* Instant NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestseller * * GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER for BEST DEBUT and BEST ROMANCE of 2019 * * BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR* for VOGUE, NPR, VANITY FAIR, and more! * What happens when America’s First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales? When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, … American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius–his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There’s only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.
Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn’t always diplomatic.
“I took this with me wherever I went and stole every second I had to read! Absorbing, hilarious, tender, sexy–this book had everything I crave. I’m jealous of all the readers out there who still get to experience Red, White & Royal Blue for the first time!” – Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners
“Red, White & Royal Blue is outrageously fun. It is romantic, sexy, witty, and thrilling. I loved every second.” – Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six
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5 stars for true love!
This book hit my radar after it won the Goodreads Choice award for romance, and all of a sudden, I was seeing it everywhere, and thank God for that! This is an absolute gem of a read – smart, funny, witty and beautifully romantic with characters that will own you, and a message that will touch your heart. It’s a fantastic read, my last of 2019 and it’s going down as a fave.
Alex Claremont Diaz is the son of the President of the United States. Handsome, intelligent, funny, fun-loving and passionate about a career in politics, he is America’s golden boy and an important part of his mother’s campaign for re-election.
But then there is a minor international incident. While attending a royal wedding in London, Alex has an altercation with his longstanding nemesis, Henry, the Prince of Wales. Damage control demands that Alex do whatever necessary to fix the situation, and he is sent back across to London to spend some time with the stuffy young prince to fake a friendship for the press. It starts with insults and snarky banter, and once Alex returns home it continues with text messages and emails as the two of them unexpectedly become friends. Slowly and naturally they become an important touchstone for each other in the midst of their crazy lives, and when feelings develop, they throw themselves into a secret, forbidden relationship which takes them both by surprise, and which has the potential to destroy both of their worlds.
“You are”, he says, “the absolute worst idea I’ve ever had.”
Words cannot express how much I love these two together. Their dynamic is absolute gold! They are so open with each other. Every text, every email, every phone call and every interaction either made me laugh out loud (I’m so juvenile, I laughed every time they texted and Henry’s texts came from “HRH Prince Dickhead poop emoji”) or made my heart pound as they tease and banter.
“You are the thistle in the tender and sensitive arse-crack of my life.”
And the romance! OMG, the romance is everything! Alex considers himself straight until Henry comes along, so he’s got a bit of figuring out to do when he starts to have feelings for his new friend. But he embraces it like he does everything else in his life – with passion and enthusiasm, and I loved watching them come together. It’s honest and real, fun and emotional, and they are so freaking gorgeous together!
“Henry leans down to meet Alex’s mouth, and Alex is. Well, Alex is so in love he could die.”
*Dreamy sigh*
But so much more than romance, this is a story about finding your place in the world and fighting for what you believe in. That message comes through over and over again, and with laughs and tears, I watched Alex and Henry wrestle with their realities and figure it all out
“That’s the choice. I love him, with all that, because of all that. On purpose. I love him on purpose.”
Alex and Henry owned my heart. I loved their intelligence and their humour, their confidence and their strength. Their vulnerabilities are beautifully written, and watching them deal with all that they are faced with broke my heart at times, but wow, what a journey. I felt everything alongside them, and their open-heartedness was truly special to see.
“You’re it, okay? I’m never gonna love anybody in the world like I love you.”
There’s a fantastic cast of side characters that are with Alex and Henry along the way, and again, the interactions are sensational. Between their sisters, their best friends, and the incredible President herself, they are smart, funny, awkward at times, and beautifully tender. This crew have each other’s backs unquestionably, and I loved them all so much.
There is a bit of a political storyline, and I was surprised that I really enjoyed it. I’m not one for political reads, but politics are a big part of Alex’s life and I thought that it added a lot of depth and intensity to the story.
I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Ramon de Ocampo, and he is brilliant! The book is written in third person entirely from Alex’s perspective, and he reads him with humour, wit and heart. He does Henry’s English accent, too, and it’s awesome.
This is a beautifully written story. I can’t believe it’s a debut novel. Casey McQuiston has delivered a funny, emotional, dramatic and heartfelt story that is an instant classic, and I adored every single moment of it.
“Thinking about history makes me wonder how I’ll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too … History, huh? Bet we could make some.”
5 huge stars!
A book where the President’s son falls for the Prince of Wales? Sign me up!
This book is raunchy and the language is rather explicit, and my goodness, I loved it. This one was one of my rare audiobook listens, and I was driving down the road laughing and crying. Wiping away actual tears at points.
McQuiston combines a sort of coming of age love story against the backdrop of politics. Both storylines are compelling beyond belief. Alex, the President’s son and our main character, is incredibly well-written. Funny, sweet, and so real. And Henry, our Prince, is lovely too. It’s impossible not to root for them.
This book is witty, sweet, a surprising nail biter at times, and offers such a great message—now more than ever. (And the narrator in this one was easily my favorite in my limited audiobook career.) Cannot recommend it enough!!
Brilliant book. I read it in one sitting. This book will fill you up with joy and you’ll be riding the high for days. Pure delight.
Oh my gosh, how I loved this book! When I saw this book offered as one of the selections for Book of the Month, I immediately knew that I had to have it. I have heard great things about the book from a lot of different reviewers so I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about for myself. Well, I quickly figured out that this book was worthy of all the hype it has received. I had a great time with this book from start to finish and am so happy that I had the chance to give it a read.
Alex is the son of the President of the United States. His mom is the first woman elected into that office and his father holds a seat in Congress. He plans to run for public office himself someday and enjoys getting involved in politics. He does have a bit of a problem with one of the English princes and he has a royal wedding to attend where he is sure to run into the prince in question and maybe even share a bit of cake. When things go wrong at the wedding, those in charge decided that Alex and Henry need to spend some time together and show the press that they are actually friends.
I loved Alex and Henry. The story is told from Alex’s point of view so we do see more of what is going on in his world but I have to admit that Henry stole my heart. Henry had so many things to deal with and his life was under the control of others. He was such a caring character and I just wanted to see things work out for him. Alex was also amazing. He had a lot to figure out in this story but he wasn’t afraid to take risks when necessary. I thought that the supporting cast of characters was also very well done.
I thought that the romance was very well done. I really liked how their relationship developed and enjoyed seeing them turn to each other more and more as the story progressed. Most of the time, these two had an ocean between them but I really enjoyed all of the texts, emails, and phone calls they shared. When they were together, it was special. These two had fantastic chemistry that only grew stronger throughout the book.
I would highly recommend this book to others. I was swept away by this story and felt like I was right there with Alex and Henry cheering them towards their happily ever after. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Alex and Henry are relationship goals. When the First Son of the United States falls in love with the prince of England you expect it to be all political drama, and while this does have politics, at it heart that’s not what it’s about, this is about the relationship at its heart. These two guys are dealing with their emotions, their love for each other, how what they feel for each other affects their families, and how it affects their countries, how it affects how they see themselves.
The familial relationships were amazing! I really want to see more books about the rest of the Super Six, read the book and you’ll understand. All of the characters have their quirks and foibles, nobody is perfect – not even in the White House or Buckingham Palace – but isn’t that true to life? The fact that the characters had issues made them so much easier to fall in love with!
Oh, and by the way, I love Return of the Jedi, too!
From my humble POV as a bigender, queer Texan w Mexican roots I can tell you: 1. I finished this book start to finish today. 2. I already recommended it to two different people using an astonishing amount of exclamation points. 3. I could have used this book as a teen.
My favorite romance novel of the year. Heartfelt, sexy and laugh out loud funny.
So, do you feel forever about him?
Yeah, I do.
Then, f— it.
What else can be said about Casey McQuiston’s inimitable Red, White & Royal Blue that hasn’t already been said? This has been sitting on my TBR pile for quite awhile, and I’m happy to report that this novel was everything I thought it would be and more. (A few spoilers are included below, just fyi.)
Alex is the oldest son of the current President of the United States. Prince Henry of Wales is, well, Prince Henry. Of Wales. They’ve endured countless comparisons, and a seemingly mutual disdain for one another. But when they’re forced to play nice for the press, they soon realize there’s a thin line between love and hate.
