'The idea that anything is over or done to death is silly, once you start imagining the possibility of stories that aren't cis, het, white stories. If a storytelling device is used again and again, it's often because it's been very successful in emotionally connecting with its audience.

Alex's clueless bisexual awakening and the president's response of a PowerPoint briefing with titles like FEDERAL FUNDING, TRAVEL EXPENSES, BOOTY CALLS, AND YOU are laugh-out-loud funny Henry's letters to Alex about being forced into the closet by his family's legacy can bring you to tears.Įmbracing this kind of storytelling is a point of pride for McQuiston, who enjoys falling down rabbit holes in her free time. After a years-long feud between Alex and Henry leads to a tabloid scandal, the White House and the royal family stage a fake PR friendship but they end up on the brink of an international crisis when Alex and Henry fall for each other. Much of the book's popularity comes from how skilfully it uses the familiar tropes of rom-coms, romance novels and, dare we say it, fan fiction - the Slow Burn, the Enemies-to-Lovers, the Secret Relationship. Alex has all the charm, optimism and snarky one-liners of a character from The West Wing (without the tone-deafness about American exceptionalism, fortunately), and Henry falls somewhere between a Disney prince and the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie. RW&RB combines clever insights about politics, journalism and LGBTQ+ culture with unabashed references to the 'comfort food' entertainment we've all been leaning on these past few years - Parks & Recreation, The Great British Baking Show, the Star Wars universe.

Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston