Playing the Palace
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4.2 • 124 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
One of Buzzfeed's 39 Excellent LGBTQ Books To Read This Month And Always
THEIR LOVE STORY CAPTIVATED THE WORLD…THE CROWN PRINCE AND THAT GUY FROM NEW YORK
When a lonely American event planner starts dating the gay Prince of Wales, a royal uproar ensues: is it true love or the ultimate meme? Find out in this hilarious romantic comedy.
After having his heart trampled on by his cheating ex, Carter Ogden is afraid love just isn’t in the cards for him. He still holds out hope in a tiny corner of his heart, but even in his wildest dreams he never thought he’d meet the Crown Prince of England, much less do a lot more with him. Yes, growing up he’d fantasized about the handsome, openly gay Prince Edgar, but who hadn’t? When they meet by chance at an event Carter’s boss is organizing, Carter’s sure he imagined all that sizzling chemistry. Or was it mutual?
This unlikely but meant-to-be romance sets off media fireworks on both sides of the Atlantic. With everyone having an opinion on their relationship and the intense pressure of being constantly in the spotlight, Carter finds ferocious obstacles to his Happily Ever After, including the tenacious disapproval of the Queen of England. Carter and Price Edgar fight for a happy ending to equal their glorious international beginning. It’s a match made on Valentine’s Day and in tabloid heaven.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
How does first-date small talk go in a rom-com written by renowned playwright Paul Rudnick? One example: Edgar’s answer to “So what do you do?” is “I wait for my relatives to die so I can rule England.” Edgar, you see, is a drop-dead-gorgeous member of the British royal family—and probably the world’s most famous gay man. On the other hand, his new boyfriend, Carter, is a nearly-30 assistant event planner living in a tiny Hell’s Kitchen apartment with two roommates. Suffice to say, it doesn’t exactly go smoothly when Edgar brings his new American beau around to meet his family. Rudnick is as brilliant at acerbic one-liners as he is at wide-eyed mushiness. He’s written the funniest, sweetest LGBTQ romance we’ve read in ages.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The latest camp riff from Rudnick (It's All Your Fault) picks up the royal romance tropes laid down by Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue and turns them into pegs upon which to hang the fluffiest of narrative shtick. New York City event planner Carter Ogden meets and falls for Edgar, the crown prince of Britain, at an event—but despite this high concept premise, the story is light on both romance and politics. In fact, there's little plot at all. Narrator Carter is less a romantic hero than a stand-up comedian who moves from an IHOP on 14th Street to the United Nations to Buckingham Palace as scenario after scenario is sketched to showcase his self-absorbed, neurotic, and, yes, funny extended monologue about being gay, Jewish, and lovelorn. The improbable love interest, Edgar, is an earnest and well-executed foil for Carter's hyperbolic breathlessness. But a wedding at the end doth not a romance make, and readers will enjoy the performance much more if they frame their expectations in terms of an updated Seinfeld script. Readers may not swoon, but they're sure to laugh out loud.
Customer Reviews
I laughed a lot!
Yes, it seems similar to Red White and Royal Blue…
The difference is that this book is so funny and witty!
Wonderful!
I enjoyed every page.
A “fairy” tale with two real princes…
Although I have long had reservations of royal traditions in modern democracies, Edgar and Carter are my current favorite romantic heroes. I found it very interesting that the American was Jewish, for no other reason than the combination of gay and Jewish humor in dialogue and situations was wonderful. There two young men were the embodiment of charm and humor, and I couldn’t help hoping for their futures together. Carter’s first few forays into Edgar’s royal appearances were delightful and humorous, although the interview where they broke up (temporarily) had a host I wanted to strangle. This was a true fairy tale, even though there were two Prince Charmings ….. I’d love a sequel.