I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one to come out! The second book in the Royal Blood series, Royal Scandal finds Evan in the palace continuously fighting for her life as someone is trying to kill her, while also destroying the monarchy. This book was really soapy, dramatic and fun! I’m so excited for book 3!

So here I am sitting listening to this book, playing with the cat, not paying attention to the page count and bam the mother of all cliffhangers.
Maisie and Evan have had more ups and downs than I can keep track of and honestly at this point I don't know who we can trust and who's out to kill or dethrone who and honestly I'm loving every bit of it.

There's so much I want to say about this one but I don't want to give anything away for anyone that hasn't read it, so I'll just say read book one (Royal Blood) then read this one and then let's talk.

Lastly, while I am still hoping for a very specific twist (please tell me I'm not alone) I find myself so drawn into this story that I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to Random House Children's and Net Galley for providing an advance copy of this e-book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just as good as Royal Blood; the first book of the series!

18yo Evan is in the United Kingdom with her family, royal and not royal. She’s recovering from the assault by Jasper and has great support from her boyfriend Kit and her family. Evan is starting to feel more at ease with her royal surroundings until a shooter misses her and hits Kit as he protects her. Evan receives secret anonymous threats and she starts to hear voices that are threatening her also. Her mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and she’s worried she’s hallucinating since no one else sees or hears the threats. Each day the threats and danger build until Evan is terrified she will lose her life and the people she loves.

Likes/dislikes: I love Evan and Kit and their relationship. The royal premise adds heightened intrigue to the mystery. This second book of the series is just as good as the first.
Mature Content: G for holding hands and hugging.
Language: R for 41 swears and 0 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: The ethnicity is predominantly white.

HOLY CLIFFHANGER!!! I need book three yesterday! Lots of juicy drama, royal scandals, and exciting plots.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Royal Scandal takes the readers on a wild ride picking up right where Royal Blood left off. Readers enter the lives of royals who often find themselves having to combat...scandal. While parts of this book were difficult to get through (because it was a little slow), I was able to stay invested in the storyline. While I definitely do not connect with all of the characters, as an adult, I connected enough to keep reading and turning the pages...waiting to find out how the story will end.

I recommend this book to those who love reading about "royals"/monarchy, gossip/scandal, and coming of age. I look forward to the next book in the series!

While the plot and structure of the story has improved since the first book, unfortunately the characters have not. The glaring issue here is still that Even is totally unlikeable and does nothing to redeem herself.

Nooooooooo!

I need the next book 😱😭🤮

Also I adore Kit. Please never let this change 🥺

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review. Publisher thank you but really. I need book three.

Royal Blood was a fantastic series opener, introducing the characters, setting up the basic problems and basically letting us learn about the altered world of the novel. This second novel deepens the issues and makes things exponentially worse for everyone, but mostly Evan.
Be warned, this one does end in a cliffhanger! The first one didn't, there were threads still but not a full cliffie, but this one definitely does. I was watching the page count dwindle in terror, hoping against hope...but it's a great place to stop and I'm really looking forward to the third volume.

But this one! Funny, exciting, terrifying. I was really sorry for Evan at one point, I won't mention it for spoilers but you'll know it. It's a really great read. I do recommend reading the first one first, though, don't start with this one!

I can't wait for the third. This is turning into one of my favourite series.

👑 Expectations: 👑
✨ Royal Scandals/Drama
✨Gaslighting
✨Mentions of Sexual Assault
✨Attempted Murder (at least on three different occasions)
✨Revengeful Behavior
✨Depictions of Schizophrenic Symptoms
✨Discussions on Terrorist Behavior
✨Several Annoying Characters

📝 Thoughts: 📝
It is officially time for me to accept that I am going to be an outlier when it comes to this book as well as this series. In all honesty, only 5% of me truly understand how and why both books #1 & #2 has 4⭐️ & 5⭐️ ratings. Both books are very well written and, sometimes, the drama is both entertaining and hilarious. But, the rest of me, the other 95% of me, wonders if I am reading the same series as everyone else. It took me 15 days to finish Book #1 and 7 days to finish Book #2 (I cancelled major plans just to finish this book over the weekend). For each book, I could only read four chapters at a time with a three hour break in between. I was bored most of the time. The majority of the characters are annoying and disrespectful (for no reason might I add). And the plot for both books is EXTREMELY lost on me. Like seriously, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THESE BOOKS REALLY ABOUT??? I spent EVERYDAY contemplating on whether I should DNF after every chapter. Though I am happy that I allowed my completist personality trait to push me forward, I know that I am going to be in a reading slump for the next week. 😔😔😔.

