This was a really fun rom-com with fingers in many different pies - current American politics, the British monarchy, LGBTQ politics/history/literature, and issues of love, family and friendship. I enjoyed the story of a first true love and the roller coaster ride that takes one on, and this had the additional stakes of the presidency and the Crown. There was much more to it than a typical romance novel, and I especially loved the humor and banter.

An e-ARC was provided by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

There are some books that draw me in with the writing, some that make me fall for the characters, and some that suck me into the plot. Rarely do I read books that have it all. Red, White, and Royal Blue did that for me. I immediately connected with McQuiston's wit and how they write with such sincerity. The way these characters speak and act is so believable. Alex, Henry, June, Nora, et al., are already real, fleshed out people, and why can't they exist to be my friends in real life?

I loved how we got both established friendships as well as slowly and organically developing relationships throughout the novel. I did not get instalove vibes, nor did I feel like drama happened for the sake of it. These characters truly love and support one another. They also have the market cornered on affectionate insults, which is something I identify with on a personal level. And Alex. Sweet, sarcastic Alex. The way he flings expletives in one breath and endearments in the next - "sweetheart" - I can't. Henry's much more proper, but equally swoon-worthy, prose is the ideal counterbalance for some steamy email banter.

Beyond the romance/personal drama, we have some major international political conflict. While anxiety-inducing - because we are seriously invested in the well being of these darlings - there are clear elements of a vastly different political climate to reality. One I believe would be a sigh of relief to many people. I feel McQuiston struck a good balance between steamy new adult romance and a politically driven plot. There are real stakes here, people. Not just miscommunication nonsense. Overall, I see Red, White, and Royal Blue as one of my favorite reads of the year. I very much look forward to McQuiston's next work.

This book was beautiful and heartwarming.

Even though I had a bit of a hard time to get into the story at first, once the relationship started and we got all the amazing banter between Alex and Henry, I was invested. I'm not a fan of politics in general so I was a little wary. And honestly, those parts weren't the ones who kept me reading. But if you don't mind having some politics in your books, I'd recommend it to you.

Overall, the romance between the son of the President and the Prince was really good. The chemistry was there, the humour was there, the side characters were well developed and interesting. I don't often read M/M romance books, but this book made me want to read more of them.

PS: I know this book has a lot of hype and you may have seen many people gush over it lately but I swear, this time, the hype is real. I've been burned by many 'hyped' books that weren't good but Red, White & Royal Blue deserves all the love it can get.

(Thank you to the publisher for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

3.5 ⭐️

I hate to say I didn’t love this nearly as much as every one else seemed to, but I truly enjoyed many aspects of the book. I loved the diverse characters and the bittersweet feelings that came with reading this book post Clinton-Trump election. It brought up a lot of fear and anxiety that I have surrounding the upcoming elections and what I truly wish could have happened back in 2016. This book holds so much merit in our world today, but I still only found myself liking it a bit more than average. I still recommend this to any that may be interested in the storyline though I might be reluctant to want to put this in the hands of someone under 16-17. I feel like some of the sexual scenes were a bit too graphic for young adult, or maybe I’m just getting too old? Regardless, tread lightly if you are uncomfortable with mature scenes.

I don’t read a lot of romance but when I read the synopsis of this book I instantly wanted to read it because it is such an original idea. And it definitely delivered. I am obsessed with the romance between Alex and Henry and I loved how real their relationship felt. I can honestly spend pages gushing about how freaking cute the two of them are together but I want you all to discover that all on your own.

In fact, all the relationships in this book are incredibly well done and realistically told. All the flaws felt so real and the characters were all so well rounded. Also, this gives such a positive spin on politics and politicians and it was a breath of fresh air from the world that we live in. The characters were all working towards making the world a better place and it was done in a really non confrontational way.

This is a world that I want to live in. I was crying at the end of this book because I so badly want this to be the kind of world that my boys have when they are older. Where all our differences are celebrated and it’s ok to love whoever we want. Where people are strong enough to push past old ideas and ways of thinking. But it’s done from a place of love and compassion and not from a negative place.

Honestly, this book is just amazing and I really hope that everyone gives it a chance. This is such a positive book with an amazing love story that I think so many people will relate to. I liked how much Alex grew as a character throughout the story and watching him fall in love with Henry was one of the sweetest things I have ever read.

*****5+++ STARS!!*****

This was surprisingly my first M/M romance. I have nothing against them AT ALL, but I'm so glad that Alex and Henry, or as I'd like to call them "Henlx", were my first!

This book has everything I look for in a good romance, the sweet but sarcastic banter, the chemistry (My goodness, THE CHEMISTRY!), the slow anticipation. It was pure perfection.

Did I mention I've never read a royalty romance either? I know, I'm a freak.

Now, when is Netflix turning this into a movie??? I need it and I NEED IT NOW! For the time being I will settle on reading it again and again.

There was a prior review where someone said something like "Is it possible for my whole body to smile? Because this book did that." I couldn't agree with that reviewer more. This book will cause a whole body smile. More than once.

READ THIS BOOK!

Really enjoyed this romance of the First Son and Prince of England dating. The sexy times are super hot, but there is also a lot of heart, too. I didn’t love the political parts, but that’s just me...they provided a good backbone to the story.

So I was recommended to read this book by many of my book friends.

So glad I read it!

It was entertaining, loved the friends to lovers concept with a good dose of romance and humor.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Red, White & Royal Blue in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun book about love, expectations and family loyalty and a dash of paparazzi.

Red, White & Royal Blue is the year’s best romance, an intoxicating and beautifully written tale about love between the First Son and the Prince of Wales, finding and accepting your sexuality, and the politics of doing the right thing. It’s an absolute triumph of writing, angst, shippy-ness, and inspiration.

Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of US President Ellen Claremont, a biracial, wise-ass of a guy who has grand political ambitions of his own and the smarts and leadership to make it happen. He’s just finishing university at Georgetown as his mother is gearing up for a re-election campaign for a second term. Oh yeah, and he’s also handsome and charming. Alex has it going on

The only thing that irks him? Smug Prince Henry of England, second grandson to the Queen. Alex can’t stand the idea of him and the whole monarchy. And Alex knows the feeling is mutual.

This mutual dislike isn’t an issue until the Claremonts end up at the royal wedding of Henry’s brother, and Alex and Henry end up arguing and causing the destruction of an enormous wedding cake. To make amends, both Alex and Henry agree to play up their friendship with some photo ops together. And Alex quickly discovers that there’s a lot more to Henry than just what he’s read in the media. The real Henry is thoughtful, funny, caring, and deeply broken. Oh, and he’s also gay and very, very interested in Alex.

But…Alex thought he was straight. And he thought he wanted to be buried in work and to become a politician immediately. As Alex and Henry try to figure each other out, they also start to question who and what they want – and how much they’re willing to put on the line to get it.

Red, White & Royal Blue is my favourite book of this year. I’ve already read it twice, and it’s only May. But let me tell you that ALL THE HYPE IS TRUE. This book effervesces with the buoyancy of first love, pulsates with the energy of a rally, and soars on its author’s understanding of politics, media, and how it feels to be queer in America. Every word that Casey McQuiston writes is this book is thoughtfully wrought, and the result is that Red, White & Royal Blue just makes you FEEL. You can feel how much McQuiston cares about each and every character, and how much she put into making this book work.

This book is basically the gay version The Royal We mashed up with what we hoped the 2016 US election could have been.

I couldn’t write a proper review of this book, so here is a list for you:

TEN REASONS RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE SHOULD BE YOUR NEXT READ:

1. The glorious, multi-faceted characters. From Alex and Henry and their personal journeys to become who they want to be and love each other, to June, Alex’s sister who wants to be more than a political daughter, to Nora, their best friend who is queer and brilliant at statistics, to Pez, Henry’s wild philanthropist best friend, to Bea, Henry’s younger sister who understands him better than anyone and is a recovering addict…my God, these people live and breathe and are so real. And we haven’t even gotten to the formidable adults. These are people who really make things happen.

2. The incredible bisexual and gay rep. I’m not bi, but I feel like I really understood, for the first time, what it means to be bi after reading Alex’s thoughts and his struggle to reconcile his identity. Equally, there are a few moments in this books where I really understood how much it can hurt someone to be closeted, unable to show their true identity to the world.

