The Hot Mess Prince

by Emily Spady

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.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Queer, Gay, LGBT, Royalty, Fiction

203 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2023

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Prince of a fictional European country and his long-suffering personal assistant

- Frenemies

- Opposites attract (Thibault is the wild child to Neel's put-together, organized persona)

- Separation (I was scratching my head over Neel's out-of-character impulsive running away / resignation)

- HEA (the ending felt rush; Neel comes back, and they're engaged in the next chapter)

- Cute & fun story, if a little boring

[ancientreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

More engaging, really, than it had any business being. IMO it starts a bit rocky -- making a wild-child royal character attractive to his strait-laced minder is a big lift, and Spady doesn't quite manage it. Also, it needed to be a slower burn: once Prince Thibault starts trying to redeem himself, Neel falls into bed with him way too fast to be halfway credible. Like, I just don't see him allowing that to happen, what with professional ethics and all.

And yet! Once the relationship got going, I couldn't help liking them both and rooting for the HEA; plus, the sentence-level and paragraph-level writing is bright and snappy so the story didn't get in its own way.

I borrowed this from KU to help me decide whether to request an ARC of Duke for the Summer from GRR, and by the time I finished and went back to put a request in, all the available copies were gone. Drat.

3.5 stars, rounded up because I had a good time even when I was rolling my eyes.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet read with two MCs that couldn't be more opposite even if they tried.
Thibault is the Prince of a small European country and Neel is his assistant. Poor Neel has to deal with his Highness's scandals as the Prince is always getting drunk and hooking up with almost everyone. Then the Queen tells Thibault to find a purpose, something he can enjoy in life and Neel makes a list. That's when things get interesting.
This book was such a delight to read. Neel had the patience of a Saint, but he was determined to make Thibault look good and the Prince... Well, he was just so lost and felt very lonely, having Neel around made Thibault feel seen and taken care of.
I loved how they learnt about each other slowly, at the same time they crossed things off the list they became friends and shared many things about their lives and their pasts. It was a slow burn relationship but their chemistry was there all along. At first they were the typical opposites-attract, but in the end they weren't that different.
I enjoyed the author's writing style and the way she described both the MCs' feelings and emotions, it was relatable and even though one of them was royalty his problems were very commoner-like. It was a beautiful story, with a lot of snarky comments and funny situations. There is a 3rd act break-up totally justified that made up for a wonderful HEA.

[therese ˃ᴗ˂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really connect with the mcs. I love that the mc is desi. The character development through narration feels rushed and forced. I still believe Thibs is not reformed or a good person. Also, the lack of romance is so off-putting. The tension was nice, but after that, there was nothing. There was longing, but you can not just narrate that you've fallen in love suddenly or the mcs have been pining for each other forever. Lastly, this lacks the whimsical aspect of modern royal romances. This just felt short.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

For all those who enjoy the falling in love with a prince trope filled with heaping amounts of humor, this is for you. The Hot Mess Prince is a fantastic romp through Ankenbrand, a tiny European country with a prince who just can’t get it together. Luckily he has Neel to make his apologies and attempt to mitigate the worst of his PR disasters. But when Prince Thibault goes a step too far and comes up with a list of activities to remediate his image, he begins to open up and Neel starts to see a softer side to the party-boy prince. Facing off against anti-royalist dissidents, the dreaded comment section on social media, and their own changing feelings, Neel and Thibault will have to see just what they’re willing to give up to have a shot at something real. This was really well done and I absolutely plan to read more by this author.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.


I found this a refreshing change, I really did!


I loved that Thibault loved to rattle Neel, and Neel knew he was doing it all on purpose, but he let him, mostly. I loved that the two of them grew close when Thibault set out to do a bit of an image reboot, given his recent behaviour.


I loved the layers of Thibault! Oh and I love love LOVED the fact that Neel was not allowed to call him Tibs, everyone else did that and he wanted something special in his life that was just his. Neel was his, they just didn't quite see it fast enough!


