* 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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This book was great!
A heartfelt tale of a US first son and a UK prince charming falling for one another – despite the risks to self and country. I loved every minute of this take on US/UK relations, LGBT politics, and true love facing up to bigotry and ill-conceived tradition. 10/10
One of the most fun books that I have ever read. It is such a feel good that you will be sad that this world is not our reality. I laughed out loud several times while reading this.
This instant New York Times bestseller was published with huge of advance buzz, something that can make me wary of reading a book because of high expectations. However, this gorgeous story of the enemies to lovers romance between the Prince of Wales and the son of a female US president lives up to every promise. The characters are lovable, and the drama is brilliantly set up and resolved on so many levels. A hugely romantic and satisfying read.
This book was definitely refreshing, Alex is so funny and spontaneous, he is the son of the first woman president of the USA, he is very charismatic and has to struggle since his father’s family are from Mexico.
Alex nemesis is non other than the prince Henry of England, Henry is the perfect gorgeous and polite prince from fairy tales, or at least that’s what it seems. But Henry is so much more than that….
This was really entertaining, funny, romantic and I loved how the author approached the discrimination and self acceptance that the characters had to endure and how they managed it in the end…..
Definitely a great and unforgettable read.
How to even describe this genuinely fantastic book? Let’s start with what I expected vs what happened.
So, I thought it was going to be a fun tingle book starring two hot guys, one the First Son and the other an actual Prince Charming. Which is was! Then some important threads surrounding that relationship wove into something bigger, bringing in family obligations, power, and progress into the fabric.
Alex is the son of the first female President of the US. Henry is the spare heir to a throne overseas. They are their respective nation’s #1 hot male single to watch, and haven’t been able to stand one another since their first meeting years ago.
Now they are in the middle of a PR move forcing them to act like longstanding BFFs, and the organic relationship that blooms during the charade becomes a beautiful thing. The timing is unfortunate, for there is genuine concern that being honest about what happened could put an upcoming re-election and a prince’s position in the monarchy in jeopardy.
This is the book for anyone who wished (and tried to make) the 2016 election went very differently because they want everyone to be able to live authentically and feel safe in all the ways while doing so. It’s about four years of progress in that direction, and an upcoming election ripe with attempts by the other side to change who is in power because that progress isn’t wanted by some.
The author managed to make a laugh-out-loud, smart, sexy, and moving romance, 100%. That, itself, is plenty reason why you should read this. But then you get to know the friends and families of these men, watch them grow and change and become more of who they truly are, and that, too, is worth your reading time. Then, finally, the spotlit drama arises, and we watch as all of these people/characters we have come to care about, got invested in, make decisions in regards to what they will do–what they will risk–when it comes to love.
I almost think I should delete this review and just yell OMG JUST READ THIS COME ON DO IT because it’s so hard to describe and I don’t think I’m doing it justice. I’m still thinking about this book, and all I can hope is that I get to play a part in getting even more people to read Alex and Henry’s story. We need it right now.
eview:
I’ve read varying reviews on this novel, many of which were predicated on the way the readers responded to the politics of the novel. Everyone agreed it was a delightful book – extremely intelligent, witty, well-written, excellent characterization, and hits all the romance beats perfectly. Yet, I saw RW&RB scored down because readers were unable to get passed the politics of the novel. This, I believe, is where I see the limits of reader response criticism, where the experience of reading a novel is completely rooted in the experience of the reader at an emotional, sentimental level, regardless of the execution of the work itself.
But readers don’t look for reviews to break down the merits and weaknesses of reader response theory. It just got me thinking about who what I’m trying to accomplish as a reviewer if I can pan an excellent book simply because the politics are too close for my historical comfort. I wonder if scoring down a book for that reason isn’t the same as downgrading a book for the identity of the character or because it features a pairing you don’t agree with. It is criminal in reviewing to possess some types of biases, yet others we tolerate others without self-reflection. However, while those beliefs won’t necessarily disenfranchise a group, it can sink a book in someone’s opinion.
Enough rambling. RW&RB is brilliant. One of the reasons I treasure this book is because it is one of the few modern LGBQTA+ romances that demonstrates an awareness of the history of the LGBQTA+ movement. To a degree, that makes sense. After all, romance is the genre of escapism and hope. Talking about the AIDS crisis or Stonewall or Compton’s Cafeteria Riot might not make for escapist reading. However, given the politics environment of the novel and both Alex’s and Henry’s roles in their families and respective governments, history and politics form a central preoccupation. The main characters are the sons of the leaders of their respective countries. Therefore, their romance, as it grows, has the power to alter history and our main characters know this, a fact encapsulated in Alex’s phrase, “History, huh?”
But there’s more to it, right? Because LGBQTA+ people have had to contend with more than just violence and intolerance. We’ve had to deal with outright historical erasure. It becomes a major theme of the novel. Alex and Henry are constantly analyzing their place in history, especially given the consequences of their growing love for each other. The moment they both embrace the fact that they will, in fact, occupy a glaring spot in the history of both countries, it is both epic and humbling for both characters. One of the most powerful moments is Alex speaking in a press conference and he tells his audience, “I am the First Son of the United States, and I’m bisexual. History will remember us.” A constant theme, it is McQuiston’s answer to historical erasure is to place the First Son of the United States and the Crown Prince of England on a world stage and dare history to ignore them.
The book is also a coming out narrative, but played out on a worldwide stage. Alex comes to terms with his bisexuality as he falls ever deeper in love with Henry. There is forced exposure of the main character’s sexuality – if this is a trigger for a reader, be forewarned that it plays a central role in the plot. But the writer handles this deftly, and the responses by the different parties involved (Alex’s mother, his sister and best friend, Henry’s family and, finally, the public) are internally consistent for the novel but also realistic on a larger scale. McQuiston paints an optimistic world where some people are ogres about the revelation of Alex and Henry’s romance but most are cheering for them and take courage from their love. Essentially, all the right people are on their side, including the British and American public. America comes off a bit better in this novel than it does in real life.
Let’s talk romance a minute. There is a wonderful mashup of tropes in this novel: enemies-to-friends, fake relationships here and even forbidden love as Alex and Henry work to find reasons to see each other. The love letters between them are a work of art on their own and McQuiston models their letters on the love letters of famous people throughout history. I have a collection of letters somewhere on my hard drive that I once collected by Virginia Woolf, Alexander Hamilton and Simon Beauvoir, among others and it was thrilling to see some of these show up in the letters between Alex and Henry. Their love and longing is palpable and was one of the highlights of the novel. I could their letters alone and be happy. Alex goes from brusque American braggadocio to poetically waxing about his love for Henry and Henry’s responses are positively literary. The wit and banter is hip and clever but when they talk about love, the words smoulder on the page.
And the love scenes – if you are an aspiring writer, each love scene is worth studying as an exemplar of how to write love scenes rooted in strong characterization. They are a splendid combination of sexual desire, emotional intensity and delicacy – truly some of the best love scenes I’ve ever read.
Favorite Quotes:
Thinking about history makes me wonder how I’ll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too. I kinda wish people still wrote like that. History, huh? Bet we could make some.
But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable.
Should I tell you that when we’re apart, your body comes back to me in dreams? That when I sleep, I see you, the dip of your waist, the freckle above your hip, and when I wake up in the morning, it feels like I’ve just been with you, the phantom touch of your hand on the back of my neck fresh and not imagined? That I can feel your skin against mine, and it makes every bone in my body ache? That, for a few moments, I can hold my breath and be back there with you, in a dream, in a thousand rooms, nowhere at all?
You are a delinquent and a plague. Please come.
Never tell me the odds.
An enthusiastic 5-star read.
I LOVED this book!
this is my absolute favourite book. and if you’re looking for well written romance and a super witty book, this is perfect.
Oh I loved this book so much. So funny, sexy, charming, romantic. Worth reading for Alex and Henry’s emails alone, but just joyful from start to finish.
I loved seeing the family and romantic relationships evolve in this book and let’s not forget the fact that is is absolutely hilarious. Totally something I am going to recommend to my friends.
Seriously, this book is going to go down as one of my all time favorite reads of 2019! I loved it!
First of all, one thing really bothered me: Henry is referred to as “The Prince of Wales” but since his brother Philip is first in line to inherit, Henry’s the spare, not the heir. He can be addressed as Prince Henry or HRH (His Royal Highness) but he’s not the prince of anything.
Having gotten that off my chest, I really enjoyed this M/M romance. Henry and Alex are wonderfully suited for each other, despite what Alex initially thinks, and watching them navigate the minefields of protocol and politics was a delight for any political junkie. The secondary characters are also superb and the entire story would make a delightful romcom.
I thought the story line was fun to read; however, the sex scene did not enhance the reading or plot line.
What a wonderful read to close out Pride month. It’s a funny, adorable, sexy, deeply romantic, clever, political-in-a-good-way, endearing story. Love is love. Love is good. Love is for everyone. I will definitely give this book a second read.
Such BIG feelings!
Being an avid romance reader, the premise of this book was like catnip to me: American/British enemies to lovers who also happen to be the FSOTUS and the Prince of Wales? Yes, please!
But, even after getting to hear Casey McQuiston talk about the book and having friends rave about the book, I was so unprepared for all the BIG feels this book gave me! The masterful explorations of sexual identity, self worth, maintaining your principals while honoring family and tradition, and fighting for what’s right are beautifully woven into a love story that is funny, sexy, and epic in every way.
I absolutely adored the texts and letters between Alex and Henry that were extremely witty while also creating this amazing love story. The addition of queer history in the letters was pure perfection, and made this history teacher’s heart soar!
And let me just say that this version of Texas politics is the one of this Texan’s dreams! Also can we please get more of June and Nora?!
This was laugh out loud funny
I had this book on my kindle for a while, but I was reluctant to start it because I feared it would consume me. And I was right. Alex and Henry! I LOVED IT ALL! This is ranking high on the best books of the year for me. It’s hilarious. It’s swoony. It’s edge-of-your-seat. But most of all it’s love and hope and goodness and a beautiful HEA. Seriously. Read it.
Love is love, no matter which partners are involved. Over the past 25-30 years, acceptance of gay people has dramatically increased, but leadership by gays is just beginning.
4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this book and cannot say enough good things about it! The only reason for the lack of half a star was the narration took me a long time to get into from the audiobook version, otherwise it was perfection, and had I read the book instead of listened it, I probably would have given it five stars.
I think the best thing about this book for me was that I could actually picture this being a relationship that happens. And I kept picturing Henry as Prince Harry. For some reason I could totally see him as being in this relationship (don’t get me wrong I love him with Meghan, and I would never change them, but I could also see him like this in an alternate world.) Alex is the president’s son, his mom being the president that took over after Obama left office. I love the real story lines that were happening. I love the dynamics of his family, and even the politics, which is generally not my thing to read about. There was a little bit of a mystery mixed in there, but overall it was really just about the love story for me, and that was perfect. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future