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A review by onthesamepage
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Tropes: forced proximity, hate to love, royal romance
Steam level: 🌶🌶
The first time I read this back in 2020, I thought it was a perfect romance book for me. I truly loved everything about it: the writing that flowed so easily, the setup (who doesn't love a royal romance?), the snark, the characters. Also, it reminded me of one of my favourite fanfics. I devoured the book, and I still remember the feeling of utter contentment I had afterwards. Definitely a new favourite, I decided.
When I reread it, I still really liked it, but that magical spark it gave me the first time was missing a bit. It could be that my taste as a reader has changed, but it could also be:
* That I read it physically instead of as an ebook, which slowed my reading of it down a lot (7 days vs. 4 the first time)
* That I had just watched (and loved) the movie adaptation, so I had very recently consumed the story
I've decided not to change my rating, but I think I'll probably do another reread sometime in the future to see if it remains a favourite, or if I've changed. The movie did make me realize that the pacing of the romance could've been faster, which would've allowed for more moments between Alex and Henry, and some room for the relationship to breathe. The tropes all still work for me, though. I like the beats of the story, and how the author also gives the side characters room to shine. Henry and Alex find a way to support each other through some difficult times, even if it sometimes has to be at a distance. The conflicts that arise made perfect sense for the characters, and there's a good mix of internal and external problems that they need to face.
I can understand why this might not appeal to people who care very deeply about American politics. The author mentions that they wrote this as a form of self-care, in a year where politics took a drastic turn and someone who should never have been president got elected. Since I'm not American, I could simply enjoy this for the escapism it's meant to be, because it doesn't hit close to home for me.
Steam level: 🌶🌶
The first time I read this back in 2020, I thought it was a perfect romance book for me. I truly loved everything about it: the writing that flowed so easily, the setup (who doesn't love a royal romance?), the snark, the characters. Also, it reminded me of one of my favourite fanfics. I devoured the book, and I still remember the feeling of utter contentment I had afterwards. Definitely a new favourite, I decided.
When I reread it, I still really liked it, but that magical spark it gave me the first time was missing a bit. It could be that my taste as a reader has changed, but it could also be:
* That I read it physically instead of as an ebook, which slowed my reading of it down a lot (7 days vs. 4 the first time)
* That I had just watched (and loved) the movie adaptation, so I had very recently consumed the story
I've decided not to change my rating, but I think I'll probably do another reread sometime in the future to see if it remains a favourite, or if I've changed. The movie did make me realize that the pacing of the romance could've been faster, which would've allowed for more moments between Alex and Henry, and some room for the relationship to breathe. The tropes all still work for me, though. I like the beats of the story, and how the author also gives the side characters room to shine. Henry and Alex find a way to support each other through some difficult times, even if it sometimes has to be at a distance. The conflicts that arise made perfect sense for the characters, and there's a good mix of internal and external problems that they need to face.
I can understand why this might not appeal to people who care very deeply about American politics. The author mentions that they wrote this as a form of self-care, in a year where politics took a drastic turn and someone who should never have been president got elected. Since I'm not American, I could simply enjoy this for the escapism it's meant to be, because it doesn't hit close to home for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Minor: Sexual harassment