Red, White & Royal Blue was one of those books that was all over my TikTok feed for a minute and at some point. Looking back at it all, I knew I’d read the book one day. Now, you know me, aside from being aware that it was queer lit, I knew nothing about the story at all.

In this one, we follow Alex, son to the President of the United States and British Prince Henry on their love journey. It has a sprinkle of enemies to lovers meddled with a number of other complexities.

In Red, White & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston explores the national, familial and personal conflicts of same-sex relationships against a political backdrop. She keeps to the romance blue print of finding love, losing it and love winning the day. What sets her story apart is the commentary that accompanies it.

Alex and Henry, if anything, should not be in love, and once their friendship blossoms into love, try as they may, they cannot keep the world from finding out and smearing what isn’t theirs with the grime of their expectations. Casey delves into the power of the media, mainstream and social, to interrupt people’s private existence and veer their lives off course while they scramble to please everyone but themselves.

She tackles themes such as love (in all its forms), honesty, companionship, sacrifice, surrender and self-ownership. Red, White & Royal Blue reiterates the understanding that we cannot love in silos, that no matter how our love is discovered, it ultimately isn’t something that can be hidden from the world. When we understand this, we also need to understand how to not loose ourselves while trying to please the world when it comes to matters of the heart. 

This cosy romance can be read in one sitting and is ideal for those cold rainy summer days when you need to be warmed from the inside out.