Okay, fine, I'm late to posting something again. As always, right? To be fair, I've been recovering from reading Red, White and Royal Blue for over a month. And, at the end of the day, it's not only one of the best books of the year but one of my favourite books of all-time. Oh, and, before you ask, nope: this is NOT spoiler-free.


Contrary to popular belief (or rather, the fact that it's been over a month and I STILL HAVEN'T POSTED OR REVIEWED ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK other than saying that I loved it) I took notes and annotated the heck out of my copy of Red, White and Royal Blue. My poor little ARC is probably on the brink of spine breakage considering I've read it twice already.

Basically, I've been preparing myself for my review of it. I'll say this: IT'S COMING. Probably the day after this post goes live. Hopefully before my 89th birthday in 2080. Until then, I'm going to try and make sense of my internal babble and softness over this book. Which, honestly, I should get an award for because I'm one breath away from just key-smashing-hearts-in-eyes-emoji my way through this.

In short, it goes without saying that this post is very similar to ones I've done in the past for highly anticipated reads. I am not sure it'll be altogether coherent, but, it should be FUN. Red, White and Royal Blue now owns a big chunk of my heart and I honestly haven't completely adored a romance like this since The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Which, incidentally, the hype is real FOR BOTH OF THESE BOOKS. End sentence. No further comments. No pictures, please.

