Red, White & Royal Blue

By Casey McQuiston

Rating: 5/5 Stairs

I don’t read a lot of romance novels. It’s not that I don’t like a good love story. I do. It’s just usually the love stories I read are part of a mystery, fantasy, thriller, or memoir type novel. You know, the genres I typically read. Contemporary romance is not usually my go-to section of the library or book store.

But the moment I saw this cover I knew I had to read this book.

Look at it. The casual American. The formally-dressed Brit. The cute font. “True love isn’t always diplomatic.” Red, White & Royal Blue was screaming at me to pick it up. So I did. Virtually, of course – and in the form of an audio book. Side note – the narrator (Ramon de Ocampo) is fantastic.

Our casual American is Alex Claremont-Diaz, the President’s son. Alex is young, easy-going, handsome – and adored by the masses. And for some reason, he really, really does not like England’s Prince Henry. Henry is stiff, formal, and difficult for Alex to relate to. After a formal event ends with Alex and Henry lying on the floor covered with cake, the PR department steps in to smooth relations. After all, Alex’s mother (yes you read that right – we’ve got a woman president in this fictional world, people!) is up for re-election and they can’t have any scandals with the first son. Alex and Henry must pretend to be friends.

You guys know where this is going, right? I mean I did say at the beginning of this review it’s a romance novel. Of course as friendship is forced upon them, Alex falls head-over-heels for Henry. Here’s the catch – they are both HUGE public figures. (Not to mention their families don’t even know that they are gay or bi-sexual.) So they must keep their budding romance a secret. Cue the music: dun dun dun! We all know that this isn’t going to end well…or will it?

Red, White & Royal Blue is funny, sweet, thoughtful, cute, and heart-warming. It was everything I wanted it to be and more.

This is from the official blurb over at Goodreads, but these questions are just right on:

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?

Alex & Henry’s story is just what my heart needed right now. Loved, loved, loved this book.