So. Book #2. Only slightly better than Book #1 but, NOT BY MUCH. 😬😬😬. Where Book #1 felt disorganized and disjointed in several areas, Book #2 is where this series has FINALLY found its focus. Book #2 is all about revenge. Book #1 ended with the revelation that a royal family member is out to destroy Evangeline “Evan” Bright all because she is the daughter of the current King of the British Monarchy and they are afraid of losing their spot in the line of succession (at least that is what’s been hinted at throughout both books). Once Book #2 starts, 6 months have passed and the royal family is in shambles and said evil Royal family member is back to continue their mission. As said Royal family member continues to destroy Evangeline, she soon finds herself truly alone. No matter how many people she informs about her thoughts and theories about the Royal family member who hates her, no one believes her. Because of this, Evangeline waits about 85% of this book to finally tell her mom what has been happening. To make matters even worse, it takes her sister, Princess Mary 91% of this book to finally listen but not before she practically destroys her closeness with Evangeline. Other Royal family members even get caught up in the line of fire and things just spiral out of control. It is just one drama filled chapter after the next and while some chapter are more entertaining than the next, I genuinely spent this entire book lost, annoyed, and ready for it to end. Again, though this book had a much clearer focus than Book #1, I still have not idea what the point of this story is nor what the author is trying to accomplish. Similar to a few other reviewers, I had to suspend my belief to understand why common sense was missing among all of the characters as well as to understand why and what the purpose of all the hatred toward Evangeline is.

And please. DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON THE FORMAT OF EACH CHAPTER. Similar to Book #1, each chapter begins with either a quote, text message conversations, two-three page Royal interviews, a gossip column article, or a twitter exchange. And similar to Book #1, it was both distracting and annoying. These pieces of information took a lot of excitement out of me wanting to hurry and read the next chapter. It just became too much after chapter 5. 😐😐😐.

Reviewing this book is really hard for me because, honestly, I am just so happy to be done with it. If you find yourself wanting to read this book then I genuinely think you should. Just make sure you are in the mood to read about misplaced anger, a lot of nastiness, and characters who will MOST DEFINITELY get on your nerves. 🫣🫣🫣. Unfortunately, for me, this is where I leave this series. I really wish Aimée Carter the best on her future writing journey as well as any endeavors she might experience. 🥰🥰🥰.

👑Thank NetGalley and Delacorte Press for granting my request for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!! 👑

Publication Date: March 26, 2024

4.5 ⭐️ I dont know what she puts in these books but I can't put them down! Anxiously awaiting book 3!

Aimee Carter’s “Royal Scandal” delivers a gripping continuation to the Royal Blood series, plunging readers deeper into the treacherous world of British royalty. Evan Bright, the American girl at the heart of the turmoil, faces increasingly intense media scrutiny and personal threats as she navigates palace politics. Carter expertly crafts a narrative filled with suspense, intrigue, and unexpected twists, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

The character development in “Royal Scandal” is exceptional, particularly Evan’s resilience in the face of adversity. As she grapples with the possibility of being forever branded as Britain’s media villain, her determination to uncover the truth behind the threats against her adds layers of complexity to the story. The dynamic relationships between Evan and the other characters, including the enigmatic members of the royal family, add depth to the narrative and leave readers eager for more.

Carter’s vivid descriptions vividly bring the opulent world of British royalty to life, immersing readers in a setting filled with secrets and betrayal. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that propels the story forward, making “Royal Scandal” difficult to put down.

