I had the giddiness of a child on Hanukkah evening when I got the ARC of this text. The number of students who have previously yanked the first one off my bookshelf is too many to count, so I eagerly opened this precious sequel and dived in and read it in one big gulp. I can genuinely say I enjoyed this sequel better than the first American Royals. There is new drama to be found as Beatrice takes the throne, and her relationship with her younger sister Sam and the conflict that ensues is tender and frustrating. Speaking of frustrating, readers will both delight (I always enjoy a good villain) and want to scream as Daphne does what she does best. Readers will want to keep turning pages to find out how far drama will go in this next volume. I cannot wait for it to continue. Katherine McGee weaves the best tension and romantic rendezvous. I have found that I will happily devour anything she writes.

Bee is now Queen of the U.S. and has decided to go through with her wedding to Teddy. Sam decides to hurt Teddy's feelings by fake dating Marshall. And Ethan is tasked by Daphne to keep Nina away from Jeff. But will everyone end up as they plan or expect?

I really liked how this story centers on all of the choices we make--big, small, and in between. All 3 girls finally learn to stand up for themselves, and Daphne gets her just desserts. Girls should always get a chance to run the show!

Outstanding character development.
I have never been so personally proud of a set of characters. Beatrice and Samantha grow leaps and bounds in this sequel. They really find themselves and find each other.

The story sets off a couple months after the death of the King Of America. So not only are the Washington's dealing with a family tragedy, but they have to work on how to pick up the entire country after the tragedy, with something they have never had, a Queen.

Beatrice struggles to learn how to be Queen of America, but more importantly, a woman. She has been trained on being a Queen, but no one can teach her how to be Beatrice Washington. And Samantha has to learn how to actually be a sister, and overcome her identity as a spoiled spare.

Nina grows as well, and though I did not enjoy her story as much as Beatrice and Sam, I thought it fit so well in the book and was a pleasure to read. Daphanie is not a character I like. But I think her story is important and represents a lot of ladder climbers.

The only character not really represented in this sequel is Jefferson, which I was surprisingly okay with. I got so caught up in the other characters that I didn't really mind it.

This is a wonderful sequel and I really enjoyed it. If you enjoyed the first book you will be even happier with this one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this book for an honest review.

This was completely different than I expected, and that's a great thing! Everything was flipped on it's head with this book! I love how Bea and Sam grew and evolved during the course of the story. I was disappointed with Nina and Daphne, it feels that they just stayed the same and maybe Nina devolved, if that is possible. She just wasn't as strong as she was in the first book. That being said, everything else was so fun.

It's really hard to give a review of a sequel, but here it is- GO READ AMERICAN ROYALS! Truly a fabulous read, one that I have been sharing with so many patrons. It is SO GOOD!
The premise is this- what would have happened if George Washington had become King of America, instead of president? You would have a monarchy of Washington's and now America is about to have its' first Queen.
Beatrice has been raised for this. She just didn't expect it to happen so soon. Samantha has now been promoted to heir, a title she was not expecting either, and she needs to adjust to that new role. Daphne is still causing problems for everyone with her social climbing, and Nina as always, gets caught in the crossfire.
This sequel is just as good as the first, and I highly recommend it.

Second books in a series are hard. So many expectations come from the first book and while I really enjoyed Majesty and seeing the growth of the characters ultimately it wasn't what I wanted. What I loved from it was the strong vibe of female empowerment, The Princess Diaries vibes, and the growth of all the narrators (also I kinda loved how Jefferson's story/relationship ends but I don't know entirely why). What I didn't like was all the setup from the first book seemingly going kinda nowhere relationship wise. What I'd hoped for from this sequel was learning more about the Washington's history as the royalty of America, and while some of that did come into play it all felt pretty much the same as now.
McGee does a good job with creating interesting characters you want to get to know and root for and she's great at building plots with interesting twists you don't always see coming.

TL;DR if you liked the first book you definitely want to see how it turned out. If you think it's going to be too different from the current timeline you'll love it. If you aren't sure you want to pick it up maybe turn to Katharine McGee's other series The Thousdanth Floor.

