American Royals by Katherine McGee imagines what America would be like if George Washington had agreed to be king instead of president. This story chronicles the three children of America’s present day king. Beatrice is the first female heir and her entire life is scheduled and monitored. She’s a gilded bird in a cage. She has to marry someone suitable and not likely for love. Samantha (Sam) is the spare who knows nothing and acts accordingly. She and her twin brother Jefferson (Jeff) globetrot and party like rockstars with no aim or purpose. Neither of them can love who they want, but for different reasons than Bea. There are two other characters - Sam’s best friend Nina and Jeff’s former girlfriend Daphne - that add dimension. What starts out as a rom-com becomes a likely realistic perspective on the sacrifice monarchs make (or should ;) for their country. This did not end at all as I expected. I was unhappy about that at first, but upon reflection it seems more plausible than what I imagined.
Queue:
- The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
- The Year of Living Danishly by Hellen Russell
- The Gown by Jennifer Robson
- The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
- The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
- Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
