked this one?
🔸 Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - this is the absolute classic gay royal romance. It's a must read.

Would I recommend this book? I'm 50/50. If you're a person that reads a lot of books in a year and you're looking for a good time, read it. But if you only read a handful of books a year, don't. For me, it was worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had the chance to read an ARC of The Prince and the Player through NetGalley (thank you!), and wow—I devoured this book in a day! It was completely addictive, and I couldn’t put it down.

Tore and Farron had such an amazing dynamic. The enemies-to-lovers tension? Perfection. I loved how their relationship evolved, and their bi-awakening journey felt real and well-developed. Tore’s sunshine personality clashing with Farron’s grumpiness made for some great moments, and their chemistry was off the charts.

The story itself was so well done—fun, emotional, and full of heart. If you love royal romances, sports romance, or just a really engaging romance with great characters, definitely check this one out.

I loved this book and I’ve read a lot by this author. This was a very fun and well crafted rom com with a lot of heart. I will look for the rest of the series.