This novel is one of the best written novels I’ve read this year. Its wit is razor sharp, its issues timely, its romance heartfelt and poignant. McQuiston presents us with a world that I want to live in, flaws and all. In many ways, I read this as an allegory of sorts, a wish for another reality than the one we were forced to accept after the 2016 election. It’s a more progressive, albeit imperfect, world, one that I hope can be actualized someday. Because a world where we have a female POTUS who supports her biracial and bisexual son and fights for the rights of marginalized? A world where a gay English prince has the courage to live his life authentically? Sign. Me. Right. On. Up.
This is so much more than a compelling love story (though it is, most definitely that). This is a commentary on what we could have, what we could be, if we allow each other the ability to live an authentic life. If you’re late to the game like me, read this immediately!
I’m grateful for great books and great love stories. Today I revisited one of the best—Casey McQuiston’s Red White and Royal Blue. Red, White & Royal Blue is the story of first and lasting love between two impossibly handsome, intelligent and privileged young men from different countries and cultural backgrounds. Alex is Mexican-American and America’s “first son,” the child of the United States’ first female president. Henry is a British prince, second in line to the throne.
It’s an understatement to say that I’m not usually a fan of royal romance, but I love this book. I loved it so much that when I got to the end I immediately began rereading it. This book made me swoon and laugh and cry. I loved the humor, the originality, the depth of feeling and the originality in format. Texts and emails play an essential part in bridging the distance between these two men as they evolve from rivals to friends and then friends with benefits and ultimately lovers.
What makes the correspondence special is that Casey Mcquiston incorporates queer history and quotes from real love letters and poems into the correspondence between Alex and Henry. It’s a key part of how the two protagonists get to know each other and come to terms with their sexuality and begin to gain confidence in how they fit into the world. And at one point this correspondence becomes a part of how they heal and find hope and give each other strength in the face of near ruin. From Alex to Henry:
p.s. wilfred owen to siegfried sassoon—1917: And you have fixed my Life—however short. You did not light me: I was always a mad comet; but you have fixed me. I spun round you a satellite for a month, but shall swing out soon, a dark star in the orbit where you will blaze.
This is just one part of why this book is so special. It’s also incredibly well-written. I read this novel on a Kindle and ended up with more than 100 highlighted passages and notes. It’s that well-written and that memorable.
Wow! I finally got around to this and I can’t add much to the other 5 star reviews other than just to say I am another person who loved this.
Ramon De Ocampo’s narration is flawless. He swings between male & female, American & Texan & Mexican & British accents with such ease it seems as if they are all his native tongue.
This book was NOT rushed. In an age where authors are churning out audiobooks clocking in at barely 6 hours ~ this was twice that. Yet it was not mindless fluff, repetitive, nor belabored internal monologues. I enjoyed getting to know and love Alex & Henry. An especially amazing feat since this is entirely written from Alex’s point of view. I was cheering for them individually as well as for their relationship. Yet it is all so real. Beyond even Alex & Henry, all these characters are so human. Perfect in their imperfections. Maneuvering the politics was handled in a unique way to the typical “White house” romances I’ve read.
Totally worth the 6 months I spent on the library’s waiting list.
I really enjoyed this book which is all about finding the courage to become the person you were meant to be. An enemies-to-lovers romance between Alex, America’s First Son, and Henry, Prince of Wales. Awesome, fun, and well done!
“The phrase “see attached bibliography” is the single sexiest thing you have ever written to me.”
So smart, so well-researched, so romantic, charming, funny, and timely. I wish I’d written this. I’m so glad Casey McQuiston did. I loved it!
A number of people recommended this book to me. I wasn’t wowed by the cover or the blurb, but with so many people raving about it, I decided to give it a go.
At first I found myself holding back from the story, not engaging with it. That was in large part because of the use of acronyms and slang that I didn’t understand. I think the book is intended for an American audience, and the author assumes that people will know what she’s referring to. I figured out FSOTUS, but a number of the others eluded me. On the other hand, I knew a number of the Britishisms. For instance, I knew what Cornettos and cullen skink were. However, the author assumes readers won’t know these and explains them in context, so I had no advantage there. Some of the slang may have been generational, but I live with two teenagers, so I’m guessing it was my lack of knowledge about American culture and politics rather than my age.
Another thing was that it’s told in present tense. That was quite disconcerting, but that’s a personal preference, not anything ‘wrong’ with the book.
Ultimately, those were my only negatives, and they were incredibly minor in the overall scheme of things. I’m not sure at what point I got sucked in to the story, but I did. I got swept up in the romance between Alex and Henry, and the brilliant secondary characters were perfect.