1. RULE #1: DON'T GET CAUGHT is truly some good advice and I've decided I already stan this book. It can be applied in all areas of life. We love versatility!
2. Fair is fair: Alex and June already own me 100%. 
3. Alex and Henry, send tweet. Wait. This isn't Twitter. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN???? 
4. "Are sex waifs good with professional correspondence?" A good question. Audience? 
5. The tension is there. LIKE, WE ALREADY KNOW YOU TWO ARE DICKHEADS TO EACH OTHER BECAUSE--oh my fucking Christ. 
6. Well. That took a turn. Dare I say, it all came crashing down. 
7. Alex "HE STARTED IT!" Claremont-Diaz. 
8. Ellen just saved my life. Adopt me. "As your mother, I can appreciate that maybe this isn't your fault, but as the president, all I want is to have the CIA fake your death and ride the dead-kid sympathy into a second term." I want to live in this world where she is President instead of that flaming hot cheeto thing that we presently are stuck with. 
9. So, obviously, and I do mean obviously, this trio is THE TRIO WE DESERVE. Alex, Nora and June, ONLY. Thanks. 
10. Honestly, faux friendships or romantic relationship are my favourite trope SO I'M HERE FOR IT. 
11. Okay. Alex is me. The NDA. Wondering what a wholesome public figure could possibly have to hide? HOPE IT'S NOT PEOPLE HUNTING! Like, yes, honey, that's where my mind goes as well. 
12. Alex and Henry bickering back and forth like an old married couple. We're only 36 pages in. Kids. 
13. Again, Alex is me. I have a bit of a caring-too-much problem about most things. 
14. HENRY AND ALEX VISITING KIDS AT THE HOSPITAL? Single handedly saved 2019. No arguments. 
15. We love a Star Wars reference! 
16. Their banter is going to kill me. I want my tombstone to say "Death by Alex and Henry banter." Thank you.
17. Spoken like a true Prince Charming. 
18. This dynamic between Alex and Rafael Luna is cute. 
19. I want Skittles now? I don't know if I even actually like Skittles? I want? Though?! 
20. June talking about trying to get Ronan Farrow to be her friend is VERY relatable. Like, same, baby girl, same. 
21. HRH Prince Dickhead. 
22. Not to be broken record levels of "Alex is me" but like... Alex is me about the Turkeys. That is all. 
23. Henry knows how to use resources! 
24. I want you all to know that I love Nora and I would die for her and in this essay I'll--
25. OH MY GOD, ALEX, YOU DOLT. 
26. C'mon and kiss the boy.
27. THERE WE GO!!! That's what I'm talking about!!!!! 
28. (Get married, already, dumbasses.) 
29. Okay, so I just said this like five seconds ago, but, I LOVE NORA. And I would die for her. And like, honestly, she just gets it and is pointblank like Alex, sweetie, you want to dick him down. You've wanted to dick him down for like four hundred years, sorry for spoiling this for you since this is apparently BRAND NEW INFORMATION. I just love her okay? Like, it's official, she is my queen, we're having a June (ha!) wedding, etc etc.
30. For real though Alex is SUPER slow on the upkeep. I mean, he gets there in the end but like. 
31. You're BISEXUAL, Alex, sweetie. Keep up! 
32. Alex calling his ex-friend, who he MIGHT have had a thing with, is 100% relatable and on brand with me and my delayed reactions. We love a bisexual with delayed reactions. 
33. LMAO, I love Liam, too. Why do I have to love everyone so far? Who can I hate?! 
34. "Shut up, shut all the way up, oh my God!" Same. S-A-M-E. But, like, maybe shut him up perhaps? Eh? Eh!? 
35. Called it!!!!!!!!!!!
36. These two are so ??????? I love them, 10/10 would stan again and again.
37. These emails have me SOFT. I'm soft. 
38. I think they are trying to kill me and my emotions. Did Casey McQuiston intend to destroy me in FUN new ways? Is this how one emotes?! 
39. June's about to smack her brother and honestly I don't blame her? 
40. SHE KNOWS. Sisters always know.
41. "You have so much in you, it's almost impossible to match it. But he's you match, dumbass." Tell him sweetie! 
42. June describing Alex to himself is like everyone describing me and oh God, it's been a while since I related so much to a character!!!!!! BUT!!!!! 
43. I honestly love this found family. I love them all. MY KIDS. 
44. "Have I mentioned lately that you're a demon?" Me. 
45. Convinced that somehow Alex, Henry and Nora mixed genes and created me. 
46. Oh, look, Alex is being ME AGAIN. "Bisexuality is truly a rich and complex tapestry." BRO. I see you representing MY THOUGHTS and I appreciate it. 
47. irl chaos demon is what I should be in everyone's phone.
48. DRAG RACE REFERENCES.
49. HENRY SAYING BITCH, YOU TOOK ME THERE, JUST INVENTED TASTE. 
50. I love Zahra and honestly, she is on my list of characters I'd die for. Which is basically EVERY FREAKING CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK SO FAR. Except, like, the obvious. BUT!!! Her power!!!!!!!!! 
51. The women in this book are actually SLAYING me and so are the men and HAVE I MENTIONED LATELY THAT I LOVE EVERYONE??????? 
52. Forever truly is an impossibly huge word. 
53. I feel like Casey McQuiston picked up a pen and was like, "How can I personally attack Jessica's feelings? Let's go with a reference to Alexander Hamilton's letters to John Laurens and tie it into Henry and Alex's emails. Yep, this will work." Next time, PLEASE bring me tissues. 
54. Haplessly Romantic Heretic Prince Henry the Utterly Daft.
55. THESE
56. TWO
57. DWEEBS
58. ARE
59. KILLING
60. ME
61. This talk that Alex is having with his dad is truly something. I love the family dynamics of this book so much. I really do. I think that's what makes me love romance novels and hate others. It all depends on so much more than the main romance, you know? And, as a wise man once said, "Bitch, you took me there." 
62. "He remembers when he was young and freckly and unafraid, when the world seemed like it was blissfully endless but everything still made perfect sense." 
63. Everything about this conversation happening between Henry and Alex is so relatable it ACTUALLY GIVES ME THIS ACHING FEELING because I relate to it on such a personal level? 
64. Okay, Henry, cheers, mate, you just broke my heart!!! Cool!!!! 
65. This is sooo not what I signed up for but I'm ready for when the fog hopefully lifts. 
66. Alex!!!!!!!!!!! TELL HIM!!! BABY!!! Yes!!! 
67. Henry is being ridiculous is a really intensely relatable way and I feel for him. Really, I do. 
68. These two truly are trying to kill me! Fun! 
69. Insert swooning GIF here alongside hearts-in-eyes emoji. 
70. I'm June blowing up Alex's phone and a completely unbothered Nora all at once. 
71. These two are so beyond sweet and I'm so beyond weak--
72. TWO HOMES SIDE BY SIDE. Let me live!!! 
73. Memories truly are difficult. 
74. Alex's list of things he loves about Henry. Honey. 
75. ALEX WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO RAF RIGHT NOW. I know why you're talking to him buT LIKE HELLO HEAR ME OUT: HIS OFFICE IS PROBABLY BUGGED OR SOMETHING EQUALLY INFURIATING. Please stop!!! 
76. I knew something like this would happen but OUCH. 
77. Zahra, I love you. YOU'RE ALEX'S FRIEND. Admit it. It's easier this way. 
78. I am emotional.
79. Henry deserves better than that, Mary!!!!! The fuck!!!! I don't recall giving you permission to speak in my presence you old bat! 
80. Catherine! Yes! Honey. 
81. Nora. That's all. NORA. Light of my life. 
82. FIRST SON ALEXANDER CLAREMONT-DIAZ'S ADDRESS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE 
83. Alex just storming on in is a MOOD. 
84. I kind of figured Raf had something else going on. I thought maybe he was being blackmailed or dating Prick or something. Kind of relieved he wasn't sincerely on the wrong side. Still disappointed though but in a forgivable way. 
85. Richards is a predator, though. SURPRISE, SURPRISE. Even fictional politicians from that party are gross. 
86. Nora giving Alex a talk through is me trying to communicate. I love that she just lays it on you.
87. (And, okay, fine, she's WAY better at it than me. She is much more coherent.) 
88. IF MOM DOESN'T WIN I'M HAVING A MELTDOWN. I can't deal with it otherwise!!! 
89. Please let me have fictional PEACE in this government. 
90. THANK U, CASEY MCQUISTON. 
91. I'm swooning. The end. Someone fetch me a glass of wine to relax. 

In short: Red, White and Royal Blue is kind of EVERYTHING and a full on swoon-fest. If you haven't read it yet.... I have questions. Send me your address. I just want to talk.