I enjoyed McGee’s previous series of novels, The Thousandth Floor, and was intrigued to see her take on the alternative history genre with an America ruled by the descendants of King George Washington. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. This has a lot of froth but no substance, and although the The Thousandth Floor has interesting characters and an overall plot arc, this just doesn’t really have anything, with a plot that feels contrived, predictable and just dull.

The story is divided into several POV, ranging from Princesses Beatrice and Samantha, both struggling with their responsibilities and falling in love with the wrong people, Daphne the ex girlfriend of Prince Jeff and Nina the childhood ‘commoner’ friend of Princess Samantha who’s having a secret affair. I didn’t find any of the stories particularly interesting, or different from anything that’s gone before them and the voices lack any distinct qualities. At times it was a struggle to remember who’s chapter I was reading as the tones are all very one note and nondescript. They were all too similar to each other, and none of them is developed enough to carry a proper narrative arc on their own.

The character’s individual stories never really intertwine, and their conclusion is incredibly obvious from the start. Even though nothing actually is concluded here, as over the course of the novel nothing at all is resolved, clearly hinting at further novels, which I found incredibly annoying. I also found the whole concept of an American royal house a little bit too absurd. Yes, you can suspend your disbelief for most aspects of the plot and just go with it, but I found that in reality I just wasn’t invested in the concept. The world building itself is none existent, and the reader is never really told how this world has been shaped by Washington’s apparent decision to take a crown. I know very little about American ‘history’, and found that without any background here to support the story, I didn’t want to know it either.

As a positive, I will say that the writing is good and flows well, making it easy to read. McGee has the real potential to turn out an excellent novel, if given the right subject matter. I just wish the subject matter and characters were a little more exciting. Disappointing.

America has a royal family. Weird right? But actually it's quite easy to believe.

Beatrice, Samantha and Jefferson are three lovable royals each with issues of the heart. It's a book of romance, teenage years and professional duties.

I was very sceptical about the concept of an American royal family at first but I actually enjoyed the book. I have seen some reviews which damn this book for giving George Washington a crown, but hell, Trump THINKS of himself as a king so what's the issue? Take it for what it is, fiction, enjoyable and well written YA fiction.

You know how there are certain things we shouldn't love, but we do? Reality TV, terrible sitcoms, trashy magazines? Well, this is my terrible sitcom.

Initially, I rated 'American Royals' three stars, but I have bumped it up to four because I sped through this book, hungry to find out even more about this crazy little world.

This book asks the question 'What if America had a monarchy?' Now, there are a lot of problematic issues that arise by this very question. As a pre-emptive review of this has pointed out, speculating that a monarchy was built on the backs of a mass genocide of people raises a lot of red flags. However, I don't think it's all bad, and I know I am coming from not only a place of slight ignorance as I'm not American, but of enormous privilege too. McGee has not erased slavery or the mass murder of Native Americans and taking of the land from the book- in fact, she highlights it on several occasions. Obviously, as I am not a person of colour or native American, I can't speak for the success of this, but I am very interested for others to read this book and provide their honest opinions.

Let's talk about some good things. 'American Royals' is essentially Gossip Girl with more ballgowns and diplomacy. I LOVED the main character Beatrice and related closely with her struggle of feeling like an outsider and having a huge weight of expectation on her shoulders. The structure of the American monarchy is almost identical to the British one and there are some similarities between Beatrice and the fictional portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in Season 1 of The Crown. It's funny in parts and so stuffed full of drama that you can't help but be glued to it. It's compulsively readable and ends on such a cliffhanger that you'll be dying for the next book just to find out what's happening next. I'm calling it now: some TV studio is going to snap. this . up.

And for the not so good: this book is incredibly white and heterosexual. Ridiculously so, considering it's set in the 21st century. There's [I]some[/I] representation in here that isn't straight and white- one of the characters is Latina with two moms- but it's very minimal and none of them are main characters. As I already pointed out above, there's an issue with introducing monarchy into a country. Moreover, some of the historical background is just kind of...ridiculous? It's clear that stuff has been taken from real life- the mysterious crazy Aunt that they talk about is obviously a Princess Margaret pastiche- and the way they recount the history of the country is by taking the word 'President' and changing it to 'King'. I wish it was a bit more inventive- honestly, this book would have been amazing if it was just set on a fictional island with its own history.

