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norassick's review
3.0
thank you netgalley for this <3
BUT let's talk about how this had so much potential but? IT DIDN'T HIT the spot like, at all
not a single character was likeable? how is that possible? i just didn't have empathy for anyone here?
except maybe poor Billy, also Mack. I just don't get how woohoo new kid you're now the prince plot line like at all? so the person who was literally groomed to become king just can't now because a person one minute older showed up?
and don't let me get started about eddie, very backstabby no me gusta (but i get it, kind of)
Didn't care for pax and they're supposed to be the only nb representation, they felt barely 2d so welp.
Basically this had "how do you do, fellow kids" energy
Over all, it was not a bad read at all, it just felt? Rushed somehow i disliked the fast pace, but the premise was there and i enjoyed it so 3 stars!!
BUT let's talk about how this had so much potential but? IT DIDN'T HIT the spot like, at all
not a single character was likeable? how is that possible? i just didn't have empathy for anyone here?
except maybe poor Billy, also Mack. I just don't get how woohoo new kid you're now the prince plot line like at all? so the person who was literally groomed to become king just can't now because a person one minute older showed up?
and don't let me get started about eddie, very backstabby no me gusta (but i get it, kind of)
Didn't care for pax and they're supposed to be the only nb representation, they felt barely 2d so welp.
Basically this had "how do you do, fellow kids" energy
Over all, it was not a bad read at all, it just felt? Rushed somehow i disliked the fast pace, but the premise was there and i enjoyed it so 3 stars!!
popthebutterfly's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Tale of Two Princes
Author: Eric Geron
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Gay MC, Queer (mostly identified as gay, but also as queer) MC, Gay characters, MM romances, Black non-binary gender-nonconforming character, Queer characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, alternate reality Canada, queer, LGBT, romance, retellings, Gay, MM romance
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Age Relevance: 14+ (cancer, parental death, homophobia, death, anxiety attack, animal slaughter)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of cancer and parental death. Homophobia is shown and mentioned throughout the book. Death is discussed and talked about. There are a couple of scenes where an anxiety attack is shown. There is a mention of animal slaughter with cows once in the book.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Edward Dinnissen, Crown Prince of Canada, loves getting the royal treatment at his exclusive Manhattan private school and living in a fancy mansion on Park Avenue. But despite living a royal life of luxury, Edward is unsure how to tell his parents, his expectant country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.
Billy Boone couldn’t be happier: he loves small-town life and his family’s Montana ranch, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. But this out-and-proud cowboy is finally admitting to himself that he feels destined for more . . .
When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City and discover that they are long-lost twins, their lives are forever changed. Will the twin princes—“twinces”— be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal disaster?
Review: This was a cute book and I loved the alternate reality of it. The book, which follows two twin princes as they navigate suddenly finding each other and handling the passing of the monarchy from one twin to another, takes place dually in Canada (where the monarchy reigns) and America. I liked the story, it reminded me a little of the Prince and the Pauper, but also had a lot of Princess Diary and Sister Sister vibes to it. The book had a great feel to it and it flowed pretty well. The character development was great as was the world building.
However, I had a couple of issues with the book. I thought that the character of Pax was a bit too stereotyped in a few places, but I’m not an ownvoice reviewer in that aspect so please refer to ownvoice reviewers about their thoughts on the character. I also absolutely hated everyone in this book except for Billy (and Pax mostly). Every character rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn’t help but feel for Billy the most, even though he was blamed the most. It infuriated me to say the least and I don’t know if it was my personal feelings on the matter or the book’s writing that caused me to feel like this.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: A Tale of Two Princes
Author: Eric Geron
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Gay MC, Queer (mostly identified as gay, but also as queer) MC, Gay characters, MM romances, Black non-binary gender-nonconforming character, Queer characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, alternate reality Canada, queer, LGBT, romance, retellings, Gay, MM romance
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Age Relevance: 14+ (cancer, parental death, homophobia, death, anxiety attack, animal slaughter)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of cancer and parental death. Homophobia is shown and mentioned throughout the book. Death is discussed and talked about. There are a couple of scenes where an anxiety attack is shown. There is a mention of animal slaughter with cows once in the book.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Edward Dinnissen, Crown Prince of Canada, loves getting the royal treatment at his exclusive Manhattan private school and living in a fancy mansion on Park Avenue. But despite living a royal life of luxury, Edward is unsure how to tell his parents, his expectant country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.
Billy Boone couldn’t be happier: he loves small-town life and his family’s Montana ranch, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. But this out-and-proud cowboy is finally admitting to himself that he feels destined for more . . .
When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City and discover that they are long-lost twins, their lives are forever changed. Will the twin princes—“twinces”— be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal disaster?
Review: This was a cute book and I loved the alternate reality of it. The book, which follows two twin princes as they navigate suddenly finding each other and handling the passing of the monarchy from one twin to another, takes place dually in Canada (where the monarchy reigns) and America. I liked the story, it reminded me a little of the Prince and the Pauper, but also had a lot of Princess Diary and Sister Sister vibes to it. The book had a great feel to it and it flowed pretty well. The character development was great as was the world building.