It's sweet and snarky, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


This appears to be the author's first book, or it's the only one I can see under this name. In some places, that does show. It's written in third person, and a couple of places flips from one to the other and back again, in the space of a paragraph. Not a massive issue, just enough times for me to notice it and for it needing to be mentioned.


That said, I look forward to reading more work b this author, as they develop their craft.


A very good 4 star read


*same worded review will appear elsewhere

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

This is a sweet and quiet romance that has two rather lonely men seeking comfort that is well-deserved. As much as the prince is a rascal, I adored him pretty much from the beginning. It was clear that he’s desperate for love, and he’s making bad choices because he lacks true connections. Tibs values Neel as a man, and as a partner, but he also respects Neel’s need to remain closeted. I loved the pace of this book; between Neel and Tibs both telling the story, we get a real deep dive into their vulnerabilities, sensibilitie,s and aspirations. Neel is crippled by the idea that his mom and sister will not accept his sexuality. Tibs is afraid to love another person who will discard or leave him behind. The pressure to maintain a private relationship is a lot for both men, and they aren’t super awesome about keeping it low-key.

Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince Thibault of Ankenbrand desperately needs an intervention. His indulgent lifestyle, including boozy nights and shocking affairs, is rubbing the people of his country the wrong way. He has earned himself quite the reputation as a spoiled playboy, and the most recent scandal has further marred his royal image. But that’s why he has an assistant—Neel Batra— to clean up all his messes. Neel is annoyingly bossy but efficient, and Thibault would never admit this, but he finds Neel extremely attractive. If anyone can fix Thibault’s PR nightmare of life, it’s him.

Neel Batra is used to conducting damage control concerning Prince Thibault. The devastatingly handsome (and irritating) royal has found himself in another situation. Still, this latest scandal is proving too difficult to sweep under the rug. Neel needs to devise a plan (and fast!) to repair Thibault’s soiled image and win back the people’s respect. With the queen’s input and approval, Neel comes up with an idea to help him. But it means he and Thibault will spend more time together, making it hard for Neel to ignore the burning need to touch the intolerable prince’s perfectly sculpted body.

“The Hot Mess Prince” by Emily Spady is an immersive LGBTQ+ contemporary romance from which I couldn’t tear myself away. Endearing and rife with laugh-out-loud antics, readers will be absorbed in the story about a tightly wound assistant harboring a heady crush and a handsome but royally (no pun intended) annoying prince. The two must put their heads (and maybe lips) together to clean up the prince’s colossal mess and prevent it from tarnishing his image forever.

Nothing pulls on my heartstrings more than a robust romance—throw in scandal and hilariously flawed but lovable characters, and I will happily clear my schedule. I ultimately did that when reading Spady’s immersive novel—shirked my responsibilities, much to my husband’s dismay (sorry, not sorry!) I couldn’t get enough of Neel and Prince Thibault’s chemistry that heated the pages. Further, the author expertly built intriguing backstories and provided a crystal clear glimpse into both men’s internal dialogue, struggle, and desires thanks to the alternating perspective. And to top it all off, the pacing was flawless. This novel is full of wins!

There is something to be said for opposites attracting, and the author hit the head right on the nail with this delightful coupling. Neel’s no-nonsense approach was needed to rein in the prince’s laissez-faire attitude. Thibault’s fun-loving (and slightly reckless) antics might be the key to softening Neel’s heart. If you enjoy quirky, contemporary romance stories with red-hot appeal, “The Hot Mess Prince” by Emily Spady is a must-read!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and charming story, I’ve been in a bit of royal mood lately so I was definitely excited about this book and I did really enjoy Thibault and Neel. They are a great combination – high strung personal assistant meets charming, party-boy wild child prince, but there really is a lot more to both of these men and behind the drama they find a real connection.

