Readers invested in Prince Harry and Megan Markle will enjoy the follow up to "American Royalty."

Dani is FINALLY getting back into the good graces of everyone thanks to the palace ball and celebration. Her boyfriend, Jameson, may have a little role to play in that too. Both Jameson and Dani however; quickly come to agreement that they won't force their other half to appear in engagements and public appearances. Duchess Dani feels she can do things on her own. Jameson doesn't want anything to interfere with his lectures. Everything is about to flip on them.

The Duchess Effect is a novel that I wonder why it was written, other than to please fans of the first novel. While I enjoyed American Royalty and found The Duchess Effect to be another novel that kept my attention, the plotlines and different character arcs felt stranded instead for Dani's feelings. These feelings were great BUT I also wanted more in terms of Jameson's maneuvering and his group of friends. The spicy scenes sprinkled throughout made their mark.

Premise:
-Dani "Duchess" is still two months fresh into her new high-profile relationship with HRH Jameson
-Dani is navigating new contract negotiations with not only Genesis (the company that would acquire her skincare line Mela-Skin) but also Parcellum who recently acquired Genesis
-HRH Jameson is once again blackmailed by his grandmother, Queen Marina, to take on more royal duties for the Company, as his cousin Julian is caught in a scandal with the horrible singer that tried to frame Dani in a horrible light in the last book
-Jameson & Dani struggle as they both try to keep each other out of their respective limelight, and both feel very independent, so enter a lot of angst and miscommunication
-steam: 3.5/5 -- they get down immediately & it's absolutely delectable !!!

CW:
-racism
-grief
-toxic media cycle
-manipulative behavior / unethical dynamics of power
-emotional abuse

Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel that followed Dani & Jameson pretty close to where we left them at the end of "American Royalty". If you've followed the Meghan x Harry royal drama, watch The Crown, or simply enjoy a good old royal x commoner romance, then I think you'll devour this just as I did!

I appreciated that Tracey presented situations where the Crown/Queen Marina/HRH Jameson had to confront their problematic presence in other countries and their part in a violent history. Yes, this is at its core a steamy romance but that doesn't mean we have to gloss over the very real implications of what the Crown represents. I loved that Dani (no matter how UnReaLisTiC) stood up to the Queen and I especially enjoyed the moment when the leader of another nation straight up asked Dani if she noticed that they were the only people of color in that room in the palace. I think many people can empathize with that feeling of always being the only POC/queer/disabled/marginalized person in a room, especially a room with that many people in power.

Anyway, I saw that a lot of people are complaining about the miscommunication trope in here, but even if these people weren't an American celebrity and a European prince/duke/whatever, I find the miscommunication trope to be deeply authentic to a couple that is brand new. I've been with my partner for a while now, and we *still* miscommunicate sometimes, and often with the intentions of sparing the others' feelings or trying to lessen the other's load. It has taken us a lot of work and commitment to improve this but no one is perfect and we all have our moments. To be that harsh on a couple that has been together for only a few months, who both have major attention on them at all times, and both of an upbringing where they had to protect themselves often..... that's an interesting choice from yall so..... idk let people be human and figure it out? Conflict often presents opportunities to improve our relationships anyway so let them grow, damn!

Though it was frustrating, I also enjoyed the conflict of Parcellum trying to use HRH Jameson's coverage as collateral for Mela-Skin because I also believe this is not far from the truth! Call me skeptical or pessimistic but brand management and optics is of utmost importance to any damn stakeholder, and while I want to live in a world where this kind of unethical behavior is not possible, I unfortunately live on Earth and I think yall know what a shitshow this place is. I think Dani handled it as best she could with the emotional tools she had at the time and I appreciate both her and Jameson's journeys to therapy eventually!

Anyway, if it's not clear, I love this book, these characters, Tracey & Avon! I can't wait to see what's next from Tracey but I hope it's a Rhys & Nyla story *crossing my fingers*

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: racism, family tensions, microagressions, death of a parent (past), cheating (non-MCs)

This is the second book in the series, you need to read book 1 first before diving in.

It was great to see the continuation of Jameson and Dani's love story. Two people with very different upbringings and backgrounds bringing their lives together. It's messy, drama filled. Neither Dani nor Jameson handle everything perfectly but at the end of the day love wins out.

Steam: 3.5

Nothing is better than spending the day at the pool devouring a spicy romance with characters you know and love. American Royalty by Tracey Lively was one of my favorite summer reads last year, so I was SO excited to get an ARC from #netgalley and Avon - the perfect companion for this long weekend!

The Duchess Effect takes up shortly after American Royalty ended - so I highly recommend reading that one first. We dive right in with Duchess and Jameson, though they are taking some time out of the spotlight and are in the US laying low... but very much enjoying each other. The signature wit and fun-lovingness of their relationship is there from the get go.

