Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: The Hot Mess Prince

SERIES: Standalone

AUTHOR: Emily Spady

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

LENGTH: 203 Pages

RELEASE DATE: October 12, 2023

BLURB:

Neel Batra is good–no, great–at his job. A consummate professional despite all the chaos of managing one of the most notorious party boy royals in Europe, he never lets Prince Thibault get under his skin. Well, almost never. And he certainly doesn’t entertain any thoughts or feelings that are less than professional. Especially after an image rehab campaign sees Neel and the prince working in closer conditions than ever.

Prince Thibault d’Archimbault may be a disaster, but even he knows certain things–and people–are off limits. Even if he can’t help noticing his assistant’s pretty eyes, and how fun it is to annoy him. Can he practice self-control for once in his life and stay out of Neel Batra’s way, even while they work together on cleaning up Thibault’s reputation? Or will things get distinctly … messy?

The Hot Mess Prince is a sweet, snarky m/m romance with kittens, cheese festivals, royal gossip, and a guaranteed HEA.

REVIEW:

The prince is a reckless, restless disaster and doesn’t want to be king. Nevertheless, he has no choice; his country’s economic security relies on the reputation of the Royal Family. But Prince Thibault has an angel in the wings who puts him to bed and does his best to limit the damage the prince causes on social media. To clean up Tibhault’s reputation, the two embark on a new strategy. In the process, a prince who was a disaster finds himself and has unexpected revelations. However, a romance between a commoner and a prince can be complicated.

When I read the blurb for The Hot Mess Prince, something spoke to me, and I wasn’t disappointed. I encountered a delightfully written story full of snark, heat, and a desperately unhappy prince finding his HEA. In short – these two melted my heart.

The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Neel and Tibhault. Worldbuilding includes morning after the night before scenes, and the stunning Scandinavian countryside, all producing vivid imagery.

Neel is smart, efficient, and then some. He’s the assistant that would be recommended to every royal household. Yet, his starched collar persona irritates and turns on Tibhault. My only question is, what took Tibs three years to notice the man? Maybe this story picks out a pertinent period, and what came before was merely build-up. Neel hasn’t let his hair down in a long time because the fallout wasn’t worth it. When he does, though, it is surprising and hilarious.

Tibhaults’ characteristics can be seen in many RL royal households. The bored prince that lives life through obligation without any true passions, or place of his own, other than his birthright. So, Tibhaults’ party persona is his form of rebellion.

The cast is small, which suited my reading tastes, and the narrative was one that has featured in many headlines. However, the story was told in an extremely page-turning, entertaining way, with drama and angst in just the right places.

If the story of a commoner and a prince is your kind of thing, then this book is a must for your shelf.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon