The Royal Roommate Disaster

Frat Brats of Santa Barbara #2

by Hayden Hall

My crown never weighed as heavy as when I had to leave the guy I love.

Mateo

My life is nothing like a fairytale. Weighed down by duty and constantly watched, I hope to find a little freedom at Highgate.

Nobody knows who I really am; the Andalonian Heir Apparent. Not even the embarrassingly handsome Joshua Sterling.
He makes living seem easy. He makes falling in love effortless. He makes me believe in fairytales.

But the price of falling in love with an American boy is steep. The duty I’ve carried my entire life — the duty that had kept me away from taking a risk and living my best — reminds me that we’re nothing but a passing fancy.

With every lie I speak, I bury myself deeper. Whenever I miss a chance to tell him who I am, I lose him a little more. And when I love him the most, a disaster strikes. My lies catch up with me and I risk losing more than just my crown. I risk losing the best guy I’ve ever met.

A prince should not need a knight in shining armor. But this prince wants nothing else.

Joshua

Trailed by his bodyguards and deliciously strange, Mateo Garcia is like nobody I’ve ever crossed paths with. My reputation isn’t exaggerated. I’ve crossed paths with plenty of hot guys. Not a single one of them looked past what I was ready to show. Not like Mateo.

His enigmatic presence tempts me to share my deepest fears and sweetest secrets. His innocence makes me want to be more than just a one-time fling.

Here’s a guy who could love me, I think. Here’s a guy I could love back just the same.

But when he touches my wildest desires and when the promise of a little happiness is too sweet to resist, I discover that he’s nothing like what he said. He is a prince suffocated by tradition and expectations. And what does that make me? A rebellious experiment and a college flame.

Mateo taught me how to fall in love. Then, he taught me how badly a heartbreak hurts.

Maybe I’m better off living the way I used to. Maybe a pretty face and a hot body is all I’m worth. But his departure rips a hole in my chest that no amount of hookups could fill.

The Royal Roommate Disaster is the second book in Frat Brats of Santa Barbara series. It features one bad-boy-turned-nice, one sweet, secret prince who wants to break free, all the steam you can handle, heart-melting sweetness, and a guaranteed happily ever after. It can be read on its own, but it's just more fun to read it after The Fake Boyfriends Debacle.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, College, Contemporary, LGBT, Royalty, Audiobook

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2022

About the author

Gay. Sweet. Steamy.

Hayden Hall writes MM romance novels. He is a boyfriend, a globetrotter, and an avid romance reader.

Hayden's mission is to author a catalog of captivating and steamy MM romance novels which gather a devoted community around the Happily Ever Afters.

His stories are sweet with just the right amount of naughty.

You can get in touch with Hayden on Facebook or through his website at haydenhallwrites.com

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never really seen the allure of the whole “royalty falls in love with a commoner” trope, especially in a contemporary setting, but I didn’t mind this one too much. Probably because I kept forgetting that Mateo is supposed to be royalty. It seemed like a half-baked idea forced into the story so that the book could have a cute title and a bit of drama at the end. Every time his bodyguards showed up, I was like, “oh yeah, he’s a prince or whatever.”

Maybe it’s just me, but long-drawn-out descriptions of how sexy a character is only helps to make them less appealing. Where’s the diversity! Where’s the imperfection! I mean, if the only substance these people have is that they’re over 6ft. tall and that they all have 8-packs, then why not make this a fucking picture book.

It's actually funny because the way Joshua and Mateo are described are so similar that the sex scenes just seem like two clones going at it. Who’s doing what? No idea. They might as well be formless blobs. I legit forgot who was narrating at several points! Also, to call this a love story is a bit of a stretch, both Mateo and Joshua are so quick to confess their undying love and how new and different their relationship is with each other. But in reality, I think they just find each other hot. Which is fine, but let’s not pretend this is a love story for the ages. It’s not that deep.

Okay wow, this sounds like I hated this, but I actually had a pretty good time with it. It’s just a bit shallow and maybe a little forgettable? Even as I’m writing this, I can feel it fading from my memory. I think it’s about two super-hot guys, and one of them is a prince or something.

[ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked the Fake Boyfriends Debacle there is no reason you won’t like this one too.
This is Josh, Caleb’s BFF from the previous books story.
It was a light, sweet read that I always looked forward to coming back to when I had to put it down.

Alternating POV
All boys school
Mutual pining
Roommates
Secret royalty

I hope London’s story is next! That boy’s got some hidden secrets.🤞🏼

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 2 out of 5]

MM Romance
Hidden Identity Roommates
1.5 Stars ⭐️

DNF with 2 chapters left 🤣🤣🤣

2024 Ugly Cover Challenge: Reading books I’ve had on my TBR forever and put off due to their covers. I’ve put off this whole series because I hate all the covers 😂😂

🎧Included for free with my Audible Subscription

🎵Narrated by Jon Waters🎵 First time listening to him and I liked every voice he did except for the main character, Mateo’s, accent. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️


I think I need to leave Hayden Hall books alone. I have never rated one higher than 3 stars and this one was just painfully boring. It probably doesn’t help that royalty romances aren’t really my jam but the first four books of this series are available on Audible Plus now and are easy to listen to while I cook dinner.

Josh was a fuckboy who was sick of being one and wanted a real relationship yet he kept using Grindr and meeting up with douchebags 🙄🙄. He’d get ahead of himself and fall in love with everyone before they met and then he’d be heartbroken and alone. His new roommate Mateo is a prince and is trying to keep his identity hidden so he can have a normal college experience for a few months. He’s never been able to act on his sexuality and is free to for the first time ever. God I’m bored just writing this. These two fall hard and fast but there’s secrets between them blah blah.

The best part of this book was Josh’s grand gesture. Other than that I was bored to death and DNF’d 2 chapters from the end because the idea of having 45 minutes more of this book made me want to die. I feel like 1 star is way too mean but 2 stars feels too generous. Either way I’m done trying to pick this series up.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally loved book one in the Frat Boys of Santa Barbara series, The Fake Boyfriends Debacle by Hayden Hall, and was hanging out for the second book in the series - The Royal Roommate Disaster. Whilst they can definitely be read as standalones, you do meet characters from book 1 in this instalment, so reading in order is recommended. This is Josh and Mateo's story.

Joshua has a bit of a reputation, even amongst his frat brothers - he's a bit of a 'one and done' type of guy, but that's not really what he's looking for. Josh wants the fairy tale, someone to love him for him and not for the way he looks.

When he lands a gorgeous new roommate, an overseas student studying in the US for a semester, he thinks he may have found 'the one'. Mateo is enigmatic, and full of secrets. He's also a virgin and looking to change that - with Josh.

But Mateo's biggest secret - he's the heir to the Andalonian throne - is one that could destroy everything in an instant. Can love survive all?

Such a cute and wholesome read! A definite winner if you like:

❣ friends to lovers
❣ forced proximity
❣ college roommates
❣ first times
❣ steam
❣ royalty
❣ HEA

4 stars

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't decide if this should be made into a Hallmark movie or a Disney prince movie. Obviously there would have to be a few - ahem - omissions, but I would love to see this fairytale romance play out on screen. It would star Joshua, the handsome romantic who wants to be someone's Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Now. And Mateo, the sheltered prince who wants people to like him for who he is, not his title. This book made me miss being young, when meeting someone and having a connection with them felt gigantic and life altering and more important than anything else in the entire world. It was cute and sweet and passionate and the epilogue was fabulous. I hope London's book is next because I am sooooo curious.

[alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2*

[Gustaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review to come

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roommates for life and crown

It is amazing how life can change with just a glance. When a door opens in front of you to your dorm room, the roommate may just overwhelm your head, your body, and your future.

Yet it takes some time for the reality to set it. Keeping titles secret can complicate things, but with humor, love, and kisses, even if they go viral online, the challenges can be overcome as the love grows daily.

Rings on fingers are more important than crowns on heads as the life of royalty brings huge joint responsibilities. Together it works well.

