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Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel Paperback – May 14, 2019
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* 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, 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
- Print length448 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSt. Martin's Griffin
- Publication dateMay 14, 2019
- Reading age18 years and up
- Dimensions5.4 x 1.15 x 8.15 inches
- ISBN-101250316774
- ISBN-13978-1250316776
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more
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From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
* Instant NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestseller *
* GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER for BEST DEBUT and BEST ROMANCE of 2019 *
* 2020 Alex Award Winner *
A Kirkus Best Book of the 21st Century (So Far)
A Vogue Best Novel of 2019
A Vanity Fair Best Book of 2019
One of NPR's Favorite Books of 2019
One of Entertainment Weekly's Top Ten Romance Novels of 2019
A BookPage Best of the Year
A Library Journal Best Romance of 2019
A Shelf Awareness Best of the Year
A She Reads Best Romance of 2019
"[An] exquisite debut... It’s hard to watch [Alex] fall in love with Henry without falling in love a bit yourself ― with them, and with this brilliant, wonderful book." - The New York Times Book Review
"[A] fireworks in the sky, glitter in your hair joyous royal romance that you’ll want to fall head over heels in love with again and again. A+" - Entertainment Weekly
"A rivalry between the son of a U.S. president and the Prince of Wales turns into a whirlwind romance in this charming story about true love." - Us Weekly
"[An] escapist masterpiece... It’s a truly glorious thing to live inside the world of this book and to imagine it becoming reality, too." - Vogue
"The super specific love story you never knew you needed." - Cosmopolitan
"Effervescent and empowering on all levels, Red, White & Royal Blue is both a well-written love story and a celebration of identity. McQuiston may not be royal herself, but her novel reigns as must read rom-com." - NPR
"In between sweet and steamy love scenes, Red, White & Royal Blue allows readers to imagine a world where coming out involves no self-loathing; where fan fiction and activist Twitter do actual good; and a diverse, liberal White House wins elections. This Blue Wave fantasy could be the feel-good book of the summer." - Booklist, Starred Review
"The much-loved royal romance genre gets a fun and refreshing update in McQuiston's debut... The love affair between Alex and Henry is intense and romantic, made all the more so by the inclusion of their poetic emails that manage to be both funny and steamy. A clever, romantic, sexy love story." - Kirkus, Starred Review
"With a diverse cast of characters, quick-witted dialog, and a complicated relationship between to young people with the eyes of the world watching their every move, McQuiston's debut is an irresistible, hopeful, and sexy romantic comedy that considers real questions about personal and public responsibility." -Library Journal, Starred Review
“[An] outstanding debut… with quick wit and clever plotting. The drama, which involves political rivals, possible betrayals, and even a meeting with the queen, is both irresistible and delicious. Readers will be eager to see more from McQuiston.” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Red, White & Royal Blue is funny and fun, and the family and political dynamics feel spot-on, but it’s the frank and unforgettable romance between these two young men that will compel readers to start it all over again when faced with the last page. It’s that hard to say goodbye to this couple." - BookPage, Top Pick
OPRAHMAG.COM, "The 27 Greatest Romance Novels to Read In Your Lifetime"
POPSUGAR, “30 Must-Read Books of 2019”
BUSTLE, "21 New Romance Novels To Make Your Spring Reading Even Dreamier Than You Imagined"
SHE READS, “Most Anticipated Romances of 2019”
BUZZFEED, "19 Books Coming Out This Year That You Seriously Need To Read"
HARPER'S BAZAAR, "20 Best LGBTQ Books of 2019"
HELLOGIGGLES, "Best New Books to Read in May"
HYPABLE, “Spring 2019 Releases That Need To Be On Your Radar”
REFINERY29, "Best Books of May 2019"
BOOKRIOT, “Best Books We Read in November” / “Love Is In The Air: 51 New Romance Novels Scheduled for 2019” / “Most Anticipated 2019 LGBTQ Reads” / “Most Anticipated Books of 2019” / "50 Must-Reads Books by Debut authors for January – June 2019”
BOOKPAGE, “2019 Preview: Most Anticipated Romance”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, “Best Romances of 2019"
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PARADE, "The Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019"
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FOREVER YOUNG ADULT, “Most Anticipated Books of 2019”
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, "Best of Romance 2019"
SHONDALAND, "If You’re Missing ‘Bridgerton,’ We’ve Got You Covered"
"Let this heartwarmingly romantic tale―about the son of an American president falling in love with the prince of Wales―be a balm for your political and cultural cynicism." - Oprahmag.com
"It's the ideal summer read, one that melds the hilarious crass-mouthed sarcasm of HBO's VEEP with supremely steamy scenes." - Bustle
"It’s moving, it’s relevant, it’s OH-SO romantic..." - Natasha is a Book Junkie
“Royal watchers, prepare yourselves, because this LGBTQ+ romance is destined to leave you swooning.” – Pop Sugar
"Casey McQuiston dazzles with Red, White & Royal Blue. Passion characterizes every moment of this smart, mischievous, gratifying and sensitive novel." - Shelf Awareness
“This is romance at its purest, carrying the reader away on a warm, funny journey... a vision of humanity at its finest.” - Dazed
"This is an enemies-to-lovers romance that will give you all the feels! You won’t want to miss this one – it’s been a favorite of mine this year." - She Reads
"Casey McQuiston reboots the royal romance with a joyful, clever, quick-witted and totally irresistible debut." - Vilma Iris
"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
"I tore through Red, White & Royal Blue as if it were a pint of Ben & Jerry's. By turns hilarious and angst-ridden, buoyant and strikingly real, this novel is a surefire bull’s-eye for any devotee of classic romance, slow burn fanfiction, or heartfelt storytelling. A political love story too timely and too genuine to miss." - Lyndsay Faye, internationally bestselling author of Jane Steele and The Gods of Gotham
"This book is like that perfect dessert you allow yourself only on the really good or really bad days. And I loved every deliciously satiating page of it." - Julia Whelan, author of My Oxford Year
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Red, White & Royal Blue
By Casey McQuistonSt. Martin's Press
Copyright © 2019 Casey McQuistonAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-250-31677-6
CHAPTER 1
On the White House roof, tucked into a corner of the Promenade, there's a bit of loose paneling right on the edge of the Solarium. If you tap it just right, you can peel it back enough to find a message etched underneath, with the tip of a key or maybe a stolen West Wing letter opener.
In the secret history of First Families — an insular gossip mill sworn to absolute discretion about most things on pain of death — there's no definite answer for who wrote it. The one thing people seem certain of is that only a presidential son or daughter would have been daring enough to deface the White House. Some swear it was Jack Ford, with his Hendrix records and split-level room attached to the roof for late-night smoke breaks. Others say it was a young Luci Johnson, thick ribbon in her hair. But it doesn't matter. The writing stays, a private mantra for those resourceful enough to find it.
Alex discovered it within his first week of living there. He's never told anyone how.
It says:
RULE #1: DON'T GET CAUGHT
The East and West Bedrooms on theb second floor are generally reserved for the First Family. They were first designated as one giant state bedroom for visits from the Marquis de Lafayette in the Monroe administration, but eventually they were split. Alex has the East, across from the Treaty Room, and June uses the West, next to the elevator.
Growing up in Texas, their rooms were arranged in the same configuration, on either side of the hallway. Back then, you could tell June's ambition of the month by what covered the walls. At twelve, it was watercolor paintings. At fifteen, lunar calendars and charts of crystals. At sixteen, clippings from The Atlantic, a UT Austin pennant, Gloria Steinem, Zora Neale Hurston, and excerpts from the papers of Dolores Huerta.
His own room was forever the same, just steadily more stuffed with lacrosse trophies and piles of AP coursework. It's all gathering dust in the house they still keep back home. On a chain around his neck, always hidden from view, he's worn the key to that house since the day he left for DC.
Now, straight across the hall, June's room is all bright white and soft pink and minty green, photographed by Vogue and famously inspired by old '60s interior design periodicals she found in one of the White House sitting rooms. His own room was once Caroline Kennedy's nursery and, later, warranting some sage burning from June, Nancy Reagan's office. He's left up the nature field illustrations in a neat symmetrical grid above the sofa, but painted over Sasha Obama's pink walls with a deep blue.
Typically, the children of the president, at least for the past few decades, haven't lived in the Residence beyond eighteen, but Alex started at Georgetown the January his mom was sworn in, and logistically, it made sense not to split their security or costs to whatever one-bedroom apartment he'd be living in. June came that fall, fresh out of UT. She's never said it, but Alex knows she moved in to keep an eye on him. She knows better than anyone else how much he gets off on being this close to the action, and she's bodily yanked him out of the West Wing on more than one occasion.
Behind his bedroom door, he can sit and put Hall & Oates on the record player in the corner, and nobody hears him humming along like his dad to "Rich Girl." He can wear the reading glasses he always insists he doesn't need. He can make as many meticulous study guides with color-coded sticky notes as he wants. He's not going to be the youngest elected congressman in modern history without earning it, but nobody needs to know how hard he's kicking underwater. His sex-symbol stock would plummet.
"Hey," says a voice at the door, and he looks up from his laptop to see June edging into his room, two iPhones and a stack of magazines tucked under one arm, and a plate in her hand. She closes the door behind her with her foot.
"What'd you steal today?" Alex asks, pushing the pile of papers on his bed out of her way.
"Assorted donuts," June says as she climbs up. She's wearing a pencil skirt with pointy pink flats, and he can already see next week's fashion columns: a picture of her outfit today, a lead-in for some sponcon about flats for the professional gal on the go.
He wonders what she's been up to all day. She mentioned a column for WaPo, or was it a photoshoot for her blog? Or both? He can never keep up.
She's dumped her stack of magazines out on the bedspread and is already busying herself with them.
"Doing your part to keep the great American gossip industry alive?"
"That's what my journalism degree's for," June says.
"Anything good this week?" Alex asks, reaching for a donut.
"Let's see," June says. "In Touch says I'm ... dating a French model?"
"Are you?"
"I wish." She flips a few pages. "Ooh, and they're saying you got your asshole bleached."
"That one is true," Alex says through a mouthful of chocolate with sprinkles.
"Thought so," June says without looking up. After riffling through most of the magazine, she shuffles it to the bottom of the stack and moves on to People. She flips through absently — People only ever writes what their publicists tell it to write. Boring. "Not much on us this week ... oh, I'm a crossword puzzle clue."
Following their tabloid coverage is something of an idle hobby of hers, one that in turns amuses and annoys their mother, and Alex is narcissistic enough to let June read him the highlights. They're usually either complete fabrications or lines fed from their press team, but sometimes it's just funny. Given the choice, he'd rather read one of the hundreds of glowing pieces of fan fiction about him on the internet, the up-to-eleven version of himself with devastating charm and unbelievable physical stamina, but June flat-out refuses to read those aloud to him, no matter how much he tries to bribe her.
"Do Us Weekly," Alex says.
"Hmm ..." June digs it out of the stack. "Oh, look, we made the cover this week."
She flashes the glossy cover at him, which has a photo of the two of them inlaid in one corner, June's hair pinned on top of her head and Alex looking slightly over-served but still handsome, all jawline and dark curls. Below it in bold yellow letters, the headline reads: FIRST SIBLINGS' WILD NYC NIGHT.
"Oh yeah, that was a wild night," Alex says, reclining back against the tall leather headboard and pushing his glasses up his nose. "Two whole keynote speakers. Nothing sexier than shrimp cocktails and an hour and a half of speeches on carbon emissions."
"It says here you had some kind of tryst with a 'mystery brunette,'" June reads. "'Though the First Daughter was whisked off by limousine to a star-studded party shortly after the gala, twenty-one-year-old heartthrob Alex was snapped sneaking into the W Hotel to meet a mystery brunette in the presidential suite and leaving around four a.m. Sources inside the hotel reported hearing amorous noises from the room all night, and rumors are swirling the brunette was none other than ... Nora Holleran, the twenty-two-year-old granddaughter of Vice President Mike Holleran and third member of the White House Trio. Could it be the two are rekindling their romance?'"
"Yes!" Alex crows, and June groans. "That's less than a month! You owe me fifty dollars, baby."
"Hold on. Was it Nora?"
Alex thinks back to the week before, showing up at Nora's room with a bottle of champagne. Their thing on the campaign trail a million years ago was brief, mostly to get the inevitable over with. They were seventeen and eighteen and doomed from the start, both convinced they were the smartest person in any room. Alex has since conceded Nora is 100 percent smarter than him and definitely too smart to have ever dated him.
It's not his fault the press won't let it go, though; that they love the idea of them together as if they're modern-day Kennedys. So, if he and Nora occasionally get drunk in hotel rooms together watching The West Wing and making loud moaning noises at the wall for the benefit of nosy tabloids, he can't be blamed, really. They're simply turning an undesirable situation into their own personal entertainment.
Scamming his sister is also a perk.
"Maybe," he says, dragging out the vowels.
June swats him with the magazine like he's an especially obnoxious cockroach. "That's cheating, you dick!"
"Bet's a bet," Alex tells her. "We said if there was a new rumor in a month, you'd owe me fifty bucks. I take Venmo."
"I'm not paying," June huffs. "I'm gonna kill her when we see her tomorrow. What are you wearing, by the way?"
"For what?"
"The wedding."
"Whose wedding?"
"Uh, the royal wedding," June says. "Of England. It's literally on every cover I just showed you."
She holds Us Weekly up again, and this time Alex notices the main story in giant letters: PRINCE PHILIP SAYS I DO! Along with a photograph of an extremely nondescript British heir and his equally nondescript blond fiancée smiling blandly.
He drops his donut in a show of devastation. "That's this weekend?"
"Alex, we leave in the morning," June tells him. "We've got two appearances before we even go to the ceremony. I can't believe Zahra hasn't climbed up your ass about this already."
"Shit," he groans. "I know I had that written down. I got sidetracked."
"What, by conspiring with my best friend against me in the tabloids for fifty dollars?"
"No, with my research paper, smart-ass," Alex says, gesturing dramatically at his piles of notes. "I've been working on it for Roman Political Thought all week. And I thought we agreed Nora is our best friend."
"That can't possibly be a real class you're taking," June says. "Is it possible you willfully forgot about the biggest international event of the year because you don't want to see your archnemesis?"
"June, I'm the son of the President of the United States. Prince Henry is a figurehead of the British Empire. You can't just call him my 'archnemesis,'" Alex says. He returns to his donut, chewing thoughtfully, and adds, "'Archnemesis' implies he's actually a rival to me on any level and not, you know, a stuck-up product of inbreeding who probably jerks off to photos of himself."
"Woof."
"I'm just saying."
"Well, you don't have to like him, you just have to put on a happy face and not cause an international incident at his brother's wedding."
"Bug, when do I ever not put on a happy face?" Alex says. He pulls a painfully fake grin, and June looks satisfyingly repulsed.
"Ugh. Anyway, you know what you're wearing, right?"
"Yeah, I picked it out and had Zahra approve it last month. I'm not an animal."
"I'm still not sure about my dress," June says. She leans over and steals his laptop away from him, ignoring his noise of protest. "Do you think the maroon or the one with the lace?"
"Lace, obviously. It's England. And why are you trying to make me fail this class?" he says, reaching for his laptop only to have his hand swatted away. "Go curate your Instagram or something. You're the worst."
"Shut up, I'm trying to pick something to watch. Ew, you have Garden State on your watch list? Wow, how's film school in 2005 going?"
"I hate you."
"Hmm, I know."
Outside his window, the wind stirs up over the lawn, rustling the linden trees down in the garden. The record on the turntable in the corner has spun out into fuzzy silence. He rolls off the bed and flips it, resetting the needle, and the second side picks up on "London Luck, & Love."
* * *
If he's honest, private aviation doesn't really get old, not even three years into his mother's term.
He doesn't get to travel this way a lot, but when he does, it's hard not to let it go to his head. He was born in the hill country of Texas to the daughter of a single mother and the son of Mexican immigrants, all of them dirt poor — luxury travel is still a luxury.
Fifteen years ago, when his mother first ran for the House, the Austin newspaper gave her a nickname: the Lometa Longshot. She'd escaped her tiny hometown in the shadow of Fort Hood, pulled night shifts at diners to put herself through law school, and was arguing discrimination cases before the Supreme Court by thirty. She was the last thing anybody expected to rise up out of Texas in the midst of the Iraq War: a strawberry-blond, whip-smart Democrat with high heels, an unapologetic drawl, and a little biracial family.
So, it's still surreal that Alex is cruising somewhere over the Atlantic, snacking on pistachios in a high-backed leather chair with his feet up. Nora is bent over the New York Times crossword opposite him, brown curls falling across her forehead. Beside her, the hulking Secret Service agent Cassius — Cash for short — holds his own copy in one giant hand, racing to finish it first. The cursor on Alex's Roman Political Thought paper blinks expectantly at him from his laptop, but something in him can't quite focus on school while they're flying transatlantic.
Amy, his mother's favorite Secret Service agent, a former Navy SEAL who is rumored around DC to have killed several men, sits across the aisle. She's got a bulletproof titanium case of crafting supplies open on the couch next to her and is serenely embroidering flowers onto a napkin. Alex has seen her stab someone in the kneecap with a very similar embroidery needle.
Which leaves June, next to him, leaning on one elbow with her nose buried in the issue of People she's inexplicably brought with them. She always chooses the most bizarre reading material for flights. Last time, it was a battered old Cantonese phrase book. Before that, Death Comes for the Archbishop.
"What are you reading in there now?" Alex asks her.
She flips the magazine around so he can see the double-page spread titled: ROYAL WEDDING MADNESS! Alex groans. This is definitely worse than Willa Cather.
"What?" she says. "I want to be prepared for my first-ever royal wedding."
"You went to prom, didn't you?" Alex says. "Just picture that, only in hell, and you have to be really nice about it."
"Can you believe they spent $75,000 just on the cake?"
"That's depressing."
"And apparently Prince Henry is going sans date to the wedding and everyone is freaking out about it. It says he was," she affects a comical English accent, "'rumored to be dating a Belgian heiress last month, but now followers of the prince's dating life aren't sure what to think.'"
Alex snorts. It's insane to him that there are legions of people who follow the intensely dull dating lives of the royal siblings. He understands why people care where he puts his own tongue — at least he has personality.
"Maybe the female population of Europe finally realized he's as compelling as a wet ball of yarn," Alex suggests.
Nora puts down her crossword puzzle, having finished it first. Cassius glances over and swears. "You gonna ask him to dance, then?"
Alex rolls his eyes, suddenly imagining twirling around a ballroom while Henry drones sweet nothings about croquet and fox hunting in his ear. The thought makes him want to gag.
"In his dreams."
"Aw," Nora says, "you're blushing."
"Listen," Alex tells her, "royal weddings are trash, the princes who have royal weddings are trash, the imperialism that allows princes to exist at all is trash. It's trash turtles all the way down."
"Is this your TED Talk?" June asks. "You do realize America is a genocidal empire too, right?"
"Yes, June, but at least we have the decency not to keep a monarchy around," Alex says, throwing a pistachio at her.
There are a few things about Alex and June that new White House hires are briefed on before they start. June's peanut allergy. Alex's frequent middle-of-the-night requests for coffee. June's college boyfriend, who broke up with her when he moved to California but is still the only person whose letters come to her directly. Alex's long-standing grudge against the youngest prince.
It's not a grudge, really. It's not even a rivalry. It's a prickling, unsettling annoyance. It makes his palms sweat.
The tabloids — the world — decided to cast Alex as the American equivalent of Prince Henry from day one, since the White House Trio is the closest thing America has to royalty. It has never seemed fair. Alex's image is all charisma and genius and smirking wit, thoughtful interviews and the cover of GQ at eighteen; Henry's is placid smiles and gentle chivalry and generic charity appearances, a perfectly blank Prince Charming canvas. Henry's role, Alex thinks, is much easier to play.
Maybe it is technically a rivalry. Whatever.
"All right, MIT," he says, "what are the numbers on this one?"
(Continues...)Excerpted from Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Copyright © 2019 Casey McQuiston. Excerpted by permission of St. Martin's Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- Publisher : St. Martin's Griffin (May 14, 2019)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 448 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1250316774
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250316776
- Reading age : 18 years and up
- Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.4 x 1.15 x 8.15 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #6,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #34 in LGBTQ+ Romance (Books)
- #67 in TV, Movie & Game Tie-In Fiction
- #158 in Romantic Comedy (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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About the author

Casey McQuiston is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies, whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Bon Appetit. Originally from southern Louisiana, Casey now lives in New York City.
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Customers find the book wonderfully delightful and easy to follow in its writing style, with well-rounded and diverse characters. The romance receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a delightful enemies-to-lovers story, while others appreciate its hopeful and optimistic tone. The plot receives mixed reactions - while some find it perfectly believable, others note it's not particularly original. The pacing is also mixed, with some customers saying it flows well while others find it slow in spots.
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Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as wonderfully delightful and entertaining, with one customer noting it's more enjoyable the second time around.
"...Cute, funny, and full of heart, Red, White & Royal Blue follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, son to the President of the United States, as he is forced to..." Read more
"...It reads like a fanfic and i don’t think that’s a bad thing but also y’all need to remember it’s fiction b/c the characters can be eccentric and..." Read more
"...Reading their story actually made me happy, so for that, I say THANK YOU Casey McQuiston for writing a most remarkable tale...." Read more
"...Pacing, like the majority of this book, was spot on as well. I was never bored or trying to look ahead, it was incredibly well-paced so I was just..." Read more
Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as a witty tale of love and a cute but poignant diverse MM story.
"...Cute, funny, and full of heart, Red, White & Royal Blue follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, son to the President of the United States, as he is forced to..." Read more
"...The romance aspect of it was so cute, grossly from flying to London to confess your love to incognito meet ups or the use of romantic letters and e-..." Read more
"...me happy, so for that, I say THANK YOU Casey McQuiston for writing a most remarkable tale...." Read more
"...As for her charters, Alex is PERFECT!!! His internal battle over Henry, over his sexuality, over his career, is so painfully real. He's so relatable...." Read more
Customers appreciate the well-rounded and charismatic characters in the book, finding them likable.
"...Not only is this book an incredible LGBTQ+ enemies to lovers romance, it's also the book you didn't even know you needed in our present political..." Read more
"...are just fictional characters, they were so well-written and portrayed in this book that they truly became alive in my mind, and having the book..." Read more
"...All these people strong and beautiful and portrayed as they should be. All the mentions of gay, bi, etc characters. Nora, Bea, Liam, etc...." Read more
"...reason that I now breathlessly Stan this book is because of the character work. Alex and Henry are both so intricately crafted...." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well written and easy to follow, with one customer noting how the author skillfully builds scenes.
"...The language, the prose, all of it just made this book that much better for me...." Read more
"...The writing style makes it and easy read keeping the reader entertained and makes you want to keep reading...." Read more
"...fact that Alex and Henry are just fictional characters, they were so well-written and portrayed in this book that they truly became alive in my mind..." Read more
"...There are, in my humble opinion, no filler scenes in this book. Every word, every piece of dialogue is important...." Read more
Customers find the book beautiful and endearing, describing it as an adorable couple's story that is sexy and well-portrayed.
"...Cute, funny, and full of heart, Red, White & Royal Blue follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, son to the President of the United States, as he is forced to..." Read more
"...But overall I really did love it and it was cute." Read more
"...All these people strong and beautiful and portrayed as they should be. All the mentions of gay, bi, etc characters. Nora, Bea, Liam, etc...." Read more
"...It’s hilarious and romantic and stressful and beautiful and, damn, we do not deserve this book...." Read more
Customers find the book uplifting and thought-provoking, expressing feelings of hope and love-wins-out optimism, with one customer noting its inspiring level of openness and becoming.
