I was first interested in the American Royals series because of the historical implications of America having a monarchy and I liked how this book fleshed out the outside world as well. France and Russia still have monarchs! Hawaii still has a queen, China has an empress. The story though was less interesting to me. I felt like there were some loose ends to tie up from the second book, namely Beatrice fully stepping into her role as queen, the Nina-Daphne-Jefferson love triangle, and Sam and Marshall's new relationship. I was hoping this book would tie up the series but instead introduced a bunch of new characters, including a new mean girl and a bunch of random royals.

The Samantha and Marshall relationship was alright, a little boring and the ending resolution didn't feel super true to who they were as characters but whatever. I was more annoyed at Beatrice though. The first two books had been spent with her second-guessing herself and not feeling confident enough to fill her father's role and be America's first queen. The ending of the second book seemed to set it up nicely, with Beatrice forging her own way forward, not marrying and dismissing the people trying to hold her back. I was excited to see where she'd go in this second book but instead, she's mostly the same. She's scared of what everyone will think, namely the other royals she hesitantly befriends.

The best part of this book for me was the Nina-Daphne friendship and them trying to take down the new mean girl. Honestly, even when I hated Daphne I also kinda felt bad for her and it was clear she needed an actual friend she could be herself around. I also do not understand the attraction to Jefferson except that he's a prince. He's the least developed character and kinda boring. I get why he exists though.

The book ends on a cliffhanger and I will definitely read the next installment, for all my criticism the books are still soap-opera level drama (fake pregnancy and all) and very light and fun.

I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley

I had hoped for but didn't expect a third book in the series! This scratched an itch and left me hoping for a fourth installment. I started working at a smaller library six months ago and we do not have the first two books in this series otherwise I'd purchase it for our collection. I would have purchased this at my previous library which has the first two books already.

(4.5/5 stars)

The third, and somewhat unexpected installment of the American Royals series did not disappoint. In this book, our favorite young royals are back, still navigating duty, friendships, honor, love, and enemy schemes, while also tackling some important issues surrounding gender and race.
Queen Beatrice is learning how to juggle her political responsibilities while also protecting her newfound love for Teddy, despite having called off their wedding in the previous installment. Adding to her stress is the fact that this year it is America's turn to host the League of Kings, a gathering of almost all the worlds monarchs in order to network and work together politically, an event that happens only once every five years. Meanwhile, Samantha is grappling with her newfound romance with the Duke of Orange and what it means to be a princess in a bi-racial, highly visible relationship. Our favorite rivals, Daphne and Nina, are back as well, each harboring their own feelings for Jefferson, but they soon find they will have to put aside their differences in order to take down a more pressing common enemy.

There are so many things to love about this book and about the American Royals series in general. First, and most importantly, I appreciate McGee's willingness to use what may seem like frivolous topics on the surface, royalty and romance, in order to explore how identities such as race and gender affect us not only as individuals, but on a higher societal plane that seeps even into politics and celebrity. Beatrice, and other female royals, have to work harder than their male counterparts in order to be heard, to be taken seriously, and to be noticed and commented on for their ideas and actions, rather than their style choices. Similarly, McGee reminds us that race permeates everything about one's life, meaning more than even a high station. Marshall, Samantha's love interest, is often reminded that as a Duke-to-be in the public eye, he is often cast against his will as a spokesman and representative of his entire race. Both race and gender are shown o be powerful facets of identity that can supercede all other identity for an individual, even for, or maybe especially for those who are in positions of power and high visibility.

On a less serious note, my favorite things about the series, and the reason I can never get enough, is that I love falling into an alternate version of America. An America still familiar but so vastly different because it is ruled by a monarchy rather than a democracy. This book was especially fun because as readers we had the opportunity to dive deeper into this alternate reality and witness how monarchs from all over the world behave and relate to one another.

My only complaints with this book are the frustrations that arise from what I felt were unrealistic scenarios that were plopped in for the sake of the plot or a feel-good moment. I also don't love the authors continued trend of building entire relationships throughout a text only for it to become meaningless by the end.

Overall, I love this book and this series and I would recommend it to anyone from my Junior high students to my adult friends. Additionally, I think this would be a great text to utilize in the classroom in order to discuss types of governments, race, and gender biases.

A huge thank you Katharine Mcgee and Random House Books for this Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review!

Really enjoyed the third installment in this series and revisiting the characters. The setting of the League of Kings allowed for additional characters to be introduced that I feel will carry over into future books. The ending also provided enough cliffhangers to keep me hanging in for the fourth book!

Katherine McGee is a mastermind. Just when I thought the American Royals series can’t get any better IT DOES!! In the third installment of the series, Queen Beatrice has to host a League of Kings conference and try to convince the other rulers to vote on her climate accord. Meanwhile, her sister, Samantha, is having to make a tough decision with her live life, Jeff is in the middle of Daphne and Nina again, and Daphne and Nina team up against a common enemy!

This has been my favorite of the series so far. The drama in this one was really good and I loved the ending even if it was a cliff hanger. Loved the relationship between Daphne and Nina and I actually like those characters more than any of the Royals we’re supposed to care about. Can’t wait for the last one.

The best in the series so far! Great character development and the plot moved along in a way that kept my attention but didn’t feel too quick. I especially loved that we learn more about Daphne and Marshall. I didn’t love Beatrice’s storyline until the very end of the book when it made complete sense. A great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of Rivals. I am sharing my review voluntarily.