Overall, “Royal Scandal” is a thrilling and captivating read that will appeal to fans of mystery, suspense, and royalty. Aimee Carter’s skillful storytelling and intricate plot twists make this a must-read for anyone craving an escape into a world of scandal and intrigue.

Normally this story would have been right up my alley, but it was a slow read. Aimee Carter does build a realistic world and dynamic characters. It was just personally not for me.

I’m shook, that ending! Like in the first book in the series, Evan is still a likable MC to follow, and all the tragedies that befall her in this book are hard to stomach. So many moving parts, including some new characters and new settings. I’m excited to see how everything gets wrapped up, and I hope it’s happily for Evan and her family.

**Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5**
Mystery, royal drama, and relationships take center stage once again in *Royal Scandal,* an excellent second installment in the Royal Blood Series.

In Book 2, we join Evan as she faces a constant barrage of negative press and media attention as she has decided to remain with the royal family. Information about Evan and other members of the royal family keeps being leaked to the media from what looks like an insider source, fueling an anti-royal narrative in the country. And in the wake of failed assassination attempt that has the police scrambling to find a suspect, Evan begins to receive increasingly personal, anonymous threats. As the story unfolds, Evan has to figure out who to trust when all signs point to her own family and friends being the ones betraying her.

>>What I loved: The way this book is written is so engaging between the news media stories, social media discourse, letters, and narrative from Evan’s perspective—Carter is a masterful and compelling writer in this genre. The characters in this story felt like great continuations of who we met in book 1 as they all responded to changing circumstances and stressful situations. Evan+Kit Forever. I loved where the story went, and I was left absolutely at the edge of my seat with what is going to happen next!

>>What I didn’t love: If I’m to be knit-picky, I would say that the first part of the book feels a little unclear in terms of the direction for the overall plot as we are getting caught up with the characters and what has been happening (I also suspect some of this was in service of the next book to come). However, by a quarter of the way through things picked up and had a better direction.

*Royal Scandal* is a wonderful second book in the Royal Bloods Series—I think fans of the series will love this follow up. I frequently recommend this series to both my students and adult friends who love Young Adult Mystery and Realistic Fiction. I think this series is pretty underrated, especially in its genre. Can’t wait for the next installment!

**Acknowledgments & Disclaimers**
✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Aimée Carter, and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book.
✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

When I picked up Royal Scandal I remembered how much I loved the first book and hoped that this one would be just as good, I was thrilled to discover that it is just as good if not maybe even a smidge better than the first in the series. It took me a minute to remember where we had left off in book one but I soon was back in the swing of things and looking forward to finding out how Evan was going to handle being part of the monarchy and in the public eye.

I loved that Evan was still mostly the same, she had to behave a little differently because she was now representing the Royal family too, but she still had her defiant side and was able to stand out even if it was unintentional. The relationships between Evan and the other Royals were much improved; especially the relationship with her sister Maisie, they still had their moments but I enjoyed that they were supporting each other more; which meant there was more at stake. There were a lot more interesting dynamics between the characters this time, secrets, relationships, and press speculation causing a lot more tension for each of them.

That was something that worked even better in this book than in the last, the articles, interviews, and text exchanges at the start of every chapter. As things really start to get tense these are a brilliant way to see just how volatile it is becoming for Evan and the Royals, it is also really interesting to see how perceptions are changed so easily by gossip and inaccurate reporting which feels very relatable to me right now.

As for the plot of this story, it was brilliant, I feel I have to be a little vague because I don’t want to spoil everything that happens and just how good it is, but trust me there are a lot of surprises in this book. Just when I thought things might start to get easier for Evan and her family everything takes a turn once again and she finds herself in all sorts of danger. I liked that there were points in the story where I was questioning everyone’s loyalty and the suspense of what might happen next was electrifying.

But oh my goodness that ending, I honestly gasped when I got to the end and was both exhilarated and frustrated at the cliffhanger. I already want the next book, I am dying to know what happens. This is definitely a series that you want to pick up, I highly recommend it.

