One of my first blog posts was a review of Katharine McGee‘s American Royals. I have finally continued the series, so I will be starting a series review post about it now.
Attention: I will be reviewing all books of the series in this post (gradually), but everything apart from the first book will be hidden so that you will not see any spoilers (unless you want to, of course).
Book 1: American Royals
What if…
the American people had offered Washington a crown? That’s the start of this first romantic book in the American Royals Series. The story explores in a fun but believable way an alternative history of the United States and the “House of Washington”. The popularity and the (relatively) modern ways of the monarchy show a lot of similarities to what we are used to seeing about the English Royals on the television.
At the centre of the story, we find three royal siblings, loved by the people and heavily discussed by the tabloids: heir to the throne Princess Beatrice and the twins Princess Samantha and Prince Jefferson. Beatrice, having been forced into the corset of being first in line to the throne her entire life is a somewhat stiff but clever and determined young woman looking to balance her own dreams and her role as future monarch. Even though she does not yet wear the crown, it is already a weight she has to carry alone: after all, how do you prepare yourself to be the first ever female ruler? Her sister Sam, however, doesn’t think twice about protocol and rules. Her older sister is before her in line for the throne, so why should she not live her life to the fullest? And then there’s Jefferson, the handsome prince, revered by the people and adored by girls all over the country.
Different points of view
This book definitely makes good on its promise of intrigues, gossip, and luxury. The style is fluent, recognisable and entertaining. It’s once again a story filled with impossible loves, my absolute favourite type of romance. I especially appreciated the change in perspective: each chapter is told by another character and this is not limited to the royal children. I might even have preferred the non-royal characters like Daphne, Jefferson’s ex who aims to reclaim his heart and her rightful place in the monarchy, and Nina, Samantha’s best friend who also adores the prince.
Are you looking for a fast-paced and entertaining read with a youthful “glitter and glamour” vibe? Then this could be the series for you. A well-earned five out of five stars, Katharine McGee:
Book 2: Majesty
Summary & Evaluation (click here)
While I really liked reading book two, it did not blow me away like book one did. It was definitely an entertaining enough read, but it couldn’t enchant me as much. I wasn’t bothered by some of the romantic choices of the main characters though, unlike many other fans. Those actually made sense in my opinion. I also appreciated the switching points of view and cannot help feeling a bit sorry for the mean girl of the story. An amusing book, but clearly second-book-syndrome: 3 gemstones out of 5.
Book 3: Rivals
Coming soon!
Book 4: Reign
Coming soon!
Book 0: Inheritance
Coming soon!
Age Category: Young Adult
Trigger Warnings (click here, may contain spoilers)
Very mild. Warnings for drugging and manipulation.Do you want to discover more?
If my review inspired you to pick up the first book, don’t hesitate to check it out at Goodreads or at the below online stores.
Amazon.nl: Hardcover Edition
Amazon.nl: Paperback Edition
Amazon.nl: eBook Edition
You can also opt for the paperback box set containing book 1 to 3.
Similar to this
If you are into royal romances, you might also want to check out Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. This romantic comedy tells the story about two young men, the First Son Alex of the USA and Prince Henry of Britain who have to stage a fake friendship in order not to threaten American/British relations. Personally, I wasn’t blown away by this story, but I seem to be the only person in the world who isn’t fangirling about this book. If you want to hear what I thought about it, my review is already available.
Another novel in the same trend is Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. This is the story of the son of a rock-star, Luc, who strikes a deal with “perfect boyfriend” Oliver to fake a relationship. This one is high on my TBR list!
Last but not least, I would like to recommend one of my favourite Young Adult Contemporary novels: Hating Jesse Harmon by Robin Mimna. This is a story about a plus-sized, unpopular main character who decides to run for prom queen and has awesome representation (plus-size, LGBTQ+, neurodiversity). Highly recommended to all. Check out my review here.