Off the Wall by Edie Montreux

Off the Wall is fantasy fun with a spoiled prince that yearns for his childhood friend to love him again. A dragon, an amnesiac princess, some loyal family members and only one bed brings Cyril and Rye back together for a chance for a forever love.

From the blurb:

Sometimes unrequited love sours to hate … it will take something off the wall to turn it around.

Rye avoids the royal family most of the time, but it's his duty to deliver his family's tithe to the annual harvest festival. While attempting to avoid one princely annoyance, he finds a princess swimming in the moat. He rescues her from the resident dragon, though he's not quick enough to save her memory. When she wakes up, she mistakes him for her brother and looks to the castle rampart with a fear she can't name.

Prince Cyril is certain the moat dragon is innocent of his sister's murder, but when his mother sends him to escort the kingdom's beast expert back to the castle, he jumps at the chance to reconnect with Rye. They were friends once. Prince Cyril is certain they'll be more than friends again, if only he could convince Rye he's more than the poor scholar Rye teased when they were kids.

An assassination attempt forces Cyril to hide at the farm, and each effort to restore the princess's memories ends in hilarious failure. Prince Cyril and Rye succeed only in irritating each other to no end until another feeling rears its ugly head. Love or no, a prince can't marry a farmer, even if their relationship is key to restoring peace in their kingdom.

Off The Wall is an 80,000 word male/male high fantasy friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with comedic and cottage core elements. It has a farmer turned rescuer, a himbo prince who complicates everything, and a playful moat dragon. There's snark, spice, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Content Warning: Off the Wall contains fantasy violence with swords, assassins, and the aforementioned hungry moat dragon.

SNik's Review:

Standalone. Fantasy. Childhood friends to adversaries to lovers. Close proximity. Second chance. Slow burn. Dual POV. 

Rye grew up alongside royalty but when his parents died he took over the family farm, raising his siblings, and trying to forget the man that was once his best friend but now treats him with disdain. 

Cyril has loved Rye since they were children, but royalty can’t marry commoners and he has had to keep his distance from Rye in front of his mother the queen while secretly yearning for a different life. 

Now there is danger threatening the royal family and when Rye rescues the princess after she loses her memory and then has to shelter the prince as well, he slowly finds that Cyril is the same friend he loved but also a different man that he wishes he could keep forever. 

This story has humor, family love and loyalty, remembering friendship, interesting secondary characters, steamy times, and rediscovering a lost love. 

An entertaining read with a couple that learn to appreciate each other and are willing to sacrifice for their HEA.

Rating: 4 Stars

Angel's Review:

I didn't know what to expect when I first started this book, I thought the description was really intriguing and sounded really unique. I'm really glad I read this! 

At first Off the Wall starts off a bit on the slower side, but that was to build up all the background details and the characters backstory. Now normally, I don't care for books that are written with language from older times. However, I didn't mind it much in this book, the overall plot and characters outshone that for me. 

I really liked Sox, I haven't read a book about a most dragon before; especially a most dragon that they treat as a pet of sorts. And Rye's family was so sweet and adorable to read about. Simon, Trevor, Gia, Auntie Sofia, and Fulton. They were wonderful side characters that really made this story incredible. They each had their own individual personalities and they were apart of the story for a reason. This book and the slow burn that ensued..! Rye and Cyril were hot and cold, back and forth, at times I just wanted them to just talk to each other already. But no. The author makes you wait for that. 

I also that Kitty's character was special as well, the mystery revolving around what happened to her was really fascinating to read about. I wanted to know what really happened to her as much as the characters in the story! 

This book I would say is about 3.5/5 on the heat/spice scale. There are some scenes in here, but not too many. 

Overall a really great read! 

Rating: 5 Stars

Holly's Review:

While things get off to a slow start, the author paints a beautiful picture of the characters and the world, which was incredible, by the way!

From the language used to the stunning descriptors, I was thrown into a whole new world which is exactly why I read!

Rye and Cyril were friends as children and had both secretly yearned for each other for years. Their stations in life stood between them and their HEA until a tragedy, a mystery, and forced proximity throw them back together again - let the slow burn and hot and cold commence!

The cast of secondary characters was incredibly well-defined; each one added something to the story and the plot. 

I fell hook, line, and sinker into Rye and Cyril’s world, and I feel like it’s somewhere I will go back to again and again. I can’t wait to explore this author's backlist and see what they do next!

Rating: 5 Stars

Off the Wall is available to buy as an ebook, paperback, or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.