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orionmerlin 's review for:
Red, White & Royal Blue
by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
Characters – 9/10
Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry absolutely stole the damn show. Alex is this hot mess of ambition and daddy issues wrapped in charisma and horny chaos, while Henry is British repression personified, with a jawline sharp enough to cut diamonds and enough emotional baggage to fill a 747. I cared deeply about their journey, yelled at them when they were idiots, and may have considered writing fanfiction afterward. Even the side characters—Zahra, Nora, June, Pez—feel like they could each helm their own spin-off series. There’s so much life in them, I could practically hear their group texts buzzing.
Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry absolutely stole the damn show. Alex is this hot mess of ambition and daddy issues wrapped in charisma and horny chaos, while Henry is British repression personified, with a jawline sharp enough to cut diamonds and enough emotional baggage to fill a 747. I cared deeply about their journey, yelled at them when they were idiots, and may have considered writing fanfiction afterward. Even the side characters—Zahra, Nora, June, Pez—feel like they could each helm their own spin-off series. There’s so much life in them, I could practically hear their group texts buzzing.
Atmosphere/Setting – 8/10
Okay, so the world of this book is basically a soft-focus, gay rom-com fever dream version of reality where the biggest political scandal is two extremely hot men falling in love via memes and late-night texting. The settings—the White House, Buckingham Palace, various swanky event venues—are less about gritty realism and more about giving our boys somewhere dramatic and sparkly to flirt. I didn’t mind. It's fantasy with political gloss, like The West Wing meets Love, Actually with better sex jokes.
Okay, so the world of this book is basically a soft-focus, gay rom-com fever dream version of reality where the biggest political scandal is two extremely hot men falling in love via memes and late-night texting. The settings—the White House, Buckingham Palace, various swanky event venues—are less about gritty realism and more about giving our boys somewhere dramatic and sparkly to flirt. I didn’t mind. It's fantasy with political gloss, like The West Wing meets Love, Actually with better sex jokes.
Writing Style – 8/10
McQuiston writes like your extremely clever, slightly chaotic friend who texts you screenshots of their favorite lines at 3 a.m. The prose is fast, witty, and occasionally indulgent in the best way—Alex’s inner monologue alone deserves a Pulitzer in Unfiltered Gay Panic. The balance between swoony romance and laugh-out-loud banter is on point. Some of the political exposition is a little heavy-handed (we get it, Ellen Claremont is The Cool Mom President™), but I didn’t care because the gay pining was too delicious.
McQuiston writes like your extremely clever, slightly chaotic friend who texts you screenshots of their favorite lines at 3 a.m. The prose is fast, witty, and occasionally indulgent in the best way—Alex’s inner monologue alone deserves a Pulitzer in Unfiltered Gay Panic. The balance between swoony romance and laugh-out-loud banter is on point. Some of the political exposition is a little heavy-handed (we get it, Ellen Claremont is The Cool Mom President™), but I didn’t care because the gay pining was too delicious.
Plot – 7/10
The plot is basically: enemies to lovers to global PR nightmare to kissing in the Red Room. And I was all in. It dragged a little in the middle—I get that there are 57 subplots and each one has a press secretary—but it stuck the emotional landing. I was in full emotional meltdown by the end, fists clenched, tears misting my glasses. The tension is mostly romantic rather than external (though shout-out to the tabloid-fueled international incident that started it all—Cakegate lives in my mind rent-free).
The plot is basically: enemies to lovers to global PR nightmare to kissing in the Red Room. And I was all in. It dragged a little in the middle—I get that there are 57 subplots and each one has a press secretary—but it stuck the emotional landing. I was in full emotional meltdown by the end, fists clenched, tears misting my glasses. The tension is mostly romantic rather than external (though shout-out to the tabloid-fueled international incident that started it all—Cakegate lives in my mind rent-free).
Intrigue – 9/10
I inhaled this book like it was laced with caffeine and spite. I was thinking about these two morons during work meetings. Every text message between Alex and Henry gave me a dopamine hit like I was reading classified documents. The moment Henry finally cracked and kissed Alex? My soul left my body. I was hooked from “don’t get caught” to the final swoony email, and if you’ve read it, you know that email wrecked me.
I inhaled this book like it was laced with caffeine and spite. I was thinking about these two morons during work meetings. Every text message between Alex and Henry gave me a dopamine hit like I was reading classified documents. The moment Henry finally cracked and kissed Alex? My soul left my body. I was hooked from “don’t get caught” to the final swoony email, and if you’ve read it, you know that email wrecked me.
Logic/Relationships – 6/10
The political logic here is flimsier than a tissue in a rainstorm. The idea that the world would react to a First Son and a British prince hooking up with nothing but mild Twitter thirst is, frankly, hilarious. But I suspended my disbelief because the emotional relationships—between Alex and Henry, Alex and June, the White House Trio—felt real. Their motives made sense, even if the plot occasionally didn’t. Also, the bisexual awakening was weirdly well-written for a book with a character named “Cornbread the Turkey.”
The political logic here is flimsier than a tissue in a rainstorm. The idea that the world would react to a First Son and a British prince hooking up with nothing but mild Twitter thirst is, frankly, hilarious. But I suspended my disbelief because the emotional relationships—between Alex and Henry, Alex and June, the White House Trio—felt real. Their motives made sense, even if the plot occasionally didn’t. Also, the bisexual awakening was weirdly well-written for a book with a character named “Cornbread the Turkey.”
Enjoyment – 10/10
This book gave me everything I needed: royal drama, political fairy tale, gay yearning, and multiple scenes where two powerful idiots yell at each other in closets before making out. I laughed. I got a little misty. I bookmarked half the book for rereads. Would I recommend it? Only to everyone who’s ever had a pulse.
This book gave me everything I needed: royal drama, political fairy tale, gay yearning, and multiple scenes where two powerful idiots yell at each other in closets before making out. I laughed. I got a little misty. I bookmarked half the book for rereads. Would I recommend it? Only to everyone who’s ever had a pulse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Outing, Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent
This book is generally lighthearted but touches on serious topics related to LGBTQ+ identity, public scrutiny, and political pressures. While most heavier themes are not graphic or central to the story, they are acknowledged in a way that may be important for some readers to know.