Regardless of when you last read Red, White, and Royal Blue, it is likely that Alex and Henry are living rent-free in your head and all the romance involved.
Looking for something just as heart-warming that is sure to leave you feeling giddy? Then you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re unfamiliar with Red, White, and Royal Blue, then it is a new adult romantic comedy – containing all the rom-com moments you know and love, and can’t get enough of, either.
Here, you’ll find everything from the pressures of a new relationship, sweet thoughts exchanged over email, and an epic declaration in, of course, the pouring rain.
This is all against the backdrop of royalty and a relationship that has the potential to upend two nations.
You will find the perfect combination of hidden relationships, fake friendships, unrequited love, and enemies-to-lover, involving no other than the prince of the British Royal Family and the son of the President of the United States.
In the United States, Alex Caremont-Diaz is practically royalty as the son of the first female president, Ellen Claremont.
However, when photos emerge of a confrontation with long-time nemesis, Prince Henry, both nations are in jeopardy.
What starts as a fake friendship swiftly transforms into something more, sparking a relationship between the two and a whole lot more problems to come.
With this in mind, if you couldn’t get enough of Red, White, and Royal Blue, then don’t worry. I have compiled a list of books that are sure to hit the same.
Looking for something just as heartwarming as Red, White, and Royal Blue? Then you’re sure to like one of these books, including Meet Cute Club, Written in the Stars, and One Last Stop. Discover 12 books like Red, White, and Royal Blue, here.
Themes In Red, White, And Royal Blue
Love
The very foundation of Red, White, and Royal Blue is built on a love story between two individuals who have to fight for their love and defend their union.
This is only heightened by their roles as public figures whereby Alex is a part of the first family and Henry is a member of the royal family.
Both individuals are hesitant about disclosing their relationship to the public due to their queer identities which could prompt global consequences.
The novel takes a somewhat Shakespearian route since both characters have to make a massive jump to save their love.
Moreover, the plot outlines their relationship from being a nemesis to lovers, therefore, love is evident throughout.
Identity Vs. Reputation
Since both main characters are public figures, they are constantly battling their personal identities with their reputation and public image.
Moreover, the novel also looks into how their public images are created to align with a certain narrative for political reasons.
This is portrayed in the media, too, where they are always looking for scandals that can be manipulated to portray what is not expected of them.
While Alex can easily come out as himself, Henry has a much harder time due to expectations and familial duties imposed by the royal family.
If they choose to pursue their true identities their whole political legacy is at stake. Nonetheless, they are fighting to create a more tolerant society that makes the future look bright for all communities.
Political Arena
The basis of the novel was formed during the political race that made many people question the reliability of our leaders. Hence, the author incorporated political leaders that aren’t represented.
Here, the same social issues in politics are represented in a slightly different light.
For instance, Alex’s mother, President Ellen, is preparing for reelection and working to make sure her campaign isn’t undermined or smeared.
Thus, the family has to be careful when maneuvering the political scene. The media is known to focus on non-political issues as opposed to real issues that impact the masses.
This book takes the fake friendship trope to a whole new level whereby we are offered a fake dating trope.
Here, we follow Luc O’Donnell, the son of a famous rockstar. Despite never meeting his father, Luc is famous by association.
However, when his father makes a comeback, Luc finds himself thrust into the public eye where a compromising photo has the potential to ruin everything.
To save face, he needs to find a respectable boyfriend and fast. This is where Oliver Blackwood comes in.
An ethical vegetarian, a barrister, and absolutely no drama – the perfect candidate.
However, despite both individuals being gay and single, they don’t have anything else in common.
What starts as a fake relationship with an end date, slowly transforms into something more, whereby both individuals are finding it hard to let go.
Pros
Hilarious.
Witty.
Heartfelt.
Cons
Some readers thought some of the characters were 2-dimensional.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Reputation, appearance, romance, and LGBT.
If you loved the American-British royalty dynamic with Alex and Henry, then Playing the Palace needs to be on the top of your reading list.
Carter Ogden is repulsed by all things love as a result of his last disastrous relationship with a cheating ex.
Left heartbroken, he never imagined he’d meet the Crown Prince of England, let alone have anything to do with him.
Handsome and openly gay, Prince Edgar was a dream from his childhood – no way it could be a reality. This was until a chance encounter at Carter’s boss’s event where sparks began to fly,
With this unexpected romance, Carter finds himself in the spotlight of the world with pressure from both sides of the Atlantic.