Neel is used to cleaning up Prince Thibault’s messes both behind the scenes and to the public and there have been many. He works very hard to be successful and has always made a point to keep his personal life just that – personal. But there’s something about Thibault that gets to him, makes him feels and that’s dangerous for him, especially as the two start spending more time together and he starts to see a different side to the prince. Thibault comes across as very shallow and vain, living his life one party to the next, but behind his party boy façade is a man dealing with a lot of loneliness and abandonment issues. It’s easy for him to be the flippant wild child than to admit how he really feels. When the Queen demands that he clean up his image he comes up with a plan to show his interest in his community and plans events visiting local businesses and exploring the area. Those plans include having Neel right by his side.

I really liked these two together, their connection feels very deep and genuine and despite their differences they bring out the best in each other. They are very easy to root for! But, even though they’re definitely growing feelings for each other, Neel is determined to keep whatever is happening between them a secret, he’s not out and has no plans on changing that. I really felt for him because it’s easy to see how much these two care about each other. Of course, life doesn’t work that way though and their secrets are exposed and it will test everything both men are feeling.

There was a lot I liked about this book, especially the building of the relationship between Neel and Thibault. I loved seeing them both soften and open up to each other, I felt like it was healing to them both. I struggled a bit with the drama side and the separation that seemed to go on too long a bit for me and then the reunion, while it made my heart happy felt rushed. But, overall, I really enjoyed their story and loved seeing them getting the love and happiness they both deserved.

[Taylin Clavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Lov Bytes – 4.5 hearts.
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.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.

[KohoutReadsRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good one! Prince Thibault of Arkenbrand is a bit of a hot mess and he's just created his latest scandal, sleeping with a beloved rugby player who was not single ... or out. His all-business assistant, Neel, is determined to improve his image and they create a list of events and activities for him to complete to plug local businesses and charities. Thibault drives Neel, and most of the country, insane with his antics. But the good press is starting to help. Along the way, the two have a harder and harder time ignoring their attraction for each other. Eventually, they can't help themselves anymore and they hook up.

Despite Neel not wanting to be just a hookup, he's also not interested in going public with the prince and being hounded by paparazzi. They decide to keep things casual and secret, and they also give it an end date so they can just get it out of their systems. But, you KNOW that just isn't gonna happen😂 They hit a few obstacles along the way, leading to a tough 3rd act, but it's worth it!!

These two are like oil and water but somehow they work together perfectly. Their sex scenes aren't super graphic, but you get enough detail to know what's going on. They do get adventurous with locations, but otherwise it's not too wild.

There are some laughs thanks to the pair's banter and bickering. Your eyes may water a bit when there's a tense moment with an anti-royalist group, but nothing too sad.

Overall, this was a fun read with lots of pining, a bit of angst and lots of love! These two are such a mess and I love it. It's got major RWRB vibes with an Indian man as the assistant, but if Henry was waaaaaay wilder🤣

CW: assault on the page, bicycle accident

[Bol.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a must-read, charming, entertaining, opposite attracts, feel-good, and cozy love story with HEA. It is an excellent choice for fans of fun, easy-to-read novels and comfortable, warm stories.
Dark drama, angst, and complex issues seekers might not enjoy it as much. Regardless, this book is worth reading if only because of excellent writing and storytelling.

Why 5 stars:
Compelling yet fast-paced storytelling without compromising the depth of characters or plot.
Excellent and eloquent writing and story development.
Well-defined, charming, and relatable characters you must love despite their flaws.
Vivid, witty, and descriptive writing makes reading enjoyable and captivating without getting monotonous, repetitive, or boring.
The storyline is predictable; however, the author created a dynamic and exciting read.
The right balance of wits, drama, and attraction makes this book entertaining and compelling.
I could not find any reason against recommending this book.

