WHY DID I LISTEN TO RIVALS BY KATHARINE MCGEE?
Katharine McGee’s American Royals series is one that works really well via audio. So, it was not a question in my mind that I needed to pick up Rivals via audio and listen to it ASAP. For once in my life I actually got through an ALC (advance listening copy) before release date. I am sure I haven’t said it enough, but wow will I miss Volumes and being able to listen to all these great Penguin Random House audiobooks. Rivals, fyi, was exactly what I expected for a listening experience. I find this series addictive and easy to listen to!

Rivals is the third book in Katharine McGee's American Royals series. It follows pretty quickly on the heels of the events of Majesty.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Rivals is the third book in Katharine McGee’s American Royals series. It follows pretty quickly on the heels of the events of Majesty. So if you aren’t down for spoilers, it might be time to look away. Also, why read the review of the third book if you haven’t read the first or second? This book has our main point of view characters at different junctures. Beatrice is now queen and about to go to a conference called the League of Kings where the real work gets done behind the scenes. Samantha is navigating her relationship with the Duke of Orange, Marshall, which is getting a lot of press and pressure.

Meanwhile Nina is in her first year at King’s College and in the orbit of Lady Gabriella Madison who is a real piece of work. Daphne, meanwhile, has learned her family doesn’t have the funds to send her to King’s College and so she takes a “gap year.” She’s the one dating Prince Jefferson. As it turns out though, Gabriella seems to have her eye on Jefferson. And so, Nina and Daphne form an alliance to take on Gabriella. A lot of drama is about to go down and I AM HERE FOR IT.

HOW DID I LIKE RIVALS?
I really enjoyed listening to Rivals. This is a book where I didn’t take it too serious. It was perfect for the purpose of palate cleanser and moving along the series. I did not like how it ended with a lot of loose ends. At this point, I am aware another book is coming out in the series. However, I would have liked some kind of resolution to all the different threads. Rivals does move along at a fast paced clip though. I was never bored and liked how the story had consistent pacing and never became navel gazey. Oh and somehow this book redeemed Daphne for me? Even though she does do something horrible at the very end, I totally get her motivation.


HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Rivals is narrated by Brittany Pressley who has also narrated the previous two books in the series. I am very hopeful Pressley comes back for the fourth book because her narration is perfect. I could listen to this audiobook at varying speeds and understand and retain what was happening. Of course, I felt under pressure to listen to this one faster and it did not come back to bite me in the behind. Rivals is 12 hours and 31 minutes long. Those hours fly by though, I promise.

Fans of the first two books will be happy to know that the third book in the American Royals series, American Royals III: Rivals, does not disappoint!

After thinking the series was going to end after book 2, I was elated to find out that there would be a third AND a fourth book to the series. I was not done reading about the drama of the Washington family and everyone around them. The drama definitely continues in book 3 and ends on an epic cliffhanger. No matter your favorite character, everyone will find some to root for (and possible hate??). From political navigation to double-crossing to just trying to be a normal college student, American Royals continues to the fictional world where America has a monarchy while also being oddly relatable.

The author keeps the intrigue high while creating a story that is appropriate for many ages. With that in mind, while there is a "fade to black" nature taken with sexual encounters, readers should be aware that there is some mention of casual drug use.

All I need now is book 4 to find out what happens next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rivals: American Royals #3 by Katharine McGee
A special thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this title all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Picture this… America but with Queens and Kings! This is the 3rd book in the series and holy cliff hanger!!! I really thought this would be the last book but that’s not possible now. You get little images of Beatrice as queen now she’s becoming more comfortable in her role. Sam is settling in as heir to the throne, Daphne is still after Jefferson and Nina is trying to be normal. Without spoiling anything I’m still waiting for the non prince to come after the girl. I’m probably the only one that wants Connor back. Looking forward to the now confirmed book 4.
This is not a book to pick up without having read the others in the series. This book comes out on 5/31.

“No one ever fully shed their teenage selves, did they? No matter how much you grew up, your old anxieties and insecurities would always be there, knitted into the fabric of your being.”
— 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙄𝙄𝙄: 𝙍𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙨, Katharine McGee

If you haven’t read the first two books of this series, there’s not a whole lot I can say about this third installment that’s not spoilery, so instead I’ll discuss the vibes.

Which were immaculate.

Being back with these characters after such a long hiatus made me so damn happy. I even found myself liking DAPHNE 😮 never thought I’d see the day.

All four of our MCs were back and better than ever. All were strong, independent, and struggling to find their places in the world. McGee once again did such a fantastic job at balancing all four voices and making each one of them distinct.

And every single page from start to finish was utter perfection. Full of reveals and drama and glamour and so much love, I highly recommend picking this one up.

I hope these American Royals books never end! I became hooked (surprisingly) by the first book in this series and now two books later, I still can’t get enough. “Rivals” picks up where the majority of the main characters are in new relationships and trying to figure out these new dynamics and new milestones in their lives. This third one in the series is juicy like its predecessors while also touching on timely societal considerations as well. Can someone please option these books into a TV series?! “Rivals” like the others, was fun, mostly lighthearted, and easy to read. There was definitely a parallel to a real life royal family that we know and love. I did think that some of the story involving Beatrice’s interactions with all the other dignitaries was rather unnecessary and the least entertaining part, but that’s really my only issue with this book. And just like the first book, “Rivals” ends in a major cliffhanger where I am now counting down to the fourth installment. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

I have enjoyed all the books in this series, and the third one is no different. I love the character development we see in this book and the twists and turns! Definitely sets itself up for 4th book!

I LOVE this series so much! I couldn’t wait to dive in to the book and read more about the girls. I was pleasantly surprised at the departure this book took. Instead of focusing on romance, sisterly love and friendships were the most important relations in this book. The storylines for each of the girls added more depth to their characters and relationships that weren't there in the other books. Spoiler: this book ends on a cliffhanger.

4 1/2 stars

Wowza. This series always seems to keep me guessing. I adored the first book, was on the bubble with book two and am back in love with the series with this one. It's a YA series as the main characters are young adult and college age. This means that sometimes their decisions can frustrate me, but I have to remind myself it's representative of their age.

This book gives us Queen Beatrice at her first major gathering with other royalty...The League of Kings. This is her opportunity to establish herself as a monarch and gain the respect she's been craving. It also addresses her relationship with Teddy and where they are at in trying to find their way through their new roles together. We see a lot of Bea's insecurities in this book and how they impact her decisions.....good and bad.

Princess Samantha continues her relationship with new beau, Marshall who is a future duke. Something that could definitely complicate their future. Then there is the continuing drama surrounding Prince Jefferson who always seems to be clueless about the machinations occurring around him. Shockingly, we see Nina and Daphne unite to battle a common enemy in this book. Will these two actually become friends?

A great deal happens and you're left with a stunning cliffhanger at the end. I'm now eager for book four. I need to see how this all plays out.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I haven’t read the first two books in the series, but was able to pick up the Threads of the story well enough. I liked Beatrice the best. I thought she was earnest and eager, albeit lonely and stressed out. I thought Daphne’s and Nina were made for each other. Both had their own agenda and were willing to use people, including each other, to gain for themselves. Jefferson is a clueless male. Gabriella makes a good villain.
It’s a decent read, although the idea of America having a monarch is just strange.

I absolutely love this series. Bea, Samantha, and Jefferson are such great characters with so much depth. I root for all three of them.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review*

I was super excited to dive back into this series and this book delivered! It wasn’t very plot driven which allowed for a very slow paced story, but it made up for it with great character development. Then, when I thought all the loose ends were tied, we’re left with an ending that will definitely mean a fourth book!

After reading this book, I am HOPING there is another one- what a cliffhanger ending!

As always, this series has lots of glittery drama and romance, which I enjoy.. But what I love best about these books in the alternate history of America as a monarchy. . I would love for the author to expand on her reimagined world where every country is a monarchy. I am so intrigued how world history would have played out in this scenario.

This is such a fun series! I love the drama, mean girls vibes, the humor, and the royalty aspect!

This is the third in the series and you definitely need to read the other two in order to enjoy this book. The characters have really developed and I loved that this one took a deeper dive into Daphne, the villain we loved to hate. I also really enjoyed that we got some new characters like Gabriella who was just truly awful and Louise who was a fun and complex character.

Much of the novel takes place during the League of Kings. I was intrigued that all of the royals from around the world could just up and leave their responsibilities for an entire month and it made me wonder how often this conference takes place. Reality aside, it made for a great setting for more parties and of course, more drama.

I also enjoyed that Jefferson was now in college and was starting to experience life outside the palace. I wish we could've seen more growth with his character and it frustrated me a bit how naive and childish he is made out to be.