[yaishin]

not bad but it totally wasn't my thing I can see that.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

38%. This is where Hayden Hall and I part ways. I didn't love the previous book but I really liked the setting - an exclusive private boys college in Santa Barbara with a sizable queer population. How great is that? It's this odd mix of American college and British public school vibes. This book has the added bonus of a secret European prince. I should be all over this but unfortunately, I didn't like it any more than the first book in the series. Less, even, because I am giving up. I was hoping that this would be better, writing-wise. It was not. The dialogue was so awkward, and the characters neither behaved nor spoke in a believable way for modern kids. The pacing is off, the chemistry is forced. It would have been a much more enjoyable read for me if it were more simply and realistically written, but it just felt a bit cringey to me.

[Andreas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The modern and gay version of the classic fairytale: prince goes under cover, meets commoner, they fall in love and trouble ensues. But then, of course, they live happily ever after.

This book actually (finally) delivers what others just promise. Heartfelt and never cringe. This is what you get when an author really loves and cherishes their characters.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Royal Roommate Disaster
By Hayden Hall
Published by the author, 2022
Four stars

There’s nothing I like better than a gay royal romance. Hayden Hall doesn’t really break new ground with this classic m/m trope, but I admit that I was in tears, quite happily, by the end of it. Mr. Hall knows how to weave emotions into his stories, and that’s what really matters.

OK, there are the naughty bits, but they mean less to me than the psychological and emotional parts.

We have handsome, dark-eyed Mateo Garcia, who speaks Spanish and is attending the oddly named Highgate Academy—what is supposed to be a four-year private college in Santa Barbara, California, but where the all-male student body wears coats and ties to class? (I mean I wore a coat and tie to class FIFTY YEARS AGO in prep school!)

Mateo, details aside, is NOT Hispanic. Or Latinx. Not even Spanish. He is from a little coastal country somewhere on the Iberian Peninsula—where his father is king. Mateo is traveling incognito to America for ONE SEMESTER in this elite college, to give him a taste of freedom before he returns to Andalona to take up his duties as crown prince.

Mateo’s roommate is Joshua Sterling, an iconic American Golden Boy—tall, athletic, blond, blue-eyed. Oddly, for California, not a surfer. Josh is cocky and hot, living his best life of shirking his schoolwork and enjoying as many one-night-stands as he wants.

The twist that makes this story work is that Mateo has no sense of himself other than his duty. Having spent his entire life sheltered and surrounded by protocol, he feels he has no real life, and wants to experience the “real world” at an isolated elite college in California (as his father and grandfather did before him). He has always been praised and admired for his royal position—not for who he really is.

The other twist is that Joshua feels absolutely no self-worth. He is, like many other gay men both in real life and in romances, looking for love in the wrong place. After a particularly bad Grindr date-gone-wrong, Josh finds himself alone, in tears, on a campus bench—where Mateo discovers him and comforts him.
You should probably be able to predict the rest—but Hayden Hall takes us inside these two beautiful, lonely young men. It is an odd idea to be lonely when you’re surrounded by people who love you—Josh has good friends and a good relationship with his jet-setting but loving mother; and Mateo loves his family, however tied up in royal bureaucracy they might be. Both young men fear the future—which, given their privileges, should be rosy.

The truth is that neither young man has ever really looked outside his own expectations, looked beyond their insecurities and worst-case-scenarios. In each other, they find a pathway they hadn’t expected.

I’d like to have gotten to know Mateo’s family better; and Josh’s mother, for that matter. I know the world likes these books to be short, but there is a lot of rich potential that got left out for the sake of audience expectations. I would have been happy with this book being twice and long and digging more deeply.

[Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance was v cute in this one. It also gets an extra 1/2 a star because the lead character uses the word gay to describe himself and that is shit I live for.

[Ronie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best volleyball scene

[Mary Vitrano · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? This is another wonderful story from Hayden Hall.
It's your 2022 fairytale. Joshua and Mateo - an hidden prince - are two souls romantic at heart. They fall in love quickly, live their college life, enjoy their time together. But when the truth comes out, their breakup is overwhelming. I felt heartbroken. But this is romance, and their HEA is magical.
Even if "royal" is not one of my favorite tropes, Hayden is a one-click author. So I read it, and as I expected, I love it!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[therese ˃ᴗ˂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

That's it???? This felt fast-paced. Idc that it was instalove but the lack of depth. There were enough details with their hobbies and what they wanted in life but I could not pinpoint the missing piece.

