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Release Review: Playing the Palace: Paul Rudnick

by - Tuesday, May 25, 2021


Playing the Palace
Paul Rudnick
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Release Date  May 25, 2021

THEIR LOVE STORY CAPTIVATED THE WORLD…THE CROWN PRINCE AND THAT GUY FROM NEW YORK

When a lonely American event planner starts dating the gay Prince of Wales, a royal uproar ensues: is it true love or the ultimate meme? Find out in this hilarious romantic comedy.

After having his heart trampled on by his cheating ex, Carter Ogden is afraid love just isn’t in the cards for him. He still holds out hope in a tiny corner of his heart, but even in his wildest dreams he never thought he’d meet the Crown Prince of England, much less do a lot more with him. Yes, growing up he’d fantasized about the handsome, openly gay Prince Edgar, but who hadn’t? When they meet by chance at an event Carter’s boss is organizing, Carter’s sure he imagined all that sizzling chemistry. Or was it mutual?

This unlikely but meant-to-be romance sets off media fireworks on both sides of the Atlantic. With everyone having an opinion on their relationship and the intense pressure of being constantly in the spotlight, Carter finds ferocious obstacles to his Happily Ever After, including the tenacious disapproval of the Queen of England. Carter and Prince Edgar fight for a happy ending to equal their glorious international beginning. It’s a match made on Valentine’s Day and in tabloid heaven.
This has a cute premise. I am always a sucker for the fairytale marrying-a-Prince story and it is even more fun in a M/M version. 

Carter Ogden is a Jersey boy. He works in event planning and knows how to make things fabulous, but personally, he is in a slump. He was cheated on and dumped his ex. He is awkward, anxious, has self-worth issues, and is afraid of failure. And he has given up on the idea of love. 

Prince Edgar is tightly ruled and tightly wound. He lives under a layer of expectations and is trying not to repeat the mistakes of his past and keep a professional reputation. 

When these guys meet at an event, they find an easy rapport. Edgar pursues Carter but not too quickly due to his duties, but they find themselves enjoying time together despite their different lives. And things move pretty quickly from there. 

Both are afraid of letting their families down. Both have trust issues. Both are afraid of failure and getting hurt. And now they are in the middle of the media spotlight. And bless Carter's heart, he is a quirky American prone to accidents, verbal screw-ups, mistakes, and flights of fancy. And everything Carter does wrong gets blasted through the press on both sides of the pond and reflects on Edgar and the royal family. 

They have a whole cast of outspoken and opinionated side characters weighing in including the royals and Carters equally domineering Jersey family and friends. It is full of over-the-top shenanigans and comedic and crazy events. So it is a bit challenging for these two to find their way. Sometimes Carter was too much for me and I wanted to shake sense into him. And Edgar was a bit stodgy but Carter did help loosen him up. They have the potential to be the partner they are both seeking, but can they merge together their personalities and public personas in order to actually have a future?

I enjoyed this as a royal rom-com even though sometimes it was a bit slapstick for my taste and had a lot of current topics and promo. I did not get overly connected to the characters or feel a lot of emotion. The sex is mentioned, but pretty much off-page so would be suitable for various audiences. It felt more like a Lifetime movie mixed with a rom-com, but sometimes it is okay to have something a bit more silly and fluffy. I would have liked a bit more at the end to see farther into the future. 


Paul Rudnick
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Paul M. Rudnick is an American playwright, screenwriter and novelist. His plays include I Hate Hamlet, Jeffrey, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla and The New Century. He also wrote for Premiere magazine under the pseudonym Libby Gelman-Waxner. He is openly gay.


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