Loved, loved, loved this book and I've probably highlighted half the book.
There is absolutely nothing I didn't like about it. I loved the characters, how their relationship progressed from hate to love. I loved the minor characters, the humor, wit and banter. It was just really f**king awesome.

Full review soon.

3.5/5

This was cute. I like how we got to see the development of Alex and Henry's relationship. It went from a "rivalry" to lovers, but it didn't happen instantly, which is greatly appreciated as I hate insta-love stories. Having Alex and Henry destroy the royal wedding cake that cost over 70k just seemed like a perfect way to make these two become fake friends to control the political heat that was ignited from this incident. I'm glad this fake friendship was able to develop into a genuine relationship because as the story goes on Alex begins to realize how he has no friends besides his sister and Nora. The loneliness of the two had brought them in finding comfort in each other and confiding in each other, which makes great bonding moments.

Another thing I like about this was the diversity, not just in race, but also in sexuality. It took a while for Alex to figure out and to come to terms of his bisexuality (which many characters had an idea of except for Alex, who had remained oblivious until this moment). Although Alex had soon come to terms with his sexuality, you can tell that he struggled a bit in coming out, which was shown in how he had slowly come out to one person at a time. The fear that he and Henry faced was very well written as two prominent figures in two powerful countries created great stress on these two. As any relationship goes, there were a few bumps on the road, which I thought were resolved rather well.

Despite all the great things that happened in the story and the great characters that it has, there were some things that I did not particularly like. I did feel that the plot was a bit slow in the middle and as someone who is not too keen on politics, I will admit, my interest kind of wavered about 3/4 of the way through the book. Thankfully, I was able to pull through.

Overall, this was a good book for those who don't mind a bit of politics along with great LGBT representation and a diverse cast. But do keep in mind that this is a bit on the longer side, so it may not be a quick read if you're looking for that.

Have you ever fell in love with a book description at first sight, well I did, especially because it has two of my favorite plots President Son and Royalty plus with a little twist to the story both protagonist are male, instant one click

Red, white & royal blue was a very nice surprise when I found it. I mean, just read the description I was obsessed, I need it to read it and let me tell you It did not disappoint.

This is the story of Alex Claremont- Diaz and Prince Henry of Wales. And how one disaster event led to a romantic tale between both of them, but what happenes when the relationship can put U.S./British relationships at risk. Is it worth fighting for or is better to walk away?

This a a hilarious and romantic story, that not only gives you the swoony moments, the thrilling moments or the funny moments, but also touch base on plolitics and how a world would look like if we had a woman as the U.S. president , it touches your heart as right now we don’t necessarily live in the ideal political world, but it paints you a picture that I hope one day we can achieve.

The characters were all amazing, protagonists and side characters they all had their charm that add depth to the story. The writing was great and overall this story is great for fans of rom-com stories, that just want to read about two great people and how their love overcomes everything. This is a debut novel by Casey Mcquiston I honestly cannot wait to continue reading whatever other great story she give us.










******A Thank You to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an Advanced Readers Copy for an honest Review ******

So first off, thank you random generator on Netgalley that selected me to receive an e-arc of Red, White, and Royal Blue - you're a champ.

Secondly, thank you Casey McQuiston for taking the time to write a book that not only ticks all my romance boxes but for also writing a book that takes the time to make it so much more than just two people from opposing sides falling in love. You made it a story about family, acceptance, and love.

Now onto the rating, I've recently come up with a system to help me come up with this rating.

The Cover - how much do I like it on scale from 1 - 10? 9 I think the cover is lovely and very eye catching.

Writing Style - descriptive and easy to follow 1-10? 7 (some of the political stuff went over my head and I can see it being a problem for people not familiar with America's two-party system. Most of what I know is from the Daily Show with Trevor Noah and HBO's fantastic series The Newsroom)

Characters - likeable, realistic, and are they their own unique person? Can I tell them apart? 1 - 10? 7 - admittedly I got confused in the first quarter on how many siblings there were.

The Overall Story - Is the story complete? Is the message clear? 1 - 10? 10. Honestly I can't find a fault in the story.

Freebie - did I like it? 1 - 10? Mother effing 10. You bet your butt I did.

Final count? 4.3/5

I got about halfway through this book. It wasn't bad, it just didn't knock my socks off. I wanted to love the dream of an affair between the son of the first female American president and the Prince of England. What a fun premise. In the end, I just didn't like the American son, Alex enough to make it through the whole book. I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley.

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start off by saying this book absolutely blew me away!
I really wish there was more LGBT books like this one when I was growing up.
The author made me fall so deeply in love with these characters on a level I’ve never felt before.
The story centres around Henry who is the son of the president of United States of America and he has to befriend Prince Henry of England after their hilarious run in at a royal wedding.
I have to say I’ve never cried and laughed so much reading a book in my life!
The characters personalities literally jump off the page.
I connected with Henry most and he is definitely my favourite character.
This story really captures what it’s like dealing with trying to find yourself and your sexuality.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone!
It had an amazing cast of characters who made me laugh so much that I literally could not put this book down so I read it in one sitting.
I gave it a fully deserved 5 stars.

I have been singing the praises of this INCREDIBLE story all day long, and to be honest, the entire time I read it. Just the representation in this book is off the charts. I loved that the main character's mother was the President of the United States. The relationships between Alex, his sister June, and Nora, their close friend is so wonderful. They do just about anything for each other. Without question. dislike Alex has for Henry, that turns into a different kind of passion. It was a slow build, friends first. 

Passion, there is so much passion in this book. Starts as passionate disdain, then it escalates to fiery psychical attraction. Casey writes it all very tastefully. I really think there is an art to writing those kinds of scenes. There are times to be crude, and graphic. Then, times to just let the readers mind make the jump. Casey does just that. It can really get your heart pumping. Then, just the way it all ends. Just perfection! I am absolutely buying this when it releases! My heart was so full afterwards. Like all was right with the world.

I ADORED this book and I'm already ready to name it the best book I read this year, and its barely even February. Its a funny, sweet, amazing romance and I can't wait to see more from this author. The dialogue is believable, the steamy scenes are so well written, and the characters are well developed and just wonderful.

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

- Review to come

Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

I knew from the synopsis that this would be a book I'd enjoy, I just didn't realize quite how enjoyable it would be.

This was the perfect mix of rom-com, Parks and Rec, and The West Wing (all things I adore). Because of the length of this, McQuiston was able to make the political goings-on an important part of the story instead of just the convenient background that brought Alex and Henry together. It would have been easy for this to be a fluffy romance (and it would have been an entertaining one!) but the addition of these more serious stakes made this a truly enjoyable read.

The length also made it easier to have developed, fully fleshed out side characters. One of my biggest romance pet peeves are when side characters are used as a quick sounding board for the main characters and then discarded. In this story, Bea, Nora, June, and even the adult characters all felt like real friends and family. I cared more about the Alex/Henry storyline because I knew more about the world they lived in, and knowing their friends and family so well made me invested as if they were my own friends/family.

While I did with I could be transported to this alternate U.S., it reminded me the change and progress are possible. Not the message I was expecting when I began a fun romance story, but it was so appreciated. I look forward to reading more of Casey McQuiston's excellent work in the future.

What a sweet story - I am, as the kids say, shook. Forbidden love, found family and family dynamics, political intrigue, humor ... it's all here! I thoroughly enjoyed the time I got to spend with Alex and I think this would do well as a must-read for all teens, LGBT or otherwise!

Red, White & Royal Blue, or alternatively titled Let's See How Many Pop Culture References We Can Fit In One Novel. (The answer is afuckinglot.) I'd even bet money on the author being a big Harry Potter fan. 😂


(quote) When Alex was a kid he dreamed of love like it was a fairytale as if it would come sweeping into his life on the back of a dragon one day. When he got older he learned about love as a strange thing that could fall apart no matter how badly you wanted, it a choice you make anyway. He never imagined it’d turn out he was right both times. (quote)


Wow, where to begin with this glorious book. I had no idea going in RWRB what it would be about other than royalty and gay and tbh I was sold on that. The first quarter of the book I didn't like and couldn't really get into. The Pop Culture references were cute but they were almost overkill along with all the excessive cursing. Listen, I myself say fuck often but there are times you need to be professional. I rolled my eyes so much I didn't think I would finish the book. 
But... oh... then the second half happened. The writing in the second half destroyed me in the best way. I would go from laughing out loud to sobbing to rolling my eyes at random pop culture back to sobbing and finally back to laughing. It was a whole rollercoaster. Bless this book and the author for letting us see Alex's anxiety and and touching on the subject of Henry's depression. Alex and Henry have a a spot in my heart and deserve the world. I don't care if they're fiction. 
Let's all pretend Red, White & Royal Blue is canon and 2016 never happened and the world isn't so shitty.


(quote) “I think it’s amazing,” Nora says. “Sworn enemies forced to make peace to settle tensions between their countries? There’s something totally Shakespearean about it.” 
“Shakespearean in that hopefully I’ll get stabbed to death,” Alex says. (quote)


Enemies to Lovers. Forbidden love. History. Sarcastic humor. It's a fanfic's version of a wet dream. 💦 Also, I've apparently I've read too much Larry fanfiction in my time because for almost the entire book my brain kept trying to change Henry to Harry. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

A sidenote: Not sure if it was just the digital copy but I wasn't a fan of the time jumps with no indication. 

***Thank you to St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read Red, White & Royal Blue. Quotes are taken from ARC and are subject to change.***

This story was engaging. The main plot is the romance. However, it still contained plenty of politics, humor, and family relationships. I did keep reading to see how this forbidden romance would end up. I think this fits well in the new adult genre.

OK, this was like Meg Cabot's American Girl and Rachel Hawkins' Royals (except it's ~hella gay~ and not YA) with a healthy dose of Veep. And basically that's everything I could have ever dreamed of from this book. I had a few minor issues with pacing (I wanted more of a slow burn to be honest... the first part of this book with the "I hate you but I really love you" frenemy plot was my absolute favorite part) and some of the dialogue/plot can err on the side of slightly silly (especially toward the second half) but goddamn if this wasn't a fun and heartwarming time. Gimme the movie ASAP. I'm lookin' at you Netflix

Red, White and Royal Blue was a fun treat to read. This is a sweet M/M romance that starts with a bit of hate to lovers, unrequited love. I love that the romance was between the spare heir of England and the President’s first son talk about international relations.

I loved how the President accepted her son’s life with unconditional love. There were some interesting twists with the presidential election.

This book felt like a wish for a better society. It felt like a do-over to 2016 election. It gave me hope for 2020.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for letting me read and review this book.

A more in depth review will be posted in What to Read Next Blog on publication date.

The word ‘Love’ for this books seems like an understatement. From the first chapter I became obsessed with the lives and charm of these characters. The relationships they share are so wholesome and addicting. Casey’s writing styles will have you not wanting to put this book down for anything.

Alex Claremont-Diaz, the first son of the United States, is a charming and brilliant character. According to the world, Alex is the American version of the current Prince of Wales, Henry. With this information the tabloids and the world should assume they will be instant friends, right? Wrong! (this is where the hate-to-love readers start jumping up and down). Due to an accidental mishap at the Royal Wedding, Alex and Henry are forced to becoming “friends” to save the reputation of their families’ alliance.

Alex would rather fake his own death than spend one more second with Henry. And Henry doesn’t seem so enthused about the arrangement either. Through time though, the two start to realize they have more in common than they might have realized.

Casey McQuiston knocked her debut piece out of the park!! The allure of her characters and themes, mesmerizes the readers into wanting more and more of what she has to offer. I knew I would love this book, but I didn’t expect to LOVE this book! I definitely recommend having a tissue box close by while you make your way through this coming of age story.

I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley- thank you to the publisher. This is EXACTLY the reason I signed up for NetGalley- so I can read books before my friends do, and tell them which ones I highly recommend. This is my top romance of the year so far, and in my top three for the last few years. Great back and forth between the characters, some predictable plot points that never feel too predictable- and some surprises on the way. This is the escapist fiction I didn't realize I needed so badly, and it's steamily romantic without ever being overly graphic. Five stars for these well-drawn and detailed boys, who are always charming and kind and seeking the good in the world. If the current news cycle has got you down, these two princes could really help you envision a more gentle world.

The concept of this book is really cute, and it's quite an enjoyable read. The new president of the United States is a Hispanic, divorced female with two college-aged children. The First Son of the United States (FSOUS) can't stand the crown prince in England and attempts to avoid any social interaction with him. Throughout the course of the book they establish a friendship, then a relationship that is quite cute and fun. All of the characters are quite likable and you find yourself wishing you could be friends with all of them. However, the book plot was predictable and there was way too much gay sex for my liking. I feel like a lot of the sex could have been implied and not quite so explicit. This book is classified as YA, however, I'm not sure it's age appropriate for some high school students because of the explicit sex portrayed.

I can’t believe it’s only February and I’ve already read the best book of 2019. That might seem like a call too soon to make, but trust me, once you’ve read this book, you’ll 100% agree with me.

Red, White & Royal Blue feels like it was written especially for me. It touched my heart in irrevocable ways and once I finished the book, I immediately turned back to the beginning to read it all over again. The novel features a bisexual protagonist, on a journey of discovering his sexuality, a rivalry turned forced friendship, and a beautiful romance that frequently had me in tears. Red, White & Royal Blue had everything I wanted in a novel and more, and I’m still in awe that a book like this even exists: a book where a part of my identity is so wonderfully captured.

Our protagonist is Alex Claremont-Diaz, the bisexual and half-Mexican son of the FEMALE President of the United States. He can be a little haughty at sometimes, he never stops talking, he knows he’s handsome, and he knows how to work people until he gets his way. But he’s also incredibly dedicated, loyal to a fault, and he loves so very hard and with everything he has. He’s a disaster bi in every sense of the word, and I just adore him so much.

Our love interest is Henry Windsor, the closeted gay Prince of Wales and one of the heirs to the Throne of England. He comes across as cold and stand-offish, but that only hides a heart that has been broken over and over again. Henry, although coming from a world of ultimate privilege, genuinely cares for the wider world and is incredibly empathetic. It’s easy to see why Alex would fall for him.

Alex and Henry are frenemies and have been in a rivalry for years — a rivalry which may or may not have solely been in Alex’s head — that explodes when the two men engage in a physical fight at the Royal Wedding, caught on camera and which immediately goes viral. In response, Alex and Henry are forced to become BFFs to ensure that international relations between the two countries remain peaceful. But what starts off as a fake friendship soon turns into a real one, through emails and text messages and late-night phone calls, discussing life, love and the demands of upholding your family name and creating a legacy.

Alex and Henry’s tentative friendship quickly turns into a friends-with-benefits situation, so when I say this book has everything I love, I really do mean everything I love: hate to friends to hook-ups to love. Their relationship is perfectly paced and developed, so the reader is right there, falling in love alongside the two boys. It’s heartwarming and tender and so so so soft, you can’t help but squeal in excitement and, if you’re anything like me, blush when Alex says “baby”.

But what I love most about Red, White & Royal Blue, illuminated through Alex and Henry, are the small moments of historical education peppered throughout the text. This comes in the form of Alex and Henry’s emails to one another, discussing and debating about the lives of prominent queer people from history, most of whom never had the opportunity to come out themselves due to the laws of the era they lived in: Alexander Hamilton, James I, Allen Ginsberg, Hendrik Christian Andersen, Virginia Woolf, Radclyffe Hall, Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelangelo, and many more artists and scholars that Red, White & Royal Blue teaches us about.

I can’t begin to explain the feeling of knowing that queer people have come before you, to know that people like you have a history, that they existed — have always existed. Many times throughout world history, queer people have had their lives and stories oppressed by brutal laws and an even more brutal patriarchy, but reading Alex and Henry’s emails to one another taught me that we are not alone, and we have never been alone. Alex and Henry may send quotes of love by queer people to one another to reaffirm their adoration, but what they reaffirm to me and every single queer reader is a history, a shared experience, and the knowledge that we belong.

Alex and Henry aren’t the only amazing characters in this novel. The background characters are all just as brilliant. I adore June, Alex’s sister who is ride-or-die for her brother, and Nora, Alex’s ex-girlfriend-turned-best-friend who is a super genius. The two women are in, what I read as, a polyamorous relationship, although I could be wrong as it is quite subtle but enough for readers to pick up on. If this is the case, I hope McQuiston writes a book or novella about the throuple! I also loved Alex’s mum, who creates PowerPoint presentations whenever she needs to help her children; and I completely admire Henry’s sister, Bea, who is the only family member who loves Henry for who he is.

Red, White & Royal Blue is a long contemporary, but trust me when I say Casey McQuiston’s writing keeps you glued to the page. The prose is engaging and draws you into Alex’s story with ease. I started this book at 6:30pm one night, intending to only read a chapter before dinner, but before I knew it, it was 10pm and I had read 56% of the novel and had completely forgotten my dinner. Only a really, really, really good book can make me forget about food. I can also perfectly see Red, White & Royal Blue as a movie, and I’m going to need Netflix or Hulu or someone to make it into one ASAP.

I highly encourage everyone to get their hands on a copy of this glorious, gentle New Adult book the second it’s published. Even though I received an e-ARC of the book, I’ll be the first person standing outside my local bookstore on May 14 — and you should be too!

This book is amazing and a bit smutty so I would say it's for 14 years and up. It draws you in right away. It's a really cute story and the characters are very 3 dimensional, even the side characters. Great queer representation - I love to see bi characters as main characters!!! Seriously, I don't get enough of them in the books I read. I recommend this book!
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.