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!

I am astounded and scandalized, because how dare this book be so ADORABLE? Are things allowed to be this sappy and romantic? Is this government tested and approved???????? I feel personally liberated into the world of extremely adorable gay monogamy and I’m never leaving, I identify with this level of wholesome DEEPLY c: c: c: c:

Things I love about Alex & Henry
This story is about the Prince of Wales & the First Son falling in love, enemies-best friends-lovers style. There are SO MANY text messages, emails, and phone call exchanges. So many. *is dazed and deliriously happy*

This is significant not only because /national darling celebrities/ but also….this story is about fictional gay historical figures (Alex and Henry's legacy), and features tiny info dumps on REAL gay historical figures. For instance, King James and Alexander Hamilton. I WAS OVERCOME AND SPRAWLED OVER MY CHERISHED HISTORY TEXTBOOKS.

I’ve been so anxious in my general life, but seeing these samples of historical gay love was like a soothing mist of water on my face after a day in the hot sun. Or a honey-scented cup of tea in a dimly lit room. fyi: Dim lighting is going to be featured as part of my personal aesthetic reading experience, because I read so much of this book late at night using my early 2000s lamp.

I think the most important thing to note, though, is that Alex is a Sweetheart Lovable Care Bear. Everyone thinks he’s self-absorbed, because he’s a goddamn charming Texas boy, but in reality he barely thinks about his own feelings? WHICH I FELT PROFOUNDLY. I completely deny my own emotional life until it’s 1 a.m. and depression & anxiety make a surprise visit, bringing along friendly neighborhood insomnia.

Alex also loves Gap chinos because they look great on his ass? He’s allergic to, and I quote: “shutting the fuck up.” He calls Henry at 3 a.m. because he’s hiding a Turkey in his bedroom & he’s frightened, and their friendship is so new but he still craves comfort. SOFT AND HEARTBREAKING.

He refuses to filter himself around Henry because 1) he’s Draco Malfoy-level obsessed with him and just doesn’t give a shit whether he’s offensive, but at the same time wants Henry and only Henry for the rest of all time?

AND ALEX CALLS HIM “BABY” AND I MELTED + HENRY MELTED. BURN MY HEART, IT’S USELESS NOW.

But sadly there were some things I didn’t love

I’m going to just say it, sometimes the sappiness felt superficial AND I’M OBVIOUSLY EVIL, ARREST ME. So there were times I wasn’t feeling,,,,,,,,,,,originality? or emotions specific to the character himself? There were moments in which Henry or Alex completely broke character and become a cliché love song or something. Side Note: I noticed these things almost exclusively while hungry, because I read this book late at night. Also: Is Anxious and Cynical at Night. So maybe it's best to ignore me altogether at this point

Also, after about 60%, the Henry/Alex moments aren’t as intense or regular! We get a ton of family moments, and I love family but I wanted EXCLUSIVE Henry/Alex content. This disappointment includes all the background/side quests involved politics. I just didn’t care about the election campaign when Alex COULD be having a religious experience with Henry. CALLING HIM SWEETHEART AND BABY?

YOU try to be a professional when this is happening and you’ll understand.

Overall
I enjoyed this book and would 10/10 recommend. It was cute and funny and sweet and gay! Henry and Alex are absolutely SMITTEN with each other. What more can you possibly want from this world?

Red, White & Royal Blue has all the makings of a book I’d love:

- The enemies to friends to lovers trope.
- Politics
- A female president (!!!)
- LGBTQIAP+ representation
- POC characters (there’s a guy named Srivatsava and that’s the exact moment I lost the last shred of chill I had left.)

Red, White & Royal Blue is the story of the First Son of the United States and the Prince of Wales slowly falling for each other, while FSOTUS’s mom vies for a second term as the President. Drama, madness, and a lot of laughter ensues.

One of the best things about this book is how well McQuiston has fleshed out each character. Even the characters who have just two lines in the entire novel are so distinct and well-written. The main characters, Alex and Henry, are memorable and so CUTE, you can’t help but smile each time they interact with each other.

I started reading this book when I was in a bad mental space and it helped me. A LOT. I cannot thank the author enough for writing a book like this, that’s both an emotional crutch and a killer entertainer. I can only hope that some day, I get to tell them how much I loved this book and how happy its existence makes me.