One thing that I really enjoyed about this book is that we are going beyond the initial Happily Ever After. We all know that relationships have one than more conflict - and that's before you toss in royalty and racism. The Duchess Effect builds upon the foundation of American Royalty, and we lean into the next steps for Duchess and Jameson - how do they balance their relationship with their careers, and how are they navigating the monarchy?

I tore through this one, and what a ride it was! The chemistry between these two characters just jumps off the page and I couldn't put it down. The ire ups and downs felt so real and authentic - and most important, the characters stayed true to themselves.

The Ducchess Effect comes out next week - July 11 !! Make sure to pick it up!

Will post this review on goodreads, retail sites, my bookstagram @scottonreads and twitter @sarahncotton

Prince Jameson and Dani “Duchess” Nelson fell in love in American Royalty, and now they are taking their romance public and navigating a relationship on their own terms, in spite of public scrutiny, in The Duchess Effect.

Dani has been making major strides in launching her skincare brand, Mela-Skin, and is well on her way to securing her own long term financial security. However, now that her personal life is garnering so much media attention, her backers want to involve Prince Jameson in the brand publicity or risk losing their support. Jameson has long since retreated into his role as university professor, but with increased public attention has been fired from the position. On top of that, the Queen, though initially against his relationship with Dani, wants to use their budding romance to distract the media from a family scandal.

Once again, all of the warm, fuzzy (and steamy) feelings are reminiscent of the real life romance of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle and I am loving every moment of it! I really enjoyed the portrayal of the media and the impact it has on the way Dani is expected to meet the public’s expectations of her regardless of the success she’s created for herself. Dani and Jameson are already an established couple coming into this novel, so their chemistry is sizzling right from the start!

You’ll Find —
Royal Romance
Scandal
Strong, Independent Heroine
Interracial Romance

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Tracey Livesay for the gifted digital review copy!

I loved the pacing and the characters even when I found them frustrating. I think the fact that they were frustrating added value to the story. Making the queen layered was a great choice as well.
Also, I need more Nyla and Rhys

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Duchess Effect concludes the story begun in American Royalty, following the romance between Prince Jameson and rapper Duchess (aka Dani). While the first book left things on a pretty good note, there are still hurdles for them to work through, from him navigating his relationship with his family, and being expected to step up to help stamp out scandals the other members are creating, and Dani’s own career going from strength to strength, while the British press is determined to tear her and their relationship down. I rooted for them through it all, very much wanting them to just be able to escape and live life on their own terms.
I felt there was much more focus on the royal drama this time around, and how it upped the stakes around the romance and their increased media scrutiny. While again, the scandals are all fictional, it really helps to hit home how the Royal Family and “The Company” (as the book refers to the business side of the the RF), likes to use certain members as shields, with Dani’s relationship with Jameson getting a lot of unwarranted, racially charged backlash to cover up for the indiscretions of the Prince of Wales, a situation that will be familiar for many who are sympathetic to Harry and Meghan.
I also really liked seeing more of the family fleshed out. While some of them are still horrible, Calanthe is still sympathetic, and I saw a wonderful new side to Jameson’s aunt Catherine, and how she was screwed over by male-preference primogeniture (there’s no mention if the current rules in real life of absolute primogeniture have been instituted in any capacity in this alternate world). It’s nice to see that, while Jameson doesn’t want to be forced into a major role in the Company anymore, that doesn’t mean there aren’t people within it that thrive within it, and both sides are equally disdainful of those messing up the image of the Family as a whole.
This is a fun series, and I’d recommend it to people who enjoyed the first book and/or are looking for socially conscious Royal romances.

@tracey.livesay did it again! The Duchess Effect is every bit as good as American Royalty! It was so fun to be back in the world of Dani & Jay. Their relationship is as steamy as ever, but there’s even more working against them in this book - this miscommunication trope is at an all time high here. I loved that we got to meet more of the side characters & I’m officially begging for a Rhys & Nyla book 👀 feeling lucky to have had the opportunity to read an eARC!

I enjoyed this just as much as the first book. All of the heat and royal drama. I’d read a third book about them tbh. This review is for the ebook, but I listened to the audiobook as well, did a tandem read, and it was very well done too!

This story is simply spectacular! Tracey Livesay has hit it out of the park as a master storyteller. Starting with the gorgeous cover art, readers will be hooked as they begin to read. Duchess is an American rap star, and Jameson is a British Prince. With steamy scenes and witty dialogue, this is a great page turner. Duchess is fiery and raw. Readers will fall in love with her and James as they straddle the two lifestyles. Throw in interfering family members and a buzzing media presence things become complicated. This is a love story that brings delight. This story should not be missed.

Did we need this sequel? I'm not sure. Fans of Megan and Harry will likely enjoy this loose reimagining of their love story featuring a Black American pop star who falls for a reclusive member of the Royal family.

