<b>cute, sweet and royally spicy!</b>

I really enjoyed this! I loved the FMC, Dani! She was confident and unapologetically herself - a Black queen! I loved the Blackness of this book! 🙌🏽

I also liked the MMC. Jameson. He was a little bland but I loved how prim and proper he was on the outside but was able to be himself around Dani. He was definitely a gentleman in the street and a freak in the sheets 🔥.

My main criticism is how the Brits were written at times. I would’ve appreciated more attention to details surrounding British colloquialisms - the basics were there but that tad extra research would’ve made things that much more believable. For example, one of the Royal British characters said something like “I should’ve known […] when you got an attitude”; a Royal would never speak that way and I found it cringey. I also didn’t find it believable that the queen’s children, who were well into their 50s, behaved like teens. They just seemed so crass and low class with the way their scandals were described. I would’ve found it more believable if their “scandals” had been older events that had been discovered but for them to be having the way they were at 50 made zero sense.

Overall, I found this entertaining and I really enjoyed the romance between Dani & Jameson!

3.75 rounded to 4⭐️

Thank you so much to HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tracey Livesay has a new fan and that person is me! American Royalty was everything I never knew I needed. Duchess aka Dani was such a great protagonist to follow. She was funny, ambitious, caring, blunt, and more that I couldn’t help but love. The love story between her and the prince was so enjoyable and spicy! I loved how they went from hating each other to loving each other. When this book ended, I was upset! I would’ve loved a chapter or two more. That’s how you know you loved a book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 Q: do you have a favorite royal couple? I’m team Harry + Meghan all the way!

The stunning cover of American Royalty—& the premise, of a white future prince of England & current duke falling in love with a Black American rapper named Duchess—had me pressing request on this one really fast.

While the basic premise is great (with a nod to Harry & Meghan), the book’s celebration of a female rapper also trying to amp up her skincare line is something worth cheering for, & there are some 🔥 sex scenes (including 🍑 action!), I also feel like things between the leads moved quickly & the hero sometimes comes across as judgmental & uptight (& not in a way that I appreciate).

Rapper & businesswoman Dani “Duchess” is in England to perform at a memorial concert for the King. Pretty much immediately Duke Jameson acts like a jerk, mainly because he judged her based on her music videos & because he’s secretly so attracted to her.

Forced proximity fans might rejoice when they realize they’re going to be spending so much time together on Jameson’s estate…

I noted what does & doesn’t work me earlier but on the whole this book just feels uneven to me.

On one hand Jameson can be an awkwardly adorable & cerebral beta hero; on the other, he makes weird, sexist judgments about how much cursing he might expect from Dani based on how she’s dressed (like women might be expected to curse more or less just because of how they’re dressed), as an example.

The couple doesn’t meet until 27% in which feels late to me, then they get physical a little too fast for me, & then there just isn’t enough emotional intimacy to have me falling in love.

But this was a fast read for me, largely because I found Tracey Livesay’s writing to be entertaining & enjoyable to consume & I had a lot of fun meeting Dani.

In the end this wasn’t an unqualified win for me but I’ll definitely try Livesay’s writing again!

3.5 ⭐️. Release date: 06/28

CW: Palace interference & negotiations. The Queen looks down on Duchess. Paparazzi. His dad’s scandalous life & death. Offensive misogynistic language used by others.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

American Royalty follows famous female rapper Duchess as she works to propel her career forward, through her music and her skincare company. When an invite arrives from the British monarchy for a concert charity event, Duchess sees an opportunity for positive PR that might also help her company find greater success. What she doesn’t expect is the tall, dark, and handsome Prince Jameson, who is spearheading the event and whose house she’ll be staying at in the weeks leading up to the concert.

There were a lot of good ideas in this book. The dynamic between a Black American rapper and businesswoman who knows her worth, and the stuffy British monarchy, held a lot of potential for me going in. And, of course, who doesn’t love a romance with a gorgeous prince? There was solid social commentary, but ultimately, a lot of this book did not deliver on what I was hoping for.

Pretty much every character except for Dani was annoying, and even she had her moments that felt odd and out of character, or even just plain illogical. Additionally, the romance between Jameson and Dani… wasn’t really romance? They had sex. A lot. We spend more time watching them have sex than watching them interact as human beings getting to know each other, and even then sometimes those more tender moments or conversations are punctuated by internal dialogue about how hot the other person is and how much they really want to bone. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with physical intimacy in a romantic relationship — in fact, I love a good spicy book — the spice was almost the entire substance of our main characters’ romance. There were full weeks that they spent together that we almost entirely skipped over, except for the moments of physical intimacy. I don’t actually know what they like about each other as people. I’m not confident they understand each others’ struggles and vulnerabilities. I felt like their relationship had no real emotional foundation at all.

