Katharine McGee could write a grocery list and I would read it. Seriously. I love her work, I love the world building and character development, and I love love love devouring her writing.

Majesty was a great follow-up in this series and picks up right where the last book leavea off. O loved the first book and was so excited to read this one! I was disappointed.

"A destiny was something that happened *to* you, that fell upon you like rain no matter how desperately you tried to hide from it. But if you walked toward it with your head held high, then it wasn't your fate -- it was simply your future."

Verdict: 2.5 stars, rounding down.

I can't divorce my opinion of this book from the fact that I know this was supposed to be the end of the series -- that is, how we leave it here, is how the story was supposed to end. And while on the surface, things *seem* fine -- Beatrice ends up in love with Teddy and she and Connor have a sweetly sentimental (albeit implausible) goodbye; Sam finds someone who "gets" her, and Nina's off to go "find herself" -- I just can't.

Mainly because:
(1) Daphne...wins? I don't know. Again, she's the best POV character to read, because things actually *happen* in her chapters, but she is an awful, selfish person -- and nobody finds out? More on this below, but I need Daphne to face her just desserts.

(2) Abrupt character turns that don't fit with Book 1.
Like, the Lord Chamberlain is suddenly the misogynistic villain? Mmmkay. Granted, he was a super minor character in the first book, so it's not a stretch to turn him into a villain -- but also: adding adjectives & adverbs like "oily" and "obsequiously" and "silkily" and "ominously" does not a villain make. Also, Himari was built up to be this ruthless Regina George character in Book 1, someone whom Daphne was so afraid of that she drugged her -- and it turns out, nah. She was just missing her bestie! Also, she apparently has no designs on Jefferson? *shrug* Mmmkay.

(3) Again, still salty that all the relationships that were the focus of Book 1 were basically undone for the sake of this book. 400 pages of investment that just went *poof.*

(4) And finally, while this was "fluffier" and slightly more feel-good than the first one, I still have so many questions about the world-building.
For instance -- just ONE of MANY: Beatrice mentions dreaming of getting married at Disney World when she was little girl. But that would mean that, in this world, Walt Disney still lived AND he still became THE Walt Disney. But his name is synonymous with the American Dream -- the idea that a boy from nowhere with nothing can work hard and achieve success -- it's all wrapped up in notions of Protestant work ethic + democratic spirit. But...this America *isn't* a democracy -- its a monarchy -- so are the same ideals still preserved? In a world that turned the 13 original colonies into dukedoms, would a poor Midwestern boy really have been able to "pull himself up by his bootstraps" and become successful?
I doubt it.

Finally -- the social commentary seemed a little forced. There's mention of "wanting to do things a new way" (i.e., doing things differently from the generations of white men who came before and who upheld slavery) and how the press will be awful to Marshall because he's Black -- which, I don't know. Seemed out of place. McGee doesn't really do more than acknowledge it -- how can she? Both Beatrice and Sam are more invested in their romantic relationships than in actual ruling -- so to mention it without engaging with it on a deeper level seems...a bit performative.

*sigh* On to Book 3, I suppose.

I am definitely enjoying this series and cannot wait to continue on. This was such a sweet read. I found all the characters relatable in their own way. The romance aspect was written so well.

Turns out I will not be finishing this series becuase book 2 had the same problem as book 1. I can forgive a lot in the romance genre but the thing I couldn't forgive is the laaaaack of romance. I mean there is a lot happening at all times in these books but the only thing missing is the romance we're meant to be reading about.

I enjoyed this book. An easy and enjoyable read. I enjoyed the first book better but this was a good fallow up.

Not a fan tbh. Everything that I liked about the first book was switched in this one and I HATED that. What was the point of the first book and the whole build-up????? I was so disappointed. I hated Daphne and she didn't deserve to be proposed to at the end like that. God, I just hated this book so much.

I loved the first book in this series and this book picks up right where the first book ended. This is a continuation and I love the concept of royalty in America! I'm looking forward to continuing this series!

This was a fantastic sequel that picks up where the first book ends. I enjoyed seeing the characters ,that were so well developed in the first book, grow. I really appreciated learning more about Ethan and Daphne’s background. The details made their ambition understandable, making them complex likable characters. My only slight disappointment is that there isn’t enough of this kind of depth of development from the other young men in the story. I want the rest of them to be more than just good looking with an understanding of protocol

I haven’t read the first book so I couldn’t really get into this one.
I was hoping to like it more but unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me.

When I received the ARC of this book I was extremely excited to read it! I ended up not reading it for awhile but I did still enjoy it! I l loved getting to know some of the characters a little more and couldn't wait to see how the story was going to unfold. Sadly, I haven't continued with the books after this one but, I may plan to do that very soon!

I just have to say, I have no idea what took me so long to read this series, but I can’t get enough of it!! It just keeps getting better and better as it goes! My only wish is that I read it sooner!

I can’t say much without giving away spoilers in this book, but if you read book one and loved it, you need to continue! You do need to read the series in order for it to make sense. I am already ready to read the third book in the series! It’s so good! If you’re a fan of drama and the Royals you will love this series. I highly recommend checking it out!

A lovely follow up to American Royals. Characters with complicated relationships and deep feelings all around for everyone. I liked how Beatrice, Sam, Nina and Daphne are all learning and growing, but still making mistakes along the way, a sweet, fun, drama filled read!

Loved the soapiness of this, but the brilliance of the world she's envisioned cannot be ignored. With America ruled by a royal family, other countries that have since also become democracies are still monarchies as well, like Germany and France. D.C. is the hub, not only of the government, but of the nation, with the Statue of Liberty there, and New York being relegated to just a city in an east coast duchy. McGee also did a great job with all the threads she had started spinning in the first book: Beatrice, Samantha, Nina, and Daphne, all got the time they needed to resolve their stories, and I found it very satisfying. I would IMMEDIATELY read any further books she did in this world!

Absolutely Loved this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review! I am so excited for the 3rd

This book was really enjoyable! I was quite unsure if I was going to enjoy it before I started, because it has been two years since I read the first book. But once I started it was like slipping into your favourite coat. I soaked up every minute of it, and I cannot wait to read the next book!

So far I haven’t started this book because I am still in the process of listening to the first one. But I can’t wait to read it then the third!

I loved the first book in the America Royals series - this one? Missed the mark a bit. Unlike some of the other reviews, I actually enjoyed Beatrice's plot line... the rest just missed the mark SO much. I continue to find Samantha selfish and intolerable, and Daphne is just the WORST. Jefferson is beyond difficult to root for as he continually makes bad decisions. I was happy to see there is a 3rd one coming in the series, as there were a lot of loose ends needing tidying up.

This is a great sequel to American Royals. It does not stand alone but is a great feel-good happy book that is a quick read.

I absolutely love recommending this book series to my teens. It has romance and drama and royalty and all the things that make books fly off the shelves. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.