The concept of this book is really cute, and it's quite an enjoyable read. The new president of the United States is a Hispanic, divorced female with two college-aged children. The First Son of the United States (FSOUS) can't stand the crown prince in England and attempts to avoid any social interaction with him. Throughout the course of the book they establish a friendship, then a relationship that is quite cute and fun. All of the characters are quite likable and you find yourself wishing you could be friends with all of them. However, the book plot was predictable and there was way too much gay sex for my liking. I feel like a lot of the sex could have been implied and not quite so explicit. This book is classified as YA, however, I'm not sure it's age appropriate for some high school students because of the explicit sex portrayed.

I can’t believe it’s only February and I’ve already read the best book of 2019. That might seem like a call too soon to make, but trust me, once you’ve read this book, you’ll 100% agree with me.

Red, White & Royal Blue feels like it was written especially for me. It touched my heart in irrevocable ways and once I finished the book, I immediately turned back to the beginning to read it all over again. The novel features a bisexual protagonist, on a journey of discovering his sexuality, a rivalry turned forced friendship, and a beautiful romance that frequently had me in tears. Red, White & Royal Blue had everything I wanted in a novel and more, and I’m still in awe that a book like this even exists: a book where a part of my identity is so wonderfully captured.

Our protagonist is Alex Claremont-Diaz, the bisexual and half-Mexican son of the FEMALE President of the United States. He can be a little haughty at sometimes, he never stops talking, he knows he’s handsome, and he knows how to work people until he gets his way. But he’s also incredibly dedicated, loyal to a fault, and he loves so very hard and with everything he has. He’s a disaster bi in every sense of the word, and I just adore him so much.

Our love interest is Henry Windsor, the closeted gay Prince of Wales and one of the heirs to the Throne of England. He comes across as cold and stand-offish, but that only hides a heart that has been broken over and over again. Henry, although coming from a world of ultimate privilege, genuinely cares for the wider world and is incredibly empathetic. It’s easy to see why Alex would fall for him.

Alex and Henry are frenemies and have been in a rivalry for years — a rivalry which may or may not have solely been in Alex’s head — that explodes when the two men engage in a physical fight at the Royal Wedding, caught on camera and which immediately goes viral. In response, Alex and Henry are forced to become BFFs to ensure that international relations between the two countries remain peaceful. But what starts off as a fake friendship soon turns into a real one, through emails and text messages and late-night phone calls, discussing life, love and the demands of upholding your family name and creating a legacy.

Alex and Henry’s tentative friendship quickly turns into a friends-with-benefits situation, so when I say this book has everything I love, I really do mean everything I love: hate to friends to hook-ups to love. Their relationship is perfectly paced and developed, so the reader is right there, falling in love alongside the two boys. It’s heartwarming and tender and so so so soft, you can’t help but squeal in excitement and, if you’re anything like me, blush when Alex says “baby”.

But what I love most about Red, White & Royal Blue, illuminated through Alex and Henry, are the small moments of historical education peppered throughout the text. This comes in the form of Alex and Henry’s emails to one another, discussing and debating about the lives of prominent queer people from history, most of whom never had the opportunity to come out themselves due to the laws of the era they lived in: Alexander Hamilton, James I, Allen Ginsberg, Hendrik Christian Andersen, Virginia Woolf, Radclyffe Hall, Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelangelo, and many more artists and scholars that Red, White & Royal Blue teaches us about.

I can’t begin to explain the feeling of knowing that queer people have come before you, to know that people like you have a history, that they existed — have always existed. Many times throughout world history, queer people have had their lives and stories oppressed by brutal laws and an even more brutal patriarchy, but reading Alex and Henry’s emails to one another taught me that we are not alone, and we have never been alone. Alex and Henry may send quotes of love by queer people to one another to reaffirm their adoration, but what they reaffirm to me and every single queer reader is a history, a shared experience, and the knowledge that we belong.

Alex and Henry aren’t the only amazing characters in this novel. The background characters are all just as brilliant. I adore June, Alex’s sister who is ride-or-die for her brother, and Nora, Alex’s ex-girlfriend-turned-best-friend who is a super genius. The two women are in, what I read as, a polyamorous relationship, although I could be wrong as it is quite subtle but enough for readers to pick up on. If this is the case, I hope McQuiston writes a book or novella about the throuple! I also loved Alex’s mum, who creates PowerPoint presentations whenever she needs to help her children; and I completely admire Henry’s sister, Bea, who is the only family member who loves Henry for who he is.

Red, White & Royal Blue is a long contemporary, but trust me when I say Casey McQuiston’s writing keeps you glued to the page. The prose is engaging and draws you into Alex’s story with ease. I started this book at 6:30pm one night, intending to only read a chapter before dinner, but before I knew it, it was 10pm and I had read 56% of the novel and had completely forgotten my dinner. Only a really, really, really good book can make me forget about food. I can also perfectly see Red, White & Royal Blue as a movie, and I’m going to need Netflix or Hulu or someone to make it into one ASAP.

I highly encourage everyone to get their hands on a copy of this glorious, gentle New Adult book the second it’s published. Even though I received an e-ARC of the book, I’ll be the first person standing outside my local bookstore on May 14 — and you should be too!

This book is amazing and a bit smutty so I would say it's for 14 years and up. It draws you in right away. It's a really cute story and the characters are very 3 dimensional, even the side characters. Great queer representation - I love to see bi characters as main characters!!! Seriously, I don't get enough of them in the books I read. I recommend this book!
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I made the mistake of starting this book over breakfast before work and came thiiiis close to being “sick” so I could just stay home and finish it all in one sitting! I adore these characters, Alex and Henry feel like real people despite their only-in-a-romcom-circumstances of being the First Son and a literal prince and I love their individual voices. In fact, all the characters in this book are pretty strongly fleshed out, which is not always the case with the secondary cast of a romance. The plot does veer a little too heavily into political campaign stuff in the last chunk of the book, which I think made it a tad overlong but like, it’s still my ideal irl 2020 so I can’t be mad. Recommended for escapist fun, especially if enemies to friends to FWB to lovers is your jam!

This book is actual perfection and everything I needed. For starters, it's got a president with politics I agree with (which, even without the amazing love story, is something I could really go for right now). It's got great friendships and a lovely, supportive family. I would really like June and Nora to be my friends, please and thank you.

But...we're really here for Alex and Henry, right? And this is a love story for the ages. It's sweet and sexy and kind of adorable but also holy crap, so hot. So, so hot.

I couldn't even estimate how many times I laughed but I also cried twice and laughed while crying once. This book is a complete delight and I need Casey McQuiston's next book tomorrow, please.

This is going to be one of the best books of the year, but it's also the one to beat for my personal favorite of 2019.

Highly recommended.

I liked a lot of things in this book, especially the little allusions to the disaster that was the IRL 2016 election. It was fun to read something that was outside of the normal wheelhouse of fiction subjects and learn a bit about politics along the way (and also to pretend like Tr*mp never happened). Though there were many parts where I didn't want to put it down, there where also parts that weren't exactly engaging. I wanted more background on some of the characters, more pre-Whitehouse Clairmonts, and, weirdly, more "boring" political stuff. Like, how great would it be to have a romance that was both charmingly cute and also hella informative about the inner workings of U.S. politics?

That being said, I did really like this (I'm really stingy with my four and five-star ratings), though I might be a tad bias since I've been internet-following the author since long before she was an author. Like, 2009 Tumblr-following, I think. Or at least a few years on Twitter-following.

So, everybody read this because it is really fun and Casey is great.

This is the kind of story that had me smiling (even through tears at times) cover to cover. It’s moving, it’s relevant, it’s OH-SO romantic, and it's one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

This novel was charming and engrossing from start to finish! It included the perfect amount of real world politics, humor, and romance to make up an adorable book. This novel is now easily one of my favorite romances!

I love Alex and Henry! Red White & Royal Blue is easily one of my favorite new romances. I was grinning and swooning the whole way. Such a fun and delightful take on the royal romance!

I LOVED this book. I have been wanting to read this since I heard about it last fall and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Henry and Alex had so much chemistry in my opinion and I loved their relationships with their mothers. I think that the Zahri and Shaan arc really surprised me in the best possible way as well. June and Bea were probably my favorite characters and I would love to see another book about them, together or apart :D. I just loved this book and will be telling EVERYONE to read it.

I am not afraid to admit that I was rather surprised by this story. I expected a cute romance, potentially filled with quick-witted YA humor, descriptive action and memorable characters. Boy was I wrong! What I discovered was a VERY well written story that truly captivated me from the beginning. Not only is this extremely well written but it is funny, heartfelt, romantic and truly one of a kind. Not only is this a wonderful story, it is an important story to have on every library's bookshelves!

This book is a classic royal romance with a twist. Prince Henry and First Son Alex are enemies. After an 'incident' at a royal wedding, the pair is forced together for a press tour to show off their 'bromance'. As Alex and Henry's budding friendship turns into more as Henry reveals he in serious lust with Alex. But Alex is straight..isn't he?

Casey McQuiston does a fantastic job weaving a friendship into more with some budding identity issues for both the Prince and FSOTUS. I love that Alex is surrounded by people who accept his feelings for Henry, although the team for his mother reelection campaign isn't sold on the international incident.

This book is full of wit, history, love, and family it's also interspersed with politics, which makes for a well-rounded narrative of both of the boy's lives. I loved this book and can't wait to recommend it to others.

This book felt like a dream version of how 2016 could’ve gone. It was hopeful and idealistic without being naive or ignorant to the problems in our country.

Utterly romantic and heart warming, with some of the most beautiful love letters I've ever read in fiction. You will cry, or you aren't human.

I read this in one sitting, staying up til 4:15 to finish reading it. I loved it. It was such a fun story and I really liked all the characters. This was so fabulous. I will be reccommending it left and right.