There are a few other nitpicky things I struggled with, particularly with regards to the resolution of basically every conflict in the book. While I love a good romantic moment where our love interests confess their feelings and decide to face the world together, I do still want some sort of solid resolution to the other parts of their lives. Does Dani continue rapping? Does Mela-Skin get the big deal? Does Jameson return to teaching? Beyond the basic romance, these were the plot points that kept me reading, and they all resolved in a fairly unsatisfying “we’ll figure it out.”

While I do think this book has its merits — I liked a lot of the writing, the spice was a fairly good time, and like I said earlier, the ideas were there — I do also think it could have just used more emotional depth to feel more substantive as a story. It wasn’t a bad read! I was just left wanting more.

I was really excited for this one. I am really into the royal family, so seeing that this was loosely based on prince Harry and Megan Markel I was here for it. However, it was just okay for me. I liked overall but it was just okay. It started a bit slow and didn’t really pick up until about half way through and the ending was just okay. I’d give it 3.5 stars

I thought this was a fun contemporary romance, clearly inspired by Meghan Markel and Prince Harry's romance. I really liked Dani and Jameson as characters, and I thought they had fantastic chemistry. I did think their relationship could've used a little more development-they were clearly hot for each other, but I wanted to see them bond on an emotional level a little more than they did in the book.

To use an old Reddit adage to sum up my experience with this book: "and then everyone clapped"

I REALLY wanted to like the book. The cover is stunning, the premise of an American rapper/British Prince romance is definitely intriguing, it's fairly heavy on the spice but ultimately it fell very flat for me. I feel like I enjoyed the first 60% of the book and then it started to go off the rails, the dialogue got progressively more unrealistic and cringey, a character would be completely self contradictory without any lead up to opinion/emotional changes. For example, the first time the couple got together I felt a little bit of whiplash because earlier in the same chapter Jameson is pretty adamant that he doesn't want to be with her and then the next moment they're kissing on the couch without really a change in heart being established in the narrative. Like I remember I had to reread that section because I thought I had accidently skipped ahead a chapter or two. There were definitely some pacing issues throughout the entirety of the book.

Dialogue seemed unnatural and forced, especially towards the end. The British royals in this book clearly are supposed to reflect the real life royal family but they ended up coming across as one-note villianous charicatures of easily recognizable public figures. There were so many moments that took me out of the story because I had to ask myself Who actually talks like that???

Another thing: I think the author wrote themselves into a corner by having the royal family be so vehemently against everything that Dani is so any final solution that the book could come up with for the couple to get their HEA seemed unrealistic. All of the conflicts got resolved in the last 10% of the book and it certainly read a bit rushed.

Now I rated it 3 stars because there are still some really solid moments in this book. I liked Dani and Jameson as a couple. And The spicy scenes were frequent and certainly a highlight of the book. The overall vibe of this book was really fun and I'm sure a lot of people will genuinely have a good time. I was just kind of frustrated by the last 40% of this book.

The premise of this book was so intriguing, but the writing seemed very juvenile considering it's supposed to be an adult romance.

American Royalty was an okay read - enjoyable but very predictable and thus…a little forgettable? I enjoyed Dani’s character and the rap lyrics at the beginning of many of the chapters. Her character was fleshed out and thoughtful, and I liked that the book addressed the race issues intersectionally. The steamy parts with Jameson were great. This isn’t a vanilla romance, for sure. The interplay between them works because they are so different.

But where American Royalty fell down for me was creating a bit of a cardboard cutout of a hero. I felt Jameson was the exact person you wanted him to be - a professor prince without fault who didn’t care that much about his royal role to begin with - and thus, it wasn’t hard to see how this would be resolved. The ending also felt a little less conclusive than I hoped.

Overall, read if you really love Royal romances, but skip if you’re looking for something that really gets you in the feels.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Avon has been killing it with their illustrated covers lately. Say what you want about the trend as a whole, but between this cover, Olivia Dade’s, and Alexis Daria’s, they’ve shown there are certain styles that still scream “Romance!”
So, basically, I was sold on American Royalty before even knowing what it was about. But as a reformed Royal watcher-turned-Harry/Meghan supporter, I just ate this premise up. I did have some reservations, because some habits in that regard do indeed die hard (and I still have lingering resentment over how the British Royals were caricatured while barely being fictionalized in RWRB), but Tracey Livesay managed to make it work for me.
Royal Family drama is as central to the fictional narrative as it is in the real one, but aside from a few broad parallels, they’re clearly fictional. I appreciate the way the alt-history of the fictional Queen and current royals is briefly dropped into the beginning, describing where the timeline diverged from our own as well as the myriad scandals the family have gotten entangled in. None are particularly sympathetic (except Jameson’s mother Calanthe who really comes through at the end), but there’s a sense of their relationship with the press, as well as the complex feelings each feels about being a royal.
Jameson is pretty interesting. I like how he has forged his own path, stepping out on his own as a professor of philosophy. Despite this being a contemporary, he very much evokes a historical romance hero archetype of an heir (albeit only to a royal dukedom, as he’s farther down in the royal succession itself) who is determined to avoid his licentious father’s mistakes. I also did like the touch of irony that while his parents’ marriage doesn’t resemble Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s in other respects, there’s a sense of poetic justice with his father having died tragically in an accident while off with his mistress.
Dani is wonderful, and I love her passion and drive for her career. She’s incredibly easy to like, with enough attitude to shake up Jameson’s life…and the conventional Palace protocols.
The romance grew on me over time. Jameson definitely comes off as a bit of a jerk at first, which seemed off-putting to me, and he also was very much led by his lust, which didn’t exactly help. But she’s obviously no shrinking violet, and I like that she challenges him to get out of his comfort zone even more than he did before. And the way they bonded over losing their parents was also really touching.
The one minus is that I really wish there had been a little more development to who everyone in the family was and how they fit in beyond the superficial, especially their ages. At one point there’s a reference that vaguely suggests how long the Queen has been on the throne, but there’s no indication of how old her children are. Jameson is her grandson, and his father was a younger son, but the others, especially Julian, the Prince of Wales, are written as if they’re roughly the same age. And with the end setting up a scandalous affair between Julian and American pop star Samantha Banks, Dani’s rival, I’d like that to be more clear.
This book is a lot of fun, and super sexy. If you love royal romance and a Harry and Meghan-like love story, I recommend keeping an eye out for this one!

I was so excited for this book since I love Harry and Meghan, but unfortunately this was a DNF book for me. I found myself struggling to get through the beginning and the story wasn’t keeping my interest.

Thank-you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the chance to review this book.

4/5

This cover is just glorious lets just say that!

This was a fun read! I liked the chance to get to escape in to a story about royalty in a different way.
I like what was done with Dani's character! It made the story seem fresh and new!

The chemistry was palpable between these two!

Dani was great and Jameson really grew on me!

Overall so much fun! I can't wait to get my paperback copy!

It's a fast read (if you don't have toddlers and infants needing attention), and it's very well written.
Jameson and Duchess (Dani) are deep insightful characters that are 3 dimensional and grow together throughout the story. They are a great couple, suitably matched in such a unique way that has this possessive jealous streak running through them in a way I loved.
This book isn't heavy on the "Rom" or the "Com" in its promise to be a RomCom novel. That aside, I enjoyed the story, while it isn't a direct Meghan Markle/Prince Harry story pull; it does denote some of their journey-mainly with race if nothing else.
Side note: anyone expecting this novel to be "researched" in order to properly fit into what the actual UK monarch would it wouldn't do-this isn't the book for that. It's romantic fiction, with sexy sch-mexy sprinkled generously all over.

I'm going to be honest, I couldn't get into this one. It felt entirely too unrealistic because the two main characters were such big and famous figures. Maybe I need to read it on vacation to see if I can get in to it again.

This was such a fun read!
Dani, known as Duchess, is an American rapper known for oozing sexuality and confidence on stage. When a rival musician creates a fake string of very bad press for Dani, Duchess has to find a way to get in the public's good graces again.

A charity concert by the British royal family? With an incredibmy sexy, buttoned up, professir by day Prince by night? Say less.

I loved the dual points of view and distinct voice for both Jameson and Dani. I felt their chemistry on every page! They were combustible. I loved that the heroine was a sexy, confident rapper who also loved wearing cozy sweats and trying to learn how to bake. She's one of my favorite heroines I've ever read!

Jameson left a bit to be desired at first. He was frosty and a bit of a jerk, all in the name of hiding his attraction.

This was an unlikely romance between a prince and an American rapper and I really had a great time reading this!

