Alex Stern should be allowed to kill as many men as possible

randomly saw this on my audiobook app and just wanted to give it a try. do yall think its a good introduction to ali hazelwood...?

i really gotta normalize reading previews first cuz im confused asf 😭

My book challenge this April is to read a book that became a movie. I really want to read PHM but I'm really intimidated by 2 things: the long chapters and the hype 😂 Can someone tell me if the book is a page turner? (Sci-fi isn't one of my favourite genre but I enjoy it if I don't struggle with the vocabulary). And a question for those who have seen the movie: is it a good adaptation?

My book challenge this April is to read a book that became a movie. I really want to read PHM but I'm really intimidated by 2 things: the long chapters and the hype 😂 Can someone tell me if the book is a page turner? (Sci-fi isn't one of my favourite genre but I enjoy it if I don't struggle with the vocabulary). And a question for those who have seen the movie: is it a good adaptation?

I have tried to read this book two other times (Jan 2025 & Jun 2025) and I couldn't get to the halfway mark. I thought I'd give it another shot when I found it on the shelves of my local library. I had read the author's other book "The Pairing" and while I think that book is better - I really enjoyed Red, White and Royal Blue.

I think both books exemplify that author Casey McQuinston is a strong writer both in writing believable queer romances, but also just writing a book plot that runs alongside the main romance plot. While I knew this book was going to be a happily ever after, the real tension between expectations of their positions and their affection for one another actually made me feel about the royal family and the president's family (speaking as a Canadian).

This book was published in 2019, and I guess in 2026 it feels like a time capsule. In the current age where it feels like things are very bleak especially with queer causes, this book projects a certain type of hope for the time that things still had the chance to improve with equity for queer folks. While it seems a little dated given the current politics of both the United States and England. I like to think that one day we can get that certain level of optimism back.

I really think this book is quite good both with its build up of Alex and Henry's relationship, but also strong prose, good humour, and overall a nice read. I can see why this is still a high seller at bookstores! - Highly recommend (and The Pairing too)