This is book 2 in a series but can definitely be read as a standalone (IMO). I say that because I obviously didn't read book one but highly enjoyed this. It was easy to follow along, a great page turner, and informative as well.

The trials and tribulations of the royal family is something I'm sure everyone is curious about, but take that thought - add secrets, evil plotting , barrage of gun fire, a b●mbing, and add an illegitimate American daughter to the mix and you've got one heck of a story!

I will definitely be checking out book 1 of this series, ......

✨️Continued in the comments✨️

But the wY the last page ended, there HAAASSSSSS to be a 3rd book coming - and I absolutely can't wait for it!

Diving back into this series after around a year of reading the first presented very little challenge. I was not expecting there to be events in Royal Blood to be entwined with what happens in Royal Scandal. The dedication and premeditated planning stunned me & I didn’t see it coming – especially with all the intricate details. The cloud of suspicion from the first book does not dissipate in the second installment – it just morphs and amplifies into other aspects. Unfortunately for Evan, she is still making waves in the headlines even if she doesn’t mean to and would rather remain behind the scenes.

"Now millions of people follow an Instagram account I don’t even personally use, and based on the endless sea of comments I saw the one and only time I explored Tibby’s handiwork, a disconcerting number seem to think this means they know exactly who I am."

It’s hard to gush about enjoying a book without giving anything up for proof. I enjoy the easy to read and fast-paced writing style that Aimée has. I was never bored and always on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. I’m interested to see if there’s someone pulling a certain someone’s strings behind the scenes, especially with the introduction of a group. I was not a fan of the cliffhanger at the end… ugh! It wasn’t terrible, but I just despise cliffhangers in general haha.

I enjoyed the continuation of Evan’s story in this book and I’m very invested I where it goes next – super excited for book three. I would like to send a BIG thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours for choosing me for this tour – I was over the moon to be on a tour for the sequel of a favorite book from last year! Thank you to Delacorte Press & Aimée Carter for my copy to read & review – all opinions are my own. Rounded from 4.5 stars.

Aimée Carter is NOTHING sort of a genius. I picked up this book just wanting something light and dramatic but it truly is my new obsession and one of my favorite YA books OF ALL TIME. Carter's writing is easy and fast-paced and she perfectly combines thriller, paranoia, and family drama in this crazy tale of British royalty. I genuinely wish I could read this book for the first time again. Royal Blood was great, but Royal Scandal was nothing short of perfect. I love the honesty that Carter writes with her characters, never leaning too much towards "idealizing" her characters. Evan is in a tough situation and the narrative does not shy away from that, but she is no doormat either. Carter's writing is whip-smart and truly deserves the fanbase of Katharine McGee's American Royals and Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After.

Woah my poor heart and nerves can't take this. Aimee has made me cry and swear a lot and if I had a swear jar it would be half full.

There were so many twists and turns that in some parts of the story i was thumping my sofa unable to believe what was happening to Evan who is one bad ass character. I honestly thought that Evan would have a better time but not on Aimee's watch.

When I got to the end and the cliffhanger I immediately checked to see when the next book wold be out and realise I have to wait to next year NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

For all the above reasons Royal Scandal receives 5 big fat stars

Royal Scandal by Aimee Carter is the second book in the Royal Blood Series. The first book was my favorite, and I was so excited to read this book. It didn't fail me at all, I even loved the second book more than the first one, which I thought was impossible.

Evan and Kit are so sweet together in this book. Kit had my whole heart with his caring and protecting boyfriend character. I love him more than I did in the first book, just like Evan. I would read 100 books about them and never get tired of them.

The plot is a massive roller coaster ride. There are so many twists and turns and mysteries popping out now and then. What can I say more? A true page-turner. The cliffhanger at the end just stopped my heart. I WANT THE THIRD BOOK RIGHT NOW.

If you are looking for a very well-executed mystery/thriller novel, this should be your next read. Also, there is so much love and affection between characters that will surely warm your heart. Wait no further, just pick up the book.