Whether you read Red, White, and Royal Blue last night or months ago, it’s likely the romance of Alex and Henry is still living in your head rent free. If you’ve found yourself desperate for another heart-warming romance, here are 15 books like Red, White, and Royal Blue that you must read.
About Red, White, and Royal Blue
As you’re likely already aware, Red, White, and Royal Blue is a new adult romantic comedy. It’s frequently abbreviated in the fandom to RWRB. It has also been optioned for a film adaption by Berlanti Productions and Amazon Studios.
This book has classic rom-com moments that we all know and love. It includes an epic declaration in the pouring rain, tender thoughts exchanged over email, and the pressure of a new relationship – heightened only slightly by the fact that this particular relationship could upend two nations. If these are the elements you fell in love with, this list will provide you with a stack of new books like Red, White, and Royal Blue to read.
It’s the perfect combination of enemies to lovers with a fake friendship, unrequited love, and a hidden relationship. Add in the drama that this romance includes the son of the President of the United States and a prince in the British Royal Family and our unlikely duo have the odds stacked against them.
Alex Claremont-Diaz is practically American royalty as the son of President Ellen Claremont, the first female president. So when photos of a confrontation with his long-time nemesis Prince Henry emerge, damage control must take place to placate American and British relations. What begins as a fake friendship swiftly evolves into something more as feelings between Alex and Henry blossom.
As Alex and Prince Henry come to terms with their feelings for one another, they will also have to deal with the difficulties of coming out, racism, and homophobia amid media scrutiny from both sides of the Atlantic.
With this stunning 2019 release Casey McQuiston caught the book world by storm and created a beloved favorite of book readers across social media. It won two Goodreads Choice Awards for Debut Novel and Romance.
Books Like Red, White, and Royal Blue
Red, White, and Royal Blue contains memorable romantic scenes that had readers rooting for our stubborn couple from first cake fight. If you’re looking for more literature with royalty, LGBTQ+ representation, enemies-to-lovers, or all of the above, this list will have you covered on the books like Red, White, and Royal Blue that you have to read next.
1. Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick
If you fell in love with Alex and Henry for their American-British royalty dynamic, Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick, an own-voices novel, should be at the top of your to be read list.
Carter Ogden is sure that love isn’t for him after his last disastrous relationship with his cheating ex. Heart-broken, he never imagined he would meet the Crown Prince of England, much less do anything more with him. Handsome, openly gay Prince Edgar was a fantasy from his childhood, but there’s no way it could become a reality.
Until a chance encounter at an event Carter’s boss is organizing sees sparks flying between the pair.
With this new romance Carter finds himself thrust into the spotlight under intense pressure from both sides of the Atlantic. To reach their happily-ever-after Carter and Edgar will have to overcome the media frenzy and the tenacious disapproval of the Queen of England.
2. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
This book takes McQuiston’s fake friendship trope and dials it up a notch to fake dating.
Luc O’Donnell is the son of a famous rockstar. Even though he’s never met his father, he finds himself reluctantly famous by association. With his father making a comeback Luc finds himself thrust back into the public eye and one comprising photo might ruin everything.
He needs to find a respectable boyfriend fast to save face. Enter Oliver Blackwood: A barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and absolutely free of scandal. But except for being gay, single, and in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common.
What begins as a mutually understood agreement of a fake-relationship with an expiration date evolves into something more. That’s because fake-dating can feel an awful lot like real-dating. Once you start falling for someone, you don’t ever want to let them go.
The expected publication of the sequel to Boyfriend Material is August 2, 2022.
3. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
In The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue we meet another English gentleman named Henry, but the gentleman in this historical romance is much less refined than our beloved Prince Henry in RWRB.
That’s because Henry Montague, more commonly called Monty, was never one to be tamed. It doesn’t matter how many of the finest boarding schools he attends or the constant disapproval from his father. His roguish passions include gambling halls, late nights drinking, and waking up in the morning entwined with women or men.
Reality settles in, however, as Monty embarks on a grand tour of Europe. Upon his return to England he is expected to take over his family’s estate, and Monty is harboring an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion: Percy.
Along for their traveling adventure is Monty’s younger sister Felicity. Despite her presence Monty insists the next year will be full of hedonistic delights as he flirts with Percy from Paris to Rome.
But then a reckless decision turns their trip into a harrowing manhunt across Europe. It calls into question everything Monty knows, including his relationship with Percy.
4. Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon
On the surface Jordan and Rex are polar opposites, just like Alex and Henry, but you should never judge a book by its cover. Meet Cute Club by Jack Harbon is a delightful own-voices contemporary romance.
Our main protagonist Jordan Collins is resolutely not looking for a relationship. Instead all he needs is for his favorite author to release another own of her novels and for more people to sign up for his romance book club. He also doesn’t need the new employee at his local bookstore judging his choice of reading material.
He absolutely does not need for that employee, Rex Bailey, to be in his living room asking to join his Meet Cute Club book group. But he’s not in the position to turn away any new members if he wants the club to thrive. Even if Rex ends up being both frustratingly obnoxious and breathtakingly handsome.
As Rex steps up to help grow the club, Jordan realizes he might have been wrong to judge a book by its cover. As the two work together Jordan learns more about Rex. And he finds himself falling hard for this motorcycle-driving hunk that pushes him to his limits.
5. Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins
While this is the second book in the Royals series, it can be read as a standalone. Similarly to RWRB, Her Royal Highness details an American-British Royal love story, but this is a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance.
Millie Quint is devastated to discover her sort of girlfriend has been kissing someone else. She needs to get as far away from Houston, and her ex, as possible. So she begins applying for scholarships to boarding schools.
Thankfully she is accepted into one of the world’s most exclusive schools far away in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything is perfect except Flora’s new roommate is a total princess. Like, an actual princess of Scotland.
As tensions defrost between the two, Millie finds herself feeling something more for Flora. Before she knows it she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. But Millie knows fairytales don’t exist in real life, so this fling will have an expiry date…right?
6. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Similar to RWRB with its epistolary elements and themes of coming out, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is another contemporary romance. This book, however, targets a slightly younger audience.
Simon Spier is being blackmailed. Private emails he’s been exchanging with a boy named Blue have fallen into the wrong hands. Now Simon must play wingman for the class clown Martin.
Simon must find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out. All while maintaining friendships, not comprising himself, or ruining his shot with the confusing, adorable Blue.
7. Who’d Have Thought by G. Benson
Another enemies-to-lovers read, Who’d Have Thought pops the question: Would you marry a near-enemy for $200,000?
Hayden Pérez finds herself in precisely that situation when her colleague, top neurosurgeon Samantha Thomson, needs to get married fast. As a broke ER nurse Hayden can hardly refuse the proposal. Even if she does find Samantha rude and cold.
The agreement is only for one year of marriage, but before they can walk down the aisle they must convince everyone around them that they’re madly in love.
8. Check, Please! By Ngozi Ukazu
This popular webcomic series is now available in two physical-format volumes. It tells an endearing story about trying to find yourself, just like our favorite couple Alex and Henry had to do in RRWB.
Eric “Bitty” Bittle is a former figure skating champion and vlogger extraordinaire. When he enrolls at Samwell University he tries out for the hockey team. Now Bitty has to come to terms with the challenge of contact-hockey as he struggles to befriend the moody and very attractive team captain, Jack.
This hilarious and emotional comic confronts gender norms and masculinity within sports, while being an endearing coming-of-age story.
9. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
Spoiler Alert is a delightful adult contemporary romance that revels in millennial and fandom culture. If you loved watching Alex and Henry’s friendship blossom into love through texts and emails, this book will be sure to entice you.
April Whittier has a secret. At work she conforms to every rule and contorts her personality to fit into a strict professional environment, but online she geeks out over her favorite TV show: Gods of the Gates. A change of career pushes April to finally reveal her latest Lavinia cosplay on Twitter, which quickly goes viral.
Despite the support, there are also trolls attacking her for her plus-sized figure. Then Marcus Caster-Rupp, who stars as Aeneas on Gods of the Gates, sees the post featuring his character’s love interest. To spite the trolls Marcus asks April out on a date, and April realizes that her life is stranger than fanfiction.
What April doesn’t know is that Marcus has a secret of his own. When the cameras are rolling he plays dumb, but he’s hiding his online persona of Book!AeneasWouldNever. Through fanfiction he is able to get out his own frustrations about the TV adaption: Especially the ones about Aeneas and Lavinia.
Their first date is a disaster, but Marcus wants another shot with April. When he realizes that she is his closest fandom friend, Lavinia Stan, things get more complicated with one more secret to hide from her. His career is on the line if he reveals his online persona, but the love developing between him and April might be worth the risk.
10. Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Opposites continue to attract in this own-voices romantic comedy debut. Written in the Stars is about a social media astrologer and an uptight actuary who agree to a scheme of fake-dating over the holidays.
