Red, White and Royal Blue - By Casey McQuiston
Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewed by: Vivian, Grade 12
Red, White and Royal Blue is an LGBTQ+ novel that follows the unexpected love story between Alex Claremont Diaz, the First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry of Wales. The writing of the novel is very witty and humorous and I definitely let out a few chuckles while reading the story. The plot is very cute and cheesy, and I love it. I love books that are unapologetic about what they are vs books that try so hard to be deep. However, in this case the narrative is not only just a love story but also a compelling exploration of identity, politics, and the pressures of public life. There are many relatable moments of feeling lost and not being able to accept yourself. The characters are so well developed and relatable, with Alex and Henry's banter creating a captivating dynamic. The only reason why I didn't give this novel a 5 out of 5, is because I feel like the ending was too easy and abrupt. I loved the slow burn and the development of their characters, but I feel like the author rushed the ending. The plot was going so slow until probably the last two chapters, and what felt like months worth of conflict ended simply with one action. With that said, I still think that this story is really cute and you should definitely give it a try if you're into cheesy romance novels. Be careful though, because I fell so in love with the characters and storyline that I didn't read any other romance novels for months!