I actually liked it more than book one. There is some real growth here, sisters who support each other, relationships that work. I am waiting for book three though, because I'm going to need that happily ever after moment.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Majesty (American Royals II) by Katharine McGee for an honest review. I read the prequel American Royals immediately prior so i was very familiar with the characters and the storyline. Like it’s prequel, the chapters switch off point of view between the Queen Beatrice, her sister Samantha, Samantha’s best friend Nina, and Daphne, Prince Jefferson’s ex. At the end of American Royals, i was disappointed that some characters had broken up and weren’t with whom i felt were their true love. As this book progressed, i saw that people grow and that love can change. This book also deals with topics which are happening in current events as well. Beatrice is the first Queen and is heading into the position unmarried and has been warned that America might not be ready for an unwed monarch. She faces sexism during the first few months of her reign. Also, Samantha, the former “bad girl” spare who is now the heir begins dating an African American Duke and he ends up getting the bad publicity due to his race. While some parts of the book were a little predictable, i really did enjoy this book and recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

I loved the first book and thought I had an idea of where Katharine McGee would go with book 2. I was wrong. This book is just as good as the first one. There is the drama, romance and great character growth. The only character I wished I had a little more of was Nina. I am hoping for a book 3 but I also really enjoyed this one and how it ended.

Majesty, the second book in the American Royals series by Katharine McGee, picks up where the first book ended. The soap-opera style narrative is ideal for fans of The Selection series, which shares the fluffy, feel-good drama placed against the backdrop of royalty. It's a fun read, not particularly deep or well-written, but enjoyable—especially in these crazy times.

This sequel surprised me a great deal. I have never seen a book able to completing change my opinion of so many relationships and people in such a convincing way. I really liked seeing Beatrice's growth as she steps into her role as queen and in her role as a powerful woman. I also enjoyed experiencing Samantha's unique personality become useful and appreciated by various people. Even Daphne has a bit of... growth? I still don't like her. It was an amazing second book that did a fantastic job of added to the original story while remaining its own story and being extremely satisfying!

As Queen Beatrice's wedding approaches, the favorite female characters of Amerian Royals are busy in their love lives. American Royals II: Majesty continues the stories of Queen Beatrice, Princess Samantha, commoner Nina, and hopeful princess-to-be Daphne. While cliff hangers from the first book are decided, new ones emerge.

I absolutely loved this book, even more than the first one, which hardly ever happens for me! This was a quick read simply because I couldn't put it down. Author Katharine McGee has a direct writing style that moves the story along. I couldn't wait to see what the next chapter would bring. I love the premise of what if America never had a president, but instead had a king whose family ruled for generations. This book is so fun!

I would recommend this book for any 8th grade or high school girl. College girls may also enjoy it, as well as fans of Will and Kate and Harry and Meghan. Thank you to Net Galley, Katharine McGee, and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

I found this book to so much fun. I really loved this sequel book in this american royals series. I really loved diving into characters again and also seeing the lead up to THE WEDDING. This book also explored new relationships that were no the focus of book one and I loved them all. McGee has made me fell connected to all theses new romances and I loved them. This book also tackled diversity issues in the royal family, grief and siblings dymanics. I found this book to such a fast page read. I really hope we see these characters again!! Cause I loved them :)

Just like the first book in the series, this book has an un-put-downable-ness to it. Each chapter flows like water into the next, so I could not shake myself from the story. The same familiar characters are here, but with great growth and character development from most of them. I love how both Beatrice and Samantha come into their own throughout the story. Many of the more minor characters do as well. I’m looking at you, Nina and Ethan. Rarely in all the reading that I have done have I found a villain that I despise more than the one in this story. All of this leads to a new book in the series I cannot wait to read. Great for fans of The Selection Series, I can imagine this book will be loved by high school readers world-wide!

First sentence: The morning had dawned dreary and gray, with a mist that hung over the streets of the capital. It was, the media correspondents all agreed, appropriate weather for a funeral. They stood behind a velvet rope to one side of the palace doors, swapping cigarettes and breath mints, hurriedly checking their lipstick in their phone screens. Then the palace’s main gates swung open to admit the first guests.

Premise/plot: Majesty is the second book in the series. (The first one is American Royals). The series has a unique-ish premise: what if George Washington had been crowned King after the war ended? And what if he had actually you know had biological descendants to inherit the crown? And what if America still had a Monarchy?

So Beatrice has just inherited the throne and become America's first QUEEN. But some--many? few?--can't imagine her ruling America on her own. Could a woman possibly handle the task of ruling a country on her own?!?! Beatrice must marry Teddy practically immediately so there will at least be a king-consort by her side. But is this what Beatrice wants? What Teddy wants?