Elle Jones is a free-spirited online astrologer. Darcy Lowell is analytical, punctual, and skeptical. Any date between the pair of them would not go well.
But that’s just what Darcy’s brother tried to do in a blind date between our unlikely duo. In an attempt to avoid another disastrous matchmaking attempt, Darcy tells her brother the date went well which confounds Elle when she finds out.
Darcy begs Elle to play along just for the holidays and Elle reluctantly agrees with conditions of her own. The last thing they expect to develop are real feelings during a fake relationship, but maybe it was written in the stars all along.
11. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
This read is a heartwarming and refreshing debut novel, just like Red, White, and Royal Blue. The Kiss Quotient contains Asperger’s representation and is an own-voices novel.
Stella Lane is a determined business professional with plenty of money and practically no dating experience. The thought of French kissing fills her with dread. Which leads her to determine that she needs a lot of practice from a professional.
Escort Michael Phan can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan. Soon Stella finds herself not just appreciating his kisses, but enjoying and craving everything else he’s making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership swiftly starts making a strange kind of sense.
12. Heart of the Steal by Avon Gale and Roan Parrish
Another contemporary romance, Heart of Steal features two characters that seemingly should not fit together so perfectly.
William Fox is a responsible and disciplined man. His strict views on right and wrong led him to becoming an FBI Art Crimes agent. He’s never been willing to compromise on what he knows is right until he meets Amory Vaughn.
Vaughn is used to getting everything he wants, but he realizes that Will doesn’t care about his name or wealth. Which causes Vaughn to slip back into old habits. He steals a painting to impress Will, not expecting the massive fall-out.
But neither man is willing to give up on what their heart wants. Will is falling for a man he should have arrested, and Vaughn must realize that some things can’t be bought or stolen. Can a man who lives by the rules and a man who thinks the rules don’t apply to him ever see eye-to-eye?
13. A Matter of Disagreement by E.E. Ottoman
Just like Alex and Henry, A Matter of Disagreement revolves around two sworn rivals and an attraction that neither can deny. This book is a historical steampunk romance and is an own-voices novel.
Lord Ashcroft “Andrea” de Bourbon is a noted scholar of ancient literature and spellcraft. When a new science of mechanical animation becomes the talk of high society, he finds his world shaken. He swiftly goes to the presses with scathing critiques of the new science and its founder: Marquis de la Marche.
When a chance encounter between the two of them occurs, Andrea realizes Leon Gregory de la Marche VI, Marquis de la Marche is nothing like he expected. For starters, he is handsome, brilliant, and charming. Their clashes on paper have become legendary and in person it becomes even more passionate and explosive.
14. American Royals by Katharine McGee
American Royals creates another fictional Royal Family, but this time set in America. It creates a world in which General George Washington became king and the House of Washington still sits on the throne.
Princess Beatrice is the heir and inching ever closer to becoming America’s first queen regnant. But as it gets closer, the duty she has embraced her entire life is starting to feel stifling.
As the spare no one cares much about her sister Princess Samantha, except for when she’s breaking the rules. In return, Samantha doesn’t care much about anything either. Except, that is, the one boy who is strictly off-limits.
Samantha’s twin, Prince Jefferson, would have been first in line for the throne just a generation ago. However, the new laws of succession leave him third in line. He is adored by most of the country, but two very different girls are trying to capture his heart.
15. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Finally, if you fell in love with the story of Alex and Henry thanks to Casey McQuiston’s writing, no list of books like Red, White, and Royal Blue would be complete without McQuiston’s latest publication.
August moves to New York under no allure of grandeur. Cynical at twenty-three, August is determined to prove that things like magic and romantic love stories don’t exist. There is certainly no way her subway commute can be anything more than a daily trudge from one place to the next.
Until there’s this gorgeous girl on the train: Jane.
Jane is dazzling, charming, mysterious, and impossible to work out. Jane, in her leather jacket, becomes the best part of August’s day. Until she realizes that Jane doesn’t just look like a punk rocker from a bygone era: She is literally from the 1970s.
August will need to use everything she tried to leave behind to help Jane. Along the way she just might start believing in some things after all.
Final Thoughts on books like Red, White, and Royal Blue
Have you read any of these 15 books like Red, White, and Royal Blue? What ones immediately made it onto your to be read list?
Whether you’re looking for a new royal couple to ship, another steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, or a bit more angsty drama, there is sure to be a book on this list that will be your perfect next read.
Looking for even more book recommendations?
Check out this list of 10 Books Like From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout.