In a surprising turn of events my Kindle is now about 70% romance books. Is this something that happens as you get older? I was a sworn fantasy fan as a teen but I find myself gravitating towards contemporary romances more and more these days.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
I have so much love for Alex and Henry both in the book and the film. It’s fairly rare for me to rate a contemporary romance five stars but I fell in love with this book. I’m definitely due a reread of this soon.
We all know how much I love a pairing with good flirty banter and that’s definitely the case here. I love a bit of good hearted teasing that’s used to hide the fact that they like each other. It’s so good.
Synopsis: First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.
As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
This isn’t technically a romance book but I love the relationships in this series. At one point I was rooting for Jacks and Tella which is hilarious now I’ve read Once Upon a Broken Heart. Anyway, the reason why I love the romance element of this series is Scarlett and Julian, you only get one book from Scarlett’s point of view but I loved their dynamic. The little glimpses you get of their relationship in Finale is too cute. I left a massive gap between the second and third book but I still remembered just how much I loved them.
Synopsis: A legendary competition.
A mesmerising romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.
But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.
Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: The Best Of: Books I’ve Rated Five Stars #5