I like that the book picked up right where the last one left off. For the most part I found the third book to be slow and repetitive until the last 15 chapters or so and then I couldn’t turn the page fast enough.

I thought Teddy should have been more developed in this book though the conflict was palpable. I didn’t necessarily agree with his assessment though, it rang hollow for me.

I really liked the friendship between Nina and Daphne and feel unsettled by how it ended. I hope it’s resolved if there is a next book.

I felt that this book had more detail about the alternate reality of America as a monarchy and it was really fun to dig into that more. I enjoyed some of the Easter eggs like the joke about trying to imagine an elected executive branch.

This is a fun series and while I enjoyed the first two books a bit more and thought they flowed faster than the third, I’m glad to have read it!

This book gave a glimpse of the American Royals we love as they move into adulthood but leaves you hungry for more. One of those books that you were disappointed with when you realized you reached the end and anxious for the next book to come because you need to know more. Excellent adult read.

The third in a series, American Royals III: Royals follows Queen Beatrice after she postpones here engagement and commits to rule as queen without a male consort, the first in history. Her sister Samantha, Sam's best friends Nina, and rival Daphne alternate narration. Alliances are formed and broken, schemes are laid, and fancy parties are attended. A cliffhanger ending will keep readers wanting more. Enjoyable and warm, this book is a worthy continuation of the series.

Now on book 3, I'm "all in" with the American Royals series. This book picks up where the second one left off. As usual the chapters alternate between characters, which I really like. Although somewhat predictable, I found the book to be an easy, enjoyable, quick read. Should have known it would end with a cliffhanger! Will be looking forward to reading book 4 when it comes out and following along with the Washington Family and their friends!

If you’re looking for a conclusion to the series where Majesty left you hanging, you won’t find it here. Katharine McGee leaves us with a cliffhanger that is going to leave me biting my nails until I get book 4!! I’m glad this series isn’t over, because I can’t get enough of it.

I found this to be the weakest book in the series so far, but it was still excellent and gave us some new characters to root for (and against). Nina and Daphne’s storylines were strong all throughout the book, but I felt like I needed more out of Sam and Beatrice’s storylines until about 80% in. The last 20% of the book shook me by the shoulders, but that’s too long to wait for the big twists in my opinion.

Thank you Random House Books for the ARC. Katharine, I hope you keep writing books forever, you are a true gem in the reader world!!!

Plot twists on top of plot twists. There are many way this book could have went, but McGee certainly set herself up nicely for a fourth book.

This book is fine for what it is but I’m clearly not the target audience. The worst part is that it ends with a cliffhanger and darnit, now I’ll have to read another one because I can’t NOT.

*ARC provided through the publisher and NetGalley

I’ve loved the American Royals series for years now and American Royals III: Rivals is a fantastic addition. McGee’s characters and worldbuilding are amazing and this story is very exciting, with tons of shocking twists and turns. I can’t get over that ending!

I am a huge fan of the American Royals series and was so excited when Katharine McGee announced a third book! This book, however, was not my favorite. I expected this book to be the conclusion of the series, much like The Hunger Games or Divergent, but it ended up setting up for a fourth book. I didn't really love any of the new characters and while some of the characters developed and turned into more fun, interesting, and authentic, it seemed as though these characters quickly backslid into their old personalities and quirks. Very little happened for big chunks of the book and, then, in the last 50 pages, everything changes. Will I read the next book when and if it comes out? Yes, because I need to know how the current storylines play out, but I'm a bit concerned this is going to become a series that never ends, similar to Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, which I tapped out of after book 3 or4.

This is the 3rd installment of Katharine McGee’s American Royals series. I’ve really enjoyed the series, but I refuse to read the next book until I know how books are actually left in the series. This was wonderful…until it ended. Because it ends in such a cliffhanger! I still like Nina and I still hate Daphne. Jefferson is still an idiot. I still like Marshall and Sam together. I had mixed feelings about Beatrice. Overall, I enjoyed this - there just better be a fourth book in the series!

Thanks to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for my ARC. This comes out on 5/31/2022!

The American royal family saga continues with the third book in the series. Beatrice is now queen but it comes with a price both in her public and private life. Siblings, Samantha and Jefferson, are also dealing with their own troubles. The drama abounds in this book. Your heart breaks for the hardships they must endure in regard to romance and trust. I was invested to read until the very end and the ending was certainly not what I was expecting. With the cliffhangers at the end of this book, the series will surely continue to draw us in. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So I binged this in one night as soon I as received an advanced copy. And all I have to say is WHEN DOES BOOK FOUR COME OUT??

I loved this book -- I liked seeing Queen Beatrice grow more into her role. I liked seeing her and Teddy's relationship start to grow. Samantha and Marshall are my new favorite! I was rooting still for Jefferson and Nina, but after this I think Nina can do so much better. I don't want to give away too much, but that cliffhanger of an ending!

If you've read and loved the other 2 books, you'll absolutely LOVE Rivals! If you haven't read them yet pick up the best YA Royals meets Gossip Girls meets a soap opera that you'll read.

I was really excited for the third book in Katharine McGee's Royal series. Having read and enjoyed the first two books, I had high expectations for the third book as well. Overall, I enjoyed the book and the characters. However, it felt very much like a third book in the series where a lot was left for the next book. It is enjoyable seeing the characters grow and develop. Beatrice is coming into her own as queen as Samantha, Daphne, and Nina all figure out who they are, and more importantly, who they are not. I still have high hopes for the next book!