This is the sequel to American Royalty, it was good, especially at the start with a lot of promise but not enough. Dani and Jameson have a lot of sexual tension but emotionally is not giving and the ending feels incredibly rushed. It was still entertaining and I liked the characters even though it just wasn't it for me.

ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Arc review: 
I've been waiting to read this book since it was announced. I want to thank you Tracy Livesay and NetGalley for this arc! I can’t believe I got to see my babies, Jameson and Dani, aka Duchess, again. Why did it feel like a reality show with these two?
Pros: 

You can really see Jameson and Dani's character development from the first book, (American Royalty, to the end of this book, The Duchess Effect.
I loved how realistic their relationship was in this book. They are out of the honeymoon phase and trying to adjust to each other's different worlds.
Jameson mouth….  This book isn’t 5 stars spicy, but the way Prince Jameson says stuff, it might as well be.

Cons

I wanted more, lol.
I felt like it was rushed at the end. I was left with a lot of questions I wanted answered, like about Dani's music career . Also her wack a** ex manager. I wanted to fight him. 

Rating 
4/5 stars. I really love this book and the story of Dani and Jameson. It was a great follow-up to American Royalty. If you haven’t read American Royalty, it was one of my favorite reads last year. Imagine Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but Meghan is  a badass female rapper (Megan the stallion type of bad).

Okay, I had absolute high hopes for this one after love American Royalty last year. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a lackluster sequel. Yes, I loved getting back with Dani and Jay and following them as they navigated their new-ish relationship but come on. The lack of communication between those two was enough for me to want to pull my hair out in frustration. Also the conflict could've easily been remedied by having an honest conversation. I wasn't a fan of where the storyline went. I was hoping for more but I don't regret reading this one, some parts were fun!

The Duchess Effect by Tracey Livesay is a sequel to American Royalty, following the love story of Danielle "Duchess" Nelson and Prince Jameson as they navigate their relationship in the public eye. The book explores the challenges that come with fame and the sacrifices that need to be made to maintain a public image while also staying true to oneself. The plot revolves around Dani's desire to maintain control over her skin care line, Mela-Skin, and her outrage when a major cosmetics company wants to involve Jameson in the marketing campaign. Meanwhile, Jameson yearns to return to academia, but is fired when his newfound notoriety raises concerns. As the couple faces doubts, compromises, and secrets, the book asks whether their love is strong enough to withstand the scrutiny of the international spotlight. Overall, The Duchess Effect is an engaging romance that explores the complexities of a relationship in the public eye.

Dani aka Duchess is back in all her rap Queen glory. I recently read the first book in this series, American Royalty, and absolutely loved the way Dani’s character combined the mogul mindset of Rihanna, with a splash of the two Megan’s, Meg the Stallion and The Duchess of Sussex. When I received the Arc for The Duchess Effect I couldn’t wait to see where it took Dani and Prince Jameson.

This book picked up within a few months of where the first left off with Dani and Jay’s relationship very much in the public eye. I liked the portrayal of Dani working her way through royal engagements and how she always held people accountable whether they were the Queen of England, minor nobility or just a wannabe riding her coat tails.

What I really struggled with in this book was the way Dani withheld some key information from Jay in a way that just did not feel authentic to her character. It was hard to root for her when it felt like she was being so shady towards a man who literally do anything for her. This book also felt very much like a “bridge book” setting the stage for what I’m assuming will be the last book featuring Jay and Dani.

Overall I enjoyed being able to see the next piece of Dani and Jays journey and can’t wait to see where they go from here. I’m also hoping we get some spin-offs in the universe as I’d like to see a story through the eyes of one of Dani’s bffs.

This was a 3 star read for me! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Happy Reading!

It's hard to follow up such a great story as 'American Royalty' but this did just that!

<b>The Good</b>
I loved how certain of each other Dani and Jameson were. They were very much in their honeymoon stage but also had a bone deep knowledge that they were meant to be together. I loved how they both reacted to issues was connected to their personal traumas and it made it easy to see both of their sides. I did like that their issues weren't just external but internal as well. Their arguments seemed realistic in nature for a new couple. They love each other but cannot always fully understand each other especially as people from two completely different cultures.

Also this book is STEAMY! Dani and Jameson had great chemistry before but this book took it to the next level. This makes sense again because they are in their honeymoon phase and are an established couple but WHEW! It was a lot in a good way.

<b>The Bad</b>
I also wish that Dani's musical career hadn't been completely pushed to the side. Her connection to the black community through her music is crucial to her character and who she is and I didn't see that much in this book in comparison to the first one.

<b>Format:</b>
Ebook — Netgalley

<b>The Rating</b>
I give this book a <b>4/5🌟 rating.</b> I really loved the Dani and Jameson and their complex story about family ties, trust, commutation, and what sacrifices you are willing to make to get what you want.

Check out my socials <a href="https://beacons.ai/buffyreads"> here</a> for more reviews!

The Duchess Effect by Tracey Livesay is a delightful romance novel that explores the challenges faced by a couple from vastly different worlds. The story revolves around Danielle “Duchess” Nelson, a famous American rapper, and Prince Jameson, a reclusive royal. Against all odds, they have fallen in love and want to find a way to make their relationship work despite the obstacles in their way.

The novel starts with Jameson and Dani's decision to make their relationship public, which creates a media frenzy. The couple has to navigate the challenges of their newfound fame while trying to maintain their personal and professional lives. Dani's cosmetics company is about to sign a significant deal that will make her skincare line a force in the industry, but the cosmetics company wants to involve Jameson in the marketing campaign. This leads to a clash between Dani and the cosmetics company, which threatens to derail their relationship.

As the story unfolds, the author explores the complexities of being in the public eye, the struggles of balancing personal and professional life, and the compromises that come with being in a relationship. The characters are well developed, and their struggles and triumphs feel real and relatable. The chemistry between Jameson and Dani is electric, and the author does an excellent job of capturing the tension and passion between them.

The Duchess Effect is a well-crafted, engaging romance novel that tackles important themes such as love, family, duty, and compromise. The author's writing style is fluid and engaging, making it an easy read. The plot is well-paced, and the story's twists and turns keep the reader engaged until the very end.

Overall, The Duchess Effect is a great choice for anyone looking for a satisfying romance novel that combines love, drama, and a touch of royalty. Tracey Livesay has crafted a beautiful and engaging story that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

WOW!
This was the perfect sequel to American Royalty. I loved the development with Jameson and Duchess, personally and socially. I could feel for both characters as they struggled through their newfound relationship, as Jameson wanted to separate from the royal family and Dani wanting to create a legacy so different from the life that she experienced as a child. You could resonate well with both characters, and it was great to see their relationship grow throughout the book. Duchess did have me a little upset in the book though, it felt like she was self-sabotaging her relationship, and it created a great third act breakup. While I loved this book, I felt like the book had a very slow pace up until the third act breakup. This caused the ending to seem a little rushed. But besides that, I really loved this series and enjoyed the way it came to close. Maybe we could see Duchess and Jameson with kids and settled down!

What a sequel! I absolutely flew through reading this book. In American Royalty, we saw Dani and Jameson’s fairytale falling in love story. In The Duchess Effect, we see the reality of their relationship sink in, as the couple comes to realize that love alone might not be enough to bridge their differences. Throughout the story, one thing that never wavered was the chemistry between Dani and Jameson and their passionate connection. I really hope that that author will continue to write more love stories in this world, whether that be Dani x Jameson book 3, Nyla x Rhys, or Yolanda x Liam Cooper. Livesay planted just enough seeds in this book that I’m interested to see what will happen with those two couples. Either way, I’m happy that I received an e-arc from the publisher to review, and I look forward to reading more Tracey Livesay books in the future!

I. Loved. This. Book.

One thing I’m really happy about is that this book essentially picks up right after American Royalty. Dani and J have the normal relationship woes, but also the woes of being a royal and an American rap queen.
It was messy. Juicy. Sexy. Heartwarming. The perfect self insert royal book for me!

The Duchess Effect is a fun and swoon-worthy follow up to American Royalty! I enjoyed reuniting with Jay, Dani, and all of their friends in this sequel. The chemistry between Jay and Dani is still through the roof in this book, and I loved all of their romantic moments. I think this book does an exceptional job at showing what it *really* means to date a Black woman as a white man, something that I have seen other interracial romances gloss over. After finishing this sequel, I'm curious to know whether we'll get to see Nyla and Yolanda's stories as well because the teasers that were laid for both girls was definitely intriguing!

I found myself skimming large sections of exposition. I didn't find them interesting, and it felt like nothing was happening. I stopped at 4%.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

I don’t like sequels as a rule and this confirmed why. In general I love Tracey livesay, and I really liked the first book, but this felt very manufactured. Their entire crisis was due to some poor communication skills, which they then made no attempt to overcome and just got engaged instead, it didn’t have the appeal of the first book, the heat was missing and the plot was sub par.

We had the very first book and our location and it was an incredible hit! I can’t wait to have the follow up and read the continuation of their love story and our duchess personal journey as well. I know this is loosely based on Meghan Markle , but this duchess really fights for her own identity and place in society. I can’t wait to make this a book club selection.