"...Speaking of secondary characters and world building, I am obsessed with the character interactions in this book...." Read more
"...It’s a masterful reminder that despite whatever position we come into, whether it is one we attain from hard work or one that we are born into, that..." Read more
"...2019 is going to be a bright year for McQuiston and, hopefully, 2020 will be a bright year for us all." Read more
"I admire the gorgeous headlong exuberance of McQuiston’s writing, the sheer joy and brash self-confidence of the author's achievement, and its well-..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the plot of the book, with some finding it perfectly believable and nice to have, while others note that the plot itself is not particularly original.
"...It's an authentic story about two young men discovering their identities and figuring out the shape and direction of their futures, all with an..." Read more
"...Nothing was overly explained, They came together and they made love, simple as that. In more words obviously but you get my point...." Read more
"...Even as Alex comes off as somewhat unlikeable at the beginning, by the time his feelings for Henry begin to awaken he is transformed into someone..." Read more
"...to love trope (if done properly) and I feel this fit quite well into our storyline overall as it helped to create a natural conflict that led them..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it delicious while others say it was slow in spots and not engaging.
"...I was never bored or trying to look ahead, it was incredibly well-paced so I was just living in the moment...." Read more
"...The pace is quick and transitions happen seamlessly like that of a Star Wars film. There are, in my humble opinion, no filler scenes in this book...." Read more
"...was a good book just very very very predictable and at some points dragged on too long so by the end I lost interest because you know exactly what's..." Read more
"...I appreciated that the author takes plenty of time to grow the relationship between the two young men...." Read more
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Loved it enough to buy it in hardback
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2019I need a lifetime supply of Kleenex and a trophy that says Best Book of 2019 to give to Casey McQuiston. My heart now has a space carved out that belongs to Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry Windsor, to Red, White & Royal Blue, to all of us readers left in a puddle of tears caused by this beautiful, poignant story. Not only is this book an incredible LGBTQ+ enemies to lovers romance, it's also the book you didn't even know you needed in our present political climate. I didn't even know I needed it and now I can't shut up about it. I said it in one of my Instagram stories, I wish I had this book in my hands when I was 18 and preparing to vote for the very first time. I wish I had all the thoughts I have now in my head, but at least I've got them now, and hey a Presidential election is on the horizon.
"History, huh?"
Cute, funny, and full of heart, Red, White & Royal Blue follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, son to the President of the United States, as he is forced to befriend Prince Henry Windsor, Prince of England to be exact, at least for the media. Alex is the Mexican-American first son to the democratic FEMALE President and he has high hopes of joining the political world alongside his mother. He sees the title President in his future, but that won't happen as long as he is considered the enemy of the Prince of England, which he really is. Prince Henry Windsor, who we shall now just call Henry, is the quiet, arrogant, well-dressed grandson of the Queen. He is charity events, forced smiles, and a media golden child, at least to Alex. When they're forced to hang out in order to put the media storm to rest they discover that they have quite a bit in common and soon their alliance forms into a friendship. Their friendship leads to some startling discoveries for Alex, like he's bisexual, and some timid sharing from Henry, a closeted gay thanks to familial and societal expectations. What started as a laugh-out-loud story of forced friendship soon became a story of heartbreak, hope, and humanity as Alex and Henry explore their blossoming desires for one another. Their romance is told through in person-interactions, texts, phone calls, and the best emails I have ever read. It's an authentic story about two young men discovering their identities and figuring out the shape and direction of their futures, all with an ocean and several titles between them.
"Whatever, fine. Henry is annoyingly attractive. That's always been a thing, objectively. It's fine."
Casey McQuiston created an entirely new world in Red, White & Royal Blue. Sure, it's America and England, but it's a world with diverse leaders who desire to make positive changes, who truly fight for the people. Alex and Henry know their position and their families' position in the public will make their relationship, their identities, more difficult to embrace, and yet Casey creates for them a world in which they recognize there is strength and power in owning it. Their friends and families, and employees, come from diverse backgrounds, have various heritages, and love freely. Many are out and proud, many wear that culture proudly, Alex and Henry have just not yet found their footing among them. I loved the secondary characters in this novel just as much as I loved our two main heroes. Speaking of secondary characters and world building, I am obsessed with the character interactions in this book. The relationships felt fluid and natural, there is no stilted dialogue. The characters speak and think like their age, their humor is spot on, and the romance is fresh and new feeling. The language, the prose, all of it just made this book that much better for me. I could live in these pages and I mean that quite sincerely, snotty sobbing and all, this book holds a story I want to live and I'm thankful Casey McQuiston gave me the opportunity to do so with her words.
"Straight people, he thinks, probably don't spend this much time convincing themselves the're straight."
Royal romance, politics, and everyone writing about their heart and their tears? Not normally my cuppa tea. I saw the reviews for this though, they were darn good, and one of my closets friends said it was a must-read for my June Pride reading challenge, she also included it was her favorite for the year, so I picked it up and now I do not want to put it down. For the six hours I read this book I sincerely believed every single character was a real person in my life. I was either crying, making heart eyes, or preparing to go fight alongside them. Red, White & Royal Blue took me on the cutest adventure ever and my emotions were not prepared for all the adorable, painful, and realistic moments in is pages. Not only do I wholeheartedly recommend this novel, I also think it should be a must read. It's important, while also being the feel-good story we need.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2023Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston an overall rating of 4.5/5. It was a really cute queer narrative. You’ll be led to believe it’s an enemies to fake friends to lovers but the reality is so much better cause we’re reminded yet again that men are dumb and communication is truly key b/c turns out that Alex and Henry are down bad for each since the beginning. The Prince of England and The First Son of The Untied states enter a secret love affair after they’re forced to pretend to be friends as a result of an altercation and need to show the world that they in fact don’t hate each other. Through their time together Alex comes to the conclusion that Henry is not that bad and is quite layered and although he still thinks he’s perfect there’s more to him than the image he’s built and so romance ensues. The book offers political commentary, Queer character diversity, conversations on race power dynamics, political controversies, abuse of power, political drama, and contemporary references. It reads like a fanfic and i don’t think that’s a bad thing but also y’all need to remember it’s fiction b/c the characters can be eccentric and chaotic at times and I think some of those aspects make them love able but unrealistic. The writing style makes it and easy read keeping the reader entertained and makes you want to keep reading. The romance aspect of it was so cute, grossly from flying to London to confess your love to incognito meet ups or the use of romantic letters and e-mails that really should not be had on a government server, to scenes of intamacy. The spicy scenes I think were tame but also I think a person perception of Queer sex might make that debatable. I honestly found myself laughing and giggling at times and full disclosure thinking awww that’s so cute I hate love
I do have criticism but not in a cancel the author way. The political commentary at times was cringe b/c valid commentary but it seemed out of place, awkward, and very your preaching to the choir. The politics aspect of it was iffy in general. Alex talks about nepotism but then dude walks into any senators office and is an analyst for his moms campaign like can’t criticize the system and then benefit from it. I liked that McQuiston had diverse characters however it seemed like we were reminded at awkward times that Alex was Mexican or mixed race and some narrative were promoted that could be harmful well they are . POC people trying to take over government like yes it’s true but keep it down low they’ll figure it out Jk. But that’s an actual conservative narrative and it helps promote gerrymandering. Also the awkward use of Spanish at awkward times like it didn’t fit the setting or context. This isn’t a criticism of was Alex Latin enough it’s more of like if you’re gonna do it at least have someone take a glance maybe more than one. Also intersectionality is a thing so consider that. But overall I really did love it and it was cute.
Top reviews from other countries
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Amazon カスタマーReviewed in Japan on December 7, 20245.0 out of 5 stars 状態が良くて驚きました!
「良い」という事で正直読めればいいかな程度の気持ちで注文したところ、予定より早く到着。本の状態を確認したら、ほぼ新品レベル!折れやシミ、書き込みも全くなくてビックリしました。とても良い買い物ができました!お勧めします!
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LuizReviewed in Brazil on January 25, 20255.0 out of 5 stars Perfeito
Ótima leitura, linguaguem fácil e veio bem embalado
Ótima leitura, linguaguem fácil e veio bem embalado5.0 out of 5 stars
LuizPerfeito
Reviewed in Brazil on January 25, 2025
Images in this review
ateachersguidetoreadingReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 20215.0 out of 5 stars Forbidden romance and international politics - what could go wrong?
“Sometimes you just jump and hope it’s not a cliff...”
*
Alex Claremont-Diaz is America's beloved First Son and treated like royalty by the media. But being an international socialite does have its downfalls. Namely when the tabloids get hold of photos from a royal wedding that bring to the fore a confrontation with his arch nemesis, Prince Henry. With American/British relations threatened, and his mother's reelection campaign kicking off, there's only one thing for it - staging a fake friendship between the Prince of England and the First Son of America. Alex soon finds himself diving head first in to a secret relationship with Henry that, if discovered, could change the course of history for both nations. Is it a risk worth taking?
*
"History, huh? Bet we could make some..."
*
OH MY GOSH!! What a story, what a romance, what a book! I had heard the hype and I'd seen this book everywhere so I went in to it a bit cautious. But it delivered! In fact, I think it deserves MORE hype especially when you realise this is a debut novel! I loved the humour, I loved the politics and I loved the dynamic between Alex and Henry. The sexual tension between these two and the delivery of it was so satisfying. From socialite foes to can't keep their hands off eachother lovers - it was perfect!
As a History teacher I have a big interest in international politics and while reading this I felt hope for the future. That some day we will have badass representation of all genders, ethnicities and sexualities in positions of power across the world and that sexuality should be embraced and not something that needs to be hidden within any institution. Because let me tell you, there have most definitely been queer royals throughout the ages, despite what white-washed conservative history may claim and one of my favourite parts of this book, like I laughed out loud, was when Henry addressed his brother and the history of the British monarchy “What are we even defending here, Philip? What kind of legacy? What kind of family, that says, we’ll take the murder, we’ll take the raping and pillaging and the colonizing, we’ll scrub it up nice and neat in a museum, but oh no, you’re a bloody poof? That’s beyond our sense of decorum!"
*
"The phrase 'see attached bibliography' is the single sexiest thing you have ever written to me..."
“Sometimes you just jump and hope it’s not a cliff...”5.0 out of 5 stars
ateachersguidetoreadingForbidden romance and international politics - what could go wrong?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2021
*
Alex Claremont-Diaz is America's beloved First Son and treated like royalty by the media. But being an international socialite does have its downfalls. Namely when the tabloids get hold of photos from a royal wedding that bring to the fore a confrontation with his arch nemesis, Prince Henry. With American/British relations threatened, and his mother's reelection campaign kicking off, there's only one thing for it - staging a fake friendship between the Prince of England and the First Son of America. Alex soon finds himself diving head first in to a secret relationship with Henry that, if discovered, could change the course of history for both nations. Is it a risk worth taking?
*
"History, huh? Bet we could make some..."
*
OH MY GOSH!! What a story, what a romance, what a book! I had heard the hype and I'd seen this book everywhere so I went in to it a bit cautious. But it delivered! In fact, I think it deserves MORE hype especially when you realise this is a debut novel! I loved the humour, I loved the politics and I loved the dynamic between Alex and Henry. The sexual tension between these two and the delivery of it was so satisfying. From socialite foes to can't keep their hands off eachother lovers - it was perfect!
As a History teacher I have a big interest in international politics and while reading this I felt hope for the future. That some day we will have badass representation of all genders, ethnicities and sexualities in positions of power across the world and that sexuality should be embraced and not something that needs to be hidden within any institution. Because let me tell you, there have most definitely been queer royals throughout the ages, despite what white-washed conservative history may claim and one of my favourite parts of this book, like I laughed out loud, was when Henry addressed his brother and the history of the British monarchy “What are we even defending here, Philip? What kind of legacy? What kind of family, that says, we’ll take the murder, we’ll take the raping and pillaging and the colonizing, we’ll scrub it up nice and neat in a museum, but oh no, you’re a bloody poof? That’s beyond our sense of decorum!"
*
"The phrase 'see attached bibliography' is the single sexiest thing you have ever written to me..."
Images in this review
Kirsten PaulReviewed in Canada on May 25, 20195.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
Well this book was kind of everything and I loved every second. I had heard so much about this from other reviewers and I was so excited when I was approved for the eARC. This book was absolutely adorable and definitely was worth all the hype I had been seeing about it!
Red, White, & Royal Blue is about Alex, who is the First Son of the United States of America. He was thrust into the spotlight after his mother became President, and basically become like American royalty. It's no secret that Alex really does not get along with royalty, Prince Henry, but they soon get mixed into an international scandal at Prince Phillip's wedding. They are forced to become "friends" and participate in photo ops and spend time together to help save face for both of their families. However, they soon figure out that maybe all the animosity between them was really something more all along.
Okay, first things first. I've seen this being labelled as a young adult contemporary book on some websites, but this is definitely not. It is a new adult romance at the very least. There are a lot of steamy scenes and fade to black moments, nothing too descriptive, but more than what you would see in a typical YA contemporary book.
With that out of the way, I loved basically everything about this book. I thought the plot was amazingly well paced, I never found myself bored or hoping that the plot would just get going. I was entertained the entire time, and even though it does follow the typical romance formula, the author did some intersting things in the story that made it feel fresh and fun. I also really enjoyed the political elements of this story. We got to see the President and Alex trying to navigate this whole romance and its ramifications during the election year, and see Henry struggle on his end with what this relationship would mean for the "Royal Image". I thought all of that was super intersting and gave the book a deeper level of story telling.
This book was also extremely diverse! We have bisexual and gay characters, a transgendered character, and lots of POC rep. And the cherry on top is that these labels did not define the characters! They were part of who they were, and yes their sexuality and race was important to the plot, but it was not their only defining characteristics in the book, and every character was developed beautifully. We also had a female president and tons of strong female characters in positions of power.
Speaking of characters, Alex was hilarious. He is outspoken, brash, but still so unfailingly loyal to those he loves, that it made it hard to not love him. Henry was Alex's perfect foil. He was calm, quiet, and more subdued, but so passionate about topics and people he loved. The way they came together and worked through the tough times was really beautiful, and the really are a new OTP of mine. Nora and June were equally amazing. I loved seeing them grow individually and really learn what it as they wanted to do with their lives. Seriously, I loved all the characters, I can't think of a major character who was flat or not talked about enough. I felt connected to them all and enjoyed reading about their character arcs.
Basically the TDLR is that I loved this book.
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Martial FaureReviewed in Belgium on March 7, 20245.0 out of 5 stars Excellente histoire
Je voulais lire le livre après avoir vu le film. Très bien écrit

























