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Prince Pact #3
The Prince's Playbook
Not yet published
Expected 20 Mar 26The BRAND NEW royally romantic MM college romance for fans of Casey McQuiston, Alexis Hall and Jax Calder The rules are protect my secret and never—ever—fall for a player.
Coaching college hockey was supposed to be a fresh start for the next year anyway. A chance to leave behind the royal spotlight and just be Nils, the guy who loves the game. No one knows I’m a Swedish prince, and I plan to keep it that way.
Then I meet Adan. Talented. Fiercely competitive. And somehow, despite every rule and reason not to, I can’t stop wanting him.
He’s not much younger than me, but I’m assigned to work one-on-one with him. I’m technically his coach, and I’m supposed to be the line he doesn’t cross. But then we kiss and everything blurs. For Adan, it’s a first. His first time with a man. His first time questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. For me, it’s a risk I shouldn’t take—because if anyone finds out, I could lose more than just my job. Adan thinks I’m afraid of getting caught. But he doesn’t know what’s really at stake.
There’s no chapter in my playbook for this. And no easy way out—except risking it all.
Praise for Nora Phoenix and The Prince
'Nora wrote the characters in such a relatable way that I was gunning for them both, and when they finally set everything aside and fell for each other? Swoon!' Saxon James
'What starts as a hate-fueled rivalry quickly shifts into scorching secretive hook-ups with so much chemistry, it oozes off the page. Score one for Nora Phoenix because Farron and Tore are the epitome of enemies to lovers.' CE Ricci
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘OBSESSED. these two are one of my fav couples EVER’ Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’This was a great read for fans of red, white, and royal blue.’ Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’I devoured this book in a day! It was completely addictive…the Chemistry was off the charts’ Reader Review
Coaching college hockey was supposed to be a fresh start for the next year anyway. A chance to leave behind the royal spotlight and just be Nils, the guy who loves the game. No one knows I’m a Swedish prince, and I plan to keep it that way.
Then I meet Adan. Talented. Fiercely competitive. And somehow, despite every rule and reason not to, I can’t stop wanting him.
He’s not much younger than me, but I’m assigned to work one-on-one with him. I’m technically his coach, and I’m supposed to be the line he doesn’t cross. But then we kiss and everything blurs. For Adan, it’s a first. His first time with a man. His first time questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. For me, it’s a risk I shouldn’t take—because if anyone finds out, I could lose more than just my job. Adan thinks I’m afraid of getting caught. But he doesn’t know what’s really at stake.
There’s no chapter in my playbook for this. And no easy way out—except risking it all.
Praise for Nora Phoenix and The Prince
'Nora wrote the characters in such a relatable way that I was gunning for them both, and when they finally set everything aside and fell for each other? Swoon!' Saxon James
'What starts as a hate-fueled rivalry quickly shifts into scorching secretive hook-ups with so much chemistry, it oozes off the page. Score one for Nora Phoenix because Farron and Tore are the epitome of enemies to lovers.' CE Ricci
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘OBSESSED. these two are one of my fav couples EVER’ Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’This was a great read for fans of red, white, and royal blue.’ Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’I devoured this book in a day! It was completely addictive…the Chemistry was off the charts’ Reader Review
258 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 20, 2026
11 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Nora Phoenix
127 books2,218 followersWould you like the long or the short version of my bio?
The short? You got it.
I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.
How was that?
A little more detail? Gotcha.
I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.
My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.
Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.
Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...
Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/
You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...
The short? You got it.
I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.
How was that?
A little more detail? Gotcha.
I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.
My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.
Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.
Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...
Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/
You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 5, 2026
The Prince’s Playbook was an unexpected and engaging MM hockey romance. The forbidden coach-player dynamic created great tension, and the twist that the coach is secretly royalty added an extra layer of intrigue. Strong chemistry, emotional stakes, and a unique spin make this a solid recommendation for hockey romance lovers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I picked up The Prince’s Playbook while riding a serious hockey romance high following my read of Heated Rivalry. Add in one of my favourite tropes (secret identity) in the form of a secret prince? SIGN ME UP. While this didn’t quite land for me, I can absolutely see it working well for the right reader.
I’ll start by saying that I’m not usually a big romance reader anyway, which means I tend to be pretty picky about dynamics and execution. This book was enjoyable and easy to read, and it definitely scratched the hockey romance itch I had following heated rivalry on a surface level. The setting is fun, and there are moments of charm and humour through out it.
That said, a few elements didn’t fully work for me, largely due to my personal preferences. The romance between our two leads has a strong power-imbalance / forbidden-relationship vibe that felt VERY similar to a student-teacher dynamic. A lot of the tension in the novel rode upon the turmoil of the ‘wrongness’ of the relationship, at least definitely on Nils' end. While this is clearly intentional and will appeal to some readers, it’s a trope I generally dislike and therefore avoid. The seven year age gap itself isn’t huge on paper, but combined with the coaching relationship and the different stages of life the characters are in, 20 vs 27 it felt more pronounced to me than it should have otherwise.
I also struggled a bit with the development of the romance. We’re told fairly early on that feelings are forming, but I didn’t always feel that emotional progression on the page. They had a legitimately professional relationship at the beginning, and when we get the “I’m falling for him” from Nils at 22% I couldn’t see it. Where are these feelings coming from? There’s a tendency toward telling rather than showing the emotional states, especially when it comes to how close the characters are becoming, which made it harder for me to fully invest in their connection. We are told over and over how ‘we developed a more personal relationship’ and a friendship that meant too much to them both, but I felt like I had failed to see it in practice.
This leads into a general trend I saw in the writing, where a lot of reiteration happened. For example, there is a scene where Nils gives Adan his skates. Nils has the inner dialogue of: “When he’d been so interested in trying out my skates, I hadn’t even hesitated in offering.” This had been explicitly (and obviously) shown through the actions of the characters two pages previous, and seemed like an unnecessary statement. Additionally, a personal pet peeve of mine is when an author feels the need to let me know that something is an innuendo - or has a “double meaning” to use the wording in this novel. In this book, as in most novels, the reaction of a character is usually enough to flag to a reader that it was an innuendo if they somehow missed it themselves. In general, I think this is a book that would have perhaps benefited from a little more trust in its readers.
There were a few immersion issues for me, particularly around Nils. Nils is Swedish, but the extent of his Swedish identity seems to be Ikea. They have a date and he cooks Swedish meatballs, mashed potato, gravy and lingonberry sauce. Aka. The Ikea Halfway-Through-Meal. Yes, I acknowledge that this is actually a national dish and no doubt is massively popular in Sweden, but it did make me laugh when combined with the only other 'Swedish’ trait being that Nils has Ikea furniture he can’t put together.
At one point there is a photo referenced of Nils in military dress. Admittedly, I don’t know the specifics of the Swedish royals, but while many royals DO wear military uniforms it is typically because many of them do military service. If Nils went straight from high-school to college to play at college in Canada, and then to get a degree and become a hockey coach, I doubt he did any military service. There may have been time for this, but my quick maths of the known timeline makes me think this was not the case. Let alone a career in military that results in "medals across his chest"
The 'secret prince' aspect was a fun hook, but it required a fair amount of suspension of disbelief. Given how public both hockey and royal life tend to be, I was questioning how on earth this ‘secret’ could realistically be maintained. Disappointingly for me, the whole prince thing was not relevant and is barely even mentioned at all for the first 60% of the book. And then when it does finally come up, it’s just so there’s a third act break up - making the reveal itself felt more like a simple story flavour than an integral part of the story. I would have loved to see that element woven more deeply into the narrative earlier on, and have greater stakes on the plot beyond 'oh no you lied to me about your identity.'
All that said this is still a solid, fun hockey romance that I did enjoy reading. For readers out there who enjoy forbidden relationships, hockey romance where they actually play hockey (yay!), and a lighter approach to realism will likely have a great time with it. While it wasn’t entirely to my taste, I don’t regret reading it and would encourage anyone who is intrigued by the summary to still pick it up and give it a go.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll start by saying that I’m not usually a big romance reader anyway, which means I tend to be pretty picky about dynamics and execution. This book was enjoyable and easy to read, and it definitely scratched the hockey romance itch I had following heated rivalry on a surface level. The setting is fun, and there are moments of charm and humour through out it.
That said, a few elements didn’t fully work for me, largely due to my personal preferences. The romance between our two leads has a strong power-imbalance / forbidden-relationship vibe that felt VERY similar to a student-teacher dynamic. A lot of the tension in the novel rode upon the turmoil of the ‘wrongness’ of the relationship, at least definitely on Nils' end. While this is clearly intentional and will appeal to some readers, it’s a trope I generally dislike and therefore avoid. The seven year age gap itself isn’t huge on paper, but combined with the coaching relationship and the different stages of life the characters are in, 20 vs 27 it felt more pronounced to me than it should have otherwise.
I also struggled a bit with the development of the romance. We’re told fairly early on that feelings are forming, but I didn’t always feel that emotional progression on the page. They had a legitimately professional relationship at the beginning, and when we get the “I’m falling for him” from Nils at 22% I couldn’t see it. Where are these feelings coming from? There’s a tendency toward telling rather than showing the emotional states, especially when it comes to how close the characters are becoming, which made it harder for me to fully invest in their connection. We are told over and over how ‘we developed a more personal relationship’ and a friendship that meant too much to them both, but I felt like I had failed to see it in practice.
This leads into a general trend I saw in the writing, where a lot of reiteration happened. For example, there is a scene where Nils gives Adan his skates. Nils has the inner dialogue of: “When he’d been so interested in trying out my skates, I hadn’t even hesitated in offering.” This had been explicitly (and obviously) shown through the actions of the characters two pages previous, and seemed like an unnecessary statement. Additionally, a personal pet peeve of mine is when an author feels the need to let me know that something is an innuendo - or has a “double meaning” to use the wording in this novel. In this book, as in most novels, the reaction of a character is usually enough to flag to a reader that it was an innuendo if they somehow missed it themselves. In general, I think this is a book that would have perhaps benefited from a little more trust in its readers.
There were a few immersion issues for me, particularly around Nils. Nils is Swedish, but the extent of his Swedish identity seems to be Ikea. They have a date and he cooks Swedish meatballs, mashed potato, gravy and lingonberry sauce. Aka. The Ikea Halfway-Through-Meal. Yes, I acknowledge that this is actually a national dish and no doubt is massively popular in Sweden, but it did make me laugh when combined with the only other 'Swedish’ trait being that Nils has Ikea furniture he can’t put together.
At one point there is a photo referenced of Nils in military dress. Admittedly, I don’t know the specifics of the Swedish royals, but while many royals DO wear military uniforms it is typically because many of them do military service. If Nils went straight from high-school to college to play at college in Canada, and then to get a degree and become a hockey coach, I doubt he did any military service. There may have been time for this, but my quick maths of the known timeline makes me think this was not the case. Let alone a career in military that results in "medals across his chest"
The 'secret prince' aspect was a fun hook, but it required a fair amount of suspension of disbelief. Given how public both hockey and royal life tend to be, I was questioning how on earth this ‘secret’ could realistically be maintained. Disappointingly for me, the whole prince thing was not relevant and is barely even mentioned at all for the first 60% of the book. And then when it does finally come up, it’s just so there’s a third act break up - making the reveal itself felt more like a simple story flavour than an integral part of the story. I would have loved to see that element woven more deeply into the narrative earlier on, and have greater stakes on the plot beyond 'oh no you lied to me about your identity.'
All that said this is still a solid, fun hockey romance that I did enjoy reading. For readers out there who enjoy forbidden relationships, hockey romance where they actually play hockey (yay!), and a lighter approach to realism will likely have a great time with it. While it wasn’t entirely to my taste, I don’t regret reading it and would encourage anyone who is intrigued by the summary to still pick it up and give it a go.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the third book in The Prince Pact Series by Nora Phoenix!
She did it again! I enjoyed this book so much. It is an MM romance featuring forced proximity, forbidden love, friends-to-lovers, and a bi-awakening.
First, we have Nils, a Swedish prince and assistant hockey coach. He is hired to help Adan transition from a great college player to the NHL. I loved that Nils is a classic minimalist and always stays calm; he thinks through everything and constantly strives to do what is right. However, because of his past, he struggles to trust that people will love him for who he is rather than for his title.
Then there is Adan, a star college hockey player who needs to refine his skills to reach the next level. Although he is initially against getting help, thinking he already knows best, he quickly realizes there is always room to learn. Adan is driven by his dream of going pro and his desire to support his amazing, selfless parents. He soon finds himself enjoying his time with Nils, only to realize that something deeper than friendship is blossoming.
Because they are coach and student, being together is against the rules, and they don’t want to ruin Adan’s shot at the NHL.
I really appreciated the slower pace of this story. It was less "spicy" than others, but that worked perfectly here; the romance needed to develop slowly because their relationship essentially had to be put on hold. Nora wrote the characters beautifully, and I felt their emotions every step of the way.
I can't wait to read the last book in the series when it comes out!
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
She did it again! I enjoyed this book so much. It is an MM romance featuring forced proximity, forbidden love, friends-to-lovers, and a bi-awakening.
First, we have Nils, a Swedish prince and assistant hockey coach. He is hired to help Adan transition from a great college player to the NHL. I loved that Nils is a classic minimalist and always stays calm; he thinks through everything and constantly strives to do what is right. However, because of his past, he struggles to trust that people will love him for who he is rather than for his title.
Then there is Adan, a star college hockey player who needs to refine his skills to reach the next level. Although he is initially against getting help, thinking he already knows best, he quickly realizes there is always room to learn. Adan is driven by his dream of going pro and his desire to support his amazing, selfless parents. He soon finds himself enjoying his time with Nils, only to realize that something deeper than friendship is blossoming.
Because they are coach and student, being together is against the rules, and they don’t want to ruin Adan’s shot at the NHL.
I really appreciated the slower pace of this story. It was less "spicy" than others, but that worked perfectly here; the romance needed to develop slowly because their relationship essentially had to be put on hold. Nora wrote the characters beautifully, and I felt their emotions every step of the way.
I can't wait to read the last book in the series when it comes out!
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5* A decent storyline that thankfully is pretty much trope-free, although you do need to suspend disbelief a bit.
This is a cute, romantic and if you can get over the prince-pauper thing - to use this purely as a comparison between the leads' backgrounds and upbringing - the tale works. Adan is sweet and family orientated, and he's got working-class parents who've sacrificed a lot for him. I loved that when he hit the big time, he insisted that they both retire.
Nils didn't have a stick up his royal arse, which helped, but that was the bit that required suspension of disbelief, because who in 2026 isn't friends with Google? It didn't seem believable that no one clocked who he was.
The tale was plausible, giving them an organic reason to meet, but that both embraced being bi so easily and quickly felt a bit 'hmm...yeah...' Nils was more believable than Adan, so that's where the tale lost 1* for me. Too much immediate acceptance, not a worry about whether this was real or not, or about the optics in a country that's reversing everything DEI and is cruel to many on a good day. It lacked realism, but the royalty aspect was a convenient distraction when they outed themselves. Theirs feels like a HFN more than a HEA, which I think was more realistic, given that Adan was only 20 and at the start of his career. I think it had hints of becoming the latter, especially with some veey few words on the final page. We didn't get to see the leads enough years into their future, which lost the tale 0.5* for me, but it was short and uncomplicated, and trope-free.
ARC courtesy of Boldwood Books and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure
This is a cute, romantic and if you can get over the prince-pauper thing - to use this purely as a comparison between the leads' backgrounds and upbringing - the tale works. Adan is sweet and family orientated, and he's got working-class parents who've sacrificed a lot for him. I loved that when he hit the big time, he insisted that they both retire.
Nils didn't have a stick up his royal arse, which helped, but that was the bit that required suspension of disbelief, because who in 2026 isn't friends with Google? It didn't seem believable that no one clocked who he was.
The tale was plausible, giving them an organic reason to meet, but that both embraced being bi so easily and quickly felt a bit 'hmm...yeah...' Nils was more believable than Adan, so that's where the tale lost 1* for me. Too much immediate acceptance, not a worry about whether this was real or not, or about the optics in a country that's reversing everything DEI and is cruel to many on a good day. It lacked realism, but the royalty aspect was a convenient distraction when they outed themselves. Theirs feels like a HFN more than a HEA, which I think was more realistic, given that Adan was only 20 and at the start of his career. I think it had hints of becoming the latter, especially with some veey few words on the final page. We didn't get to see the leads enough years into their future, which lost the tale 0.5* for me, but it was short and uncomplicated, and trope-free.
ARC courtesy of Boldwood Books and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
🩵 Blurb-
Coaching college hockey was supposed to be a fresh start for the next year anyway. A chance to leave behind the royal spotlight and just be Nils, the guy who loves the game. No one knows I’m a Swedish prince, and I plan to keep it that way.
Then I meet Adan. Talented. Fiercely competitive. And somehow, despite every rule and reason not to, I can’t stop wanting him.
He’s not much younger than me, but I’m assigned to work one-on-one with him. I’m technically his coach, and I’m supposed to be the line he doesn’t cross. But then we kiss and everything blurs. For Adan, it’s a first. His first time with a man. His first time questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. For me, it’s a risk I shouldn’t take—because if anyone finds out, I could lose more than just my job. Adan thinks I’m afraid of getting caught. But he doesn’t know what’s really at stake.
💛 Review -
I'm loving all the sports romance novels that are around at the moment and The Prince's Playbook certainly didn't disappoint. From the very first page I was hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved the author's writing style and the story was easy to follow and there was a great cast of characters. Plus I loved the chemistry between the main characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Boldwood Books, the author, Nora Phoenix and Netgalley for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Coaching college hockey was supposed to be a fresh start for the next year anyway. A chance to leave behind the royal spotlight and just be Nils, the guy who loves the game. No one knows I’m a Swedish prince, and I plan to keep it that way.
Then I meet Adan. Talented. Fiercely competitive. And somehow, despite every rule and reason not to, I can’t stop wanting him.
He’s not much younger than me, but I’m assigned to work one-on-one with him. I’m technically his coach, and I’m supposed to be the line he doesn’t cross. But then we kiss and everything blurs. For Adan, it’s a first. His first time with a man. His first time questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. For me, it’s a risk I shouldn’t take—because if anyone finds out, I could lose more than just my job. Adan thinks I’m afraid of getting caught. But he doesn’t know what’s really at stake.
💛 Review -
I'm loving all the sports romance novels that are around at the moment and The Prince's Playbook certainly didn't disappoint. From the very first page I was hooked and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. I loved the author's writing style and the story was easy to follow and there was a great cast of characters. Plus I loved the chemistry between the main characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.
💝 Thank you to Boldwood Books, the author, Nora Phoenix and Netgalley for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Another great story for The Prince’s Pact series! Nils, Prince of Sweden and sixth in line for the throne, has decided to take the year that he and his friends, 3 other Prince’s, made a pact to take, being an assistant coach at Millard for their hockey team. His goal, like the other threes, is to spend a year not being a Prince. He’ll be working specifically with the teams star player Adan. He’s a fantastic player but lacks some of the skill to have gone pro. Now Nils job is to teach Adan those skills so he can enter the NHL before he graduates. The only problem is Adan doesn’t think there is anything wrong with his game, and he certainly doesn’t need someone who’s never played the game telling him how to get better. But then he meets Nils and learns that Nils actually knows what he’s talking about. As the two work together they’ll soon strike up a friendship. One that quickly becomes something more. The only thing is their both straight aren’t they? Not to mention that Nils is the coach and that relationship would be completely inappropriate. Oh and there is little fact that he is a Prince. Will Nils and Adan risk it all for a chance at love? Or will they both lose everything they’ve worked so hard for? A against the rules romance that was sweet, charming, and swoony!! Another fun addition to Nora Phoenix’s series and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next addition! Highly recommend if you enjoy lighthearted queer romances that are fast paced and give you the warm and fuzzies!
February 1, 2026
Adan is starting his 3rd year of college hockey, stinging from not being drafted in the NHL the previous season. Nils is the man the university brings in to help Adan hone his skills as a personal coach. Adan bristles at the suggestion that he needs a personal coach, that his playing isn’t good enough. Nils is spending a year in the US, trying to hide his true identity and live a life that allows him to have experiences he normally wouldn’t be able to have. As the men work together, feelings start to develop, which is a struggle between attraction, desire, and what is ethical in this situation. Add to that the fact that Nils is hiding a big secret, one that has the potential to destroy everything that is building between them.
