A review by unawake0442
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Red, White & Royal Blue offers what not enough contemporary romance novels do, a real romance. As much as I love the contemporary romance renaissance, it feels like so many don’t get to the heart of the love and ache and desire that makes so many of us love the genre. Instead, we find ourselves recycling tropes and rating levels of spiciness. And all of that is still a ton of fun! I love this genre of books I feel I only recently fell head-first into. But Red, White & Royal Blue gave me passion. It gave me love letters. It gave me real love. Something that felt beyond infatuation, beyond wanting to rip someone’s clothes off (though it gave me that too). There is a true desire between Alex and Henry for their hearts and minds, for who they are as people. It gave me love.

I am also amazed this is Casey McQuiston’s first novel. The writing and characterization are so top-tier, and it doesn’t fall into many of the debut traps. The plot is so well-laid. It’s not perfect, but it’s extremely solid nonetheless.

And the way their story is unapologetically gay is so beautiful. Their respective journeys feel so real, and I recognize my own in them. McQuiston’s writing is always a breath of fresh air. But I’ll never stop being in awe of the way they write conflict and the specific hardships that come with being gay without even making things tragic or falling into trauma porn.

Instant classic. Immediately moving to the favorites shelf. 10/10