I’m a bit mixed on this, I enjoyed the first book so much and I was t expecting the directions this book took me in, it’s no to say it wasn’t good, just that I was disappointed, I felt let down by the characters (I know right!) but it’s how I felt reading it. It was still the same great writing and addictive story, but I just wasn’t as sure this time. I will still read the next book, but I’m hoping for more next time

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I have just read this book thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK. I really appreciate the free eARC to review.
So Majesty is book two in the American Royals series by Katherine McGee, and I’m really hoping there will be more. Please?
I’m not big on American History (sorry) but these books imagine that instead of George Washington becoming the first President of the United States he was crowned their first King. We read about the Royals today and Beatrice has just become America’s first Queen after her father’s death in book one. The whole family struggles to adjust and we see relationships change with them and their friends. I don’t want to give too much away but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it’s fun and empowering. A very easy read which I really needed.
I guess I didn’t give five stars as it almost felt like people fell in love way too quickly and all seemed to have searing touches with one another, but there was enough going on that it didn’t bug me too much and I really love these stories and would definitely recommend them!

Majesty by Katharine McGee was a thrilling drama that I really enjoyed!

Certain aspects that I found predictable in the previous novel now appear as the author's deliberate choices to keep us guessing and turning the pages to find out what's going to happen. I was completely engrossed in this world of political plots, drama and love in unexpected places.
It had a few really good underlying themes as well, like bringing about change in stuffy old traditions, dealing with men being against women in power, the struggle to find one's self and accepting themselves and their own worth.

Once again we follow the story through the perspective of Beatrice, Sam, Nina and Daphne each of them with such distinct personalities and way of viewing the world. Beatrice has just become Queen, Sam's the heir to the crown no longer invisible to the world but in the spotlight, Nina's put her grief behind her and Daphne remains brilliantly cunning believing to be closer than ever to achieving her goals.

Beatrice was my favorite. From her first steps as the new Queen of America dealing with people claiming to know what was best for her and her growing relationship with Teddy, it still feels like we're finally getting to know the real Beatrice, like she's finally coming out her shell and turning to be quite the interesting and strong character.

And after the reveal of Daphne's role in Himari's accident, one can't help but feel she is a bit of a villain in this story. She's still a despicable person completely determined to accomplish her goals no matter who stands in her way, but she's perhaps one of the most realistic characters as well. Daphne show us actions have consequences even when it seems everything is going well… and I'll just say I'm eager to find out what happens to her in the next book after that ending...

The only downside to the characters in both American Royals and Majesty was that it seems the male characters are considerally less developped than the main female characters. I realize that was likely an intentional decision as this book is mainly about these young women, but I still felt I felt like I barely knew any of them sometimes. Take Ethan, for example. For someone who is supposedly Jeff's best friend, he's barely in a scene with him or doing anything other being a tool to further the girls' development and storyline. This aspect didn't affect my enjoyment of the novel whatsoever, it's merely something I wanted to point out.

Overall, Majesty is a fantastic sequel to American Royals and it completely surpassed my expectations; it's full of surprises and a good amount of drama that made it so much fun to read! Frankly, I prefer this one to American Royals and I strongly recommend it!

This review will be published on my blog on the publication date.

Majesty was such an entertaining and completely bingeable book that you’ll just fly through.

While I loved American Royals, Majesty felt like the elevated version of this interesting concept – an American royal family and all the drama that comes with that. McGee delves more into discussions around privilege and the price of fame in this stellar sequel. I love how there is this perfect balance between the constant gossip, juicy drama and biting, insightful social commentary. In particular, Majesty delves into the topics of racism and white privilege and how the family will always be shielded from the worst of the press and the public by the colour of their skin, whereas other characters will be left to the wolves. Of course this is a topical and important conversation to have.

Similarly, McGee examines patriarchal structures, sexism and a woman’s position can be determined by her relationship status. All four of the protagonists are aware of how perceptions of them are some of the most powerful forces in their bid to curry favour and power. Beatrice, despite becoming the ruler of the land, faces an uphill battle against a system that has always been built for men by men.

Part of Majesty’s joy is in its sheer frothiness and the way it feels like a ripped from the headlines, tell-all peek behind the shadowy scenes. There’s plenty of secrets and tangled relationships, many of which change from American Royals in new and surprising ways. McGee excels in exploring family and friendship dynamics in all their complexity and the issues that arise from them. Majesty would be incomplete without its swoon-worthy romances as well, all of which felt believable as the chemistry grew natural and there was plenty of witty banter. The flow of this book perfectly matches the fast-paced nature of the plot, as you quickly get sucked into this dramatic, glossy world.

Majesty is a brilliant, ostentatious story and its ending will leave you demanding another book.

It is so rare to find a sequel that not only lives up to the first book in a series but exceeds it in its brilliance. However, that was the case with Majesty! Katharine McGee has outdone herself with this one and I desperately hope we get a third book with these characters.
The characters are undoubtedly this book's strong suit. They are so multilayered, and flawed in the most realistic ways and I care about every. single. one. That's right... Even Daphne. I just want them all to be happy and the last quarter of this book broke me into pieces and I am still not sure as to whether I have been put back in the right order. I will undoubtedly be thinking about this for a very long time and I am looking forward to it.
I really recognized the development and changes each of the characters went through in this book, especially compared to American Royals and I am so glad because this is one of the factors that really aided my enjoyment. Similarly, the plot felt more high stakes, and enjoyed seeing more of the political side of the story. Another reason why I would love a third book.
Overall this world is fleshed out beautifully, the writing style is accessible without being boring and oversimplified and it is simply a joy to read. The perfect book for the end of summer or autumn and a great continuation of a binge-worthy series.
Rated: 5 Stars.

Glitz, glamour and so much drama! I loved the first book in this series and was so excited to get my hands on its sequel and it did not disappoint. From the very beginning I just slid right back into the story and fully immersed into this world. Watching everything unfold from the events and almost cliffhanger ending of the first book meant that I sped through the first chunk of this and by that point I was so invested in these characters and how everything would pan out that I found it almost impossible to put down.
I think that the strongest elements of these books is the characters, reading from so many points of view you continue to get such a broad look on the royal life and all the drama that comes with being America's first Queen and I really loved that. I loved the family dynamic of Bee, Sam and Jeff however after the major event at the end of the first book I really wished we had gotten to see more of their mother and how those events 'were effecting her.
I always love a book with a wedding but the constant will they or wont they between these characters kept me intrigued the whole way through and although some of the pairings in this book weren't my favourite to start off with I learned to love them!
I am not sure if there is to be a third book in this series but I really hope so as I can't get enough.
5 out of 5 Stars.

What a roller coaster. Seriously, after a while I started feeling like I needed a flow chart to keep track of who was doing what to who to spite what other person.

There's a delicious teen romcom flavour to this novel; the scene where someone finds out exactly why someone else is going out with them, and the betraytor says "Yes, it started out like that, but!" is played out a couple of times with different parties. There's also some fabulous themes around personal power, about choosing and accepting your power. I wanted to smack a few characters here and hug others, so Katherine is clearly doing something right.

I'm really looking forward to reading the (as yet unconfirmed) third book in this series. If there never is a third - well, most of the storylines are at an acceptable stopping point, with one exception I won't spoil here. You'll know it when you read it.

I love the tiny details that make it clear this is not quite America as you know it; for instance, Lady Liberty is in Washington DC! It's such a clever little thing that makes it very clear.

Now I kind of want to dig out my old Princess Diaries DVD and watch it again, can't think why...

Thank you for the opportunity to review this new novel!

After I've read the first book year last year I thought I knew where this new novel would go, but boy, was I wrong! I'm thrilled and disappointed with the new directions and I have to say that several characters let me down. Jefferson is a weak man and so disappointing. Beatrice felt a bit off, as she is in the story, but I'm not that fond of her. That she chose the crown instead of Connor... I didn't like how the author just put both Beatrices love for Connor and Sam's love for Teddy on the shelf as kind of silly and that they weren't real love. Ethan doesn't deserve Nina and I hope she finds someone else. Marshall is the only character that I love.

I'm not sure how I feel for the next book in the series.... Of course I'll read it but with less excitement, unfortunately.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Trigger Warnings: mentions of drugging, comatose state, mentions of adultery, mentions of cancer

There will be a clearly marked spoiler section at the end of this review for those who have read the book or who don’t mind being spoiled. The main body of this review will be completely spoiler-free for Majesty. However, this review will not be suitable for you if you haven’t read book one, American Royals.

