My biggest quibble with this book is the lack of a second comma in its title (I like to use the Oxford comma)--otherwise, it is perfect. I fell in love so many times, with so many characters, and McQuiston's writing pulled me so deeply into their feelings. Romance, email exchanges, and intrigue--I have been recommending this book to so many people already and will continue to do so!

If you are reading this, I am sure you already know what this book entails. It is getting so much hype right now and for good reason. A mainstream title that is humorous and steamy New Adult romance, featuring a male/male, enemies-to-lovers relationship? What is not to LOVE?

This is basically the book the world has been waiting for. And let's be honest, it's a book the world needs.

I personally was swept away from the very first pages. It is so fun. Pure fun on the page but also thoughtful in its presentation. I truly feel this is ground-breaking and we will all be talking about it for years to come.

McQuiston did such a great job of making this so contemporary and natural without in any way feeling forced. The dialogue was super believable and the storyline provided a lot of food for thought.

I have heard a few people mention that it is too optimistic?? To me, I didn't really think so. It is a happy story overall but our characters have struggles just like real people. As Alex and Henry both grapple with their sexuality and what that means in terms of their lives, what their family's response will be, what the world's response will be...they really struggled with that. They had hard decisions to make, just like in real life.

As far as the overall outcome, I think we needed a book like this. Shouldn't we be striving for a world like this? Where this could be a reality? Where the majority of the people would stand on the side of what is right instead of hiding behind the curtains of tradition?

I applaud Casey for writing this. I think this will mean a heck of a lot to a lot of people and McQuiston is definitely on my list of autobuy authors after this spectacular debut! Bravo!

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity. I think this will be making a lot of reader's 'Best of 2019' lists!

Absolutely loved this boy meets boy meets politics romance. In an alternate universe where a Democrat won the 2016 U.S. presidential election, we follow the FSOTUS (First Son of the United States) who is 21, Mexican-American, a politico in his own right and who can't stand the younger Prince of England. Shenanigans ensue, and the two grapple with attraction, sexual identity, family baggage, and what tabloids (and entire countries) expect of them. I am hoping to see future books featuring all of the supporting characters!

Omg!! This book has been on my wish list for months and when it went on my kindle I instantly devoured it. One of the most swoony m/m romance I have enjoyed in years. Utterly adorable while making my heart ache.

This book is going on my favorites list for 2019

This story will give you the warm fuzzies no matter what your sexual preference. Alex, son of the first female president, is a political animal in training while he finishes up his undergrad degree, but gets thrust into the spotlight when he accidentally pulls the royal spare of England into the heir's wedding cake. For the camera, they have to play at being friends. Except these two have always been protesting just a bit too much.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley and I want to go on record that I am deeply sorry for putting this magnificent book off as long as I did. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to start over and read it again. The last time I wanted to do that was Fangirl.

I loved the characters and the whole enemies-to-lovers plot. Alex could be a bit too much at times, but his heart is in the right place and he truly cares about his friends and family. My friend Hope just wrote a review saying she'd love the novel from Henry's POV and I absolutely second that.

I think what sealed it for me was the absolute longing in their emails and the quotes from famous (and not so famous) lovers throughout time. Their words to each other made my heart hurt but in the best way. Even though they were outed and their relationship was forced into the public eye, Henry and Alex handled it with grace and showed that they are truly in it for the long run. Lord, I'm going to ignore the book I just started and read this again instead now.

RWRB is probably going to be one of my favorite novels. I cannot wait for more from McQuiston, if this was what we get from her debut.

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What happened when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

That’s it, that’s all the blurb you need. I promise you that this book is amazing and fantastic and no blurb will ever do it justice, so JUST GO READ IT DAMMIT! Right, so obviously I absolutely adored this book. Alex and Henry are well developed characters who hold up throughout this 400 page book individually, and they have chemistry between them that is reminiscent of a fairy tale (in a good way!). There is not a single negative thing I have to say about RW&RB, only an onslaught of incoherent ramblings about how this book is phenomenal. I would like to thank @gobletoffiction and @_everysecondbook for their die-hard love of this, otherwise I wouldn’t have picked it up for a while yet. I’m already so keen to reread this for @gobletoffiction and @librariemm new Bookclub #allgrownupbookclub! All that’s left to say for this review is that Ellen is Mum goals and page 237 is the best piece of literary work to ever grace my eyeballs.

“Alex sits and chews his food like it’s personally wronged him and watches Henry from across the room, seething.” -129

“If only you had known the mighty work of thine loins would be undone by a gay heir who likes it when American boys with chin dimples are mean to him.” -203

“Someone else’s choice doesn’t change who you are.” -229

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2019 May 21

BOOK REPORT for Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Cover Story: Be My Valentine
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 10
Talky Talk: Red, White, ButNever Blue
Bonus Factors: Royals, New Adult
Factor: Politics
Relationship Status: My Forever Choice

Cover Story: Be My Valentine

I like the simplicity here. Sure, they included a bit of red, white and blue to fit with the title, but this cover is screaming pink like the big ol’ Valentine that it is. Embrace the pink! It loves you! Love it back!

The Deal:

Alex Claremont-Diaz is the half-Mexican son of the first female POTUS. Henry, Prince of Wales is…well, the Prince of Wales. They’ve been acquaintances for years, since they met at the Rio Olympics, and Henry made it clear he wanted nothing to do with Alex. Since then, Alex has hated Henry and been forced to grin and bear it whenever the first family must interact with the British monarchy. But that all comes to a head when Alex and Henry’s animosity leads to a cake-related disaster at Prince Phillip’s wedding. It’s an international political scandal, and in order to save face, their PR teams decide that Alex and Henry will pretend to be best friends in front of the press as damage control—attend events together, do charity work together, act like they like each other.

The only problem? Maybe…they sort of already do like each other? Alex has always considered himself straight, so this is a new and unexpected conundrum for him. But he knows the way he feels about Henry is making him question everything. And when all those questions build up to a fateful evening in the Kennedy gardens, Alex and Henry find themselves caught up in something much bigger than they ever imagined on the precipice of President Claremont’s reelection bid. How can two people be together when doing so might completely upend two entire countries?

BFF Charm: Make It Rain

Alex and Henry are polar opposites: Alex is a bit of an asshole, but, like, in a good way? You know the type. He’s charming, hot, smart, witty, America’s most coveted bachelor and a politician in the making. Henry, meanwhile, is the ultimate sensitive and thoughtful Pisces man. Always put together, always thinking of others, quiet not because he’s above it, but because he’s taking it all in, probably overthinking everything and completely in his feelings. I loved them both equally and with my whole heart. Neither were perfect—Alex tends to push people’s limits, himself included, while Henry tends to hide behind walls when he’s feeling too much—but they were perfect complements to one another. Henry could calm Alex while Alex could pull Henry out of his shell.

But these two aren’t the only characters I’m giving BFF charms to! Alex’s sister June was fiercely loving and intuitive, and his best friend Nora was a hilarious spitfire with a computer for a brain. Henry’s best friend Pez is an eccentric billionaire philanthropist/party boy that everyone needs in their life because he’ll always make sure you have a good time no matter what you’re doing, and Henry’s sister Bea was there for him when no one else was. Together, this crew made for the ultimate #squadgoals.

Swoonworthy Scale: 10

Do not, I repeat DO NOT, make the same mistake I did and attempt to read this book on the treadmill. It was sexy enough to make me light-headed, and I thought I was going to faint right there in the gym. Would that be the first time a swoony book made one of us literally swoon? I wasn’t willing to find out, so I stayed off the treadmill for the remainder of this book—which turned out to be a very good decision because it just. Kept. Getting. Swoonier.

Alex and Henry’s relationship begins as a classic case of enemistry, and when said enemistry gets them in trouble, McQuiston adds in a dose of forced proximity. All my favorite tropes are present: witty banter, secret longing, affectionate insults, being trapped in small spaces together. And this all happens before Alex and Henry even give in to their feelings for one another—at which point, OMG someone bring me my smelling salts. Yes, there is lots of sex, and yes, it is [insert 15 fire emojis here], but sometimes their hottest moments were in emails admitting their feelings, or subtle smiles when they thought no one was looking. When it comes to romance, I am usually all about the build-up, but these two lovebirds managed to keep ratcheting up the swoon even after I thought they couldn’t get any swoonier.

Talky Talk: Red, White, ButNever Blue

Red, White & Royal Blue is told mostly from a close third person point of view, following Alex’s side of the story, and includes snippets of text messages, newspaper articles, tweets, podcasts, speeches, and Alex and Henry’s emails to one another. McQuiston’s writing is fresh and fun, with whip-smart dialogue and characters who can sling banter and jokes faster than your eye can move across the page. She’s often hilariously tongue-in-cheek, as well, with little jokes like this one sprinkled throughout:

“Nah, come on. I don’t think this election is gonna hinge on an email server.”

Alex arches a brow. “You sure about that?”

But it’s the emails between Alex and Henry that were my favorite part of this book. Like old fashioned love letters, email gave them the courage to be so real with one another, even when they were still a bit too scared to say the same things face-to-face. It also gave us a glimpse into Henry’s mind, a part of him that he mostly keeps hidden from the public, which was such a beautiful place to be. Reading their emails felt more swoony and intimate than reading the sex scenes. McQuiston masterfully balances the huge political and personal stakes of her characters with an optimism and effervescence that kept the book fun to read—even at a time when reading fiction about politics seems like the last thing I would ever want to do.

Bonus Factor: Royals

I’m always going to be a sucker for books about the secret lives of British monarchy kids, always. If you need something to fill the Royal We shaped hole in your heart, this will do the trick.

Bonus Factor: New Adult

Alex is 21 and Henry is 23, so this is not technically a young adult book, but their respective ages meant the pressure to fulfill adult responsibilities, both to the throne and to the American political system, was a bit heavier, which added a dramatic tension that might not have been present if they were still teenagers.

Factor: Politics

Depending on your view of politics, this could be a bonus factor or an anti-bonus factor. With Alex’s mother the first female POTUS, elected in 2016 after Obama in this alternate universe, and with an upcoming election, there’s no escaping politics in this book. At times, it feels a bit like an escapist fantasy, at others, a nightmare.

Relationship Status: My Forever Choice

Book, from page one, I knew you were the one for me. You could break me out of the slumpiest book slump, keep me up all hours of the night, make me laugh, cry, swoon. You have it all, and I want you to be mine forever—no matter the international political consequences.

Publishers Weekly already did a review of this book but my feature pubs in June in print and online.

My personal review was on Goodreads.

I'm still reeling from all the feels. Uplifting and inspiring, I can't adequately sum up a book like Red, White and Royal Blue and do it the justice it so richly deserves. Such an emotional, feel good story, and unlike anything I've ever read before. I love the written word so much but sometimes less is more, when you don't necessarily need to read everything going on in great depth. The characters and their thoughts are more than enough spark your imagination into the vivid and beautiful. Casey did an incredible job here, this book was PERFECTION and will stay with me for a very, very long time. This has to be my favourite read of the year so far, I can't recommend it enough.

Great LGBT summer read. Think princess diaries meets riverdale meets John Green for a generation z.. this is a perfect read for fans of call me by your name or fault in our stars who want more comedy in their romances!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest (and kind of late) review.

I went into this with high expectations. I mean, very high, one of my most anticipated reads in a while high. And I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I find that the more I enjoy a book the more incoherent and incomprehensible my reviews get, so I apologize right now, but mostly what I have to say is: wow, what a book. The prose was gorgeous. There's quite a bit of sex in the book but I found McQuiston wrote some of the best sex scenes I've ever read. They were very unfocused on the acts themselves, but deeply descriptive of the evocative emotions felt, and as someone who is very meh about sex, I really enjoyed that. The dialogue is funny and very realistic. Alex is meant to be I think about a year older than me (he calls himself a millenial a few times but he had big gen z vibes!) and I think McQuiston really captured how young people talk, which is to say, a lot of gratuitous cursing in front of inappropriate people. The message about changing history was also beautiful and profound.

Overall, all I have to say is please read this book.

Exactly as charming as you hope. I loved every minute--and it was such a page-turner, that the minutes flew.

I loved this book from start to finish. It made me actually laugh out loud multiple times and thought the characterization of Alex realizing that's he's bisexual was done beautifully and represented very well. There are a lot of current event references but done subtly enough that if you don't pay attention you may miss them. I do pay attention and they cracked me up to no end. But the romance was the highlight for me and made me sigh with delight. The MCs may seem a little young but I understood as they are both extremely privileged and sheltered their entire lives. I truly enjoyed this book!

Red, White and Royal Blue was one of the most hyped up contemporary novels of 2019. And I must say, it was definitely quite an impressive debut novel.