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review:
https://www.mmromancereviewed.com/202...

[Roger Hyttinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by this author and it was just as good as the first. I love this author's writing style and character development. A sexy, fun and satisfying story.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

I don’t think there’s a single thing I liked about this book, but I did manage to finish it after skimming the last 18%.

For one, this book moved a little fast for me. The characters meet as roommates, the commoner MC goes on a failed date with some other guy, and then later that night they kiss for the first time. I just like a little more build up in my books. I also found it a bit ridiculous that the entire conversation building up to the first kiss, the commoner MC is talking about his love life problems and how he builds people into fantasies, then he basically does the same thing to the royal MC by kissing him without knowing anything about him. And can we talk about how bad of an idea it is to hook up with your roommate? Especially with basically no emotional or physical payoff because the characters barely even know each other so there’s no built up tension? The encounter ends with the commoner MC stating it was a mistake that shouldn’t be repeated, but I just felt like the whole thing was rushed for no good reason.

And a side note, but I found it a bit ridiculous that the commoner MC met a guy on Grindr, exchanged dick pics with him, then was surprised that the man wanted a hook up. I’m not saying that excused the date trying to pressure him into bed or being rude to him, but all the same, you’ve got to have realistic expectations.

The commoner MC has a problem with crushing too hard and too fast on people based on a fantasy of what they’re actually like, and with jumping into bed with people too fast, and the book didn’t do a good job of convincing me that his relationship with the royal MC was any different, especially given the pacing of their relationship. They’re basically instantly attracted to each other emotionally and physically, they give into their feelings within weeks, and they exchange handjobs on their first date. By the end of said first date, they think they’re falling in love. It’s only been a few weeks! Seems like exactly what the commoner MC always does with every guy he thinks is his soulmate.

This book also treated penetrative sex as if it’s the only “real” form of sex. The characters exchange handjobs on their first date but still make a big deal about waiting to have sex, as if they haven’t already had some form of sex. By the way, the waiting? Lasted a grand total of one week, so it literally had no impact expect for the idea of waiting to have sex being present. They also have sex without lube the first time, which is just unrealistic as hell to me.

The commoner MC wasn’t very common. He came from an influential family and literally had a chauffeur. I wish he was actually a commoner. And while I don’t think too much about the role of monarchy when I read these types of books, the book was filled with pro-monarchy drivel: “And while there was a parliament, my future role was just as important. Perhaps not in decision making — rightfully so — but surely in keeping up the spirits of our people, in promoting our diplomacy, and in preserving our history and traditions.” Let’s be honest, the monarchy are just figure-heads that do nothing important and yet have billions of dollars, properties, privileges, and admiration despite it. The “history and traditions” they represent often reflect colonialism and repression at the worst, or the advancement of the rich at the expense of the poor at the best.

When the royal MC gets outed as gay, he temporarily decides he wants to give up his right to the throne and take up charity work. Are you kidding me? You want to give up the right to the throne while still getting all the money and privileges that come along with it, to the point that your idea of contributing to society is socialite level charity work? Ridiculous. Suffice it to say, I was not impressed by the blasé attitude this book had towards money and privilege.

The royal MC came from a Spanish-speaking European country, but he literally had no cultural differences whatsoever from the American MC. The book barely even mentioned an accent. I really dislike books that make characters foreign or minorities or disabled or whatever it is for the sake of making them “exotic” while not following through on giving them all the characteristics that come along with said classifications.

The whole secret of the royal MC being royal came out like two weeks into the characters’ relationship, but the commoner MC treated it like the end of the world. He literally tells the royal MC to go to another college, as if that’s something he has the right to dictate. Two weeks into a relationship with a guy I haven’t even known a month? I’m cutting my losses. The emotional connection between the two characters wasn’t strong enough to warrant the reaction of the commoner MC. Meanwhile, the royal MC was basically only concerned with his family and the scandal, and seemed like he didn’t care at all about the commoner MC. He immediately left for home. Both reactions annoyed me. It was overly dramatic for the sake of being overly dramatic.

