Red, White & Royal Blue: Collector's Edition: A Novel

Author Casey McQuiston wrote this fictional gay romance novel sort of as a response to how 2016 turned out. Instead of the political and royal figureheads, we have here in the US and in the UK, we were given ones from a sort of parallel universe thereby allowing her to tell the tales of Alex and Henry. What makes this novel work so well is her character writing. The universe in which they live in is rich with details, especially the political machinations (there is some very interesting political intrigue regarding someone Alex knows) that Alex must deal with as well as the social implications that Henry, as a member of the Royal Family, must also contend with. But it is with these two characters that McQuiston pours her soul into thereby giving life to them. Even as they go on their own character arcs (especially Alex), there remains a consistency to who and what they are even as they evolve and grow as people. Even as Alex comes off as somewhat unlikeable at the beginning, by the time his feelings for Henry begin to awaken he is transformed into someone that we can at least not detest, and by we get into the last third of the book he’s someone that we’re not only rooting for, he becomes a character that we can genuinely care about. Henry is different in that he has that royal veneer about him. He’s totally pleasant as one might expect, but even as Alex starts to see his real self he immediately becomes a likable, if somewhat sad, character. McQuiston perfectly uses their growing relationship to see both of them actually begin to blossom as they discover feelings within themselves and for each other. As I read through all of this I could sense that something bad was going to happen, and lo it most certainly did. McQuiston captures the public backlash of these two getting together repeatedly for what is clearly more than just a friendly visit. First, the challenges are strictly of the heart as they each have to admit what it is they are feeling, then the challenges they face have international implications, but McQuiston continually keeps it focused on Alex and Henry in how this fallout is affecting them. It’s a masterful reminder that despite whatever position we come into, whether it is one we attain from hard work or one that we are born into, that at the end of the day we are still people and that must take precedence. This book completely caught me by surprise. I never imagined myself reading a romance novel that wasn’t in some sort of sci-fi or fantasy genre setting, but through an unusual twist of circumstances, I discovered this book. Before reading Red, White & Royal Blue there had been only a handful of authors to cross my path whose work I would fall madly in love with, three of those being Gini Koch of the “Alien – Katherine/Kitty-Katt” series, Jonathan Latt, author of "The Geek," and more recently K.D. Edwards, author of “The Tarot Sequence” series of books, the first being "The Last Sun" (the follow-up novel "The Hanged Man" is slated to come out in December). I have read and re-read their books repeatedly because they each have created characters that I have also fallen in love with. Now I’m thrilled to say that I can add another author to that group as McQuiston has delivered a novel that I just could not put down. I never thought I would go for romance novels, even if they were of a gay nature, but her writing was so powerful that at the end of the day this book proved that what transcends genres is nothing more than just outstanding quality. Her depictions of Alex and Henry, especially as their feelings truly awoke within themselves for each other, was so beautifully written that for a time I no longer felt like an old gay man (I will soon be 58), but instead I actually felt young again and with that came the innocent feelings of hopefulness and optimism, not to mention a reminder of that emotional rush one feels when falling in love. Through Alex and Henry not only did I get to experience that all over again, but McQuiston also gave something that many hopeless romantics (yes, we gay men can also be hopeless romantics) fantasize over, and that is being swept up in love by a true Prince. It’s a theme that has existed in fairy tales for hundreds of years, and now she has given us one that we gay men can latch on to and, vicariously through Alex, experience being swept off our feet by a dashing Prince. If there is a downside to this book is that I was absolutely saddened when I got to the last page and there was no more story. Despite the fact that Alex and Henry are just fictional characters, they were so well-written and portrayed in this book that they truly became alive in my mind, and having the book come to an end felt like I had to say goodbye to them, which is something that I didn’t want to do. Just as they made each other’s lives better through their love and relationship, getting to know them in this book oddly enough made my life better. Reading their story actually made me happy, so for that, I say THANK YOU Casey McQuiston for writing a most remarkable tale. Your idea for this story that you imagined while on an I-10 off-ramp has been embraced by this old gay man who lives just off of I-10. Maybe if you should choose to write more about these two it could be told from Henry’s perspective. In the meantime, I think I will give Red, White & Royal Blue another joyous re-read!!!

Alex is the son of the US President. Prince Henry is second in line for the British throne. And the two of them don’t get along. When an embarrassing incident causes an international stir, the two countries want the young men to pretend they’re friends. Almost against their will, Alex and Henry not only become friends, but over time, they fall in love. And as you can probably imagine, the next international stir looms ahead. There’s a lot to like about this LGBT romance. The plot is solid – set in the political arena, which puts a great deal of external and family pressure on the young men. Messages about love, acceptance, and personal freedoms enter the mix as a natural part of the story. Alex and Henry are likable characters, and it was easy to root for them. Secondary characters are wonderfully distinct, and many reflect the changing attitudes of the younger generation in support of loving who you love. I appreciated that the author takes plenty of time to grow the relationship between the two young men. There are pages and pages of banter via text, and it’s hysterical. I adored the sense of humor and wit that pervades the story from start to finish. There’s also a lot of tenderness and compassion. And a lot of sex. I’m not much of a fan of erotica, no matter who’s doing it, but it's well-written and not overly graphic. In general, the book is a wonderfully written and delightful read, with great characters and endless laughs. Highly recommended.

4.5* This is a heartwarming and funny tale of love between the son of the U.S. president and the Prince of England. Escapist fiction at its finest and all told from Alex's perspective. 💜Alex: bi-racial (half white and half Mexican) and son of the U.S. president; bi-sexual; wants to be in politics for the rest if his life; so busy with his mother's campaign he has little time for anything else and doesn't have a lot of friends; 💜Henry: Prince of England; closeted gay except to all his closest friends and family; 💜June: Sister to Alex; 💜Nora: an MIT wiz and statistical genius; daughter to the Vice-president; 💜Bea: Henry's very supportive sister; This romance starts out with our popular hate to love trope that seems to be present in many books as of late. Henry's brother, Philip is getting married and Alex has to accompany his mother and her cabinet to the wedding. During the reception, a spat between Henry and Alex ends terribly and in the destruction of a $10,000 wedding cake. This incident calls for Henry and Alex to be publicly seen together on many occasions to instill faith in the stability of the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and England. I do love the hate to love trope (if done properly) and I feel this fit quite well into our storyline overall as it helped to create a natural conflict that led them to spending tons of bonding time together. I love witnessing the progression of their friendship and ever closer into love. Do not mistaken this book to be all hearts and love letters. Before they were in love, they were two friends that "pleased" one another. The beginning instances of their relationship were met with gritty descriptions that had little to do with love itself. As someone who reads these books for all the mushy details, it was a shocker to see such gritty descriptions laid raw in such carnal detail. I couldn't knock this too much though because it also lead an element of realism you don't often get with a modern romance. This angle also made sure to keep away the dreaded instalove trope, which played no part in this slow ascent into love.Love was never just a ready made thing with this book. As their relationship built upon itself with time, so the depth of their love increased. Alex also bridged the gap of his sexual self discovery and he went from not being 100% sure of his sexuality to knowing what it was. A love that you can find your true self in is so rare and valuable and I loved that we saw Alex blooming into the person he was meant to become. The supporting characters in this were incredible and as the U.S. president (who was female 😍😍 and Alex's mom) had everything to possibly lose in her re-election campaign by a possible sex scandal, she always stopped to check in with Alex to see how he was doing. First and foremost she was his mother and second a president. I loved her so much and knew what support him may cost her, but she did it anyway. This is such an ideal that so many kids in the LGBTQ+ community don't always have the benefit of having a support system, and I loved how his mother emulated what a parent should be doing for their child. Along with a cast of highly likable and heart warming characters you get a mix of comedy with this. There is an instance at the beginning involving domesticated Turkey's that made me laugh out loud. I won't say more because seriously, you need to read this. This book had so many layers. It wasn't just two boys who were learning how to love one another; it was two boys learning how to love themselves in a judgmental world. And being that both Alex and Henry are very public figures, it was also about the rest of the world learning to love them too. Overall, I really only had one problem with this book. There was a part toward the beginning of the book when they were just starting to "get to know" one another in which Alex threatened to put Henry on a No-Fly List if Henry didn't come to Alex's room so he could do "very bad things" to him. To me, this was an abuse of power for personal gain and that is "never" okay in the context with which this was used. I found it hit a nerve that didn't set well with me. In spite of my one problem with this book, I did enjoy reading the rest of it. It made me feel so many things and it was so touching and beautiful.

I need a lifetime supply of Kleenex and a trophy that says Best Book of 2019 to give to Casey McQuiston. My heart now has a space carved out that belongs to Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry Windsor, to Red, White & Royal Blue, to all of us readers left in a puddle of tears caused by this beautiful, poignant story. Not only is this book an incredible LGBTQ+ enemies to lovers romance, it's also the book you didn't even know you needed in our present political climate. I didn't even know I needed it and now I can't shut up about it. I said it in one of my Instagram stories, I wish I had this book in my hands when I was 18 and preparing to vote for the very first time. I wish I had all the thoughts I have now in my head, but at least I've got them now, and hey a Presidential election is on the horizon. "History, huh?" Cute, funny, and full of heart, Red, White & Royal Blue follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, son to the President of the United States, as he is forced to befriend Prince Henry Windsor, Prince of England to be exact, at least for the media. Alex is the Mexican-American first son to the democratic FEMALE President and he has high hopes of joining the political world alongside his mother. He sees the title President in his future, but that won't happen as long as he is considered the enemy of the Prince of England, which he really is. Prince Henry Windsor, who we shall now just call Henry, is the quiet, arrogant, well-dressed grandson of the Queen. He is charity events, forced smiles, and a media golden child, at least to Alex. When they're forced to hang out in order to put the media storm to rest they discover that they have quite a bit in common and soon their alliance forms into a friendship. Their friendship leads to some startling discoveries for Alex, like he's bisexual, and some timid sharing from Henry, a closeted gay thanks to familial and societal expectations. What started as a laugh-out-loud story of forced friendship soon became a story of heartbreak, hope, and humanity as Alex and Henry explore their blossoming desires for one another. Their romance is told through in person-interactions, texts, phone calls, and the best emails I have ever read. It's an authentic story about two young men discovering their identities and figuring out the shape and direction of their futures, all with an ocean and several titles between them. "Whatever, fine. Henry is annoyingly attractive. That's always been a thing, objectively. It's fine." Casey McQuiston created an entirely new world in Red, White & Royal Blue. Sure, it's America and England, but it's a world with diverse leaders who desire to make positive changes, who truly fight for the people. Alex and Henry know their position and their families' position in the public will make their relationship, their identities, more difficult to embrace, and yet Casey creates for them a world in which they recognize there is strength and power in owning it. Their friends and families, and employees, come from diverse backgrounds, have various heritages, and love freely. Many are out and proud, many wear that culture proudly, Alex and Henry have just not yet found their footing among them. I loved the secondary characters in this novel just as much as I loved our two main heroes. Speaking of secondary characters and world building, I am obsessed with the character interactions in this book. The relationships felt fluid and natural, there is no stilted dialogue. The characters speak and think like their age, their humor is spot on, and the romance is fresh and new feeling. The language, the prose, all of it just made this book that much better for me. I could live in these pages and I mean that quite sincerely, snotty sobbing and all, this book holds a story I want to live and I'm thankful Casey McQuiston gave me the opportunity to do so with her words. "Straight people, he thinks, probably don't spend this much time convincing themselves the're straight." Royal romance, politics, and everyone writing about their heart and their tears? Not normally my cuppa tea. I saw the reviews for this though, they were darn good, and one of my closets friends said it was a must-read for my June Pride reading challenge, she also included it was her favorite for the year, so I picked it up and now I do not want to put it down. For the six hours I read this book I sincerely believed every single character was a real person in my life. I was either crying, making heart eyes, or preparing to go fight alongside them. Red, White & Royal Blue took me on the cutest adventure ever and my emotions were not prepared for all the adorable, painful, and realistic moments in is pages. Not only do I wholeheartedly recommend this novel, I also think it should be a must read. It's important, while also being the feel-good story we need.

Red, White & Royal Blue Casey McQuiston 2020 422 pages Overall Rating: 5/5 MM Contemporary Romance Plot: Rising political star and overachiever Alex Claremont-Diaz gets a kick out of being a tabloid darling, thanks to his association with the most famous family in the world. Raised to work hard and dream big, the First Son of the United States is busy trying to finish college and become the youngest person ever elected to Congress. But those same tabloids he always laughs at won’t quit comparing him to the equally handsome and debonair First Son from Across the Sea, Prince Henry of the UK– as if the two are involved in a heated contest for Most Eligible Bachelor in the World or something. And Alex hates to lose any competition, especially if it involves his royal arch-nemesis. After an embarrassing public mishap occurs between the two young men during the middle of a contentious election season, some speedy damage control is required, forcing Alex and Henry into a fake friendship to help keep the peace between the two nations. And as it turns out, they have a lot more in common than they thought. First Take: This book will always hold a special place in my heart as the one that turned me on to dudes— as in gay romances. I was always afraid to dip my toes in the MM pond because it felt so forbidden, but then I picked up this book and never looked back. I was obsessed immediately. This book is so earnest and sweet and dang did it make me remember my own first love and the intense, I-will-die-without-you feelings that go along with that. Nothing gets me going like a high stakes forbidden love story with a strong emotional connection, and this book is that– political empires are at stake here, people! There may or may not (emphasis on may) be a gay awakening that is just so believable and beautiful to watch. And who doesn’t love the idea of a prince falling in love with a commoner? This one hit all my buttons. Characters: The story is told entirely from Alex’s perspective, so we get great insight into his thoughts and feelings. He is sarcastic, loud and playful, but not afraid to be serious and follow his heart when it points him in the right direction. Henry, on the other hand, is outwardly the epitome of “stiff upper lip” until you get to know him, and then all his ooey gooey sweetness comes out. He is passionate with a Capital P. There is also a great supporting cast, with Alex’s stylish and protective older sister, June, and super-smart number-crunching best friend, Nora. Special appearances by a no-nonsense Madame President with a heart of gold and aging queen who specializes in cold shoulders. Praises: There are so many things to praise about this book. Alex’s voice is so earnest and introspective, and I really enjoyed going with him on his journey of self-discovery. The romance is sweet and intensely emotional, and the high stakes feel real– my heart was racing to the very end. The writing has a sense of poetry and yearning that I really enjoyed. The story takes place in an alternate universe that felt both familiar and unique, and ultimately very relatable. Critiques: If I have one critique, it would be that it’s a tad heavy on the politics. I understand the author wrote this book in response to real-world events and the fear and uncertainty that people really felt at the time, and ultimately it is meant to be a story of hopes and dreams of what the world could be. That being said, the election process is a big part of the story and the politics lean pretty heavily democrat, which might alienate some people. I would hazard a guess that many of those alienated people aren’t terribly interested in MM romance, so it’s likely not a huge problem for most. Themes: Politics, Coming of Age, Contemporary Romance, Identity, Man v Society Overall Tone: Earnest, heartfelt tone with plenty of sarcasm and wit mixed in Prose: Some of the descriptions are so vibrant and feel like poetry when you read them. This book is full of beautiful yearning. Steam: 3/5: The s*x scenes lack the nitty gritty details of some of the more erotic romances. They are sweet and meaningful and rather oblique– you have to use your imagination a bit. Trigger Warnings: Some discussion of the death of a family member Tropes: Fairytale, Bi awakening, Enemies-to-Lovers, Coming Out, Forbidden Love Kinks: None Swear Jar: 5/5: If you made this a drinking game, you’d be drunk AF Memorable quotes: “As your mother, I can appreciate that maybe this isn’t your fault, but as the president, all I want is to have the CIA fake your death and ride the dead-kid sympathy into a second term.” “Should I tell you that when we’re apart, your body comes back to me in my dreams?” The lines of him are long and languid in the moonlight, and he’s so beautiful that Alex thinks this moment, the soft shadows and pale thighs and crooked smile, should be the portrait of Henry that goes down in history. He wants to match the new freckles across Henry’s nose to the stars above them and make him name the constellations. Worthy of a reread? Obviously. Already read this one like 4 times. I think I actually read it twice in one week– basically finished it and then immediately started over. It was that good. Stand-Alones, Prequels, Sequels, & Tangents: Stand-alone novel. Would dearly wish for a sequel but will likely be waiting in vain. Check out more romance reviews at The Hopeless Romanticist blog!

I admire the gorgeous headlong exuberance of McQuiston’s writing, the sheer joy and brash self-confidence of the author's achievement, and its well-deserved commercial success. (The “It’s ridiculous” quotation in my review title is actually the author’s own self-sardonic comment, p. 136, in one of the book's fabulous love scenes.) The heart of any romance is the author’s ability to get readers invested in the lead characters and their love story, and this novel soars on that score. Yeah, sure, it’s an absurdly high-concept, escapist, romantic fantasy. But it would take a cold-hearted curmudgeon indeed not to swoon for presidential son Alex Claremont-Diaz, even though, as his British royal counterpart Prince Henry aptly observes, Alex really is a “preening arse” much of the time. I would second New York Times reviewer Jaime Green’s praise for “the consuming vividness of Alex and Henry” as characters: especially, I think, the brooding and sometimes depressive Henry. As Green says, “the intensity of their infatuation ... is intoxicating.” No sooner did I finish the book than I wanted to read it again, wishing I could induce amnesia so as to enjoy the shock of surprise and discovery all over. While there’s obviously no accounting for taste when it comes to sex scenes (Amazon reviewers seem split between those who find them too much or too tame here), I think McQuiston strikes a good balance: almost entirely avoiding graphic description while still conveying intensely erotic passion. It’s a fairy tale romance, after all. The goal, I think, is to convey the excitement of sex as primarily centered in the brain, which after all it is. It’s about the feelings, not the bodily mechanics! But ... yeah, there’s always a “but” ... as soon as I finished the book I also wanted to rewrite a lot of it. So, the problems ... once you get over the initial romantic rush, the novel is riddled with serious oversights of plotting, character set-up, and seemingly inadequate research. Where were the editors? (A lost art, I fear.) In Shakespeare’s famous love story, Mercutio is actually more interesting than either Romeo or Juliet, and McQuiston offers us a sort-of Mercutio: Henry’s supposed platonic soul-mate, the flamboyant Percy “Pez” Okonjo. But despite this teasing start, he’s totally undeveloped. We get almost no sense of his connection to Henry or how it originated. McQuiston absent-mindedly toys with a romantic attraction between Pez and Alex’s sister June, but never bothers to pursue it. So why bother inventing this character in the first place? As many of my fellow Amazon reviewers have also noted (more perceptively than major media reviews), the excessive plethora of half-baked minor characters is a pervasive problem. June herself, and best friend Nora, fill their roles OK (one wishes for more); the same might be said of Henry’s sister Beatrice. But Alex’s mother (the president) and Henry’s grandmother (the queen) are cardboard cut-outs, as is the president’s hyper-aggressive chief of staff Zahra. Their scenes are stilted, awkward, and neither credible nor interesting. My favorite side character is Alex’s dad, who exudes gritty charm in the scenes (too few!) when he takes a bow. McQuiston seems to be fond of Amy the transgender Chinese-American secret service agent, but aside from a few good wisecracks, she’s also a cipher, as is Henry’s “equerry” Shaan, a South Asian Brit who develops an implausible off-stage relationship of his own with one of the Americans (which we are merely told about, not shown). There are just WAY TOO MANY minor characters, and their treatment is remarkably uneven. I mean really, why have two named secret service officers perennially assigned to Alex, with neither one developed in any meaningful way? Meanwhile, Henry’s personal protection officers are completely faceless and unnamed, though they must have played an important role in many scenes. Yet we are given totally useless characters that could have been omitted entirely, like Alex’s cubicle-mate on his mother’s campaign, or Henry’s elder brother for that matter. And does McQuiston really expect us to believe that Henry could be the "Prince of Wales"? Don’t get me started on his jarringly fake alternative title, "the Prince of England” (the author toggles inconsistently between the two). “The” prince? There are LOTS of princes and princesses in the British royal family, and they’re not just “of England” but of the entire United Kingdom, which includes Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, not to mention several nations around the world, including Canada, Jamaica, Australia, and New Zealand, that recognize the British royal sovereign as head of state. This is not just nerdish nitpicking (though yeah, I am a nerd and I do like to nitpick). I myself don’t follow British royals, but 15 minutes of Wikipedia research would have helped McQuiston avoid undermining much of the credibility and dramatic tension of the story. Presumably, most royal-watching readers of this novel DO follow this stuff and are well-versed in the fact that “Prince of Wales” is a unique title ONLY conferred on the heir apparent, which Henry is NOT (as McQuiston eventually, confusingly confirms). British royal succession law was changed in 2015 to be gender-neutral. And indeed, it is mentioned once or twice that Henry is merely FOURTH in line for the throne, behind his mother, elder brother, and elder sister Bea. Yet, in another scene, Henry contradictorily says his brother is the “heir” and he’s the “spare” (like the real-life Princes William and Harry). No, their mother is the heir (and by the way, would qualify to be “Princess of Wales”), and BOTH his siblings are “spares” ahead of him. Furthermore, his brother gets married at the very outset, so presumably he and his wife will soon start producing children who will bump Bea and Henry still farther down the line of succession. Annoying and unnecessary mistakes like this tend to take readers out of the fantasy. The deeper question is why McQuiston chose to set things up this way in the first place, so Henry is merely fourth in line and virtually certain NEVER to become king? Why not actually make Henry a realistic Prince of Wales? Why not make him FIRST in line for the throne? Why make Henry's 80-something grandmother, the queen, so awkwardly similar to the real-life Elizabeth II (who died in 2022, age 96, three years after the novel was published)? One of that real queen's grandsons is actually named Henry (nicknamed Prince "Harry")! Remember him? "Spare" is even the title used by the actual Prince Harry for his memoir! Similar to the fictional "Prince Henry," the real Prince Harry also became romantically involved with a mixed-race American (a woman), whom he married almost exactly one year before this novel was published. At least change the names! Why not put the crown on the fictional Henry's mother Catherine? She's yet another sadly undeveloped minor character in the novel. The author might easily have imagined a terrorist attack a few years before the story opens to wipe out most of the current royal family, well past 20th or lower in the line of succession. Or just present it as an alternative reality. McQuiston could easily have created a royal family plausibly distinct from the scandal-plagued real one. We’re told Henry’s mother is drowning in grief for her late husband. That’s a good plot point, helps explain Henry’s own captivating inner grief and loneliness. But why not make Catherine, the grieving widow and mother, a real presence in the story? She could develop some heartrending terminal condition of her own, thus making Henry more believably fearful of royal duties bearing down upon him at a vulnerably young age. If you’re going to set up a high-concept fantasy like this, you need to actually follow it through to its full potential. McQuiston did some nice historical research. Henry constantly goes on about Britain’s two known historical gay kings (Edward II in the 14th century and James I during Shakespearean times). So why not link all that to Henry becoming a modern gay king? The boys quote lots of real-life historical same-sex love letters to each other, but McQuiston overlooks the historical relevance of the actual King Edward VIII’s famous declaration, when abdicating the throne in 1936, that he “found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge [his] duties as king ... without the help and support of the woman [he] love[d].” What a perfect twist of history if Henry were to say the same thing while DECLINING to abdicate his role as Prince of Wales! With just a few story adjustments, it would have been entirely plausible, in gay-friendly 21st-century Britain, to imagine Alex as a future Prince Consort of the kingdom! "Prince Consort" would also have been a much better title than the silly "Red, White, and Royal Blue." The sequel could be "For King and Country." A big problem with much of the novel is that it obviously would NOT be any big deal for American voters if the president’s son came out as gay or bisexual, and even had an affair with a male British royal. It might be a titillating media sensation for a few days, but the only way it would hurt the president would be if she appeared not to be a supportive parent. Actual former Vice President Dick Cheney, after all, had an openly lesbian daughter almost a generation ago (though granted, she did not cavort with a princess). And would anyone care, in hip and jaded modern Britain, what same-sex dalliances some prince way down in the line of succession got up to? Thus, the entire last third of the novel is a misfire, distracting us from the central romance with a wrong turn into American political melodrama and an overhyped outing crisis. How did the author end up deciding that the hook of this novel’s story would be not the future of "Henrex" (my original moniker as far as I know), and their wildly inspiring love, but whether Alex’s mom gets reelected? Rewrite! The film version is now out, and sad to say did not even attempt to fix any of these problems. The movie is much weaker than the book for a variety of reasons, including poor screenwriting and poor casting of many roles (though Nicholas Galitzine is wonderful as Henry). You can read my review of it on Amazon Prime. But I still can't get the damn novel out of my head! Looking forward to McQuiston's next!

3.5 (rounded up) This was a sweet, swoony, and genuinely enjoyable romance that left me smiling. I really enjoyed the relationship between Alex and Henry. Their emotional journey felt earned, and once they both chose each other, the love story became warm, steady, and deeply affirming. One of my favorite elements was the use of emails and written communication between the characters. It added a surprising level of intimacy and emotional depth. The emails alone were worth the read. I also appreciated Alex’s character development by the end. Watching him grow into someone more self-aware and courageous made the final chapters especially satisfying. The story balances romance with a behind-the-scenes look at politics and an election, which I found interesting, even if some of those sections ran a little long for me. Overall, this was a heartfelt, hopeful love story with a satisfying emotional payoff. If you enjoy character-driven romances with strong emotional moments and a lot of heart, this one is definitely worth picking up.

I adored this book. So. Much. First and foremost, it's just so funny. Humor in romance books is often cringy, but I was genuinely cracking up at this book, worsened by the fact that I was reading the first half of it in Barnes & Noble. Alex's dialogue with his friends and family and even the author's technique in making a punchline through inner monologue is just so genuine and funny and modern and sarcastic. There was not a SINGLE instance of humor or dialogue in this book that I think was overdone or cheesy. This author is just masterful at crafting realistic, meaningful, but also lighthearted conversations. This is the type of book that makes you love every single character. From Henry and Alex to even the most minor cabinet members or White House staff, every character has a place carved out for them in this book. McQuiston made me care about them and their conflicts without having to sacrifice my attention from Alex's main storyline. I LOVED Nora and June and Pez and Zahra and Alex's mom, the actual president, who I did not expect to be so blunt and crass but I fell in love with instantly. Next, I loved how politics was folded into this book. Nothing was too abrupt, boring, or info dumpy. Specifically, there were so many nods to Texan politics, which struck close to home because I'm from Dallas (see: me crying at the end of this book). Beyond that, there's a lot of discussion about the first son and daughter being biracial (half Mexican), campaigning and the corruption of politicians, as well as the country's reaction to a woman being president for the first time. All of these commentaries were such a great addition to the story. It felt so good to be immersed in an alternate universe where this family and cabinet exists. Delving into this world is equal parts comforting and horrifying: comforting because it's the alternate universe outcome I wish we'd had in the 2016 election, so seeing how different the world could be and hearing Alex's triumph about being biracial and living in the White House made me teary. At the same time, it really confronts you with just how institutionalized homophobia is, and the portion of the book that began discussing that (~the last 100 pages) is when the tears started and didn't stop. Alex and Henry's separate journeys grappling with their sexualities and how to be transparent with their identities as world leaders were completely touching. This book follows Alex's perspective, and I really loved the discussion of discovering yourself as bisexual and questioning sexuality, and the eventual support system he was able to generate with his friends and family. However, this book also broke my heart in its discussion of Henry's sexuality and the acceptability of being in homosexual relationships while in a position of power, especially the leader of a country who fears how their people will react to that news. This book definitely has its cute royal romance moments, but my favorite part of it was at its heart, it's about two men growing more comfortable in their sexuality and being willing to face anybody who would question them. I basically used up an entire sleeve of sticky tabs because this book was so hilarious, important, and touching. If you haven't read this already, I highly recommend you do so.

