Her Royal Highness (Royals #2)

I enjoyed this book a good deal. It was fast, fun, and fluffy. I felt that the diverse representation of LGBTQIA+ characters was done well, without being stereotypical or clearly just trying to earn the title of a diverse book.

While it was an enjoyable, binge-in-one-day read, it isn’t the strongest, most developed romance I’ve read. Given that the main character has been close with her friends back in Texas since before grade school, apparently, it seemed odd to let the characters drop off completely by a third of the way through the novel.

There were also some plot points in the book that never got resolved or happened “off-screen,” that the novel would’ve benefited from having shown.

Finally, I felt that the novel’s pacing was a little inconsistent, with the narrative taking its time to unfold and introduce you to the characters at the beginning and shifting into high gear after the setting changes, even though this portion could’ve used an equally paced exposition. I think this pacing issue came down to relying a little too much on telling (through dialogue or internal stream of consciousness) instead of showing. Having maybe 50 more pages in the book would’ve given it the space it needed to really create well-rounded, reoccurring characters, making the novel more believable as a slice out of someone’s intricate life.

There were also a few things that I really loved about the book. I loved that the main character is unsure of who she is but isn’t all consumed by it and is just slowly finding her way, which is a perspective not often found in YA. Usually an insecure character is angsty beyond reason, but Amelia/Millie had a great balance of nervousness and unabashed passion for what she likes, like studying hard and geology.

I also loved that the book was in first person and was told in a stream of consciousness way, making you feel closer to the MC and privvy to her changing thoughts about those around her, including her love interest.

I additionally enjoyed the snippets from the tabloid magazines between each chapter, as I thought it was a creative way to move the plot forward and give different perspectives. I wished it would’ve been flushed out a little more as it could’ve provide a better connection to her old friends in Texas. I also would’ve liked a resolution to the tabloid’s insider source (which continued after the supposed guilty party was caught?).

Overall, it was an enjoyable, fast, cute read. Perfect both for sunny summer days or for cloudy, rainy days (as it fits the Scotland mood perfectly). The romance progressed a little fast from hate to love and felt more insta-lovey, but it was still sweet.

Well, maybe it was me who was prejudiced about the plot line, but it was very tightly constructed. I kept thinking put Alfred Hitchcock’s line, “Put an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances.” The author puts an ordinary girl in an extraordinary circumstance and it works well. Plus, the bonus for me is that the MC was more like me than almost any character in a story I’ve read. She kept doing things that left me thinking, “Of course. Exactly.” Strangely, I misinterpreted what happened at the climax of the book and I can’t wait to go back and see what I missed. Yes, it’s that good that I assume that am just obtuse and missed the point, not that there is some annoying hole in the book. Yes, I know what I missed, when I think about it, but I’m looking forward to the second read through to feel it play out. The reader for the audio book is excellent. I think American, because she didn’t botch the Texas accent. Her Scot’s accents are very very good, at least for an American’s ear.

This book was EVERYTHING. I crave books like this where its a light and fun rom com with nothing too sad and tragic happening. I finished it in a few hours because I was hooked and needed to know what happened. I havent seen these beloved tropes done with queer characters often and I hope we see more in the future.

Bought this book to read on the beach and flew through it in 2.5 days. I loved the tension between Flora and Millie that builds up throughout the book. The characters are interesting and the plot was fun. It’s a great queer girl romance book that will leave you wanting more. It was such a relief to read a contemporary romantic story that isn’t about straight people. My only negative feedback is that it could have been gayer, and it ended too soon.

While this book is definitely not going to be the next great American novel, it is a cute read. The only thing missing was one final chapter. A few pages from the royal wedding reception, or a royal visit to Texas. I would have even settled for a another excerpt from the tabloids, about the new royal couple being sickeningly mostly together.

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