In short, I actually really enjoyed this one. It's an easy read and has left me with such a desire to read royal romances now that I'm begging for recommendations. I'll be reading the second book when it comes out next year (if only to find out what happens next).

Really enjoyed this fun, lighthearted read. I would say that it is more YA than adult but don't let that put you off. Its really enjoyable! Thanks net galley for the copy in return for an honest review.

American Royals is not my usual style of book, however I was surprised by how much enjoyed this book. Whilst the plot is not anything new or ground-breaking I found myself unable to put this book down: think Gossip Girl meets Reign. McGee has masterfully added enough drama, emotion and romance to engage the reader from the start right through to the climatic end.

The story is told from 4 different points of view; Princess Beatrice who is the heir to the throne, Princess Samantha who is Beatrice’s rebellious younger sister, Daphne Deighton the villainous social climber and ex-girlfriend of Beatrice and Samantha’s brother and finally Nina Gonzalez who is Samantha’s best friend who’s only wish is to not be in the limelight.

The story follows the young royals and the people around them as they try to navigate a world with inescapable duty, pressure and unending paparazzi attention. It delves into the internal struggles they face from lack of freedom, lack of direction, uncertainty of who to trust and personal sacrifices required to be made for the good of the monarchy.

The cliff hanger at the end certainly leaves the reader wanting more and I will definitely be on the lookout for the second in the series due out September 2020!

This novel is set in an alternative reality where the USA has a monarchy instead of a presidency, so first off, what an excellent idea for a story ! McGee does a great job of making the royals a very likeable bunch - you can see some similarities with the UK royals but it is small enough that they are still their own characters. The story is well written and the plot is really interesting. All in all this makes for an addictive read; quite frankly I can’t wait for a sequel !

The world of royalty is fascinating and exploring the concept of royalty in America is a smart way of covering the topic. I enjoyed this more than expected. I thought it would be light and fluffy, an excuse to write about the rich and famous, but there was some depth to the story. In a world where the USA chose a monarchy instead of a democracy, she explores the impact on the personal lives of the royal family. The eldest daughter has the responsibility and strain of living up to expectations put on her, training as the future queen. Will she be able to follow her heart or fulfill her duty? The second daughter is wild and controversial, rejecting her constraints. And the third royal, a son, appears oblivious to any scheming and a bit naive.

It feels like the royals or Britain and Monaco have provided material for the characters, demonstrating the challenges they face. Overall the story is woven well and very readable. Like a compulsive soap opera I was hooked to see the fates of these likeable characters.

This book is Gossip Girl mixed with The Crown and I loved it!

Set in an alternate reality where instead of becoming the first President, George Washington became the first King of America, American Royals tells the story of the younger generation. After a change in the law, Princess Beatrice is set to become the first queen of America and the pressure is on to find a suitable husband and secure the future of the monarchy. Twins, Princess Samantha and Prince Jefferson are trying to find a role for themselves after taking a gap year before going to university.

The young royals and their friends are beautiful and rich and glamorous. With chapters told from different character's, the reader sees the life of the royal family from both the inside and the outside. Love, duty, reputation and the conflict between public and private lives make compulsive reading.

Without spoiling the book, the ending
is perfectly set up for the sequel which is published in 2020 and I am definitely looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

When being Royal, only means more complications.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story, revolving around the Royal princesses and prince, at an important time in their lives.
Princess Beatrice is heir to the throne, she has spent her entire life being prom and proper, proving that she is the sensible choice. She is the first female heir, and will have to deal with underlying misogyny that flares up, even in this modern day. To try and make the transition as smooth as possible, she agrees with her parents' instructions that she should be married, so she can be seen to have the support of a man before she takes the crown.

Princess Samantha is the spare. She knows that she is not needed, so she lives her life to the max, bending or breaking every rule. Samantha is constantly frustrated that the media and her own family treat her like a walking scandal, whereas her twin brother is adored for doing the exact same thing. She is tired of being compared to her perfect older sister, and everything being about Beatrice. For once, Samantha finds something she really wants, only for that to be stolen away, too.

Prince Jeff doesn't get to narrate his own story, instead it falls to the two women in his life.
Nina is a lifelong friend of the twins, and she has always acknowledged that she is a nobody next to the royals. She has spent her life living in the shadows, and as she has gone to college, she has purposefully hidden her connection with the royal family. The problem is that, she is in love with Jeff, and he likes her too. Nina has to decide if that is enough to step into the spotlight and take on crazy media-driven world of the royals.

Daphne is Jeff's ex and she is perfect. She has the pedigree, she has the poise, and she has the love of the people. Everybody expects her to marry the prince and become the newest princess, and Daphne will do anything it takes to make that happen.
After all, isn't the prince the ultimate goal? Even at the expense of your own happiness?

It was so much fun to see how everything played out.
I thought the four narrators worked really well together, and it was really easy to slip back into their particular stories.
To begin with, I thought I'd like party-girl-Sam and nobody-Nina's parts best, but I was mildly surprised to find boring-Beatrice as my favourite, followed by conniving-Daphne. These characters were more than what they seemed, bound by duty and expectations - Bea wasn't as boring, and Daphne wasn't as heartless as they seemed.

I thought this was a stand-alone, and I was disappointed to find out it was a series.
In the second half of the book, some of the plotlines get a bit repetitive, and there was a point where it felt like everything could have been satisfactorily settled, but the author changed their mind.
I was disappointed, I thought it could have ended really strongly, and it was unnecessary to string it out any further. That being said, I will probably continue with the series.

The premise was quite interesting. The book is told in four perspectives - Beatrice, Samantha, Nina, and Daphne - and how their lives are intertwined in the royal family, either by birth, duty, and relations. There was a lot happening but it mainly focuses on the romance aspect of things.

I thought the writing was a bit basic at the start, but the author does a good job painting a picture of how these four women are, their thoughts and their objectives. It can be a bit info-dumping at times.

The drama unfolding in their lives could be viewed as a bit predictable, but the ending of the book seemed pretty traumatic - though it does nudge the point to an end.

This is honestly the perfect beach book. It's light, it's funny, its naughty - its everything you want for a bit of holiday escapism, or just something fun to read in the sun.

I completely agree with it being for both adults and teens, as theres nothing too inappropriate in it for teens, but its also not overly written for the younger. Maybe at the level of gossip girl, or a tiny bit younger than that - definitely not one for kids, but nothing inappropriate for teens, especially older ones.

I've somehow never heard of her other series, but after reading this, I will be getting hold of it as soon as possible. The perfect piece of escapism in a time where everything can feel a bit heavy and depressing. Yes, some might say its a bit silly, but I loved it, and would highly recommend.

If America had a Royal family, they would be the American Royals. An enjoyable read for older teens (sex references, alcohol, relationships) about a fictional royal family which draws on British Royal history and etiquette. The relationships between key characters are well imagined, dealing with love across commoner/royalty divide, putting the Crown first, what it means to be Royal and gold diggers!
This reminded me of Gossip Girl, with the high class lifestyle, complicated relationships and the family life that everyone can relate to regardless of background.
I will recommend this to my older students and I look forward to reading the next instalment!

"Beatrice wasn't living a story. She was living history, and history went on forever."

* *
2 / 5

McGee's other series, The Thousandth Floor, is a guilty pleasure of mine. I loved the drama, the glitz, the glamour, the rumours, the intrigue, and the imaginative setting. Instead of being set in a futuristic tower, American Royals takes the premise "what if George Washington made himself King?" and runs with it. Well, it's more of a shuffle. 

"From now on, you are two people at once: Beatrice the girl, and Beatrice, heir to the Crown. When they want different things, the Crown must win. Always."

Princess Beatrice Washington will be the first Queen of America. That means, she's got to find a man. But not just any man. A suitable one. Problem is, she's in love with her commoner guard; Beatrice meets a bunch of eligible blokes anyway and ends up picking Teddy. Her younger sister Samantha snogs Teddy in a closet and is annoyed that, once again, Beatrice can have pretty much whatever she wants because she's the heir and Sam is the spare. Sam's twin, Jeff, is the last of the trio in the line of succession and so he does pretty much whatever he wants. His big problem is balancing his ex-girlfriend Daphne, beloved by royalty and the media, with his new flame Nina, who is both a commoner and Sam's best friend.

Wild, right? So American Royals is told only from the point of view of the four women involved here: Beatrice, Sam, Nina, and Daphne. I thought this was kinda cool, but didn't really see what the point of hearing from Daphne was; daughter of a Baron, Daphne wants to rise socially and so will do anything to get Jeff back. Her chapters are just lots of plotting, basically, and could've been cut. Beatrice is probably the most interesting of the four. She's serious and committed to the crown, never putting a toe out of line. She even agrees to go on dates with eligible young men that she feels no romantic attraction for. She's in a tough spot and I sympathised with her, but the whole guard romance was so unconvincing.

"You are going to be the very first Queen of America. You have a steeper road to climb than all the eleven kings who came before you."

The big problem with American Royals is that it is basically four cliche straight romances. In fact, McGee hits virtually every variety of romance going: there's the girl who needs to choose the 'right' boy over the 'wrong' one (Beatrice); the girl dating above her station who isn't 'good enough' (Nina); the girl who wants someone who is dating someone else (Sam); and the girl who is dating to grab power (Daphne). It gets pretty dull fast.

The other issue I had was how unbelievable many of the events felt. I'm British so I won't comment on the premise of the book - America having a royal family - because I'm entirely unfamiliar with American history. But there's stuff like the King not telling his wife anything important, Samantha becoming infatuated after a tipsy snog, the twin's apparent lack of anything important to do ever, other than attending parties.

"There was something about the sight, something bright and glittering and full of promise."

I liked some aspects of this book, like the sisterly moments towards the end, and the way that Beatrice, for the most part, puts her duty first and acts like a sensible young woman. But mostly American Royals felt very uninspired and superficial.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book.

I feel as if i’ve been waiting for this book on a fictitious American royal family. There was an element of predictability but the story telling was so good I didn’t care. Love, scandal, a scheming villain, unsuitable suitors and torn loyalties. So much to love about this story. Can’t wait for the next one

Princess Beatrice is next in line to the throne, she’s going to be the first queen of America, and has been training for it all of her life. She’s pretty much perfect. Then the other two siblings, twins Sam and Jeff are more rebellious, because they can be. Sams best friend Nina doesnt tell anyone she knows the princess. It makes life easier that way. Then theres Daphne, Jeffs ex girlfriend. She wants him back.. He broke up with her but shes sure she can salvage the relationship. We learn so much about both Beatrice and Sam in this book, along with Daphne, you can get caught up in the politics, and frivolities of their world from all viewpoints.

This does feel so much like gossip girl. There was so many times I was expecting there to be a Serena or Blair moment, but luckily in situations where I thought It pop up, it never did, And I really like that.

Its hard not to compare to the lives of William and Harry a little. William being the future king with all his responsibility and pressure from the media compared to Harry, the Sparrow, who has been caught acting like a normal person, escaped to the military and frequently is refered to as the one ‘breaking protocol’.

I must admit I had a moment of panic when I realised I had almost finish the book, because I didnt know there was a second book planned. Thankfully on the last page theres a note telling you book two is coming in september 2020. I dont want to have to wait that long.

This was a novel read. The fact that America is under a monarchy means that history has unfolded in a very different way for America. As a YA book, I thought it was fun, if a little lacking in substance. If you enjoy TV shows like Gossip Girl, I think you’ll love this!

This is a very silly and fluffy YA novel about a fictional American royal family and their complicated love lives. Katherine McGee makes little effort to flesh out the alternative history of America other than silly details about King George I and cherry pie, which is probably for the best, as it could quickly have become offensive. Instead, she focuses on her central teenage characters: dutiful Beatrice, heir to the throne, who will be the first female to rule in her own right; her rebellious sister Samantha; and Samantha's 'commoner' best friend, Latin-American Nina, who finds herself falling in love with Samantha's royal brother, Jeff. Both the romantic entanglements in this novel and the characters' ultimate destinies are telegraphed from page one, as is the ultimate resolution (obviously, I haven't read book two so this isn't a spoiler, but this is obviously going to end with either Queen Samantha or a republic, right?)

McGee's previous Thousandth Floor trilogy, about the lives of the super-rich inhabitants of a thousand-floor skyscraper in a futuristic New York, was equally silly but more compelling because of its richer world-building, even if that world-building centred almost entirely around a single building. It was also more cleverly plotted, with many of the final resolutions in the third novel feeling genuinely surprising. American Royals feels much less original - it's strongly reminiscent of Kiera Cass's Selection novels, although McGee wisely doesn't attempt to write a dystopia. Of course, it could still take a very different turn in book two, but this novel feels like ridiculous escapism rather than a set-up for anything more serious. Recommended for holiday reading if you like this kind of thing.

I was really quite enjoying this fun, frothy story of an American royal family in the 21st century. I had already put aside any scepticism that the US would have a monarchy at all, because sometimes you just have to accept the original premise of a book, so that was no problem. And really, there was a lot to like in this book. Told from the point of view of four girls who are either in or adjacent to the royal family, we've got two princesses, the best friend of one princess, and the ex-girlfriend of the prince. Things get complicated when you realise that one princess has already kissed the guy who's dating the other princess, who is actually in love with someone else, and the best friend is secretly really into the prince, but the ex-girlfriend is having none of that. Scandals ensue, and loyalties are tested, all controlled by the strict requirements of royal protocol and decorum, and maintaining the image of the royal family above all else.
The four girls who take us through this luxe world of balls and gowns are very different, and have entirely conflicting goals, values, and priorities. As the action moves along, and relationships are developed, we start to see the clashing desires of each girl and how that's going to impact their lives going forward.
I actually really enjoyed 95% of this book. Yes, it was silly, and yes, it was almost entirely driven by straight relationships and was somewhat lacking in diversity (although Nina, the best friend, does have two moms), butI did kind of expect that. This was never going to be an issues-driven book which is a hard-hitting deconstruction of police violence, and it was probably also never going to be a searing criticism of royalty and the system of peers and nobility. But that was all okay, because that wasn't really what I was looking for with this one.
So. Yes. I was really enjoying this book. Scandals, broken hearts, crossed wires, protocol, all was chugging along nicely. In terms of feel, there were serious echoes here of The Selection series, particularly The Heir - probably because both books focus on the first female heir to the throne and her search for a suitable partner to support her reign. There was even the added similarity of royal twins - although a different position in the family. And, actually, American Royals has the same problem as I had with The Heir, and the main reason I knocked it down to three stars. It doesn't actually conclude. The book ends on a huge cliffhanger.
Now, I don't really have a problem with cliffhangers in general. They can be a good way to add tension to the book and change how all of the characters will act. But if you are going to have a cliffhanger, you need to have some plot threads resolved beforehand. Or even seemingly resolved, for the cliffhanger to throw them into turmoil.
That didn't happen here. Nothing is resolved. Nobody's relationship knows where it's going. Nobody is happy. There was no sense of satisfaction here at all. Rather, I finished this book with a pretty disappointed 'ugh', because honestly, after the time I had invested in getting to know these characters, being cut off in the middle of their story was really very frustrating. It felt like a cheap trick, and one that I've seen too often.
I also rate it a lot less in this book - the first in a series - than in the Heir, which was the fourth. By the time you get that far in, you're more invested in the characters, and willing to wait to see how things will develop. To throw it in at the end of the first book is disappointing, and not what I was hoping for.
For a book that I had really enjoyed up until the very end, the final pages left a sour taste, and have really coloured my overall view.

I adored this book - it was such a fun read and I was instantly obsessed with the fabulously glamorous world the American royals inhabited. The characters felt properly realised, and not 2D, and their actions were believable. And that ending, talk about a cliffhanger - I can't wait for book two.

I was really excited about reading this book. However it was not what I expected, and not for the better. I did not like the characters, they were just annoying and negative. The writing was not for me. It just felt dry and it was not the great contemporary that I thought it was.