So Beatrice has two siblings--twins--Samantha and Jefferson. And this soap opera wouldn't really be soapy if they didn't have tangled love lives. Samantha is still bitter over losing Teddy to her older sister...will she find a new man in this second book? Perhaps even finding one that is a better fit for her?!

Jefferson and Nina have broken up. But will Nina be ready to move on before Jeff? Perhaps. Regardless Daphne can't keep her interfering hands from playing puppet-master. Ethan, Nina, Jeff--she wants to control them all. And that's leaving off her supposed, supposed best-ever friend who spent the whole first book in a COMA. (She's not in a coma in book two).

Life goes on.

My thoughts: I didn't love the first book. Perhaps I'm just a little too old to get giddy about a book founded on such a silly premise. George Washington had no children. George Washington had NO children. But there is something breezy about both books. Even if it was ridiculous, I raced through the first book...and now the second. Not because I found it intelligent or well-written or super-clever or thought-provoking. But because it was almost the exact opposite.

I will say this, I definitely found the second book better than the first. I repeat I found it way more enjoyable than the first book in the series. I found it satisfying in the end.

The series definitely reminds me of Anna Godbersen's series: Luxe and its sequels. Which I believe Luxe is a copycat Gossip Girl. Which I suppose makes this a copycat of a copycat Gossip Girl? But one scene in particular appears to have been largely inspired wink-wink-wink from Gone With The Wind. The whole confrontation between Rhett and Scarlett is almost duplicated between two characters...I won't tell you WHO. Now that I've seen this character speaking Rhett's lines I'm not sure I'll be able to look at him the same way again. And that's not necessarily a bad thing! Perhaps it makes me like him even more?

First of all, I never want this series to end! I need to know how these characters spend the rest pf their lives, i need to know about the lives of any children - in other words this series just needs to keep going and going! I am way too emotionally invested in the love lives of these characters. I need to know that Beatrice and Teddy get their happily ever after. I need to know who Nina chooses - Ethan or Jefferson? (And isn't that a great problem to have? We should all be so lucky to have to choose between a sexy prince and his sexy best friend.) I need to know if Marshall is Samantha's true love. and I really need to see Daphne rot in the hell of her own making! This is one of the most perfectly constructed escape reads I've read in a very long time. Sure it might be that its the middle of the pandemic and I'm starved for entertainment but it could also be that this is just a fun, guilty pleasure read that helps all the outside worries, stresses and anxieties of the day fall away. My sell for this book would be "Forget your own troubles and worry about the troubles of the House of Washington instead!'" Because honestly those were the best few hours I spent over an overwhelming news weekend. Katharine McGee brings the characters to vivid life. She almost has me convinced that having a monarchy instead of a democracy would, at the very least, be much more entertaining. The only problem with this book is that ends and now I will have to wait a year for book 3! I have no idea how I'm going to do that. Help!

It took me no time at all to get into this sequel!! I love that the characters got all swapped around. At the end of the first book, I was so into the couples that were established in that story, and I went into this one thinking I wouldn't be a fan of the change up. But I was soooo into it! This is probably the one book/series where I don't mind the alternating character chapters. I'm such a fan of this series and I can't wait for the next one!

The follow up book made me think that it is a typical middle child. Everyone I. This book is crying for attention, and just when you want to cheer them in, they make a bad decision. To boot, there are some real manipulated charcuterie that lie cheat and steal to get what they want. I can’t wait for the one, so we can see how come Oder these choices play out. I love these characters and want to punch them and scream my opinions at them!

Katharine McGee does it again in her sequel Majesty. Majesty is a whirlwind of relationships and royal events. Before I knew it, I was hooked into the royals' and friends' drama. I find McGee to be a sneaky author. I find myself reading along, making predictions, and getting to know new characters. But then out of nowhere the end is sneaking up on me and I'm just not sure how everything is going to work out. That race to the ending is super satisfying. Thank you to NetGally for providing another enjoyable read!

The first in this series left me only appreciating one character, Samantha, and feeling disappointed in her. But this sequel gives Beatrice some great development and will leave the reading feeling at times angry with her, frustrated for her, and cheering her on so strongly. The treatment of Beatrice honored past women who took on the job of running a nation despite the chastisement of overbearing men.

Once again, some of the best parts of this story are the alternative history. It is set in a US that chose monarchy after the Revolution. But where this story really shines is now it address real-life divisions and struggles in our real America, which manage to ring so true!

Hoping for a third book in this series.

I was given an early release copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.