Though I prefer books with complex stories, drama, angst, and challenging topics, I utterly enjoyed reading this book from the first to the last page. I am looking forward to reading more from Emily Spady.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting and engaging debut

To be fair, it wasn't just Thibault that was a hot mess, as Neel matched him in that respect.
It started a bit slowly but it kept my interest and I grew to love both characters. At first, Thibault drove me nuts but it didn't take long to see behind his mask and then Neel drove me nuts instead.
I wanted to hug Thibault once Emily showed us his true self, essentially a lost boy acting out, but not really a spoilt brat. He had reasons for his actions, and I truly wanted him to be happy.
Neel was uptight and reserved, highy efficient and competent, his job mainly consisting of being a Thibault-wrangler. He also hid behind a mask, even with his family.
Thibault and Neel were great characters, and it was incredibly easy to become invested in them and their happiness, so much so that I was almost shouting at Neel for the last part of the book.
It wasn't just them though, because I loved Thibault's grandmother, and Viola, Jamil and Antonia were also good fun. Neel's little niece made me smile, bless her.
The ending was lovely, very fitting and just what I needed after the last few chapters.
For a debut book, Emily has written a very self-assured novel, and she had some lovely turns of phrase at times, very descriptive and conjuring beautiful images. I'm looking forward very much to reading what she writes next.

[Traci S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has tons of charm and was a fun read. The writing style is quite engaging and the characters are very distinct and interesting. I don’t read many royalty romance because they often aren’t relatable, but I like this that this felt quite modern. I enjoyed the spark between Prince Tibs and his PA Neel. I also appreciated that the tension between the if more snarky banter than outright meanness. While it’s not a super steamy read, their scenes are beautifully written and described. I liked spending time with these characters and Queen Eleanor in particular was an absolute delight. These two grow closer as they work to rehabilitate the Prince’s terrible (and deserved) reputation and help save the monarchy. The reconciliation at the end and the epilogue did feel a little glossed over, a little too quick for me. It felt like a light low angst read to me but the threat of abolishing the monarchy in Ankenbrand’s keeps it interesting. A really fun read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Mc Chanster · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Okay, so this was a pretty cute read and I was definitely giggling my way through it.

Thibault, despite some terrible, terrible choices, is actually rather charming and the way he needles Neel brought more than one smile to my face. Even from the beginning, it was clear they had affection for one another so when they finally stepped away from their platonic relationship, I was pretty damn happy. I loved that Neel helped Thibault get his life in order, and that Thibault helped Neel loosen up – a great pair and so cute.

My only issue with this novel is that things felt a little unpolished – the plot was a little loose with events kind of thrown together, and I wish there was a little more time spent on the characters and their connections to one another. Regardless, I quite enjoyed Hot Mess Prince and will be looking for more from this author!

Thank you Voracious Readers and Emily Spady for my copy! I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All above thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Helen Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author. Emily Spady has a lyrical writing style that greatly appealed to me, and I loved descriptions like this one: "A rare shard of late-afternoon sunlight illuminates them both and turns the raindrops falling around them into pearls suspended in air." Both MCs were interesting people whom I enjoyed getting to know. However, the pacing of this book could have been much better. The time the MCs took to fall in love was overly quick, seemingly happening in a matter of days. Then the angst-filled portion of the book dragged on far too long, over the course of months. If the pacing were better balanced, I would have rated this book 4 stars. I believe it's a case of unrealized potential.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince Thibault is a walking disaster as far as his reputation goes and he's always getting bad press on social media and stirring up anti-royal feeling. Poor Neel is given the job of "managing" Thibault to try to prevent him getting into more hot water and at the same time mitigating the damage he's already done. That means these two have to work closely together, and Neel as well as we the readers start to get to see inside Thibault and understand what makes him tick. There's an unexpected person hiding under that troublemaking persona and it's wonderful to watch Neel peel back the layers.

[brownsoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I will be in my top 2023 reads. This is a new to me writer so I wasn't to sure. Royalty mixing protocol and employees is catnip for me. The plot is simple Prince with no direction with a PA that spends way to much time in MS Excel. The yearning for each other is sweet, without the angst suffocation. I would like to commend the author for describing a POC with using food or other strange comparisons. THANK YOU. The hijinks are fun, the spice hot, and just an enjoyable tale. I will be looking forward to more of their books. I received and arc from Gay Romantic Reviews and this is my review.

