American Royals by Katharine McGee is the perfect blend of history and romance and is bound to keep you up all night reading. Set in modern times, American Royals is told through the lens of the United States being governed by a monarchy instead of a democracy. The Washington family has been on the throne since the birth of America and with the laws changing regarding the line of succession, the country is anticipating the rise of their first female monarch.
The book follows Princess Beatrice, her two siblings Princess Samantha and Prince Jefferson, Nina Gonazalez and Daphne Dayton. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective, which helps break up the storyline while also adding more depth to each character’s thoughts and personality.
Princess Beatrice is learning to balance being the heir to the throne, judgment from social media and her complex love life. On the other hand, Princess Samantha keeps herself far away from politics because it’s a constant reminder that she will most likely never be Queen. Her twin, Prince Jefferson, has his hands full with ex-girlfriends, new love interests and wanting to choose his own path in life. Nina Gonzalez, Samantha and Jefferson’s best friend, is a “commoner” and her life gets turned upside down when she’s suddenly thrown in the spotlight. Jefferson’s ex, Daphne Dayton, is determined to win him back and will stop at nothing to get a tiara on her head.
Throughout the novel, McGee does a great job of throwing in references to past historical events and tying it back to the plot to get a light-hearted reaction from the reader. References to the Founding Fathers and jokes about the British are just two examples of how history is utilized and also edited to fit the new government America has adopted in McGee’s fictional world.
With many plot twists and pages filled with drama, American Royals is not only entertaining, but also prompts the reader to reflect on moral dilemmas and what our lives might be like if we lived under a monarchy. The thought provoking nature of American Royals is what makes the book so unique and is a must read for anyone who loves history and romance.