A review by nmcannon
The Prince's Pretty Guards by Beau Van Dalen

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Prince’s Pretty Guards is a midquel between The Prince’s Loving Guards and the next one, and I loved it. The smarmy god of Arkaus grants another wish—and this time Hal lets his guards explore their secret desires. Suddenly, Hal isn’t the only one being vulnerable. I relished in the character and relationship growth between Kaiser and Elwood. Sometimes it feels like the guards instantaneously fell in love with Hal (unless there’s a secret previous connection revealed later?), and their own love story is a slow burn paced to stretch the whole series. Connect that final triangle side, boys! The prose is highly polished, and I only have one quibble. The dresses could be described more vividly and more often. When Elwood came out in a pink dress, I visualized one million billion petticoats, but that begged questions later of how anyone made eye contact while buried in his thighs, hahaha. Overall, I found myself reading very slowly because I didn’t want the book to end. The Prince’s Pretty Guards might be my favorite of the series so far. I look forward to the next!