This book initially appealed to me because of its loose association with the romance of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I loved the set up and the initial premise, but found the delivery to be a little lacking. I disliked the main male character, which makes it really hard to come out on the other side of a romance with a win in hand. Dani deserved better! Their physical relationship felt like the main plot, and I didn't love that either.

This book was a light and fun read! It reminded me of other books about royals but I still really liked it.

While I overall enjoyed this novel, I had a few quibbles. First, while Dani's character felt fully realized, Jay felt lacking to me at points. I would have loved to see more of him with his friends - Rhys had so much potential but barely scratched the surface! - or a deeper understanding of his relationship with his mother, instead of so much time spent on his toxic aunts/uncles and his grandmother, the queen. Second, the pacing just felt off to me. I enjoyed the banter and tension between Jay and Dani and would have liked it to stretch on a bit longer; the transition from sexual tension to just sex felt abrupt to me. And yes, there is a lot of sex in this book, but it didn't always feel like it worked organically with where we were in the plot, and at times felt like the author was stumped as to where to go next, so she just threw in a sex scene. I also really didn't understand the competition from the pop singer in Dani's storyline - it pulled focus from the central plot and just got annoying the further we got into the book. That being said, I did still finish the novel despite all these complaints, mostly based on the strength of Dani's characterization - she's an absolute delight as a heroine and I only wish the rest of the book had been as strongly written.

This book just really didn’t work for me. I feel like the characters had a strong insta-lust, but not enough depth for the romance to feel believable.

you have a famous rapper and a prince fall in love? absolutely yes!

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

I loved Dani’s background and how the author focused on what it means to be not just a female in music but a black female in the industry and the many lenses people will automatically view her in. the assumptions people will make based off the color of her skin or how she has to work 100x times harder than everyone else to be seen as equal. knowing all of this, it doesn’t let dani get her down but give her fuel to reach new heights with her skin care line.

jameson is someone who has first hand seen the worst of what royalty means. his grandpa is the one who he looked up to growing up and that holds a very big significance in this book. his mom wanted him to have “normal” life and took him away from the spotlight and he ended up becoming a professor.

dani and jameson quickly find themselves connecting because they can relate to how others expect them to behave or things they’re expected to achieve because of their roles. their attraction is very palpable and they go from being together in the moment to battling whether them being together in the long run is even an option.

the three things that stopped from rating this book higher is how it was more lust than them connecting that was the foundation of their relationship. I wished we saw more moments of them just talking and getting to know each other because it was very much insta lust. the second is the ending… wished we got to learn more about them and how they managed to deal with everything. the last thing is how unrealistic their relationship seemed after they left their bubble. I left with many unanswered questions!

honestly this book is still an amazing read for someone who loves royal & insta love! just wish we got more of them as a couple to really fall in love with them. will be supporting this author and can’t wait to read more!

American Royalty is the first Tracey Livesay novel I've read and I've already started scrolling through her backlist because it will definitely not be my last. I immediately was drawn to Duchess (aka Dani) and how fierce she was. I loved all of her commentary about the people around her, whether it was lifting someone around her up or being unflinchingly honest, I thought she was the bees knees. Then, you put her in the path of the more seemingly uptight (and royal) Jameson and the tension and sparks were so fun to read--I was always wondering what would set them off next. They both antagonized each other, only to feel remorse later, but I couldn't help but enjoy it because I just knew that all of that tension was going to mean good things for later. And it did, y'all. Once they admitted the obvious sexual tension, it was on, and so much fun. Not only because they were hot together, but because of the things they shared together, the way they were protective of each other, and truly wanted what the other one wanted.

The conflicts they each battled (her coattail rider, scrutiny of a future business partner and his family, namely his grandmother and her threats) also added to my interest and rapid page turning. Additionally, as an American ignorant of the royal traditions, I always love to delve into their world, even if it's fictional and only loosely based on their protocols, I love imagining what that world must be like. Add to that, a larger than life rap goddess and imagining what that must be like? This royal romance was my jam.

If I have any complaint, it's that I wasn't ready for it to be over when I got to the end; I wanted pages and pages more of their life together, their HEA...but I admit that that was just a selfish wish on my part. There wasn't anything I didn't enjoy and as stated earlier, I am eager to read more of Tracey Livesay.