Where to start with this fantastic novel? I absolutely adored this story and these characters. This is the book that 2019 deserves! I will absolutely be recommending this book to friends, family and students. I can't say that I have read a book anything like this yet and I hope there is more to come by this author and in this new genre of books. Without giving away the whole story line, imagine a 2019 where we have a female U.S. President (who has been divorced and remarried) with young adult children who are not just generic stereotypes but real, diverse, multifaceted people who are discovering themselves and creating their lives on their own terms. When FSOTUS Alex, realizes his "hate" for the Royal Prince is not hate, but rather interest and curiosity, we are taken on a journey of self discovery, falling in love, friendship, taking chances and speaking your truth. Every single character in this novel is multi-dimensional making them accessible to readers of diverse backgrounds. I loved the style of writing in this novel and how it went back and forth between first person narration, text conversations, love letter style emails and face to face conversations. I will say that there were a few issues with formatting (ie. chapter divisions) but I think that is just part of the early version and will be fixed before publication date. I also felt that the ending dragged on a little long for me. There were a few parts that felt like they could have really been the finale but then it kept going. All in all, this was a tremendous read for 2019 and I have a feeling it will be on the top of many lists once more people get their hands on this terrific debut novel. I'm hoping there could be a series to come out of this story as there are so many interesting characters who were part of the novel with story lines that were intriguing and could absolutely be developed.

This book was phenomenal. I can't give it a high enough rating. This story was HILARIOUS, and had me laughing out loud several times.. It was raunchy and honest. However, it was also extremely raw, vulnerable and emotional. I laughed, cried, and then laughed some more. I couldn't have loved it more than I did. A love story for the (new) ages- I would highly, highly recommend this one.

3.5 stars

As soon as I read the blurb for Red, White & Royal Blue I couldn't wait to read it. A First Son falling in love with a Prince - color me intrigued. I love M/M. But what I love even more is an unusual story. Red, White & Royal Blue was certainly that.

The plot was fantastically unique, entertaining, and Alex and Henry were the ultimate adorable couple. It didn't hurt that the entire cast was diverse, lovable, and engaging. There was so much love and palpable adoration between all of them - I fell easily in love with the entire cast.

If you love any of these tropes, you should really give this novel a try.

✔️Friends to Lovers
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Royals
✔️Diverse
✔️ M/M

It didn't' make me cry, and I wasn't blown away by the writing, but it certainly made me laugh. There were more than one scene that made me laugh out loud. And I adored Alex and Henry, and would have loved to read a more comprised novel just about them. Because this book was way too long.

I'm going to be in the minority here, since everyone seems to love this book! But although the plot was right up my alley, the execution wasn't working for me as much as I hoped for. It was way too long with 432 pages. Also much of the book was about the political background of a presidential campaign and DC politics. And I had a hard time being interested in that part of the story. But I can see how readers might love the in-depth view of a presidential campaign.

But besides that, it was a promising debut novel, with awesome characters, well written prose, and smart dialogues.

I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

Ahhh, this book was marvelous! And romantic! And funny! Alex and Henry were amazing, nuanced, and so perfect for each other. Their banter was everything. Their emails were swoony. I loved the side characters and the world they lived in, which was just a little bit better than ours- enough to feel hopeful that we can one day make it a reality. The President's son and the prince of England falling in love is a story I've definitely wanted, and Casey McQuiston delivered! I even got a little teary-eyed at one point, which almost never happens! I cannot recommend this book enough. It will set your heart aflutter and linger long after the final page is turned.

Royal romances are a tried and true trope and continue to appeal because of the nearly universal fantasy of suddenly finding a royal love. So, the idea of a romance between the first son and a royal prince was interesting in that royal fantasy vein. While the story had many appealing elements and moments, the book was a little uneven.

Alex Claremont-Diaz is the well-liked son of the first female president of the United States. He is obsessively followed on social media and when a kerfuffle with a royal prince happens at an official engagement, damage control is swift. In order to prevent an international incident, a series of public outings is staged to show what great friends the two young men are. These interactions, lead to a genuine friendship that slowly leads to a deeper relationship.

What didn’t work so well was that the characters marched very closely to the current royal family. While a fantasy romance is not required to be realistic, these similarities interfered with my enjoyment of the story by constantly causing me to question the believability of the narrative. Also, the story felt like it was trying to address too many current issues. Finally, given the age of the characters this really is more of a new adult romance. Some of the characters behavior in the beginning was a bit to juvenile and off putting and nearly caused me to set the book down.

However, I’m glad I finished because there are some genuinely sweet moments here. The relationship between Alex and Harry is an enjoyable enemies to lovers story. Their discovery of self and each other in texts/e-mails made for some very romantic reading. I cheered for this very cute relationship. The story feels positive and empowering given the current negative political and social climate.

Overall, this is a fun read and will be a good choice for libraries wanting to add quality LGBTQ titles to their collections. 3.5 Stars.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful book. Very well written and executed. The book is a sliding doors esque plot in which a woman won the 2016 election and was a type of compassionate leader and mother. The two leads Prince Henry and Alex are relatable and refreshing. Will definitely recommend.