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 found this book rather sweet. A bit of a long read at over 400 pages, and at times quite dry, but I enjoyed myself in the end. It's a quiet book more than anything, and I could understand why the other reviews have said that this is a boring novel.

There isn't much of a direct plot, nor a sense of urgency with the tasks that Thea has to do. It's more a book that combines slow burn romance with a middle-aged woman trying to find herself once more after the ending of her marriage. This has been the first novel I've read in a good while where I was not too sure if the two main characters were going to end up together. Edward with his multiple casual affairs and Thea's self esteem issues seemed like a recipe for disaster in terms of romance, but the slow burn and the growing mutual understanding makes their romance work. Like two growing vines that in the end intertwine together.

I also liked that the two leads are older, and that their troubles in the plot don't make it seem like their reverting back to teenage antics. Yes, there are instances were Thea gets jealous, but it's in the way that all adults get jealous from time to time. The author, Jackie Fraser, doesn't devolve these characters in order to fuel conflict and drama between them - which is refreshing and I think something other adult romance writers should take note of.

The only downside is that the novel is quite long and there are times where it does drag its feet which made it a hard read from time to time. But, then the story would give these very heartfelt moments that would drag me right back in.

If you're looking for a romance novel not about teens or 20-somethings, and enjoy novels set in Scotland, I would recommend this one!