American Royalty is a super sexy forbidden romance. He is a prince. His grandmother is the Queen of England. She is a Black rapper from the US trying to fix her image. They are attracted to each other. But they could never be together...

The book alternates between Duchess/Dani (27) and Jameson's (30+) 3rd person POVs.

This book is mostly set in the UK and it was such a fun and sexy read! If you love all things Royal this book is so much fun!

I think this might be one of the first books that I have read where the hero and heroine don’t even meet for the first twenty five percent of the book. I have to say, I absolutely loved it because there was so much character development of the hero and heroine, I felt like I knew Jameson and Dani long before I saw them fall in love. It was brilliant and made me feel like I was part of the story. A story that gives Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan vibes, this one has all the feels. It is a sexy and steamy romance that just made my heart happy. I would highly recommend this book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I would have expected to be burnt out on royalty romances by now but I like what I like. A prince being cut down a few pegs by a confident woman and finding out he is very into that will probably always work for me. Dani and Jay have great chemistry. I really enjoyed their initial clashes and how they came to terms with their feelings.
I wish we'd gotten more of the secondary characters. They seemed to show up to drive plot and then drop away. I hope to see more of them in future books.

Listen, I love the story of Harry and Meghan and so I was so excited for American Royalty. And it was just what I wanted and needed in life.

Ahh I loved this book so much! I love royal drama and this book delivered. The relationship between Dani and Jameson is so hot and romantic. I cheered for them the whole time.

Just finished the gem of a book that released on Tuesday, and I highly recommend throwing it in your bag on this long holiday weekend!

I got definite vibes from the golden age of box-office romcoms… very Notting Hill with a touch of the cottage from The Holiday thrown in. Picture it: female entrepreneur falls for philosophy professor with great hair who just happens to be a prince. What’s not to love?

Fav Things:
✨Dani’s internal monologue gives a great picture of her character and how she views the world. Whether in the boardroom or talking to kids on the street, I liked how Livesay wove together what face she was projecting and her often contrasting thoughts. She’s a strong black woman and a nuanced character that’s fun to read.
✨Prince Charming fantasy with 🌶. They bake, they banter, they watch movies, yada yada yada 😉

Thanks to @harpercollins and #netgalley for the arc!

Rating: 3

American Royalty was an okay read. While, there were several moments I enjoyed the overall story and romance just wasn’t what I expected.

It is dual POVs of the main characters and has some great tropes like: opposites attract, close proximity and a Royal romance.

The premise of the story was quite interesting however, the execution and development just fell flat in my opinion. The pacing of the story was quite slow and there were several plot points that felt underdeveloped.

The romance between the main characters was also not the greatest. It was very much insta-attraction, which I didn’t mind but it did seem like that was the only thing they had. Most of their interactions were just physical with no real romantic development or connection. So I did have a hard time feeling and believing in their romance. I will say though, the smut was really good and just amusing to read.

I did like how the main conflict wasn’t between the couple but external so it was easily resolved. However, the ending and everything else did wrap up to quickly and just felt very rushed. The epilogue was also a slight disappointment as it really wasn’t about the couple, which I would have liked.

I was able to listen to the audiobook at the same time and I have to say that the narrators did a fantastic job and definitely made me enjoy the story a bit more. I also enjoyed the music and slight business aspect of the story. The heroine’s motivation and desire for full autonomy in her work and life was amazing to read as well.

Overall, a decent read it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The insta-lust made this a little harder for me to get into this. I wished that Jameson had been developed a bit more and that he had more meaningful interactions with Dani to help me root for them. I was missing an emotional connection and wished that there had just been a little more of everything to convince me the two belonged together.

This was amazing. I loved how headstrong Dani was. She knew what she wanted and was ready to go for it. Also the chemistry…. 🥵🥵🥵🥵 they were so hot together omg 😮‍💨 I honestly want to reread it already, never wanted it to end !!!

This book was amazing. I coudn't put it down. It was magical. Higly recommended! The characters, the plots, the writting: wonderful and perfect.