----------

Where do I even begin? It’s no secret that I loved American Royals with a passion. I fell in love with the characters and their relationships, both romantic and platonic. The story was full of twists and turns, some which you predicted and some which you never saw coming. Majesty follows the exact same line of twists and turns. I’m not entirely sure that I saw any of them coming.

I’ll start with this: Majesty is a continuous rollercoaster ride where everything you know is up in the air. The thing is, by the end of the book, I didn’t hate where everything landed. All you need to know before going into it is this: don’t expect anything. Don’t expect your favourite couple to stay together, don’t expect plans to stay made, don’t expect people to stick around. Katharine McGee said on her Instagram Story a few days ago that her goal with Majesty was to make it as unpredictable as possible, and she has undoubtedly succeeded. I had many expectations going into this and none of them happened. But, weirdly enough, I’m not mad at what did happen.

With regards to couples — you can find out more in the spoiler section if you truly wish! — I was stubborn the whole way through. I wanted certain people to be together because that was the natural order of things based on the first book, but you have to remember that Majesty doesn’t succumb to the natural order. It takes the natural order and throws it in the air, and suddenly we’re playing a game of chance. Some of the relationships are expected, some of them leave you feeling completely blindsided. Either way, and I hate that I have to admit this, they work. They really do. By the end, I felt every emotion for these new couples that I felt for the original pairings. The relationships didn’t feel hasty or convenient for the sake of plot. I really thought that McGee gave the characters more than enough space to move around and develop their relationships with time and with true feelings, which is so important in particular when you’re upheaving something that worked so well and trying to reshape the status quo.

Without giving anything away, I have to say that I really loved Nina in this book. I felt in the first book that her story wasn’t as interesting as the other girls’ because it wasn’t as glamorous or tumultuous. I thought Nina and Jefferson’s relationship in American Royals really took a backseat while Beatrice’s, Connor’s, Sam’s and Teddy’s love square took the limelight. In Majesty, however, I think McGee really gave her a chance to shine. She had so much more depth to her character, she was more fleshed out with a lot more character development. She wasn’t just ‘Jefferson’s commoner girlfriend’; she became a lot more, which I loved.

That being said, it was Jefferson’s storyline that took a backseat in Majesty. I really felt like we didn’t get to see much of him. Granted, the book is told from the perspectives of the four women — Nina, Daphne, Beatrice and Samantha — and they weren’t really around him much. Regardless, I felt there were scenes where Jefferson should have played a huge part but was never really there. For instance, Majesty features numerous scenes where Beatrice and Samantha are talking about their grief at losing their father. Jefferson doesn’t seem to be very present at the funeral, nor does he play a part in a scene where the girls visit their father’s grave. It felt a little as though Jefferson had been completely forgotten in favour of all the other storylines. He played a part in a certain redhead’s story arc, in which I truly felt like he was a complete pushover and should have had a lot more agency and authority given his role as the Prince of America. Overall, I wasn’t obsessed with Jefferson in this book and I did feel as though he should have been more present in the family arcs.

If we disregard Jefferson’s treatment, I thought that the importance of family and the entire system that helps uphold the monarchy was developed further in this book. Though I wish that we got more scenes of the children with Adelaide (their mother), I enjoyed seeing more about Congress and the people who supported King George IV’s reign who were automatically deferred into Beatrice’s council. It brought up a really interesting and necessary conversation about the misogyny within a monarchy. There was also a lot of reference to the racial discrimination that’s ever present within the monarchy. McGee points this out through Nina, who I believe is Latina, and Marshall, a new Black aristocratic character. These were such important narratives that you wouldn’t even think about, but are actually so vital and run rampant throughout the monarchy we actually have. They shouldn’t be classed as so, but these narratives felt so positively radical and I loved every mention of them. I also loved the subtle mentions of how genuinely insane we might be for spending so much money for souvenirs with wealthy peoples’ faces on them. Genuinely insane.

Speaking of King George IV, it’s hard to know how much of a narrative should focus on dealing with grief after losing a loved one. It’s no secret that Beatrice and Samantha were incredibly close to their father, so having numerous scenes dotted around the story where the two dealt with their grief — both individually and as a pair — was refreshing to see. Grief isn’t something you can tackle in one chapter so I appreciated that it was treated as a heavy topic and something that doesn’t just go away instantly.