I loved the humour. The humour was brilliant. I highlighted so many passages for being hilarious.
Although there’s a happy ever after (because it’s a romance novel, duh), things certainly did not proceed idyllically for Alex and Henry. One of my favourite scenes was Alex’s panic attack after the shit hit the fan, because it felt so real. At that point I fully invested in seeing these two get their Happily Ever After.
I also loved the author’s poetical way of writing, which certainly came through in the emails exchanged by Alex and Henry, but also in the story itself.
If you like the idea of getting a (fictional) glimpse inside life in the White House or life as a British royal, you’ll love this book. If you don’t care about status and the idea of reading about politics bores you to death (me!), you might still love it. Because ultimately, Alex and Henry are ordinary people who want ordinary things – love, family, support, goals and dreams. They’re multi-dimensional, not coasting along on their family’s money, nor does everything come easily to them. They felt real, and so did the secondary characters. I loved June and Nora.
It wasn’t wholly predictable, which I feared, although I think the key points were. There was enough to keep you wondering how something would work out though, and certainly plenty to have you turning the page and staying up way later than you ought to.
I gave it five stars, because despite my initial impression and frustration with words and letters I didn’t understand, I got lost in Alex and Henry’s story and couldn’t put the bloody book down. The more I read, the more I loved it. Well written, Casey.
I absolutely adored this book until I hit about the halfway mark. I loved the witty/snarky banter between all of the different characters. I loved the relationship Alex had with June, Nora and even his “keeper” Shaan. However, as the book went on I found myself skipping emails and political statistics. While I do love a HEA I felt like I read two different books and was a little lost along the way.
I wanted something a little different. A step back from everything else I’d been reading. This wasn’t it. While everyone else is raving about this book, I’m scratching my head. Sure there is a romance element and it’s MM, but there are so many political references I thought I was reading a history book. It was confusing. It completely took me out of the story. And don’t get me started on the writing style.
Honestly everyone wants the fairytale. I wanted the fairytale for Alex and Henry. However, I don’t want to have to wade through someone’s political viewpoint and bashing of the other side, regardless of whether or not I agree with it, to get there. Because what was this? A romance or a political statement?
I’m not sure where to begin. This book gave me all the feels. I mean ALL. THE. FEELS.
Casey did a fabulous job creating well-rounded, flesh-and-blood characters. Not just with Alex and Henry, our intrepid romantic duo, but in the secondary characters that added so much dimension to their lives. June, Nora, Pez, Bea. And Zahra… I LOVED Zahra. Zahra was once who I aspired to be in politics (a long time ago, in a life far far away…)
Then there’s the elegant, romantic phrases they wrote…
“That’s the choice. I love him, with all that, because of all that. On purpose. I love him on purpose.”
SWOON!
This. This book is why I read romance. It’s an alternate history of our real world. A better one. A more hopeful one. One in which love truly does conquer all.
“But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable.”
By the end of the book, I believed in that truth once again.
Now stop reading this review and go read the damn book!
This was the first time I’d read a story written in third person present and the narration often felt a bit distant, removed. As if someone else was speaking for Alex. I kept wanting to change it to first person. But that’s my only complaint. I was hooked when I read the opening line of the blurb about the First Son falling in love with the Prince of Wales. I love politics and intrigue and sappy romance and this duo is made to fail, so I was eager to dig in and start the adventure. And the author doesn’t let you down. The characters are so alive, so nuanced, so outrageously real with their situations and emotions, you can’t help but be swept along. And tension–LOTS of tension every step of the way. Warning: the language is crude, rude, and vulgar. That’s not my cup of tea and I’ve felt offended with it in other books. But there’s so much heart in this story that I didn’t mind. As to the main characters, I’m still not sure which one I liked more: Alex or Henry. They’re both so appealing in distinctive ways. You’ll have to decide for yourself. Get ready for a roller coaster ride of emotion. I tip my hat to the author. Brava, Casey McQuiston. You’ve really done it!
Loved it! Clever writing, fun storyline, palace (and white house) intrigue. Well done debut!!
Each character was so unique and phenomenal. None of them felt like side caracter which is a first for me! I read this in a day in a half, it was wonderful.
Off-the-charts witty