First I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me access to this book, it has taken me a while to get to and to be honest I has taken me a while to get through as well. 

This seemed like such a fun concept as I thought it would be a modern twist on royalty but really it felt a little outdated and bigoted still. I didn’t really care for the characters as Beatrice was up herself, I get it she is next in line for the throne but links still have opinions in things like Mia in the princess diaries don’t just rollover and accept it. Jeff is a knob how can you believe your ex who you dated for 3 years over someone you have know since you were 6, seems a little pathetic. Then Samantha she felt like she had middle child syndrome where no one could really care what she did but eventually it felt more like a cry for help.  And finally Nina - surely being Samantha’s best friend she would have already been in the limelight so why is she making out like everything is so new to her? 

I’m not sure if I will continue with the rest of the series as I just don’t really care, but at the same time the fact that when Beatrice tells her dad she loves someone he says no - and then when he tells her to suck it up and she says no he dies! WHAT A COP OUT! I’m just not sure how I feel….

I thought I’d like this book, but given America’s history and everything i couldn’t bring myself to properly enjoy the book. The characters fell flat, I wasn’t that into the writing style either or the plot of the book. I would’ve preferred a made up country tbh.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley. 

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. 
Natalie.

My type of book. Lovely easy reading with a bit of sass. It's literally Crazy Rich Asians meets The Crown in this completely addictive modern-day royal romance.

I was provided a copy of this book by Net Galley in exchange for a fair and impartial review.

TLDR: the book was an enjoyable read. It made more sense when I understood it was part of an ongoing series (won't say more to avoid spoiling). 

I felt the scene-setting at the start of the novel was a bit rushed. I would have liked more time to build the alternate history in which this book is set, and the family history in particular. 

The characters are good. Some are easier to understand than others. I added a star to my original review of 2 stars because I hope book 2 draws out more of the characters.

I adored this! I loved Katharine McGee’s THE THOUSANDTH FLOOR trilogy so picking this up was a no brainer. It’s a fab take on American history, a sort of Gossip Girl meets The Selection YA romp, and it’s great fun to read. I’m excited to pick up the sequel.

This reads like trashy daytime TV with the most frustrating characters who seem to have leapt straight out of the Kardashians. This was boring and frustrating and unfortunately not worth reading.

OBSESSED with American Royals - a smart, sassy book in which we're thrown into the world of American Nobility. I loved it and can't wait to read the sequel!

Frothy, frivolous but above all fabulous fun!

Picture this, George Washington never became the first president, he became the first US king, and now in the 21st century the House of Washington is still in power and due to a change in policy the first born female can inherit the throne making Princess Beatrice heir apparent. Her parents have decided the time is now for her to look for her future prince consort. But can true love and duty walk the same path?

This keeps been compared to Crazy Rich Asians etc but I really have no idea, no mg thing (I'm far too old). But I liked the writers Thousandth Floor series and as I have a daughter fast approaching YA fiction I like to keep in touch! And my inner teenager still lurks. So on the plus side this is such fun! There's romance, intrigue, scheming, misunderstandings etc etc. It's an enjoyable easy read. So all good. But God damnit has teen fiction not got passed the 'good' girls are virgins and the 'bad' girls sexually active? Is this still a thing? Did Judy Blume not get us past that in the 70s? Apparently not. It bugs me. But that aside, sex not been a huge part of the story, I liked this and will certainly read the next part.

Not my usual type of book but I've seen so much about it on IG I thought I'd give it a go. Although I didn't love it, I didn't hate it either!

Love love love this book! This was an unexpected hit with me  -  I expected it to be Gossip Girl esque and I didn't have overly high expectations but the little historical and cultural references had me chuckling all the way though. I didn't see the end coming and I can't wait for book 2

Unfortunately I did not get on with this book and therefore cannot rate it very highly. I really struggled to connect with the characters and storyline.

This story is an alternate history where America is ruled by royalty. This follows the current generation of the Washington family the reigning monarchs. 

This book is split up into four POVs which I found were too many. I didn't feel connected to the characters. I would have preferred if there had been fewer POVs so I could really connect to the characters. I didn't feel that the characters were as developed as I would have liked as they all felt very similar so at times it was difficult to distinguish between them. I think my favourite POV was Beatrice's because I felt that her character was the most developed as the future heir. 

I liked the plot idea although I did think that some of the plot points were a little predictable. I did like the way the book ended and it has made me want to pick up the sequel when it is released.

This is an absolute mockery of a story.
It feels like it has been written for 10 year olds and there are far better books out for teenagers than this.
I certainly would not bother with any more in this series.
Painful to read.

I was highly anticipating this one after a lot of hype from a few well known authors I follow. I must admit it did not live up entirely to my expectations. I was hoping for a novel filled to the brim with politics, romance and drama. Instead, it felt... bland. 

It felt a bit like McGee tried to fit too much into this one. There are a number of perspectives throughout, building a number of separate plot threads. The heir, Beatrice, has her own forbidden romance which is reminiscent of the film First Daughter whilst struggling with the intense pressures as the next monarch. Her brother, Jefferson, has returned to Washington and becomes quickly embroiled in a complicated love triangle/square. Meanwhile, Samantha is going through her problems as the spare, always second to her sister. Each character arc felt lacklustre and under-developed and I just never really had a chance to truly get attached. 

There was a lot of potential here and there was a lot to like in this - it's a great guilty pleasure read with promising romances as well as some introspection on the nature and drawbacks of privilege, expectations and fame. A series following an American monarchy is a great premise. However... I was left feeling that I would have enjoyed this more if each royal heir had got their own novel so there would be space to fully develop their story-lines.  

With all that being said, this was a very quick read for me. I am glad that I read this and I have high hopes that the sequel may work better for me.

I’m a bit of a sucker for books about royalty, I just find the whole idea of being part of that world so interesting because it’s so unlike normal life. 

American Royals explores this idea really well and I really enjoyed reading about the struggles Princess Beatrice faced as first in line to the throne. I also thoroughly loved the forbidden love plot. 

My favourite part of the book was following Princess Samantha and Prince Jefferson, as royals who get the perks but also have a bit more freedom. I found them to be really interesting believable characters and Jefferson’s love triangle, though frustrating at times, was addictive. 

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

Overall I liked this alternate history of America and thus the world. 
My one issue was with Daphne's age. She was still 17 at the time of writing. 
Her scheming was that of a teenager true, but the concept of marriage at such a young age- well. My guess is that the ages of the main characters were to appeal to an YA audience.
It would have been nice to have had more history of America in the storyline. What had happened after the war with the British? 
There were odd sentences here and there-eg about lavery & Native Americans, but they only left me wanting more detail.
I'm sure a YA audience will love this new series, after all, so many girls dream about being a: a. a princess and b. To be in charge- to rule.

Glitzy and treacherous. The only two words that come to mind when trying to describe this amazing YA novel. I have a thing about the idea and the fantasy of royalty and I also LOVE the tv show Gossip Girl, so this book just had to be for me, right? RIGHT! Absolutely and then some. 
I love the idea of Beatrice being groomed to be the first Queen of America, and how Samantha is the wild child. Sound like anyone in British Royalty that we know? Hmm! Elizabeth and Anne?! Add in a twin brother and a commoner best friend and you can be sure that this book is filled with fabulous teenage drama.
I'm only slightly annoyed that I still have to wait for book 2. lol.

This was just perfect for my current reading mood, words cannot even explain. I’m not even sure I know where to start with this review, it’s been a few days since I finished reading it and I still can’t put the right sentences together.

It is kind of hard to sum up my thoughts on this book but what I can say with certainty is that I live for this kind of drama. It is a winning combination with the mixture of the scrutiny each character receives and how they have to balance that with their budding relationships made for a brilliantly easy going but unputdownable read.

Beatrice is the next in line for the throne and as the first female to get there finds herself under a lot of pressure to be perfect and always do what’s best for her country. I enjoyed her slight unraveling, she seemed so stiff to begin with and it was good to see her rebel a little.

Samantha, Beatrice’s younger sister, was one of my favourites she was the unpredictable one who actually managed to show some growth throughout the course of her storyline. I liked that in a more subtle way she also seemed like she was having to fight against two different parts of herself, as well as for the attention of a certain boy.

Daphne, Prince Jeff’s ex, is the character that you have to love to hate, she is ruthless and cunning and her goals are terrible but you have to give her kudos for being willing to do anything to get what she wants. Whilst I didn’t necessarily like Daphne I did enjoy reading about her, there’s something about the tension of wondering what dastardly thing she might do next or how she will insert herself into the royals lives again that kept me turning the pages, that and I kept hoping she would run into Ethan.

Nina, Sam’s friend, was another favourite right up until the last little bit of the book, she is the normal girl who just so happens to be friends with Sam and ends up at a lot of royal functions. Her chemistry with Jeff was interesting because it was nice to see that dynamic of someone who had been in the shadows thrust into a world that they didn’t want the experience of. I liked that she handled that in her own way by kind of not handling it and that it caused some tension in her relationships. I was however annoyed at the end of her lack of support for Sam, I liked that their relationship wasn’t depicted as perfect but I felt like that was sacrificed a bit too much for the sake of the drama.

What I really can’t believe though is that it ended…right at the most tense part of the whole story!!! And now I have to wait ages to find out what happens next, I could have at the same time screamed and applauded the author with that one.

If you are looking for a wonderfully dramatic read that is a bit of fun but that will have you hooked from first page to last then American Royals will be right up your street, I just loved it.

I loved loved loved this book! I honestly audibly gasped when it ended. 
I think reading this at the start of 2020 was a good choice because of the Meghan and Harry drama; it was nice to see royals being able to love in real life and having the struggle in fiction. 
The characters were so believable and they all face realistic struggles and react in ways that made my heart ache for them all.
I am desperate for more in this world and I can't wait for the sequel.
The writing in this was so easy to read and I was immersed immediately, I would definitely pick up more of what Katharine McGee writes!

4.5/5 Stars