However, I had a couple of issues with the book. I thought that the character of Pax was a bit too stereotyped in a few places, but I’m not an ownvoice reviewer in that aspect so please refer to ownvoice reviewers about their thoughts on the character. I also absolutely hated everyone in this book except for Billy (and Pax mostly). Every character rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn’t help but feel for Billy the most, even though he was blamed the most. It infuriated me to say the least and I don’t know if it was my personal feelings on the matter or the book’s writing that caused me to feel like this.
Verdict: It was good!
henrymarlene's review against another edition
2.0
Gay identical twin brothers, separated at birth and are reunited in the whirlwind setting of New York City. Edward Dinnissen is the Crown Prince of Canada, in his last year of high school and about to be coronated, trying to reinvent himself as a worthy candidate to be sworn in after his last birthday fiasco with friend Neel. Billy lives in Montana with his sister and mum, and best friend Pax and boyfriend Dustin in tow, with a dream to play violin at Julliard.
Both Billy and Edward are working through the motions of being comfortable in their own skin. Edward is very worried that coming out will ruin the Royal family, and Billy is trying to work out his direction without his father around, and support his mother who is grappling with running the family ranch.
You will need to park a lot of questions at the door: why there is a royal family in Canada, why did they leave the UK (is this a Harry and Meghan element?), and why social media did not out these two faces together long ago were two that weren’t really explained a lot. The struggle of Edward with being a crown prince and living a life he wanted to was sad yet could have benefited from some more in-depth emotional deliverance. This book fits that Hallmark style: two people meet (or crash into each other), they fall in and out of sync and then it’s resolved in the end in a few quirky ways. Even the minor characters like Pax and Neel go through the motion sin this queer trope. Billy’s sister, Mack was a highlight.
Thanks @harlequinaustralia for the copy of the book to read!
Both Billy and Edward are working through the motions of being comfortable in their own skin. Edward is very worried that coming out will ruin the Royal family, and Billy is trying to work out his direction without his father around, and support his mother who is grappling with running the family ranch.
You will need to park a lot of questions at the door: why there is a royal family in Canada, why did they leave the UK (is this a Harry and Meghan element?), and why social media did not out these two faces together long ago were two that weren’t really explained a lot. The struggle of Edward with being a crown prince and living a life he wanted to was sad yet could have benefited from some more in-depth emotional deliverance. This book fits that Hallmark style: two people meet (or crash into each other), they fall in and out of sync and then it’s resolved in the end in a few quirky ways. Even the minor characters like Pax and Neel go through the motion sin this queer trope. Billy’s sister, Mack was a highlight.
Thanks @harlequinaustralia for the copy of the book to read!
cpsipe's review against another edition
5.0
Okay but I low key loved this book. It gave Princess Diaries, it gave Parent Trap, it gave the Prince and I. It also have characters that had major flaws and weren’t perfect, and guess what — THAT’S REAL LIFE.
spetestar's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
cinderulz's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
aperez23's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was such a sweet read. I throughly enjoyed the family/friendship aspects as well as the romance.
hugokessler's review against another edition
2.0
An implausible premise met with a lack of thorough word-building results in a bit of a confusing mess. I think this premise was workable, but the book skips from one implausible scenario to another, never setting down any concrete rules, so it’s difficult to know what to take seriously.
This is compounded by the fact that the POV switches between the two twin brothers each chapter — but the twins are identical. And by that, I don’t mean they’re identical twins (though they are), but that their POVs feel identical. Despite their very different upbringings, they frequently feel interchangeable as characters. Both have a hidden artistic talent they aren’t sure if they want to pursue, both have a quirky friend who will flirt with their twin counterpart, and both are exploring what it means to be crown prince of Canada (that lack of world building I mentioned earlier comes into play here, as what that means is never truly defined outside of having to do generic prince stuff). The book feels very repetitive as a result.
Oh, and finally, I get it, the book’s set in Canada. Not every event, or desert, or newspaper needs the word “maple” in it. One might suggest it’s meant to be camp, but the book never feels in on the joke.
This is compounded by the fact that the POV switches between the two twin brothers each chapter — but the twins are identical. And by that, I don’t mean they’re identical twins (though they are), but that their POVs feel identical. Despite their very different upbringings, they frequently feel interchangeable as characters. Both have a hidden artistic talent they aren’t sure if they want to pursue, both have a quirky friend who will flirt with their twin counterpart, and both are exploring what it means to be crown prince of Canada (that lack of world building I mentioned earlier comes into play here, as what that means is never truly defined outside of having to do generic prince stuff). The book feels very repetitive as a result.
Oh, and finally, I get it, the book’s set in Canada. Not every event, or desert, or newspaper needs the word “maple” in it. One might suggest it’s meant to be camp, but the book never feels in on the joke.
sophierenee's review against another edition
4.0
& I knew there was something fishy going on. The ending was sort of predictable but was still a fairly good listen