[Juniper · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s plenty of fun and plenty that’s funny here. Tropes galore, and nicely executed for the most part. There’s also an enjoyable romance and characters who are well worth getting to know. I liked Neel a lot from the beginning, and Thibault grew on me (spoiled rich dude who thinks annoying someone is the same as flirting with them…not my thing. But the person he is underneath the layers of performance is definitely worth spending time with).

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revamping builds character. Neel, is Prince Thibault's assistant. No matter what, he must maintain emotional distance. Prince Thibault is a bit of a hot mess, he can't seem to help himself. Neel is helping him revamp his reputation. When they catch feels they think they can just get it out of their system and keep on as usual. There are a few challenges emotionally and professionally. Fun story, great characters with fun challenges. Good flow, with absolutely relatable characters. Nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Madalyn George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only the prince is a hot mess!

The Hot Mess Prince is a lovely addition to the royal meets commoner trope, with a characteristically spoiled brat of a prince, and an uptight., if not charming. personal assistant.

The tension between these two pops off the page and I was rooting for them from the start. Spady walked the line of too much of a mess and too uptight to care about perfectly as she unpeeled these two characters, for us, for themselves and for each other.

Picturesque settings and playful “behind closed door” scenes added to a wonderful, light and fun romantic read.

[John Addiego · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully-written, fast-paced, and evocative story of celebrity, sex, and (ultimately) love! A wonderfully-conceived setting in a fictitious Alpine nation with its austerity and beauty. The main characters are fun to root for in their very different ways, one naively self-destructive, the other self-effacing, and the physical attraction between them is explosive and highly erotic! A very fun ride to take with this talented author!

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince is not a very likable young man at first, he's out every night drinking into oblivion and up to all the naughty's you can imagine. His assistant Neel has to clean up the messy trash talk after him.
The story starts off like that but slowly evolves into a beautiful connection that blossoms, and that brings hatred and gossip. A truly lovely tale, a tad slow at first but the second half just flies.

[Malia Winger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an entertaining story! Neel is the super organized assistant to Prince Thibault. The Prince is a notorious playboy who plays a little too fast and loose in his life. Then he is tasked by the Queen to rehab his image and showcase the country. While working together Neel gets to see the human side of Thibault. I loved that their love story was simple and honest. There are no grand millionaire type gestures, just two men who share a beautiful love story

[Good Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

You should not write a book that uses a plot device you don't explain. There's a key scene that sets up a long separation. Another character passes along a message from one MC to the other that leaves no room for doubt that we're gonna have to wait a while for the HEA. The ending only makes sense if there was a miscommunication or a changed mind. We get neither. Good grief, have someone read your book to make sure it makes sense. So irritating.

[Jo Atkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun. Prince Thibault is a hot mess, and he really has no idea. He seems lonely and a bit unloved especially by his parents. Neel is his PA and that in itself takes the patience of a saint. They clash continually but then find each other and things do get messy but how are they cleaned up. Well, you'll need to read this book to find out.

[Sazzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww this was so bloody good!! I love a bit of a sweet read every now and then and this 100% ticked all the boxes. There's a little bit of smut in there to keep me happy too.

Neel and Thibault are as opposite as you can get but they're literally perfect for each other. Their story is perfect for anyone who loves the Prince trope and the HEA is there too (yay). Definitely 5 stars from me

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new to me author and from what I can gather this is their debut novel and they have done very well, the story is well written and enjoyable the characters are great and there is banter and steamy times as well. Will be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He has a great job even if it is hard keeping the prince out of trouble. Now he is working even closer with him and it seems an attraction may be building between them. How will it all go? Will they take that step? See just how it will all go

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Story

I'm rounding this up from 3.5. It was a fun story to read. I enjoyed the overall story. There were just a few things that didn't work well for me.

I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion