This is the kind of story that had me smiling (even through tears at times) cover to cover. It’s moving, it’s relevant, it’s OH-SO romantic, and it's one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

This novel was charming and engrossing from start to finish! It included the perfect amount of real world politics, humor, and romance to make up an adorable book. This novel is now easily one of my favorite romances!

I love Alex and Henry! Red White & Royal Blue is easily one of my favorite new romances. I was grinning and swooning the whole way. Such a fun and delightful take on the royal romance!

I LOVED this book. I have been wanting to read this since I heard about it last fall and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Henry and Alex had so much chemistry in my opinion and I loved their relationships with their mothers. I think that the Zahri and Shaan arc really surprised me in the best possible way as well. June and Bea were probably my favorite characters and I would love to see another book about them, together or apart :D. I just loved this book and will be telling EVERYONE to read it.

I am not afraid to admit that I was rather surprised by this story. I expected a cute romance, potentially filled with quick-witted YA humor, descriptive action and memorable characters. Boy was I wrong! What I discovered was a VERY well written story that truly captivated me from the beginning. Not only is this extremely well written but it is funny, heartfelt, romantic and truly one of a kind. Not only is this a wonderful story, it is an important story to have on every library's bookshelves!

This book is a classic royal romance with a twist. Prince Henry and First Son Alex are enemies. After an 'incident' at a royal wedding, the pair is forced together for a press tour to show off their 'bromance'. As Alex and Henry's budding friendship turns into more as Henry reveals he in serious lust with Alex. But Alex is straight..isn't he?

Casey McQuiston does a fantastic job weaving a friendship into more with some budding identity issues for both the Prince and FSOTUS. I love that Alex is surrounded by people who accept his feelings for Henry, although the team for his mother reelection campaign isn't sold on the international incident.

This book is full of wit, history, love, and family it's also interspersed with politics, which makes for a well-rounded narrative of both of the boy's lives. I loved this book and can't wait to recommend it to others.

This book felt like a dream version of how 2016 could’ve gone. It was hopeful and idealistic without being naive or ignorant to the problems in our country.

Utterly romantic and heart warming, with some of the most beautiful love letters I've ever read in fiction. You will cry, or you aren't human.

I read this in one sitting, staying up til 4:15 to finish reading it. I loved it. It was such a fun story and I really liked all the characters. This was so fabulous. I will be reccommending it left and right.

Where to start with this fantastic novel? I absolutely adored this story and these characters. This is the book that 2019 deserves! I will absolutely be recommending this book to friends, family and students. I can't say that I have read a book anything like this yet and I hope there is more to come by this author and in this new genre of books. Without giving away the whole story line, imagine a 2019 where we have a female U.S. President (who has been divorced and remarried) with young adult children who are not just generic stereotypes but real, diverse, multifaceted people who are discovering themselves and creating their lives on their own terms. When FSOTUS Alex, realizes his "hate" for the Royal Prince is not hate, but rather interest and curiosity, we are taken on a journey of self discovery, falling in love, friendship, taking chances and speaking your truth. Every single character in this novel is multi-dimensional making them accessible to readers of diverse backgrounds. I loved the style of writing in this novel and how it went back and forth between first person narration, text conversations, love letter style emails and face to face conversations. I will say that there were a few issues with formatting (ie. chapter divisions) but I think that is just part of the early version and will be fixed before publication date. I also felt that the ending dragged on a little long for me. There were a few parts that felt like they could have really been the finale but then it kept going. All in all, this was a tremendous read for 2019 and I have a feeling it will be on the top of many lists once more people get their hands on this terrific debut novel. I'm hoping there could be a series to come out of this story as there are so many interesting characters who were part of the novel with story lines that were intriguing and could absolutely be developed.

This book was phenomenal. I can't give it a high enough rating. This story was HILARIOUS, and had me laughing out loud several times.. It was raunchy and honest. However, it was also extremely raw, vulnerable and emotional. I laughed, cried, and then laughed some more. I couldn't have loved it more than I did. A love story for the (new) ages- I would highly, highly recommend this one.

3.5 stars

As soon as I read the blurb for Red, White & Royal Blue I couldn't wait to read it. A First Son falling in love with a Prince - color me intrigued. I love M/M. But what I love even more is an unusual story. Red, White & Royal Blue was certainly that.

The plot was fantastically unique, entertaining, and Alex and Henry were the ultimate adorable couple. It didn't hurt that the entire cast was diverse, lovable, and engaging. There was so much love and palpable adoration between all of them - I fell easily in love with the entire cast.

If you love any of these tropes, you should really give this novel a try.

✔️Friends to Lovers
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Royals
✔️Diverse
✔️ M/M

It didn't' make me cry, and I wasn't blown away by the writing, but it certainly made me laugh. There were more than one scene that made me laugh out loud. And I adored Alex and Henry, and would have loved to read a more comprised novel just about them. Because this book was way too long.

I'm going to be in the minority here, since everyone seems to love this book! But although the plot was right up my alley, the execution wasn't working for me as much as I hoped for. It was way too long with 432 pages. Also much of the book was about the political background of a presidential campaign and DC politics. And I had a hard time being interested in that part of the story. But I can see how readers might love the in-depth view of a presidential campaign.

But besides that, it was a promising debut novel, with awesome characters, well written prose, and smart dialogues.

I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

Ahhh, this book was marvelous! And romantic! And funny! Alex and Henry were amazing, nuanced, and so perfect for each other. Their banter was everything. Their emails were swoony. I loved the side characters and the world they lived in, which was just a little bit better than ours- enough to feel hopeful that we can one day make it a reality. The President's son and the prince of England falling in love is a story I've definitely wanted, and Casey McQuiston delivered! I even got a little teary-eyed at one point, which almost never happens! I cannot recommend this book enough. It will set your heart aflutter and linger long after the final page is turned.

Royal romances are a tried and true trope and continue to appeal because of the nearly universal fantasy of suddenly finding a royal love. So, the idea of a romance between the first son and a royal prince was interesting in that royal fantasy vein. While the story had many appealing elements and moments, the book was a little uneven.

Alex Claremont-Diaz is the well-liked son of the first female president of the United States. He is obsessively followed on social media and when a kerfuffle with a royal prince happens at an official engagement, damage control is swift. In order to prevent an international incident, a series of public outings is staged to show what great friends the two young men are. These interactions, lead to a genuine friendship that slowly leads to a deeper relationship.

What didn’t work so well was that the characters marched very closely to the current royal family. While a fantasy romance is not required to be realistic, these similarities interfered with my enjoyment of the story by constantly causing me to question the believability of the narrative. Also, the story felt like it was trying to address too many current issues. Finally, given the age of the characters this really is more of a new adult romance. Some of the characters behavior in the beginning was a bit to juvenile and off putting and nearly caused me to set the book down.

However, I’m glad I finished because there are some genuinely sweet moments here. The relationship between Alex and Harry is an enjoyable enemies to lovers story. Their discovery of self and each other in texts/e-mails made for some very romantic reading. I cheered for this very cute relationship. The story feels positive and empowering given the current negative political and social climate.

Overall, this is a fun read and will be a good choice for libraries wanting to add quality LGBTQ titles to their collections. 3.5 Stars.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful book. Very well written and executed. The book is a sliding doors esque plot in which a woman won the 2016 election and was a type of compassionate leader and mother. The two leads Prince Henry and Alex are relatable and refreshing. Will definitely recommend.

I loved this book! Red, White, & Royal Blue is the story of Alex, son of the first woman president of the US who at first hates - but then falls for - the (spare) Prince Henry of England. (It was so very nice to lose myself in a world where the Obama presidency was followed by a woman president.) Alex and Henry are both wonderful characters, and I liked the way their relationship developed - including some very romantic love letters and some very funny texts. I also really liked the realistic way they had to deal with political pressures and very real reasons why it was hard for them to be together - including a disapproving Queen and Alex's mom's re-election campaign. Alex and Henry's relationships with their siblings and friends were great - they were all so fun and supportive of each other. Ugh, this was just so good. Highly recommended!! I can't wait to see what McQuiston writes next.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was uplifting, sweet, life affirming and hopeful.

Red,White and Royal Blue joins the growing ranks of LGBTQ teen fiction being published but I think others will be hard pressed to match this one.

Alex Clairmont Diaz is the half Mexican som of the sitting female American President when he attends the wedding of Prince Philip heir to the British throne. At the after party he and younger son Prince Henry have an unfortunate encounter with the (very expensive) Wedding Cake.

As both counties set out to do damage limitation in the press the two young men are forced to attend events together. Over time they realise that perhaps they aren’t so very different after all.

The romance was well done, the author let an organic relation grow between Alex and Henry via text, email and face to face encounters. She also neatly avoided the insta-love trap that oh so many YA authors fall into. Alex and Henry were likeable principle characters and the supporting cast was strong. It was a brave choice to set the romance in such a political setting but it worked.

My only small gripe (as a British reader) is that I found it rather that the fictional Royal Family in this novel predominantly had names of real-life Royals albeit in different generations of the family for the most part. I’d have found it easier with different names. However that is a small gripe and entirely personal preference.

If you like YA, romance books or are just in need of a light (for the most part) uplifting you won’t go far wrong in picking this one up.

*Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*may contain a few slight spoilers
3.25 / 5 stars

Red, White & Royal Blue is a fun novel that explores what would happen if two individuals with royal status fell in love. This romantic comedy explores the gradual relationship between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of Wales. After an incident happens between these two, they must come together to create an image of friendship. Alex, the First Son, wholeheartedly opposes being around Henry, but after this troublesome event for them he soon learns that Henry is a different person than who he presents in the limelight.

I thought that the writing for this book was fairly well done. The approach of narration was different from what I expected but gradually I got used to the idea. It was a bit hard to follow transitions in my eARC copy, so I hope that this is not the case in the final print copy. I think that based on everything that happens in the novel, there were some instances that writing should have been cut or condensed. I felt like a few moments were too overwritten (especially with emails). I appreciated some of the moments, but I was ready to move forward in the story.

Alex and Henry are enjoyable characters whose character growth is fairly good. Some of the moments for each character felt a bit off at times though. I did love the terms of endearment they had for each other though. Swoon! But sometimes I felt like they were almost becoming someone else; they felt a little cliché and off. I also felt like the enemies to lovers transition was a bit lacking for my taste, but that may just be my preference. Overall I did enjoy their relationship and story. However, I did not really enjoy all the political content and excess family moments. I expected some of the political content based on Alex’s background but towards the end it totally overpowered the story at times, in addition to too many family moments and conversations. I liked the side characters somewhat but they felt like they were always lurking around in the story. I want more of the main characters! I gradually started to lose interest after the first 50% due to some of these moments. I think these elements made the story weaker and were overused.

I’m not quite certain what this novel is being classified as in age range but I believe it is New Adult or Adult. It has some mature moments that are not suitable for young readers. I would classify it as New Adult.

I loved this book. I cannot begin to explain what a surprise and joy it was. I literally could not put it down, giving up sleep and not-so-productive day at work to finish it. The beginning was a bit shaky for me; some of the early conflict felt a bit predictable. Alex has hate-crush for the Prince of Wales, who he sees a bland dullard, but who — as anyone with any experience with PR or politics knows — is really just an expert at hiding himself behind an expertly crafted facade. (Alex, who most certainly does have experience in PR and politics should realize this, but I'll give him a pass. Henry is described as being especially reserved due to the trauma of losing his father and his domineering grandmother.)

Once they get together, they are as swoony and sweet as cotton candy, and you find yourself rooting for them to figure out a way to make it work. Politics are messy, though, and their relationship is not free from the damage paparazzi and political opponents can inflict.

This book is both a really enjoyable love story and a hopeful affirmation that the mess we're in is not permanent. What affected me most of all, though, was the book's overarching message concerning politics and civil rights. That love is love. That good people in politics can do good. That people of different races, nationalities, sexual orientations, genders, religions can come together to move the country forward for the common good of its citizens.

The description of election night had me on the edge of my set, despite the fact that this was a romance and requires a HEA. I just care about all these characters and their lives so much.

As much as I loved this book, I do have to give one critique. It's the Year of our Lord 2019. Why are we still whitewashing book covers? I had no idea one of the MCs was a person of color until I picked up the book and read it. Alex is described as a biracial Latino; the grandson of Mexican immigrants. He states that he is too dark to pass for white and commonly refers to himself as brown. Let's be real: the guy on the cover is a white dude with a tan. If Alex is supposed to be brown, MAKE HIM BROWN!

This was everything I could have hoped for and more. Not only was it wonderfully diverse and not shying away from nasty histories, but it also had such great humor. I loved this book so much, and I am so glad it's a book we have in the world.

Oh. My. God. I couldn't have loved this book more.

It was sweet, it was romantic, it made me cry, it made me hopeful, it made me bitter that there weren't books like this when I was growing up, but it made me so happy there are books like this now for those who need it.

Alex Claremont-Diaz is the First Son of the United States. His mother is finishing her first term as president and is gearing up for a bruising re-election fight, and his father is a congressman from California. Alex is quite a celebrity—he's good-looking, charming, politically savvy, and exceptionally smart, and along with his older sister and the genius granddaughter of the vice-president, comprise the so-called "White House Trio," a group of popular millennials constantly (and purposely) in the public eye.

Alex is happy to do whatever is expected of him to help his mother, unless that whatever includes playing nice with Prince Henry of Wales, an heir to the throne (the "spare," actually) and a constant thorn in Alex's side.

"It's not a grudge, really. It's not even a rivalry. It's a prickling, unsettling annoyance. It makes his palms sweat."

When the pair's interaction at a royal wedding turns into a confrontation with embarrassingly messy (and expensive) results, damage control is necessary on both sides, so a fake friendship is created for the press and the public on both sides of the pond.

Spending time together is torture for both Alex and Henry, but somewhere during the public appearances aimed at positive photo ops, Alex realizes there's more to Henry than the handsome, perfect, and bland persona that infuriates him. Somewhere along the way both start to enjoy each other's company and the companionship via text, email, and phone that results. No one else really understands the demand of their respective roles, and no one else really understands the demons that cause them moments of sadness and doubt.

Without warning (at least to the two of them, not the reader), Alex and Henry fall intensely for each other. Both know the risks of their relationship becoming public, but they can't stay away from each other, which is no mean feat, considering Alex's mother is running for re-election and Henry is in the UK. Are they ready to jeopardize everything—Alex's mother's chance at a second term, the disapproval of Henry's grandmother the queen and the rest of his family, not to mention the damage to the monarchy? But can they walk away from each other if they need to?

"When Alex was a kid, before anyone knew his name, he dreamed of love like it was a fairy tale, 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."

Casey McQuiston made me fall hopelessly in love with this book and these characters. Even the supporting characters have more to them than meets the eye, and it's what made this book so utterly special. Is it predictable? Sure. Does it matter? Hell, no. The emotions, the fears, the doubts, the what-ifs—none of it is melodramatic, it's just so damned lovely.

Beyond the story that McQuiston has told so well, what I loved most about this book is the hope that such a love story could actually be real in this day and age. Sure, a couple like Alex and Henry would have to face crazy resistance and prejudice and opposition from many quarters, but it's definitely possible. And for an adolescent struggling with their sexuality, wondering if they ever could live happily ever after with their own prince, princess, or whomever they dream of, this book isn't a total fantasy.

I know in January 2020 (egads) when I look back on the best books I read in 2019, Red, White & Royal Blue will be among them, even though the lack of serial comma in the title is killing me. This sweet, sexy, emotional, truly special book is one I won't soon forget.

NetGalley and St. Martin's Press provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!