The rules of royalty by Cale Dietrich

Jamie Johnson’s life is turned upside-down when he is told on his 17th birthday that his father is the king of a European country; the dying wish of his mother was that he should be brought up having a normal life away from the restrictions of royalty. But now, he has the opportunity to visit his father’s palace and step into the role of prince. It’s arranged that he will be tutored in the expectations of his role by a prince from a neighbouring country. Erik, like Jamie, is gay, and their relationship soon changes from friends to budding romance. The stumbling block is that Erik must adhere to his grandmother’s choice of partner, and his relationship with Jamie is supposed to remain strictly platonic.

The nice thing about this story is that being gay is out in the open, and everybody is accepting of that, with the only exception being the nasty homophobic prime minister, and he is not a very significant character. This is pure fantasy romance, the relationship between the two young men is warm and caring. There is no ‘failed communication’ trope; they discuss their problems together and reach mutual understanding. It really is a ‘how to’ guide to a good relationship.

Dietrich portrays the cautiousness and uncertainty of young people working out whether feelings are reciprocated, along with the gradual building of trust and confidence. There are no shocks along the way. The fantasy royal setting just adds a little bit of glamour. This is a pleasantly reassuring portrayal of young love which is easy to read and enjoy.

Dietrich’s previous book was a collaboration with Sophie Gonzales If this gets out (2021) with similar themes, though perhaps more fully fleshed out. Readers who enjoy The rules of royalty might like to seek that one out as well.

Themes: LGBQTI+, Romance, Fantasy.

Helen Eddy