The Prince's Playbook

Book three in The Prince Pact series; The Prince’s Playbook takes us to the hockey rink and Swedish Prince, Nils who’s come to coach a hockey protegee, Adan in a bid to get him into the NHL. There’s animosity at first, because Adan has been at the top of his game since childhood and doesn’t think he needs help to get where he wants to be - and to be fair; it’s understandable because he hasn’t had coaches try to refine his skills until now. He sees Nils as unnecessary, right until some simple moves show the arrogant player how different the big leagues are. I loved seeing the calm side of Nils clash with the fire of Adan in those first moments, because it’s how the two will complement and provide a balance to one another further into the story.  Nils is of course like the other princes in the series, is attempting to fly under the radar and have a sense of normality for the year, and I like how because he’s older that his friends, that Nils has completed college and is getting to use his degree and experience on the ice as a coach. This is why when he realises he’s drawn to Adan, there are immediately a couple of reasons why he has to keep his distance, not only does he have to protect his secret identity from getting out, and of course he’s a coach and Adan is a student? However, there is also a seven-year difference in age between the two men.  All of this should keep the prince away from the player who’s not quite as arrogant as he initially comes across as being.  But this wouldn’t be a romance if he walked away and I can’t help but like how their story comes about, and how natural the connection is between them is. Adan is probably my favourite of the men to catch a prince’s attention so far - and that’s after thinking Orson was adorable in book three. Adan is like an excitable puppy when he realises he is attracted to Nils, and there’s also the loyalty he has to his parents - he knows his own dream is within reach, but also that if he gets it, he can make his parents’ lives better too and it’s really sweet. I also liked how Nora Roberts approached both men’s discovery about their own individual sexuality, it’s handled in a natural and respectful manner; and I imagine there are people out there who can relate to what both Nils and Adan acknowledge about their sexual attraction to others. I particularly found it refreshing that for Adan, there’s no internalised homophobia from him - it’s almost like a light is turned on within him and he finds peace. As with any romance there are bumps in the road - but these two it’s their determination to meet their goals, their priorities remain as they were before they met. Nils wants to enjoy his anonymity, and Adan wants to get to the NHL. But alongside the moments of light angst, this is a love story between two men who weren’t expecting to find this kind of connection with someone. I think this is my favourite book in The Prince Pact series so far - we have one more to go because there’s a British prince left to escape their notoriety. I read this over a day and came away smiling and content because it was a light romance of two men from very different backgrounds getting a ‘happy ever after’. I look forward to the possibility of seeing these couples together again, perhaps at an upcoming wedding.  That would be the perfect farewell to them all.