The bond between the two sisters was strengthened in these scenes where they dealt with their grief, but it absolutely was not limited to those scenes. Beatrice’s and Sam’s narrative follows the same pattern in Majesty as in American Royals, the one where they’re close, then have a fight, Samantha does something reckless that generally has bad consequences, they make up, and finally are forced to deal with the consequences together as close sisters. Again, I wish Jefferson could be a part of that, especially as Jeff and Sam were so close in American Royals as twins, but I’ll take what I got. Alongside strong sibling relationships, we got to see more in the way of strong friendships with Sam and Nina. I felt like all of the characters worked really hard to ensure that they communicated to stop any misconceptions, with the obvious exception of certain characters who will be discussed in the spoiler section!

Strong relationships seem to be McGee’s forte, because that woman can truly write a fake dating trope. It’s one of my favourite tropes in literature, where two characters either date to make someone jealous and end up truly falling in love, or where one character is dared to date the other but genuinely falls in love with them through getting to know them. Both of these happen in Majesty, so you can probably understand why I was constantly breaking down with the overload of emotions. More on this in the spoiler section, as this is definitely not something you want to know all about if you’ve not read the book yet!

Before I get to the spoiler section, I’ll wrap up here. In summary, I thought Majesty was so much better than American Royals. I was shocked by the ending of Majesty, even though I absolutely should not have been. I desperately hope that there will be a third instalment in this series, as there were many loose endings that could survive as they are, but would be so much better tied up in a finale. All of the characters seem to have grown exponentially since the first book. They’ve taken their issues in their stride and learned from them, using them to develop and build relationships, which I absolutely love. So much felt wrong for my stubborn self, but by the end I was absolutely revelling in these elements. I loved the independence that the characters gained and how they became more self-assured in their respective roles. I wish Jefferson had more of a role and I know you’re looking for one more name that I haven’t mentioned at all since his entire story arc is a spoiler, but he’ll be in the spoiler section for you!

Granted, nothing can make me feel the rush of emotions that the ending of American Royals brought me, but Majesty somehow exceeded my expectations. Katharine McGee can applaud herself for not succumbing to the curse of the second book — it was so clearly a display of how much her writing has developed and advanced to a whole new, unexpected level of incredible.

----------

***SPOILERS***

And now, we move on to the spoilers! I will reiterate — if you’ve not read this book, please don’t say I didn’t warn you twice! These are major spoilers — I’m not holding back.

First things first: you should know that Connor was my favourite character. I lived for the angst that his relationship with Beatrice brought my way in American Royals. Forbidden romances are another of my favourite tropes alongside the fake dating trope. So you can imagine that I was completely ready for more of the forbidden romance love triangle in Majesty. And you can imagine my devastation when Connor leaves the book within the first 10%. And you can imagine how antsy I was that he didn’t come back until the 80% mark when all hell was breaking loose. I really wish Connor had played more of a part. It felt a little too convenient that he left at that point and came back at the point he did. As much as I eventually fell in love with the relationship between Beatrice and Teddy, I wish Connor was given more of a fighting chance. There was a moment of forced proximity towards the end where I genuinely was so worried that everything was going to be up in the air again, but it was resolved in a way that makes me think that, if there is a third instalment, Connor won’t be part of it. That truly makes me sad and I hope it’s not the case, but I genuinely see no way around it. That being said, I completely understand since McGee did have it in mind that this was a duology and not a trilogy.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of the resolution to the Himari situation. Here’s the thing: I felt sorry for Himari after what Daphne did to her, but once Himari came out of the coma, she annoyed me just as much as Daphne did. She was bitchy, entitled and rude, so I wasn’t entirely interested in a revenge arc or a justice arc. However, regardless of how bitchy she was, I do feel like there is no situation in which I would forgive my best friend for drugging me and putting me in a coma for a year. I felt like the solution of forgiveness and thanking Daphne for completely uprooting her life (even though it was the Marikos’ dream job) was a bit convenient for the sake of plot, almost like we were just ready to get rid of this character. I, for one, would have loved for Himari to call Daphne out publicly for everything she did, especially after everything Daphne does in Majesty!