Red, White & Royal Blue has surely found a spot both in my heart and my 2019 Favourites list. I’m so glad for this book’s existence and I think it needs to be read by anyone who loves LGBTQ+ fiction that’s humorous, emotional, and powerful.

What a sweet book! Highly recommend for academic library popular reading collections that include young adult/new adult books.

When I first saw the blurb of this book, I was excited for it. It seemed like a promising entertaining rom-com (which I enjoy a lot) with a political/royal backdrop that felt like icing on the cake. However, this has just turned out to be soooooo much more. I don’t even have proper words to describe how much I loved it – just know that I have already read it twice in three days because once was definitely not enough. This book has brought me lots of smiles and tears, joy, hope and optimism; so be prepared for a very rambling incoherent mess of gushing words masquerading as a review below.

I will be upfront and tell you all that I am a “The West Wing” (TV Show) junkie. There’s just something so hopeful about watching a group of people working so hard in politics for the sake of the welfare of the people, without cynicism, with a lot of positivity and genuine interest in public service. Especially considering the dog whistle politics of our current times and the sh*t show we have been subjected to for more than two years now, I am very much thankful for the escapist/alternate reality setting in this book where a Female Texan Democrat with biracial children got elected as President in 2016 and is now up for reelection. It’s probably too unrealistic but it’s also something I didn’t know I needed and the experience has been wonderful. The people working in the White House, the members of the First Family and everyone around them, the Senators we do get to meet in this book are in it for making the world better in the midst of hate and vitriol and scandals and I totally lapped it up. I sincerely hope we do get to see a President Ellen Claremont in our reality too.

Now coming to the characters. I usually prefer first person dual POVs in romance novels but this story being told in third person from Alex’s perspective just felt too perfect. He is such a wonderful protagonist. He is America’s heartthrob, charming, attractive, funny with massive approval ratings but that’s not all he is. He has aspirations of his own – he is super smart and extremely politically aware, wants to be an active part of the reelection campaign even before he is done with his college graduation, and is already working hard towards his goal of being the youngest member of Congress in modern history. He can also be pretty hyper and over involved in things and forget the whole world around him, but as the story progresses we realize it is more like a defense mechanism that he uses to get past the things that are the root of his anxiety. I completely fell in love with him from the get go and it was great following his story.

Prince Henry of England is pretty much the opposite of Alex, atleast in appearances – beautiful and stoic and reserved and I loved the initial antagonistic nature of their interactions. It’s pretty much obvious right from the beginning that their “arch-nemesis” vibe is less to do with not liking each other and more to do with the unresolved sexual tension but I appreciate the author for developing their friendship first. Through his conversations with Alex, we see that Henry is unlike the other royal family members, doesn’t want to take the traditional military route and concentrate more on his philanthropic aspirations that he shares with his best friend Pez. There is also an underlying sadness to him due to losing his father at a young age and watching him go through his periods of (possible) depression made me very sad. However, Alex understands and falls in love with all of him and the progression of their relationship from friendship to love was a beauty to behold and completely warmed my heart.

As theirs is essentially a long distance relationship, we get to read a lot of text messages, group chats and emails. And god those long emails…. I’ve seen a couple of reviewers complain that they didn’t like them but I was living for them. They were pure, unadulterated, heartfelt love letters and my sappy heart was just waiting for more and more. Alex and Henry just pour out their hearts into words and they are beautiful to read. And these characters are complete nerds, so they also quote love letters from iconic historical figures and those were so much fun. I actually googled more of these historical (some possibly queer) love letters and it was an amazing experience. And the names and titles that Alex and Henry use to refer to themselves and each other are downright hysterical and I have to commend the author for her inventiveness. Their chemistry is absolutely delicious and the intimate scenes are written in a way I’ve not read before – very steamy and fun and full of feeling but with none of the usual vocabulary that we are used to in a New Adult book. I was totally impressed by the writing in every scene where they are together.

The advantage of a book with more than 400 pages is that it provides ample opportunity for well fleshed out side characters and I think the author does a bang up job at it. Alex’s sister June is the one in the trio who keeps them steady when both Alex and Nora are too absorbed in their work. She is a journalism graduate and it was interesting to see her struggle with being unable to pursue her dream job because of journalistic neutrality and through the book, we see her figure out what other dreams she can pursue and how much she wants to be involved in her mother’s politics. Nora, the Veep’s granddaughter is the smartest of the trio, the data analysis guru (à la Nate Silver) who is always crunching numbers and may not seem good at emotional bonding, but is actually pretty good at giving pep talks when absolutely required. On the other side of the Atlantic are Bea – Henry’s older sister who has own issues from the past but is an absolute rock in support of her brother. And Pez… probably my favorite of the Super Six. He is like the shining star, charming and absolutely flamboyant and colorful, very comfortable in his own skin and wants to establish his charity organization internationally. All six of them may come from rich, political and royal backgrounds but they all felt so real and representative of the millennials and Gen Z – very aware of the society around them, both the good and the bad and having a fire in their belly to do something to leave the world a better place than what they started off with.

The author also did a wonderful job in dealing with sexual identity in the book in different ways. Alex has always assumed he was straight but his realization that he may be bisexual, his introspection into all the little things that he may have dismissed before and finally being comfortable with his realization is all done with a lot of sensitivity and I really appreciated it. It also goes to show that sexuality is not set in stone that you have to decide on in your teens, people evolve and understand themselves better and sometimes, you realize things about yourself in your 20s and that’s totally okay. And the genuine support he gets from his family is awesome. A female President’s half-Mexican son getting outed in an election year is definitely a political hurdle, but it was good to see the family and the staff rally around him and prove that they actually do stand for the principles they espouse. In the case of Henry, he has always known that he is gay but he has to deal with the burden of the monarchy and their extreme regard for legacy and what it means to choose happiness over his birthright and country. Nora is also bisexual but she literally has no time or interest in dating and is too busy with her computers and numbers. We also have a host of other diverse characters and it all felt like a group of people around us in the real world and not tokenism.

Casey mentions in the author’s note that she wanted to write a “trauma-soothing, alternate-but-realistic reality, a believably f**ked up world, but just a little better, a little more optimistic”. And she succeeds brilliantly in this endeavor. It definitely filled me with joy, gave me some hope that it is still possible to change our ugly reality, defeat the hateful, and maybe finally turn those unwinnable “red” states to “blue”. I love the way the author managed to keep the perfect balance between a swoon worthy love story and the reality of being a public figure with huge aspirations for the future.

I don’t know if I have made any sense in the above almost 1500 word rant, but to sum it up, this book is wonderful and it made me very happy and I recommend it to everybody. If you love pure, heartfelt love stories, then this book is for you. If you have ever binge watched The West Wing and loved it, then this book is for you. If you have felt dejected and exhausted with politics in the past two years and want to enjoy a little escape from reality, then this book is for you. In the author’s own words - “I hope you found a place in here, even if just for a few pages. You are loved. I wrote this for you.
Keep fighting, keep making history, keep looking after one another.”

I LOVED this book and the entire Claremont-Diaz family. Come for the delightful, squeeeee-inducing queer romance; stay for the inciteful (if idealist) hot takes on American politics (and more squeeeeee-inducing queer romance). I want to live in this book’s universe, but since that isn’t possible I’ll settle for re-reading it many times!

Don't you love it when you keep hearing how great a book is and then you read it and it's even better than you hoped? I absolutely loved this hilarious, sweet, witty and incredibly romantic book. Politics, love, hilarity, international incidents... and the alternate 2016 reality!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

*Spoiler free*

A QUEER ROYAL ROMANCE! I am huge fan of royal romances, despite the fact that I don't read them too often. And this one has a queer romance, a dash of enemies-to-lovers, and diverse characters.

I have seen so many people rave about this one and talk about how good it is. I somehow got it in my mind that this was going to be some kind of literary masterpiece of the highest caliber. It's not that. It's a romance novel. And that's where it's brilliance comes from. It's a romance novel that centers on a bisexual guy, in love with a gay guy. And they happen to be the First Son Of The United States and the Prince of England. It's brilliance comes from the sweetness between them. It comes from their progression of their relationship. It comes from the love that they build with each other.

Alex is clueless about his sexuality. I honestly loved seeing him struggle with it and figure it out. I saw myself in the ways he thought how sexuality and how he discovered he was bi. It was a process, not a realization for him. And I loved seeing that. I also saw parts of myself in Henry. In his anxiety and how he feels about hard situations. I am so alike to both of them and yet completely different. It's was a nice balance haha.

For a bit, I had a hard time figuring out who was who when they were talking. I would get Henry and Alex mixed up when they were having a conversation. Though, once I got know them it was easier to differentiate!

I don't why, but I wasn't expecting this book to be as pure as it. There were a lot of parts that made me want to squish up with how cute they were. Alex is so good. Henry is so good. All of the characters are so good. And so human. They're all in complicated situations and their navigating them they best that they can.

Politics are involved in this book. But in a good way. I never thought I would say that about politics haha. It's true though! Alex wants to do everything he can to help and he wants to do it now. His character development and him figuring that out was fantastic. I loved seeing him navigating live as First Son and I never thought I'd want to see something like that haha! He's super awesome and I know he's going to do great things, fictional as he is.

Honestly, every single development aspect of this book was amazing. The small subplots and the big overall plots were so well done and so thorough. I loved seeing Henry's and Alex's relationship grow and how they dealt with everything that thrown at them. I loved seeing them figure out what they wanted to do with their lives and what they wanted their lives to be. I loved watching them figure out what was important to them.

This book was so good. I know what people are talking about when they gush about. It's amazingly written and the characters were so lovable. I love Henry and Alex and I hope their future together is fantastic.

Sometimes, you read a book you've been anticipating for so long and it just lets you down, whether because your expectations are too high or otherwise. Other times, the book exceeds your expectations and leaves you grinning uncontrollably every time you think about it. This is one of those.

Red, White & Royal Blue is about what happens when a "rivalry" between the First Son and the Prince of Wales threatens international relations between the United States and United Kingdom. (I say "rivalry" because, well. I'm not wholly sure it's not all in Alex's head, but anyway.) When Alex and Henry are caught on camera fighting at the Royal Wedding, they are forced to fake a friendship to get the media off their back.

Only, what starts off as a fake friendship develops into a real one and then a relationship, conducted across continents, via email, text and the occasional trans-Atlantic flight, at first as friends with benefits, but then slowly more than that.

The storyline combines both rivals-to-friends-to-lovers and friends-with-benefits-to-lovers tropes - which are two of my favourites. But it's less about romance - though, sure, that's a big part - and more about Alex coming to terms with his sexuality and his place in the world and what he wants from the future (yes, as trite as that may sound). I'm struggling to find the words to describe it, but it is so heartwarming and soft and I couldn't help smiling reading most of it (besides the parts where I was crying).

What I loved most about this book was the characters and the relationships they all had. It's got a sort of found family trope going on, between Henry, his sister and best friend, and Alex, his sister and her best friend. And, not to mention, everyone actually communicates with each other for the most part. Yeah, there were a couple of times when there was, if not miscommunication, then just no communication, but they were sorted fairly quickly (get you a partner who'll fly across the whole Atlantic just to get you to talk about it). And after the second one, it was all about Alex and Henry working through the problems they had together (aka my favourite thing).

Of all the characters and all the relationships, I particularly loved Henry and Alex's. Although it's not slowburning, it's still so well-developed and soft and God. How do you describe how much you loved something when the feeling it gives you is indescribable? It was so heartwarming (and occasionally heartbreaking) and I really loved how they supported each other, like going to each other first to talk about their problems, and just how gentle and soft their relationship was at times. Honestly, I feel like I could go on for days about how much I adored them and yet I still have no words to properly describe it (I'm rambling. I'll shut up now).

There were a couple of tiny (tiny) things I thought I wouldn't be the biggest fan of. Firstly, this is a long contemporary novel (400+ pages). It's also in present tense, which is not my favourite thing, and I was expecting more of a slowburn than there actually was. But, because I loved all of the characters so much, none of this felt like it mattered. I was fully absorbed by Alex's story.

Anyway. I hope this review convinces you to read this book (though why you wouldn't already be buzzing for it, who knows). All it's done for me is make me want to reread.