Red, White, and Royal Blue: How Casey McQuiston Shot To The Top of My Bookshelf

I first discovered the book Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston on a Tiktok book recommendation page. The video was talking about what books to read if you are into queer romance— and of course I absolutely am—so I wrote down some of the titles and googled them. Red, White, and Royal Blue is the type of book you read if you are into politics (but really wish politics were better), enjoy MLM stories, like millennial/Gen Z humor, or all of the above. Warning: this will absolutely contain spoilers!

Why I Love This Book

The story starts with fun, charming, Alex Claremont~Diaz and his group. Alex is the FSOTUS (first son of the US) and is living his life very fashionably as such. He lives in the White House with his mother the president, the first gentleman (his mother’s partner), and his sister June (as well as often visits from his best friend Nora). When we meet the main American cast, we immediately fall in love with their dynamic. They are very fun and witty! They speak to each other like any normal group of people in 2019-2021 and that allows you to feel deeply connected to them from the start.

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When we meet the second main group of characters (Henry, his sister Bea, his brother Philip, and the rest of the royal staff) we get a different vibe from them entirely. Henry Fox~Mountchristen~Windsor is quiet and reserved. He is the prince of Wales and is a very beautiful, very aloof man. Henry is Alex’s sworn enemy and rival, and has been since the world cast Alex as the American equivalent of Henry’s royal status. Alex thinks he has it harder than Henry. He isn’t white, is the son of the first female president, and has to work twice as hard just to get even with Henry in the world. The funny thing about the rivalry, is that it doesn’t even get to last long. At the royal wedding between Henry’s brother Philip and his new wife, Alex and Henry clash and have an argument resulting in the cake-tastrophy of their wedding cake being destroyed. Because of this mishap, the two are forced to do some damage control which sets up the plot for the rest of the book. The two are no longer aloud to be seen as enemies, and instead are forced to be (fake) best friends.

The Henry that Alex thought he knew immediately starts to melt into something new. He starts to learn new things about Henry that nobody has ever known before. The man he initially thought to be rude and stuck up, reveals himself to be more kindhearted, thoughtful, and intelligent over the months of their new friendship. They have this new dynamic where—instead of calling the other names and avoiding each other at all costs—they text each other memes and call to gush about great turkey calamities. They form an entirely new bond and it is to die for. Their friendships is going great—that is until Henry kisses Alex at his New Years party.

This (not so) surprising turn of event causes Henry to ghost Alex for a few weeks and in that time, Alex is sent down a rabbit hole of questions. Is he gay? Does Henry have feelings for him? Why would he choose to do this now? What does this mean for his mothers campaign? Time skip, and now Alex has figured out he’s bisexual and attracted to Henry. The next time Alex sees Henry is at a state dinner in the US where Henry has been formally invited to attend. This is the meeting of their first hookup. They both come out as gay and bisexual to the other and agree to a friends

with benefits type situation. Alex isn’t in love with Henry. Henry isn’t in love with Alex. So they keep it casual. Well—as casual as it can be when you hook up in drag bars, wake up in Paris together, and constantly crave the other’s physical presence. Alex and Henry barrel through political struggles, family struggles, and struggles to define wether they are truly just in it for the sex, or if it could be something much, much more.

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This book is so well written and never fails to make me laugh, smile, and cry waterfalls of tears every time I read it. Casey expresses so much emotion through this book with every page and you wont get enough of it! I love the way this book depicts the spectrum of sexuality, the idea that you don't have to know your identity at a very young age, the way the relationships are written between all of the characters, EVERYTHING! This book is the epitome of what we all wish politics and acceptance were in the modern world. Please make sure to go get yourself a copy of this masterpiece at your local library or bookstore! Remember: Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston!