Blurb:
First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.
As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?
My Review:
I picked “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston for my Valentine’s week read. I found it cute and well-plotted. The political drama feels relevant without overpowering the story, and the pacing seems just right. The romantic moments are genuinely sweet, and it’s easy to root for the couple.
I didn’t fully enjoy the text exchanges, though. They felt tonally different from the regular dialogue and occasionally pulled me out of the reading flow.
I loved that there was no unnecessary miscommunication drama or a forced love triangle. The story and characters follow a decent arc, and the side characters make a strong impression despite limited background context.
Overall, a good Valentine’s read.
Suitable for age: 18+