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Darling readers, it’s bad when I’ve had a book checked out for three weeks and just remembered why I looked it up on a whim.  Had I heard about Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston way back when it first came out?  Yes.  But not super interested.  Then Amazon announced the movie is coming out in August, and color me interested (pun intended) because I do enjoy reading the book before watching the movie.  I WAS NOT READY and now, I want everyone to read this…well, everyone who can handle some open door scenes, even if it means skimming.

In Red, White and Royal Blue, which was published in 2019, we have the college senior and First Son of the United States, Alex Clairmont-Diaz, literally crashing into His Royal Highness Prince Henry, the spare, at a Royal Wedding and hijinks ensue. The novel is from Alex’s perspective and he loathes Henry and all he stands for in this enemies to lovers, fake friendship novel.  I don’t normally go for college-age romances, but when you put one of the leads as FSOTUS and he’s very into politics (my major) and you make it during a campaign to get his MOM reelected… I’m HERE FOR IT.  

But wait there’s more!  Yup, McQuiston takes these two public figures, gives them dimension, a fabulous supporting cast, and snappy dialogue. I raced through it, despite having four titles in progress while reading Red, White and Royal Blue.  There is so much to love in this novel, including the scenes in which McQuiston paints in their vision for what the 2020 election could look like (without the pandemic – which is why I pointed out the 2019 pub date), how being a public figure can alter the way people parent their children, the importance of a core friend group, and antics famous people engage in for a good time, or to win a bet.  Just like Senator Diaz, Alex’s dad, Nora’s my favorite, but that doesn’t mean I don’t adore the rest of this fabulous, quirky cast, from security and staff, all the way through the families, well, most of them at least.

I’m giving Red, White and Royal Blue a solid 4.5 stars.  It was everything I didn’t know I wanted and more, but I don’t see myself rereading it (except maybe during a potential future tragic election cycle to give me hope), which is why I’m rounding to 4 stars.  I do see myself investigating McQuiston’s backlist though, because they’ve done some pretty magical things with this title and I hope Amazon does well by them, these amazing characters, and all of us!

What’s a book you read because it was a movie, and loved?

~Nikki 

Darling Readers, author Casey McQuiston has blown me away with this 2019 debut romance novel. I’m honestly surprised Red, White and Royal Blue is a debut title. It reads like a mid-career title with a cast of dynamic characters, multiple structure choices – like text and email chains, and a collection of the best highs and lows a group of twenty somethings could find to do – especially when they’re big on money and low on time. I’m definitely adding One Last Stop and I Kissed Shara Wheeler to my TBR. McQuiston is an author who writes queer romance because they’ve stated that “they want to write books that would have made them feel less isolated as a queer teenager.” Red, White and Royal Blue won an Alex Award in 2020 which is given to ten titles published for adults from the previous year that have special appeal to young adults, aged 12-18. McQuiston writes in the new adult fiction genre from their home in New York City with their poodle mix, Pepper.

I think my favorite part of Red, White and Royal Blue, besides how two families can become one bigger, better family, is how Alex and Henry are the biggest ding dang history nerds on the planet, and they’ve found in each other a mirror for their nerd-dom. Yes, they each admit that the other is objectively handsome and fit and desired by the general public, but what is more subtle than that is how they are each attracted to the other because of interests that are not public knowledge. Like when Alex overhears Henry chatting with a pediatric cancer-patient about Star Wars during their ‘friendship tour’ together at a London hospital. This example of how nerds love nerds will come into play several times during their relationship. My other favorite is this quote from Alex: “Straight people, he thinks, probably don’t spend this much time convincing themselves they’re straight.” And this is what every teenager needs to hear and understand, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. Being who you are, who the Universe created you to be, is your greatest gift to the world. So, let’s focus on doing that more.

I’m going to give Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 4.5 stars but reserve rounding up because of the improbability that I will re-read this title. I love this book for its plot, its alternate universe, the sexy romance, and its diversity – if you couldn’t tell, FSOTUS Alex Claremont-Diaz  has a Mexican father and caucasian mother.  A seriously fabulous book, and one that I’ll be recommending again and again.

~Ashley

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