3. The portrayal of grief. This part of Red, White & Royal Blue was just stunning and heartwrenching. Henry lost his father when he was young and the effect on him is explored so gently, embedded so well into his character, that I cried.

4. The emails and texts between Alex and Henry. Oh. My. God. These letters will make you burst into flame, they’re so hopeful and idealistic and sexy. And there are quotes. Hamilton quotes. Vita Sackville-West quotes. Citations from people in history. McQuiston was basically serving gravy to my English lit major heart.

5. The Mexican rep. I say “rep”, but it’s really just there, in Alex and June, and it’s so much a part of their identity. You see it in the way Alex connects with his mentor, Senator Rafael Luna, and in the way that he and June interact with their father…I just loved how it’s both a non-issue, and at the same time, it’s ever present whenever Alex thinks about the fact that he’s the first ever half-Mexican First Son.

6. All the sexy parts. Red, White & Royal Blue is not as graphic as some new adult romance, but people, this is definitely new adult. The scenes between Alex and Henry are really hot but also really poignant and tasteful.

7. The inside baseball locations. The White House and the various palaces that Henry inhabits in are places people only dream of living. I loved getting a little in through McQuiston’s lush descriptions.

8. The political savvy. If you are a West Wing fan, this book is for you. So much policy and even a few scandals!

9. The idealism. This is a book where people are trying to change the world, and the last third of it had me alternately crying my face off and inspired to do the work and take on evil in the world. It’s so powerful.

10. Alex and Henry. I mean, it’s the center of the book, so if you don’t love their romance, you won’t love the book, but these two just banter so damn well together that you want to squeeze the stuffing out of them. They are the reason the term “cinnamon rolls” was coined.

THE FINAL WORD
Have I fangirled enough for you? Red, White & Royal Blue is just everything. It made my weeks and days brighter while reading, it made me stay up too late, it made me laugh and snicker, it made me ache and cry. I feel like it has a little something for everyone. It’s way more than just a fluffy new adult male/male romance. It’s a book that is trying to open minds and hearts in the most honest way possible. Buy it now, give it to friends, get a Claremont 2020 t-shirt (proceeds go to The Trevor Project for LGBTQ teens!), and for God’s sake, please fangirl with me in the comments!

Red, White, And Royal Blue is the story of Alex, the first son of the United States, and Henry the Price of Whales. From the time Alex first meets Henry, he develops hatred towards him. He thinks Henry is a royal prick. Alex and his sister and best friend Nora get invited to Prince Phillips royal wedding and when Alex gets drunk, him and henry have some words and end up ruining the $75,000 wedding cake. The press run the story as them fighting and they have to do some major PR to make it seem like they like each other. Henry and Alex have to put on a show that they are best friends and sending so much time together leads to a romantic relationship. Through the book Alex comes to terms with his bisexuality, ignoring all the signs from growing up that he could have been interested in men. Prince Henry has been gay his whole life, but in order to protect the crown he cannot show his true self. This story is about acceptance, true love in any form, and a whole lot of politics! (maybe a little too much for my taste).
I really enjoyed the themes in this book though. First female president, bisexual first son, gay prince, sex scandal in the white house. I believe that Casey is so brave to touch on these subjects and this book is taking the world by storm already! I am so glad I was blessed a copy of this book by St. Martin's Press!

Summoned to a royal wedding, the first family heads to England. Alex, First Son of the United States, is dreading the idea of facing his nemesis, Prince Henry. Unsurprisingly Alex promptly begins drinking to save him the pain of such a meeting and a confrontation between the two men finds them in a shoving match in which a $75,000 dollar wedding cake is decimated, the whole thing witnessed by the guests and media. In order to save face the two families have decided that they would play off the whole interaction as a mishap between friends and several meet-ups and hang out sessions are planned in which Henry and Alex will look for all the world as if they are the greatest friends. What could go wrong?

I was not at all prepared for this book. What I expected: A light and fluffy quick read about two hot boys getting into trouble and falling in love. What I got: An extremely funny and beautiful story of discovery, love, family, & friendship. Thats not all, of course. This book encompasses SO MUCH and gave me ALL THE FEELS.