Daphne is by far the worst character. While reading the book, I was constantly updating my Instagram Stories with my thoughts as I read along. I’m certain every other story said something along the lines of ‘I hate Daphne’. Her arc just felt so detached from the main plot because she was so focused on her ‘friendship’ with Himari and her desire for Ethan that she didn’t much care for the royals. Every time we jumped to her chapters, it felt like we were being brought out of the atmosphere of the story. That being said, McGee writes a very good bitchy villain, that I can say with no doubts whatsoever. Her chapter in the end after everything happens with Nina, Himari and Ethan had me gobsmacked. The idea of Jefferson giving her the signet ring and letting her keep her claws tightly in the Washington’s family portrait truly left me in disbelief. To be fair, I should have seen it coming. There was no way Daphne Deighton wouldn’t get what she wanted in the end. Truly, I hope this isn’t the end. I hope the publisher goes for a third book so Daphne can get what she deserves (which, in my humble opinion, is absolutely nothing).

Speaking of Ethan, his pairing with Nina was so unexpected. I figured Nina would move on, I just didn’t think it would be with Ethan. I thought they might introduce a new character, maybe a commoner from the university. I knew as soon as Daphne asked him to fake date her that they would fall in love and that she’d get her heart broken when she found out. I love that trope — not for the characters, but for myself — because they always get back together. But… this is a duology. Again, can the publisher please go for a third book?

Onto the final spoiler for this review, we’re talking yet again about my favourite tropes — yes, we’re talking about the fake dating! Once again, I knew as soon as Marshall Davis appeared and they agreed to fake date that they would end up truly falling in love with one another. It was so obvious: they had amazing chemistry with one another; Samantha finally found a guy who could keep up with her crazy antics because he was always creating his own. The moments where Sam and Marshall (I’m sorry, I truly hate that name) confessed their true feelings had me literally standing up and walking away from the book for a good minute or so. Fake dating tropes always hurt, especially in the moments where one of them finally realises they’ve fallen for the other and then sees the other in a compromising position with the person they were trying to make jealous. That gets me every single time. It definitely got me this time. Marshall and Sam are tight as a couple. I honestly felt like this was one of the best conclusions she could have had — this is a loose end that I felt was tied up perfectly. If there’s a third book — which there has to be — I really think Marshall and Sam should be allowed to revel in the glory that is their relationship with no issues. Please.

That’s all for the spoilers — and for the whole review! If you’ve read the book, please feel free to send me a message on Instagram at @whatjasread!

A huge thank you to Katharine McGee, Penguin Random House and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Katherine McGee’s Majesty is a great continuation of American Royals. While I thought that American Royals have been a fun read, I have enjoyed the sequel more. I think it was partially because the first book had to set up the setting and the atmosphere, while Majesty had more space for exploring the characters deeper – their fears, hopes and motivations.

As in the case of the first book, we get to see the events following Beatrice, Samantha, Nina and Daphne as they navigate the fallout of the ending of American Royals, with more interesting supporting characters and love interests appearing in the sequel. That’s the thing I really liked about the series – following the events through the eyes of strong young women. Not to mention that it was still done in the third person narration, something I generally prefer.

While drama and romance are again dominant the second instalment of American Royals, I was positively surprised about the way some relationships started or ended, without giving too much away.
Samantha remains my favourite character, with her rebellious nature and in many way desire to be noticed, but I grew to like Beatrice and Nina even more in Majesty. I have also found it interesting to learn more about Jeff’s best friend, Ethan, who wasn’t as important in the first book.

Overall, it was a fun and intense read! And while Majesty doesn’t on such a complete cliffhanger as the first book did, it still leaves the doors open for a possibility of another book.

Thank you for netgalley for this EARC.

I loved this sequel it definitely lived up to the first one. This is a great book on family, romance and reputation. If you liked the first one. You’ll like this one.

I loved book 1 and thought I new everything I needed to know. Then i read Majesty and everything flew out the window. I loved how well Katharine managed to flip the relationships around and delve deeper into everyone's character. Cannot recommend this book enough and am begging for a book 3 and, as much as I despise her, Daphne needs to make up for all her wrong doings.

3.5/5 Stars

Before starting this book I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen in the main romantic relationships. Well, Boo boo the fool here to tell you that I didn't know anything and that I didn't expect the author to flip the tables like this! I want this review to be spoiler free because I don't want to ruin the fun for anyone, but just be ready for what's going down in this book.

I enjoyed reading the inner feelings and thoughts of the four POVs, apart from Daphne that I literally cannot stand, the girl is so manipulative. I believe that Beatrice was probably the one character who got to shine the most in this novel, the book totally revolved around her. Samantha did have some pretty good scenes, but in regards to Nina I truly feel like she was left out most of the time and I was so sorry to see that.

The story was very fast-paced, maybe too much for my taste just because I feel like I didn't get the needed time to absorb what was actually happening in the story, it was just one thing after the other. But it was still a fun and very entertaining read and if you've already read American Royals, the first book in the series, then you should totally check this out!

American Royals has as much drama as a teenage soap opera, but after living the first book I felt slightly let down by its sequel.

The drama is certainly still there - but it almost felt at odds to the last book. Everything that I'd been fascinated by (falling in love with the wrong person, betrayal, back stabbing) seemed totally undone here. Suddenly everybody had moved on from the events of American Royals with only a very minor (if any) mourning period, and within a few pages it was like the last book was all but forgotten.

I still loved the characters and enjoyed getting to know some better (Ethan, Teddy) but it came across almost like a totally separate book. Apart from a few bits right at the beginning that wouldn't have made sense, I think you could go into this without actually picking up it's predecessor.

Maybe that's the point! That like a soap opera you can kind of drip in and out without knowing the full back story, but unfortunately it wasn't what I was hoping for.

I still felt the book deserved 4 stars because I love reading about these fictional royals, and they are so fantastically written! Really can't wait for the next book after such a gripping ending... I just hope it feels a bit more cohesive!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I read American Royals last year and ever since then I have been impatiently waiting to read the sequel Majesty. So, as soon as I got a copy I dropped everything to start reading and well, it certainly delivered on my expectations. This book is a contender for my best book of 2020, and I was honestly in awe of it.

Majesty picks up almost straight after the events of American Royals. Beatrice is now Queen of America, and despite wanting to start her reign off right, her family are more concerned about her upcoming marriage and no one knows who her heart belongs to. Princess Samantha is bitter about Beatrice’s impending marriage and is under more observation than ever before, and it’s not long before someone else catches her wandering. Nina is nursing a broken heart, and soon finds comfort in someone unexpected but is all what it seems? And, finally, Daphne is desperate to get Prince Jeff back, but why can’t she let her feelings for his best friend go?


Well, Majesty exceeded all my expectations and I must admit I enjoyed it a little bit more than American Royals. I was utterly immersed in this alternate version of the USA full of royalty, secrets, gossip and lies and couldn’t stop reading. The colloquial narrative had me wanting to know more and it was almost as if I was living in this reimagined USA and was, myself a fan of the Washington family. Majesty got integrated into my mind and even when I wasn’t reading, I found myself thinking about the characters and what was going to happen next. When a book does that to me, I know I’ve found a gem.

In Majesty, I felt like the plot was a lot stronger than it was in American Royals and with all the drama emerging in this book, I was living! The love triangles were still present, and if I’m honest they certainly didn’t go the way I had imagined, and this ultimately brought the shock factor. I feel that Katharine wanted you to be stunned with the events that took place throughout the book, and I did feel that way several times. This was probably the main reason why I couldn’t put the book down, I just needed to know what was going to happen next and if my predictions would come to fruition.

Like it’s predecessor Majesty is told through four POV’s – that of Queen Beatrice, Princess Samantha, Nina Gonzalez and Daphne Deighton. Each of these characters, I noticed had a lot more depth to them, and you got to know each one personally and get right into their innermost thoughts. With Beatrice, you got deep into her mindset of wanting to be a great queen, but also wanting to please her family with regards to her impending marriage. I did feel quite sorry for her at times as you could tell she was struggling with what to do and how to go about it. Come to the end of the book we see her come out the other end stronger, and willing to do what’s right, not just for her but for her country. Samantha, well she was probably my favourite character to read about in Majesty. We see her struggling with Beatrice’s upcoming marriage and the fact that she has to start taking responsibility as the second in line to the throne. I found myself understanding her more than I did in American Royals and I became a lot more sympathetic towards her. Nina, well she developed confidence in herself throughout the book and I was rooting for her to do what was best for her wellbeing. Nina is quite a complex character but we did start to see her come out of her shell. Lastly, we go to Daphne. I didn’t take to her in American Royals, and I still found it hard to take to her in Majesty. However, I think that’s how Katharine wanted you to feel about her. She’s selfish and manipulating and I desperately wanted her to get her comeuppance. However, you do see a vulnerable side to her in Majesty, and come to the end of the book I did find myself feeling somewhat sorry for her, not much though.

Majesty was an excellent sequel to what is becoming one of my favourite series. I was hooked on this story of royalty and secrets and couldn’t get enough of it. I’m not sure if there’s a third book coming, but I can hope!

I absolutely adored this book. The first book was my favourite book of last year and I was highly anticipating this one. It did not disappoint. I have never before read a series where my opinions have changed so quickly. What I thought I knew about the characters in book 1 and the relationships, completely shifted in book 2. My favourite relationships became entirely new. I was so shocked but it just shows how well written this novel is. Convincing a hardcore fan to look at the other side is a skill. Overall, this series is thrilling and addictive. I really really hope a third book gets published because I need to know what happens next.

This is a very worthy follow up to the first book. I loved that it picked up directly from the end of the last book. And I was completely immersed into Princess Beatrice's world straight away. Without giving too much away I liked how the book didn't go exactly as I thought it would, which then made it a great read. Would highly recommend if you loved 'The Royal We' and 'Red White and Royal Blue'.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After fully embracing her love for her Revere Guard, Connor, Crown Princess Beatrice was ready to break off her engagement, with her father's blessing. But, the King's sudden death leaves the whole kingdom in chaos, and now Beatrice must take up her role as the first Queen of America, and all that entails - including an upcoming royal wedding. Her younger sister, Samantha, has always known that she was the 'spare' and never expected to have to take on responsibility as heir to the throne - thinking by the time Beatrice was crowned, she would already have had children. Now Sam must let go of her partying ways, and be serious to help her sister. Nina Gonzales, Sam's best friend and Prince Jefferson's ex, knows that being close to the royal family is not always for the best, and wants to forget all about the tabloid interest from last year. Helping Sam through her own problems is enough for her, and when Ethan, Jeff's best friend and someone she's known for years, gets close to her, she can't believe it. Here is someone who knows what it's like to be on the periphery of royalty, and seems to really understand her. But, Daphne Deighton is always in the background. Once girlfriend of Jeff, she wants more than anything for him to be with her, as she's been raised to be a princess her whole life. Her feelings for Ethan notwithstanding, she will do anything to make sure nothing gets in her way. Will the upcoming wedding go smoothly, and will America be willing to accept a young queen as their monarch?

Well, this was a roller coaster. Forget everything you knew from American Royals, because it seems to go out the window here. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this instalment, because I did; I loved it! The plot lines were all entangled and running along nicely, and when there were moments when I couldn't work out how things would be restored, McGee threw another spanner in the works, but by the end, pretty much everything was tied together nicely.

I still love Beatrice as much as I did in the first book. Now, she's even more vulnerable, and has so much to contend with. She's only in her twenties, and has just lost her dad - who she was really close to - and now she has the fate of the whole nation in her hands. Her Lord Chamberlain, Robert Standish, is a holdover from her father's regime, and undermines her at every pass. He is adamant the wedding to Teddy Eaton will go ahead, and only then will he let Beatrice have some control. I despised Robert wholeheartedly - but he gets what he deserves!

All of the romances from American Royals have changed now. Because of Beatrice going ahead with the wedding to Teddy, Connor leaves, and the more time Beatrice spends with Teddy - who knows she doesn't love him (at least, not yet) - the better their relationship was, and I really liked them together. They were perfect for each other, and though Sam had once had feelings for Teddy, that was a puppy love kind of love, and the mutual respect and growing affection between Beatrice and Teddy was true, and I can't wait to see that explored more in future books.

Sam was the carefree and feisty princess that she had always been, but we see more of a vulnerable side to her in this book. Just like her sister, she is grieving the loss of her dad, and the added pressure as the 'heir' is weighing heavily on her. Out of the three Washington children, she has always been the ones the tabloids hound, and now is no different. Standish again shows his pompousness in the way he interacts with Sam, and expects her to fail at each turn. To top it all off, she's trying to get over her feelings for Teddy, and meeting Marshall Davis, heir to the Duke of Orange, helps. Both of them want to make someone jealous, but Sam soon develops real feelings for Marshall when she grows to understand him better, and can see that Teddy is falling for Beatrice properly. I loved the way Sam grew in this book, and her final scenes were sensational. The next book will show her even better - I'm sure of it!

Now that Nina is no longer with Jefferson, it's a bit awkward her going to the palace to visit Sam, but she wants to be there for her best friend, especially through her grief and new relationship, so will do what she can to overcome it all. When Ethan comes into the picture at university, she's a bit confused because they've never been close, no matter how long they've known each other, but it seems like Ethan is right for her. I liked seeing them together, especially as the feelings grew more and more real, but the start of it concerned me, because of why Ethan was hanging around, and, of course, that all falls to Daphne.

It seems as if whenever there's a problem, Miss Daphne Deighton is at the helm. Yeah, there are moments when I felt a bit sympathetic towards her, but for the most part, she deserves everything she gets! She cares for Ethan, not Jefferson, but knows that Jefferson is her meal ticket, and that of her parents, and she'd do anything - including trying to blackmail the queen - to make sure nothing gets in the way. That's why Himari, her best friend, was drugged and has been in a coma for the last year, and now that she's woken up, Daphne needs to find out just what she remembers, and get her out of the way if necessary. Daphne also doesn't like the fact Nina is still close to Jefferson, and get's Ethan to pose as a love interest to keep her out of the way, but when it turns into real feelings, Daphne wants Ethan back. She's petty, and, frankly, dangerous, and I want her to suffer - as bad as that sounds.

All in all, this book was everything I wanted from what was one of my most anticipated sequels, and more! I love where each of our heroines are in the final pages, and can't wait for more of them - especially Sam's story, in the next book! If you haven't already read American Royals, make sure to grab a copy before Majesty is published!

In some ways, this sequel to Katharine McGee's American Royals delivers exactly what you'd expect from the first book: lots of soapy drama and romance with very skimpy worldbuilding. In other ways, I was pleasantly surprised by the turn that certain plot lines took. Majesty picks up exactly where the first book left off, with our four central characters all caught in their own dilemmas. Beatrice is coming to terms with the fact that she's now the ruling queen, and reeling from the implications of the decision she made just before her father's death. Sam, her sister and heir, still feels that she is always seen as the 'spare', and is plotting to get what she wants, as is Daphne, an aristocratic schemer who's still going after Prince Jefferson. Finally, Nina's life has returned to normality after her split with the prince, but how long can she stay out of the spotlight? When I finished American Royals, having read similar YA novels like Kiera Cass's The Heir and The Crown, I thought I knew exactly where all this was going. However,

[SPOILERS] I was delighted that McGee didn't lean into the traditional trope of a female heir choosing to abdicate in favour of somebody else, and instead allowed Beatrice to want to rule and to be good at it. I genuinely thought she was going to step aside for Sam. This feels like SUCH a low bar to clear, but most books in this sub-genre don't do it, so kudos for that! Unfortunately, however, this also meant that, as in the first book, Beatrice's plot was the only one that seemed to have any weight. [END SPOILERS]

You'll know if you like this sort of thing, and McGee delivers it, although once again, not as well as she did in her Thousandth Floor trilogy.

How I’ve looked forward to receiving a copy of this book. Having read the first we were left wondering how things would change for Beatrice following the early death of her father the king.

The book starts off as the mourning period is coming to an end. Beatrice or Bee to her family is engaged to Teddy the maN her sister Sam is in love with. However, Bee is in love with Connor one of her guards. Will she go with her heart or what is expected.
Sam’s best friend Nina is still recovering from the breakup with Prince Jefferson. Will she find love?
Daphne is still Daphne. A woman who wants power and prestige over everything else. Will she get her prince back or fall by the wayside.
Sam the headstrong Princess who wants a fake relationship to win back the heart of Teddy.
This book centres more on the women. It felt like Jeff was sidelined, however I fell we will see more of him in the next book. (There better be one)
We see a new side to Bee, Sam and Nina as their characters develop.
I personally love the American Royals books. I was more than happy to recommend these to my daughter and her friends. (They got copies of the first one in lockdown). The show loving relationships that are not smutty. The books build on the characters. You could read this book without the first but I would recommend having a binge reading session and having both. I for one can’t wait to see the characters develop even further. The books would also make a good tv show.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review