It was nice that Beatrice finally found some happiness with Teddy and it will be interesting to see how that relationship plays out as she navigates her new role.

I really enjoyed that this book tackled some deeper themes of racism and sexism. Previously, not much had been made of Nina's ethnicity and I thought it was important and well done how she discussed it in this novel. Marshall's character also really blossomed from the party boy to a much more significant and serious part of the book.

However, as much as I love Marshall and Sam together, their relationship just moved too fast for me. I understand that things are much different for the royals, but the fact that they are already discussing their future so seriously just seemed unrealistic and unnecessary. It also felt a little weird that Sam's history with Teddy was completely ignored and Bea's history with Conner was totally downplayed and criticized.

Overall, this was a super fun read and a great installment in the series. Yet again we are left with a major cliffhanger so it's obvious this series will continue and you can bet I'll be picking up the next one!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

While this book was well written, it just wasn’t for me. Clearly I’m in the minority as this book has a large platform of fans. I’d still suggest others check it out but I wasn’t feeling it. The characters didn’t really feel all that deep and I never found myself invested in the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

3.5 stars. The third installment of American Royals follows Beatrice as she comes into her role as queen, Jeff navigating college, Sam finding love, and Daphne and Nina partnering up to defeat a common enemy.

As with the previous books in the series, there is plenty of drama, friendships, scheming, and heartbreak. I was a little disappointed as it didn’t seem as heightened as the previous books (or maybe I’m just a little bored of it by now). The final chapters end in dramatic fashion which leads me to believe we will get a fourth book, but I’m concerned we will never get closure with this series.

Overall I enjoyed it and seeing new sides to our characters as they face different challenges and grow into adulthood. The series is perfect for fans of Gossip Girl, and I recommend reading in order instead of as a standalone so you have the context to understand the characters and what’s going on.

I enjoyed this third installment of the American Royals series. I think my biggest complaint was that some of the plot lines felt like they were being recycled. But at the same time, I loved Beatrice and Sam's story lines and how this book pushed each of their characters to further growth and self-realization. Katharine's writing is always enticing and I got pulled back into this story so easily. I really enjoyed the new characters that were introduced in this story and how they impacted our favorite women.

They’re back!!! Like many, I enjoyed the second book of the American Royals series but felt it lacked closure. It ended without a wedding or a coronation. Thankfully, American Royals III: Rivals gives us another opportunity to visit the American royal family and their friends. There are new alliances and friendships as well as new secrets and betrayals. Fans of this series won’t be disappointed!

This book had the character development and evolution that I expected in the second book. I was happy to see Beatrice settling into her new role as queen. Despite her new challenges, Daphne is still the mean girl we love to hate. Nina is back to book one form with her bold “I don’t care” attitude. My favorites of this book are Samantha and Marshall as they deal with highs and lows in their relationship due to media scrutiny. Overall, I liked how each character tries to live their life on their own terms.

I appreciated the way this books touches on some timely issues like leadership, the difficulties of a person of color dating a member of the royal family, and the challenges of being the man behind powerful woman.

The ending brought good news and bad news. Here’s the bad news first — it ends in a cliffhanger. What’s the good news (or great news from my perspective)? We’re not done with this series yet. I’m all in for book 4!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this voluntary review are my own.

What if instead of George Washington becoming America’s first president he became the first King? This is the premise of the YA American Royals series. I feel in love with the series in the first two books and was thrilled to have a third published. It’s YA but I love it as an adult. This book picks up where the last left off so it’s best to read the series in order. The King of America has died and Beatrice is now Queen. It’s a heavy weight to carry for the young royal as she balances responsibility as Queen with a normal teenage life of falling in love and finding herself. I loved this book and the continuation of the series! The characters are engaging and play their roles very well. I’m looking forward to a fourth book as this book ends with a perfect setup for another book!

I loved American Royals, I thought it was so fun and fresh. Majesty was a disappointment. I didn’t like that the first book was basically flipped on it’s head and ignored.

But I needed to read Rivals.

And I’m so glad I did! This had the magic of the first one, and certainly made up for the second.

I still think some things in the second ruined where the first story was headed, but this was great! And that ending…

I was thrilled to receive a copy of the newest installment of the American Royals series. It was great to catch up with all the gang again to see where things had taken each of them. But once again, we are left wondering what will be next and with no word on whether there'll be another book, I really hope Katharine McGee decides to keep writing! This soap opera style series has me addicted!