As you’re about to see, I read and reviewed this book over the summer. However, I just got my first physical copy of the book from Book of the Month in my December box! Enjoy the review!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC of this novel. Regardless of the way I acquired the novel, the thoughts, opinions, and views stated in this review are completely unbiased and one hundred percent my own.
There is a good chance this review is going to be an incoherent gush because I LOVED THIS BOOK AND THESE BOYS SO MUCH.
I don’t know who in the publishing/writing world decided summer 2019 would be Young Adult/New Adult Pride Summer but I am l i v i n g for the queer representation that’s been all over the book channels this summer. Yes. Queens. Live your literary truth.
Alex and Henry are the perfect characters, for me, in this novel. They were each so unique and individual, while leading seemingly parallel lives. I loved how their stories intertwine, how they meet, how their feelings for each other grow and unfurl like a beautiful peacock tail (I’m really not sure why that’s the imagery I came up with in this moment…).
I read another review that mentioned they wished Alex and Henry had alternating POV’s throughout the novel. I think I liked having this first novel be all Alex because it was his discovery of himself, and his mom’s big election, so it made sense that everything was handled through his world view. However, I love the idea of getting inside Henry’s POV, and if/when we get a book two, having Henry take the lead would be, everything.
I really just want to gush about how sweet, and cute, and steamy these two romantic boys are, but that would give away all the best parts of the novel. I definitely got very emotional more than a few times while reading their love story.
The only negative thing I have to say about this novel is that it got a little political heavy. This was totally in character for Alex, our future leader of the free world, but it got to be too much for me, the reviewer who can’t even watch an entire news segment without cringing or turning it off. That’s really the only reason this doesn’t get the full 5 star rating, because I found myself skimming over some of the political discussion just so I could get to our next scene faster.
Other than that I adored this book. I ADORED the setting, and the fact that our characters included the First Son of a female President, and the Prince of England. And I adored how they navigated their relationships with their family, their countries, and each other. You guys, just read it, okay. It’s so. Cute. I want to hug them both. Love is love is love is love is love…
4.5/5
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