This is definitely an enjoyable romance, and sure to be popular due to a certain hockey romance that is streaming right now. I really loved Adan’s character, his growth, his bi-awakening, and his determination. He’s really a great guy, and you can totally see why Nils was attracted to him. Nils was a great character as well, struggling with keeping his identity a secret, coaching Adan while dealing with inner turmoil, and being true to himself.
I have read other books by Nora Phoenix before, and all of them have been equally enjoyable. I definitely was not disappointed with this one! If you are looking for a hockey romance or just enjoy sports romances, this book should definitely be on your radar.
Thanks to the author/publisher for this copy of the book.
This is definitely an enjoyable romance, and sure to be popular due to a certain hockey romance that is streaming right now. I really loved Adan’s character, his growth, his bi-awakening, and his determination. He’s really a great guy, and you can totally see why Nils was attracted to him. Nils was a great character as well, struggling with keeping his identity a secret, coaching Adan while dealing with inner turmoil, and being true to himself.
I have read other books by Nora Phoenix before, and all of them have been equally enjoyable. I definitely was not disappointed with this one! If you are looking for a hockey romance or just enjoy sports romances, this book should definitely be on your radar.
Thanks to the author/publisher for this copy of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Prince’s Playbook by Nora Phoenix
Prince Pact Book 3
One word: Addictive
This book grabbed me by the collar and did not let go. Secret royalty. Hockey. Forbidden romance. First love. Hidden identity. The yearning in this one is unreal.
Nils just wants to be normal. No crown. No palace. Just a guy coaching college hockey. Then Adan walks in and everything he has built to stay invisible starts to crack. Adan is competitive, passionate, and completely unprepared for what he feels when he kisses his coach for the first time. And Nils is hiding so much more than Adan could ever imagine.
The tension is constant. Every look feels dangerous. Every touch feels like a risk. Watching Adan question everything he thought he knew about himself while Nils battles duty versus desire absolutely wrecked me in the best way.
This is one of those romances where the emotional stakes are just as intense as the chemistry. It is soft and aching and swoony and devastating all at once.
Tropes you’ll love
👑 Secret royalty
🏒 Hockey romance
🔥 Forbidden love
🤫 Hidden identity
❤️ First queer awakening
💔 Angst and yearning
🌶 Slow burn with payoff
Read this if you love Heated Rivalry, Red White and Royal Blue, secret relationships, and romances that make your chest hurt in the best way.
#ThePrincesPlaybook #NoraPhoenix #MMRomance #QueerReads #Bookstagram
Prince Pact Book 3
One word: Addictive
This book grabbed me by the collar and did not let go. Secret royalty. Hockey. Forbidden romance. First love. Hidden identity. The yearning in this one is unreal.
Nils just wants to be normal. No crown. No palace. Just a guy coaching college hockey. Then Adan walks in and everything he has built to stay invisible starts to crack. Adan is competitive, passionate, and completely unprepared for what he feels when he kisses his coach for the first time. And Nils is hiding so much more than Adan could ever imagine.
The tension is constant. Every look feels dangerous. Every touch feels like a risk. Watching Adan question everything he thought he knew about himself while Nils battles duty versus desire absolutely wrecked me in the best way.
This is one of those romances where the emotional stakes are just as intense as the chemistry. It is soft and aching and swoony and devastating all at once.
Tropes you’ll love
👑 Secret royalty
🏒 Hockey romance
🔥 Forbidden love
🤫 Hidden identity
❤️ First queer awakening
💔 Angst and yearning
🌶 Slow burn with payoff
Read this if you love Heated Rivalry, Red White and Royal Blue, secret relationships, and romances that make your chest hurt in the best way.
#ThePrincesPlaybook #NoraPhoenix #MMRomance #QueerReads #Bookstagram
February 5, 2026
The Prince’s Playbook follows Nils, a Swedish prince who ends up as an assistant hockey coach on a college team and Adan, the star player who Nils is supposed to coach.
Overall I really liked Nils and Adan. They both have very different backgrounds (royalty and working class) that influence them but other than one point, it’s not a major source of conflict. Theres so much yearning between the two of them and it’s so good!
