The Duchess Effect is the sequel to American Royalty. It cannot be read as a stand-alone.

This picks up a few weeks after the end of American Royalty.

I read American royalty when it came out a year ago and I really enjoyed it.

Even though I enjoyed American Royalty because it was entertaining and had a lot of fun drama, I had issues with it because I felt like the two main characters really didn’t have any emotional chemistry.

I was hoping that this book would help them develop the emotional chemistry I was hoping for, but it really didn’t.

After reading over a quarter of the book I felt like the story was just going to be more so about the drama and entertainment. I realized that I am a very different reader than I was a year ago because I really didn’t care about any of the drama that I enjoyed in the first book.

I got about 35% into the book and then I decided I didn’t really want to invest any more time into it after I realized that Dani was going to deceive Jameson. I was pretty annoyed and I didn’t like where the book was going so I ended up just skipping the last couple chapters to see how it ended.

I’m glad I didn’t waste time on reading the whole thing because the end was pretty lackluster and exactly what I thought was going to happen ended up happening which I still take issue with because these two people have been together for 3 seconds and have no chemistry.

After announcing their relationship to the world, Dani and Jameson have to figure out what it means for a celebrity to be one half of a royal couple, and if their new relationship can survive the pressure. I got a little frustrated with the choices Dani made, but they definitely made sense for her character. It continues to be a fun contemporary romance series. And with the way the book ended, I hope there's a third in the series.

While many sequels often fall short, THIS IS NOT THE CASE! This book was amazing—sweet, compelling, and absolutely lovely. I love this book and its predecessor—this author is an auto buy for me and I daresay I like this book better than American Royalty.

I really loved American Royalty and this was cute but maybe not totally necessary.

It was nice to read a story and see how it pans out after the happy ever after. I think we all can agree sometimes we just want to know where the happy couple are in life, but I’m not sure if we needed an entire book on it.

I still loved Dani and how real she was. This pop star who’s still a real raw woman with insecurities. I also loved that the chemistry between these two still burned hot and the spice was definitely there.

Jameson is a protector and adores Dani and I loved how much he adored her, but I felt like he didn’t always get her.

Overall it was enjoyable but I still liked the first more.
3.75⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Against all odds, sexy American rapper, Danielle “Duchess” Nelson and brilliant reclusive royal Prince Jameson have fallen in love! They’ve decided to take their relationship public and find a way to make their two worlds coexist. On their terms.

Unfortunately, falling in love was the easy part.

This is the follow up to American Royalty and it was honesty a great piece of work by the author. The first book was all about the forbidden and the secrets which we all know is sexy and then the great declaration at the end. This sequel, gave a great story of what happens AFTER happily ever after which, for those of us who have been obsessed with Prince Harry/Meghan whirlwind affair, isn't as featured until recently. As a black woman, I empathized with Duchess wanting to succeed on her own and being afraid to rely on someone and then worry on if it would be too much and they leave. That trauma, I feel in our community, is universal and I appreciate it being shown. I love that it's dual POV's so we get both perspectives of the situation. The lack of communication was realistic and understandable instead of annoying like it would be in other settings for me (again this could go hand in hand with my empathy and commiserating with the trauma that leads to the decisions made) The spice was still there and I loved watching them be in love when it's just them and I would continue reading more about these two if the author would decide to continue the series!

I will be the first to say, that I did not love the first book in this series, but I did enjoy The Duchess Effect a little bit more. This is a romance that essentially follows Megan Markle and Prince Harry but with Duchess, an American rap star, and Jameson, a spare to the throne. When I say essentially follows, I mean it.

I definitely appreciated the characters more in this second book, and cared a little more about them. However, I just could not get over how this is essentially a retelling of a very public story. If you love royal adjacent books, I think you will enjoy this series, but it was too rooted in reality for me to really want to read it. That's likely a me problem, but I don't think I will continue on in the series.