Despite the high class setting and absolutely unrelateable (for me at least) setting of the White House and the Palace and taking international flights every second day and having your schedule planned out by an entire team of staff, the characters and the story itself (at its heart) manages to still be surprisingly relateable. I suppose that's because the book is technically a romance novel, with the same basic progression that most romance novels have. One thing that does stand out is that the banter is absolute top quality, especially the texts and the emails.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book for those looking for a fun (and sometimes a little ridiculous) contemporary romance. I feel it would also make quite a good movie.

Ratings
Overall: 8/10
Plot: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 3/5

What happen when the First Son falls in love with the Royal Spare? Delightful m/m romance by Casey McQuiston. Alex is the son of the first female US President finds his most annoying rival to actually holding the key to his heart and happiness. Charming witty with just the right smattering of LGBQT history which enhances this story.

Casey McQuiston has written my favorite book of 2019 (so far... and maybe over all)! I first read this book back in March from an ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley (thank you for the sneak peak!) I loved the book so much that I just read it again via the audio book checked out from my local library using Overdrive. It was just as good--maybe even better--the second time around.

There are so many things that make this novel truly special. First, McQuiston's characters are funny, lovable, well-drawn and very human. I challenge anyone not to fall in love with Alex and Henry. If you aren't rooting for their love to last and overcome all obstacles, then you are lacking a heart. Secondly, this novel is just the sort of hopeful story that many of us crave in this time when U.S. political life is in turmoil and many of us are shaken and maybe even a little numb from the daily stories of stupidity perpetrated by our current President and his band of cronies. Red, White & Royal Blue provides an alternate universe to the one in which we currently reside: one where Obama's successor was none other than the "Lometa Longshot" Ellen Claremont: Alex's mother and the first female U.S. President. Although this alternate United States is a better one than where we currently reside, the progress made by Obama and carried on by Claremont are being threatened in the 2020 presidential race, which serves as a backdrop to Alex and Henry's unlikely and very complicated love story.

The way in which McQuiston skillfully blends literary quotations from well-known homosexual or bisexual literary figures with the complexities racial and sexual identity and the challenges of international diplomacy is always touching, but never heavy-handed. McQuiston also infuses the novel with liberal doses of humor--creating all kinds of absurd, laugh-aloud moments. (I can't think of anything funnier than hearing audio book narrator Ramon De Ocampo, referring to Henry as "HRH Prince Dickhead, Poop emoji," as he is designated in Alex's contacts.)

I will be urging everyone I know to read Red, White & Royal Blue this summer. Both times I finished this amazing debut, I came away hopeful, believing in the power of love, and crying happy tears.

In a much-preferred alternate reality, Alex Claremont-Diaz's mother became the first female president of the United States ... but could his clandestine relationship with Henry, the English prince derail her re-election? Hilarious and heartwarming, Red, White & Royal Blue is an intriguing look at the current political climate disguised as a romantic comedy, complete with RuPaul's Drag Race and Hamilton references. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will wonder if it's a little too long, but spoilers: you will not care.

I had seen this debut getting a lot of early attention and I wanted to see what the buzz was about so I gave it a try. This is a new adult m/m royal romance between the Prince of England and the First Son of the USA. That concept had me rushing to read it and I think Casey McQuiston delivered.

Alex, the First Son, is a fun loving character. He has a tight knit group of friends and likes have a good time with them, giving the entertainment magazines plenty to talk about. Which is why he’s never liked Prince Henry. He finds him boring and they’ve always been at odds with each other. Until one moment at a party goes wrong and they are forced to clear up public appearances by pretending to be friends and having a few organized “meetings”.

This is a classic gay-for-you trope. Alex had no idea that he could be attracted to men until feelings start to develop for Henry. I liked the way this book tackled that time in Alex’s life and the emotional struggle. At the same time, it shows two very different support systems. While Alex has it, Henry doesn’t. I think that made for an interesting read, and it gave their relationship more depth.

My favorite thing about this book is just that it was fun. While it certainly does have some heavier moments, Alex can make things feel quite fun and light hearted. RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE was quite addictive.

Keep in mind this book will have the feel and problems of a celebrity/royal romance and it has some politics in it as well. I personally don’t think the politics on this book were too heavy. But it you are looking for two adorable young men trying to navigate their sexuality, their feelings for each other, and their responsibility and image to not only their families but their country, then you’ll enjoy this book. This is a solid debut novel, even though maybe at times you could tell it was the authors’ first book. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

It was adorable, had amazing characters and I couldn't keep from flailing from the cuteness! Not to mention that this book will be adapted into a MOVIE!