Red, White & Royal Blue

Casey McQuiston

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Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Released: May 14, 2019

Pages: 421

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Overall: 4.5/5

Plot: 3.5/5

Characters: 5/5

Setting & World-building: 3/5

Emotional Investment: 5/5

"History, huh? Bet we could make some."

AWWWWW. My heart is grinning, my entire body -as a matter of fact- is grinning. This is my second read-through of this book and I still love it so much. Casey McQuiston really knows how to write heart-breakingly sweet quotes. This was also the first LGBTQ+ book I've read, so what a milestone.

Quick Summary: The First Son, Alexander Claremont-Diaz is basically royalty in America, with his golden boy charm, valedictorian status, and astounding political desires. He is the perfect marketing strategy to earn his mother, the President another four years in office. That is until he instigates a possible feud with his long-time nemesis, Prince Henry of Wales. To cover up the problem, Henry and Alex are asked to fake a friendship. But what a fake friendship turns into more when real feelings of the heart get involved. What follows are international scandals, late-night plane rides across the world, and a heart bursting romance that overtakes two countries.

So, I've been in a major reading block the past two weeks, and honestly reading this got me out of it. I think this is because Red, White & Royal Blue is such a feel-good book. Everything from the characters to their relationships with each other makes you wish they were real.

First of all, Alex has the best personality ever. He was so funny and is such a good-natured workaholic that does what he wants when he wants without feeling self-conscious. He's a snarky asshole, who I love because who else would profess their love for someone by yelling at them and calling them an obtuse asshole. But underneath it all, he is a person who cares too much and wants to protect everyone and it made me so happy. On the opposite end, there is Henry, a stoic wounded soul who quotes queer Kings for fun. He comes off a stuck-up but once you get to know you understand how the immense pressure he is under causes him to feel so isolated. Individually they may be amazing people, but together... they are otherworldly.

The romance was just so well written. It included Alex trying to navigate what he feels for Henry because he has never liked a guy before. This was a particularly funny moment to read because Nora doesn't play around at all. Also, the way these two describe each other, had me SWOONING. My god, I hope to be that in love with someone one day. I do kind of wish the enemies part of this story was longer. I wanted the angst and tension to build a little, but that's fine.

The story is definitely about Alex and Henry but the secondary characters are what gave this book a special twinkle. Alex's sister, June was everything I want to be in life. She knows exactly what she wants in life and will do anything to protect Alex. Nora, their friend, on the other hand, is professionally everything I want to be. Imagine just being that good at math and being the imma-give-it-to-you-straight friend. Henry's siblings perfectly encompassed sibling ups and downs even though I hate Philip. His sister, Bea though was exciting and was the poster rebel child that I love. They all provided such an amazing support system, especially when international sex scandals start popping up.

The one major ick I had with this book was the political aspect. Don't get me wrong, a female president is exactly what I hope happens to America in the next couple of years. But the way, the opposing party literally invaded a person's privacy and lowkey outed them to the world is so morally wrong and I feel like they should be penalized for that. Once again, I do not live in America and especially after the event of the past year I don't want to but I have become more educated on how things and run and it was a little too fictional for me. Also, Texas going blue, I wish that happened this year but sadly not. If I could forget that this wasn't real and just enjoy the fiction then it was fine, but I wish there was some more actuality to it.

Honestly, though this is my guilty pleasure book and I'm not even embarrassed about it. I hope everyone reads this book at least once in their life and basks in the ethereal joy and love that is hot-headed First Son Alex and lowkey neurotic but cute Prince Henry.

Quotes

"On purpose. I love him on purpose."

"But the truth is, also, simply this: love is indomitable."

"The phrase 'see attached bibliography' is the single sexiest thing you have ever written to me."

"And then, inexplicably, you had the absolute audacity to love me back. Can you believe it? Sometimes, even now, I still can’t"

"The moment you first called me a prick, my fate was sealed. O, fathers of my bloodline! O, ye kings of olde! Take this crown from me, bury me in my ancestral soil. If only you had known the mighty work of thine loins would be undone by a gay heir who likes it when American boys with chin dimples are mean to him."