Title: Red, White, & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Genre: Romance, LGTBQ
Happy Pride, everyone! I wanted to feature Red, White, & Royal Blue this month in case you are searching for a hot gay romance to read during your Pride celebrations.
Red, White, & Royal Blue had been on my ‘to read’ shelf for a couple of months, and I am so glad that I decided to crack it open on my trip to Cancun! Casey McQuiston writes books about “smart people with bad manners falling in love,” and I could not get enough! I mean, who hasn’t dreamed of a Prince Charming romance at some point in their life? As a hopeless romantic with a dirty mind, this was the swoon-worthy Prince Charming story I had been waiting for. I am also super jealous that I did not come up with the funny, sexy, scandalous concept of America’s First Son falling in love with the Prince of Wales myself! Seriously, Casey, this was genius.
So, what are some of the reasons I fell in love with this book (without giving any spoilers)? Here are a few:
- The characters are hot AF.
Seriously, if there was a law against straight women crushing on gay men, I would have been arrested a long time ago. Alex and Henry are so witty and handsome, they are the power couple we did not know we needed. There love scenes are super steamy and their email exchanges are ‘couple goals’ to the extreme but still come across as genuine. Even the girls in the story are hot and flawlessly trendy. Casey gives the readers details on clothing, personal style, and mannerisms that really help you picture the (insanely hot) characters and bring them to life. I would cut off right arm to be the casting director of this film when it inevitably (hopefully?) comes to fruition. In all, I felt like I needed to up my ‘boujie’ reading this book—or at least revamp my wardrobe and find myself some new, hot, stylish BFFs.
- The emails and texts were pure gold.
Casey incorporated text messages and email exchanges in Red, White, & Royal Blue seamlessly. Honestly, the emails Henry and Alex sent to one another were some of my favorite parts of the entire book. Incredibly romantic. The group chat exchanges in the book also made me laugh out loud. The relationships between friends and lovers were so authentically presented to the readers. From the subject lines to the signatures, the exchanges were pure gold.
- The party scenes were lit.
Another thing I appreciated in this novel was Casey’s ability to set the scene—especially when there was a party going on! From the dancing and descriptions of the crowd to stating how freakin’ gorgeous Henry looked in his suit (le sigh), she was able to truly bring the parties to life. The karaoke bar and the New Year’s Eve party are two great scenes that come to mind.
- The Ending
Without giving away any spoilers, I also want to point out that I was skeptical how Casey would end this story. Unrealistically tying a pretty bow around a difficult situation is not my idea of a good ending, and I was nervous that this is what was going to happen in Red, White, & Royal Blue. I was glad that Casey found a way to create a happy ending without completely ignoring reality. I thought it was well done.
Overall, my recommendation is: get this book and read the crap out of it! After Trump and the absolute craziness we have seen in politics lately, I was unsure about reading a book with so many political references. However, Red, White, & Royal Blue isso liberal that it did not trigger any of my PTSD from 2020. Seeing people of color and women in office was actually refreshing. Seeing change and acceptance instead of hate was refreshing. You know what, I am adding ‘refreshing’ to my list of adjectives to describe this book:
Red, White, & Royal Blue is funny, sexy, scandalous, romantic, hot, stylish, and REFRESHING.
#PRIDE
#REPRESENTATIONMATTERS
#LOVEISLOVE
Rating: 5/5
cristal victoria 