Meet Dani, a.k.a. Duchess, a well-known black rapper who is looking to expand her empire and create a skincare line centered around black women. Meet recluse philosophy professor Jameson, a.k.a. Prince Jameson. When Dani is caught up in a celebrity scandal, that can take away her dream. She finds out that she has been invited to rap in a tribute concert for the former King of England. There she meets Jameson, who has been dragged from his quiet life and thrust into the spotlight by his grandmother, the queen, after one too many embarrassing coverages of her children.

In the first chapter, where the prince was introduced, please tell me why the narration in my head was Lady Whistledown. The prince definitely surprised me, and I loved every minute of it. I loved that he wanted to just be normal and live outside of the spotlight and didn’t use his position to get what he wanted. Dani was well-rounded and an amazing representation of how you don't have to be one thing or the other. You can be both. I loved the enemies-to-lovers sparky banter between Dani and Jameson, and I absolutely loved how the author established the nuances and diction of speech without it being overly in-your-face and overdone.

I need part 2. Like, not a spin-off with another character, but a part 2. We saw them fall in love in this book, and I need to see them manage and combine their two worlds.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a slight enemies-to-lovers twist and snarky characters with a little jealousy thrown in.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC for my honest opinion.

Sidenote: If this is what the monarchy is like, I don't want to be a long-lost princess smh

I really enjoyed this book which is kind of a Prince Harry and Meghan Markle retelling about a rapper who is in a risk of her reputation and a prince who wants to be out of the spotlight hires her for the concert only there is an attraction between them. I love stories like this with royalty and steamy romance so I knew I had to read this book. Livesay did an amazing job with this book from being bits and pieces of Harry and Meghan’s story and creating their own in this book. The writing style was well done as I was hooked from the first pace but the pacing I have to say was a bit fast especially when it came to the romance. Usually I hate politics but I loved how balanced out it was with the other part of the story like family and love. This book is also written in both characters POV which readers will love.

The main characters in this book are Dani and Jameson. Dani is a confident, badass rapper with her reputation going downhill and Jameson is a price but also a professor who wants to live a life spotlight free. I enjoyed both characters a lot as they were so well written. Even though we might not be royalty or famous, I felt connected and attached to these characters. They developed a lot in this story and let’s say that I enjoyed their bickering a lot. There were also many side characters in this book who were very involved with the story. Then comes the romance which is forced proximity and enemies to lovers. My two fav tropes but not handled so well. It was way too fast and you couldn’t feel the slow burn and romance development as much. It was still great but could have been better though all the steamy scenes made up for it.

The ending was well done with an amazing epilogue. This was such a cute read with royalty! The only problem I had was just the romance but other then that this book was great. I totally see why this book is at airports but I don’t know how people can read the steamy scenes next to someone lol. I totally recommend this book because who doesn’t want to read a book similar to Harry and Meghan’s story that is steamy and fun. This book is perfect for The Hating Game and Tessa Bailey.

This was royal fan fiction with an American female rapper meeting and falling in love with a British prince. I wanted to root for their romance more, but their feelings for each other “developed” quickly and not convincingly. So it was hard for me to be invested in their story, when their entanglement seemingly came out of nowhere. The book was fun and a decent read, but it wasn’t one that really satisfied my romance book thirst. 3 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy for review.

3.5 stars. American Royalty is a story about a prince and a rapper who meet and fall in love. It felt very strongly based on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship at the beginning, and I enjoyed the book significantly more after the allusions to the real life romance waned and it became its own story.

Duchess is a rapper who wants to control her own life. She wanted to become rich and famous when she was a child shunted from relative to relative, so that she had full autonomy. Unfortunately, in the music industry, she had to tamp down her artistic visions in favor of any of the other people involved in the production. Her other venture, a skin care line for black women, is on the verge of being purchased by a major beauty brand, but negative publicity spurred by a jealous wannabe is ruining the acquisition. Feeling a lack of control over all aspects of her life, Duchess receives and accepts the invitation to perform at a tribute concert on behalf of the royal family and spends a month with Prince Jameson. Sparks fly and romance ensues.

