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Verdict: A well-written, entertaining opposites-attract romance between Monaco’s bookish, introverted princess and the first woman fighting for a Formula One podium. The racing scenes win over even non-fans; the flaws are a slightly preachy start, some F1 inaccuracies and an ending that stops short.
Best for: Readers who want royalty, motorsport and two strong-willed heroines — don’t judge it by the cover.
Heat level: Steamy in places (one reader calls it a good blend of sweet and erotic)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.8/5 — a 3.95 Goodreads average across 837 ratings, 3.9 on StoryGraph from 139 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 225 Amazon ratings)
Tropes: Opposites attract, royal romance, athlete / non-athlete, breaking the glass ceiling, companion novel.
The Princess and the Prix is Nell Stark’s 2015 contemporary lesbian romance from Bold Strokes Books, the second Princess Affair book. Her Serene Highness Alix of Monaco has always been the “ugly duckling” of her glamorous family, busy with graduate school and humanitarian work. Thalia d’Angelis is a prima donna Formula One driver who knows she was hired as a publicity stunt and is determined to become the first woman on an F1 podium.
It holds a 3.95 average across 837 Goodreads ratings, with 71% of them four or five stars, 3.9 on StoryGraph from 139 reviews, and 4.4 stars across 225 Amazon ratings.
What Is The Princess and the Prix About?
The two meet at a royal wedding and have nothing in common. But with the Monaco Grand Prix approaching, the princess who ignores the media and the driver who courts it keep colliding.
Thalia’s behaviour off the track is as risky as her driving, and Alix has to decide whether to step into the spotlight.
What Works in This Book
- The racing: Readers repeatedly call the driving scenes intense and exciting; one says they’d give three stars without them.
- Writing quality: Several reviews say Stark’s writing alone is worth the read.
- Character growth: Readers praise realistic, well-paced arcs and plenty of communication.
- Familiar faces: Fans enjoyed seeing Sasha and Kerry again.
Book Synopsis
An overlooked princess and a headline-hungry racer meet as Monaco prepares for its Grand Prix.
They are opposites in every way — will they collide, or cross the finish line together?
My Review
Stark does a good job dropping readers into Formula One and making them care, and the romance grows believably from strangers to partners. Readers describe it as comforting fluff with substance.
Readers note a few weaknesses. One found the opening preachy and Alix sanctimonious until the middle; others felt the focus sometimes jumps abruptly from the couple to racing drama, or that the second half is less exciting. F1 fans flag inaccuracies, one missed seeing more of Thalia’s status as the first female driver, and the most common complaint is an ending that feels rushed. A few found it formulaic or were simply bored by the sport.
My honest note: A satisfying read for most, even if you never watch a race.
| Element | In The Princess and the Prix |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Princess Alix of Monaco & Thalia d’Angelis (F1 driver) |
| Core tropes | Opposites attract, royal romance, athlete / non-athlete |
| Setting | Monaco and the Formula One circuit |
| Heat level | Sweet with erotic scenes |
| Length | 240 pages (paperback) |
| Series | Princess Affair #2 — readable as a standalone |
| Content notes | Car accident and death (StoryGraph users) |
How Spicy Is The Princess and the Prix?
Moderately. It has romance and some erotic scenes without being dominated by them.
StoryGraph users flag a car accident and death.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a royal romance with real sporting stakes. It is on our sapphic sports romance list.
You may want to skip it if: motorsport inaccuracies will bother you, or you need a long epilogue.
In short: A fairy tale at full throttle.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 29% five stars, 42% four, 22% three, 4% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, 60% tagged it emotional and 60% lighthearted. A recurring line in reviews: ignore the cheesy cover.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The racing first. Second, the writing. Third, character growth. Fourth, returning characters.
What readers argue about and complain about: The rushed ending, above everything. Second, F1 inaccuracies. Third, a preachy start.
The comparison worth making first: The Princess Match, another royal-meets-athlete romance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read The Princess Affair first?
No. Readers say it works as a standalone; Sasha and Kerry from The Princess Affair appear, and the story opens at Sasha’s wedding.
Do I need to like Formula One?
No. Many readers who knew nothing about F1 found the racing scenes intense and gripping — though a few F1 fans spotted inaccuracies, such as the race calendar order.
How spicy is The Princess and the Prix?
Moderately steamy. One reader calls it a good blend of sweet and erotic.
How does The Princess and the Prix end?
Happily, but abruptly for some. Several readers wanted a longer epilogue, and one calls the ending a brick wall.
Is The Princess and the Prix on Kindle Unlimited?
Not when we checked; the Kindle edition was listed at $4.99.
If You Loved The Princess and the Prix, Read These Next
Try The Princess Match, or go back to The Princess Affair. For more, browse our sapphic sports romance list or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
The Princess and the Prix sets out to pair a reluctant princess with a racer chasing history, and its writing and racing deliver. What holds it back is a hurried ending. Worth it. Check The Princess and the Prix on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, The Princess and the Prix ranks as a good royal sports romance — fast, fun, stops short.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ 3.95 average across 837 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 71% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.9 on StoryGraph from 139 reviews
- ✓ 4.4 stars across 225 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Opposites attract
- ✓ Believable growth
- ✓ Strangers to partners
- ✓ Good communication
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Un-princessy princess
- ✓ Badass driver
- ✓ Preachy start for one
- ✓ Returning favourites
Writing ★★★★☆ 3.9/5
- ✓ Quality prose
- ✓ Intense racing
- ✓ F1 inaccuracies
- ✓ Abrupt shifts
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ Tagged emotional by 60%
- ✓ Lighthearted
- ✓ Fairy tale
- ✓ Cozy
Heat Level ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Sweet and erotic
- ✓ Moderate
- ✓ Not dominant
- ✓ Adult romance
Ending ★★★☆☆ 3/5
- ✓ Happy
- ✓ Rushed
- ✓ Short epilogue
- ✓ Brick wall for one
Re-read Value ★★★★☆ 3.6/5
- ✓ $4.99 Kindle price
- ✓ 240 pages
- ✓ Princess Affair companion
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
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