Prince Jameson and Dani "Duchess" are back with more complicated relationship and royalty problems and tons of STEAMY sex but overall it was just an okay read for me. The romance and chemistry between the characters just didn't move me like I wanted, especially with all the deception on Dani's part.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and Librofm for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

If you're interested in royal politics and geopolitical issues, this book might fit your fancy. Jameson is your stereotypical prince and Duchess is your stereotypical rapper. I don't mean either of these in a negative way. For me, I didn't vibe with the characters but others might. I think moments of social commentary were on point, but it's hard to balance both as it's a royal romance.

I loved loved American Royalty. Dani, a rapper with a skin care line who is unapologetically herself, and Prince Jameson, the royal who just wants to be a professor, were really so much fun. Did I think they needed a whole other book? Not really. Was I going to read it anyway? Yes, obviously.

What I don't love in sequels is when people don't act in a way that makes sense for the sake of creating some angst in the story. I did not love the way Duchess chose to use Jameson for publicity, without telling him, because it made zero sense at all to me she wouldn't have given him a heads up. He adores her, clearly, unabashedly, he would have helped if she asked. Like I get that she's self made and doesn't like to ask for help, but the keeping secrets thing was blah.

Can I get a book with Rhys next though? He was really giving me fun vibes of hotness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Duchess Effect is the sequel to American Royalty. Jameson and Dani are struggling to manage their relationship. Jameson wants nothing more than to have a private life and Dani has a business deal that is directly the opposite of that. The couple struggles with communication issues throughout the book. I did find Dani as a little uncompromising. Overall this was a good read. This was my second read from this author but I will be adding her to my rotation.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book because I do love the characters! I am not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope so that did affect my rating because it was the main cause of the tension between the main characters and I could t relate to why Danny didn’t tell him. But otherwise I liked it and I would read the next book if there is one or a spin off!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and the Publishers, Avon and Harper Voyager. The was given free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend reading American Royalty before reading The Duchess Effect.

My Man, My Man, My Man!

I'm not going to lie I loved this book way more the first book, American Royalty. The love and protection Jameson showed Duchess had my heart screaming! When she would walk in the room, he would always think about how she was his forever! This officially added him to list I have of fictional boyfriend crushes. Now, all was not good in paradise. This book touched an actual problems in today's society and around the world. It made you look at the UK, US and honestly the world from different views. I will not state wether this was wrong or right because this is not a political book. This is all fiction!

Overall, I loved the book and I am crossing my fingers for another one! I need a final happy ending for them!

Please check the CW's on this book. I've listed a few below:
-Hate Crime
-Bombings
-Grief from loss of loved ones
-Abandonment issues
-Infidelity

Goodness, I wanted to love this one so much, especially after how much I adored the first book, American Royals. The Duchess Effect is the continuation of Jameson and Dani's story, after the epilogue left many loose ends and questions surrounding the future of the couple. While the book did an excellent job of tackling important issues of colonization and race, the story felt anti-climactic after the first book. There wasn't much conflict and I didn't see a ton of growth in either character. They spent the majority of the book talking about how they had only been together for a short time, but then spouting "I love you" every other sentence. I wanted to love this one, but unfortunately this sequel fell flat.

This was book 2 in a series that I was lucky enough to get on NetGalley, and while I am new to the romance game, I was drawn to these books, because of their interest in characters, and also the deeper storylines. While some of this mirrors, what has happened in the British royal family with the mistreatment of Meghan Markle, it’s also I think a deeper look at the role of royal families in whatever capacity they exist, and they’re often antiquated ways of doing things. Duchess and her prince are figuring out how to be together both in and out of the limelight, but the increasing pressures on both of them by the royal family and the notoriously difficult British press begin to take their toll. While this is a look at a romantic relationship, the author does into, the racism of these old institutions, and in the world in general. I look forward to more of this relationship and from this author.

I started reading the first installment in this series, American Royalty, and I DNF’d it at 40%. I was not interested in the story and because of that I’m not going to read The Duchess Effect.

What a great ending to this duet! This is a Contemporary, interracial romance loosely based on Megan and Harry’s story. This story was the conclusion to Dani and Jay’s story. American Royalty ended with Dani and Jay taking a chance on each other. This story picks up right where that story ended. Dani continues to struggle with career and personal goals and Jay believes he can go back to teaching without a consequence. Welp, that’s a big NO. Dani and Jay need to work together to navigate new stressors thrown their way, but trusting each other becomes a major reason for miscommunication throughout the book. The third act conflict was expected when all concerns were laid on the table. The resolution was easy and quick. I enjoyed this conclusion to their story. I need Nyla and Rhys story, please! Stop teasing us! I gave this story 4 Stars. Looking forward to seeing more from Tracey Livesay.