Tof boek, snel en goed geleverd

Ho comprato questo libro per i disegni e il capitolo in più ( nonostante avessi già il libro) E non ne sono rimasta delusa, anzi è meraviglioso!!! Disegni bellissimi, e il capitolo extra è stratosferico!! Questo libro mi ha fatto amare ancora di più questa storia.

Originally bought the book in 2020-2021 in my native language, didn’t read it because the translation didn’t catch my attention. This year I bought it along with another series in English, now I am obsessed!! I’m determined to get every single version ever released lol, pray for my bank account 🙏 Must read!!! The writing, the emotion, the storyline, everything is perfect from start to the very last word!! 💙❤️

Boken kom i bra kvalitet, inga skador på omslaget vad jag kan se, sidornas kanter såg dock ut som om dom har varit blöta och torkat igen, däremot inget större problem för mig

Well this book was kind of everything and I loved every second. I had heard so much about this from other reviewers and I was so excited when I was approved for the eARC. This book was absolutely adorable and definitely was worth all the hype I had been seeing about it! Red, White, & Royal Blue is about Alex, who is the First Son of the United States of America. He was thrust into the spotlight after his mother became President, and basically become like American royalty. It's no secret that Alex really does not get along with royalty, Prince Henry, but they soon get mixed into an international scandal at Prince Phillip's wedding. They are forced to become "friends" and participate in photo ops and spend time together to help save face for both of their families. However, they soon figure out that maybe all the animosity between them was really something more all along. Okay, first things first. I've seen this being labelled as a young adult contemporary book on some websites, but this is definitely not. It is a new adult romance at the very least. There are a lot of steamy scenes and fade to black moments, nothing too descriptive, but more than what you would see in a typical YA contemporary book. With that out of the way, I loved basically everything about this book. I thought the plot was amazingly well paced, I never found myself bored or hoping that the plot would just get going. I was entertained the entire time, and even though it does follow the typical romance formula, the author did some intersting things in the story that made it feel fresh and fun. I also really enjoyed the political elements of this story. We got to see the President and Alex trying to navigate this whole romance and its ramifications during the election year, and see Henry struggle on his end with what this relationship would mean for the "Royal Image". I thought all of that was super intersting and gave the book a deeper level of story telling. This book was also extremely diverse! We have bisexual and gay characters, a transgendered character, and lots of POC rep. And the cherry on top is that these labels did not define the characters! They were part of who they were, and yes their sexuality and race was important to the plot, but it was not their only defining characteristics in the book, and every character was developed beautifully. We also had a female president and tons of strong female characters in positions of power. Speaking of characters, Alex was hilarious. He is outspoken, brash, but still so unfailingly loyal to those he loves, that it made it hard to not love him. Henry was Alex's perfect foil. He was calm, quiet, and more subdued, but so passionate about topics and people he loved. The way they came together and worked through the tough times was really beautiful, and the really are a new OTP of mine. Nora and June were equally amazing. I loved seeing them grow individually and really learn what it as they wanted to do with their lives. Seriously, I loved all the characters, I can't think of a major character who was flat or not talked about enough. I felt connected to them all and enjoyed reading about their character arcs. Basically the TDLR is that I loved this book.