To make things work, Carner not only has to overcome the media frenzy but the disapproval of the Queen of England, too.
Pros
Funny.
Romantic.
Likable characters.
Cons
Some people found the plot to be superficial.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: LGBT, romance, reputation, political arena, and identity.
When it comes down to it Rex and Jordan are complete opposites, however, there may be more similarities between the two than they may realize.
Meet Cute Club is a wonderful own-voices take on a contemporary romance novel. Here, our main protagonist is adamant about not starting a relationship.
Instead, all he wants is for his favorite author to release more books and for people to join his romance book club. The last thing he needs is his new employee judging his reading choices.
Well, that was until that employee, Rex Bailey, started asking about joining the book club, Meet Cute Club, that he desperately needs new members.
It doesn’t help that he is breathtakingly handsome and frustratingly obnoxious, too.
However, as Rex begins to help more with the book club, Jordan realizes that he may have judged the wrong book by its cover.
With time, the two begin to learn more about each other and become closer and closer.
Eventually, Jordan finds himself slowly beginning to fall for the bad boy.
Pros
Sweet.
Low drama.
Dual point of points in the book.
Cons
Not all the readers were convinced by the writing.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Appearances, reputation, and romance.
Here, we are presented with another British gentleman known as Henry. However, in this historical romance, he is much less refined than Prince Henry.
This is because Henry Montague, usually going by the name Monty, is a wild one at heart.
Regardless of the number of private boarding schools he went to or the number of disapproval father conversations, there is no taming him.
His scandalous passions include late-night drinking, waking up in the morning entwined with men or women, and many gambling halls.
However, reality kicks in on Monty’s return from a grand tour of Europe where is expected to take over his family’s estate.
At the same time, Monty is keeping a secret: an impossible crush on his best friend, Percy.
Felicity, Monty’s sister, tags along for the travels. However, despite this, Monty promises that next year will be packed with decadent, indulgent experiences while flirting with him from Paris to Rome.
However, one reckless decision is all it takes to turn their trip into a manhunt across Europe – making Monty question everything, even his relationship with Percy.
Pros
Great adventure.
Funny.
Heartwarming.
Cons
Some readers found it slow in some places.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Romance, LGBT, reputation, and responsibility.
Like Red, White, and Royal Blue, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda has themes of coming out and epistolary elements. However, keep in mind that it is targeted at a younger audience.
In this novel, someone is blackmailing Simon Spier. Private emails between himself and a boy named Blue have somehow ended up in the wrong hands. Now, Simon must do everything for the class clown, Martin.
Before he is forced to, Simon must find some way to step out of his comfort zone.
At the same time, he has to juggle not compromising himself, maintaining a friendship, and making sure he gets Blue at the end of the day.
Pros
First-person narration.
Touching and engaging.
A moving character study.
Cons
Some readers found the writing to be too simple.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Coming out, romance, identity, and coming-of-age.
Even though this is the second book in the Royals series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone book.
Here, you are provided with the typical American-British royal romance, however, there is an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, too.
The story begins with Millie Quint heartbroken over the fact that her ‘sort-of’ girlfriend was caught kissing someone else.
As such, she wants to get as far away from Houston, and her ex, as possible. This is when she turns her attention to boarding schools.
In the rolling highlands of Scotland, she is accepted into one of the most exclusive schools in the world.
Everything except for her princess of a roommate, Flora – the actual princess of Scotland.
With time, the feelings between the pair begin to defrost and Millie finds herself catching feelings for Flora. Before she knows it, she finds herself in another ‘sort-of’ situation.
However, Millie knows that fairytales don’t exist, so this won’t last forever… right?
Pros
Enjoyable.
Well-written.
Diverse characters.
Cons
Some readers found the pacing to be inconsistent.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Romance, unexpectedness, LGBTQ+, friendship, and appearances.
Initially a popular webcomic series, this novel is now available in two physical formats. Check, Please!’ is an endearing story about trying to find yourself – just like Henry and Alex.
The novel follows the story of Eric “Bitty” Britte, a former professional figure skater and a vlogging extraordinaire. On enrolling at Samwell University, he decides to try out for the hockey team.
Not only does he have to come to terms with the intricacies of hockey, but he struggles to befriend the extremely attractive, yet moody team captain, Jack.
This emotional yet insanely hilarious comic takes everything from gender norms and masculinity in sports, all on the backdrop of a heartfelt coming-of-age plot.
Pros
Lovable characters.
Hilarious.
Great artwork.
Cons
Some readers found it contains too much ‘locker-room’ language.
In this own-voice romantic comedy, opposites continue to attract. Here, a social media astrologer and an uptight actuary decide to fake-date over the holiday season.
These two characters couldn’t be more different. Elle Jones is a free-spirited online astrologer, whereas Darcy Lowell is punctual, skeptical, and extremely analytical – a disaster waiting to happen!
One person looking to ignite this flame is Darcy’s brother who sets up a blind date between the unlikely pair.
In an attempt to make her love life seem less disastrous, Darcy tells her brother the date went well which shocks Elle when it inevitably comes back to her.
Darcy convinces Elle to fake-date over the holiday, however, this isn’t without some conditions of her own.
The last thing the pair expected was that they would start catching feelings for each other, however, it could be said that it was written in the start, after all.
Pros
Interesting characters.
Great writing style.
Fun and enjoyable plot.
Cons
Some readers were underwhelmed by the ending.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Romance, secrecy, and LGBTQ+.
This is a wonderful adult contemporary romance novel that delights in fandom and millennial culture.
If you loved how Alex and Henry’s friendship bloomed through text, then you’re sure to love this book.
Here, April Whiiter is hiding a secret. When at work, she is the star employee – allowing conforming to the rules and contorting her personality to match the professional environment.
However, in the comfort of her home, she geeks out over her favorite television show: Gods of the Gates.
After changing her career, she decides to reveal her Lavinia cosplay on Twitter without realizing it would go viral!
Despite the support, there are tons of trolls, too, judging her plus-size figure.
In an attempt to resolve the situation and spite the hater, Marcus Caster-Rupp – who stars as Aeneas on the show – asks April on a date.
Although, what April doesn’t realize is that Marcus has a secret of his own, too.
While the cameras are rolling, he plays cool, however, he is, in fact, hiding an online persona known as Book!AenasWouldNever.
With the help of fanfiction, Marcus is able to highlight his frustrations about the show, especially when it comes to the main characters, Aeneas and Lavinia.
Even though the first date was a disaster, Marcus decides he wants another. However, things get more complicated as he realizes that April is his closest fandom friend, Lavinia Stan.
Everything is in jeopardy if he reveals his online persona, however, April might just be the risk worth taking.
Pros
Mature when handling delicate issues.
Hilarious.
A reflection on fat-shaming.
Cons
Some readers thought the characters had no personality.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Appearance, secret identity, romance, and hidden love.
William Fox is a disciplined and responsible man, this has benefited him in his role as an FBI Art Crimes agent.
In addition to this, he is extremely stubborn and wouldn’t compromise on what he knows as right and wrong, well… that’s until he meets Amory Vaughn.
Vaughn is used to getting everything he wants, however, when he realizes Will doesn’t care about his wealth or name, it causes him to slip back into old habits.
However, neither man is willing to give up what they want, either. Will is falling for a man who he should place behind bars, while Vaughn needs to realize some things can’t be stolen or bought.
Pros
Unique character voices.
Enjoyable tension between the characters.
Character development.
Cons
Some readers found the second half of the book boring after an enjoyable first half.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Identity, appearance, romance, and LGBTQ+.
This novel follows Stella Lane, an extremely professional businesswoman with tons of money but practically no dating experience.
Even the thought of kissing makes her squirm. That’s why he decides to seek out a professional for help.
This is where escort Michael Phan comes in. He can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer and decides to help her check off all her boxes.
However, what Stella didn’t expect is that she would soon start craving these kisses and the way they made her feel – making their nonsense partnership make some kind of sense.
Pros
Asperger’s representation.
Adorable.
Great writing.
Cons
Some readers found it to be cliche.
Themes similar to Red, White, and Royal Blue: Self-discovery, romance, and identity.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let the heartfeltness finish after reading Red, White, and Royal Blue, with these collections of books, you’re sure to be fully satisfied for many months to come.
Hopefully, this guide has provided you with some inspiration for what books to read after finishing Red, White, and Royal Blue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Red White And Royal Blue A Teen Book?
An instant New York Times bestseller – Red, White, and Royal Blue is perfect for older teenagers and those in their early twenties.
Hi, my name is Anna Davis and I have been working with books for five years now. I got a job at my local library, so I could be closer to all of the books! I created this website in the hopes of inspiring others to start reading again. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite book from my site!