Prince Jameson is a very reluctant royal. An academic, he was coerced into being the face of the royal tribute concert by his grandmother, despite his lack of desire to be a working royal. The dynamic between him and his family is tense and Jameson is perfectly happy to live his life away from the demands and spotlight. Duchess arrives at his house and her realness breaks through his shell. Sparks fly and romance ensues.

And why do female artists need to wear skimpy dresses or leotards, be fully glammed up, wear sky high heels, and have to dance and do acrobatics while wearing that? Men can wear ratty jeans and t-shirts and it’s their look. They play the guitar and sway on stage. I appreciated the author’s descriptions of the costumes and wardrobe because I think she might agree with my opinions on this topic.

American rapper Danielle (aka Duchess) is on the verge of signing a deal for her skincare line that will give her the control over her life that she claims. But when an incident with a pop star goes viral, she needs to reboot her image or lose the deal.

Prince Jameson prefers being a professor then a prince and rarely participates in royal life. But with relatives so prone to scandal, the Queen needs him to take charge of ensuring the royal image remains pristine. Even if it means he has to be in charge of a charity concert honoring his late grandfather.

Jameson spitefully picks an American rapper only to end up falling for her.

Unfortunately, this story just wasn't a winner for me. It was good, especially at the start with a lot of promise. I liked Dani and Jameson separately, but I just didn't get the connection between them. They had a lot of sexual tension and chemistry. However, I didn't see much beyond it and the jump to a full-blown relationship rather than friends with benefits felt more like insta-love to me. Especially because the L word got dropped so suddenly

Part of this for me was because they don't even meet until about a quarter of the way through the book. And they didn't even like each other initially. Then the ending felt incredibly rushed so there just wasn't enough of a relationship for me to root for them at the end.

It was still entertaining and I liked the characters even though it just wasn't it for me.

3 Stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Have you ever wanted to look into the multiverse for a time when Prince Harry met Meg Thee Stallion, and it was lust at first sight? Then this book is for you.

It was spicy, funny, and has some really cute moments.

American Royalty is about Duchess who is an American female rapper who gets asked to perform at a concert for the Queen of England's late husband. Duchess or Dani which is her real name decides to go to England early for bit a respite because she has been working non stop. Dani is housed at Prince Jameson's country home and the two immediately hit it off and the spicy scenes come quickly! I thought this one was just ok, I never really felt the chemistry between Dani and Jameson. I did enjoy the baking and references to The Great British Bake Off in this one. If you love books with royalty then this one might be worth picking up, Im not a huge fan of that trope but I love Tracey's writing so wanted to pick this one up. Thank you Avon for my #gifted copy for review!

For the most part, I really enjoyed this royal romance. Knowing that the is Megan and Harry fanfic essentially, it is difficult to read this and not automatically think of their actual relationship versus this one where it’s clearly embellished.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Dani/Duchess and Jamison. The back and for banter was well done.

My only two gripes for this book were:

1) I didn’t like when the audiobook narrators were in their own POV and then tried to talk as if it was the other person especially because of the different accents. It just didn’t work.

2) I’m all for talking dirty during the steamy scenes but the things coming out of their months were just cringe worthy.

Over all this was a very lovely read. I always love good dual povs. Who can say no to a princes love story, will definitely reread at some point.

While I am not a regular rom-com movie watcher or book reader, this was provided through BookClubGirls as an early read. It is the story of an American female rapper struggling to overcome some untrue publicity. She attempts to improve her reputation by performing at a royal benefit concert. During that time leading up to the concert, she meets the prince hosting the event. Sparks fly but can a US rap star and a prince fall in love? This was a quick read perfect for vacation.

4.5 Stars / 3.5 Steam Fans

American Royalty is everything that Tracey Livesay promised! Dani is an American rapper that needs a little time away when the perfect situation falls in her lap to perform for the Queen of England's celebration. Jameson is the queen's grandson, who tasked him to be the face of the festival for his grandfather. When things are accelerated in Dani's rap life was, she decides to spend the few weeks before the celebration performance on Jameson's estate. At Jameson's estate, a mishap causes him to open up his residence for Dani. The accident starts a forced proximity situation when Dani and Jameson must get to know each other better.

I loved every second of American Royalty. I hope the publishers contract some excellent narrators for the audiobook to bring Duchess' (aka Dani) lyrics to life as Tracey would have wanted us to experience them.

Video review available in Week 10: Mar 6 – Mar 12, 2022, total weekly book reviews on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.

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I am happy to report that while some people will try to twist this into a different version of Harry/Meghan, it is not that at all. Which, given that I'm not interested in the royal family, I was thrilled.

Dani, aka Duchess, is a thriving rap artist that is continuing to gain fame when she's invited to be part of a benefit concert honoring the late Prince John. It's coming at a good time for her as she's embattled in an ongoing "feud" with a pop star and needs good PR to get her cosmetic company to the threshold it needs to be. Except Dani wasn't expecting Prince Jameson.

Prince Jameson wasn't expecting Dani when he randomly said that he wanted Duchess to perform without realizing how she performed. He's not the most open person but neither is Dani and instead of shutting each other out, they end up being able to open up to each other. Sure, it starts off physically for them but slowly grows into something much stronger. Neither of them is prepared for it and the firestorm it is going to create. Is their relationship worth it? That's up to them to decide.

American Royalty by Tracey Livesay is a 5 star, steamy read. The writing was beautiful and you could feel the tension between Dani, aka Duchess, and Prince Jameson. I loved their relationship's push and pull, which made for an engaging read. They both struggled with being in the spotlight and the difference between their public vs personal lives on top of the vast differences between them. I loved the set-up for the meet-cute as well. The growth of their relationship from lust mixed with dislike and then to love was beautiful to read. I definitely recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading more of Livesay's books!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Look at this cover... I mean really sit here and take it all in. What a beautiful cover! This cover and the premise of the story are what shot this to the top of my TBR pile. However I will say, I set myself up for a possible let down. Granted I didn't come in with "Harry and Meghan" vibes, like most. I knew there was no way that someone would get the inside scoop on the royal family but I had higher expectations than what was provided.

Neither character fit perfectly together.... Dani's character on her own was alluring and strong. Her backstory framed her aspirations and her side story was intriguing. However her interest in Jameson was completely lackluster. Whereas Jameson truly shined in his desire to pursue Danielle and showcase his creativity and his personable nature. However outside of the relationship he was dull.

My enjoyment of this book also suffered from the narrators in the audio book. Jameson's voice actor was great when it came to his English accent however when he voice Danielle's response it was always in a stereotypical southern accent which the voice actress playing Danielle demonstrated an East Coast accent. Also don't get me started on the audio portrayals of the sex scenes. I whole heartily appreciate the authors effort at giving the girls adult content but listening to it kind of ruined the mood. Just about as much as Danielle asking him to moisturize her in the middle of the act did but I digress lol.

Lastly, the end felt rushed. Because I never felt Danielle fully gave into the relationship outside of the physical and Jameson was obsessed from the very start (carnally) it felt difficult for me to see the lasting effects of this relationship. It felt more as a 2 week fling that should have ended on a positive term. Maybe that was the HFN but it seemed like the author was more excited to get to Rhys and Nyla's book.

All in all, I'm glad I received an ARC for American Royalty in exchange for a fair and honest review. I just wish I had love it as much as I anticipated I would.