The relationships in this book are on point whether we are talking about the familial relationships, the friendships, or the romantic ones. Casey McQuiston has a gift for writing authentic characters and dialogue. And they are also hilarious. I laughed out loud so many times throughout the reading of this book I was starting to get odd looks from strangers. Nora, the granddaughter of the Vice President, is also the best friend to Alex and his sister, June. Aggrandized in the media as The Trio, the three of them are inseparable. They each bring their strengths into the friendship and help to carry each other through good times and bad. I absolutely adored all of them but I especially loved them together. Alex and June's mother, Ellen, is the first female president of the U.S. and is married to her second husband, Leo, who is such a wholesome and humble character but not the father of Alex and June. That title belongs to Oscar, who is also a senator and mexican. The dynamic between all parties concerned is definitely an interesting one. Growing up a biracial child with a single mother in politics was not easy. Alex suffers from anxiety and June feels as if she's been thrown into a life that she doesn't want. They all face these obstacles in different ways and, by supporting each other, manage as happy as a life as possible when you live in the eye of the media and can't have a relationship without all parties involved signing an NDA. I loved this family with my whole heart. They add so much wholesome goodness to this story.

Alex and Henry have such chemistry I could practically see it floating around. I am utterly in love with these sweet, beautiful boys. Watching them go from enemies to friends to lovers was an amazing journey. When this story began Alex was in denial about his sexuality and had been pretending any feelings that weren't heterosexual away since he was a teen. He's snarky and brash and very in-your-face but has a heart the size of Texas. Henry is a man of quiet strength and kindness who absolutely knows he's gay and has spent his whole life pretending to be someone else for the world. When Henry let's his careful control slip and kisses Alex at a party it throws everything in the boys' carefully curated lives into a tailspin. Alex is forced to reconcile his feelings and admit to himself that he is bi-sexual. Henry begins to let down his guard and open himself to discovery and all the surprises that come with it. As they realize how deeply they feel for each other they must also face the risks involved in such a relationship. Their love story is powerful and important and sends a beautiful message. That it is never wrong to love someone. No matter who you are, where you're from, or what gender you are. Love can only be good and it's impossible to see it as anything else after you've read this book.

This book represents all different walks of life. Some more prominently than others but each can be found in this book: black, mexican, biracial, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, pansexual. Some hard topics are breached such as divorce, addiction, death of a parent, absentee parenting, undocumented immigrants, interracial relationships and suppression of sexuality.

Trigger Warnings: addiction, grief (death of a parent from cancer), divorce, racism, homophobia, sexual harassment, sexual assault (implied but not shown), sexual manipulation, anxiety, panic attacks, verbal abuse.

If you love themes of found family, fake dating, and/or enemies to lovers you will probably enjoy this book quite a bit. I only had two minor criticisms for this story. One being that I really didn't care for all the political jargon, mostly in the first half or middle of the book. I understand that it was necessary to further the plot at times but at other times I feel it was information that could have been cut from the book and it's absence would have made no difference at all. Which leads me to the next minor issue I had. I felt the book was longer than necessary as a whole (432 pgs), especially for a contemporary novel. I loved every word in this book and wouldn't cut a single one other than some of the more politic-heavy narratives. I think it goes without saying that I recommend this book with my whole heart.

The first son of the President of the US, Alex Claremont-Diaz gets embroiled in an ugly war against His Royal Highness, Prince Henry of Wales, after they both knocked down a $75,000 eight-tier wedding cake at a recent royal affair. No, the White House and Buckingham Palace weren't the ones fighting, it was just The First Son and The Prince.

Of course, the press people and paparazzi are always on their tails, capturing every salacious moment. Both parties need to do damage control to put out the fire between two countries. They had to pretend to be best of friends.. Great idea, right? Maybe.. Except they hate each other's guts.

Me, however, I love, love, love, love, love this book!I've read a number of books that are centered on LGBT and I've got to say, Red, White and Royal Blue is undoubtedly my most favorite book! British royal Prince Henry is so wickedly cool. I love how he was portrayed in the book, how he had skeletons in the closet and couldn't find a way to expose his real feelings to the world. The First Son, on the other hand, deals with his identity crisis more appropriately and easily. But in a world that's politically run with greed and animosity and betrayals, with staffs of The President of the United States breathing down his neck, going out isn't exactly as easy as 1,2,3.