To be honest I wasn’t sure how the whole coach and player dynamic was going to be handled but I think the author did a good job with it. The nature of the relationship was acknowledged and I think the author did a good job with it (I’m not going to say more for avoiding spoilers).
There’s a degree of suspension of disbelief in the age of Google with expecting no one would find out that Nils is a prince. But it doesn’t take anything away from the story.
I also have not read the other books in the series yet. The other characters from the other books were mentioned which I always appreciate in follow up books. However I did find this fairly standalone and held up on its own! I don’t think I missed anything by not reading the other books first.
Overall a sweet, low stakes romance with a lot of yearning!
Thank you to the author and Boldwood Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall I really liked Nils and Adan. They both have very different backgrounds (royalty and working class) that influence them but other than one point, it’s not a major source of conflict. Theres so much yearning between the two of them and it’s so good!
To be honest I wasn’t sure how the whole coach and player dynamic was going to be handled but I think the author did a good job with it. The nature of the relationship was acknowledged and I think the author did a good job with it (I’m not going to say more for avoiding spoilers).
There’s a degree of suspension of disbelief in the age of Google with expecting no one would find out that Nils is a prince. But it doesn’t take anything away from the story.
I also have not read the other books in the series yet. The other characters from the other books were mentioned which I always appreciate in follow up books. However I did find this fairly standalone and held up on its own! I don’t think I missed anything by not reading the other books first.
Overall a sweet, low stakes romance with a lot of yearning!
Thank you to the author and Boldwood Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Another enjoyable entry in the Prince Pact series.
Prince Nils of Sweden takes a coaching job to help a player refine his skills. Nils and hockey player, Adam, are attracted to each other almost immediately (after Adam gets over his annoyance that the team thinks he needs a special coach). Adam's skills increase dramatically, thanks to Nils. His goal is to get drafted to the NHL.
This is relatively low drama, even though they are in a relationship for many months and must keep it secret. Medium spice, well-written side characters, and a couple of guest appearances (via text) from the other princes from the other books. This book works fine as a stand alone. Despite the fact that these are young characters, they do manage to act like adults - this is not a book where they announce their relationship to the world in a big press conference. They keep things to themselves until the appropriate time.
Really enjoyed this - looking forward to the next one.
Prince Nils of Sweden takes a coaching job to help a player refine his skills. Nils and hockey player, Adam, are attracted to each other almost immediately (after Adam gets over his annoyance that the team thinks he needs a special coach). Adam's skills increase dramatically, thanks to Nils. His goal is to get drafted to the NHL.
This is relatively low drama, even though they are in a relationship for many months and must keep it secret. Medium spice, well-written side characters, and a couple of guest appearances (via text) from the other princes from the other books. This book works fine as a stand alone. Despite the fact that these are young characters, they do manage to act like adults - this is not a book where they announce their relationship to the world in a big press conference. They keep things to themselves until the appropriate time.
Really enjoyed this - looking forward to the next one.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.75 ⭐️
I absolutely adored this book. Hockey Romance is my go to sports romance, so immediately got sucked into this story. it was an enjoyable romance between Nils and Adan, that dynamic slowly shifting from coach/ student relationship, to something more.
Adans family oriented which I loved seeing but also his growth, character development & determination was great to see throughout the book. Nils i adored. Not a typical prince, no snobbiness and just genuinely loved hockey and his job and just wanted to Nils for a year instead of prince nils.
Definitely would have loved to see more on their bi awakening / romance , as felt that things happened really quickly and wasn’t explored to an extent. Also the prince aspect wasn’t explored enough and would have really enjoyed diving deeper into that.
I absolutely adored this book. Hockey Romance is my go to sports romance, so immediately got sucked into this story. it was an enjoyable romance between Nils and Adan, that dynamic slowly shifting from coach/ student relationship, to something more.
Adans family oriented which I loved seeing but also his growth, character development & determination was great to see throughout the book. Nils i adored. Not a typical prince, no snobbiness and just genuinely loved hockey and his job and just wanted to Nils for a year instead of prince nils.
Definitely would have loved to see more on their bi awakening / romance , as felt that things happened really quickly and wasn’t explored to an extent. Also the prince aspect wasn’t explored enough and would have really enjoyed diving deeper into that.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC Review :
This book is a very cute m/m romance that is a quick and enjoyable read.
However, I think some plot points and events could have been better developed and explored in more depth, such as the part where they become aware of their feelings and the decisions that follow.
I think the first part of the book is good; they start to get to know each other and their feelings begin to develop, but the middle and third parts are messy and not particularly well-developed. Nevertheless, I think this book has a good ending and is a cute read that helps pass the time.
I enjoyed it more than the second book in this series.
In fact, I think the series is still good, and I'm looking forward to the next volume, which I assume will be about the Prince of England.
This book is a very cute m/m romance that is a quick and enjoyable read.
However, I think some plot points and events could have been better developed and explored in more depth, such as the part where they become aware of their feelings and the decisions that follow.
I think the first part of the book is good; they start to get to know each other and their feelings begin to develop, but the middle and third parts are messy and not particularly well-developed. Nevertheless, I think this book has a good ending and is a cute read that helps pass the time.
I enjoyed it more than the second book in this series.
In fact, I think the series is still good, and I'm looking forward to the next volume, which I assume will be about the Prince of England.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ARC!
This was a good, quick, gentle romance read. I needed something that wasn't super angsty or dramatic after some of my recent reads, and this book fit the bill. There was a good balance between Adan's development as a hockey player and the relationship between Adan and Nils, which I find can be a challenge in some sports romance (with the romance part or the sport part taking over too much and overshadowing the other). Overall, a fast and enjoyable read that introduced me to Nora Phoenix as an author. I've added the other books in the series to my TBR!
This was a good, quick, gentle romance read. I needed something that wasn't super angsty or dramatic after some of my recent reads, and this book fit the bill. There was a good balance between Adan's development as a hockey player and the relationship between Adan and Nils, which I find can be a challenge in some sports romance (with the romance part or the sport part taking over too much and overshadowing the other). Overall, a fast and enjoyable read that introduced me to Nora Phoenix as an author. I've added the other books in the series to my TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I would call this a very gentle read. There wasn’t a lot of angst or drama, just two guys discovering an attraction to each other and figuring out how to be together. I appreciate the details that the author added about hockey, Swedish royalty, and astronomy; I don’t know much about any of those things but it seems like she put in the work researching them. This is a quick read with very likable characters and a good story.
February 4, 2026
This was so freaking good! I’m happy I went back and read the first two books before I read this one I love the interconnected stories! This one hit me right in the feels it definitely had its spice but oh my god the yearning and the waiting it was just too much but so damn sweet! I loved Adan and Nils relationship while it was complicated because of the coach and player dynamic it was worth it in the end! The sweet moments and the spice and the yearning made this whole book worth it!
Review of advance copy
Nils + Adan
-mm forbidden romance
-secret royalty
-hockey romance
-college setting
-coach x player
-opposites attract
wooofff...this was hardddd for these two & HEAVVVYYY on the secrecy! honestly, i'm surprised they didn't give in but there was so much at risk for them both on such a large scale it made allll the tension that much bigger!! it was juicyyy!!
-mm forbidden romance
-secret royalty
-hockey romance
-college setting
-coach x player
-opposites attract
wooofff...this was hardddd for these two & HEAVVVYYY on the secrecy! honestly, i'm surprised they didn't give in but there was so much at risk for them both on such a large scale it made allll the tension that much bigger!! it was juicyyy!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a cross between “Heated Rivalry” and “Red, White and Royal Blue”, both of which I enjoyed.
I quite liked this novel, which is the third in the author’s series about gay princes and “commoners”. I would rank this book ahead of “The Prince and the Player” but behind “Prince Material”, which is my favorite in the series so far.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I quite liked this novel, which is the third in the author’s series about gay princes and “commoners”. I would rank this book ahead of “The Prince and the Player” but behind “Prince Material”, which is my favorite in the series so far.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really liked the story and it was my first hockey romance to read. The relationship between Adan and Nils was interesting. It almost felt like forbidden love. If you like Heated Rivalry or any of the Rachel Reid books, read this book.
February 6, 2026
Review to come soon.
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