I loved every moment of Jamison and Dani's story. The journey between the two was the perfect forced proximity romance. Jamison was a hero who was passionate and wanted to protect Dani. in Dani we saw a heroine who was comfortable in her own skin and knew her worth. She more than anyone knew her value as a woman and an artist. she knew the reality of the focus the world had on her and how she would be vilified if she step one foot out of line. The wave the author wove in the reality she faced when placed under the scrutiny of society allowed us to see the vulnerability artist often face. Then we have Jamison who only wanted to just be professor and live outside of the royal family. Dani coming into his life upsets the dynamic but in the best way. We get too see two people grown and learn about each other in a lovely way. It was spicy and still tugged at the heartstrings.

I was in the fourth grade before I settled on a career goal that wasn't princess, which is probably why as a general rule, I tend to enjoy books with royalty and commoners even though my logical brain doesn't really love the idea of a monarchy. Unfortunately, even with the basis that I should have enjoyed American Royalty and with the absolutely enthralling first 40%, the book just failed to live up to its promise for me. And I should have known that I wasn't going to wind up buying the romance from the beginning because even before Jamison and Dani meet, I already hated the way he watched her music videos and formed this idea of her in his head and objectified the hell out of her. And at the end of the day, Dani is such an incredible character that I genuinely wanted like a whole book just about her taking over the world and wanted Jamison to like... disappear. I didn't care to where. But Jamison's life is obviously complicated because, well, he's a Royal. Only, I don't care about Jamison's complicated life because he never seemed to want to be a royal so all of the obligations and trappings were much less interesting to me than Dani because she has actual goals and wants and desires and I wanted to watch her take over the world.

I loved that this book was dual perspective and that it got super spicy pretty quickly. I enjoyed the female MCs voice and I did wish she could've handled her situations in her career differently, I understood as a Black woman why she went the directions she went. I did have a little issue with how possessive they could be over each other but I also got it because of the level of celebrity they had in the story. I ate this story up though (in less than 48 hours) and I would want to read more of Tracey's work (I do wish that she would have POC romances in the future).

Duchess and Prince unexpectedly find love in this spicy romance featuring a black American rapper and scholarly British prince.

Dani needed good press and to get away from the American tabloids and industry that wanted to exploit her. Jay needed to obey the Queen while trying to maintain his unassuming career as a univeristy professor, far away from royal duties. When Dani stays at his palace before a charity concert, the two can't ignore the sparks while learning how their values are shared.

I loved how Dani owned her sexuality, but still felt frustrated by others wanting to exploit that. It felt so realistic and true of our society. We love women to be sexy, but only when it benefits the men (often white) in power.

Dani wasn't the only one pleasantly surprised by the scholary professor! He was definitely educated in the classroom and bedroom.

My only issues were that you had to lean into romance logic at the end to believe they'd stay together. Dani cares most about control, so while they got to take it at the end, it's only in romance world believe they can keep it. Also, I felt like Jay needed to do more to attone at the end. The ending was very quick so if more time was spent resolving these issues it would've rated higher for me.

Overall, a very enjoyable royal romance with great characters and excellent spice!

Feat: opposites attract, mixed race couple, POC lead, royal romance, secret romance

Thank you to netgalley and Avon for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars
2.5 spice

I really liked this one! I loved the alternating perspectives of Dani and Prince Jameson! Their connection was instantaneous. Their relationship did seem very physical and I would’ve liked to see a little more to it. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t expect this to be so steamy, but it worked well. I loved seeing the sides of celebrity rapper verses a Prince. I wouldn’t have minded an epilogue or even another book about Dani and the Prince after this one ended. I ended up buying the audiobook and really liked both of the narrators.

Say Yes to American Royalty!

Dani or better known as Duchess needs a change of pace after receiving unwelcome news. An unexpected invitation from England to perform at a celebratory concert comes at the right time. and there’s only one possible answer to give—a resounding Yes!

When the Duchess arrives and meets Prince Jameson there’s a definite chill in the air. He’s put out by her proximity and she’s wondering why he’s still standing on two feet. They’re both going to get schooled in how not to judge a book by it’s cover and how to overcome preconceived notions and personal agendas to get to what truly matters—love! Read It!