I tandem read this in audio and have to say I did not love the male narrator narrating a woman. The female narrator was fantastic though!

I loved the follow up book! It had some more depth to it and of course it has parallels to what Megan and Harry went through. I'm wondering if there will be a third book or now? Regardless, I'll be reading it and more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I adored American Royalty, the first book in the series, and was looking forward to reading The Duchess Effect. It is a steamy love story between Prince Jameson, the prince of England, and Black American rapper, Duchess. The books are loosely inspired by Harry and Megan's love story.

In addition to being a steamy romance, it touches on some thought-provoking themes such as race, colonialism, and tabloids' ruthless practices, to name a few. The Duchess Effect is not a stand-alone. You have to read American Royalty first. I recommend this series to fans of Royal romance and H&M's fans.

I had a hard time connecting with this one. I was looking forward to it because I liked the first book a lot, but it felt a lot of the same with not much different. Although a recluse, Jameson's love for Dani is clear, and you can tell she loves him too. It makes sense the challenges they would face, but I can't get over the miscommunication trope in this one. All in all, it wasn't bad, but I wouldn't say its a must read.

Team Jameson! He had such a strong love for Duchess! He loved her so passionately! Duchess felt that she always had be independent and strong for every situation but failed to understand that she finally had someone to lean on. She could share the burden with someone who was happy to take them.

Loved this sequel and I loved their relationship. Jameson always fought for Duchess even in the midst of the “company” or the British monarchy that sought to tear them apart.

I absolutely loved this book and I’ll definitely have to reread it because I read it while I’m a slump. I have it a 4 stars I hope it will be more when I reread. This is a continuation of the first book which is American royalty. I would love to write an in-depth review but I don’t want to spoil it for new readers so what I will say it’s that you do have to read the first book to read the second and it’s definitely worth the read.

This is a sequel to American royalty, where we saw the rapper, Dani, Duchess, fall for Prince Jamison. I was pleasantly surprised that the continuation of this love story kept me as in rapture in the second book as it did in the first period. It was really interesting to see both Dani and Janice and try to navigate this relationship while also dealing with their own separate careers and paths. It was interesting to see how Dani had to fight to keep her career on track because everyone wanted to link her accomplishments with Jamison’s. The sexual chemistry was still off the charts and all in all it’s a very enjoyable read.

True sequels are somewhat rare in the romance genre so this was such a fun book! Tracey delivered with the drama and the steam in this one. I read via audio and there are two narrators which I loooooved! I love the premise of this series so much and really enjoyed getting to see more of Prince Jameson and Dani as their relationships progress. Fans of royalty romances will love this series!

Thank you to Avon & Harper Audio for the advanced copies!

I am a major fan of the royal family, and Jameson and Duchess just might be my favorite royal couple, next to Harry and Meghan. I really enjoyed American Royalty, so I was excited to see that we were getting more of Jameson and Duchess. In the second book, they are officially dating and everyone knows it. They are navigating their lives, both separately and together, and trying to merge their two very different worlds. Jameson's brother, Julian, is causing major scandals within the royal family, and Duchess's nemesis, Samantha Banks, is back. Even though this isn't a book about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, I do wonder if some of the situations and conversations in the book were similar to ones that they really did have, especially when it comes to having someone of color on the "insides" of the royal family. I love Duchess and Jameson together, and love seeing how they navigate all of the different challenges thrown at them. Falling in love was the easy part; now comes the hard part of dealing with expectations, protocols, and all of the press coverage. There are plenty of steamy scenes throughout the book, and it's just the right amount. This one was a good palate cleanser for me, and I hope we get to see more of Jameson and Duchess in the future! Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read a digital ARC of this book!

This just didn’t do it for me. A sequel wasn’t needed as this story didn’t really advance the storyline. The love story was still superficial. The ending was rushed and Dani’s selfishness (although given reasons why) was inexcusable; Jameson’s quick forgiveness was soooo unrealistic. I wish the author had explored the other storylines presented in the book, like the drama with Dani and her ex manager and/or Mela-Skin, and/or Prince John and Samantha Banks.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but unfortunately I had to DNF at 20%. I think this would have done better as a standalone, the sequel feels forced.

love romance books that dive into the “what happens after” and The Duchess Effect gives us that! Now that Prince Jameson and American rapper Duchess are officially a couple, what reaction will they get from the world, the Queen, and the Company? And how could it potentially impact their lives, when privacy seems to be all but a distant memory?

This is another steamy royal romance from Tracey Livesay. The couple has to contend with conniving royals, threats to business, and tabloids. Strong main characters, solid friendships, humor, and drama further make this a worthwhile read. I enjoyed the dual POV and this series!

Behind the Palace Walls: The World of Duchess Dani and Prince Jameson

Hold on to your tiaras, folks, because we have a sizzling new romance novel to breaks all the rules, bends all the traditions, and turns the world of royalty upside.
"The Duchess Effect" by Tracey Livesay is the love story of American rapper extraordinaire, Danielle "Duchess" Nelson, and the dashing Prince Jameson.
First things first, this book throws the typical romance novel formula out the castle window.
You won't find any nail-biting courtship scenes here, my dear readers. Nope, the author skips all that heart-pounding stuff and catapults us right into the juicy heart of the story.
Picture this: You open the book, and BAM! Our beloved couple is already head over heels in love. It's like starting a movie with the grand finale and then rewinding to see how it all came together. Talk about a plot twist that leaves you scratching your head in a delightful daze.
Instead of watching the characters nervously stumble through the initial stages of their romance, we witness what comes after the fairy dust settles.
Jameson and Dani soar as the nation's beloved power couple.
Dani, our fierce and independent Duchess, isn't just your average rapper—she's a force of nature with a skincare line to boot! She can spit fire on the mic and make your skin glow like a disco ball at the same time.
A major cosmetics company wants to ride the fame train as their love story takes center stage, linking Jameson to her marketing campaign. But Dani won't let her empire be overshadowed by love.
Prince Jameson enters the picture, bringing a calm and protective energy Dani didn't realize she needed. He quickly learns that a quiet life and royalty don't mix.
Together, they face a test that threatens to shatter their love, leaving Dani and Jameson to realize the gravity of what's at stake.
While some readers might miss the heart-pounding thrill of the initial courtship, "The Duchess Effect" offers something different—an intimate glimpse into the aftermath of the whirlwind romance.
So grab your cup of tea (or perhaps something a little stronger), find a cozy spot, and curl up with "The Duchess Effect." It's a page-turner.

I probably should of reread American Royalty before picking up The Duchess Effect but *shrugs*. The story flows right from the end of the previous book and we are reunited with Jameson and Dani as they struggle to balance their relationship with life in the spotlight and other obligations. As someone who follows the royals, this book is right up my alley and definitely does shine a light on the issues with especially the British monarchy. While the Harry and Meghan parallels are there, Dani and Jameson are not Harry and Meghan and that's important for this book. While both make mistakes throughout the book, the secret that Dani keeps from Jay is really want drove this from 5 star to a 4 star read. I just wanted her to be honest with Jameson even though I sort of understood her unwillingness to give up control. There was just the right about of drama to move the storyline along and certainly ton of steamy scenes. I think I wanted the ending flushed out a little more. I hit 80% and I started to wonder if this was going to be a trilogy (I don't believe so). I wanted more time for Dani and Jameson to work out their issues and to see more of how their live played out. That said, this was a lovely story and I really enjoyed revisiting Dani and Jameson. I hope Tracey Livesay continues with some of the minor characters in the book!

Thank you NetGalley! Enjoyed the sequel to American Royalty and the parallel story currently playing out in real life with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Hoping the next story focuses on Nyla and Rhys!