Their relationship was something else. I've never rooted for this kind of story about two powerful men in the world, struggling to find their footing against all odds and living their lives the way they want to. I fell in love with Alex and Henry (but mostly Henry) and I also have high respect to the men and women behind them (Pez and Nora and first Sister, June) and even the President of the United States, who was thankfully a woman named Claremont.

There's so much to love and like in this book. Casey McQuiston hit the jackpot with this beautiful book, I could read this over and over again. Two thumbs up!

I haven't written a full review yet, but I wanted to let you know this has to be one of my top 5 favorite books of the year so far. I am amazed, humbled, and awed at the spectacular way this book was written and thought out. I cannot wait to read more of Casey McQuiston's works!

This is a contemporary MM romance set in American politics and the British Royal family. This is the first book from this author that I have read, and I loved it. It is humorous and heartwarming. The characters are well developed and lovable. The pace of the story is great. The story presents some very interesting situations that could happen at any time. I loved this realistic story and had a hard time putting it down.

Such a fun book to read. The characters are charming and the plot, while slow in places, kept me turning pages. I always enjoy throwing in a bit of a twist on a familiar genre on my reading list, and this was a nice change from what I've been reading. Just the story I needed to read!

Politics? Royalty? Enemies to friends? Forbidden romance? Well, that’s one of the ways to gain my attention.

In the wake of the personal disappointment of the 2016 presidential election, it’s really nice to see people use their creative outlets to make ideal worlds.

I really love that this has the Hamilton-esque “history has its eyes on you” vibe. In a current world where everything is pretty upside down, questionable, and makes you think twice, I feel like this is a great “what if” storyline.

I’d also like to point out that this is not YA, but new adult. It’s not bad since it’s mainly fade to black, but just a forewarning that there are some steamy scenes in it!

The FSOTUS, Alex, was a very relatable character for many reasons. One of them for me was the feeling that he needed to do something to make a change. There’s a lot of pressure on him not only because he’s the President’s son and status politically, but because of his social status and ethnicity. As a non white, female, and naturalized citizen myself, sometimes I feel like I need to be able to prove myself, even if it’s irrational. He’s got a very type A personality and definitely tends to throw himself in to his work, despite everything else around him.

One of, if not the main obstacle of this book was the fact that Alex is bisexual and Prince Henry is gay, especially since it is a covered up secret about Henry that could cause scandal and disgrace for the Royal family. While it was a bit fairytale-esque in their solution for their relationship, I did like seeing how that could play out. As an outside witness, it’s sad that being part of the LGBTQIA+ community can cause so much pain, especially from ones own family and that’s portrayed really well with Henry. He feels all of the world’s pressure on his shoulders so his “problem” is a daily struggle. While I cannot identify for even claim to know what how hard it must be for Henry, man, I felt so much empathy. I enjoy reading these types of books for that reason.

I’d also like to give June, Nora, Bea, and Pez a huge mention because without them, the story is a lot more boring and it’s the people around you in life that also help shape who you are.

There is quite a bit of US political talk, but it’s nothing that is overcomplicated and super in depth. A quick Google search might even be helpful if you need to double check what something means. However, while politics play a big part in the story, it’s not overwhelming and someone who isn’t engrossed in politics would enjoy it. It’s more of a supporting subject.

Red, White & Royal Blue was a really fun and fluffy story for a world I would like to see. Something idealistic and a great read that gave me many emotions! I gave it a deserving 5 stars.

So I absolutely loved, loved this book. This is the biracial, queer, just all out amazing love story I needed.

Meet the 2 main characters, HRH Henry, and the First Son Alex. Insert their entourage and the many other characters that you will want to meet in real life. I wish that this story was real life! It gives you hope, which is something the whole world needs in this day and age.

Thank you to Netgalley for the proof to read.

Unfortunately this book did not work for me and I couldn’t finish it. It pains me to not finish a book but I thought it read too much like y/a for me and I wasn’t into the politics.

had the privilege to get an eARC of this book, and I absolutely adored it!
Here, you follow Alex and Henry, both very important people, who will be forced to pretend to be friends. The rest is... history.
This book is a real mood cheerer, you can always pick it up, and it’ll make you laugh and smile. It’s the perfect combination of cute and funny.