This is the 3rd Rom-Com I have had the pleasure of reading this year and I must say that I am truly enjoying them and will be reading many more. Danielle “Duchess” is a famous American rapper is about the sign a contract to make her one of the richest women in the world of hip hop. Way to go Duchess. Prince Jameson is a university professor a reclusive and is just not a fan of the spotlight. He has been tasked by the queen his grandmother for doing a tribute in honor of her late husband. Jameson comes up with Duchess as the musical guest and he has no idea what he has gotten himself into. When Duchess and Jameson meet sparks fly and there is awesome chemistry between the two of them.

I received an ARC via NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This book is so much fun! Reminiscent of Harry and Meghan's story, this one features the prince of England and an American pop star. A big name rapper, Duchess, has run into some PR issues on social media. She decides to accept an invitation from the prince of England to perform at a charity concert meant to honor his grandfather. When Prince Jameson invited "Duchess", he really had no idea who she was. He got the name from one of his students where he currently teaches as a professor of philosophy. Jameson likes his life teaching and living outside the spotlight, but his grandmother, the Queen, is demanding he run this charity event.

Duchess, or Dani as her friends know her, decides to take a few weeks to herself before her performance and is invited to stay at a local estate owned by the Royal family. Dani and Jameson have no idea that the other will be living at the same estate for several weeks but soon find that they don't mind at all. Livesay has written a romance full of both laughter and heat that keeps the pages turning. I loved the ways that these two connected over similar experiences despite how different they really are on the outside. There is serious chemistry. I just loved these two from the start.

If you are looking for a great escape full of fun and fire, this book is perfect for that. I stayed up way too late reading it and finished it before I wanted to. Highly recommend for all those royal lovers out there!

An interesting Harry & Meghan fanfic where the heroine is a badass rapper who is trying to branch out into business and winds up being a headliner for a royal celebration in England.

Starting her own skincare line for women of color is just the first step in Dani's "Duchess" bid to become a successful businesswoman. But a scandal, not of her own making, is threatening to tear it all down. In order to combat the negative publicity - from the one-hit-wonder pop star who is grasping any chance to stay relevant - Dani accepts an invitation to perform at a concert in honor of the Queen of England's husband who passed many years ago.

What she thinks will be a much-needed break from the limelight turns into the vacation from hell when Dani finds herself rooming with Prince Jameson. Their first impressions leave much to be desired and these two uneasily coexist for the next few weeks before the concert.

I really loved Dani's personality and how she was determined to pave the way to her success. She is ballsy, smart, and determined. While Jameson likes to pretend that Dani rooming with him is a nuisance, the truth is that he's unreasonably attracted to her. My least favorite part of this romance was how their first meeting sets the tone for their relationship. It takes a while for the two main characters to even meet, so when they instantly land in "enemy" territory, I felt disappointed.

Despite how they eventually let their guard down enough to get to know one another, I didn't feel like the antagonism left enough time to let true romance blossom. The sexual chemistry was off the charts, but I wanted more emotion when it came to their relationship.

Jameson felt really underdeveloped as a character and is probably to most forgettable one period.

Another disappointing aspect of American Royalty was the number of villainous characters. I think the plot would have been stronger if one or two of the villains were more fleshed out. The pop star was an afterthought for the majority of the book, and every single person in the royal family, except Jameson, was pretty horrible. They felt too mustache-twirly to make a real impact on the story.

Overall a fun ride, but I wanted more.

"Duchess" aka Dani is a popular rapper and is about to sign a deal that will take her beauty brand to the next level. Unfortunately, she is gets caught up in some bad press with a wannabe singer and she needs to repair her reputation for her dream deal to work. Prince Jameson is a professor at Birmingham and is forced by his grandmother the queen to put together a concert to honor his grandfather. Prince Jameson who is not interested in his royal duties picks Duchess to perform at the concert. This is perfect for Duchess to repair her reputation and heads to England a few weeks early before the concert. Duchess ends up staying with Prince Jameson because of some mix up and both of them are instantly attracted to one another. Will they be able to keep their temporary relationship a secret and not fall for each other?

American Royalty is inspired by Megan Markle and Prince Harry and stays pretty high level. I love all things monarchy so I was excited to read this one. The book was overall good but some parts didn't work for me. Some of the forced proximity and drama seemed unrealistic and forced. I struggled a little with the pacing initially, but the it picks up half way through.

Thank you Avon Books for sending me an ARC of this book.