Review: Red, White and Royal Blue

 

I've a complaint I'd like to mention here. What in the fucking world, I mean, what in the freaking world, is this absolute beauty of a cover in a TRANSLATED version of the original book. And the original just sits there looking like the dumbass version of Doctor Doofenshmirtz? Seriously, what is this blasphemy. 

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston is the story of Alex and Henry. Alex is the closest thing America has to a prince, being the son of the first female president of the United States of America, and Henry is the heir to the throne of England. As far as Alex can remember, he has hated Henry for the longest time. But when Alex and Henry ruin a royal wedding and are forced to spend a weekend together in England for the sake of the media, Alex finds that he and Henry might not be enemies after all.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 4.5/5, it was a really hilarious read, but I'm really not into political fiction.

PROS:

1. Dialogue and humour: I was doubling with laughter every single effing time I was reading the dialogue. God dayum. I mean, I love gay humour, give me gay humour because the gays deserve to be freaking happy. Some really good dialogue out there please.

2. Political setting: royalty, politics and all, I'm sold. Like sell me already. [On the other hand, don't. If y'all sell me you people won't get this lovely blog that I write for you at one freaking a.m.]. British royalty+ american presidency. Mwah. And a woman president? DAMN AUTHOR, you really stole my heart with that one. SHOW  THE MEN IT'S A WOMAN'S WORLD. FEMALE PRESIDENT WHOOOOOOOOO.

3. Badass women: continuation of the previous point. Badass women. Like seriously, all the women in this story aren't weak or dependent on anybody. They're independent women who will call out other folks on their shit and try their best to help their family and friends. Bea, Nora, June, Ellen even Catherine. Damn Catherine was my favourite among them. Going against the fucking Queen of England? Damn, that takes some guts.

4. It was my first time seeing gay erotica. Needless to say I am surprised.

5. Rafael Luna being an openly gay politician. YES.

CONS:

1. Narration: I kind of felt like it was a bit rocky in the beginning. However beautiful it was all throughout the whole book. There were some places it was hard to read through and my mind had to skim over the whole of the place just to get back to it all over again because it was hard to focus. I don't mean to say it dragged because it didn't but it did kind of feel off at some places to me.

2. Political setting: As much as I enjoyed it, I'm not into political romance. I seriously am not, it's kind of like one of those things you don't like but you can't place a finger on a reason as to why you don't like it? It's kind of like that.

MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

Zahra. 

That woman's the one who carried the show. Not Alex, not Henry, not any-fucking-one else. Zahra. That lady worked her ass off for Ellen, Alex and June, taking care of them and making sure they stay out of trouble while maintaining a threatening aura. Zahra could step on me and I would thank her for it, the dominating woman aura she gives off. Too bad she's straight. And that one moment where she says she's rooting for Alex and Henry was so wholesome like fuck. And I was so genuinely surprised and shocked. I was even shocked when she said Shaan was her fiance. DAMN.

OVERALL, A REALLY NICE READ. I needed to get some of that humour inside my system because all of that angst was driving me insane.