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

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I’m very conflicted about this book. 

If you strip all of the smut out, I actually think it would be way more powerful, probably only 100 pages, but powerful.

I loved the idea of Henry and Alex’s romance, and the exploration of what a relationship like that would really do if it were to happen in reality.  

It made me super hopeful for a world where we have a strong female president, and openly gay royals. As a British person, I can’t say I fully understand American politics, but a world where die-hard red states like Texas turn blue is a world I want to live in.

I just wish Casey didn’t make the book so much about sex, and aggressive sex at that. I mean it’s no secret that I’m definitely a closed door romance girly, but it’s not just because it was HUGELY open door that I had such an issue with the dominating undertone of sex in this book. I think the aggressive-ness of their sexual relationship was low key giving toxic masculinity, and I just wish we could’ve seen more of a focus on the soft and sensitive side of their love.

Overall I’d say this book was pretty good, not for the romance, but for the hope it gave me that one day I’ll live in a more accepting and loving world.