In the end, the commoner MC was the one to apologize, and the royal MC doesn’t even fight for the commoner MC, despite the fact that the royal MC was the one that lied in the first place. To top it all off, the commoner MC literally drops out of school to follow the royal MC to his country, after a two week relationship that ended in a break up, and with his mother’s support. Like what the fuck? What’s his plan for life? Is he ever going to work? The book never says. And once the commoner MC gets to the royal MC’s country, he’s able to just walk up to the royal MC to make his grand gesture, as if it’s possible to just walk up to a prince living in a palace. The whole situation was so annoying.

Once the royal MC got outed as liking guys, everyone automatically assumed he was gay. Bi-erasure is such a problem, and I don’t like books that perpetuate it. On top of it, his coming out as gay was made out to be this big scandal, but literally no one cared. His family didn’t care, there weren’t any crazy paparazzi when he went back home, like literally nothing. The people are even outraged on his behalf. Yet he left the common MC to go back home and didn’t finish out his school semester over the whole situation.

Minor gripes, but the royal MC talks so ridiculously formally to his family, even calling his parents “mother” and “father”, yet his family is made out to be this put together, loving, group. Like just because you’re royal, you have to talk like a pretentious prat? And the characters barely go to classes and never do homework, plus the royal MC leaves halfway through the semester and the common MC drops out of college during their break up, so all in all, I’m unimpressed by their work ethics.

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

old post reposted


Another day, another author crossed off my to-binge list. This is Hayden Hall's Frat Brats of Santa Barbara series. The second novel is "The Royal Roommate Disaster."
["My crown never weighed as heavy as when I had to leave the guy I love.

Mateo
My life is nothing like a fairytale. Weighed down by duty and constantly watched, I hope to find a little freedom at Highgate.
Nobody knows who I really am; the Andalonian Heir Apparent. Not even the embarrassingly handsome Joshua Sterling.
He makes living seem easy. He makes falling in love effortless. He makes me believe in fairytales.
But the price of falling in love with an American boy is steep. The duty I’ve carried my entire life — the duty that had kept me away from taking a risk and living my best — reminds me that we’re nothing but a passing fancy.
With every lie I speak, I bury myself deeper. Whenever I miss a chance to tell him who I am, I lose him a little more. And when I love him the most, a disaster strikes. My lies catch up with me and I risk losing more than just my crown. I risk losing the best guy I’ve ever met.
A prince should not need a knight in shining armor. But this prince wants nothing else.

Joshua
Trailed by his bodyguards and deliciously strange, Mateo Garcia is like nobody I’ve ever crossed paths with. My reputation isn’t exaggerated. I’ve crossed paths with plenty of hot guys. Not a single one of them looked past what I was ready to show. Not like Mateo.
His enigmatic presence tempts me to share my deepest fears and sweetest secrets. His innocence makes me want to be more than just a one-time fling.
Here’s a guy who could love me, I think. Here’s a guy I could love back just the same.
But when he touches my wildest desires and when the promise of a little happiness is too sweet to resist, I discover that he’s nothing like what he said. He is a prince suffocated by tradition and expectations. And what does that make me? A rebellious experiment and a college flame.
Mateo taught me how to fall in love. Then, he taught me how badly a heartbreak hurts.
Maybe I’m better off living the way I used to. Maybe a pretty face and a hot body is all I’m worth. But his departure rips a hole in my chest that no amount of hookups could fill."]

This book was SOOO good! I mean, yes, we all knew that they would break up and be heart broken and that I would probably cry. But they fell so...sweetly.

It was about reassurances and trust. It was about being yourself and someone liking that person. It was about the fantasy of That person, that next person you see, that next person you go on a first date with, That person being your ever after. It was about a soft hearted and kind as fuck Fuckboy who just wanted to be wanted more than once. It was about a sweet and hopeful Prince who knew there was a clock on his ever after here in America.

Spoiler alert: they both got all of that and so much more. ;)

#thelastsummervacation #thefakeboyfrienddebacle #theroyalroommatedisaster #thewrongtwindilemma #thebitterrivalfiasco #theaccidentalhoneymooncatastrophe #thebedroomcoachagreement #theofficenemesiscalamity #fratbratsofsantabarbara #fratbratsofsantabarbaraseries #haydenhall #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[LucyLui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title - The Royal Roommate Disaster (Frat Boys Of Santa Barbara #2)

Author - Hayden Hall

Genre - MM Romance

Published - May 2022

Pages - 249 Pages



Josh has gained himself a bit of a reputation around the college, as a one and done guy but deep down that's not what he wants, he wants the fairytale, he wants someone to love him and someone he can love in return. Someone who will love him for who he is and now how he looks. When he meets Mateo, he finally thinks he's met that person. Mateo is his new roommate, he's an overseas student. Mateo is everything Josh is looking for in a guy, but he's also full of secrets. Mateo is also a virgin but hopes to change that with Josh's help.



Mateo has a huge secret he is the heir apparent to the Andalonian throne. He doesn't want anyone to find out who he really is, he just wants to be treated like a regular person. When he meets Josh it's like his very own fairytale romance.



Falling in love with each other is easy, but when Mateo's secret comes out and ruins everything, can love really conquer all?



This truly is a fairytale story, I can honestly see this book being made into a movie. Mateo is such a wonderful character, I just want to hug him and protect him from the world. Josh is also such a lovely character. This book is so well written you feel like you're right there with the characters, you feel their pain, their love, and all their emotions. You can't help but fall in love with these characters.



This book is sweet, funny a little heartbreaking but most of all it's addicting you just can't put it down. This author is an auto-buy for me, so when this book came out it was a no brainer that I'd be reading it. It was a brilliant follow-up to the first book and I can't wait for the next one.



It was well written, easy to follow, and kept me hooked and needing to know what happens next. The pace was good it flowed well and I really enjoyed it. I shall certainly be reading this book again several times no doubt.



This book is most defiantly for you if you enjoy



❤ Friends To Lovers,

❤ Forced Proximity,

❤ First Times,

❤ College Roommates,

❤ Royalty,

❤ M/M Romance

❤ HEA's &

❤ Heat.

[Merit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome.
This book is romantic.
This book is perfect.

This book only has one fault: it doesn't start again after having reached the end.

Just like The Fake Boyfriends Debacle, the first book in this series, The Royal Roommate Disaster is dreamy and romantic, and will make you wish for a love story like that.

It's like you're actually there with Joshua and Mateo. You're feeling their feelings. You're thinking their thoughts. Their love is your love, their pain is your pain.

Oh, Joshua, the romantic hidden behind the appearance of a fuckboy, how many like you are out there in the world, waiting for someone to love you?
And Mateo, you must be the sweetest prince there ever was. Thank you for looking behind appearances, seeing the real Joshua and giving him a chance.

I love College Boys of New Haven but Frat Brats of Santa Barbara is my new favorite series by Hayden Hall. It's got everything College Boys of New Haven has - all the adorable boys, the sweetness and the spice - but also has a more poetic and dreamy writing style.
Reading Frat Brats of Santa Barbara is like being transported into my self from 10 years ago and it's the sweetest nostalgia I can imagine. (To be honest, these stories are better than my own experiences, because unlike me these guys got their happily ever after during their college years and I had to wait some more years for my own true love to appear.)

I'm not going to say much about the story itself because I don't think it's necessary and that's what the blurb is for anyway. I'm just going to say that it's so very good. There is sweetness, spice, some heartache and the happily ever after Joshua and Mateo both fight for.

Now all that's left is a final warning.

Warning: do not start this book without having your schedule cleared for the next few hours.
This book will suck you in and won't let you go.

I think I'm going to read it again now.

[Lisa Tobleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

sweet hidden prince romance

Ok Hayden Hall. While one or two of your stories have been eeek nos for me, I am really enjoying these short fun romances you write. This one is no different. And there was a moment in the epilogue where I Swear you were copying a “Princes Bride” quote (my wife to murder and guilder to frame for it) but in a funnier non violent way… first, the two MCs are adorable and interesting love interests, their romance is in complicated and fluffy fun if filled with a bit of angst and hand wringing, The supporting characters from chauffeur to J’s Mom, heads of state, and the friend group are great. It is funny to me how Everyone in these colleges is gay. Like I get it, it’s an all boys super exclusive potted ivy business school … but come one. Second, bodyguards don’t work that way even if they are technically under the prince’s command, (think secret service they can and will tell a president to politely go to hell if they are directly endangering themselves and that’s with an actual head of a country not an heir to the throne) I kept going “they track them buy phone or other device and Have to be nearby if they exit a secure zone” but eh, it’s a romance and it works for “plot reasons”. Plus the image of multiple bodyguards lurking on campus in tshirts and trousers just made me giggle. Oh! And metal detectors. They have them even at other royal (especially capital or head of state locations) it’s not just a pat down in the rain. But meh. It was a decent sweet romance with spice, just terrible execution of actual ya know security surrounding a high value target.

[Shana_Bobana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was even better than I was expecting! I absolutely fell in love with Joshua and Mateo. Mateo just wants to feel like a regular person for once in his life. He knows he won’t ever be considered a regular guy if everyone around him knows he’s a prince. He decides to keep it a secret during his one semester abroad. He doesn’t expect to make friends so easily, and he doesn’t expect to start to fall in love with his roommate. As he gets to know Joshua he struggles with the lies he tells him about his family. He wants to be truthful to Joshua but he also doesn’t want him to start to treat him differently.

Joshua has had a lot of hook ups but he wants more. He wants a real relationship. He wants a boyfriend who sees the real him, and isn’t just interested in one night in bed. Their chemistry is instant but Joshua worries that with Mateo only around for a semester, starting anything with him would just hurt him. After a short time though he knows he can’t resist Mateo.

Their friendship is so sweet and their romance had me feeling all kinds of emotions! I even cried at one point. I just wanted them to both be happy without feeling hurt. I also loved all the side characters.

I didn’t read the first book in the series and this book read great as a stand alone. However I will be going back to read it because I loved this book so much and I already can’t wait for the next book. All the side characters are great as well. I know each one will make a great main character.

I did receive a free ARC of this book but that did not influence my review.

[Anne Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly let me say I got this book from gay romance reviews and this is me leaving my honest review.
Mateo was looking forward to college life. He had one semester to live out his dream before putting his prince crown back on and going home. But when he went to his room that he was sharing he came face-to-face with the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen. Matio hadn’t told anyone he was gay. He wasn’t sure how his family would take it or his people of Andalonian. There have been rumours of his father being ill so being the air was really starting to come real

Joshua was unlucky in love. It seemed that all anybody wanted was a night with him and then it was see you later Jack well Joshua. After seeing his best friend fall in love he was jealous and wanted somebody to feel about him that way. He thought Mateo was cute when he met him but he had a date that night so wasn’t really paying much attention. When the date went horribly it was Mateo that found him on the beach. And this is where they shared their first kiss. It wasn’t long before they were spending all that time together but what would Joshua think when he found out he was actually kissing a prince and future king??

I really enjoyed this book my heart really went out for Joshua, he never really felt accepted for who he was. But Matio was so cute and so excepting. But he knew when to fight for what he wanted. Passion with these to show for each other just like a magical fairytale. There was something really special about these two. It Was great seeing Caleb And Jaden from the fake boyfriend Debacle.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you tell someone you have fallen in love with that you are a prince? Like, an actual prince. All you want to do is come to America, study abroad, and get a little more freedom. You just want to feel free and be liked for your authentic self, and not for just being a prince, before you have to take over an entire kingdom. So what happens when you meet your gorgeous new roommate and you hit it off immediately? You have an amazing time together, meet his friends, play games, eventually share sweet kisses (among other things), and fall in love for the first time in your life. How do you do all of this while the man you love doesn’t know your whole self? Not just the person you are now, but the other person you will be in the future. Mateo just wanted some normalcy for once in his life, falling in love was not part of his plan. This kind of story should be told exactly the way Hayden tells it. With a vast range of emotions and more fun, laughter, and swoon-worthy moments than you can possibly handle.