Phew, did someone turn up the heat in here?! Tracey Livesay’s American Royalty combines two of my favorite things: music and the Royals. Danielle “Duchess” Nelson is one small step away from achieving all she’s ever wanted in her music career, no not money: but freedom. But on the eve of the deal, everything falls apart. The only way to not only save her career, but her reputation in general, is to gain back the good graces of the public. Enter, Prince Jameson who’s family is in some royal trouble of their own. When he’s put in charge of securing the entertainment for the late King’s honor, he unknowingly books Duchess thinking he’ll be getting the refined and royalty he and his family are used to. Oh, he could not be more wrong. American Royalty is sexy, heartwarming, and feel-good; and serves as the perfect reminder that sometimes breaking royal tradition (or tradition in general) is vital. Thank you NetGalley for this early look into the absolute badass life of Duchess!

This an opposite attracts love story. Duchess is an American Rapper whose reputation is being questioned. In order to redeem herself in the eyes of her stockholders, she accepts an invitation to sing at a Royal event in London. The face of the Royal event is the reclusive prince, Jameson, who enjoys academia more than his responsibilities for the crown.

These two unsuspecting love interests come together, by forced proximity, in a Royal countryside estate weeks before her performance. Their passions radiates off the pages and the steam makes this book too hot to hold.

Duchess is a smart, savvy, sexy women, who know exactly what she wants. Jameson is philosophical man who is questioning the rules of the crown when it comes to matters of the heart. This royal romance blew me away and the audio narration was simply fantastic.

Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager and Harper Audio for the complimentary copy of the e-book and audiobook.

Dani “Duchess” Nelsen is the biggest name in hip-hop. Strong, determined, and looking to forge her own path and own not only her body and sexaulity, but also her own destiny by running her own line of skincare products for darker skinned women like herself. A feud engineered by an up-and-coming popstar is harming her chances of collaborating with a major skincare brand. When by pure chance, she is invited to perform at a concert in honor of the late Prince Consort, she jumps at the chance to refresh her reputation. Jameson, grandson of the Queen, is the black sheep of the family, preferring his position as a professor rather than a senior royal. But Queen Marina is tired of her children gallivanting and creating publicity stunts, so she calls on her grandson to be the public face of the event, which means hosting Dani for a few weeks leading up to the event. The mutual attraction between Dani and Jameson is palpable, and despite knowing it’s a bad idea, they fling themselves at one another and tell themselves it’ll only be for a couple weeks while she’s in town. But with scandals chasing both of them, it’ll be more important to hide their passion from the public eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed American Royalty, despite the fact that celebrity romances and insta-love are not my usual tropes. Dani is passionate and filled with life and Jameson is buttoned-up and reserved. The celebrity trope worked well primarily because they are *both* celebrities, even though Dani is self-made and Jameson’s is inherited. While their stations as Black rapper and white English royalty lead to some obvious social commentary (and nods to Meghan and Harry!), it’s executed with a light touch that perfectly suits the nature of the book.

There’s always a risk you run when an author doesn’t have the romantic main characters meet until the a quarter of the way through the book, but in this case Tracey Livesay gives us a chance to meet each Dani and Jameson on their own and get us invested in their individual characters before we see them on the page together. It worked really well here because as the relationship builds we can see them both as strong individuals and a swoony couple, and understand how different their worlds truly are.

This book is passionate and sexy and fun, and a perfect read to pick up for your next weekend getaway.

First of all, I have to note that this is the most beautiful cover I have ever seen. I requested this book from netgalley because of a friend's recommendation but also for that gorgeous cover.

Moving onto the story, I loved this book! A few parts fell a little flat but over all I had such a fun time. Based on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's romance, this book follows the story of an American rapper and her love affair with the Queen's grandson. These two characters have AMAZING chemistry and every scene with the two of them was on fire. It also dealt with a lot of important issues in a careful and clever way.

My only negatives are that I wish the end of the book was stretched out a bit more in terms of their relationship. I wanted to see them together more and I felt like, after they first got together, we didn't get to see their chemistry as much and it was just them getting into bed together.

Overall, I loved this book and adored the characters!

A rom-com with sharp (not slapstick) humor, the blurb of this book full-on states that we’re supposed to be working with Meghan Markle and Prince Henry vibes. While I definitely got that energy from the couple, I think I actually got more of a Lizzie and Darcy vibe.

Dani is an outspoken, bad bitch A-list musician with a fledgling skincare empire who fought tooth-and-nail for everything she’s earned. Jameson is quieter and a bit socially awkward (*cough* like a true Darcy) - while he’s literal royalty, he’s skittish and hates the limelight, preferring his subdued life away from Buckingham Palace as a university professor. I wonder how many carriages he has?