There was just something about Mateo and Joshua that was pure magic. Their love felt so real. So raw. I feel like I slowly fell in love while they did. I also feel like I got my heart broken too. Thank goodness for HEAs though or this may have been the hardest breakup of my life.

This was quite the follow-up to The Fake Boyfriends Debacle. I was expecting another fun romp when I read this one, but what I got, was quite a beautiful fairytale instead.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely fun story!
Mateo is the heir apparent to the throne of Andalona, going to college in Santa Barbara, like many in his family have. And he’s the new roommate of Joshua, one of the ‘F***boys’ of Highgate. Joshua’s just lost his roommate to his own romance, and he’s now a bit lonelier.
Mateo is so sweetly enamoured by his roommate, he’s never been able to be out freely, so he’s excited to explore who he is, and the gorgeous Josh seems perfect. Josh meanwhile is so desperate for love and the white picket fence, but keeps finding guys who are only interested in sex. And even though Mateo seems interested, Josh doesn’t think he’s good enough for him.
It’s a really sweet relationship, as they go from friends to lovers. Meanwhile Mateo is enjoying having people like him just for him, rather than for his title. But he also knows that he does eventually need to tell Josh who he truly is.
Naturally things don’t go to plan, which is where we got to see some fun side characters enter the picture. Josh’s mum is awesome and Mateo unknowingly has people on his side. And after spending so long being scared of coming out, when it does happen he’s not prepared.
This was such a sweet story. I love the secret royal trope, and having it play out in a school setting was so fun. Honestly this was just such a fun read and will definitely be a reread for me!


I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in a series, but can definitely be read as a standalone. There are some characters that appeared in the first book but the focus is a different couple.

Josh and Mateo become roommates when Josh's first roommate and best friend drops out of college. Josh is tired of hookups and is looking for a relationship, and immediately feels drawn to Mateo, but he's an exchange student and only there for a semester.

I liked the initial connection between the two, it was well done with the lingering looks and the tension between them. At the start it seems to build quite nicely even though I felt we didn't get to know either Mateo or Josh at all, really. I'd have liked to know why Josh wasn't happy in college and a little more about Mateo too, other than the fact he was a prince. The backstory just wasn't there for me.

I liked the buildup to their first date too, but after that it was all so fast, it almost felt like insta-love to me (which is a pet peeve, sorry).

I did like the book, it's a light, low angst, medium heat story of two people finding their soulmate, and it's a sweet story. I'd just have liked a little more depth.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how sweet is Mateo! He is just looking for someone to like him for himself and not because of who he is, always doing his duty and watched he hope to find friends at Highgate academy, here nobody knows who he really is and meeting Joshua Sterling will change everything for him.

Joshua have a reputation at Highgate academy, he is looking for his Prince Charming and haven’t found him yet, but Mateo Garcia is like nobody He have ever meet, he is sweet, shy and the innocence he found in him want him for more than just a fling. Maybe he finally found his prince!

I love the love story between Joshua and Mateo both have insecurities but their attraction is hard to resist, their relationship is sweet and both are adorable! Mateo falling in love with Joshua has heart break written all over him because of who he is but he can’t help falling in love with him. Joshua never imagine that Mateo was a prince but when he discover the truth he feels betrayed. Things a becoming complicated for Mateo and Joshua but they make it work! I love their reunion!!!
I love their story and I have a great time reading this book!

[Chelsea Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book, it was essentially a modern royal fairytale! Mateo and Joshua have this insane instant chemistry between the two of them. Joshua is the typical frat bro he has a bit of a one and done reputation even though thats not really him. In all honesty Joshua wants the fairytale, he wants the love and romance and happily ever after. He just hasn’t found the right guy yet. When he gets his new roommate, Mateo, he thinks Mateo could possibly be the one. There is this instant spark between them that they just cant run from. Mateo however is hiding the fact that his is the heir to the Andalonian throne. They had to work through some things in order to find their way to the HEA they both deserved but it was such an amazing story! I am hooked on this series and I can’t wait for the next book!

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

POV: 1st Person Dual POV

Standalone or series: Book 2 in the Frat Brats of Santa Barbara series

Would I recommend it: 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ highly recommend!! 🤩

Would I read it again: Most definitely!